How to Make Any Color Cocktail

Have you ever looked across a bar and noticed someone sipping on a fun, bright-colored cocktail?

Have you ever pondered how the bartender or mixologist concocted such a beautiful beverage? Well, there is a plethora of products used to create cocktails of any color imaginable! Here, we will highlight some of the best products, ingredients, and cocktail recipes out there for the next time you crave a vibrantly colored libation to “raise your spirits!”

 

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Red 

Perhaps one of the bolder colors seen, a red-colored cocktail can be achieved by adding the ever-popular cocktail ingredients like Grenadine or cranberry juice. There has also been an uptick in the use of liqueurs, such as Campari, as well as simpler options such as cherry or raspberry liqueurs. Plus, fruits like strawberries and veggies like beets will give cocktails a beautiful red hue. There are so many possibilities; color us red! And just like that, Cosmos are king.  

Cosmopolitan

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 oz. Citron Vodka 
• 1/2 oz. Triple Sec 
• 1 oz. Cranberry Juice 
• 1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice 

Preparation: Add the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with either a lemon slice or lime wedge. 

 

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Pink

Pretty in pink. What a charming color for a drink. Back in the days of Gatsby, pink was a power color, hence the popular Clover Club. We like to use Pamplemousse, crème de noyaux liqueur, and naturally-flavored pink gin to create tickled pink drinks along with raspberry, pink grapefruit, dragon fruit, and hibiscus. 

 Yu-B-Pink

Ingredients: 

• 2 oz.  Dartigalongue Un-Oaked Blanche Armagnac 
• 2 oz. Jules Theuriet Pamplemousse Liqueur 
• 2 oz. Yu Gin 

Preparation: Pour Dartigalongue Un-Oaked Blanche Armagnac, Jules Theuriet Pamplemousse Liqueur & Yu Gin into a shaker with ice. Shake 30 seconds until chilled. Strain into coupe glass. Garnish with grapefruit or yuzu fruit wheel.

 

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Orange 

Aperol, or Grand Marnier are our choices to achieve this color. It is also possible that you don’t have to look further than your own refrigerator for something to give your cocktail a citrusy-colored boost, especially in the summer, when fruits, such as oranges and mangos, are in-season. Don’t forget to try carrot and pumpkin purees in your recipes and turmeric or saffron for a naturally orange color as well.

Turmeric Whiskey Sour

Ingredients: 

• 2 oz. Virgil Kaine Robber Baron Rye Whiskey 
• 2 oz. Turmeric Sour Mix* 

Preparation: Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake for 30 seconds. Strain into your glass of choice on the rocks.

 

*Turmeric Sour Mix 

Ingredients: 

• 1 Lime 
• 1 Lemon 
• 1 inch Piece of Turmeric 
• 1/4 cup Pineapple 
• 5 splashes of Acid Phosphate 
• 3/4 oz. Arabic Gum Syrup 

Preparation: Blend all ingredients until smooth and strain through mesh. 

 

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Yellow 

You will sometimes wind up with a cocktail that is as sweet as it is bright here, as Limoncello is a go-to. It boasts that crave-worthy neon-yellow tint. St-Germain, Yellow Chartreuse, and Apricot Liqueur provide similar effects regarding color while contributing floral and herbal flavor profiles. Passion fruit, pear, star fruit, squash, corn, and chamomile are ingredients that will also provide hints of sunshine in your cocktails.  

Apricot Spritz

Ingredients: 

• 1 oz. The Bitter Truth Apricot Liqueur 
• 3 oz. Sparkling Wine 

Preparation: Fill wine glass with ice, add apricot liqueur and sparkling wine.   

 

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Green 

Liqueurs such as the sugary and bright Midori and Apple Pucker come to mind here (who can resist an Apple Martini?) Crème de Menthe is another option when craving a minty green beverage or for cocktails with kick, Ancho Reyes Verde or Absinthe. When wanting a more refreshing option, try adding cucumber, celery, or lime! Also, try kiwi, honeydew melon, avocado, basil, Matcha, or cilantro.  

Dirty Verde

At Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded Kettner Exchange, Bar Director Claire Rose Sexton combines verdant fresh-pressed juices with blanco tequila for a boozy take on your morning “green juice.” 

Ingredients: 

• 1 oz. blanco tequila 
• 3/4 oz. fresh pressed lime juice 
• 1/2 oz. simple syrup 
• 2 oz. fresh cucumber juice 
• 1 oz. Ancho Reyes Verde Poblano Liqueur 
• Paprika oil (for garnish) 

Preparation: Combine ingredients, shake with ice, and serve garnished with paprika oil. 

 

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Blue 

Blue Curacao is certainly the winner when it comes to that bright blue we love to see, especially during warmer months. Hpnotiq is another option for a fruity, tropical blue drink. For a more natural approach, blueberries or butterfly pea flower are options!  

 

Pistachio Martini

Courtesy of Ocean Casino Resort 

Ingredients: 

• 1 oz. Disaronno Amaretto 
• 1 oz. Bailys Irish Cream 
• splash of Blue Curacao 
• Light Chocolate Rim with crushed pistachios 

Preparation: Add 1 oz. of Disaronno Amaretto, 1 oz. Baileys Irish Cream and a splash of Blue Curacao to mixing glass. Add ice to mixing glass and shake vigorously. Strain straight up into Martini glass or Coupe that has been rimmed with Light Chocolate and Crushed Pistachios.  

 

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Purple 

Perhaps the most intriguing, purple is a color that is, believe it or not, found in several products. Empress 1908 Gin comes to mind, as well as some brands of Crème de Violette. Don’t count out Chambord, Lavender Liqueur, sloe gin, red wine, plums, or hibiscus.  

 

Sleep No More

Ingredients: 

• 1.25 oz. Butterfly Pea Flower-Infused Vodka 
• 1 oz. Dolin Blanc Vermouth 
• .5 oz. St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur 
• .75 oz. Fresh Lime Juice 
• .5 oz. Simple Syrup 
• splash of Rosé Cider or Dry Sparkling Rosé 
• sprig of Fresh Lavender (for Garnish) 

Preparation: To infuse the vodka, add 2–4 grams of butterfly pea flowers to 750 ml of vodka. Store at room temperature for 24–72 hours prior to using. The longer you let it sit, the more color is extracted from the flowers. To make the cocktail, combine the infused vodka, vermouth, St-Germain, lime juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice. Top with rosé cider or dry sparkling rosé. Garnish with a lavender sprig. 

  

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Black 

Liqueurs like Black Balsam, Mr. Black Coffee Liqueur, Kahlua will give cocktails a shade of black as will using cold brew coffee or balsamic vinegar. If you want to go totally dark, try adding activated charcoal to your recipe.  

 

Expre Espresso Martini

Ingredients: 

• 2 parts Tosolini Expre Coffee Espresso Liqueur 
• 1 part Koskenkorva Vodka 

Preparation: Put all ingredients into a shaker, shake well. Pour into martini glass and garnish with chocolate drizzle. Top with milk foam. 

 

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Magically Changing Colors  

A fun way to impress guests is with color changing cocktails using butterfly pea flowers. The deep blue flower is typically used in herbal tea and is fun in cocktails because it reacts with certain PH levels like in citrus juices to produce color changing properties. Bartenders can infuse a spirit like gin, rum, or tequila with the dried flowers, or can infuse them in ice cubes that will transform a drink while the ice melts or can create a tincture and use a few drops in the drink.  

 

Virgin Mood Ring

Ingredients:  

• 6 oz. house made vanilla bean lemonade* 
• Splash of soda water 
• 1 tsp. butterfly pea flower syrup** 
• Ice 

Preparation: Pour Vanilla Bean Lemonade over ice in a Tom Collins glass. Top with a splash of Soda Water. Drizzle Butterfly pea flower syrup over top. Stir with a straw and enjoy.

 

*Vanilla bean lemonade  

(makes about 10 servings) 

Ingredients: 

• 2 tsp Mexican vanilla bean paste 
• 1 quart fresh lemon juice 
• 1 quart sugar 

Preparation: Mix all three ingredients together with a spoon. 

 

**Butterfly pea flower syrup  

(makes about 25 servings) 

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 tsp butterfly pea flower powder 
• 1/2 cup water 

Preparation: Mix powder and water together with a spoon until powder fully dissolves.