Blue Curaçao: More Than Just Color

Blue Curaçao is a vibrant, electric blue liqueur that stands out for both its color and its unique flavor. It is used in many cocktail recipes, from the classic Blue Lagoon to the exotic Blue Margarita. Let’s have a look at this liqueur and discover its versatility and charm.

What is Blue Curaçao?

Blue Curaçao is an alcoholic and colorful liqueur that’s famous for its vivid blue hue and sweet, orange flavor. Imagine taking a stroll through a sunny, orange grove.

Originating from the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao, the liqueur is flavored with the dried peel of the Laraha citrus fruit, a bitter orange native to the island. This fruit’s unique taste provides the base for the distinctively sweet and slightly bitter orange flavor of this liqueur.

The liqueur gets its striking color not from the fruit but from food coloring added to the clear liqueur. What makes this blue liqueur stand out, aside from its bold color, is its versatility. Blue Curaçao typically contains between 15% and 40% alcohol by volume. The alcohol content can vary depending on the brand and intended use.

This liqueur does not need to be refrigerated after opening. Store it in a cool, dark place, ensure the bottle is tightly sealed, and maintain it at room temperature. While it can last for several years, you should consume it within a year of opening.

Blue Curaçao drink recipe

You can make this blue liqueur at home by following this recipe. It uses natural ingredients and avoids artificial dyes. Here’s how to make Blue Curaçao liqueur:

Homemade Blue Curaçao liqueur

A vibrant blue liqueur with a sweet orange flavor. It is commonly used in cocktails for both its distinctive color and taste.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Infusion time 10 days d

Course Liqueur

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Calories 85 kcal

Ingredients

  

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• 1 cup dried bitter orange peels or Seville orange peel
• 2 cups vodka or brandy for a richer flavor
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup dried butterfly pea flowers for natural blue color

Instructions

 

• In a jar, combine the dried orange peels and vodka. Seal tightly and store in a cool, dark place for at least 10 days, shaking the jar occasionally.
• After 10 days, strain the orange peel from the infused vodka and set aside.
• Boil 1 cup of water and add the dried butterfly pea flowers. Let steep for 5-10 minutes until the water turns a rich blue. Strain and let cool.
• In a saucepan, heat the strained butterfly pea flower tea and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Allow it to cool.
• Combine the orange-infused vodka and the butterfly pea flower simple syrup. Stir gently until fully mixed.
• Transfer the mixture to a clean bottle and let it sit for a few days to allow the flavors to meld.

Notes

If you cannot find butterfly pea flowers, use 3 drops of blue food coloring. Skip step 3, make simple syrup, and add blue food coloring to step 5.

Nutrition

Calories: 85kcal

Keyword blue cocktail, blue curacao, homemade liqueur

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You can splash it into everything from tropical drinks to sophisticated martinis. Its sweetness and orange flavor make it an excellent choice for mixing with other spirits. It

• complements the sharpness of clear spirits like vodka and gin
• enhances the complexity of aged spirits like rum and tequila
• harmonize flavor when mixed with soda, citrus juices, coconut cream, and tropical fruit juices like pineapple juice.

It maintains a balance between sweetness and bitterness. You can drink it straight. However, it’s more commonly used as a liqueur in cocktails. Its sweet orange flavor and vibrant blue color make it a flexible ingredient that can enhance a variety of beverages without overwhelming them. Here are 10 best drinks to make with Blue Curaçao.

Brands

Several brands are well-known for producing Blue Curaçao, offering variations in taste, quality, and price points to suit different preferences and uses. Here are some of the notable brands:

Bols: Bols is one of the oldest and most respected liqueur brands in the world, originating from Amsterdam. Their liqueur is known for its bright blue color and a flavor that strikes a perfect balance between sweetness and the characteristic bitter orange peel. It’s often regarded as the standard for quality in Blue Curaçao liqueurs.

Senior Curaçao of Curaçao: This brand prides itself on using natural ingredients and traditional distillation methods, offering a product that’s closely tied to the island’s heritage.

McGuinness Blue Curacao: A Canadian brand, McGuinness is known for its wide range of liqueurs. Their Curacao is a budget-friendly option that is often used in bars and restaurants for creating colorful cocktails.

Cointreau Blue Curacao: While Cointreau is best known for its premium orange liqueur, they also offer a version that’s praised for its clarity of flavor and balance of sweetness and bitterness.

Marie Brizard: Marie Brizard offers a range of high-quality liqueurs, and their Blue Curacao is no exception. It’s known for its rich flavor and the ability to mix well in a variety of cocktails.

Monin Blue Curaçao Syrup: Unlike the alcoholic versions, this one is a non-alcoholic syrup, designed to mimic the flavor and color of the traditional liqueur. This makes it ideal for mocktails and desserts.

Alternatives and substitutes

1. Other blue-colored liqueurs

There are other options that can provide similar visual effects with different flavor profiles:

Each of these alternatives brings its own unique character to cocktails, allowing for creative twists on classic Blue Curaçao recipes.

2. Non-alcoholic blue syrups

For those seeking the blue visual appeal without the alcohol content, non-alcoholic blue syrups offer a perfect choice. Those options can create stunning mocktails:

1. Blue raspberry syrup
2. Blueberry syrup with a drop of blue food coloring
3. Butterfly pea flower tea syrup

These non-alcoholic options allow everyone to enjoy the aesthetic pleasure of a blue drink, regardless of their alcohol preferences.

3. Blue Curaçao vs Triple Sec

Blue Curaçao and Triple Sec are both liqueurs that share a base flavor of bitter orange, but they have distinct differences that set them apart in both appearance and usage in cocktails. You can check the table below to see their differences.

Both liqueurs are orange-flavored, but substituting one for the other in a drink recipe can make the drink look different and taste a bit different too.

If you use Curaçao instead of Triple Sec, the biggest thing you’ll notice is the color change because this liqueur is bright blue. Taste-wise, Blue Curaçao is usually a bit lighter and simpler compared to some Triple Secs, especially the premium ones like Cointreau or Grand Marnier.

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