I love Americolor Super Red, I color my buttercream a little bit lighter than I want it and let it sit for a few hours to darken up. It doesn't take near as much as other red coloring and it doesn't leave that awful aftertaste.
Red - always start by coloring your icing pink and make it as pink as you can get it - THEN, start adding the red. A true red never looks red until it sits for a while. It always looks more orangey than red. When you think you've got it as red as you can - Put a little shmear of it on something and let it sit for 20 minutes to see the true color. Beleive me - it WILL darken alot once it has time to sit. People always get frustrated trying to get a true red because they see their icing only coming up to a redish orangey color and think - "I'll never get red - I've already added way too much red and it still looks orange to me". Don't give up. the true color comes out darker than the color you see in the mixing bowl. It just needs time... 
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