10 Bitter Cocktails That'll Shake Up Your Bartending Game
♪ You've got to take the bitter with the sweet. ♫

There's no denying it: Bitter cocktails are back and we're so here for it. Sure, we love a sweet cocktail here and there (shout out to all the frozen piña coladas we've loved before), but more often than not, we really want to taste the something complex, alcohol-forward, and yes, bitter-sweet. As the song goes, ♫You've got to take the bitter with the sweet♪ and these 10 bitter cocktails are sure to sweeten up your happy hour.
Bitter cocktails are not only delicious, but they're also A+ aperitivos (aka aperitifs), which is a type of drink that helps to stimulate your appetite before a meal. You likely already really enjoy a few popular Italian aperitivos like Negronis, Aperol spritzes, and Americanos (all made with popular bitter liqueurs like Aperol and Campari). They also are just fun to drink, especially in the summer time (we even have a frozen Negroni recipe for you on those ultra-hot days).
We also can't deny how much we love alcohol-forward cocktails such as Manhattans, Sazeracs, and Old Fashioneds. They all are so much better than the sum of its parts, and it really helps to use the best you can get for your cocktail, especially when it comes to adding bitters. Cocktail bitters (such as Angostura) come in a variety of flavors (like orange, cocoa, lavender, and even walnut). These bitters will transform your cocktails (they're basically like the cherry on top in terms of cocktails).
Feeling like a low-ABV evening? We love drinking bitters with soda water to keep us refreshed without the hangover the next day. Add a lime and you've got a killer bitter "cocktail" for any night of the week.
