GB2081304A - Method of Making a Sparkling Drink - Google Patents

Abstract

Non-decocted honey is diluted with water and subjected to cold fermentation with yeast and nutrient while maintaining the carbon dioxide pressure generated by the fermentation. Vegetable matter, such as fruit or fruit juice is similarly fermented with added sugar e.g. sucrose. Thereafter the two fermentation products are mixed, for example in equal volumes, to form a sparkling-wine-type drink. The acid content of either or both fermentation mixtures may be adjusted by adding tartaric, citric or lactic acid, and (NH4)2 SO4 may be added as nutrient vetrafiltered grape juice concentrate may be added to the end product.

Description

SPECIFICATION Method of Making a Sparkling Drink This invention relates to a method of making a sparkling drink, more particularly a wine-like drink or a hock-like drink from bees' honey by fermentation.

An object of the invention is to provide a method whereby a sparkling drink, as aforesaid, can be produced from bees' honey in combination with diverse raw materials derived from the plant world which serve as acid suppliers and at the same time enable a variety of tastes to be achieved.

With this object in view, the present invention provides a method of making a sparkling-winelike drink from non-decocted bees' honey in a fermentation process, which comprises the steps of: (a) fermenting a mixture of vegetable matter and sugar with yeast in a pressure vessel, whilst maintaining the fermenting materials under the pressure of the carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation; (b) fermenting an aqueous non-decocted honey solution with yeast in a respective pressure vessel whilst similarly maintaining the fermenting materials under the pressure of the carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation; and thereafter mixing the products of the two fermentations together to form a sparkling-winetype drink.

In a preferred manner of carrying the invention into effect the non-decocted bees' honey is diluted with water, is mixed with yeast (which may be enriched with nutritive salts) is subjected to alcoholic cold fermentation while maintaining the carbonic acid gas pressure thereby generated.

Simultaneously, the mixture of vegetable matter (which may be selected from the list given later) and sugar which may be in the form of sucrose) is correspondingly fermented with cold fermenting yeast, whilst maintaining the carbonic acid gas pressure thereby generated. The resultant fermented products are then admixed, conveniently in equal volumes to produce the sparkling-wine-like drink. The acid content of the produce may be adjusted by adding fruit acid, for example tartaric acid and/or citric acid and/or lactic acid, to either or both mixtures prior to fermentation. The acid content may also be varied by substequently adding strongly-acidic sparkling fruit wine to the fermented mixture.

In one way of carrying the invention into practical effect, nondecocted honey is diluted with water. Then cold fermenting yeast (with a nutrient such as ammonium sulphate, if necessary) is added and the acid content is adjusted (so as.to provide for a corresponding adjustment of the eventual end product) by adding an additive consisting of a mixture of fruit acids. The honey/yeast mixture is now subjected to cold fermentation inside a closed vessel capable of retaining under pressure the carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation. The fruit acids added to adjust the acid contact are preferably a mixture of tartaric acid, citric acid and lactic acid.

Substantially at the same time, a mixture of vegetable matter and yeast is fermented without an acid additive, in substantially the same way as the honey/yeast mixture is fermented. The vegetable matter may be selected from apple (pyrus malus), pear (pyrus communis), apricot (prunus armeniaca), peach (prunus persicae), pineapple (ananas comusus), mountain-ash and service tree (sorbus aucuparia and sorbus domestica), cherry (prunus), plum (prunus domestica), cherry plum (prunus cerasifera).

passion fruit (passiflora), quince (cydonia oblonga), banana (musa), guava (psidium guajava), kiwi (actinidia chinensis), orange (citrus tinesis), citrus (citrus decumana, citrus maxima, citrus reticulata, citrus media, citrus limon, citrus autantium), palms (palmae), tomatoes (lycopersicon esculentum), walnut (juglans regia), redcurrants (ribes), gooseberries (ribes uvacrispa), strawberries (fragaria), blackberry (rubus eubatus), bilberries (vaccinium myrtillus), raspberry (rubus idaeus), hip (rosa canis), elder (sambucus), mahonia (mahonia), bog whortleberries (vaccinium uliginosum), cranberries (vaccinium oxycoccus and vaccinium macrocarpon), cowberries (vaccinium vitis idaea), rhubarb (rheum), and sloe (prunus spinosa).

Upon completion of the two fermentations, the products thereof are mixed together according to taste, for example in equal volumes, and the resultant product is a sparkling-wine-type drink.

The acid content in the end product may be adjusted by adding to the eventual mixture, or the product of the vegetable matter fermented without acid additive, a strongly-acidic fruit sparkling wine, for example gooseberry sparkling wine or the like.

Additional variations in the taste of the end product can be achieved by adding, to the mixture, ultrafiltered concentrates of grape juices, including Riesling concentrate, Gewurztraminer concentrate, or Muller-Thurgau concentrate.

Further variations in taste can be achieved with the addition of fruit or fruit juice concentrate, fruit extracts, or concentrates of fruit and vegetable juice.

The method of the invention has the advantage that can readily be adapted according to locallyavailable raw vegetable or fruit materials as acid supplier, and/or as may be esteemed by local population. Sparkling wine-like drinks made from bees' honey in accordance with the method can, thus, be produced all over the globe with varying taste according to the local raw plant materials and the taste predilections of local population whilst the basic character of the honey-based sparkling wine is retained on account of the underlying basic method.

The following Example illustrates one practical way in which the method of the invention may be carried into effect.

Example A first pressure vessel in the form of a high pressure fermentation tank is charged with the following ingredients: 30,000 litres of juice of passion fruit (passiflora) 8,100 litres of sucrose aqueous solution (13,000 kg sucrose) 61,900 litres of water 100,000 litres total A second pressure vessel in the form of a high pressure fermentation tank is charged with the following ingredients: 26,300 litres of aqueous bee honey solution (36,850 kg honey) 73,700 litres of water 100,000 litres total Introduced into both tanks is cold fermenting yeast together with ammonium sulphate as a nutritive salt.

The mixtures in the two tanks are allowed to ferment, whilst maintaining them under the pressure of the carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation. Upon completion of the fermentation, the two fermented mixtures are mixed together in equal volume to form a sparkling wine-type drink.

Thereafter, the resultant product is processed in accordance with conventional sparkling wine making techniques, if necessary with settling and/or clarification, and/or decantation, and is eventually bottled.

As will be evident from the foregoing description, this example may be viewed in its details, by varying the vegetable matter used in the place of the passion fruit and by adding acid material to either or both of the mixtures prior to the fermentation to achieve a desired acidity in the final product Of course, the proportions in which the two fermentation products are mixed together may be varied according to taste.

Claims (10)

Claims

1. A method of making a sparkiing-wine-like drink from non-decocted bees' honey in a fermentation process, which comprises the steps of: (a) fermenting a mixture of vegetable matter and sugar with yeast in a pressure vessel, whilst maintaining the fermenting materials under the pressure of the carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation; (b) fermenting an aqueous non-decocted honey solution with yeast in a respective pressure vessel whilst similarly maintaining the fermenting materials under the pressure of the carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation; and thereafter mixing the products of the two fermentations together to form a sparkling-winetype drink.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sugar with which the vegetable matter is fermanted is in the form of sucrose.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the vegetable matter is a fruit juice.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3 wherein the vegetable matter is selected from: a apple (pyrus malus), pear (pyrus communis), apricot (prunus armeniaca), peach (prunus persicae), pineapple (ananas comusus), mountain-ash and service tree (sorbus aucuparia and sorbus domestica), cherry (prunus), plum (prunus domestica), cherry plum (prunus cerasifera), passion fruit (passiflora), quince (cydonia oblonga), banana (musa), gauve (psidium guajava), kiwi (actinidia chinensis), orange (citrus sinensis), citrus (citrus decumana, citrus maxima, citrus reticulata, citrus media, citrus limon, citrus aurantium), palms (palmae), tomatoes (lycopersicon esculentum), walnut (jugians regia), red currants (ribes), gooseberries (ribes uvacrispa), bilberries (vaccinium myrtillus), raspberry (rubus idaeus), hip (rosa canis), elder (sambucus), mahonia (mahonia), bog whortleberries (vaccinium uliginosum), cranberries (vaccinium oxycoccus and vaccinium macrocarpon), cowberries (vaccinium vitis idaea), rhubarb (rheum), and sloe (prunus spinosa).

5. A method as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3 wherein ultrafiltered grape juice concentrate selected from: Riesling concentrate, Gewürztra miner concentrate, MiillerThurgau concentrate, fruit juice concentrate, fruit extract, and concentrates of fruit and vegetable juices is added to the end product.

6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the acid content of either or both of the mixtures for fermentation is adjusted, prior to its fermentation, by adding an acid mixture comprising tartaric acid and/or citric acid and/or lactic acid.

7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein ammonium sulphate is added to both mixtures, prior to fermenting, as a nutritive salt.

8. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the fermented products are mixed together in equal volumes.

9. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the fermentation is cold fermentation.

10. A method of producing a sparkling-wine like drink substantially as herein described in the Example.