What do you drink blue curacao with? Alcoholic cocktails with blue curacao syrup

They have a long history, surrounded by legends, fiction, and funny situations.

None of these legendary liqueurs compares in its mystery to Blue Curacao, a bright blue drink named after the largest island of the Netherlands Antilles, located in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Venezuela.

In 1527, the Spaniards brought bitter orange seeds to the island of Curacao in the West Indies. This is one of the best varieties grown in the area around Seville and Valencia, but it has not taken root in the Caribbean. As a result of degradation, a new variety of oranges was formed - Larakha. These fruits were so bitter that they were not eaten even during times of famine. Larach's oranges contained a large amount of essential oils, which attracted the attention of tincture manufacturers.

Who created Blue Curacao liqueur?

History has not left reliable information about the creator of the Blue Curacao recipe. There are two competing versions among connoisseurs. According to the first of them, Lukas Bols came up with the idea of ​​using the peel of Laraja oranges in the production of liqueurs. This is the founder of the world famous company Bols, which today occupies a leading position in the world in the production of liqueurs in a variety of categories.

Lucas Bols lived in the second half of the 17th century, his family was one of the co-owners of the West Indies Netherlands Company. He was engaged in supplying goods to the Caribbean islands. Having learned about the surprisingly high concentration of aromatic oils in the Lahar peel, Lucas Bols began supplying this raw material to Europe. According to the version, it was he who developed the recipe for Curacao liqueur. Initially, the drink was of different colors, but at the beginning of the twentieth century, Bols's heirs began to tint it, giving it a bright blue hue. To attract attention, a legend was created according to which a secret chemical element is used for coloring. The drink was given a romantic name - “Heavenly Cream”, an original bottle was invented, and the liqueur quickly became one of the most popular in the world.

Another version of the history of the creation of the Blue Curacao recipe gives priority to Haim Chumaqueiro and Edgar Senior, the founders of the Senior&Co company. They began selling liquor in their pharmacies on the island of Curacao in 1896. These two venerable gentlemen founded their distillery only in 1947, not far from the capital of the island. Senior&Co began tinting liqueur blue only in the 60s of the 20th century.

The Bolsa family has a historical advantage, but today only Senior&Co produces liqueur from Lahar oranges. On the labels they are the only ones who indicate that this Curacao is “genuine” - genuine. All other manufacturers use the zest of bitter oranges or other varieties of oranges.

Why Blue Curacao is blue

The assortment of Curacao producers includes clear, green, golden, and dark brown liqueurs. What gives Blue Curacao its rich blue color? It was not without reason that the Bolsa family told a legend about a secret alchemical element. This made it possible not only to offer the original liqueur to the market, but also to keep its recipe secret.

In the first half of the twentieth century different manufacturers Extracts of plants that contain anthocyanins were used to color clear liqueur. These substances in a neutral environment acquire a rich blue-violet color. They are found in plant flowers and berries. Other manufacturers dissolved the indigo mineral in vitriol and tinted alcohol extracts blue. Due to the minimum concentration of dyes, it was possible not to affect the taste of the drink during coloring.

In the second half of the twentieth century, liqueur producers stopped experimenting with dyes. It was for Blue Curacao liqueur that the FD&C Blue No. 1 food additive was invented. It is absolutely safe for human health and has a neutral taste. In the European classification, this food additive is designated as E133.

Features of blue liqueur production technology

Classic production technology is used today by Senior&Co. Its workers collect Laraja oranges from the plantations. The harvesting process begins until the fruits are fully ripened. Green oranges contain more essential oils. The fruits are cut into 4 parts and left to dry in the sun for five days. The dried peel is placed in special matting bags, into which spices and herbs are added (the recipe is based on cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg).

The bags allow not only air but also liquid to pass through well. After mixing the raw materials in them, the bags are lowered into vats of alcohol obtained from sugarcane molasses. The extract is prepared within a week, while Senior&Co specialists periodically heat the alcohol solution, change its concentration by adding clean water. The finished tincture is distilled on a copper distillation apparatus, diluted with water to the desired alcohol concentration and sugar is added. After this, all that remains is to tint Blue Curacao sky blue.

The technology of the famous Bols brand is not much different from the processes taking place in the Senior&Co company. The Dutch use wine spirit, the peel of Spanish oranges, but otherwise everything is consistent classical method production of Blue Curacao liqueur.

How to drink Blue Curacao correctly

The liqueur has a refined taste, dominated by orange notes. The characteristic citrus aroma reveals hints of tangerines and oranges. Manufacturers offer drinks with an alcohol content of 15 to 40%, but the most popular brands offer liqueur with an alcohol content of 18-25 degrees. You can drink this drink neat or with a little ice. Blue Curacao is used as an aperitif and digestif; it stimulates the appetite well and becomes an excellent accompaniment to desserts.

Popular cocktails

The color, unusual for alcoholic beverages, quickly made Blue Curacao one of the most popular ingredients in cocktails. The aroma component also plays an important role when creating original drinks. Many recipes based on this liqueur have become classics of bar culture. One of the most popular is “Blue Margarita”; to create it you will need:

• liqueur "Blue Curacao" - 5 ml;
• tequila - 30 ml;
• lemon juice - 60 ml.

Add liqueur, tequila and lemon juice to the shaker and mix thoroughly. Pour the cocktail into margarita glasses, moisten the edges with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt. Serve with a garnish made from lime zest.

Many bartenders suggest starting your acquaintance with cocktails with the Blue Lagoon. The following components are taken for it:

• liqueur "Blue Curacao" - 30 ml;
• vodka - 30 ml;
• lemon juice - 15 ml;
• ice - 100 grams;
• Sprite or 7-up - 100 ml.

Prepare a cocktail in a shaker, fill it with ice, add liqueur, vodka and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly and pour into glasses, into which Sprite is added to your taste. You can garnish the cocktail with strawberries or a slice of lime.

The original cocktail with a tropical character was called "Blue Hawaii". To prepare it, you will need the following ingredients:

• white rum - 30 ml;
• liqueur "Blue Curacao" - 30 ml;
• coconut cream - 60 ml;
• pineapple juice - to taste.

All components are mixed in a blender, the finished cocktail is poured into tall glasses filled with ice cubes.

The Russian Flag cocktail is popular in Russian youth clubs; its creation requires certain skills. The cocktail is layered, the colors of its components correspond to the colors of the Russian flag. To create a small masterpiece you will need:

• liqueur "Blue Curacao" - 30 ml;
• vodka - 30 ml;
• pomegranate syrup - 30 ml;
• cream - 15 ml.

To make the cocktail beautiful, you need to cool all its components well. The drink is prepared in a glass, the ingredients are added one by one. Pomegranate syrup is poured first, which has a rich red color. A layer of liqueur is carefully and slowly added on top using a knife blade or a special cocktail spoon. The next layer is prepared from vodka. The last component is added cream, which colors the vodka layer white. It’s better to drink this cocktail in one gulp!

A very tasty cocktail based on Blue Curacao liqueur is called “Pool”. To prepare it, you need to take:

• liqueur "Blue Curacao" - 15 ml;
• light rum - 45 ml;
• vodka - 30 ml;
• coconut syrup - 75 ml;
• pineapple juice - 75 ml;
• cream - 15 ml.

Add rum, vodka, syrup and juice to the shaker, pour in the cream and mix well. The mixture is poured into a large glass filled with ice. Blue Curacao is added very slowly, which gives the drink the unique color of pool water. The glass is decorated with a slice of pineapple or cherry.

To prepare cocktails, it is better to use Blue Curacao liqueur from well-known manufacturers. You can always find a bottle of Bols, Wenneker, Fruko Schulz or Senior&Co on sale. Manufacturers offering very cheap liquor use artificial flavors and colors. You can get full enjoyment from the harmonious taste of Blue Curacao only by using the original liqueur in cocktails.

Blue Curacao is a Caribbean cream liqueur with specific tangerine notes, an aroma of spices and an orange flavor. This drink is very popular among bartenders, because it is an excellent base for cocktails. The birthplace of the liqueur is the southern Dutch West Indies island of Curacao, hence the pretty name of the drink. the strength of which varies from 24 to 31 degrees.

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Features of Blue Curacao liqueur

The first batch of Curacao liqueur had no color and was clear because it was made with white rum. To ensure that the drink was in demand in the modern world, De Kuyper marketers came up with an original PR campaign. They made Curacao blue, making it unusual and irreplaceable.

To achieve a blue tint, unscrupulous manufacturers often use dyes E131 and E132, which can harm the human body. Food coloring E133 is considered the most harmless and its use in this area is acceptable.

In addition to Blue Curacao, there is White, Green and Orange Curacao. Moderate consumption of liquor has a positive effect on digestive system, accelerates metabolic processes and improves metabolism.

To get the most out of Blue Curacao, you need to add ice and orange juice to it. Due to its specific taste, it is difficult to drink liqueur without additives. Since it is a digestif, it is served as a cocktail after meals. It is here that the liqueur reveals itself to its full potential, skillfully playing with other components and adding piquancy to them.

For adherents healthy image life There is Blue Curacao syrup - an analogue, without an alcohol base. Its taste is the same as that of its alcoholic counterpart. It is also used for cocktails.

Mode of production

As already mentioned, Blue Curacao is made in Holland under the De Kuyper brand. The liqueur is poured into containers with a volume of 0.7 liters. Its cost ranges from 15 to 25 US dollars per bottle. The cost of a bottle depends on what raw materials competing companies use to make the liqueur. If original components are replaced with low-quality ones, technologies are not followed, then the cost will be reduced.

The original technology for making liqueur is the infusion of bitter orange peel in wine alcohol. To make the taste boundaries more pronounced, spices are added - cinnamon sprigs chopped into small pieces, nutmeg, fragrant clove buds.

With the help of anthocyanins, which are very abundant in dark blue vegetables and berries, it is possible to obtain an unusual color for the tincture. Their extract is added to the previous ingredients during the fermentation process.

In fact, the process of preparing a drink with a global brand is quite simple. But only the manufacturer knows the proportions, holding time and duration of infusion.

How to make Blue Curacao at home

To protect yourself from consuming a low-quality product, you can make the drink at home. This doesn't require much effort. cash and time, but the result will pleasantly surprise you and allow you to enjoy the aromatic taste of the drink at any time. In addition, you can make famous cocktails yourself and delight your guests with an unusual treat.

Recipe - Classic Blue Curacao

Ingredients:

1. sugar syrup - 400 liter
2. vodka - 1 liter
3. orange zest - 50 grams
4. ground nutmeg - 30 grams
5. ground or finely broken cinnamon - a quarter teaspoon
6. 3 buds of cloves
7. food coloring - optional

Cooking method

For preparation, a container with a volume of 1.5 liters is required. Mix the zest with spices and pour in vodka, cover with a lid and leave for about 4 hours. Add the previously prepared sugar syrup to the finished mixture, mix and pour in the dye. After this, the container should be put in a warm place for a week. It is advisable that no light enters there, so the fermentation process goes faster. After aging, strain the liqueur through a cotton cloth and pour into glass bottles. The drink is ready to drink.

Recipe for Curacao with honey

Ingredients:

1. zest from 4 oranges
2. whiskey - 700 ml
3. liquid honey - 240 milliliters
4. food coloring

Cooking method

The zest should be poured into whiskey and kept for 1 month. Whiskey can be replaced with diluted alcohol, vodka or moonshine. After the aging period has expired, strain the infusion and add honey. The mixture must be placed in an unlit place. When the alcohol has become transparent, you need to drain it from the sediment and tint it. The final stage is bottling the finished liqueur.

Liqueur "Blue Cura?ao" - alcoholic drink blue in color, made by aging dry orange peel and wine spirit. The distillate can be not only grape, but the peel is only suitable for one variety of oranges - bitter “Larakha”. The strength of the drink is 15-40%.

An important feature of Laraja oranges is that they grow exclusively in the Caribbean (the vicinity of Venezuela and the island of Curacao). Laraja is a variety of the Seville orange (also known as bitter orange), introduced in 1527 by Spanish colonizers. The bitter orange has degraded and become bitter, but its peel is excellent for producing blue liqueurs.

Features of the production of Blue Curacao liqueur

The largest producer of liqueur is considered to be the company “Cura?ao Senior & Co” - it is their technology that is considered exemplary in the niche. The oranges are picked green, after which they are cut and dried in the sun for five days. The dried zest is poured into jute bags (sometimes matting is used). Various spices are also placed there:

• cinnamon;
• carnation;
• nutmeg.

The set of spices differs from one manufacturer to another. Subsequently, the bags are immersed in containers filled with alcohol (grape or cane). Infusion lasts 3-7 days. The resulting macerate is placed in copper stills and distilled. Periodically, the mixture is subjected to temperature changes and diluted with water according to the recipe. The result is Curacao, a clear liqueur with a characteristic aroma of spices and oranges.

To get Blue Curacao, the original drink must be tinted. For this purpose, natural food coloring FD&C Blue number 1 is used. The additive is known to a wide range of consumers under the name E133.

How to drink Blue Curacao

Blue Cura?ao liqueur is a beautiful, but very specific drink. The sweet and spicy taste combined with high strength dictates the need for dilution. The liqueur is mixed with juices (pineapple, orange) and ice. As a result, you get an excellent digestif, which is served in cocktail format after meals. It is not customary to snack on liquor. Little known fact: there is a non-alcoholic version of Blue Curacao, which is a syrup.

History of liqueur

History has not preserved the name of the inventor of Curacao liqueurs. There is a version according to which the recipe was developed by Lucas Bols, owner of the Lucas Bols company. This man lived from 1652 to 1719. A number of facts indicate the veracity of this hypothesis. In 1634, the West India Company took possession of the island of Curacao, whose shareholders included the Bols family. The company's leaders easily secured the supply of spices to the island, and at the same time managed to find out that green orange peel produces first-class essential oils. Lucas Bols began extracting oil and supplying it to Amsterdam.

The legend outlined above explains the source of the raw materials for the production of Curacao liqueurs. At the beginning of the 20th century, Bols's heirs decided to increase sales volumes. Someone from the company's management came up with the idea to attract the attention of consumers with the help of colorful liqueurs. Presumably, this is how Blue Curacao appeared (initially the drink was dubbed “cream of heaven”).

The second significant producer of Blue Curacao is Senior & Co. Larach peel has always been used in the company’s recipes, which is why the word “genuine” is written on the labels of Senior & Co liqueur. The company was founded in 1896 by Edgar Senior and Jaim Mendez Chumaqueiro. Initially, the partners owned a family-type pharmacy, “Botika Excelsior,” where they simultaneously produced alcoholic beverages. In 1947, Señor and Chumaqueiro moved to Willemstad, where they bought a country estate. A distillery was built there. In the 1960s, the owners of Senior & Co began coloring their liqueurs. The release of Blue Curacao was launched at the turn of the 70-80s of the last century.

Largest producers

The “genuine” marking is allowed to be placed on the labels of only one brand – “Seniors Company”. Meanwhile, there are other manufacturers whose products are of excellent quality:

• Bols;
• Wenneker;
• De Kuyper;
• Bvland.

Classification of Curacao liqueurs

There are several varieties of Blue Curacao. Let's list them:

1. « » . This is a colorless liqueur, formally classified as Blue Curacao. The drink is made from orange peel and Larah. The strength of the drink is 30%.
2. "Orange Curacao". This orange liqueur is recommended to be consumed with Scotch whiskey and mango juice. The strength is the same - 30%.
3. . A classic blue variety of liqueur. May consist of sweet orange essence and bitter zest (depending on the manufacturer). The creators claim that the name of the drink should be associated with the blue Caribbean skies. Strength is standard.
4. "Red" and "Green Curacao". Colored varieties of liqueur (red and green, respectively). These varieties are a key ingredient in a number of exotic cocktails, and are used by bartenders as a substitute for triple dry and Cointreau. Strength is standard.
5. "Coffee Curacao". In addition to orange zest, the recipe includes coffee beans (in the form of an extract). Strength - 25%. A good digestif.
6. "Rum Raisin Curacao". This is, in fact, “Triple Sec”, the recipe of which is supplemented with raisin tincture (with rum). The drink has a 25-degree strength.
7. "Chocolate Curacao". This 25-degree sweet liqueur is characterized by the presence of cocoa extract in the recipe. Used in its pure form, as well as in cocktails.

Cooking Blue Curacao at home

Buying Blue Curacao in a small town is an almost impossible task. Therefore, many people think about making their own drink. The pioneers in this area were residents of Western countries. The classic home recipe looks like this:

• vodka (1 liter);
• sugar syrup (400 ml);
• ground nutmeg (300 gr.);
• dried orange zest (50 g);
• ground cinnamon (one pinch is enough);
• cloves (3 buds);
• food coloring.

To make sugar syrup, you need to stock up granulated sugar(one and a half glasses) and drinking water (same volume). Cooking process:

1. Cloves, nutmeg, zest and cinnamon are poured into a one and a half liter glass container and filled with vodka. The container must be closed with a lid for four hours.
2. The second stage involves making syrup. Fill the pan with water and place it on the gas stove. Heat the liquid by slowly adding sugar and stirring constantly. The sugar should completely dissolve.
3. After cooling the syrup, pour it into the alcoholic tincture. Place food coloring there too. Close the container and hide it in a dark place (let this room be warm).
4. After a week, strain the liqueur through cheesecloth. Pour Blue Curacao into dark glass bottles. Enjoy the fruits of your labors.

Cocktails with Blue Curacao

A distinctive feature of cocktails with Blue Curacao is its orange flavor and blue color.

• Vodka – 20ml;
• Blue Curaçao – 20ml;
• Banana yellow liqueur – 20ml;
• Melon liqueur – 10 ml;
• Cream (33%) – 20 ml;
• Green apple – 15 g;
• Ground cinnamon – 1 g;
• Ice – 200 g

Everything is mixed in a shaker, then poured into a cocktail glass and garnished with a slice of lemon, lime, or orange.

If you have heard the name “Blu Curasao” many times, but still don’t know what kind of drink it is and how to use it correctly, then it’s time to talk more about it. Having learned its tasting characteristics and how to prepare all kinds of cocktails based on it, you will discover many new tastes and unusual combinations.

Color

It has an unusual bright shade of blue thanks to the tincture of the dried peel of the Laha citrus fruit and its further distillation.

Aroma

It has a subtle and very pleasant citrus aroma with notes of tangerine.

Taste

The taste is very pleasant and delicate, with a bright hint of citrus, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Combinations

Can be combined neat with ice cubes or mixed with other drinks in cocktails.

How to choose the right one and distinguish it from a fake

1. Since Blue Curacao is imported into the country, the excise stamp will be a confirmation and guarantee of authenticity.
2. Blue Curacao should only be purchased in large chain stores selling alcohol.
3. Pay attention to the quality of the bottle and label.
4. Seniors Company has the exclusive right to mark its Blue Curacao as “genuine”, there are other manufacturers:

• Bols;
• De Kuyper;
• Wenneker;
• Bvland.

How to serve

In which glasses?

Depending on how you will drink this blue liqueur, neat or in a cocktail, you may need the following types of glasses:

• For drinking neat, a small triangular glass with a short stem is ideal.
• For so-called “short” cocktails, small straight shot glasses with a volume of 40-60 ml are usually used.
• For very chilled longs, a tall glass with a central expansion and a volume of 220 ml to 500 ml is usually used.
• Very often, a special highball glass is used to prepare cocktails.
• For chilled cocktails without ice, Martin glasses with a volume of 90-280 ml are often used.
• If you are preparing a tropical cocktail, then a Hurricane glass, which has a volume of 400-480 ml, is best suited for this purpose.
• As for layered drinks, it is best to use small narrow glasses with a volume of no more than 50-120 ml for their preparation.

Etiquette rules

Since the Blue Curacao liqueur itself and the drinks prepared on its basis are very sweet and rich in taste, they are best served after the main meal.

What products does it combine with?

It is not customary to serve snacks with Blue Curacao and drinks made from it, but ice cream and assorted fruits will be quite appropriate and will be a good addition.

Other uses

Blue Curacao can be used to prepare huge amount a variety of cocktails, and here are a few of them:

• —“Blue Lagoon”—: “Blue Curacao”, vodka, lemon juice, soda water, ice;
• —“Russian Flag”—: “Blue Curacao”, grenadine, cream, vodka;
• “Pool”: “Blue Curacao”, light rum, vodka, pineapple juice, coconut syrup, cream;
• “Courage”: “Blue Curacao”, lemon juice, “Malibu” liqueur, champagne;
• “Lambada”: “Blue Curacao”, “Malibu”, pineapple juice;
• “Gastronom Special”: Blue Curacao, gin, dry martini, orange juice.

What other types of this drink are there?

• Triple Sec. It is a colorless liqueur made from the dried peel of larakha, and its strength is 30 degrees.
• Orange Curaçao. This liqueur has a beautiful orange color and a strength of 30 degrees. It can be combined with mango juice and —Scotch whiskey—.
• Red and Green Curasao. These two types of liqueurs are rarely found on sale. It is worth knowing that they are simply a colored version of the Triple Sec liqueur, which is quite often used in cocktails to create a beautiful design of the drink without changing its taste.
• Rum Raisin Curacao. This drink is made on the basis of the usual “Triple Sec”, but a rum raisin infusion is also added to the composition. Its strength does not exceed 25 degrees.
• Coffee Curasao. The recipe for this drink, in addition to larahi zest, also includes coffee bean extract. Despite the fact that the strength of the drink is only 25 degrees, it has a very rich taste and aroma, and is most often consumed as a digestif.
• Chocolate Curasao. This sweet liqueur, which has a strength of 25 degrees, is produced on the basis of Triple Sec liqueur with the addition of cocoa extract. It is ideal for making cocktails and can be drunk neat.

Drinks of the same class and taste

Each liqueur manufacturer sets itself the goal of creating a drink that is special and different from others. Thus, Blue Curacao alcoholic syrup stands out for its extraordinary color, and, for example, the famous Italian one cannot be confused with any other because of the specific taste of almonds, which is also clearly expressed in the aroma. Incredibly sweet and creamy Amarula liqueur comes from South Africa and is unique in that it is made from the fruits of the marula tree, which is more often called the “elephant tree.”

But the Irish liqueur Irish Cream, although similar to Amarula in color and creamy taste, is prepared according to a completely different recipe using whiskey, coffee and cream. As for the Scottish liqueur “Drambuie”, which is one of the most popular bases for cocktails, it has a completely different taste and aroma, as it is made from aged scotch with the addition of honey, anise, saffron, nutmeg and herbal infusions .

History of the drink

There is still debate about who actually created this incredible and very unusual blue liqueur. According to one version, it is believed that the recipe for “Blu Curasao” was invented by Lucas Bols, whose name is given to a famous Dutch alcohol company. He claimed that the drink's unusual color was achieved by adding a "secret alchemical element" without the use of chemical dyes, and gave it the name "Crème de Ciel", meaning "heavenly cream".

According to another version, the Senior Company, which is located on the island of Curacao, states that it was Edgar Senior who developed the recipe for this liqueur back in 1896.

Much later, already in the 20s of the last century, other shades of this liqueur appeared, and, as most believe, this was done with the aim of decorating a variety of cocktails and making them more vibrant.

Recipe for making Blue Curacao liqueur at home

Required Ingredients

Drink recipe video

In this video you will not only learn and see the process of preparing Blue Curacao liqueur, but also get a recipe for a Blue Lagoon cocktail based on it.

It would be interesting to know your opinion about this drink and perhaps your own recipes. Write to us in the comments.

Blue Curacao- a Caribbean orange cream liqueur from the Curacao family, very popular among bartenders, bright blue in color with a strength of 24-31%.

Taste and aroma The drink is specific - you can detect light notes of orange, tangerine and spices.

Motherland- one of the southern Dutch islands of the West Indies, washed by the waves of the Caribbean Sea and called Curacao.

Story:

In the 14th century, the Spaniards said: “Oranges belong here!” and brought tree seedlings with orange fruits to the island, covering a small piece of land with them. But the sweetest Valencian varieties, due to the lack of fresh water, quickly degenerated here into small and bitter ones.

In the 16th century, the Dutch began to come to the abandoned plantations, who did not eradicate the bitter oranges, but called them “laraha”.

In the 18th century, part of the Larach plantations began to belong to the family of Petrus De Cuyper. The enterprising owner of the De Kuyper company tried to use the orange harvest to make liqueur.

300 years later (at the end of the 1920s), the same company created the first Curacao liqueur with the “Blue” color, which quickly became popular and was already produced by other enterprises in Holland, France, and the Czech Republic.

Undoubtedly, the leader in the production of blue liqueur is still De Kuyper.

By the way, this drink won the heart of grandfather Lenin himself.

Types and varieties:

Why is Curacao liqueur blue? This is a banal PR move.
The first Curaçao liqueurs were clear (because they were prepared with white rum), but to increase sales, De Kuyper marketers painted the drink blue (and more). They did this with natural dyes, which in an alkaline environment acquired the desired cornflower blue hue.

But many other Curaçao producers use food “eats” for this, of which only E 133 (shiny blue) can be considered harmless. Dyes E131 and E132 are no longer so harmless.

It is known that in addition to Blue, Curacao comes in White, Green and Orange.

Effect on the body: improves the digestion process.

How to serve and drink:

Blue Curaçao is a beautiful but unique drink. Due to its specific taste, high sweetness and strength, it is almost never drunk without dilution. In addition to ice, you need to add at least juice (from orange or pineapple) to it - and it will give you pleasure.

Being a digestif, it is served after a meal, usually in cocktails, where the liqueur skillfully plays off all other components (which is why it is a favorite of bartenders).

The most famous cocktails with Blue Curacao have a “blue” prefix - “”, “Blue Hawaii”, “Blue Margarita”. But there are, of course, names that do not in any way indicate the presence of blue liqueur in the cocktail, for example, “Burning Ferrari”.

There is also a non-alcoholic analogue of liqueur - Blue Curacao syrup, which is usually produced by the same company as its alcoholic counterpart.

Secrets of production:

As mentioned above, the best blue liqueur Curacao is produced in Holland and is branded by the De Kuyper company. The drink is bottled in 0.7 liter bottles and sold at a price of 15 – 25 US dollars per piece. The syrup of the same name usually costs half as much.

The more original components of the liqueur are replaced by De Kuyper's competing companies with cheaper ones (unnatural and/or harmful), the lower the cost of the bottle.

In the original, the technology involves infusing the peel of “larakha” (bitter) oranges in wine alcohol, where spices are introduced to expand the taste boundaries - clove buds, crushed nutmeg, chopped cinnamon sticks.

The tincture gets its blue color thanks to anthocyanins - natural colors that black currants and blueberries, black grapes and eggplants can boast of, cauliflower and basil. Extracts from them (and/or other plants) give the drink such a wonderful color.

So there is nothing complicated in the composition of the world-famous liqueur, but the proportions are known only to the manufacturer.

Blue Curacao liqueur (recipe for making at home):

In some countries (not to mention cities), it can be difficult (or impossible) to purchase good liquor. Therefore, you can try to prepare it at home, especially since it is still better than buying a low-quality fake.

For the first time, this was done in the West, but the recipes of foreign craftsmen required adaptation, which was successfully carried out in the vast expanses of our vast Motherland.

By the way, about the dye: you can give the drink a blue color, or you can not - after all, there are other colors of liqueur, and the main thing in it is still the shade of taste.

Homemade version of classic Curacao

Prepare:

• vodka – 1 liter
• sugar syrup – 400 ml
• dried orange zest – 50 grams
• nutmeg (ground) – 30 grams
• cinnamon (ground, finely broken) – 1/4 teaspoon
• carnations – 3 buds

You need to prepare it like this:

1. Pour the spices and zest with alcohol into a 1.5 liter glass container, close it and leave for 4 hours.
2. Separately prepare syrup from sugar and water according to any recipe you know.
3. Add cooled sugar syrup and dye to the tincture, close again and keep in a warm place without access to light for a week.
4. The resulting liquor must be filtered and poured into sterile bottles, preferably dark glass.

Curacao on honey

Prepare:

• fresh orange zest - 4 pcs.
• whiskey – 0.7 liters
• honey (liquid) – 240 ml
• food coloring - optional

You need to prepare it like this:

1. The zest is poured into whiskey and aged for 1 month, after which the infusion is filtered.
2. Honey is added to orange whiskey and placed in a dark place until the alcohol becomes transparent.
3. The resulting liquor is drained from the sediment and colored if desired.