JP2024090440A - Citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverages - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage with added or enhanced juiciness and complexity without an increase in alcoholic feeling.SOLUTION: A citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage contains citrus fruit juice, has an extract content of 3 w/v% or more, and also contains cinnamaldehyde of 3 μg/L or more.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

The present invention relates to a citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage and a method for producing the same.

Citrus-like alcoholic beverages with the flavor of citrus fruits such as lemon and grapefruit are very popular among RTD beverages (ready to drink beverages, canned chuhai, etc.). Technologies are being developed to improve the fruit juice feel and alcohol feel of these citrus-like alcoholic beverages.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for producing a flavored alcoholic beverage that contains citrus flavor components and has an alcohol concentration of 1 to 12 w/v%, and that enhances the fruit juice feel of the alcoholic beverage and imparts a harmonious and mild alcohol feel, characterized by including 0.05 to 1.0 ppm of para-cymene and adding or containing 0.003 to 0.05 w/v% sodium chloride in the beverage.

JP 2022-173472 A

However, to accommodate consumer preferences, there is room for further improvement in the alcoholic feel (particularly the bitterness due to the alcohol content) and juicy feel of citrus-like alcoholic beverages. There is also room for improvement in the complex taste of such citrus-like alcoholic beverages. In particular, there is a demand in this industry for the development of new technology that can impart or enhance the juicy feel and complex taste of citrus-like alcoholic beverages without increasing the alcoholic feel.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage that has a juicy or complex taste without increasing the alcoholic taste.

In order to solve the above problems, the present inventors conducted extensive research and found that the aroma component cinnamaldehyde affects the juicy feel and complex flavor of citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverages. Based on this knowledge, the inventors discovered that by making a citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage that contains citrus juice, has an extract content of 3 w/v% or more, and further contains cinnamaldehyde of 3 μg/L or more, the juicy feel and complex flavor are imparted or enhanced without increasing the alcoholic feel, and thus completed the present invention.

That is, the present invention relates to the following <1> to <5>.
<1> A citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage containing citrus juice, an extract content of 3 w/v% or more, and further containing cinnamaldehyde of 3 μg/L or more.
<2> The citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage described in <1>, wherein the cinnamaldehyde content is 5 μg/L or more and 600 μg/L or less.
<3> A citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to <1> or <2>, having an acidity of 0.1 g/100 ml or more and 1.5 g/100 ml or less.
<4> A method for producing a citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage, comprising the steps of: incorporating citrus juice; adjusting the extract content to 3 w/v% or more; and incorporating cinnamaldehyde at 3 μg/L or more.
<5> A method for imparting or enhancing a juicy feel and complex flavor to a citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage containing citrus juice and an extract content of 3 w/v% or more, characterized in that the cinnamaldehyde content is 3 μg/L or more in the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage, without increasing the alcoholic feel.

The present invention makes it possible to provide a citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage that has a juicy or complex taste without increasing the alcoholic taste.

The present invention will now be described.
The present invention relates to a citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage of the present invention") that contains citrus juice, has an extract content of 3 w/v% or more, and further contains 3 μg/L or more of cinnamaldehyde, and a method for producing a citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "the method for producing a citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage of the present invention") that includes the steps of adding citrus juice, adjusting the extract content to 3 w/v% or more, and adding 3 μg/L or more of cinnamaldehyde.

In this invention, "alcoholic beverage" refers to a beverage with an alcohol content of 1 v/v% or more, such as alcoholic beverages defined in the Liquor Tax Act (Act No. 63 of 2019) (for example, liqueurs, spirits, fruit wines, sweet fruit wines, and other sparkling alcoholic beverages defined by the Liquor Tax Act). Note that this "alcohol content (v/v%)" is a value measured based on the National Tax Agency's prescribed analytical method (instruction) 3 sake 3-4 alcohol content (vibration density meter method) (the same applies below). Also, in this invention, "alcohol" refers to ethanol.

The ingredients that make up the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage of the present invention are described in detail below.

The citrus-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention is a citrus-like alcoholic beverage containing citrus juice. That is, it is an alcoholic beverage containing citrus juice and having a citrus-like flavor. The citrus juice may be either clear juice or cloudy juice, and these may be used in combination. In addition, other citrus-derived components (peel, extract, etc.) or citrus flavorings (citrus-like flavors) may be used in combination with the citrus juice.
Here, cloudy fruit juice differs from clear fruit juice obtained by subjecting squeezed fruit juice to a clarification process (a process for removing solid components: more specifically, a process for breaking down dietary fibers such as pectin into smaller molecules through enzymatic treatment and then removing them by filtration or centrifugation) and refers to fruit juice that contains solid components such as peel, or a concentrated solution, concentrated and reduced solution, or diluted solution thereof, in which dietary fibers such as pectin are in a colloidal state and are cloudy.

"Citrus fruits" refers to citrus fruits (such as lemon, lime, yuzu, sudachi, kabosu, daidai, and shikuwasa), grapefruits, mandarins (such as Unshu mandarins, mandarin oranges, and ponkan), oranges (such as Valencia oranges and navel oranges), tangors (such as iyokan and tankan), tangerines, pomelo, miscellaneous citrus (such as summer mandarins, hassaku, and dekopon), or kumquats. The present invention is particularly effective in fruit-like alcoholic beverages of citrus fruits (more preferably lemons) or grapefruits.

The citrus-like alcoholic beverage of the present invention may contain only citrus juice, but may also contain juice of fruits other than citrus fruits, so long as the beverage has a citrus-like flavor. In addition, the beverage may further contain components derived from fruits other than citrus fruits (peel, extract, etc.), so long as the beverage also has a citrus-like flavor.

The fruit juice content in the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention is preferably 0.5 w/w% or more, more preferably 1 w/w% or more, and even more preferably 2 w/w% or more, calculated as a straight fruit juice content. The upper limit may be 10 w/w% or less. The citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention can fully exhibit the above-mentioned effects even if the fruit juice content is 9 w/w% or less, even 8 w/w% or less, even 7 w/w% or less, even 6 w/w% or less, even 5 w/w% or less, or even 4 w/w% or less. Here, the fruit juice content calculated as straight fruit juice is the ratio of the mass of the fruit juice contained in the beverage calculated as straight fruit juice according to JAS (Japanese Agricultural Standards) to the total mass of the beverage.
In the case where the citrus-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention contains only citrus juice (the fruit juice raw material used), the above-mentioned fruit juice usage rate means the fruit juice usage rate calculated substantially as the pure citrus juice. For example, this fruit juice usage rate may be 1 w/w% or more and 5 w/w% or less.

Furthermore, the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage of the present invention has an extract content of 3.0 w/v% or more. Normally, it is difficult to impart or enhance the citrus fruit juice feel and complex taste by simply increasing the extract content of a citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage, but in the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the combination of this extract with the above-mentioned citrus juice and a predetermined amount of cinnamaldehyde described below makes it possible to impart or enhance the fruit juice feel (citrus fruit juice feel) and complex taste (complex taste of citrus fruit) without increasing the alcohol feel (especially the bitterness due to the influence of the alcohol content). In addition, the drinking response can be improved. The lower limit of this extract content is more preferably 5.0 w/v% or more, more preferably 6.0 w/v% or more, and even more preferably 7.0 w/v% or more. The upper limit may be 15 w/v% or less, further may be 12 w/v% or less, and further may be 10 w/v% or less. The extract content of the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention can be adjusted by adding fruit juice or sugars, which will be described later.

Here, the "extract content" is a value calculated by the following formula (1).
(1) Extract content (w/v%) = (S - A) x 260 + 0.21
In this formula (1), "S" is the specific gravity (15/4°C) of the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention, and "A" is a value calculated by converting the alcohol content of the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention into specific gravity (15/15°C). The conversion of the alcohol content into specific gravity (15/15°C) is performed based on Table 2 of the National Tax Agency's prescribed analytical method (instruction) of Japan, "Alcohol content, density (15°C) and specific gravity (15/15°C) conversion table." In addition, during the calculation using this formula, the value is rounded off to the nearest 5 decimal places, and the final value of the extract content is truncated to the nearest 2 decimal places. In addition, the specific gravity (15/4°C) of the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention is calculated by measuring the density at 15°C using a vibration density meter and dividing the obtained density value by 0.99997.

Furthermore, the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention contains 3 μg/L or more of cinnamic aldehyde (C ₉ H ₈ O, CAS No. 104-55-2). By combining this predetermined amount of cinnamaldehyde with the above-mentioned citrus juice and extract components, it is possible to impart or enhance a fruity taste and a complex flavor without increasing the alcohol taste. It is also possible to improve the peel taste (citrus peel taste) and the overall balance of the flavor. This cinnamaldehyde is one of the aroma components and is a compound represented by the following formula (2).

As described above, the cinnamaldehyde content of the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage of the present invention is 3 μg/L or more, but since the effects of the present invention are more easily achieved, the lower limit is preferably 5 μg/L or more, more preferably 6 μg/L or more, even more preferably 7 μg/L or more, even more preferably 8 μg/L or more, even more preferably 9 μg/L or more, and even more preferably 10 μg/L or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but since it becomes easier to maintain a high level of flavor balance, it is preferably 700 μg/L or less, more preferably 600 μg/L or less, even more preferably 500 μg/L or less, even more preferably 400 μg/L or less, even more preferably 350 μg/L or less, even more preferably 300 μg/L or less, even more preferably 250 μg/L or less, even more preferably 200 μg/L or less, even more preferably less than 150 μg/L, even more preferably 120 μg/L or less, even more preferably 100 μg/L or less, even more preferably 80 μg/L or less, even more preferably 50 μg/L or less, even more preferably less than 30 μg/L, and even more preferably 20 μg/L or less. For example, the cinnamaldehyde content is preferably 5 μg/L or more and 600 μg/L or less, since the above effects are easily exhibited. The safrole content can be adjusted by using commercially available cinnamaldehyde (e.g., pure or refined products) or cinnamaldehyde-containing raw materials (fragrances, etc.), and multiple combinations of these may be used.

In addition, although not limited thereto, it is more preferable that the ratio of the cinnamaldehyde content to the above-mentioned extract content (cinnamaldehyde content (μg/L)/extract content (w/v%)) in the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention is 0.5 or more and 65 or less, since this makes it easier to exert the effects of the present invention. The lower limit may be 0.8 or more, or even 1.0 or more, and the upper limit is more preferably 50 or less, even more preferably 30 or less, even more preferably 10 or less, even more preferably 5.0 or less, or even more preferably 2.0 or less.

Here, the cinnamaldehyde content in the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention can be measured by appropriately diluting the sample and using solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS).

The citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention is preferably an alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1 g/100 ml or more and 1.5 g/100 ml or less. This is because it can enhance the fruitiness and complex taste, and also improve the drinking experience. This "acidity" is the acidity converted into citric acid (acidity value converted into citric acid equivalent amount), and is a value obtained by the method specified in the Japanese Agricultural Standards for Fruit Drinks (Notification No. 489 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, February 24, 2016). Specifically, the beverage is neutralized by titrating with sodium hydroxide solution (0.1 mol/L), and the acidity is calculated using the "titration amount (ml)" of the sodium hydroxide solution required for the neutralization titration, the "volume (ml)" of the beverage used in the titration, and a constant of 0.0064 (weight (g) of citric acid equivalent to 1 mL of 0.1 mol/L sodium hydroxide aqueous solution).

The lower limit of the acidity is more preferably 0.3 g/100 ml or more, more preferably 0.5 g/100 ml or more, even more preferably 0.6 g/100 ml or more, and even more preferably 0.65 g/100 ml or more, because this tends to make the fruitiness and complex taste more preferable. The upper limit is more preferably 1.3 g/100 ml or less, and even more preferably 1.0 g/100 ml or less, from the viewpoint of alcoholic taste. The acidity of the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention can be adjusted by adding fruit juice (citrus juice, etc.), citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, succinic acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, acetic acid, phosphoric acid, or an acidulant containing a salt thereof, food ingredients, etc.

Furthermore, in order to more easily exert the effects of the present invention, but not limited thereto, when the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention has the above-mentioned acidity, the ratio of the above-mentioned cinnamaldehyde content to the acidity (cinnamaldehyde content (μg/L)/acidity (g/100 ml)) is preferably 5 or more, and more preferably 10 or more. The upper limit is preferably 150 or less, more preferably 100 or less, even more preferably 70 or less, even more preferably 50 or less, even more preferably 40 or less, and even more preferably 30 or less.

Similarly, although not limited thereto, when the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention has the above-mentioned acidity, it is more preferable that the ratio of the extract content to the acidity (extract content (w/v%)/acidity (g/100 ml)) is 7.0 or more and 15.0 or less, since this makes it easier to exert the effects of the present invention. The lower limit is more preferably 8.0 or more, more preferably 8.5 or more, and even more preferably 9.0 or more. The upper limit is more preferably 14.0 or less, and even more preferably 13.0 or less.

The citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage of the present invention may be an alcoholic beverage containing a sweetener. The sweetener includes sugars (glucose, fructose, galactose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, oligosaccharides, high fructose glucose liquid sugar, trehalose, etc.), sugar alcohols (xylitol, erythritol, etc.), high-intensity sweeteners (acesulfame K, sucralose, aspartame, stevia, etc.), etc. In particular, if the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage of the present invention is an alcoholic beverage containing a sugar, it is preferable because it is easier to adjust the extract content as described above.

In addition, the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention is preferably an alcoholic beverage containing an acidulant such as citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, succinic acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, acetic acid, phosphoric acid, or a salt thereof, since this makes it easier to adjust the acidity to within a prescribed range and makes the beverage more satisfying to drink. In particular, it is more preferable to have the beverage contain citric acid or a citrate salt.

Furthermore, the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention may be an alcoholic beverage containing a flavoring. A flavoring is an additive that is added to impart or enhance a specific aroma during the manufacturing or processing of food, and examples thereof include, but are not limited to, citrus fruit-like flavors. The flavoring may contain the above-mentioned cinnamaldehyde.

In addition to the above, the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage of the present invention may contain any of the following ingredients as long as they do not significantly affect the effects of the present invention: other salts (sodium chloride, potassium chloride, etc.), alcoholic beverages, carbonated water, water (pure water, etc.), coloring agents (caramel color, gardenia color, fruit juice color, etc.), bittering agents, seasonings (amino acids, etc.), antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, etc.), pH adjusters, emulsifiers, etc.

The citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage of the present invention may be an alcoholic beverage defined in the Liquor Tax Act, as described above, such as liqueur, spirits, fruit wine, sweet fruit wine, or other sparkling alcoholic beverages. The citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage of the present invention may be either a fermented alcoholic beverage produced through an alcohol fermentation process using yeast (a process in which yeast produces alcohol, a metabolic product, from organic substances such as sugars), or a non-fermented alcoholic beverage produced without an alcohol fermentation process (such as an alcoholic beverage produced by blending alcoholic beverages such as distilled liquor as a raw material).

The alcohol content of the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is 1 v/v% or more, but for example, the lower limit is 2 v/v% or more, further 3 v/v% or more, and further 4 v/v% or more. The upper limit is preferably 20 v/v% or less, more preferably 15 v/v% or less, even more preferably 12 v/v% or less, even more preferably 10 v/v% or less, even more preferably 9 v/v% or less, even more preferably less than 8 v/v%, and even more preferably 7 v/v% or less, because the effects of the present invention are more easily exhibited.
This alcohol content can be adjusted by the alcohol content of the alcoholic beverage (distilled alcohol, brewed alcohol, raw material alcohol, etc.) used in the production process, the blending ratio, etc. Furthermore, in the case of fermented alcoholic beverages, the alcohol content can also be adjusted by controlling the fermentation conditions in the alcohol fermentation process.

The citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention is preferably a sparkling alcoholic beverage containing carbon dioxide, since the effects of the present invention are more easily achieved. Here, "sparkling" means that the carbon dioxide pressure (with sniff) at 20°C is 0.05 MPa or more, and this carbon dioxide pressure may be 0.1 MPa or more, or even 0.15 MPa or more. The upper limit of this carbon dioxide pressure may be 0.5 MPa or less, or even 0.45 MPa or less, or even 0.4 MPa or less, or even 0.35 MPa or less, or even 0.3 MPa or less. The carbon dioxide may be derived from the carbonated water used as a raw material, or may be imparted to the alcoholic beverage by a carbonation (carbon dioxide injection) process. The carbonation process may be performed in a batch manner, or may be performed continuously in an in-line manner in which a carbon dioxide injection system (carbonator) is incorporated in the piping. In addition, in order to avoid the occurrence of foaming (bubbling), it is suitable to carry out this carbonation step with the liquid temperature kept at 10° C. or lower (preferably 4° C. or lower).
However, the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention may be a non-sparkling alcoholic beverage having a carbon dioxide pressure (with sniff) at 20° C. of less than 0.05 MPa.

The method for producing a citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention is not particularly limited, and may be the same as the conventional method for producing alcoholic beverages, provided that it includes a step of adding citrus juice, a step of making the extract content 3 w/v% or more, and a step of making the cinnamaldehyde content 3 μg/L or more. These steps may be within the ranges described above, for example, a step of making the cinnamaldehyde content 5 μg/L or more and 600 μg/L or less, or a step of making the extract content 3.0 w/v% or more and 15.0 w/v% or less. The above steps may be performed together in one step, or at least one of the steps may be performed in two or more steps. In the production, a fermented alcoholic beverage may be produced through an alcohol fermentation step using yeast, or a non-fermented alcoholic beverage may be produced through a blending step using alcoholic beverages such as distilled liquor as a raw material (without going through an alcohol fermentation step). For example, one example is a method in which vodka is used as a base alcoholic beverage, and citrus juice, sugar, acidulant, cinnamaldehyde, carbonated water, etc. are mixed, and the extract and cinnamaldehyde contents are adjusted so that they are within a specified range (as the final product), and if necessary, filtering, sterilization, etc. are carried out to produce the final product.

Furthermore, this manufacturing method may include, if necessary, a step of adjusting the acidity to within the aforementioned range, a step of adjusting the ratio of cinnamaldehyde content to extract content (cinnamaldehyde content/extract content) to within the aforementioned range, a step of adjusting the ratio of cinnamaldehyde content to acidity (cinnamaldehyde content/acidity) to within the aforementioned range, a step of adjusting the ratio of extract content to acidity (extract content/acidity) to within the aforementioned range, a step of adjusting the fruit juice usage rate to within the aforementioned range, a step of adjusting the alcohol content to within the aforementioned range, and the like. These steps may also be performed together in one process, or at least one of the steps may be performed separately as two or more steps.

The citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage of the present invention is preferably a packaged alcoholic beverage in which the product obtained as described above is filled in a metal container (aluminum container, steel container, etc.), a PET bottle container, a glass container, a paper container, a barrel container, etc. By making it into such a packaged alcoholic beverage, not only is it easy to suppress deterioration of the flavor over time, but it also increases convenience in distribution and sales. For example, the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage of the present invention may be an RTD beverage (ready to drink beverage) that can be opened and drunk as is (drinking as is without dilution), or an RTS beverage (ready to serve beverage) that can be mixed with ice, carbonated water, etc.

The citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to the present invention, which has the above-mentioned composition, has a juicy or complex taste without a strong alcoholic taste. It is also possible to have a peely or peely taste.

The present invention can also be said to provide a method for imparting or enhancing a juicy feel and complex taste without increasing the alcoholic feel of a citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage, which contains citrus juice and has an extract content of 3 w/v % or more, and is characterized by setting the cinnamaldehyde content to 3 μg/L or more. In other words, the present invention can also be said to provide a method for improving the flavor of a citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage. Furthermore, it is also possible to provide a method for imparting or enhancing a peel feel in a citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage.

The following describes examples of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples, and various modifications are possible within the technical concept of the present invention.

Example 1: Preparation of citrus-like alcoholic beverage and sensory evaluation I
Grapefruit juice (reconstituted juice from concentrate), liquid sugar (fructose glucose liquid sugar), acidulants (citric acid, trisodium citrate), and cinnamaldehyde were added and mixed to a vodka base, and then carbonated water and pure water were added and mixed to prepare grapefruit-like alcoholic beverage samples (Samples 1 to 6) having an alcohol content of 5 v/v%, a carbon dioxide pressure at 20° C. (with snift) of 0.18 MPa, an extract content of 8 w/v%, acidity (acidity converted into citric acid), fruit juice usage rate converted into straight juice (grapefruit juice usage rate), and cinnamaldehyde content as shown in the upper row of Table 1 below.

Then, five panelists with trained sensory discrimination abilities evaluated each sample for its peel feel, complex flavor, fruitiness, alcoholic feel, and overall evaluation as an alcoholic beverage (overall balance of flavor as an alcoholic beverage), using the evaluation criteria shown below.

[Evaluation criteria for peel feel, complex taste, and fruit juice feel]
The peel feeling, complex taste, and fruit juice feeling of Sample 1 were all rated as 1 (almost not felt), and a comparative sensory evaluation was conducted in comparison with Sample 1 on a 5-point scale from 1 (almost not felt: equivalent to Sample 1) to 5 (strongly felt).

[Evaluation criteria for alcohol sensation]
The alcoholic sensation in Sample 1 was rated as 3 (sensed), and a comparative sensory evaluation was conducted in comparison with Sample 1 on a 5-point scale from 1 (not sensed at all) to 5 (sensed strongly).

[Evaluation criteria for overall evaluation of alcoholic beverages]
The overall evaluation (overall balance of flavor) as an alcoholic beverage was made on an absolute scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (good).

The results of this sensory evaluation (average evaluations by five panelists) are shown in the lower section of Table 1 below. These results demonstrate that in a grapefruit-like alcoholic beverage containing grapefruit juice and an extract content of 8 w/v%, by adding 5 μg/L or more of cinnamaldehyde, it is possible to impart and enhance a juicy feel and complex flavor without increasing the alcoholic feel (samples 2 to 6). It was also demonstrated that a peely feel can be imparted and enhanced. In particular, samples 3 to 6, which contain 10 μg/L or more of cinnamaldehyde, were found to have an enhanced juicy feel and complex flavor, a reduced alcoholic feel, making them easier to drink, and also to have an enhanced peely feel.

Example 2: Preparation of citrus-like alcoholic beverage and sensory evaluation II
Vodka was used as a base, and lemon juice (concentrated reconstituted juice), liquid sugar (fructose glucose liquid sugar), acidulant (citric acid, trisodium citrate), and cinnamaldehyde were added and mixed, and carbonated water and pure water were further added and mixed to prepare a lemon-like alcoholic beverage sample (Sample 7) having an alcohol content of 5 v/v%, a carbon dioxide pressure at 20°C (with sniff) of 0.18 MPa, an extract content of 8 w/v%, acidity (acidity converted into citric acid), fruit juice usage rate converted into straight fruit juice (lemon juice usage rate), and cinnamaldehyde content as shown in the upper part of Table 2 below. In Table 2 below, Sample 3 from Example 1 above is also shown for comparison.

The resulting samples were then subjected to a sensory evaluation using the same methods and evaluation criteria as in Example 1 above, for peeliness, complex flavor, fruitiness, alcoholic flavor, and overall evaluation as an alcoholic beverage (overall balance of flavor as an alcoholic beverage).

The results of this sensory evaluation (average evaluation by five panelists) are shown in the lower part of Table 2 below. These results make it clear that a lemon fruit-like alcoholic beverage containing lemon juice and an extract content of 8 w/v% can also be given or enhanced a juicy feel and complex flavor without increasing the alcoholic feel (while reducing the alcoholic feel). Furthermore, it is clear that this can also give or enhance a peely feel.

Example 3: Preparation and sensory evaluation of citrus-like alcoholic beverages III
A vodka base was mixed with grapefruit juice (concentrated reconstituted juice), liquid sugar (fructose glucose liquid sugar), acidulant (citric acid, trisodium citrate), and cinnamaldehyde, and then carbonated water and pure water were added and mixed to prepare grapefruit-like alcoholic beverage samples (Samples 8 to 9) that differ only in the extract content, with an alcohol content of 5 v/v%, a carbon dioxide pressure (with sniff) of 0.18 MPa at 20° C., and an extract content, acidity (acidity converted into citric acid), fruit juice usage rate converted into straight fruit juice (grapefruit juice usage rate), and cinnamaldehyde content as shown in the upper part of Table 3 below. Sample 3 from Example 1 above is also shown in Table 3 below for comparison.

Then, for each sample obtained, a sensory evaluation was performed for the peel feel, complex flavor, fruitiness, alcoholic feel, and overall evaluation as an alcoholic beverage (overall balance of flavor as an alcoholic beverage) using the same method and evaluation criteria as in Example 1 above.

The results of this sensory evaluation (average evaluation by five panelists) are shown in the lower part of Table 3 below. These results make it clear that even grapefruit-like alcoholic beverages containing grapefruit juice and an extract content of 6 w/v % or 10 w/v % can be similarly made to impart or enhance a juicy feel and complex flavor without increasing the alcohol feel (while reducing the alcohol feel). Furthermore, it is also clear that this can be used to impart or enhance a peel feel.

Example 4: Preparation of citrus-like alcoholic beverage and sensory evaluation IV
A vodka base was mixed with grapefruit juice (concentrated reconstituted juice), liquid sugar (fructose glucose liquid sugar), acidulant (citric acid, trisodium citrate), and cinnamaldehyde, and then carbonated water and pure water were added and mixed to prepare grapefruit-like alcoholic beverage samples (Samples 10 to 11) that differ only in acidity, have an alcohol content of 5 v/v%, a carbon dioxide pressure at 20° C. (with sniff) of 0.18 MPa, an extract content of 8 w/v%, and have acidity (acidity converted into citric acid), fruit juice usage rate converted into straight fruit juice (grapefruit juice usage rate), and cinnamaldehyde content as shown in the upper part of Table 4 below. Sample 3 from Example 1 above is also shown in Table 4 below for comparison.

Then, for each sample obtained, a sensory evaluation was performed for the peel feel, complex flavor, fruitiness, alcoholic feel, and overall evaluation as an alcoholic beverage (overall balance of flavor as an alcoholic beverage) using the same method and evaluation criteria as in Example 1 above.

The results of this sensory evaluation (average evaluation by five panelists) are shown in the lower section of Table 4 below. These results reveal that even grapefruit-like alcoholic beverages that contain grapefruit juice, have an extract content of 8 w/v%, and have an acidity of 0.60 g/100 ml or 0.90 g/100 ml can similarly impart or enhance a juicy feel and complex flavor without increasing the alcohol feel (while reducing the alcohol feel). Furthermore, it was also revealed that this can similarly impart or enhance a peel feel.

Claims (5)

A citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage containing citrus juice, an extract content of 3 w/v% or more, and further containing cinnamaldehyde at 3 μg/L or more. The citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, wherein the cinnamaldehyde content is 5 μg/L or more and 600 μg/L or less. The citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, having an acidity of 0.1 g/100 ml or more and 1.5 g/100 ml or less. A method for producing a citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage comprising the steps of: adding citrus juice; adjusting the extract content to 3 w/v% or more; and adding cinnamaldehyde at 3 μg/L or more. A method for imparting or enhancing a juicy taste and complex flavor to a citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage containing citrus juice and an extract content of 3 w/v % or more, without increasing the alcoholic taste, characterized in that the cinnamaldehyde content is 3 μg/L or more in the citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage.