Modernist Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Does anybody have any clever ideas on how to color a Campari/Aperol-ish liqueur red without resorting to artificial food coloring? I've tried beet dyes, but the chemical in beets that cause the colors are very sensitive to changes in pH and temperature, so I end up with a snot colored liqueur in the end. Carmine is made from beetles, and my partner is a vegetarian, so that's out. What's left? I don't want to abandon the product because I can't get the color right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Asquith Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Sensient colors and Roha are basic in natural colorants. The challenges are stability/solubility in ethanol as well as regulatory status. You may also try Sethness Caramels. They have reddish caramels and are very familiar with TTB regulations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salishseaorganicliqueurs Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Hibiscus flowers? They have a brilliant deep red/purplish color. If you were to do a super short maceration with them (5-10 minutes) using an infusion bag you could probably impart some lighter red color without drastically affecting the taste of your liqueur. I can suggest some suppliers if you want? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modernist Posted February 26, 2015 Author Share Posted February 26, 2015 Sam, It took me forever to get back to you. Hibiscus has been working great, although our test batch is only a month in. Thanks for the great suggestion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluestar Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Hibiscus is beautiful. But it is not stable when exposed to sunlight or heat. It will fade to light orange over time. But if you don't need long color-fastness, it is a good choice. But it is not flavor-free. You will get a strong hibiscus flavor (which could be desirable) with deep coloring. Traditionally used for absinthe rouge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modernist Posted April 14, 2015 Author Share Posted April 14, 2015 Sensient colors and Roha are basic in natural colorants. The challenges are stability/solubility in ethanol as well as regulatory status. You may also try Sethness Caramels. They have reddish caramels and are very familiar with TTB regulations. Thanks, Tom, looking into this right now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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