Backbone Botanicals

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Backbone Botanicals

Backbone Botanicals is a line of heirloom bitters designed for cocktails, culinary arts and the non-alcoholic movement. Life is better with bitters.

Our formulas are designed to optimize digestion and vitality, while offering bold flavour profiles.

02/10/2026

Try an Aphrodisiac Mood Elevating Cacao Bevy with Bitters.

Herbal Aphrodisiacs can range from botanical extracts that calm the nervous system, to heart-opening herbs that nurture emotional connection, and plants that enhance circulation to the reproductive organs.
When I think of pleasure, I think of feeling vibrant and sensual in my body — which to me is getting enough rest, supporting good digestion, and enjoying nourishing meals etc.
Capsicum chinense (habanero) is known to boost circulation by moving blood and stagnation. When combined with cacao powder, rose petals, damiana, and other sensual herbs, it creates a beautiful blend that supports and nourishes our
natural s*x drive.

Use code LOVEDROPS26 for 20% our Aphrodisiac bitters blends: Habanero Bitters & Rose Bitters until Feb.15th 🌹

Comment below your favourite Aphrodisiac herbs and I’ll make another recipe to share!

01/13/2026

As we emerge from the depths and darkness of Solstice, we welcome in this new year and the light of 2026! Herbal bitters play an important role aiding in the bodies digestive processes, supporting mental clarity and liver detoxification. Herbal bitters and soda water are an excellent swap out for alcoholic drinks and make a dry January or new chapter much more fun!

We are here for you. Enjoy 20% off our website for all online orders with code LIVERLOVE2026!

11/28/2025

We choose not to participate in Black Friday. Instead, we encourage you to support small, independent businesses rooted in regenerative ecology and minority entrepreneurship. Black Friday was built on the idea of overconsumption, and that does not align with who we are.

🌀Black Friday goes against our ethos. It promotes urgency, impulse, and the belief that “more” is better. We believe in purchasing with intention after thoughtful consideration.
🌀Our pricing is intentionally accessible every day. You may have noticed new pricing for all our 100ml bitters—this ensures we can continue offering the highest-quality products at a fair and honest price.
🌀Everything we offer is handmade and small-batch. We don’t operate a massive warehouse or produce years ahead. Our tinctures and products are crafted seasonally, ensuring freshness and herbs grown in the most recent growing season. This is foundational to both our sourcing ethos and our buying ethos.

As you move through the season, consider what you truly need and what may end up as waste. Instead of chasing sales, spend time in nature. Try Shinrin-yoku, the Japanese practice of forest bathing. Support artists, local makers, and creators rather than billionaires.

10/10/2025

NEW BITTERS!! We’ve been busy this year developing new products and are excited to share our latest creation with you: Nordic Folk, our version of a classic Swedish Bitters formula and a wonderful local alternative to Angostura or Peychaud’s.

The Nordic Folk blend is particularly special. It features regeneratively sourced Gentiana luta (Gentian root) — a classic bitters ingredient. We use Gentian sparingly, as it is considered an “At Risk” species that grows only in high altitude mountain meadows. Nordic Folk is the only bitters in our collection that includes Gentian; in our other blends, we substitute it with Cynara scolymus (Artichoke), a mineral-rich and abundantly growing bitter plant. We believe it’s essential to source with integrity, choosing local and abundant botanicals.

Herbal medicine is inherently political, and being a herbalist is an act of activism. At Backbone Botanicals, we are committed to using the highest-quality plants available (reflected in our pricing) and to paying our herb farmers living wages.

About Nordic Folk Heirloom Bitters:
This botanical blend carries tasting notes of warm allspice, earthy minerals, citrusy orange peel, and sweet dandelion root. Traditionally, bitters are taken before meals in a small amount of water to support healthy digestion.

You can find Nordic Folk Heirloom Bitters at local retailers or through our website — we’re happy to ship! If you’re interested in wholesale for clinical or hospitality use, please reach out.

photography:

09/30/2025

Today is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Today and everyday we honour the children who did not return home and survivors of residential schools.

We are a settler owned business. As settlers it is our job to actively educate ourselves, our families, our community and our workplaces on the horrific history of residential schools and the truth about Canada’s genocide.

Our colonial structures and systems have treated Indigenous Peoples horribly and unjustly.

The National Truth + Reconciliation is not just a day, it’s a lifetime of reflecting on Canada’s history of colonialism, residential schools, their intergenerational impact and the reality of ongoing inequity endured by Indigenous Peoples.

Here are some ways we can take action as settlers:

~directly sharing resources and having conversations with people in your life.
~when you witness inequality, speak up and explain why this is not acceptable.
~learning about whose lands you live on: visit native-land.ca
~do your research: click on the links of the territories from native-land.ca and learn more about the original caretakers of the land you now inhabit, their history and the current issues that affect their communities.
~read about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Review the 94 Calls to Action.
~connect with your elected officials: hold them accountable.
~be public about your solidarity
~as a business it is important to hold the business accountable moving forward as opposed to reacting to the current trend of social media and press dialogue.
~find out how you can directly support the local Indigenous peoples of the lands you live on - ally is a verb, not a noun. Remember that this is ongoing and everyday work.
~amplify Indigenous voices.

resources:
https://www.irsss.ca/
https://bloodoflifecollective.org/
ncanadaproject.ca/settlerstakeaction
https://native-land.ca/

09/29/2025

Herbal Fennel & Grapefruit Non-Alc Paloma

This refined blend of bright citrus and sweet herbaceous notes, offer a refreshing and balanced flavor profile. To make follow these simple steps:

-rim glasses with finely ground chai spices
-chill glasses in fridge or freezer.
-peel grapefruit into big pieces.
-juice 60ml of fresh grapefruit.
-juice 15ml of fresh lemon.
-remove chilled glass and strain juices into glass.
-add 30ml of sparkling water.
-add 3 full droppers of our fennel bitters.
-garnish with ice, grapefruit peel and edible flowers.

Guaranteed to impress your dinner party guests and loved ones. Bitters are known historically to support digestion through the enteric nervous system and increase gastric juices. The taste of bitter is an important flavour to lean into, especially during transitional times and seasonal shifts.

09/15/2025

I am excited to introduce Reyna Brown as a contributor to Backbone Botanicals.

Reyna is both a fellow student and a collaborator in our work here. As a classmate at Emery Herbals, Reyna connected with Korina’s mission to create high quality digestive bitters, having benefitted deeply from their medicinal properties. Reyna is a student of clinical herbal medicine with a passion for nutrition, fitness and digestive health, and is excited to be supporting Backbone with research and content creation. Reyna’s goal is to support all people to learn more about preventative health, share her love of simple and vibrant cooking and connect with herbs in their day to day lives in accessible ways.

photography

09/01/2025

Ingredient Spotlight: Fennel - Foeniculum vulgare

Our heirloom bitters highlight the sweet, nutty character of fennel in synergy with supportive botanicals. Designed as a balanced and approachable formula, these bitters provide a grounding and restorative elixir for the body.

Fennel has been used therapeutically for centuries, renowned for having the ability to stimulate the appetite, strengthen digestion, and provide a comfortable post-meal experience.

We are very excited to share this special new bitters formula with you.

Subscribe to our newsletter on our website for more herbal information on bitters, how bitters work, recipes and sweet discount codes. xo

08/05/2025

Hi everyone, I’m Korina, founder of Backbone Botanicals and co-founder of in Nelson, BC. I wanted to share a bit about why I started Backbone and how bitters have impacted my life. Working behind the bar, I became passionate about creating recipes from scratch using seasonal, high-quality ingredients. Inspired by farm-to-table pioneers like and BC’s Andrea Carlson I struggled to find a bitters line that aligned with my values around sourcing, sustainability, and transparency.

That changed when I met my teacher, Colleen Emery of , who mentored me in making herbal syrups, elixirs and bitters. This inspired me to formally study clinical herbal medicine and deepen my understanding of formulation, energetics, and synergy. Backbone Botanicals was born from this journey—rooted in integrity, herbal wisdom, and a commitment to supporting both people and planet. Around the same time, I was personally struggling with skin issues and digestive imbalances. A custom bitters formula from my teacher brought me significant relief—and that’s when my legitimate obsession with bitters began. These powerful herbal allies support digestion, the nervous system, liver detox, skin health, mental clarity, and more.

This is why I remain committed to Backbone Botanicals: to offer potent, high-quality herbal medicine that’s both effective and accessible. I love bitters for their versatility—they shine in non-alcoholic elixirs, hot drinks, salad dressings, medicinal formulas, and cocktails alike.

Our ancestors embraced bitter foods, and reconnecting with this taste is vital. After all, the bitter taste makes a person sweet. 💗

📸

07/29/2025

As we emerge from this peak summer energy, let us lean into our nervous systems and softly recharge. Post festival/camp/hike/work excursion bitters can be supportive to tune inwards through the taste receptors in mouth and the gut brain axis. When I’m feeling tired or at my max I lean into bitters.

Bitters play a key role in digestive health by stimulating taste receptors and the vagus nerve, which links the Enteric Nervous System (the gut brain) to the Central Nervous System.

As components of the parasympathetic nervous system—active during rest and recovery—the vagus nerve and enteric nervous system are also influenced by bitter herbs with calming, antispasmodic properties. These herbs help soothe the nervous system and relax gastrointestinal muscles, supporting digestion, especially under stress.

Insufficient digestive secretions can disrupt the microbiome and reduce resilience to stress. By enhancing digestion, bitters contribute to a balanced, healthier microbiome.

For more information sign up for our newsletter on our website.

07/05/2025

As our focus of products becomes more seasonal, we are offering a big discount from our online shop for our cacao or habanero bitters. Get 25% off with code SEASONAL25

Both of these flavours will become part of our winter line moving forward.

Note* our habanero bitters pairs particularly well with any tequila or mezcal based cocktails. Both of the cacao and habanero are ideal in warm cacao or coffee libations. Grab a bottle today with this sweet discount code!

https://ydy.soundestlink.com/ce/v/0/68696b528f9bd46ee0a9e969

Address

308 Herridge Lane
Nelson, BC
V1L6G5

Website

http://backbonebotanicals.com/

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