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Blue curacao syrup is an orange-flavored liqueur that is dyed blue. The main ingredients are sugar, water, orange peel oil, and food coloring. It does not contain curacao oranges but gets its name from resembling the color of the fruit. Blue curacao is used to make colorful cocktails and add flavor. It has a sweet citrusy taste.
What Gives Blue Curacao Its Signature Blue Color?
The vibrant blue color of blue curacao comes from food coloring rather than any natural ingredients. Originally, curacao liqueurs were naturally colorless. Over time, food colorings were added to make the liqueur more visually striking and appealing for cocktails. While some cheaper brands may use artificial food dyes, higher quality liqueurs use natural food colorings derived from organic materials such as berries, roots, and seeds.
The most commonly used food color in blue curacao is a natural dye called butterfly pea flower extract. This natural dye is derived from the Clitoria ternatea plant native to Southeast Asia. When extracted and infused in liquids, the components in the butterfly pea flower give a bright blue color. The dye is pH sensitive and turns from blue to purple under acidic conditions.
Using natural butterfly pea extract allows blue curacao to achieve that vibrant electric blue color while staying towards the ‘natural’ side of food ingredients. The extract has even been consumed for centuries in Southeast Asia, adding to its appeal as a natural food coloring. Thanks to the butterfly pea’s beautiful blue color, it has become the coloring of choice for giving blue curacao its signature look.
What Does Blue Curacao Taste Like?
Blue curacao has a predominantly sweet and citrusy orange flavor. The sugar content gives it a syrupy, sugary taste, while the orange peel oil provides aromatic citrus notes. There is also sometimes a hint of vanilla flavor. Higher quality liqueurs tend to have more natural orange and vanilla flavors, while cheaper brands have stronger artificial flavorings. Overall, the taste is reminiscent of sweet candied orange peels.
Despite its name, blue curacao does not actually contain any curacao orange fruits or juices. Curacao refers to the bitter oranges that grow on the Caribbean island of Curacao. Instead, the orange flavor comes from natural oils extracted from the peels of this or other orange varieties. So while it derives its name from curacao oranges, true curacao flavor is absent.
Some consumers describe the taste as similar to that of simple syrup, but with extra citrusy orange and vanilla notes. The artificial food coloring does not add any flavor and is included purely for visual appeal.
Common Brands of Blue Curacao
Some popular brands of blue curacao liqueur include:
- Bols
- Marie Brizard
- Hiram Walker
- Pierre Ferrand
- Gran Gala
- Luxardo
Bols and Marie Brizard are two of the most widely available and affordable curacao brands found in most liquor stores. Hiram Walker, Pierre Ferrand, and Gran Gala are slightly more premium options. Luxardo is considered one of the highest quality curacao liqueurs.
When selecting a brand of curacao, check the ingredients list. Cheaper varieties will use artificial flavorings and food dyes, resulting in a thinner, more artificial taste. Premium brands will list natural ingredients like orange peel oil, vanilla, and natural food colorings.
Bols Blue Curacao
Bols is one of the most popular and affordable brands of blue curacao. It has a synthetic citrus flavor and uses artificial food dyes. The lower quality ingredients result in a thinner, artificial taste. But it still provides vibrant blue color and orange flavor for cocktails at a budget price point.
Marie Brizard Blue Curacao
Marie Brizard is another affordable and widely available blue curacao brand. Like Bols, it uses artificial flavors and dyes. But it is slightly higher quality, with more emphasis on orange flavors. The aroma and taste has hints of bitter orange and freshness. The color is bright electric blue.
Luxardo Blue Curacao
Luxardo is a premium Italian brand known for their quality liqueurs. Their blue curacao is made with bitter curacao orange peels and natural ingredients. Instead of artificial citrus flavor, it has genuine notes of fresh orange, tangerine, lemon zest, and sweet orange. The natural dye provides a vibrant blue color. Luxardo blue curacao has a natural orange flavor and aromas lacking in cheaper brands.
How Does Blue Curacao Get Its Flavor?
There are two main methods used for flavoring blue curacao syrup:
- Infusing citrus peels in neutral spirit
- Adding orange flavoring oils
The first method infuses vodka or a similar neutral spirit with dried citrus peels like orange, lemon, or lime. The peels steep in the spirit for several days, extracting natural flavors and oils. This technique results in a fresh, authentic citrus flavor.
The second method uses concentrated orange flavoring oils, either natural or artificial. This allows rapidly flavoring simple syrup without needing a lengthy infusion. However, the flavor is less fresh and natural.
Higher-end curacao liqueurs use the infusion method for genuine, natural citrus notes. Budget brands use flavoring oils for faster production. Natural oils made from real orange peels offer better flavor than artificial oils.
Infusion Method
The infusion method starts by creating a neutral, vodka-like spirit. Sugar is fermented into alcohol then distilled multiple times to produce a pure spirit. Citrus peels are dried and added to the spirit, which extracts aromatic oils over several days.
Popular peels used include:
- Bitter curacao orange peels
- Sweet Valencia orange peels
- Lemon, grapefruit, tangerine peels
The peels infuse bright, fresh citrus flavor into the spirit. Once strained, sugar syrup is added to sweeten and enhance mouthfeel. Natural vanilla is also sometimes infused for extra depth.
Flavoring Oils
Using concentrated flavoring oils is a quicker way to make curacao versus infusing peels. The oils distill the aromatic essence of oranges for immediate orange flavor. Both natural and artificial orange oils are used.
Natural oils extract orange flavors from the peels through distillation. Cold pressing peels makes higher quality oils. Artificial flavorings use chemicals to imitate orange taste but lack freshness.
The oils easily mix into simple sugar syrup without needing a lengthy infusion. Vodka is also added to bring the liqueur to the proper proof. Food coloring dyes the mixture blue.
How is Blue Curacao Made?
Here is an overview of the basic production process for making blue curacao liqueur:
- Create a base neutral spirit
- Infuse citrus peels or add flavoring oils
- Add sugar syrup for sweetness
- Mix in food coloring for blue color
- Dilute to proper alcohol proof
To start, a pure neutral spirit is made by fermenting and distilling sugar. The next step is to add citrus flavor, either through infusing peels or using concentrated oils.
Sugar syrup is mixed in to provide sweetness and body. The amount of sugar balances the citrus flavor. Food coloring, either artificial or natural dyes, gives the liqueur its signature blue tint.
Finally, the flavored mixture is diluted with additional neutral spirit to reach an ideal proof, generally between 20-40% ABV. The curacao can be bottled and enjoyed after sufficient aging.
Neutral Spirit Base
Nearly all curacao starts by making a neutral spirit base. Sugar is fermented into alcohol then distilled multiple times to highest proof possible. This creates an unflavored, vodka-like spirit.
Some brands use wheat or grape spirits. But most use pure sugarcane juice or molasses. The choice of base can slightly influence the flavor.
Infusing Oranges and Citrus
Traditional techniques infuse dried bitter curacao orange peels in the spirit for up to 2 weeks. This extracts fresh, aromatic oils. Other citrus peels are also sometimes used.
Peels are dried first to intensify flavors. The infusion time allows natural flavors to permeate into the spirit.
Adding Sugar Syrup
Once flavored, simple syrup is mixed in to provide sweetness. The sugar balances the bitterness from oranges. It also gives body and thickness.
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The amount of sugar varies by brand, from 200 g/L up to 400 g/L. More sugar makes a thicker, sweeter liqueur.
Mixing in Food Coloring
To achieve that vibrant blue color, food coloring is added last. Cheaper brands use artificial dyes, while premium liqueurs use natural plant-based dyes.
Butterfly pea extract is commonly used to provide natural blue color. A small amount of acidic citric acid can enhance the blue hues.
Diluting to Proof
The final step is diluting with extra neutral spirit to reach the desired alcohol proof, generally 20-30% ABV for commercial curacaos. Lower proof gives more sweetness, while higher proof has more spirit bite.
The liqueur can then be filtered, bottled, and shipped or aged longer for smoothness.
What Cocktails Use Blue Curacao?
Here are some popular cocktails that traditionally use blue curacao:
- Blue Hawaiian – blue curacao, rum, pineapple juice
- Kamikaze – blue curacao, vodka, lime juice
- Lagoon – blue curacao, gin, lemonade, lime juice
- Curacao Punch – blue curacao, rum, lemon juice, ginger ale
- Tropical Itch – blue curacao, coconut rum, pineapple juice
In most cocktails, blue curacao is used in small quantities mainly for its color rather than flavor. Just a splash or float on top turns drinks bright blue. Some cocktails limit curacao to a rinse around the glass.
Since it is very sweet, blue curacao works best paired with sour citrus mixes rather than in spirit-forward drinks. It can quickly overpower other liqueurs.
Blue Hawaiian
This tropical cocktail mixes rum, pineapple juice, and blue curacao. The curacao adds a pop of color and a hint of citrus flavor that complements the pineapple and rum. Only about 1/2 oz is needed to make it visibly blue.
Kamikaze
The Kamikaze is one of the most popular ways to use blue curacao in cocktails. It adds vibrant color to the vodka and lime juice. The tart citrus balances the sweet curacao.
Alcoholic Punches
Punches with fruit juices or lemonade work well with small amounts of blue curacao for color. The curacao adds a contrasting citrus flavor to the other fruity ingredients.
Does Blue Curacao Go Bad?
Properly stored, blue curacao has a very long shelf life and does not easily go bad. An unopened bottle can last for many years without deteriorating in quality or flavor. Once opened, blue curacao lasts 3-4 years when stored in a cool, dark place.
Over time, the color may slowly fade from vibrant blue to a more dull greenish-blue hue. But the liqueur remains safe to consume and the flavor is largely unaffected. If the curacao ever smells odd or develops off tastes, it has likely gone bad and should be discarded.
How to Store Blue Curacao
To maximize freshness and shelf life, store blue curacao in a cool, dark cabinet away from direct light, moisture, and heat. Light and heat speed up deterioration of the color and natural flavors. The refrigerator can prolong freshness of an opened bottle.
Make sure the bottle is sealed tight and stored upright to prevent leaking or evaporation. Leaking allows more air exposure which accelerates flavor loss.
Signs Blue Curacao Has Gone Bad
Here are some signs that opened blue curacao may have gone bad:
- Fading or dulling of the bright blue color
- Separation or cloudiness in the liqueur
- Off odors like vinegar, rotten fruit, or mold
- Unpleasant medicinal or chemical tastes
Any odd odors, separation, or flavor changes beyond normal fading are signs curacao is no longer good to consume. A damaged or leaking bottle that allows significant oxygen exposure can cause faster deterioration in quality.
Substitutes for Blue Curacao
If you don’t have blue curacao, substitutes can be used in cocktails to approximate a similar blue color and flavor. Depending on the drink, you can substitute with:
- Blue-dyed sugar syrup
- Blue food coloring
- Creme de cassis
- Blueberry syrup or juice
For the best results, use another orange or citrus liqueur and add blue food dye. Creme de cassis also works in some cocktail recipes calling for curacao.
Blue-Dyed Simple Syrup
It’s easy to make a homemade blue curacao substitute using simple syrup and food coloring. Combine 2 parts sugar and 1 part water into a pan. Heat until the sugar dissolves then add several drops of blue dye. Allow to fully cool before using.
Food Coloring
A few drops of blue food coloring added to clear liqueurs or syrups can tint drinks blue temporarily. This approximates the look but not the citrus flavor.
Creme de Cassis
The blackcurrant flavor of creme de cassis contrasts with blue curacao, but the purple color is sometimes close enough for cocktails like a Cosmopolitan.
Blueberry Juice
For a mild fruity flavor, blueberry syrup or juice adds both a natural blue color and sweet berry taste. Reduce any other sugar syrups to balance the sweetness.
Conclusion
Blue curacao syrup gets its signature blue color from food dyes rather than natural sources. While originally colorless and flavored only with citrus peels, the addition of blue dyes made it more visually striking. Natural options like butterfly pea extract offer vibrant blue hues. The primary flavor comes from sweetened orange oils or fresh orange peel infusions. In cocktails, blue curacao is used mostly for color rather than predominant flavor. Substitutes can mimic the look using items like blue syrups or food coloring.
