Bittered Sling Bitters have been my go-to choice for the signature note in my cocktails for years.
The diversity of profiles, integrity of the flavors and know-how that goes into producing them makes it a no-brainer. When you're looking for flavors to bridge your ingredients or give your drinks (and food) a unique pop, this is your first stop.
This little flavor arsenal has joined me at marquis events like the Oscars and Emmys and was my first choice when designing the flagship Old Fashioned for my bottled cocktail company, Crafthouse Cocktails.
Peel back the layers and you'll find the founders, Lauren and Jonathan at the heart of this venture. With decades of bar, culinary and hospitality experience, it's easy to see why these are so damn good. Aside from the bitters being incredible, you'd be hard pressed to find two more lovely individuals to share a laugh and a tipple with.
For over two hundred years, we’ve mixed the majority of drinks with bitters- the bartender’s spice rack- originally developed for medicinal purposes by preindustrial apothecaries. Call me iconoclastic, but if you haven’t updated your bittering regiment to include these exotic elixirs co-developed by a world-renowned bartender and chef; lay down your toddy stick and giddy-up to the general store.
Bartender Lauren Mote and Chef Jonathan Chovancek have designed a line of ex- tracts which are as adept at deglazing pans and spicing up a chocolate cake or put- ting oompf into a macaroon as uplifting a cocktail.
Their Grapefruit & Hops extract lends itself wonderfully in a seasonal cocktail combination of clementine, cranberry, spiked with silver tequila in my Bitter Red Head.
Bittered Sling is an uncommon name for a most profoundly concentrated and friendly spirit augmentation from one of my favorite places on the globe, Vancou- ver, BC. And the owners are really cool too.
My favourite Canadian bitter of all, meanwhile, is the Denman flavour, which is a clovey, super-spicy answer to Angostura bitters.
A lot of work goes into creating Kale & Nori’s Bittered Sling Extracts. A few drops lend a drink or dish depth and surprising flavour, not to mention health benefits..
Scout would like to sincerely congratulate all those who took home accolades (at the 24th Annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards), with particular love sent to Lauren Mote and Jonathan Chovancek for winning Supplier/Producer of the Year (as voted by the board of the Chefs Table Society of BC).
Bittered Sling produces some of North America’s top quality bitters.
Using all available expressions of Bittered Sling across our entire menu has always been a core part of our program. Our love for the product and its applications is obvious. Whether it's with activations, bitter dinners, seminars or master classes, I would love to find more ways to put these products front and center. I feel like the bitters are the unsung heroes in a lot of our cocktails and that they deserve more recognition for the role they play.
Three years in, their Bittered Sling line of extracts works not just in the glass but on the plate, too. The tasty tinctures seem to go with everything.
This new line of (Bittered Sling) bitters from Vancouver’s Kale & Nori Culinary Arts has quickly become a favourite among craft bartenders (and me). Infused with wild botanicals and blended like fine Bordeaux, the concentrated potions are designed for both cocktails and cooking. I love using a few drops to kick up plain old orange juice.
Among the best (bitters) is the Bittered Sling line produced by Vancouver’s Kale & Nori, a company known for taking advantage of seasonal and foraged ingredients. (...) keep an eye out for the rhubarb and the elderberry.
The fruit character is carried well here, and in a fresh and balanced way; try (Grapefruit & Hops) instead of orange bitters in your next Martini or Satan’s Whisk- ers and see what you think. (Moondog) is very potent, you’ll only need a drop to get the effect. Works well with dark spirits, especially aged rums and adds spice notes to sweeter bourbons.
Lauren Mote and Jonathan Chovancek’s Bittered Sling Extracts line of bitters makes for inventive cocktails and decidedly creative edibles.
Their line of bitters — concentrated concoctions of botanical and organic food ingredients — is adding creativity to dozens of bar lists across the city.
Bitters are experiencing a renaissance and Bittered Sling is one of the best brands for serious bitters fans.
In the heart of Vancouver, there is a husband-wife team dedicated to new, ground-breaking bitters like I’ve never seen. Fortunately, I had a chance to taste some of their hard work, as a sort of preview of what Chicago drinkers can expect this year.
Best Culinary Event, Bittered Sing Bistro: Robbie Burns Whisky Supper at Café Medina, Dine Out Vancouver Festival (2015)
Beverage Testing Institute International Review of Spirits Awards (2014)
Kensington Dry Aromatic Bitters – Gold Medal
Cascade Celery Bitters – Gold Medal
Malagasy Chocolate Bitters – Gold Medal
Plum & Rootbeer Bitters – Silver Medal
Grapefruit & Hops Bitters – Silver Medal
Producer/Supplier of the Year, 24th Annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards (2013)
Seminar Instructor, “Bitters & Brandy”, A Historical Look at France, Bitters & Brandy, France (2016)
Seminar Instructor, “Bitters 101: History & Modernization of Modifiers”, Canada/USA (2016-2014)
Seminar Instructor, Dine Out Vancouver Festival – Spirited Education Platform (2016, 2015)
Seminar Instructor, Terroir Symposium, Toronto (2016)
Seminar Instructor, “A Forager’s Pharmacy”, Tales of the Cocktail, New Orleans (2012)
Seminar Instructor, “Traditional Chinese Apothecary”, Tales of the Cocktail, New Orleans (2012)
Event Partner, Tales of the Cocktail on Tour (2015, 2013, 2012, 2011)
Event Partner, Tales of the Cocktail, New Orleans (2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2010)
Pecha Kucha & Keynote Speaker, former Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan’s Public Salon (2014)
Pecha Kucha & Keynote Speaker, Vancouver’s Inaugural Pecha Kucha Event (2009)
Canadian Ambassador, Diageo World Class Global (2016, 2015)
Canadian Ambassador, Speed Rack Inc. (2015, 2016)
Canadian Brand Legend, Heering Liqueur “Legends” Series (2015)
Development Partner, Le Grand Sling Bartender Education Program, Canada-France (2016)
Development Partner, Dine Out Vancouver Festival – Spirited Education Platform (2016, 2015)
Development Partner, Tales of the Cocktail Proprietary Bitters Program, Bittered Sling (2016, 2015)
Development Partner, 200th Anniversary Laphroaig Single Malt Whisky “Smoke & Mirrors” (2015)
Development Partner, Bittered Sling Bistro Pop-Up Restaurant & Bar (2016-2011)
Chief Judge, Vancouver International Spirits Competition (2016,2015)
Judge, Diageo World Class Canada/National (2016)
Judge, Diageo World Class Canada/Regional (2016)
Judge, Tales of the Cocktail’s Seminar Selection Committee (2016, 2015, 2014, 2013)
Judge, Tales of the Cocktail’s Spirited Awards “International Categories” Committee (2016, 2015)
Judge, Dish n’ Dazzle Cocktail Competition, BC Hospitality Foundation (2014)
Judge, Vancouver’s Calvados Cocktail Contest (2015, 2014)
Judge, Top Shelf 20 Canada-Wide (2013-2014)
Judge, Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cocktail Contest (2013)
Inductee, Dames International Hall of Fame, Tales of the Cocktail (2016)
Nomination, International Shortlist, “Best Bar Mentor”, Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards (2016)
Winner, National – Bartender of the Year, Diageo World Class Canada (2015)
Winner, National – “Sensorium Challenge”, World Class National Finals, Chicago (2015)
Winner, National – Angostura Aromatic Bitters Competition, Canada (2011)
Winner, National – Sundance Films & US Bartender’s Guild, Grey Goose Vodka, Canada (2010)
Winner, Provincial – Bartender of the Year, Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards (2015)
Winner, Provincial – Product & Supplier of the Year, Kale & Nori | Bittered Sling (2012)
Winner, Provincial – Top 40 Foodies Under 40, Western Living Magazine (2011)
Winner, Provincial – Maker’s Mark Cocktail Competition (2009)
Winner, Provincial – Grand Marnier “The Next Classic” Cocktail Competition (2009)
Winner, Provincial – Bartender of the Year, Westender Best of the City Awards (2010)
Winner, Municipal, Dish n’ Dazzle Cocktail Competition, BC Hospitality Foundation (2013)
Vice President, Chef’s Table Society of British Columbia (2015, 2014, 2013)
Development Partner, Bittered Sling Bistro Pop-Up Restaurant & Bar (2016-2011)
Development Partner, Le Grand Sling Bartender Education Program, Canada-France (2016)
Development Partner, Dine Out Vancouver Festival – Spirited Education Platform (2016, 2015)
Development Partner, Tales of the Cocktail Proprietary Bitters Program, Bittered Sling (2016, 2015)
Event Partner, Tales of the Cocktail on Tour (2015, 2013, 2012, 2011)
Event Partner, Tales of the Cocktail, New Orleans (2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012)
Judge, Vintner’s Brunch, Vancouver International Wine Festival (2016, 2015, 2014)
Judge, Dish & Dazzle Cocktail Competition for the BC Hospitality Foundation (2016)
Judge, Made With Love, Vancouver Bartender Qualifier Round (2016)
Judge, Ginapalooza Regional Finals, Vancouver (2015)
Judge, Food Pro West’s Product of the Year Awards (2014)
Judge, Northwest Culinary Academy, Apprentice Practical Exams (2013)
Judge, Bittered Sling Bistro Finale “European Invasion” sponsored by Moet Hennessy/Charton Hobbs (2013)
Seminar instructor, Catersource/International Caterer’s Association (2011, 2009, 2008, 2007)
Seminar Instructor, “A Forager’s Pharmacy”, Tales of the Cocktail, New Orleans (2012)
Seminar Instructor, “Art of Catering Food”, Catersource/International Caterer’s Association, Denver, CO (2012)
Chef Expert, CBC’s Groundbreaking Documentary, “Village on a Diet” (2010)
Winner, Provincial, Vintner’s Brunch Hor d’Oeuvre & Wine Pairing competition, Vancouver International Wine Festival (2011)
Winner, International, Best Off-Premise Catered Event, Special Events Magazine Gala Awards (2010, 2009)
Winner, International, Best Catered Wedding 2010, Professional BC Wedding Awards (2010)
Winner, International, Best Event Catering, BC Event Awards (2010)
Winner, International, Best Food Presentation, Canadian Event Industry Star Awards (2009)