Don Silvers

If you are, or were ever a bartender, or if you are just someone who likes a cocktail, you have probably heard of angostura bitters but I bet you probably don't know where they originated from.

They were originally formulated by German surgeon Johann Gottlieb Benjamin Siegert, who served under Marshall von Blucher at the battle of Waterloo. Angostura bitters are the most widely known bitters today. Dr. Siegert created the bitter elixer (based on angostura bark, gentian root, rum and other ingredients) as a tonic to stimulate the troops' lagging appetites, and improve their health. Although angostura bitters are still taken as a digestif, angostura bitters are often used today as a flavoring in foods and drinks, and are essential in many cocktails such as the Manhattan and Old Fashioned. At 90 proof, angostora bitters are the most potent among this genre.