Thumbnails of Helfand Slide Talk - 20
Slide #20: Because the government had imposed a tax on alcohol, British manufacturers, to gain exemption, added bitter flavoring to the alcohol they bottled and promoted the resulting product for its medicinal virtues. The dosage form quickly spread to America, and spawned a large industry. Several thousand different "Bitters" have now been identified by passionate bottle collectors, such as this one for Congress Bitters.