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What are Bitters?

Bitter: (adjective) having a sharp, pungent taste or smell; not sweet, something that tastes bitter in flavor such as dandelion, gentian, coffee, dark chocolate and greens.
(noun) liquor that is flavored with the sharp pungent taste of plant extracts and is used as an additive in cocktails or as a medicinal substance to promote appetite or digestion.

The earliest origins of bitters can be traced back as far as the ancient Egyptians, who may have infused medicinal herbs in jars of wine.This practice was further developed upon the emergence of the Middle Ages, where the availability of distilled alcohol coincided with a renaissance in pharmacognosy,which made possible far more concentrated herbal bitters and tonic preparations.

Many of the various brands and styles of digestive bitters made today reflect herbal stomachic and tonic preparations whose roots are claimed to be traceable back to renaissance era pharmacopeia and traditions.

By 1806, American publications referenced the popularity of a new preparation termed cocktail, which was described as a combination of “a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters “
(Wikipedia: “Bitters”)

This most recent understanding of bitters is what most people think of when they hear the word “bitters”, but this use is not the only one.

Sometimes given alone medicinally (think the bitter pill) or more commonly taken as an aperitif or digestif before and after meals (respectively), the bitter flavor is intricately tied to our digestive system, and as current research is showing, is actually crucial to it’s proper functioning.

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Our Story 

As lovers of all things herbal, and frequent users and prescribers of bitters ourselves, we decided it was high time to start making some quality medicinal bitters of our own.

When we set out to create our bitters, we tried to capture all the aspects of this often-underutilized and misunderstood flavor into one simple product, a product that we could feel good about using.

In order to do this we stuck with the principles we already stood by: using high quality, organic ingredients in order to make a high quality product.

We wanted a line of bitters that people could use not only as medicinal tonics, but also to flavor their cocktails, and we wanted them to taste good, because if they didn’t, then people wouldn’t use them.

Thus Savoir Bitters was born.

(Golden Poppy Herbal Apothecary is located at 212 S. Mason St. Fort Collins, Colorado 80524)

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What’s in a Name?

The name Savoir Bitters is a play on words:

Savoir: (French, verb) to know

Savor: (verb) taste (good food or drink) and enjoy it completely.

We want you to know bitters (specifically our bitters) and we want you to savor the bitter flavor.

Since these two words are so similar in both spelling and pronunciation, we figured that no matter which way you said it, you would end up wanting to find out what they tasted like.

So go ahead, be bold, be adventurous, and give them a try all on their own.
Then, if you’re the creative type, mix them into your cocktails to give them that extra something “special.”

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Bitters Use and Directions:

All flavors of Golden Poppy Herbal Apothecary’s Savoir Bitters have the same serving size and usage guidelines.

To stimulate healthy digestion: enjoy approximately ¼ teaspoon (1.2 mL, or one-two droppers) of our bitters before or after meals– or to curb a sugar craving– up to 6 times daily if needed.

Start small in your dose: everyone’s body is different, and many people find that a very small dose can be quite sufficient. If the bitter taste is especially rare in your diet, your digestion will fire up with just a very small amount of the bitters.

We recommend starting with ½ dropper full directly on the tongue and working your way up from there.

To create a Bitters aperitif: add ¼ tsp. bitters to ½ tsp. sparkling water.

Tasting the bitter flavor is key to the digestive benefits, so don’t dilute too much!

To create a Cocktail: try substituting Savoir Bitters into any of your current favorite cocktail recipes, or be creative and come up with your own.

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Where can our bitters be found:

The following are some of the bars and restaurants that feature our bitters in their cocktails:

• The Social, Fort Collins Colorado
• The MainLine, Fort Collins Colorado
• Cafe Vino, Fort Collins Colorado
• William Oliver’s Publick House, Fort Collins Colorado
• Ace Gillett’s, Fort Collins Colorado

 

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Want to order some for yourself or as a gift?

Give the store a call at 970-682-4373 or send us a message

If you are a retailer interested in Wholesale, or a bar/restaurant interested in carrying our bitters to be used in your drinks please contact us and let us know; we’d be happy to set up a tasting for you
(Denver, Boulder, Northern CO, Southern WY only for in person tastings at this point in time).

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Bitter Flavors and Profiles:

Bitters come in the following sizes:

• 15mL (1/2 oz) for $8 or
• 30mL (1 oz) for $15
• 100 mL for $36 (these are more typically used by bartenders and come in a bottle with a ‘dashing’ type of dispenser for easy one-handed use)

These are some of the current flavors of bitters we are producing:

Aromatique:  Organic Lemon Peel, Juniper berries, herbs & spices in Organic Cane alcohol (gluten free)

Camomile:  Organic Chamomile flowers, herbs & spices, in Organic Cane alcohol (gluten free)

Cerise et Vanille:  Organic Cherries, Vanilla Beans, herbs & spices in Organic Cane alcohol (gluten free)

Ecrou Roti:  Organic Toasted Walnuts, Toasted Pecans, herbs & spices in Organic Cane alcohol (gluten free)

Lavande:  Organic Lavender flowers, herbs & spices in Organic Cane alcohol (gluten free)

Orange:  Organic Orange peel, herbs & spices in Organic Cane alcohol (gluten free)

Pamplemousse:  Organic Grapefruit peel, herbs & spices in Organic Cane alcohol (gluten free)

Provencale:  Organic Fennel Seeds, Rosemary, herbs & spices in Organic Cane alcohol (gluten free)

Savoureaux:  Organic Cumin, Coriander, herbs & spices in Organic Cane alcohol (gluten free)

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Some of our favorite combinations:

The Manhattan

One of the finest and oldest cocktails, this is a true classic cocktail and one our favorites. It can easily be made unique by using any one of our distinct bitters (or a combination of several for an even more complex taste).

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. whiskey or bourbon
• ½  oz. sweet vermouth
• 2-3 dashes Savoir Bitters
• Maraschino cherry or orange peel for garnish

• Cerse et Vanille
  (Cherry & Vanilla)
• Ecrou Roti (Toasted nut)
• Orange
• Savoureaux (Savory)

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Contraindications:

Savoir Bitters are not for:

• Pregnant/breastfeeding women: we use angelica & gentian, which are specifically contraindicated in pregnancy
• Stomach ulcers could be irritated