IES65347B2

IES65347B2 - Process for the preparation of a cream liqueur beverage product

Info

Publication number: IES65347B2
Authority: IE
Inventors: Michael Murphy
Original assignee: Burke Edward; Burke John
Priority date: 1995-04-04
Filing date: 1995-04-04
Publication date: 1995-10-18
Also published as: IES950243A2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a cream liquer beverage product having a narrow alcohol range, which process comprises carrying out all steps, post-addition of alcohol, in a closed system.

Description

PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF A CREAM LIQUEUR BEVERAGE PRODUCT The present invention relates to a process for the * preparation of a cream liqueur beverage product, having a narrow alcohol range specification.

It is known to control the alcohol concentration in cream liqueur beverage products in a variety of ways, for example, by either minimising the processing time post-addition of alcohol and/or by minimising the time spent at elevated temperature post-addition of alcohol.

The known processes suffer frora the disadvantage that alcohol in the final product can vary unpredictably over a wide alcohol range specification. Thus, for markets with a narrow alcohol range specification, a significant amount of the final product fails the range specification and is, therefore, unsuitable for that market.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the problems of the prior art by providing a process for the preparation of a cream liqueur beverage product having a narrow alcohol range, which process comprises carrying out all steps, post-addition of alcohol, in a closed system.

Preferably, the process comprises adding alcohol to a cream liqueur base in the closed system; and carrying out all subsequent steps in the closed system.

More preferably, the subsequent steps comprise heating the mixture of alcohol and the cream liqueur base; homogenising the mixture; cooling the homogenised mixture; re-heating the homogenised mixture; re-homogenising the homogenised mixture; re-cooling the re-homogenised mixture; and adding sufficient water to dilute the re-homogenised mixture, so as to form the cream liqueur beverage product having the desired narrow alcohol range.

Advantageously, the cream liqueur base is prepared by heating cream and sugar; adding stabiliser and emulsifier, if desired, and emulsifying the mixture to form the cream liqueur base.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a flow chart for a process for the preparation of a cream liqueur beverage product according to the invention.

The following ingredients may be present in a beverage product prepared according to a process of the invention: '*Λ Ingredient Range Preferred Protein (casein &/or whey proteins) (w/w) Fat Replacers (w/w) 0.1% - 20% 0% - 20% 2-5% Incrredient Rancre Preferred 5 Emulsifiers (w/w) 0.01% - 5% * Stabilisers (w/w) 0.001% - 5% Sweeteners or Sugar 2% - 28% 19-21% (w/w) (sugar) Alcohol (vol.) 10% - 24% 17% Fat (w/w) 10% - 20% 16% It is possible to substitute artificial sweeteners either in whole or in part for any sugar (sucrose) contained in the beverage product. Suitable artificial sweeteners would include saccharin, aspartame, Sucrolose, acesulfame-K, Alitame, crystalline fructose, cyclamate, glycyrrhizin, high fructose corn syrup, Isomalt, Lactitol, sorbitol, mannitol, monellin, thaumatin, xylitol and L-Sugars, or a mixture thereof.

It is also possible to incorporate any of the following thickening agents in the beverage product prepared according to a process of the invention: agar, carrageenan, pectin, locust bean gum, guar gum, acacia or gum arabic, xanthum gum, cellulose, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, gelatin, Dariloid 100, Avicel 611 (a microcrystalline form of cellulose), Polydextrose and sodium caseinate.

All or part of any cream contained in the beverage product prepared according to a process of the invention may be replaced by fat replacers, e.g., Miprodan 75, Simplesse, Litesse, Fibrulin or Tabiocaline.

Preferred emulsifiers for use in the beverage product prepared according to a process of the invention include glyceroyl monostearate, citric acid esters of glyceryl monostearate and sodium stearoyl lactylate.

The alcohol used in the beverage product prepared according to a process of the invention may be neutral spirit (derived from grain, molasses, whey or wine) or made wine (fermented concentrated grape juice which may be fortified with neutral spirit).

Tri-Sodium Citrate is a preferred stabiliser.

The process according to the present invention is now described in greater detail. A fixed volume of alcohol at a specific alcohol concentration ( % vol) is measured into a sealed batching tank at ambient temperature. The alcohol is then pumped using a metering pump into a pipe transporting the cream liqueur base. The cream liqueur base and alcohol are then heated and processed in an enclosed vessel until processing is complete, whereupon the mixture is cooled down to 15°C and filled into a finished product tank.

The remaining residues in the enclosed vessel are washed into the finished product tank with a specific amount of water, in order to bring the alcohol content of the beverage product to within the desired alcohol range specification. Since the volume and concentration of alcohol added into the mixture is fixed and since all evaporation is prevented by keeping the system closed post-addition of alcohol, the concentration of alcohol in the final beverage product is controlled. Thus, the process according to the invention reliably produces a beverage product of accurate alcohol strength.

Example l Cream is received from tanker (1) and stored in tank (2) for use. 65° Brix syrup is received from tanker (3) and stored in tank (4) for later use. Flavour is added at the required level to the high strength (96% volume) neutral spirit. The 96% vol alcohol/flavour is received from tanker (5) and stored in tank (6) for use.

Demineralised water is stored in tank (8) and is used to dilute the high strength alcohol/flavour to approximately 60% volume alcohol in enclosed batching tank (9).

Sufficient cream to give final fat level of 16% (w/w), sufficient 65° Brix syrup to give final sugar addition of 18.47% (w/w) and demineralised water are heated in mix tanks (10).

When the contents of the mix tanks (10) reach 50°C, sodium caseinate, emulsifier, colouring agents and honey are added using a triblender (or colloid mill) (11) and mixed to form an emulsion. The triblender (11) is a mixing machine which has a funnel for the addition of dry ingredients. The cream, syrup and water mixture is fed into the triblender (11) from the mix tanks (10) and by the action of internal, high speed rotating plates, the liquid and powders are blended to form an emulsion, which is then fed back into the mix tanks (10). When the emulsion is thoroughly mixed, it is circulated first through a heat exchanger, then through a homogeniser and back into the mix tanks (10) (not shown in the accompanying figure).

When the temperature of the outlet product from the heat exchanger (12a) reaches 65°C, the homogenisation pressures of the double chamber homogeniser (13a) are set in the following order.

The second chamber is set at 500 p.s.i. and the first chamber is set at 3000 - 3200 p.s.i. (i.e. combined pressure). Once the pressures of the homogeniser (13a) are set, the diluted alcohol from the batching tank (9) is added using a variable speed metering pump (17) and blended in line with the emulsion from the mix tanks (10) before entering the heat exchanger (12a). The ratio of alcohol to product can be varied by changing the speed of the alcohol metering pump (17), since a centrifugal pump (18) pumps the emulsion from the mix tanks (10) at a fixed rate.

Once the alcohol addition commences, the product is cooled down to 15°C after homogenisation and directed into an intermediate tank (15).

The rate of alcohol addition is controlled so that it is all added and the metering pump (17) turned off before the emulsion from the mix tanks (10) runs out.

Once the first heating (12a), homogenisation (13a) and cooling (14a) steps have been completed, the product is put through the heating (12b), homogenisation (13b) and cooling (14b) steps again, this time without the addition of alcohol. The product is then directed into the finished product tank (16). When all the mix has been pumped from the intermediate tank (15), any liqueur residue left in the tank (15) is washed through the plant using demineralised water. Since the mixture is retained in a closed system post-addition of alcohol, alcoholic evaporation is minimised. A pre-determined volume of water can, therefore, be flushed through the plant to dilute the final beverage product to within the desired alcohol specification range. Approximately one hour later, stabiliser is added and mixed in thoroughly. Stabiliser (citrate) is added to prevent elevated temperature gelling of the beverage product. The product (see Table 1) is then ready for bottling.

TABLE 1 Alcohol (% vol) - 17 Specific Gravity @ 20°C - 1.055 Fat (% w/w) - 16.0 Total Carbohydrate (% w/w) - 20.1% Protein (% w/w) - 3.5%

Claims

1. CLAIMS:1. A process for the preparation of a cream liqueur beverage product having a narrow alcohol range, 5 which process comprises carrying out all steps, post-addition of alcohol, in a closed system.

2. A process according to Claim 1, which process comprises adding alcohol to a cream liqueur base 10 in the closed system; and carrying out all subsequent steps in the closed system.

3. A process according to Claim 2, in which the subsequent steps comprise heating the mixture of 15 alcohol and the cream liqueur base; homogenising the mixture; cooling the homogenised mixture; re-heating the homogenised mixture; re-homogenising the homogenised mixture; re-cooling the re-homogenised mixture; and adding 20 sufficient water to dilute the re-homogenised mixture, so as to form the cream liqueur beverage product having the desired narrow alcohol range.

4. A process according to Claim 2 or 3, in which the 25 cream liqueur base is prepared by heating cream and sugar; adding stabiliser and emulsifier, if desired, and emulsifying the mixture to form the cream liqueur base. 30

5. A process for the preparation of a cream liqueur beverage product having a narrow alcohol range, substantially as hereinbefore described and exemplified.