Bitters are a form of patent or proprietary medicine made by steeping herbs, roots, and other spices in alcohol. They likely originated from medieval apothecaries, and were first patented for sale in 18th-century England, where they were concocted by so-called physicians who claimed the bitters were remedies for digestive and circulatory disorders. Of course, these cure-alls, which could be anywhere from 30 to 50 percent alcohol, were also...Continue Reading