Grapefruit Bitters Recipe
By
Nick Mautone
These homemade bitters combine grapefruit with Campari, vodka, and vermouth for a sweet, tart, and very bitter concoction. Try it with sparkling wine in Nick’s Sparkling Campari Cocktail.
Game plan: These bitters will last up to 1 month when refrigerated in an airtight container.
This recipe was featured as part of our Bringing Bitters Back project.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 medium grapefruit
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup Campari
- 1 cup vodka
- 3/4 cup sweet vermouth
INSTRUCTIONS
- Halve the grapefruit. Juice one half, reserve the juice, and discard the rind. Coarsely chop the remaining half (pulp and rind) and reserve.
- Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves, and let syrup simmer until it thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Add chopped grapefruit and cook until the grapefruit releases all its juice, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Combine cooled grapefruit syrup (including chopped fruit), reserved grapefruit juice, Campari, vodka, and sweet vermouth in a large container with a tightfitting lid. Stir well, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour before using.
I strained my grapefruit bitters after about 2 weeks, and it kept for a long time - months - until I finally threw it out because it was looking a little cloudy at the bottom of the jar. Had to be more than 6 months.
I think straining would help it keep longer. Interesting to try with Cinzano bianco instead of sweet vermouth, cut the campari to a half cup
How long should this keep? Surely not indefinitely, since it can't be more than 40 proof or so. Do people think it would be a good idea to strain it after a day or two for longer storage?
Use gin instead of vodka and you have a grapefruit Negroni, sort of.