Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a question that's not addressed here, please feel free to contact us!
Company Info
Where are your products made?
We make and distribute our products by hand in Chico, California. One of our founders is from Chico, and the other attempted a couple years of school at CSU Chico (it didn't go super well). After spending some amazing time in the Napa Valley working in fine dining and wine, we came back here to raise our family.
Do you take wholesale orders?
We sure do! Currently we self-distribute and offer wholesale pricing and free shipping to qualified on- and off-premise accounts. Please get in touch with us for inquiries.
What exactly does it mean to be "small batch"?
We'll be straight with you. We're as small scale as they come—literally a mom and pop making bitters by hand in our commercial kitchen space, hand bottling, labeling, and shipping direct to you. We only make as much as we can physically produce ourselves, and we mean ourselves...we don't have any employees.
Can my substance abuse or environmental organization be included in your annual donations?
We'd love to consider it! As part of our annual charitable giving we donate 1% of total sales to environmental organizations and 2% of total sales to substance abuse and recovery programs. If you would like to be considered for our donations, please don't hesitate to reach out via our contact form or directly at info@allthebitter.com.
Product Info
Are your bitters really 100% alcohol-free?
Yes! Our bitters don't see a drop of alcohol, not ever. We use sustainably sourced non-GMO glycerin—a syrupy liquid derived from vegetable oil—to extract flavor from our carefully selected raw organic botanicals.
We don't add any flavor extracts, either, which are almost always made with alcohol (think vanilla extract, for example). In fact we add nothing to our bitters besides raw herbs, roots, spices, flowers, fruits, and a splash of apple cider vinegar for balance.
100% of what's in our bottle is 0.0% alcohol, always.
Are your bitters okay to use when pregnant or breastfeeding?
As with any herbal product we recommend you check with your doctor before incorporating All The Bitter into your pregnancy or breast feeding routine.
Are your bitters okay to use when in recovery?
We think so, but that's entirely up to you. Recovery is a very personal process, and everyone has their own triggers. Some people consider non-alcoholic cocktails a "slippery slope" while many others have successfully incorporated them into their own program of recovery, and indeed help keep them sober.
If non-alcoholic cocktails aren't in your plan, All The Bitter can be used to flavor sparkling water, tea, juice, or coffee.
Using a couple dashes of "regular" bitters won't significantly raise the alcohol content in my mocktail. What's the point of alcohol-free bitters?
Some folks aren't concerned with the minimal amount of alcohol that "traditional" bitters add to an otherwise non-alcoholic cocktail, but our product is safe for those sensitive to any percentage of alcohol at all—whether for health reasons, religion, pregnancy, recovery from addiction, allergy—and are just as delicious (if not more!).
There's a great article on bitters and non-alc cocktails over at Alcademics. Here's the TLDR: for a drink with bitters to fall within the legal definition of non-alcoholic (less than 0.5% alcohol), it must contain at least 5oz of liquid and no more than 2 dashes of bitters (1.5ml). Any less than 5oz liquid, or more than 2 dashes, and you're over the legal limit for calling something "non-alcoholic". That means a non-alcoholic Old Fashioned, made with 3 dashes of bitters and less than 3oz of liquid, clocks in well over 1% ABV. Factor in the <0.5% ABV in some non-alcoholic spirits and that's enough math to make our heads hurt!
The straightforward, worry-free option is to use an alcohol-free bitters like All The Bitter.
Do your bitters need to be refrigerated?
No way! Our bitters are shelf stable, although they should be kept in a cool, dark place to retain freshness.
How long will your bitters last on the shelf?
For maximum flavor and freshness we recommend enjoying All The Bitter within 24 months of the date of manufacture. For convenience, a "best by" date is printed on the bottom of every bottle.
Recipes and Usage
Can your alcohol-free bitters be substituted 1:1 with "regular" bitters in cocktail recipes?
Yes, absolutely! While our bitters are unique and have a beautiful flavor profile that's all their own, they were inspired by the classics that are found behind every bar and are called for in 99% of cocktail recipes.
Our Aromatic Bitters can be used wherever Angostura (or any other variety of "aromatic bitter") is called for. These are the most classic expression of cocktail bitters...when in doubt, throw a few dashes of Aromatic into your drink.
All The Bitter New Orleans Bitters are inspired by, you guessed it, New Orleans style bitters...specifically the recipe of a 19th century apothecary named Antoine Peychaud. If a recipe calls for Peychaud's, these will work great in its place.
And our Orange Bitters, well, they should of course be used in recipes that call for orange bitters. Some orange (or citrus) bitters are entirely fruit forward, while others are balanced between fruit and spice—ours fall into that second category with notes of cardamom, coriander, and lemon balm adding complexity to the citrusy orange peel.
How much is a "dash," and how do I measure correctly with a dropper?
When using our bottles with a dropper top, wherever a recipe specifies "1 dash", use around 1 mL, or a full dropper (whatever amount is sucked up when you squeeze the bulb once). Technical measurements vary depending on who you ask, but a dash is around 0.8 mL. Our droppers are marked with incremental mL measurements for your convenience. Bonus: it makes you feel like a scientist or doctor when mixing up drinks.
If you're using a bottle with a dasher cap, invert the bottle over your drink and give the bottle a good hard shake, straight down. Each shake is 1 dash. Check out this video for a good example of how to properly "dash" bottles.
How much bitters should I be using in a seltzer water, tonic, beer, etc? What about cocktails?
This, my friend, is entirely up to you and your taste buds. Cocktail recipes generally call for 2-3 dashes (somewhere between 1.5 and 2.5 mL). Our suggested serving size is 1/2 teaspoon (around 2.5 mL), but you may want to add more to sparkling water or beer if you prefer a more intense flavor.
Can you make some cocktail recipe suggestions using All The Bitter?
We'd love to! Check out our recipes section for tons of delicious non-alcoholic cocktails. If you're not finding what you're looking for, please don't hesitate to reach out to us! We enjoy chatting about drinks and love the challenge of "zero proofing" alcoholic cocktails. What's your favorite drink? Let us know and we'll create the perfect non-alcoholic (or low-alcohol) version just for you.
Ingredient Info
Do your bitters contain any allergens?
With the exception of our Fig & Walnut Bitters, our products contain none of the major allergens as identified by the FDA: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, or soybean.
Are your bitters vegan? Cruelty-free?
Our products are all 100% vegan, and unless you count our toddler (who loves his "fancy water"), they're never tested on animals.
Are your bitters gluten-free?
Our products are all 100% gluten-free.
Are your bitters organic? Non-GMO?
Our bitters are almost entirely organic. With the exception of vegetable glycerin, 100% of our ingredients are either organic or wild foraged (due to the nature of wild foraged ingredients, they cannot be labeled organic).
We're not super into labels (just be yourself), so we have not certified our products as non-GMO. That said, however, we strive to use entirely non-GMO, sustainable, and ethically sourced ingredients.
Are your bitters delicious?
Jeez, you sure do have a lot of questions! Yes, they're pretty bangin' :)