Saffron Bitters

Yields 8 oz.

8 oz. Rittenhouse Rye

2 ea. Strips of orange peel

½ tsp. Cardamon, crushed and seeds removed from the pods

½ tsp. Cloves

1 ea. Cinnamon stick

1 ea. Star anise

¼ tsp. Saffron

Method:

Crush the cardamom pods with the side of a knife to remove the small black seeds from the pods
Transfer the cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick, star anise to a small saute pan and toast till aromatic. I like to use low heat to prevent the spices from burning. If the spices burn they will be very bitter and affect the finished product negatively
Transfer the cooled spices into an airtight container
Add orange peel, saffron, gentian root, and Rye to the container
Seal the container and give a good shake to mix all the ingredients together
Allow infusing at room temperature for 7 to 10 days.
The bitters should have a little bit of spice and nice floral characteristics to them with a large amount of bitterness on the finish
Strain the bitters and store them in an airtight container for up to a month.
I like to store my bitters in these bitter bottles