FOOD NEWS
What Makes Empress Gin Cocktails So Colorful?
BY WENDY LEIGH
The vibrant crimson and indigo hues of the two Empress 1908 gins — the newest Elderflower Rose Gin and the original Indigo Gin — come straight from natural botanical elements.
The Elderflower Rose is a deep ruby-toned liquid created with nine botanicals for flavor and two for color — red rose petals and black carrot — which impart a rich purplish color.
The original indigo Empress 1908 gin presents soothing bluish-purple tones derived from butterfly pea blossoms. The indigo color will change depending on the mixer you add.
For example, adding lemon or other citrus juices alters the pH balance of the gin. Color changes then magically appear, ranging from shades of purple to soft pinks or even fuchsia.
Adding fizzy elements such as seltzer invokes a similar response. You can DIY a cocktail with this effect by purchasing butterfly pea flowers and adding them to your own recipes.