12 Must-Try Bitter Cocktails

Negroni stands out from other bitter cocktails as one of the most balanced and versatile. Though the drink only uses three ingredients in equal amounts, the type of spirits used influences the flavor. While gin and bitters add complex notes, adding vermouth can bring sweetness or dryness, affecting the cocktail's character. 

This combination of two traditional cocktails provides the perfect drink for bourbon lovers who don’t like sweet cocktails. The recipe is easy to make, too, adding a couple of dashes of bitters to the bourbon, shaking, and topping with grapefruit soda. The cocktail is refreshing, and you can control the sweetness level through the type of soda used. 

A spoonful of honey sweetens this otherwise bitter cocktail made with a dry version of gin brands and Italian bitters. You can use the bitters of your choice, as long as they are red, adding a blush color to the cocktail. Lemon juice balances the other complex notes with a punch of vibrant citrus. 

Bitter cocktails don’t always thrive in the absence of sweetness. Pairing the two flavors results in complex drinks, including this refreshing cocktail. Sharp and citrusy Campari, combined with simple syrup, creates a flavorful base for the drink. Soda water adds bubbles, while topping with vermouth adds a sweet beginning to each sip.

Citrusy and bitter blood orange juice adds color and distinct flavor to this rendition of a whiskey sour. This bitterness balances perfectly with the sweetness of the simple syrup, enhanced by the bright citrus flavors of lemon and lime. Shake the ingredients together and top with a cherry to create this vibrant red cocktail.

Like other bitter cocktails, the Fitzgerald starts with a dry variety of gin, bringing slight botanical notes in addition to bitter ones. Angostura bitters add another layer of these notes while also adding a subtle spice. Lemon juice showcases the contrast between these elements, highlighted by adding a small amount of simple syrup.  

A complex combination of sweet vermouth and Cynar, an amaro herbal liqueur, make the base of this bitter cocktail. Cynar highlights the bright notes of lemon juice with its bittersweet flavor. Additional orange bitters interplay with the other flavors while highlighting the herbaceous character of the liqueur. 

El Chipilo should be at the top of your list of considerations if you're looking for bitter cocktails with a touch of heat. Aperol and Angostura bitters provide the bitterness in the drink, contrasted by sweet, simple syrup and vibrant lime juice. All of these ingredients balance out the richly flavorful reposado tequila.

Like the last recipe, the Aperol Sour uses herbal liqueur, adding a complex variety of flavors. These meld with the bitter botanical flavors of gin, creating a flavorful base lightened by the addition of simple syrup and lemon juice. Egg white, shaken in the cocktail, makes a beautiful foamy top for the drink.

This cocktail calls for Aperol and another amaro-style liqueur of your choice. Each brings different notes, but you should expect herbal undertones in addition to a building bitterness. Bourbon lends some sweet notes to the cocktail, while lemon juice brings everything together in perfect balance. This showstopper fits in perfectly at any cocktail party. 

Herbal liqueurs, like Aperol and Amaro CioCiaro, give this cocktail a complex bitterness full of botanical notes. Lemon juice enhances these notes, while a sweet maraschino liqueur with some underlying sour elements. This cocktail achieves a balance without using much sweetener, making it an excellent option for those who prefer bitter cocktails.  

This recipe is as simple as it sounds, combining two ingredients: soda water and Campari. The herbal liqueur lends a bitterness with citrusy undertones to the cocktail while giving it a light red color. The only sugars here come from the Campari, making it an excellent choice for those avoiding sugar.