Problem about absinthe colour stability

[markoipo]

So, first i will describe my problem wery shortly.
My absinthe lose colour after colorization step. I try many diferent things, but no mether what, it lose colour some time afret few days, some time after few weeks, on the other hand, somtime colour stay, i can't make explanation for this, i try make things over and over, maybe 40-50 times, and colour sometime stay some time go.
Please i need some help, i can get aditional information, about temperature, alcohol, herbs, averything

[Otun]

what method and what herbs are you using for coloring?

[Kirko]

Rapid loss of color could be from over heating. Or it could be from using old or sun dried herbs.

[markoipo]

about temperature, i try to macerate at room temperature, i try to rise temperature up to 50-55 and then wait until all cool down, i try to leave at 55 for 12 h, a try lot of diferent combination, also i try macerate at diferent proof of alcohol, and diferent absinth strenght, also i try to macerate herb one by one and main problem is that colour sometime stay good and sometime its go bad, in first moment colour is always green, but then its go bad or sometime its stay good
for maceration i use r. woormwood (10g/1l), hysop (10g/1l) and melisa (5g/1l)

[Zman]

Don't store in clear glass or green bottles,use dark brown bottles.
Don't let it sit on the heat for 12 hours.
Heat in a waterbath.
Remember to only colour 40% of the distillate. If you are making one liter batches, only color the first 400ml off the still.
No long macerations. Coloring a liter should not take more than an hour...total.
Bring it slowly to 55C, remove from heat, and let cool for no more than an hour before filtering and blending back into the rest of the batch.
No stems from the herbs, ONLY leaves and flowers.

[EuroStiller]

Good rules Zman!!
Transfer to clear or green glass just before your going to give a bottle as a gift or something.
Light is a major oxidizing agent of Absinthe.

Using Veronica/ Speedwell, in small quantities, in the coloring step I have found promotes a very green color that does not break down as easily. Probably because the herb is high in organic acids and tannins (think wine). Too much of the herb though and the Absinthe is bitter/ unpalatable. Of course, the traditional coloring herbs are necessary as well and some recipes do include veronica/ speedwell.

Or you can give up on the Green and go Clear. No harm in it, and just as good somtimes!

EuroStiller- The Doctor

[markoipo]

For now i make conclusion that color will depend on absinthe (or alcohol) strength, very often i try to make test of color with alcohol rather then absinthe. And generally i notice that if i use high proof (more then 85%)of alcohol color will be more stable so its also reason why in all recipe for producing people take first distillation for maceration. But all this cant explain reason why my absinthe some time lose color, and some time color stay.

[Oracle]

...But all this cant explain reason why my absinthe some time lose color, and some time color stay.

Could you elaborate, please? Are you saying the color is disappearing or that it is changing from green to "tan" or "brown" ("feuille morte") prematurely? Much of the commercial "verte" absinthe that I have collected changes color over time, whether the bottles have been opened or not. It does seem to change faster in clear bottles than in the dark tinted bottles.

As for stabilization of chlorophyll, there are probably many factors to consider, but take a look at this document:

http://media.iupac.org/publications/pac ... 8x1477.pdf

The author points out that acidic conditions tend to push chlorophyll to pheophytin (yellow-brown) transition. He also mentions that copper has a protective effect on chlorophyl (so perhaps carrying out the coloration step in a copper vessel may help extend the stability of your product).

[EuroStiller]

Oracle

Interesting link, very good read. I should subscribe to that Journal!

I agree that there are so many factors to consider and that the use of copper seems a valid factor indeed.
I guess a lot of this all comes down to ingredients, technique, equipment and luck!

On the other hand, we have to accept the fact the world we live in now has changed dramatically since the birth and prohibition of original Absinthe. I think we need to take fully into account factors that need to be taken into account that are very often overlooked, pollution being the greatest. I know firsthand, for example, that the growing of grapes, and the subsequent wine produced from them, in Western Europe has been permanently impacted by the Chernobyl disaster of 1986. Also, the fact that no matter how much we grow "organically” the land is still polluted from the use of pesticides like DDT, that it is just physically impossible to reproduce the same quality plant matter, ever. Whatsmore, the plants themselves have adapted, even if not totally visible, to cope with the environmental stresses.

Older bottles of Absinthe have had at least 70+ years to oxidize and I would not expect them to be as beautiful emerald green as the day they were made unless they were inferior quality and were colored artificially to begin with.

EuroStiller- The Doctor

[Kirko]

If you want to factor in global weather, you could say that herbs are better now than ever, extra co2 and the stress of overcoming environment are causing vines and herbs to run wild like never before.

[Wolfgang]

Hi,
I've been making absinthe for about 10 years now.

I still have some sample that are over 5 years old and are still nicely green.

Here's the secrets:

Take only a part of the distillat to do the coloration and blend it later with the whole batch. 20% of the volume is enough.

Use quality dried herbs that are still green (a mix of melissa and hyssop is nice, add some pontica if you can put your hands on some for an even more authentic result but it's not absolutely necessary).

Heat up to just a few degree bellow boiling point.

Step you coloring herbs and strain for no more than a minute (15 seconds + the time to filter it is usually enough). Filter it through a few coffee filters.

Blend with remaining distillate and let it rest together for a few weeks in total darkness. Bottle it in very dark bottles to protect it from the sun, should you eventually want to be able to bring the bottle outside.

If you want to lower the alc%, do it by adding *warm* water AFTER the coloration is done. Keep it to at least 68%. Personally I like to play safe and keep it to 70% alc.

[EuroStiller]

Article from Live Science

World's Plants Growing Less Thanks to Warming, Drought

Just proves what some farmers have been saying for the past decade.


http://www.livescience.com/environment/ ... 00819.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow


EuroStiller- The Doctor

[Kirko]

I hear that speedwell helps to stabilize the color, as well as lavender. Not overheating is key though.