Digestive Bitters

Name: Digestive Bitters
Yield: About 1 cup
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons dried dandelion root; 1 tablespoon dried burdock root; 1 tablespoon dried gentian root; 1 tablespoon dried orange peel; 1 teaspoon fennel seeds; 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger root; 1 cup 80-proof vodka

A pre-meal tonic that supports digestion the old-fashioned way — with bitter flavors. Bitters stimulate digestive processes and have been used in European herbal traditions for centuries.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons dried dandelion root

1 tablespoon dried burdock root

1 tablespoon dried gentian root

1 tablespoon dried orange peel

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon dried ginger root

1 cup 80-proof vodka

Method

Combine all the dried herbs and roots in a half-pint jar.

Pour the vodka over the herbs until fully submerged.

Seal tightly. Label with the date and contents.

Store in a cool, dark place for 2-4 weeks. Shake every few days.

Strain through cheesecloth and a fine-mesh strainer into a dark glass dropper bottle.

*Suggested use:** 15-30 drops on the tongue or in a small amount of water, 15-20 minutes before meals.

Notes

The bitter taste is the point — it's what triggers the digestive response. Don't mask it with sweeteners.

Dandelion and burdock are gentle roots with long histories in European and Asian herbal traditions.

Start with a smaller amount and see how your body responds.

Why We Made This

We started Gathered Guides because your medicine cabinet shouldn't require a pharmacy. Every remedy in this book uses ingredients you can grow, forage, or find at any grocery store.

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