2,6-Di-tert-butyl-4-(2,4,6-triphenylpyridinium-1-yl)phenolate belongs to the class of negatively solvatochromic dyes commonly used for the empirical determination of solvent polarities. By way of exception, it crystallizes without any solvent of crystallization due to the presence of two bulky tert-butyl groups in the phenolate moiety. The synthesis of this hydrophobic betaine dye has been improved and an X-ray crystal structure analysis of this solventless zwitterionic dye and its protonated form (as a perchlorate salt) has been carried out.