Swedish bitters is a Bitter and a traditional herbal tonic, said to have been formulated in a similar way by Paracelsus and rediscovered by 18th century Swedish medics Dr. Klaus Samst and Dr. Urban Hjärne. In modern times Swedish bitters has been popularised by Maria Treben, an Austrian herbalist. The tonic is claimed to cure a large number of ailments and help digestion. However, these claims are presented with little in the way of scientific evidence to support them.
The alcoholic Swedish bitters is reported as having a similar flavour to Angostura bitters, though perhaps a little drier.
Ingredients
The following herbs are added to alcohol to make Swedish Bitters:
- as active ingredient
- water extract of the following herbs:
- angelica root
- carline thistle root
- camphor
- manna
- rhubarb root
- senna
- theriac venetian
- zedoary root
There are variations on this recipe and herbal shops supply and non-alcoholic versions of the drink.
Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_bitter