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It started as a medicinal elixir, was embraced by the Old Fashioned at the advent of cocktail history, and has been a mainstay of cocktail culture for two hundred years… now ANGOSTURA® aromatic bitters has come full circle and is the ideal ingredient to enhance the newest cocktail trend of all, functional mixology.
If you haven’t yet come across the term, functional mixology describes the world where wellness meets night out on the town. The concept goes several steps beyond simply switching to non-alcoholic cocktails in the mindful lifestyle stakes. Rather than just substituting the alcohol, functional cocktails positively embrace ingredients with health benefits. Think superfoods, probiotics, adaptogens and botanicals.
Non-alcoholic cocktails are becoming standard on many forward-thinking bar menus to cater for a generation who are mindful of alcohol intake but still want to enjoy the buzz of bar culture. Now there’s a new challenge for bartenders to rise to, incorporating the functional ingredient angle to create cocktails that have depth of flavour as well as function. While some ingredients that are trending may need bartenders to take a deep dive into herbology and alternative health theory (it’s important to know your ashwagandha from your ginseng), ANGOSTURA® aromatic bitters is one ingredient that will be reassuring familiar, and its proven health benefits for digestion, gut health and reducing sugar cravings fit it perfectly for a new role.
Many of the ingredients now starring on the functional mixology menu are familiar from the superfood shots already popular in juice bars and health cafes. There’s nothing new any more about turmeric lattes, ginger shots, or doses of chia seeds in a smoothie. What is new is approaching these healthy foods from a mixology point of view. Using a cocktail stalwart such as ANGOSTURA® bitters in combination with these ingredients gives bartenders a head start in ensuring that a balance of flavour, acidity, layered depth and umami satisfaction, as well as aesthetics and drinking experience, come into play.
While there are plenty of safe ingredients to experiment with as you embrace functional mixology at home (peppermint, cacao, kombucha, acai syrup, ginger, turmeric, beetroot and other organic vegetable juices), it’s important to educate yourself about safe dosages when embracing some of the more esoteric functional mixology trends. Ashwagandha, ginseng, reishi and kava, for example, are potent ingredients that are reported to have benefits in correct doses. But like traditional cocktails, drinking round after round could end up being too much of a good thing… kava for example in over high does can adversely affect liver function. A bartender with a side speciality in herbalism and health supplements could be the new go-to drinks guru…
As juice bar meets cocktail bar what are we likely to see, beside a generous dash of ANGOSTURA® bitters bridging the gap towards a wellness-forward drinking experience? Perhaps probiotic-infused cocktails such as a Kombucha Mule; or a Nootropic Negroni incorporating substances like lion’s mane mushroom and L-theanine (thought to enhance cognitive function); or perhaps a pina chillada using adaptogens such as kava to uplift the mood and help your body adapt to stress.
Many of South Africa’s ground-breaking bartenders are already exploring ingredients such as local botanicals, ferments, savoury vegetable elements… it’s only a short step towards functional mixology, where they add in an awareness of the functional health benefits of the ingredients to achieve a balanced whole, pushing boundaries and opening up cocktail culture to a new mindful audience.
For more information, recipes and useful content, follow Angostura South Africa on Facebook /Angostura South Africa and Instagram @AngosturaZA.
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