Anything but beer
Ever seen a cider in the colour of Liz Taylor’s eyes? “Who’s she?” you’ll ask. The Oscar-winning U.S. actress was famous for her violet-coloured eyes. When they placed a violet cider cocktail in front of me at Austria Juice, the Austrian manufacturer of fruit juice concentrates and beverage compounds, this thought shot through my mind. You may think of the clichéd Valentine’s Day poem “The rose is red, the violet’s blue, the honey’s sweet, and so are you.” At Austria Juice they probably remembered that wine made from “viola odorata” (sweet violet) was extremely popular in Ancient Rome, so popular, in fact, that farmers would rather grow violets than the vital olives. Today, you are more likely to find edible violets as salad garnishes, or in crystallized form as cake decorations. Soon, perhaps, the Roman’s tipple will come to a cooler cabinet near you – thanks to Austria Juice and a beverage company with attitude.
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