How to colour...

Putting older posts here. Going to try to keep the novice forum pruned about 90 days work. The 'good' old stuff is going to be put into appropriate forums.

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goinbroke2
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How to colour...

Post by goinbroke2 »

Well I've tried the carmelized sugar approach and found it sweetens the whisky. I just tried putting a tea bag in about 250ml. Let it sit about 15 minutes, little agitation. Slight colour, so left it 30 minutes, looked good and dark almost dark rum colour.


Tasted it :shock: AAAHHHH!!!! horrible tea in alcohol taste! :?

Now what?

What does everyone use to colour their stuff? I like it clear, but it's too obvious when going out or if others see it.

Anyone? :?:
Numerous 57L kegs, some propane, one 220v electric with stilldragon controller. Keggle for all-Grain, two pot still tops for whisky, a 3" reflux with deflag for vodka. Coming up, a 4" perf plate column. Life is short, make whisky and drag race!
eternalfrost
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Re: How to colour...

Post by eternalfrost »

im no expert at all and never realy make anything but neutrals but i believe the color isnt added at all, but an effect from the charred wood used to flavor it
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Re: How to colour...

Post by HookLine »

Teaspoon of molasses/treacle.
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blanikdog
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Re: How to colour...

Post by blanikdog »

I allus puts molasses in my rum, but I happen to like the taste. It's worth a try.

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Re: How to colour...

Post by Rudi »

At the risk of sounding like a smart arse I use toasted white oak to age and colour my spirits :idea:
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Re: How to colour...

Post by tracker0945 »

Rudi wrote:At the risk of sounding like a smart arse I use toasted white oak to age and colour my spirits :idea:
Sounds good but - what if as the question originally stated he likes the taste of it white but needs to have it coloured if he takes it to a party, so he doesn't stand out.

I've been wondering the same thing but when you age it with oak, the taste changes as well as the colour.

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Re: How to colour...

Post by CoopsOz »

Don't they drink vodka at the party's goinbroke goes too? Why does clear liquor look obvious? I must be missing something :roll:
It is most absurdly said, in popular language, of any man, that he is disguised in liquor; for, on the contrary, most men are disguised by sobriety. ~Thomas de Quincy, Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, 1856
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Re: How to colour...

Post by Rudi »

Yeah didnt read that last bit :oops: .Stick it in a vodka bottle like Coops says they will be none the wiser or if you drink it with a mixer take it pre mixed.Dunno if it tastes but I remember parisiene essence to put more colour in gravy?
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new_moonshiner
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Re: How to colour...

Post by new_moonshiner »

I have used molasses also .. you have to be careful though a little goes a long ways .. its easy to over do it .
brewmaker1
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Re: How to colour...

Post by brewmaker1 »

If you just want to color it with no flavor, how about food coloring? You could even get creative and make it real purdy.
punkin
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Re: How to colour...

Post by punkin »

Macerations also add colour. Some rose petals, some fruit peel, some nut shells, some bark,it's really up to your imagination i guess.
Cochineal's made outa cockroaches, so maybe macerate some roaches for a red colour ?


I know the Thai Terror is pretty green, and SPD is stop light red.
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Re: How to colour...

Post by Dnderhead »

Iv used daylilies sort of brown hint of red but add some flavor.but not bad.
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goinbroke2
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Re: How to colour...

Post by goinbroke2 »

Hmmm,food colouring. That's what I'll try next.

Cockroaches?? um thanks...no! LOL!

Everybody knows I only drink whiskey. When the inlaws come over and I ask (have to when they are guest) if they want a whisky they would freak out if I gave them clear liquid. Very anal. Don't want them to know about the still, they're nutbars on so many levels.
Numerous 57L kegs, some propane, one 220v electric with stilldragon controller. Keggle for all-Grain, two pot still tops for whisky, a 3" reflux with deflag for vodka. Coming up, a 4" perf plate column. Life is short, make whisky and drag race!
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Re: How to colour...

Post by violentblue »

if you like the flavor unaged and white, then you'll love it with a little charred oak and aged for a month or two.

it only gets better with age. or else if its rum put it a bottle with a white rum label
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Re: How to colour...

Post by Hawke »

Food coloring will stain your mouth and anywhere else it may end up.
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Re: How to colour...

Post by Dnderhead »

hawke is right tried that when I was a kid making own "cool aid" but they must have food colours that work in soft drinks etc
but if passing this off as whisky , wont be the same, just wont be whisky with out "wood" one taste and it wont fool anybody
best if going to give a drink to someone that is not into this and cant be trusted is to buy some just for them.
and dont take a chance.
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Re: How to colour...

Post by CoopsOz »

Maybe you could buy a bottle of commercial moonshine, I can't remember the name off hand.....they were featured in some history channel moonshine show. Tip it down the drain, and just keep filling the same bottle up with your hooch. Just say you were interested in trying some American history and now you are hooked. :D Only problem is if they like it and go and buy some of the commercial stuff and realise it is different. I 'spose you could just say it changes with every batch.
It is most absurdly said, in popular language, of any man, that he is disguised in liquor; for, on the contrary, most men are disguised by sobriety. ~Thomas de Quincy, Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, 1856
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goinbroke2
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Re: How to colour...

Post by goinbroke2 »

HAHAHA!! I can just imagine drinking half a bottle and having black lips and tongue.
I got a what?? Must be something I ate...the likker? No, can't be...well, it was on sale I guess. :lol:

I like the idea of buying a bottle of moonshine from the liquor store though. Unfortunately I don't think it's around here.
Could order it online I suppose.

Great feedback guys, thanks
Numerous 57L kegs, some propane, one 220v electric with stilldragon controller. Keggle for all-Grain, two pot still tops for whisky, a 3" reflux with deflag for vodka. Coming up, a 4" perf plate column. Life is short, make whisky and drag race!
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Re: How to colour...

Post by punkin »

Hawke wrote:Food coloring will stain your mouth and anywhere else it may end up.

Got me intriuged...

Where else does it end up in your house??? :shock: :shock: :shock:
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Re: How to colour...

Post by blanikdog »

punkin wrote:
Hawke wrote:Food coloring will stain your mouth and anywhere else it may end up.

Got me intriuged...

Where else does it end up in your house??? :shock: :shock: :shock:
I wondered the same punkin, but decided to leave it to you to ask. I knew I could rely on ya. :)

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Re: How to colour...

Post by punkin »

blanikdog wrote:
punkin wrote:
Hawke wrote:Food coloring will stain your mouth and anywhere else it may end up.

Got me intriuged...

Where else does it end up in your house??? :shock: :shock: :shock:
I wondered the same punkin, but decided to leave it to you to ask. I knew I could rely on ya. :)

blanik


:lol: 8)


There's too many people i know operating on that premise already :roll:
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Re: How to colour...

Post by tracker0945 »

Please tell me where I am going wrong with my thinking.
If you use food colouring in cakes, biscuits, toffees, etc. etc. etc. without the whole world turning green, why in the world would the same thing happen if you coloured a bit of booze with it?
Unless of course you were using 1 bottle of colouring with 1 nip of spirit. :?


I would have thought that it would be OK.


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Re: How to colour...

Post by Hawke »

tracker0945 wrote:Please tell me where I am going wrong with my thinking.
If you use food colouring in cakes, biscuits, toffees, etc. etc. etc. without the whole world turning green


Cheers.
Suck on a Jolly Rancher Green Apple hard candy and see how green your tongue turns :mrgreen:
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pieterb1246
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Re: How to colour...

Post by pieterb1246 »

I know its a few years later, but you use spirit caramel to color spirits, used in the commercial market aswell.
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Re: How to colour...

Post by The Baker »

And green for St. Patrick's Day.

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Re: How to colour...

Post by Toxxyc »

And that caramel colour is cheap as chips and a bottle will last you forever.
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