Paul Kushner
If you’re a fan of colorful and vibrant cocktails, you might want to try making your own homemade blue curacao. This citrus liqueur is known for its bright blue color and sweet orange flavor, making it a popular ingredient in many tropical cocktails. While you can easily find blue curacao at liquor stores, making your own at home can be a fun and rewarding experience.
While blue curacao is often associated with tropical drinks like Mai Tais and Blue Hawaiians, it can also be used in a variety of other cocktails. From margaritas to martinis, this versatile liqueur can add a fun and playful twist to your favorite drinks. Plus, making your own homemade blue curacao allows you to customize the flavor and sweetness to your liking, so you can create a truly unique and delicious cocktail experience.
History
Blue curacao is a bright blue liqueur that is commonly used in tropical cocktails, such as the Blue Hawaii and the Blue Lagoon. It is made from the peel of the laraha fruit, which is grown on the island of Curaçao in the Caribbean. The laraha is a bitter orange that was originally brought to the island by Spanish settlers in the 16th century. The fruit did not thrive in the arid climate of Curaçao, but the peel was found to be useful in creating a flavorful liqueur.
There are a few different stories about the origins of blue curacao, but most sources credit the Bols company with creating the blue version of the liqueur in the 1920s. Bols was a Dutch spirits brand that had been producing orange liqueurs for over 300 years. They added a blue dye to their orange curacao to create a new and unique product. Other sources claim that Senior Curaçao of Curaçao, a longtime orange liqueur distiller located on the island of Curaçao, was the first to “blue” a curaçao.
Today, there are several different brands of blue curacao on the market, but the genuine product can only be produced by Senior & Co. on the island of Curaçao. They use the laraha orange exclusively in their production process, which gives their blue curacao a unique flavor that cannot be replicated by other brands.
How to Make It
Homemade Blue Curacao
Making your own homemade blue curacao is a fun and easy way to add a unique twist to your cocktails. Here's a simple recipe to get you started:
Ingredients
- 6 cups water
- 8 cups sugar
- 1 liter gin
- 1 liter vodka
- 12 navel orange zest
- 4 tbsp dried bitter orange peel
- 32 cloves
- Blue food coloring (a few drops at a time until desired color is reached)
Instructions
- Combine vodka, gin, orange zest, and dried bitter orange peel in a large container. Let sit for 20 days.
- Add 32 cloves and let sit for one additional day.
- Strain the liquid through a coffee filter.
- Once strained, add the sugar and water. Stir until dissolved.
- Add blue food coloring a few drops at a time until the desired color is reached.
- Store in a clean bottle in the refrigerator.
Variations
Once you have mastered the art of making your own blue curacao, you can experiment with variations to create unique and flavorful cocktails. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Dried peel
Instead of using fresh orange zest, try using dried bitter orange peel for a more intense flavor.
Laraha citrus fruit
If you can get your hands on this unique citrus fruit from Curacao, use it instead of regular oranges for a truly authentic blue curacao.
Food coloring
While blue food coloring is the traditional choice for blue curacao, you can experiment with other colors to create visually stunning drinks.
Alcohol content
Adjust the alcohol content of your blue curacao to suit your preference. You can use a higher proof alcohol for a stronger drink or dilute it with water for a milder flavor.
What are the ingredients of homemade Blue Curacao?
The ingredients for homemade Blue Curacao can vary depending on the recipe, but generally, it includes vodka, gin, orange zest, dried bitter orange peel, cloves, sugar, and water. Some recipes may also include blue food coloring to give it the signature blue color.
What is the price range for homemade Blue Curacao?
The price range for homemade Blue Curacao can vary depending on the ingredients used and where you purchase it. However, making it at home can be more cost-effective than buying it at a store.
Is homemade Blue Curacao alcoholic?
Yes, homemade Blue Curacao is an alcoholic beverage. The alcohol content can vary depending on the recipe used, but it typically ranges from 15-40% ABV.
What are some popular Blue Curacao drink recipes?
There are many popular drink recipes that use Blue Curacao, including the Blue Hawaiian, Blue Margarita, and Blue Lagoon. These drinks typically include a combination of homemade Blue Curacao, rum, tequila, vodka, or gin, along with fruit juices and other mixers.
Are there any good substitutes for Blue Curacao?
If you don’t have Blue Curacao on hand, you can use regular Curacao or Triple Sec as a substitute. However, this will not give you the signature blue color that Blue Curacao is known for. Alternatively, you can use blue food coloring to achieve the same effect.
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