Meet Miles, founder of Scrappy’s Bitters. He started working in restaurants at 16 and quickly decided he wanted to become a bar tender. As Miles grew in his career, he realized there weren't any quality bitters on the market. This was right around the time classic cocktails were starting to make a comeback. Many of them rely on bitters, but the existing products just weren’t cutting it. Miles knew that bitters could be made better. In 2008 he founded Scrappy’s Bitters. What began as Miles delivering bitters to local bars on his bike has become a thriving business and “household” name among bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts alike.
The Scrappy’s team selects the finest ingredients possible and holds every batch to the same impeccable standards. One of the most striking examples of this is their orange bitter. They use organic oranges and peel them by hand, because there’s no other way to capture that essence.
Miles invented this cocktail we're sharing on the blog today. It’s a twist on a Hot Charlotte, created by local Seattle bartending legend Murray Stenson. This beverage features Scrappy’s Firewater, which captures all the heat of a hot sauce, without the distracting flavors.
For a non-alcoholic version, or mocktail, simply replace the chartreuse with pineapple juice and the gin with soda water.*
Step 1
Cut 3-4 slices of cucumber and place them in the bottom of your cocktail shaker (or a glass). Softly press with a muddler and give a half turn, repeating this motion for 5 or 6 turns. Muddling essentially means smashing the ingredients together to release the flavor.
Step 2
Now it’s time to juice your lime. Fresh ingredients make for the best beverages!
Step 3
Next add a scoop of ice, 1/2 oz lime juice, 1/2 oz simple syrup, 1/2 oz chartreuse, 2 oz gin, and a dash of firewater. If you're making the mocktail add 1/2 oz lime juice, 1/2 oz simple syrup, 1/2 oz pineapple juice, and 2 oz soda water.
Here's a quick and easy recipe for simple syrup. It's a great staple to keep in your kitchen.
Step 4
Add several dashes of bitters.
Step 5
Pound the top on your cocktail shaker and shake!
Step 6
Grab your strainer and pour your delicious beverage over ice.
Step 7
Garnish with a cucumber. Cheers!
Want some other DIY drink options? Check out this travel cocktail kit, this DIY tiki bar, or how to grow a cocktail herb garden.
*A note on bitters alcohol content: Most bitters are made of alcohol, however they are not considered alcoholic beverages. The best analogy is to think of bitters like an extract. For example true vanilla extract is made of alcohol, yet you can buy it at the grocery store. If you're avoiding alcohol adding bitters is a little subjective. Bitters and soda is a popular drink of choice for those who don't consume alcohol but there are others who choose to avoid bitters all together.
