For the past 10 years Australia has largely kept the wonders of its namesake bitters to itself. But thankfully, that’s about to change as Australian Bitters is going on the road. And drinks visionary JJ Goodman, the creative force and globally renowned founder and owner of The Cocktail Club bar group will be proudly positioned in the driving seat.
“We always talk about Bitters being the seasoning in every great cocktail – how they’re able to introduce a massive amount of flavour and complexity in just a couple of dashes. So the presumption that you can use one Bitters for every style of drink is obviously absurd,” JJ begins when asked about the importance of Bitters in drinks. He’s right of course. You wouldn’t use the same bitters that you’d use to impart zing and freshness in something like a G&T say and expect them to add the depth and required in an Old Fashioned.
“Bitters can be a really great way to personalise your drinks, adding a dynamic that suits your style and personality.” JJ continues. “Australian Bitters is an absolutely brilliant range and I can’t wait for the rest of the world to discover them. There are so many great expressions in the portfolio, including Australian Aromatic Bitter, used in Lemon, Lime and Bitters which is such an iconic drink over there. I’m a huge fan. For me, it has a wonderful heavy clove note, a real earthiness that makes it stand out from others in the category. I love the Australian Orange Bitters as well, there’s this beautiful floral, orange blossom note which is much more delicate than Regan’s or Angostura Orange Bitters.” There are other expressions in the range too, including Grapefruit, Coffee and Cacao.
“I think the rise of Bitters as a category over the last 10 years has given a lot of mixologists the ability to evolve and create bespoke flavours that suit them, allowing their drinks, classic cocktails and all their modern mixology to have more diversity.”
And to prove it, JJ will be on hand with the creator of Australian Bitters, Sahil Beri in their not-to-be-missed workshops at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans. Don’t go expecting anything remotely bland or boring, the two, hour-long sessions are inspiring, engaging and fun.
The sessions:
Taste the Oz-er Side at Tales of the Cocktail
3.30pm and 4.30pm on 23rd July 2025
On the agenda:
‘Meet the Master Blender and discover the craft behind modern bitters blending…’
“The segment with Sahil is going to be fascinating because we’ll be doing a blind tasting of Bitters – it’s the sort of thing that usually gets overlooked within the category,” JJ says excitedly. “As the creator of the range and with his pharmaceutical background, Sahil is absolutely perfect for this as he’ll be guiding the audience through what they’re tasting so they fully appreciate and understand the difference between the bitters.”
‘Explore how bitters elevate flavour…’
“Obviously Australian Bitters will be in the lineup, along with Angostura and some other well-known bitters companies,” JJ continues. “The aim here is for everyone who attends to get to understand why you would lean from one product to another. I think it’s going to be eye-opening to really study the different flavour profiles under a microscope.”
‘Taste iconic cocktails…’
“We’ll be serving what is regarded as Australia’s national drink Lemon Lime and Bitters on arrival, then we’ll have a special guest appearance from an award-winning Aussie bartender who will be highlighting Australian Bitters in an Old Fashioned cocktail. They will also share plenty of valuable insights into what makes mixology so special in Australia.”
‘…and watch JJ Goodman bring it all to life with cocktails served in the room’
“One of the three, full-sized drinks that we’ll be serving is our new perfect serve, the Seven Hills Sour. It’s our twist on the Amaretto Sour, which has been a hugely popular drink in Australia for decades. The original recipe is a fun, almost disco-style drink, but when it’s made well, it’s actually really beautiful.
“We’ve done a twist on it which we’ve called the Seven Hills Sour, referencing Seven Hills in Sydney where Australian Bitters is produced.
“In addition to the amaretto we add bourbon to dry the drink out a little bit, so it’s like a Godfather Sour, then we balance it out with Australian Bitters and Bitter Tales, another product in the range, which work together alongside the dryness of the whiskey. The result? It’s still a fun, playful drink but it takes on a serious side. I love that balance because it really suits the brand and it plays into everything that I’ve been doing at London Cocktail Club over the years.”
‘Walk away inspired, educated and maybe just a little bitter (in the best way)!’
“With Sahil’s know-how, the bitters tasting, lots of tips from Sahil, our guest and myself on how to use bitters in drinks and which expressions bring out the best in which cocktails, there’s plenty to learn and be inspired by. We’ll also have a Q&A after each session, so expect plenty of interaction. I can’t wait!”
Limited spaces available. Book your place here
And also…
“I’ll also be co-hosting another cool session in New Orleans on the 24th July. Again, spaces are limited but if you’re interested, contact Jeremy Allan for details.
