Bittercube Blackstrap bitters. I am such a huge fan of these bitters, and they are one of my most-reached-for in my collection of a few dozen bitters. Made with molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other warm spices, these are the perfect addition particularly to rum and whiskey drinks. These bitters are relatively light-bodied but pack a serious punch in warm flavors. It reminds me of a less intense Angostura, and lighter on cardamom and clove.

“Blackstrap”…what is it? This refers to “blackstrap molasses,” which is quite different from the regular molasses that’s sometimes used in baking or glazing meats. They’re related but not interchangeable, and both come from the sugarcane plant – a stalky, bamboo-lookin’ plant that grows in tropical regions.

While sugarcane is essentially a grass, it has thick stalks that are rich in sugar. To convert this sweet nectar into sugar granules, the juice from fresh stalks is pressed out and boiled to reduce water content and concentrate the sugar molecules. The concentration of sugar results in crystal-formation, which is then extracted thru several iterations of boiling. With each round of boiling, more crystallization occurs and is separated out for further refinement, thus lowering the sugar content of the remaining liquid aka “molasses.” Round 1 of boiling results in “cane syrup” or light molasses, round two is regular/dark molasses, and round 3 is “blackstrap” molasses.

In blackstrap, since a lot of sugar crystals have been removed, it has a relatively high concentration of all the minerals and vitamins from the sugarcane plant. Its flavor and appearance is rich, very deep, and intense. It’s more “medicinal” than it is sweet, and can add some serious complexity and depth of flavor to your cocktails.