Bittercube's Blog

Bittercube Distribution

bittercube — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 18:40:59 +0000

We are proud to announce that Bittercube Bitters are now available through distributors in four states, Quality Wines and Spirits in Georgia, Bell Boy in Minnesota, L’eft Bank in Wisconsin, and Maxwell Street in Illinois.

If you are a vendor, cocktail craftsman, or restaurant manager in these markets please ask your sales rep from these distributors about Bittercube Bitters. If you are a home cocktail enthusiast, look for Bittercube Bitters in your favorite liquor store soon.

If you do not currently reside in these states, head over to cocktailkingdom.com or order from our website.

Bittercube at Chizakaya, Chicago

bittercube — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 18:46:10 +0000

Below is an article prepared by Edible Ink about the cocktail program at Chizakaya, where Bittercube consulted on the cocktail menu.

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The Talented Team at Bittercube Create Neoclassic Cocktails

Chizakaya has collaborated with the cocktail consulting team at Bittercube to introduce a new craft cocktail program at the Lakeview izakaya. The Fall-Winter menu takes the American craft cocktail movement and blends it with Japanese techniques and flavor profiles.

The well-versed talents from Bittercube include Milwaukee residents Ira Koplowitz (formerly of The Violet Hour) and Nicholas Kosevich, an award-winning cocktail crafter, along with assistance from Chicago’s own Paul McGee. Bittercube consults on cocktail offerings and also makes an assortment of liqueurs, bitters, tinctures, syrups, sours and tonics.

Chizakaya’s late night, small plate Japanese pub concept has become a dining and drinking destination for those who appreciate handcrafted libations, an extensive sake list and a mix of local craft brews and Japanese favorites. Chizakaya welcomes guests for dinner, creative cocktails and conversation from 5:30pm-12:30am Monday through Saturday.

Wine and Dine Wisconsin

bittercube — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 18:33:52 +0000

The last 72 hours have been some of the most exhausting and exciting hours Bittercube has had. Thank you to Becky Steimle & David Wise for believing in the libations vision at Wine and Dine this year, and a big thanks to the 7 or so thousand people who attended Wine & Dine Wisconsin this year. This event encompasses so many of the reasons we decided to move to this wonderful city of Milwaukee. Cheers!

Below are the recipes that we created for the Signature Wine & Dine Wisconsin cocktails.

Keepers of the Fire
2 oz. Jim Beam Rye
.75 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
.75 oz. Turbinado Sugar Syrup
13 drops Bittercube Cherry Bark Vanilla Bitters
Shake the ingredients with ice, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with 3 more drops of bitters.

The Old Double Gold
2 oz. Jim Beam Black
1 teaspoon Petite Canne Sugar Cane Syrup
11 drops Bittercube Bolivar Bitters
9 drops Bittercube Orange Bitters
Shake the ingredients with ice, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with 3 more drops of bitters.

Autumn on the Great Lakes
2 oz. Roaring Dan’s Rum
.75 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
.75 oz. Simple Syrup
9 drops Bittercube Jamaican Bitters #1

Shake the ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker and strain.
Garnish with a lime wedge and several more drops of bitters.
Riff on this cocktail by substituting .25 oz of Apple Cider or
Wisconsin Maple Syrup for .25 oz. of Simple Syrup.

Bittercube Cocktail Dinner at the University Club

bittercube — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 16:25:36 +0000

The Bittercube Cocktail Dinner returns! The University Club of Milwaukee is hosting Bittercube on the evening of Friday, August 13th at 6:00PM. The private club has graciously extended an invitation to friends of Bittercube. The dinner will include 5 courses of cuisine prepared by Executive Chef Doug Pallo, paired with 5 Bittercube cocktails and a selection of cigars, all for $75.

The Last of Bittercube 1 Gallon Batches

bittercube — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 23:12:09 +0000

We are set to begin maceration on large batches of bitters next week! In the meantime, please head over to one of these shops to pick up some bottles of our last one gallon batches!

Ray’s Wine & Spirits
8930 West North Avenue
Wauwatosa, WI 53226

The Wine Thief
1787 Saint Clair Avenue
St Paul, MN 55105

Bittercube on Third Coast Digest

bittercube — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 01:00:50 +0000

Mark Metcalf, of Animal House fame, interviewed Bittercube on this Third Coast Digest Radio Podcast. On the podcast, we discuss our favorite cocktails to create, how we got into the cocktail business, why we don’t necessarily like the term mixology, amongst a host of other things.

It was fun being in the studio and Mark was a great interviewer. They also did a good job of editing out our longer rants!! Enjoy.

Bittercube at the Town Talk Diner

bittercube — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 20:49:48 +0000

Nick was up in Minneapolis guest bartending at the Town Talk Diner for a couple of days this week. It was quite a success, both in cocktails created and bitters sold!

Good luck to Adam Harness and Peder with their move to Heartland and Congratulations to Jesse Held and Chad Larson for their leap into the Town Talk scene.

Here’s a few of the cocktails Bittercube created for the event. We’re going to be guest bartending throughout the Midwest so stay updated with our happenings on Twitter or Facebook.

Green Fairy #3

1.75 oz. Bombay Sapphire
.75 oz. Green Tea Syrup
.75 oz. Lemon
1 Egg White
1 Dash Bittercube Lemon Tree Bitters

Glass: Coupe
Garnish: St. George’s Absinthe
Instructions: Mime Shake, Shake Violently, Pour, Garnish

Foothills

1 oz. Plymouth Gin
.75 oz. St. Germain
.75 oz. Lemon
.5 oz. Simple

Glass: Rocks
Garnish: Citrus Twists
Instructions: Lightly Shake, Pour into glass, top with sparkling wine

Iroquois

2 oz. Buffalo Trace
.75 oz. Lemon
.75 Demerara
1 drop Birch Extract

Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Crème de Flora Rinse
Instructions: Shake, Strain with tea strainer,

A successful Event

bittercube — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 18:01:39 +0000

Bittercube made cocktails with more than eight armagnacs while in Chicago. The response was overwhelmingly positive, both from attendees and the producers themselves. Below the photo are the recipes for the cocktails in case you want to attempt them at home!

Here we are at the event while making a batched cocktail for an armagnac dinner.

Antoine Peychaud
Armagnac, Star Anise Syrup, Peychaud’s Bitters, Absinthe

1 oz.                            XO Armagnac
Skinny .25 oz.      Star Anise Syrup
1 dash          Peychaud’s Bitters

Rinse Iced French Absinthe or St. George’s Absinthe

Glass: Rocks
Garnish: Lemon Peel expressed over the cocktail and discarded.

Add ice to a pint glass, stir to taste, strain.

To make Star Anise Syrup, add 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup turbinado sugar, 2 cups water, and 5 star anise pods to a pot. Bring to a simmer briefly and lower heat, stirring vigorously until the solids are dissolved, then remove star anise pods.

The First Word
Blanche Armagnac, Green Chartreuse, Fresh Lime, Maraschino Liqueur

1 oz.            Blanche Armagnac
.75 oz.       Green Chartreuse
.75 oz.       Fresh Lime Juice
.5 oz.          Maraschino Liqueur
.125 oz. Simple Syrup

Glass: Coupe

Shake ingredients in a shaker and strain.

La Pâquerette
Armagnac, Fresh Lemon, Grand Marnier, Bittercube Cherry Bark Vanilla Bitters

1 oz.           Armagnac
.5 oz.        Fresh Lemon
.25 oz.        Grand Marnier
.25 oz.        Simple Syrup
1 dash       Bittercube Cherry Bark Vanilla Bitters

Top:       Seltzer
Glass:      Rocks
Ice:      Rocks

Shake ingredients with ice in shaker, strain into glass with ice and top with seltzer. Substitute Regan’s Orange Bitters if Bittercube Cherry Bark Vanilla Bitters aren’t available.

Enjoy fellow Imbibers!

Bittercube featuring Cocktails at an Armagnac Event in Chicago

bittercube — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:50:01 +0000

Bittercube will be featuring 3 cocktails at an Armagnac Event in Chicago on June 11th, at the downtown Embassy Suites. The three featured cocktails are:

La Pâquerette
Armagnac, Fresh Lemon, Grand Marnier, Bittercube Cherry Bark Vanilla Bitters

The First Word
Blanche Armagnac, Green Chartreuse, Fresh Lime, Maraschino Liqueur

Antoine Peychaud
Armagnac, Star Anise Syrup, Peychaud’s Bitters, Absinthe

Recent Articles about Bittercube

bittercube — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:39:02 +0000

Check out the first of a five part series at online zine Served Raw, where Bittercube discusses what a tincture is and how to properly use them. A conversation on bitters will be posted soon.
Also, Milwaukee Magazine posted a blurb about Bittercube at Bacchus.

If you haven’t visited us yet at Bacchus and live in the Milwaukee, or Chicagoland area, please come in soon, we’ve only got a month left with our Winter Menu.