The zest of citrus shines through like a warm ray of sun, alongside the peppery punch of caraway and the warn, nutty flavors of coriander. Often left off this roll call, however, is the 156-year-old Fee Brothers, whose paper-wrapped bitters bottles emblazoned with the mustachioed profiles of the four founding brothers—James, Owen, John and Joseph—stand at attention on bar tops around the globe. Best Chocolate Bitters: Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters Buy on Amazon Buy on Drizly Fee Brothers has been around since the 1800s, with bitters that range from black walnut to rhubarb to cherry. Bartenders remain the frontline ambassadors for Fee Brothers’ success, and their bottles are a familiar sight at top bars across the country. Quite a bit sweeter than other brands, with an almost candylike edge to them — but I like the way they impart a clear orange character (along with mild bitterness to a cocktail). Aztec Chocolate Bitters 6, Fee Brothers West Indian Orange Bitters, Fee Brothers Gin Barrel-Aged Orange Bitters, The Bitter Truth Orange Bitters, Bittercube Orange Bitters, Scrappy’s Seville Orange Bitters, Miracle Mile Orange Bitters and many, many more … Fee Brothers' product portfolio is the result of more than a century of perfecting beverage ingredients. Bought a bottle of Fee Brothers lemon bitters from Amazon for my mother in law, and I ended up liking them quite a bit myself (I know, they're artificially flavored). How about brines or botanical waters? £12.50 £ 12. Never overwhelming and eager to complement a host of drinks, Peychaud’s is a bitters you don’t want to be stranded without. A new interest in classic cocktails has brought it out of retirement. My father told me it would say things like, ‘Take a scoop of ixmas.’ Well, what the hell is ixmas, right?” remembers Joe Fee. Best Orange Bitters For A Martini? Though much of their branding indicates that the company has been operational “since 1863,” Fee Brothers was, in fact, founded in 1864. After a bit more contemplation, he notes, “Where we go from here is a little bit too crystal ball–like for me. “People accept us for who we are. (While the current generation of Fees have never met him in person, Stephen Colbert is a distant cousin and descendant of John Fee’s branch of the family.) The next morning, before she had time to even consider bottling the remaining inventory of wine to sell off, federal agents showed up with axes and made a show of smashing the barrels. Rhubarb is truly a unique flavor and one of the newest bitters created by Fee Brothers. Those dark 13 years turned out to be a creative time for the Fee Brothers, sparking an interest in non-alcoholic products that still drive their inventory today. He eventually took over the family business with his wife, Margaret, but only a handful of original recipes were known to him—the orange bitters and a few syrups—and Jack had to continually experiment to try to recreate his father’s work. “It gussied up bad booze. We adore it with drinks that feature Campari and vermouth (Negroni, anyone?) Top Best Bitters For An Old Fashioned. It launched in the 1820s in Venezuela and ultimately moved to Trinidad and Tobago, where it’s based today. Having survived a devastating fire and Prohibition, the latest hurdle the company faces is from the bevy of new bitters that have saturated the market. For much of Fee Brothers’ existence, the company primarily sold its products wholesale to restaurants and bars. “There was the CEO of Kodak and the local postmaster and a few restaurant owners and their immediate neighbors who may have possibly been in that book a few more times than was strictly legal,” says Fee. FREE Delivery on your first order shipped by Amazon. Today, our lineup overflows with more than 90 varieties -- from our classic bitters, mixes and cordials, to our newest coffee flavors and botanical waters. Furthering their family's legacy, Ellen and Joe are now up to nearly 100 different products. This bottle of Fee Brothers West Indian Orange Bitters is made from the skins of oranges grown in the West Indies. Fee Brothers Black Walnut Cocktail Bitters Fee Brothers are responsible for an acclaimed family of bitters, spanning the entire spectrum of flavors. The best bitters are the ones that you use sparingly, where the slightest touch makes the mightiest difference to your beverage. Until recently, this old cocktail ingredient had gone virtually unnoticed. Try them in your next Margarita or Sour… More info. I add ten drops of this & seven drops of Fee Brothers Old Fashion Bitters to about two ounces of rye. The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. While many businesses never recovered from the debilitating effects of Prohibition, Fee Brothers managed to survive by creatively navigating, and maximizing, the loopholes of the period’s draconian laws. Then low/zero carb sweetener to taste(I currently use EZ Sweet liquid sucralose-5-7 drops). “I’ve overcome any perception that using glycerin is bad.”, Jack expanded their lineup with the creation of an aromatic Old Fashion Bitters in the mid-1950s, eventually adding mint and peach versions in the early 1990s. Here you’ll find everything from traditional offerings of Fee Brothers and Angostura to the more modern and exotic Bittermens, The Bitter End, and Scrappy’s.