Meyer Lemon Bitters Recipe

By
Elana Lepkowski
Elana Lepkowski is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Elana Lepkowski
Elana Lepkowski is an LA-based mixologist who shares her cocktail recipes at Serious Eats and on her award-winning blog, Stir and Strain. 
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Updated August 09, 2018

Use up those buckets of winter citrus with these bitters. Meyer lemons are sweet, delicate, and perfumey, but I wanted my bitters on the bitter side, with some accents of orange and lime leaves to make for a more complex citrus fragrance. Makrud lime leaves pierce through the perfumy nature of Meyer lemons with a sharp punch, while bitter orange, fennel, and spices create earthy undertones for balance.

Note: When peeling citrus, try to include as little white pith as possible. Dried citrus zest and dried ginger slices are available commercially, or make your own by zesting citrus and drying in an oven at 250° F for one hour.

Recipe Details

Meyer Lemon Bitters Recipe

Active 30 mins
Total 0 mins
Serves 540 servings
Makes 18 ounces

Ingredients

  • Peeled zest from 4 Meyer lemons

  • Peeled zest from 1/2 bitter orange

  • Peeled zest from 1 Eureka lemon

  • 2 tablespoons dried lemon zest (see note)

  • 1/2 tablespoon dried orange zest (see note)

  • 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed

  • 1 teaspoon dried ginger slices (see note, do not use powder)

  • 1/4 teaspoon whole coriander seeds

  • 1/4 teaspoon whole white peppercorns

  • 5 dried makrut lime leaves

  • 3/4 teaspoon dried gentian root

  • 1/4 teaspoon whole fennel seeds

  • 2 cups 100 proof vodka

  • 1 cup water

Directions

  1. In an airtight container, combine all of the zest, cardamom, ginger, coriander, white pepper, lime leaves, gentian root, and fennel seed. Pour vodka over the ingredients and seal container. Swirl to combine. Keep the container in a cool, dark place for two weeks, swirling mixture once daily.

  2. After two weeks, strain out solids and set aside. Strain liquid through a cheesecloth to remove any particles left and transfer to an airtight container. Store in a cool, dark place. In a small sauce pan, combine solids with water and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once boil is reached, turn heat to low and let simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Once cool, pour contents of the pan into a separate airtight container and let sit one week.

  3. After a week, strain out solids through a cheesecloth-lined fine mesh strainer. Add to the original liquid that has been set aside. Let sit at room temperature for 3 days and skim off any residue that accumulates at the top. Strain again if there is any leftover sediment and bottle into dropper bottles for storage.

Special equipment

strainer, cheesecloth, dropper bottles, airtight containers, sauce pan

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
2Calories
0gFat
0gCarbs
0gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 540
Amount per serving
Calories2
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 0mg0%
Total Carbohydrate 0g0%
Dietary Fiber 0g0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 0mg0%
Iron 0mg0%
Potassium 0mg0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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