How Alcohol Gets Its Colour: The Science Behind Gold, Amber And Clear Spirits
At a whisky tasting experience, one of the first elements that the connoisseur would guide you towards is the colour of the spirit. So too, at tastings involving spirits like vodka or rum – the primary characteristic that catches one’s attention is the alcohol’s hue. And colour has a deeper role to play in such an experience because it can well be the indicator of the flavour and age of the spirit as well as the production processes that went into its making.
From the crystal clear of gin to the deep mahogany of rum, liquor hues speak a lot about their overall profile. How each of these spirits acquires these colours is a story in itself. Here’s a bit of a breakdown of how certain spirits seem to have a clearer appearance while others shine with a deep amber, almost golden hue:
Clear Spirits: No Ageing
Often enough, spirits which have a very clear, stark appearance are those which are hardly aged. That is, they are either immediately bottled after they are processed or they are filtered after ageing them slightly. This lends spirits such as gin, white rum or silver tequila their signature clear appearance, devoid of colour.
Additionally, what’s interesting is that these spirits are distilled in such a way that pure alcohol is extracted from the process while other compounds such as colourful pigments are cast aside. This leads to the transparent appearance recognisable in spirits like vodka.
One might wonder what happens in the case of gin, which is infused with so many botanicals and juniper-led flavours, for it to acquire a crystal clear look. This has much to do with the ageing of certain gins in stainless steel tanks as opposed to wooden barrels, whose colours, aromas and flavours tend to seep into the spirits which are aged in them. In rarest of cases, gin can be barrel-aged and this gives the liquor a slightly yellowed appearance.
Also Read: Aesthetic Bar Drinks: The Colourful Art of Mixology
Golden And Amber Spirits: Flavour Complexity
This technique holds forth in the case of spirits such as whisky or bourbon. Although most aged spirits appear clear when they come off the stills in which they are distilled, they are subsequently stored and aged in wooden casks which imbue the liquors with their deep amber, gold and even bronze hues.
Oak barrels containing elements like sugars and tannins eventually break down to infuse themselves into the spirits, imparting golden, smoky notes into the liquors. In the case of charred barrels that are often used for ageing spirits like smoked rums and whiskies, the toasted insides of the caramelised barrels also seep into the spirits lending them both, a flavour complexity as well as a deep golden colour.
In warmer climes along Caribbean or tropical coasts, the ageing process is much accelerated, leading to even darker colours. Peaty Scotches and smoky Highland whiskies are aged for a slightly longer duration so they can acquire that light golden or light amber hue inherent to these whiskies. Essentially, since colour is also many times a marker of flavour complexity, darker whiskies seem to be indicative of robust, slightly more peaty flavours whereas golden hued whiskies tend to carry lots of fruity, spicy and floral notes.
Infused Spirits: Ingredients Build Colour And Flavour
And in the case of infused spirits or liqueurs such as citrus bitters, ube liqueur, Italian aperitifs and even curaçao, the colour emerges from the fruits, herbs and spices which are used to produce these drinks. Ingredients are infused into spirits either during the process of distillation or maceration which enables them to release their bright colours into pure alcohol.
With this, certain liqueurs like bitters, vermouth or infused spirits acquire their signature hues that are also quite a recognisable aspect of their overall character. Colours in these liqueurs bring nuance and structure to the mixes in which they are incorporated.
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
