What is green beer made of?

Answered by James Smith

As an expert sommelier and brewer, I can tell you that green is made by adding blue food coloring to light beer. Now, you may be wondering why blue food coloring is used instead of green. Well, let me explain.

In the past, a substance called “wash blue” was used to make green beer. This was actually an iron powder that was typically used for whitening clothes. It was found that when this wash blue was added to beer, it created a green color. However, using wash blue is not common practice anymore, as it is not readily available and may not be safe for consumption.

Instead, today's brewers use blue food coloring to achieve the perfect green hue in their beer. Blue food coloring works best because it helps to balance out the natural yellowish color of light beer. By adding just the right amount of blue food coloring, brewers can create a vibrant and appealing green beer.

Now, you might be thinking, why not just use green food coloring? Well, the reason is that green food coloring alone can result in a muddy or brownish color when added to light beer. This is because the yellow tones in the beer can mix with the green coloring, resulting in a less visually appealing shade. By using blue food coloring, brewers are able to counteract this and create a more pleasing green color.

I have personally experimented with different food colorings in my endeavors, and I can attest to the fact that blue food coloring indeed yields the best results. It helps to create a bright and lively green color that is visually striking and inviting.

So, in conclusion, green beer is made by adding blue food coloring to light beer. This combination helps to balance out the natural yellowish hue of the beer and creates a vibrant and appealing green color.