Hella Cocktail Co. was founded in 2011 in New York City between three friends with a mission to see higher quality products in the world of cocktail bitters. “In the world of many food products,” says Tobin Ludwig, co-founder and Ann Arbor local, “the idea of more thoughtfully produced, more thoughtfully sourced, is an old idea that’s become new again in the last few decades, because people care more about where their food comes from these days.” Tobin has an impressive background in hospitality, his first food service job beginning when he was only 12 and working for a caterer. Through high school, Tobin worked at what he calls the “Zingerman’s equivalent” of his hometown, and then restaurants all through college. By the time Hella was founded in 2011, he’d worked several years as a craft bartender at cocktail bars throughout the city.
Until the mid-2000s, the two main brands available for bitters were Angostura and Peychaud. These are classic legacy brands and are a huge part of the history of bitters. But Tobin and his co-founders, Jomaree Pinkard, and Eddie Siméon, wanted to do something different with Hella Cocktail Co. — no added coloring, real attention to process and ingredients. “Angostura is owned by a private equity company,” Tobin says. “We’re a small business, American-owned, we make the product ourselves right here in the United States, and we have an attention to craft and care for the product that I think is, like many products in your store, unique to the people who make it.” They have also paved the way for businesses like theirs to get their foot in the door of craft cocktail ingredients. “In the world of craft and specialty foods,” adds Tobin, “there are not that many black and brown faces. And we’re proud to be one of those, and we wear that on our sleeve.” What began as a couple mason jars in Brooklyn has grown into a full-scale business, but with the same quality ingredients and dedication to the craft they’ve had from the beginning.
Wait, What Are Bitters Anyway?
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“Our one-liner for bitters is, ‘a flavorful infusion of spices, fruit, and bitter root,’” Tobin says. Bitters are a flavor extract with an alcoholic base — some companies, like El Guapo, are completely alcohol free, but Hella uses alcohol because it is an excellent natural solvent and preservative. At room temperature, the alcohol in the bitters extracts the botanical compounds of anything infusing in it, then preserves those compounds safely and indefinitely.
Hella uses a neutral cane spirit for the base of all their bitters, similar to what is used to make rum. As opposed to grain alcohol, most of which is corn and GMO in the States, sugar cane keeps Hella Cocktail Co.’s bitters GMO-free. All of Hella’s bitters begin with this 190-proof alcohol as the base, followed by water and their proprietary blend of spices that vary depending on the desired flavor; hand-peeled and dried citrus, whole spices, and bitter roots like gentian (which have a long history of being prescribed with medicinal properties!). Hella also uses caramel syrup rather than caramel color, an ingredient you’ll often find on commercial bitters. This way they create a depth of color and bring a little sweetness in without any artificial ingredients.
On Our Shelves
Bitters are not always, well, bitter. Depending on what flavor profile you’re looking for and what cocktail you’re working with, the bitters you’ll opt for will range from smoky, to sweet, to savory, and everything in between. In addition to their line of bitters, Hella Cocktail Co. has a refreshing collection of Bitters & Soda cans that you can now find here at the Deli! Here’s what Specialty Foods Manager, Aislinn McAllister, has to say about Hella:
“Hella Bitters are so great for balancing out the flavors in cocktails, but they’re more versatile than you think! One of my favorite things to do with them is to use them in cooking and baking applications. Mexican chocolate bitters mixed into chocolate frosting for a chocolate cake was one of the best decisions I’ve made in a long time. You shouldn’t use them in any application that requires a lot of heat for a lot of time; the flavors will get broken down by the heat and the alcohol will cook out. Think of them more as a finishing “spice” than one you should cook with. Hella Bitters are also really fun to play with in more savory applications too. Top off your favorite chili recipe with a few dashes of Smoked Chili bitters or a brothy chicken soup with Ginger bitters. And of course, they’re fantastic in a cocktail to balance the sweet and the sour.”
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Ginger Bitters: An incredibly versatile ingredient that works in sweet, savory, earthy and spicy cocktails. Made with both dried and crystallized ginger and real lemon peel for a beautifully bright flavor. Add a cool twist to an Old Fashioned or pour over rum.
Aromatic Bitters: The go-to, classic enhancement to your favorite brown liquor. “Aromatic” denotes the baking spices — clove, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg. Very heady with a well-defined bitter note at the end that comes from the added wormwood.
Orange Bitters: Both dry and hand-peeled oranges add freshness without sweetness to cocktails, along with cardamom, coriander, gentian root and angelica root.
Apple Blossom Bitters: Much more than apple — cinnamon, chamomile, elderflower, and hibiscus make for a wonderful botanical experience.
Smoked Chili Bitters: Spicy, rich & smoky. Made with Pasilla de Oaxaca and layers of smoky citrus. Add depth to your Margaritas and Bloody Marys.
Mexican Chocolate Bitters: Dark and bitter with a smooth heat from the Mexican chiles. The intensity and robust flavor of cocoa, with the top-note spice of cinnamon and lingering earthiness of chili.
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Grapefruit Bitters & Soda: A refreshing, zero-sugar, non-alcoholic soda infused with the flavors of French gentian root, aromatic spices, and grapefruit. It’s perfect in mocktails and cocktails or just straight up. Try it with a wedge of fresh grapefruit for an extra kick.
Bittersweet Spritz Bitters & Soda: A refreshing, lightly-sweetened soda featuring French gentian root and loads of aromatic spices. Delightful on its own but can make you look like a mixologist in one step by adding a little rosé, whiskey, or gin. Move over, Negroni! Classic Dry Aromatic Bitters & Soda: A refreshing, zero-sugar, non-alcoholic soda infused with the flavors of French gentian root and aromatic spices. If you love IPAs and Manhattans, this might be your new favorite fizzy drink. Try it with a squeeze of lime!
