GB2507331A

GB2507331A - Distilled alcoholic beverages containing oak bark extract

Info

Publication number: GB2507331A
Application number: GB1219333.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Timothy Nicholas Moor
Original assignee: LANGTONS GIN Ltd
Current assignee: LANGTONS GIN Ltd
Priority date: 2012-10-26
Filing date: 2012-10-26
Publication date: 2014-04-30
Also published as: GB201219333D0

Abstract

A distilled alcoholic beverage comprises oak bark extract. The distilled alcoholic beverage comprises from 0.001% to 0.005% of the oak bark extract. Preferably the beverage comprises alcohol, water and the oak bark extract in which the water has a pH of between 7 and 8. A process for the production of alcoholic beverages involving distillation, wherein ethanol produced by the fermentation of vegetable material is recovered by distillation after which oak bark is admixed with the ethanol for a period of time and the ethanol containing oak bark extract is recovered by distillation and subsequently diluted with water to provide the alcoholic beverage is outlined. Preferably the oak bark has a moisture content of from 6 to 12wt% and is preferably granulated and soaked in ethanol for between 15 to 20 hours. Preferably the beverage is gin.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO DISTILLED BEVERAGES

The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to distilled alcoholic beverages and their production. In particular the invention relates to improvements in or relating to spirits such as gin, and vodka and is concerned with the provision of new flavours and also to flavour retention over time.

Distilled alcoholic beverages are typically produced by the fermentation of carbohydrate containing vegetable matter to produce ethanol. The fermentation process is typically performed by producing an aqueous mixture of the vegetable matter, water and a fermentation promoting material such as yeast to which an additional fermentation promoter such as enzymes may be added. Various vegetable matter may be used for example corn, maize, rye, sugar beet, sugar cane may be used as the vegetable matter depending upon the type of spirit that is to be produced.

The vegetable matter is typically comminuted, mixed with water and yeast and optionally enzymes. The mixture is then held at the preferred fermentation temperature for sufficient time to convert the carbohydrates such as starches and sugars to ethanol. In some processes the vegetable matter may be pre-cooked to break down the starch molecules prior to fermentation.

Following the fermentation the ethanol produced is separated and collected from the fermented vegetable residue, the yeast and the water usually by distillation, although cryogenic separation may be used. The ethanol may then be purified by filtration, ion exchange purification and the like to produce a material that is greater than 98.5% pure ethanol.

The pure ethanol may then be transformed into the appropriate beverage by dilution with water and also the addition of any desired flavouring or essence. The ultimate alcohol concentration of the beverage will vary according to produce requirements although typically gins, and vodkas contain from 38 to 45 wt % alcohol.

The taste and flavour of the alcoholic beverage both in its neat form and in admixture with what are known as mixers is important for a consumer perspective. For example, the ultimate taste of a gin or vodka when mixed with tonic water or biller lemon can be important.

We have found that if an extract from the bark of an oak tree is included in the gin or vodka it imparts a pleasing flavour and it also enhances the flavour imparted by other flavouring additives typically botanically.

The present invention therefore provides a distilled alcoholic beverage containing an extract of the bark of an oak tree.

In a further embodiment the invention provides a process for the production of alcoholic beverages involving distillation wherein ethanol is produced by the fermentation of vegetable material and is recovered by distillation wherein after recovery by distillation oak bark is admixed with the ethanol for a period of time and the ethanol containing oak bark extract further recovered by distillation and subsequently diluted with water to provide the alcoholic beverage. The invention is particularly applicable to gin and vodka and their production and in particular gin where the ethanol is derived from grain.

The oak bark used in the present invention can be obtained from the normal coppicing of oak trees. The bark is stripped from the oak branches. It is preferred to use oak bark having a moisture content of from 6 to 12 wt % preferably from 8 to 10 wt %. Accordingly the moistuie content is determined and if necessary the oak bark is dried to the required moisture level for example in an oven operating between 100°C and 125°C until the desired moisture content is reached. The oak bark is then cleaned and granulated. The granulated oak bark is then allowed to soak in the raw ethanol typically for between 15 to 30 hours, more typically 20 to 25 hours.

The alcohol containing an extract from the oak bark is then separated from the oak bark preferably by distillation and is then ready for dilution with water to provide the final beverage.

Alternatively although not preferred, a separate oak bark extract may be prepared by ethanol extraction and the appropriate quantity added to the purified ethanol from the fermentation or the water dilution product.

The amount of oak bark that should be employed can vary. However we find that from 1 to 2 kilograms of oak bark in the raw alcohol required to produce between 10,000 and 15,000 70 centilitre bottles of a 40% to 45% alcohol gin provides the desirable flavour profile to the gin. Accordingly, our preferred process employs from about 0.00025 to about 0.00075 grams of oak bark for each 70 cI bottle of gin that is produced.

The water used according to the present invention can influence the flavour of the beverage and we prefer to use naturally occurring water. The water is preferably slightly alkaline having a pH of between 7 and 8. An example of a particularly useful naturally occurring water that may be used is commercially available as Lakeland Spring Water from the Lake District in England. This water has been found to provide a highly desirable gin when used together with the oak bark.

In the fermentation stage water is mixed with comminuted carbohydrate containing vegetable matter to form a mash. Yeast is added to the mash to promote fermentation converting the carbohydrate to ethanol and fermentation promoters such as enzymes may be added to the system. Fermentation is generally an exothermic process and the temperature is controlled to provide optimum fermentation; the preferred temperature will depend upon the nature of the vegetable matter although it is typically in the range 30°C to 60°C. The preferred strain of yeast to be used in the fermentation will also depend upon the nature of the vegetable mailer and will be well understood by the man skilled in the art.

Fermentation reactions are typically batch reactions taking several hours to complete. The product is a mixture of water, fermented vegetable mailer, ethanol, yeast and spent yeast and residue of any enzymes that may have been used. The ethanol may be obtained from this mixture by distillation and may be purified by employing a plurality of distillation stages.

The ethanol obtained by distillation may then be filtered, dried and otherwise purified and in the production of ethanol useful in the production of alcoholic beverages the ethanol is typically purified to at least 95% pure ethanol more preferably at least 96.3% pure ethanol.

Following purification the ethanol is ready for extracting the flavour from the oak bark and the subsequent use in the production of alcoholic beverages such as gin and vodka and although the invention is particularly beneficial in the production of gin and vodka where the flavour provided by the oak bark according to the present invention is particularly attractive it can also be used with other alcoholic beverages based on distillation such as calvados and other fruit based spirits.

In addition to the extract of oak bark other flavourings and essences may be added S into the ethanol to impart a desired flavour and perhaps aroma to the final beverage.

We have found that the use of the oak bark has an enhancing effect on flavourings and essences that may be added. A wide range of flavourings may be used perhaps depicting the brand and origin of the beverage as well as imparting a desired taste or aroma. Botanicals are often used as flavourings and examples of botanicals that may be used with gins include juniper, heather and their mixtures, flowers such as primrose and daffodil, cardamom, cassis and herbs such as coriander.

Fruit flavourings such as damson, bilberry, sloe, raspberry, strawberry, pear, blackberry, peach and apple may also be employed more so in relation to vodkas than to gins. Typically the flavouring essence is first dissolved in the ethanol and the solution added to the bulk ethanol, water mixture.

In the final beverage from 50 wt % to 65 wt % of water is mixed from 50 to 35 wt % of ethanol having a purity of at least 98.5% more preferably at least 99.0% and containing the oak bark extract to form an alcoholic beverage, preferably the beverage is gin containing from 40 to 45 wt % ethanol. Standard mixing techniques can be used as can conventionally bottling techniques to provide a retail item for sale.

Claims

SCLAIMS1. A distilled alcoholic beverage containing an extract of the bark of an oak tree.
2. A distilled alcoholic beverage containing from 0.0001% to 0.005% of the oak bark extract.
3. An beverage according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 comprising alcohol, water and the extract of the bark of an oak tree in which the water has a pH of between 7 and 8.
4. A process for the production of alcoholic beverages involving distillation wherein ethanol is produced by the fermentation of vegetable material and is recovered by distillation wherein after recovery oak bark is admixed with the ethanol for a period of time and the ethanol containing oak bark extract turther recovered by distillation and subsequently diluted with water to provide the alcoholic beverage.
5. A process according to Claim 4 wherein the oak bark has a moisture content of from 6 to 12 wt % preferably from 8 to 10 wt %.
6. A process according to Claim 4 or Claim 5 in which the oak bark is granulated and soaks in the ethanol for between 15 to 30 hours, more typically 20 to 25 hours.
7. A process according to Claims of any of 4 to 6 in which from ito 2 kilograms of oak bark are employed in an amount of alcohol required to produce between 10,000 and 15,000 70 centilitre bottles of a 40% to 45% alcohol gin.
8. The use of an extract of oak bark to impart a flavour to distilled alcoholic beverages
9. The use together with water of a pH between 7 and 8.
10. The use according to Claim 8 or Claim 9 which the beverage is gin.