The Bitter Club’s Cinnamon Orange, Hibiscus Rose and Grapefruit Elderberry cans pair botanical bitters with tonic for a ready-to-drink serve at 0.5% ABV.
The Bitter Club’s B&T range pairs botanical bitters with tonic in three distinctive flavour combinations. At 0.5% ABV, these ready-to-drink serves bring floral, citrus and spice notes to the glass, offering a bitter alternative for anyone cutting back.
U K producer The Bitter Club is bringing one of the oldest ingredients from behind the bar to the front of the glass with B&T, its canned bitters and tonic range.
Bitters actually have a far longer history than the cocktail itself. Botanical infusions in alcohol go back to ancient Egypt, where they were used as medicine, and the tradition carried through the remedies of Greek and Roman physicians and the elixirs of medieval monks. Their best-known modern form, Angostura bitters, began in 1824 as a digestive remedy for soldiers in Venezuela. Bitters were so central to early drinking that the first printed definition of a cocktail, in 1806, listed them as an essential ingredient. They also outlasted American Prohibition: with spirits off the menu, bitters and soda became the grown-up order for anyone not drinking.
The Bitter Club began in a home kitchen, where its founder set out to perfect a single Old Fashioned and ended up making bitters of her own. Now a female founder-led business, the brand builds every blend around two complementary flavours, aiming for a rounder, more balanced result than a single dominant note could give. With B&T, that approach moves from the dropper bottle into the can, pairing botanical bitters with premium tonic in a ready-to-drink serve for anyone cutting back who still wants something that feels like an occasion.
The range lives up to its name. These are properly bitter drinks, best suited to anyone who already reaches for a negroni or a dry tonic. The hibiscus and rose is floral and lightly tart, with a delicate perfume. The cinnamon and orange is the warmest of the three, with gentle spice and a citrus brightness that recalls the Old Fashioned that started it all. But my standout is the grapefruit and elderberry. Its natural sweetness softens the bitterness, giving it the best balance and the broadest appeal.
Serve them well chilled over ice with a twist of citrus, either on their own or as a (nearly) alcohol-free aperitif before dinner. The grapefruit and elderberry also makes an easy base for a Paloma-style spritz.
At 0.5% ABV, B&T is priced at £20 for a six-pack.
EDITOR’S NOTE
B&T earns its place by embracing bitterness and giving each flavour pairing a distinct personality. Grapefruit and elderberry is our pick for its balance, with natural sweetness rounding out the bitter edge. Cinnamon and orange offers a warmer direction, while hibiscus and rose brings floral delicacy. Serve well chilled over ice with a citrus twist to make the most of the aperitif occasion.
