
Cocktail bitters are the not-so-secret secret of any skilled bartender worth their salt. These little bottles of concentrated flavor are made by infusing high-proof alcohol with herbs, spices, and botanicals to unlock a whole new world of taste in your cocktails. The Boulder-based Cocktail Punk brand is all about the craft, producing small-batch bitters that are 100% natural and packed with nuanced flavors. Their goal is to create compelling accents for the modern cocktail, combining traditional methods with modern tools and expertise.
If you’re a fan of tequila and mezcal drinks, you should try Cocktail Punk’s Smoked Orange variety. Made by cold-smoking orange zest with alderwood, this bitters adds a hint of char to your drinks. The Alpino cocktail bitters can replace Amaro and other herbal liqueurs in any drink, or they can stand on their own by adding fresh layers to a beverage’s mix with its sage, mint, and herbal notes.
Cocktail Punk’s Colorado Collection offers fresh local flavors like Palisade Peach, Colorado Cherry, and Colorado Lavender. The Palisade Peach variety uses the ripest and juiciest Western Slope peaches for the purest extraction, while the Colorado Cherry blend provides a light and refined take on cherry notes with a delicate and elegant perfume. Cocktail Punk’s Oak Aromatic cocktail bitters, made in collaboration with Bryan Dayton of Oak at Fourteenth, offer hints of burnt oak chips and toasted spices for a dark and smoky aroma. It’s no wonder the product won a Good Food award in 2020.
For those who prefer classic bitters, Cocktail Punk also offers their Aromatic Cocktail Bitters, a modern take on the old-school workhorse. With a base of baking spice enlivened by bracing cardamom and anise notes, these bitters boast a rich and complex flavor without the need for added sweeteners or colorings. To try out Cocktail Punk’s creations in your drinks, check out the brand’s website for recipes and inspiration. Whether you’re crafting a classic Sazerac or experimenting with your own unique concoctions, Cocktail Punk’s bitters are sure to elevate your mixology game and impress your guests. So why not indulge in a taste of Colorado and add a touch of Cocktail Punk’s craft to your home bar and try your hand at concocting cocktails like the Trident.

Trident Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 oz Aquavit
- 1 oz dry sherry
- 1 oz Cynar
- 2 squeezes Cocktail Punk Palisade Peach Bitters
- lemon twist
Directions
- Stir and serve up in a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist.