Bitters

Celery Bitters

Celery bitters flavour strong spirit with celery and herbs; The Bitter Truth bottles its version at 44% ABV. A dash or two gives a drink a dry, green, savoury edge, and because celery is in them they carry an allergen that UK labels must declare. None of our recipes calls for them yet.

Quick Facts

ABV44% ABVTaken from The Bitter Truth Celery Bitters at 44%; check other bottles.

Legal categorySpirit drink

OriginGermany for The Bitter Truth; other makers elsewhere

Flavour Strengthmedium bold

SeasonYear-round (especially effective in savoury or aperitif-style drinks)

Our keeping timeYears once opened, capped and out of the light.

Storage

Store upright in a cool, dark place with the cap tightly sealed. Celery bitters are shelf-stable and do not require refrigeration. Wipe the dasher regularly to prevent residue buildup.

Allergens

Contains: celery. Made with celery. Labels change, so read the bottle.

The ingredient

About Celery Bitters

Flavour Profile

Primary Flavours

Celery seedHerbal spiceGreen vegetalSaline bitterness

Tasting Notes

Dry, savoury aromatics with pronounced celery seed character, subtle spice, and a clean bitter finish. Adds structure rather than sweetness, with a lightly salty edge that enhances other flavours.

Made with celery, and labelled for it

Celery bitters steep celery with other herbs in strong spirit. The Bitter Truth’s version uses celery leaf and fresh celery rather than seed, with lemongrass, ginger, coriander seed and chicory, at 44% with no sugar. Other brands may use celery seed instead. Either way, celery is on the UK’s list of 14 allergens, and the label must say so; the facts panel carries the allergen line.

Three ways to put celery in a drink

Celery bitters against the swaps people reach for

Form

Celery bitters: Bitters, by the dash
Celery salt: Seasoning, by the pinch or on the rim
Angostura: Bitters, by the dash

Strength

Celery bitters: About 44%
Celery salt: No alcohol
Angostura: 44.7%

Adds

Celery bitters: Green celery, dryness
Celery salt: Celery and salt
Angostura: Clove, cinnamon, bitterness

Celery allergen

Celery bitters: Yes
Celery salt: Yes
Angostura: Not declared

	Celery bitters	Celery salt	Angostura
Form	Bitters, by the dash	Seasoning, by the pinch or on the rim	Bitters, by the dash
Strength	About 44%	No alcohol	44.7%
Adds	Green celery, dryness	Celery and salt	Clove, cinnamon, bitterness
Celery allergen	Yes	Yes	Not declared

Our celery salt brings the same flavour with salt attached, which suits a tomato drink but not a stirred one. Angostura is the bitters most people already own, but it adds spice, not celery.

They belong in dry, savoury drinks

A dash sharpens drinks that are already dry: tomato juice drinks, a stirred gin with dry vermouth, gin and tonic, aquavit. Against plenty of sugar or cream the savoury note seems out of place. We have no recipe built on them, so treat them as an adjustment: one dash, taste, then decide on the second.

A cupboard bottle with a fading top note

At 44% the bottle needs no fridge and lasts for years after opening, cap on and upright. The green top note dulls before the bitterness does, so taste an old bottle before a dinner where it matters.

Using it

Using Celery Bitters

Usage

One or two dashes in drinks built on tomato juice, dry gin and vermouth, or tonic, added with everything else before the ice. Start with one: the green, salty note builds quickly and reads as celery rather than seasoning past two.

Pro Tip

In a drink with tomato juice, try celery bitters before adding more celery salt. You get the green celery note without pushing the salt any higher.

Top Tips

Tell your guests. Celery is a declared allergen, and a dash of bitters is easy to forget when someone asks what is in a drink.
Start with one dash, taste, then add the second. The savoury note grows quickly.
Pair them with dry, unsweetened drinks. Against plenty of sugar they taste out of place.
Wipe the dasher now and then; a gummed insert pours unevenly.

Possible Substitutions

Celery Salt: A small pinch brings the celery note but adds salt; use less elsewhere
Angostura Bitters: Spice instead of savoury green notes; a different drink

Production Method

Spirit flavoured with celery plus other aromatics; The Bitter Truth lists celery leaf and fresh celery with lemongrass, ginger, coriander seed and chicory among its aromas. Other brands may use celery seed instead.

History & Context

The Bitter Truth, a German bitters maker, describes celery bitters as a nineteenth-century style that had disappeared, and says its own bottle was the first commercially available in decades; it took the new cocktail ingredient award at Tales of the Cocktail in 2010.

Go further

More to explore

Common Questions

What are celery bitters?

A cocktail bitters flavoured with celery and other herbs in strong spirit, 44% ABV in The Bitter Truth’s version. A dash adds a dry, green, faintly salty note that sharpens savoury and dry drinks. They are a seasoning measured in dashes, never poured by the measure.

What can I use instead of celery bitters?

A small pinch of celery salt gives the same green note but adds salt, so cut any other salt in the drink. Angostura gives spice instead of celery and changes the drink. A few drops of fresh celery juice work in a tomato drink, though they bring no bitterness.

Do celery bitters contain the celery allergen?

Yes, if they are made with celery, as the name suggests. Celery is on the UK’s list of allergens that labels must declare, and The Bitter Truth lists it on its celery bitters. Even one dash matters for someone with a celery allergy, so tell anyone you serve.

What do celery bitters taste like?

Green, dry and lightly savoury, with a bitter finish. The Bitter Truth describes white grape, green tea, lemongrass, celery leaf and fresh ginger on the nose, with coriander seed, fresh celery and chicory. In a drink they read less as celery than as a sharper, more savoury edge.

Which drinks suit celery bitters?

Drinks that are already dry or savoury: tomato juice drinks, stirred gin and dry vermouth, gin with tonic, and long drinks of aquavit or blanco tequila. They tend to clash with rich, sweet drinks and cream. Start with a single dash, taste, and adjust from there.

How strong are celery bitters?

The Bitter Truth bottles its celery bitters at 44% ABV, close to Angostura. Two dashes hold well under a tenth of a UK unit; that will not change how strong a drink is, though anyone avoiding alcohol altogether should still leave them out.

Do celery bitters need to be refrigerated?

No. At 44% there is nothing in the bottle for the fridge to protect; it lasts for years in a cupboard with the cap on. Over the years the fresh green smell dulls first, so a very old bottle tastes flatter. Wipe the dasher now and then to keep it pouring evenly.

Make something

Made with Celery Bitters

Often Used With

Updated 10 October 2026

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