Peychaud's Bitters

Peychaud's Bitters is a bitters brand with a long and storied history. It is a key ingredient in many classic cocktails, including the Sazerac, one of the oldest known cocktails.

History

Peychaud's Bitters was first created in the early 19th century by Antoine Amédée Peychaud, a Creole apothecary from the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) who settled in New Orleans, Louisiana. Peychaud started to make his own bitters using secret family recipes, and he used his bitters to make a brandy toddy known as a Sazerac. This drink would later evolve into the Sazerac cocktail, which is now considered one of the oldest known cocktails.

Production

Peychaud's Bitters is made from a secret recipe that has been passed down through the Peychaud family. The bitters are made from a combination of gentian root and other spices, which are macerated in alcohol to create a concentrated, flavorful liquid. The exact recipe is a closely guarded secret, but it is known that the bitters have a sweet, slightly floral flavor with notes of cherry and anise.

Use in Cocktails

Peychaud's Bitters is a key ingredient in many classic cocktails. It is most famously used in the Sazerac, but it is also used in other cocktails like the Vieux Carré, the Ramos Gin Fizz, and the Old Fashioned. The bitters add a complex, spicy flavor to cocktails, balancing out the sweetness of other ingredients.

Availability

Peychaud's Bitters is widely available in liquor stores and online. It is sold in small bottles, and because it is used in such small quantities, a single bottle can last a long time.

See Also

• Bitters
• Cocktails
• Sazerac
• Vieux Carré
• Ramos Gin Fizz
• Old Fashioned

References

• Peychaud's Official Website
• Difford's Guide to Bitters
• Liquor.com's Peychaud's Bitters Profile