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A simple but very effective colouring for Whiskey.

PostPosted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 1:46 am
by RickyRasper
Onion skins are a great colouring for Whiskey. Take the crisp dry skins from your onions, these outer skins contain no phenols but are quite rich in oxidised carbohydrates making onion skins a naturally produced caramel! The skin from one white onion will colour a litre of alcohol to a rich deep amber reminiscent of Dimple Whisky if left for about 24 hours, the longer you leave it the deeper the colour becomes. When I first tried red onion skins I was quite amazed after only 5 hours the bottle of alcohol looked like a bright ruby red. The only thing I can compare it to is a liquor my brother brought back from Sicily it is called "Fuco Volco" It comes in a lava encrusted bottle and packs a hefty 84%abv!
I can guarantee you that your drink will not taste of onions. As a experiment put an onion skin in a glass of hot water and cover leave for 24 hours. You should have something the looks like a vividly warm amber, it will have no emanation of scent whatsoever and will just slightly register as sweet on your taste buds.
Try it it really works, get back to me and tell me how you got on.
I have posted some pictures of my oat whiskey coloured with onion skins.
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Re: A simple but very effective colouring for Whiskey.

PostPosted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 5:27 am
by chill
Interesting. I use onion skins to colour soup stock.

Re: A simple but very effective colouring for Whiskey.

PostPosted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 6:39 am
by RickyRasper
chill wrote:Interesting. I use onion skins to colour soup stock.

Good idea chill, I must try that, Thanks.

Re: A simple but very effective colouring for Whiskey.

PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 6:45 pm
by wormwood
Wow! I regularly use onion skins for coloring vegetable stock, but I never thought of using it in booze.

How stable is the color from red onion skins?

Re: A simple but very effective colouring for Whiskey.

PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 8:55 pm
by Admiral Toad
Well well that's a new one :o

Think i'll stick to oak though ;)

Re: A simple but very effective colouring for Whiskey.

PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 3:41 am
by 5thelement
Tried this today and can confirm even after a few hours the skins colour the spirit quite nicely!

Re: A simple but very effective colouring for Whiskey.

PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 9:39 pm
by John51
A couple of drops of Coca Cola gives a whisky colour.