In the Basement Bar: Taste the Flavor of the Rainbow

The title says it all. Every beverage that I have covered up to this point has different colors and shades. From beer to wine to spirits to liqueurs, and mixers. Each one can go from very light (clear most times) to very dark (even black).

Wines are simple. They can start at almost clear for some whites. End at the darkest reds and Burgundy's. There are pink colors within this range too. This includes Sherry, Champagnes, dessert, and fortified wines. Most often the lightest wines have some of the most subtle flavors. That follows the darker the wine has a more bold, stronger flavors.

Beers on the other hand start out at a very pale yellow. Indian Pale Ale (IPA) are very pale in color. Again a pale beer has a light taste to it. The other end of the spectrum is a very dark, black beers. these are the stouts and Porters. The dark beers have a very rich, deep flavor. A lot of people don't like the taste of the dark beers. this is usually due to the fact that the ingredients have to be roasted for quite a while.

Spirits or alcohol range from crystal clear (vodkas and gins), to very dark browns (rums, whiskeys). Alcohols are not like wines or beers. Just because a liquid in this group is clear doesn't mean that it has no kick, or flavor. There are many clear alcohols : Gin, Vodka, Tequila, Rum, etc... There are also dark alcohols that have very mellow flavors, often times aged.

Alcohol is made different than wines and beers. It is distilled in a multi step process. It is also a very regulated process, due to moonshiners during prohibition. The process makes a very potent almost flavorless liquid. During certain steps different flavors can be added, or the product can be stored in different ways to add flavors. Alcohol like whiskey, scotch and bourbon, are aged in casks and kegs, which gives them their flavors. Even how long it is left in the casks / kegs to age will affect the taste and color.

Liqueurs are also distilled. But the color is usually enhanced. Go to any liquor store and find the section with the liqueurs. You can find almost every color there. As I stated in another article, Curacao is the same liqueur with different bold colors. The same thing applies to Schnapps, as well as many of the different liqueurs displayed at the store. They are most often created with an alcohol with a neutral or no taste, the flavoring is added and sometimes coloring. There are some flavorings that come with colors already added, many don't.

The flavoring aren't created equal either. Vanilla flavoring is a stronger taste than, lets say peach. Mint is a much more potent flavor than cherry. What does that mean? Easy the different companies need less flavoring for some than others. The costs of the flavorings will be different too. You probably wont see any labels stating "Real Vanilla", its too damn expensive.

Lastly, mixers. this covers sodas, fruit juices, water, syrups, etc.... Hey take a look, turn the tap on. That stuff is clear, it might taste like chlorine, but its clear. Unless you get yours from a well, buy bottled. Soda run the spectrum from clear to dark. Fruit juices are not clear. Most of them you can't see through (lemon, lime pineapple, cider, etc..). some you can see through but they are not clear (apple, cherry, cranberry, etc...). Syrups can be clear to opaque. Simple syrup is clear, chocolate syrup is not.