# Could the color of Compari be beetle juice? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** soda-softdrinks\ **Created:** [February 11, 2013, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-the-color-of-compari-be-beetle-juice/650034 "2013-02-11T23:07:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-the-color-of-compari-be-beetle-juice/650034/1 "2013-02-11T23:07:13Z")
A bartender in a 1936 movie tells a customer that the color of Compari is beetle juice. Could the color of Compari be beetle juice? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-the-color-of-compari-be-beetle-juice/650034/2 "2013-02-11T23:09:23Z")
It was originally dyed with carmine, which comes from [cochineal](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochineal) insects. Carmine was a common red dye. ETA: More info on [carmine.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmine) It apparently is no longer dyed with it as of the mid-2000s. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-the-color-of-compari-be-beetle-juice/650034/3 "2013-02-12T00:09:52Z")
had I spelled it correctly I could have found the answer myself. Thanks for the reply. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-the-color-of-compari-be-beetle-juice/650034/4 "2013-02-12T04:10:51Z")
My guess is that these days, it’s colored with ass extract. Campari is ghastly, but I can barely handle Aperol. ---
**Author:** ![catnoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@catnoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catnoe)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-the-color-of-compari-be-beetle-juice/650034/5 "2013-02-12T04:32:04Z")
Try orange soda with your Campari, the favored summer drink at my house. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-the-color-of-compari-be-beetle-juice/650034/6 "2013-02-12T05:10:00Z")
> [@bump](#): > > My guess is that these days, it’s colored with ass extract. > > Campari is ghastly, but I can barely handle Aperol. Keep this attitude please, it leaves more for me! I prefer Aperol myself. With soda and a fresh orange wedge squeezed in it. Perfect for summer. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-the-color-of-compari-be-beetle-juice/650034/7 "2013-02-14T20:25:17Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > I prefer Aperol myself. With soda and a fresh orange wedge squeezed in it. Perfect for summer. I,m going to try some Aperol. Thanks for the suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-the-color-of-compari-be-beetle-juice/650034/8 "2013-02-14T23:05:04Z")
> [@catnoe](#): > > Try orange soda with your Campari, the favored summer drink at my house. My introduction to alcohol was Campari and tonic with lemon. It’s nice on a hot day.