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The appearance of the drink subjectively affects the perception of its taste. Psychologists have proven that with the right color scheme, alcohol can seem tastier than it really is. Ladies are especially sensitive to the color of alcohol. The problem of transparent moonshine is solved by natural dyes, the best recipes of which we will consider further.
1. Black tea
The easiest way, practically does not affect the taste. For 3 liters of moonshine, it is enough to add 1 tablespoon of high-quality black tea (not from a bag), mix, tightly close the jar with a lid and leave for 3-5 days in a dark place.
Every day the shade will change, ranging from cognac light brown to rich black. Lovers of beautiful smells can infuse moonshine on dry tea with the aroma of barberry, bergamot, or add a clove bud along with tea leaves.
2. Orange (lemon) peels
They remove the specific smell of poorly cleaned moonshine, a pleasant sourness appears in the taste. The addition of lemons makes moonshine light green, oranges – slightly yellow with a golden hue. For refining, only pre-dried peel is suitable, preferably without white pulp, which gives bitterness.
Recipe: put the peel of one medium orange or two lemons on 3 liters of moonshine, leave for 10-14 days in a hermetically sealed jar at room temperature.
3. Prunes
A great way to paint moonshine under cognac by adding interesting flavor notes to the drink that are found in Armenian cognacs. For a three-liter jar of moonshine, you will need 100 grams of prunes, after 7-10 days of infusion, the moonshine will change color, a pleasant aroma will appear and the taste will soften. The duration of exposure can be changed at your discretion.
4. Nuts and partitions
The simplest solution: for 7 days, throw partitions from 1 walnuts into 15 liter of moonshine, then strain through cheesecloth. The taste and color of the drink will change beyond recognition.
The recipe for moonshine on pine nuts is somewhat more complicated, it requires preliminary evaporation of the nuts, which removes excess resin, then 30 days of aging. But the result is worth it, if there are enough fruits (150 grams of nuts per liter of moonshine), I advise you to try.
5. Caramel (burnt sugar)
A well-known method for making fake cognacs and whiskeys. To paint moonshine in a pleasant yellow color, you need to heat a tablespoon of sugar over a fire until brown, then add the finished caramel to 1 liter of moonshine and mix until completely dissolved.
Attention! Some doctors believe that burnt sugar combined with alcohol has a bad effect on the pancreas, but I have not seen scientific studies on this. Even French cognacs are tinted with a little caramel.
6. Instant coffee
Quickly changes the color of moonshine and interrupts an unpleasant smell. New notes appear on the palate. It is enough to add half a teaspoon of coffee per liter of moonshine. After coffee, it is no longer possible to dilute the drink with water, otherwise it will become cloudy, and filtration will not help, only distillation.
7. St. John’s wort
Colors moonshine in light brown color. Tincture recipe: add 1 tablespoon of dried St. John’s wort per 1 liter of moonshine, mix, tightly close the jar and put in a dark place for 7 days. Shake once a day, then strain through cheesecloth.
Remember that St. John’s wort is a medicinal plant with a strong sedative (calming) effect. Do not drink more than 300 grams of this tincture at a time.
8. Food colors
A good option for those who urgently need to tint moonshine. With the right dye, you can get any color without affecting the taste and smell. The main thing is to create a natural shade and follow the instructions on the label exactly. Not all food colorings are compatible with alcohol, you need to check with sellers before buying.