Angostura Cocktail – Classic Bitters & Ginger Ale Highball

The Angostura Cocktail is a crisp, bitters-forward highball built with aromatic Angostura Bitters and ginger ale. It is light, spicy, and highly carbonated, with enough bitterness to keep the sweetness in check. With only two core ingredients, it is an easy mixed drink for relaxed sipping.

Background

Angostura Bitters originated in the early 19th century in Venezuela, where aromatic bitters were initially associated with medicinal use. The exact origin of this highball is not documented in the current Boozeopedia record, but the combination reflects the long tradition of pairing concentrated bitters with carbonated mixers for a lighter, refreshing drink.

What You’ll Need

Ingredients

• Angostura Bitters - provides the concentrated herbal, spice, and aromatic backbone.
• Ginger Ale - adds sweetness, ginger spice, and carbonation.

If Angostura is unavailable, another aromatic bitters can work, although the flavor will change. Ginger beer can replace ginger ale when you want a stronger ginger bite.

Equipment

• Highball glass
• Bar spoon
• Ice
• Lemon peel for an optional garnish

Big Flavor, Tiny Build

Two ingredients do most of the work here. Concentrated bitters bring cinnamon-like spice, herbs, and complexity, while ginger ale stretches those flavors into a cold, fizzy highball. The result is more assertive than a typical soft drink but considerably lighter than a spirit-forward cocktail.

Substitutions & Variations

• Use ginger beer instead of ginger ale for a sharper, spicier drink.
• Try another aromatic bitters if Angostura is unavailable, knowing that each brand will produce a different spice profile.
• Express a lemon peel over the finished drink for a brighter citrus aroma.
• Add a small squeeze of lime for a tarter variation that cuts through the ginger ale's sweetness.

Helpful Tips

• Chill the ginger ale before building the drink so the ice melts more slowly.
• Use plenty of fresh ice to keep the highball cold and lively.
• Stir only briefly after adding the ginger ale to preserve carbonation.
• Serve immediately after building.
• A lemon twist works especially well because its citrus oils complement both the bitters and ginger.