Scrappy’s Chocolate Bitters
Scrappy’s Chocolate Bitters — 47.6% ABV, 5oz — are handcrafted in small batches in Seattle, Washington from custom-toasted cacao nibs. The result is explosive dark chocolate flavor with a dry finish — chocolate depth without sweetness. Made with organic ingredients and no extracts, artificial flavors, chemicals, or dyes. Order online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 47.6%
- Size: 5oz (148mL)
- Botanicals: Custom-toasted cacao nibs
- Profile: Explosive dark chocolate flavor with a dry (not sweet) finish
- Craft: Handcrafted in small batches in Seattle, WA — organic ingredients, no extracts or artificial flavors
- Origin: Scrappy's Bitters, Seattle, Washington
Dark Chocolate, Zero Candy Bar
Chocolate bitters walk a fine line: too sweet and the cocktail turns into dessert; too faint and what's the point. Scrappy's lands it by toasting their own cacao nibs — the roast brings out deep, almost coffee-like chocolate character, and the dry finish keeps it firmly in bitters territory. It's the bottle that makes a Manhattan taste like it has a secret, and an Espresso Martini taste like it means business. Browse the bitters collection and all of Scrappy's flavors.
Tasting Notes
Rich, dark chocolate on the nose — like opening a bag of roasted cacao nibs. The palate follows with intense cocoa depth, roasted and slightly earthy, resolving into a dry, clean finish with no residual sweetness.
How to Enjoy
Two to three dashes per cocktail. A natural in whiskey drinks: try a Brooklyn (rye, dry vermouth, maraschino, amaro), a Chocolate Negroni, or a Banana Oleo (bourbon, fernet, banana). It also deepens a Café Sazerac, an Espresso Martini, or a mezcal-and-brandy build like the 1192.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cocktails use chocolate bitters?
Whiskey cocktails first: Manhattans, Brooklyns, and Old Fashioneds all take beautifully to chocolate bitters. It also works in Negroni riffs, Espresso Martinis, and coffee cocktails like the Café Sazerac.
Is chocolate bitters sweet?
No — Scrappy's Chocolate Bitters have a dry finish. The cacao-nib base delivers intense chocolate flavor without sugar, so it adds depth rather than sweetness.
Can chocolate bitters go in a Manhattan or Old Fashioned?
Yes — that's their best use. Two dashes in either classic add a dark cocoa dimension that complements rye spice and barrel oak perfectly.
For cocktails with a dark side, get Scrappy’s Chocolate Bitters online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.