Gallery: Add Bitters To Your Soda! 12 Combos We Love

Coke and Angostura

They mesh very well together, bringing out a lot of the warm spice notes that lurk somewhere in Coke but never quite come out.

Cranberry, Ginger Ale, Orange

Reminds me of a Thanksgiving table relish: lots of cranberry with a little orange and ginger. (I like more cranberry than orange in this one.)

Dr Pepper and Chocolate

Sort of a Tootsie roll-esque, "chocolate" rather than chocolate effect going on here.

Ginger Ale and Rhubarb

Adds fruity and tart flavors to mellow ginger ale, making it less sweet. Probably our favorite pairing for rhubarb bitters.

Orangina and Peychaud's

We tried orange soda and Peychaud's, too, but the less-sweet, actually-orangier Orangina worked much better.

Sprite and Cranberry

We thought that all of the fruit flavors had potential with Sprite, but the soda was just too sweet to carry off peach and plum. Cranberry, on the other hand, tart and bitter and so distinctively flavored, worked perfectly. Also: cranberry ginger ale.

Coke and Black Walnut

"This smells like curry!" said Serious Eats NY editor Max on first whiff—no, really. There's robust spice going on here, cinnamon and clove and something more savory, but it dries out and spices up the Coke in a really appealing way.

Roasted Macadamia Bitters and Creme Soda

Smells like a white chocolate – macadamia nut cookie; tastes like things that are baking, cookie dough a few minutes into the oven. Also tasty with a splash of cranberry bitters.

Coke and Mole Bitters

You know how some people use Coca-Cola to braise carnitas or ribs? Imagine cayenne along with rich flavors of cinnamon, allspice, and cocoa and you'll start to see why this bizarrely savory, but very drinkable combination works.

Root Beer and Angostura

In its own weird way tastes like boozy eggnog, a little bourbon-sweet and nutmeggy. Covers some of root beer's medicinal characteristics while amping up the warm spice.

Root Beer and Peychaud's

Sort of like a super root beer—less medicinal and a whole lot brighter than without the Peychaud's.

Orange and Creme Soda

One word: Creamsicle.