Wierd colour change

[hornedrhodent]

Not sure if this is the right forum but here goes

I did my first attempt at 'real' whisky recently using home sprouted barley and pot still (distilled on the grain) with 4 stripping runs to get enough stuff to do a spirit run.
I put 4 L of 70% in glass with oak sticks (cut up barrel stave) for about 4 weeks and as it had a bit of colour and my 7L barrel was empty, I cut it to 40% and used it to stop the barrel drying out until I run some neutral spirit to make some 'fake' whisky for drinking. When I took a bit out tonight (just checking) I was disappointed with the colour (I'd forgotten about the dilution) but when I added water to taste it, it went from just coloured to a respectable whisky shade if a bit yellow. It would have doubled or tripled the colour intensity.

I recently put some slaked lime ( Ca(OH)2) in my water tank to seal some leaks so the water may still be alkaline. I think I've made a whisky to use as a party trick. Are there any known pH indicators found in 'normal' whiskys?

[pintoshine]

The tannic acid from the oak is a ph indicator. It goes from brown to yellow/orange when aditional acid is added. You can try this with tea. Make tea observe the redish color, add lemon and watch it lighten.
With your alkaline water maybe the reverse is happening.