JP2022158887A - Flavor improvement method of alcoholic beverage - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a method for improving the flavor derived from a high-intensity sweetener of an alcoholic beverage containing a high-intensity sweetener, and an alcoholic beverage obtained by the method.SOLUTION: A flavor improvement method of an alcoholic beverage is characterized by containing an alcoholic beverage containing a high-intensity sweetener and alcohol other than single-distilled shochu by 0.1 to 10 L/1000 L of single-distilled shochu in terms of pure alcohol. A method for improving the flavor of the alcoholic beverage containing the high-intensity sweetener, the above-described method that reduces residual sweetness intrinsic to the high-intensity sweetener of the alcoholic beverage containing the high-intensity sweetener, as well as, the alcohol concentration is 0.5% (v/v) or more, and the concentration of the shochu is 0.01 to 1% (v/v) in terms of pure alcohol.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an alcoholic beverage containing a high-intensity sweetener and a method for producing the same.

BACKGROUND ART Fruit-flavored alcoholic beverages obtained by adding fruit juice, fruit skins, fruit-flavored flavors, etc. to distilled liquors such as whiskey, brandy, shochu, gin, and vodka have long been widely favored. Many fruit-flavored alcoholic beverages are relatively sweet and easy to drink, with reduced bitterness and astringency. The sweetness of such alcoholic beverages is often imparted with high-intensity sweeteners instead of sucrose in order to reduce calories due to recent health consciousness. However, high-intensity sweeteners differ from sucrose in sweetness quality and may have a unique off-taste. Therefore, alcoholic beverages containing high-intensity sweeteners may be inferior in flavor and palatability to alcoholic beverages containing sucrose.

Several methods have been reported for improving the flavor of beverages containing high-intensity sweeteners. For example, in Patent Document 1, in a beverage containing a high-intensity sweetener, 0.5% to 3.0% by weight of vegetable juice is added to the entire beverage, and alcohol is added to the beverage at an alcohol content of 1 v / A method for improving flavor is disclosed by blending at v% to 5v/v%. By adding a specific amount of vegetable juice and alcohol to a beverage containing a high-intensity sweetener, one of the problems with the taste of the high-intensity sweetener is that the sweetness lasts for a long time and the aftertaste is sharp. It is said to be able to solve bad things and having a peculiar unpleasant aftertaste.

JP 2009-254247 A

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for improving the flavor derived from a high-intensity sweetener of an alcoholic beverage containing a high-intensity sweetener, and an alcoholic beverage obtained by the method.

As a result of intensive research to solve the above problems, the present inventors have found that an alcoholic beverage containing a high-intensity sweetener contains pot-distilled shochu in a specific concentration range, resulting in a high-intensity sweetener. The present invention was completed by finding that the aftertaste of sweetness peculiar to is reduced.

That is, the method for improving the flavor of alcoholic beverages, the method for producing alcoholic beverages, and the alcoholic beverages according to the present invention are the following [1] to [13].
[1] An alcoholic beverage containing a high-intensity sweetener and alcohol other than single-distilled shochu contains 0.1 to 10 L / 1000 L of single-distilled shochu in terms of pure alcohol. A method for improving the flavor of alcoholic beverages.
[2] The method for improving the flavor of an alcoholic beverage according to [1] above, wherein the alcoholic beverage containing the high-intensity sweetener has a lingering sweetness peculiar to the high-intensity sweetener.
[3] The method for improving the flavor of alcoholic beverages according to [1] or [2], wherein the high-intensity sweetener is one or more selected from the group consisting of aspartame and sucralose.
[4] The method for improving the flavor of an alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the single distilled shochu is potato shochu.
[5] The method for improving the flavor of alcoholic beverages according to [4], wherein the potato shochu is obtained by atmospheric distillation of a brewed liquor obtained using white koji.
[6] The method for improving the flavor of an alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the alcohol concentration is 0.5% (v/v) or more.
[7] The method for improving the flavor of alcoholic beverages according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the sweetness is 1 to 30.
[8] The method for improving the flavor of an alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the alcoholic beverage further contains fruit juice.
[9] The method for improving the flavor of an alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein the alcoholic beverage has a Brix value of 2% or less.
[10] Using a high-intensity sweetener, single-distilled shochu, and alcohol other than single-distilled shochu as raw materials,
A method for producing an alcoholic beverage, characterized in that the single-distilled shochu is contained in the beverage in an amount of 0.1 to 10 L/1000 L in terms of pure alcohol.
[11] Containing a high-intensity sweetener, single-distilled shochu, and alcohol other than single-distilled shochu,
alcohol concentration is 0.5% (v / v) or more,
An alcoholic beverage, wherein the concentration of the single distilled shochu is 0.01 to 1% (v/v) in terms of pure alcohol.
[12] The alcoholic beverage of [11], wherein the single distilled shochu is sweet potato shochu, and the high-intensity sweetener is one or more selected from the group consisting of aspartame and sucralose.
[13] The above [11] or [12], wherein the alcohol content derived from pot-distilled shochu is 10% (v / v) or less, in terms of pure alcohol, derived from alcohol other than pot-distilled shochu. alcoholic beverages.

By the method for improving the flavor of an alcoholic beverage and the method for producing an alcoholic beverage according to the present invention, an alcoholic beverage that contains a high-intensity sweetener but has a reduced aftertaste of sweetness peculiar to the high-intensity sweetener. can provide.

In the present invention and the specification of the present application, an alcoholic beverage may be any alcohol-containing beverage, and may be a sparkling beverage or a non-sparkling beverage. Moreover, it may be a beverage produced through a fermentation process or a beverage produced without undergoing a fermentation process. That is, alcoholic beverages in the present invention include non-foaming alcoholic beverages such as vodka, whiskey, brandy, shochu, rum, spirits, and distilled spirits such as gin and liqueurs; beer-taste alcoholic beverages (equivalent to beer or alcoholic beverages with similar flavor, taste and texture), sparkling alcoholic beverages such as sparkling wine and cider; cocktails mixed with non-alcoholic beverages such as water;

The method for improving the flavor of alcoholic beverages according to the present invention (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "the method for improving flavor according to the present invention") improves the flavor of alcoholic beverages containing a high-intensity sweetener and alcohol other than single distilled shochu. A method for improvement, characterized in that an alcoholic beverage containing a high-intensity sweetener contains a specific amount of single-distilled shochu. Sweet-type alcoholic beverages containing high-intensity sweeteners tend to leave sweetness in the oral cavity after drinking, but an appropriate amount of single-distilled shochu can be added to alcoholic beverages containing high-intensity sweeteners. can reduce the lingering sweetness peculiar to high-intensity sweeteners and provide a refreshing aftertaste.

In the method for improving flavor according to the present invention, the alcoholic beverage whose flavor is to be improved by adding single distilled shochu is not particularly limited as long as it contains a high-intensity sweetener. Examples of high-intensity sweeteners contained in the alcoholic beverage include sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, xylitol, disodium glycyrrhizinate, saccharin, calcium saccharin, sodium saccharin, neotame, arabinose, licorice extract, xylose, and stevia. , thaumatin, swingle extract, rhamnose and ribose. The high-intensity sweetener contained in the alcoholic beverage may be of one kind, or may be of two or more kinds. Since the effect of improving the aftertaste of sweetness by pot-distilled shochu is more likely to be exhibited, in the method for improving flavor according to the present invention, at least sucralose and aspartame are used as the alcoholic beverage to be improved in flavor by containing pot-distilled shochu. Alcoholic beverages containing one are particularly preferred.

In the method for improving flavor according to the present invention, the concentration of the high-intensity sweetener in the target alcoholic beverage whose flavor is to be improved by adding single-distilled shochu is not particularly limited. It can be adjusted appropriately according to quality. In the method for improving flavor according to the present invention, for example, a high-intensity sweetener can be added so that the sweetness is in the range of 1-30.

Here, the sweetness of a beverage is based on the strength of sweetness of sucrose, and corresponds to the sucrose concentration of aqueous sucrose solutions having the same strength of sweetness. For example, a sweetness of 1 means that the intensity of sweetness is the same as that of a 1 g/100 mL sucrose aqueous solution at 20°C. In the case of a beverage containing a high-intensity sweetener, it can be calculated based on the sweetness conversion factor and the mixing ratio of the high-intensity sweetener. The conversion factors for sweetness of high-intensity sweeteners are, for example, 1 for sucrose, 200 for acesulfame potassium, 200 for aspartame, 600 for sucralose, and 400 for stevia.

In the method for improving flavor according to the present invention, the amount of single-distilled shochu contained in alcoholic beverages may be an amount that is 0.1 to 10 L/1000 L in terms of pure alcohol. If the amount of the single distilled shochu contained in the alcoholic beverage is too small, the effect of improving the aftertaste of the sweetness peculiar to the high-intensity sweetener due to the addition of the single distilled shochu will be insufficient. On the other hand, if the amount of the single-distilled shochu contained in the alcoholic beverage is too large, the flavor of the single-distilled shochu itself will also be imparted, and the aftertaste of the sweetness will rather decrease. In the flavor improvement method according to the present invention, the amount of single-distilled shochu contained in an alcoholic beverage containing a high-intensity sweetener is set to an amount of 0.1 to 10 L / 1000 L in terms of pure alcohol, that is, the alcoholic beverage By adjusting the concentration of single-distilled shochu to 0.01 to 1% (v/v) in terms of pure alcohol, it is possible to reduce the sweetness of the alcoholic beverage and create a refreshing aftertaste. can. In the method for improving flavor according to the present invention, the amount of single-distilled shochu contained in an alcoholic beverage containing a high-intensity sweetener is preferably an amount of 0.1 to 8 L/1000 L in terms of pure alcohol. , It is more preferably an amount of 0.1 to 5 L / 1000 L, more preferably an amount of 0.8 to 2.5 L / 1000 L, and an amount of 0.8 to 1.5 L / 1000 L It is even more preferable to have

In the method for improving flavor according to the present invention, the single-distillation shochu to be contained in the alcoholic beverage containing a high-intensity sweetener is not particularly limited as long as it is obtained by distilling brewed liquor. The single-distilled shochu is a brewed liquor obtained by fermenting rice, wheat, sweet potato, buckwheat, millet, corn, sake lees, brown sugar, molasses, etc. with koji such as yellow koji, black koji, and white koji. , and those distilled under normal pressure or reduced pressure. The distillation method may be continuous distillation or single distillation. Moreover, two or more types of single distilled shochu can be mixed and used. As the single distilled shochu to be contained in the alcoholic beverage containing the high-intensity sweetener in the method for improving flavor according to the present invention, one or more types of shochu selected from the group consisting of potato shochu, wheat shochu, and rice shochu are preferred. , potato shochu is particularly preferred. Among them, potato shochu obtained by single distillation of brewed liquor obtained using white koji under normal pressure or reduced pressure is preferable because it can obtain a higher effect of improving the aftertaste of sweetness, and it is obtained using white koji. It is preferable to potato shochu, which is obtained by single-distilling the brewed liquor at normal pressure.

In the method for improving flavor according to the present invention, the alcoholic beverage whose flavor is to be improved contains alcohol (ethanol) derived from other than pot-distilled shochu. Alcohol other than shochu contained in the alcoholic beverage is not particularly limited as long as it is an edible alcohol, and may be a raw material alcohol or an alcoholic beverage produced by a conventional method. The alcoholic beverage may be distilled liquor or brewed liquor. Distilled liquor includes neutral alcohol, continuous distilled shochu, vodka (continuously distilled brewed liquor and then treated with activated carbon), whiskey, brandy, spirits (continuously distilled infused liquor), rum, and gin. etc., and may be a liqueur. Brewed liquor includes beer, wine, cider, and the like. Only one type of alcohol other than single distilled shochu contained in the alcoholic beverage may be used, or two or more types may be combined.

In the method for improving flavor according to the present invention, the content of alcohol other than single-distilled shochu contained in the alcoholic beverage whose flavor is to be improved is not particularly limited, but the concentration of alcohol other than single-distilled shochu However, in terms of pure alcohol, it is preferably higher than the concentration of single-distilled shochu. In particular, the alcohol content derived from pot-distilled shochu is preferably 30% (v / v) or less, in terms of pure alcohol, derived from alcohol other than pot-distilled shochu, and 10% (v / v). It is more preferably 5% (v/v) or less, even more preferably 2% (v/v) or less. The concentration of alcohol other than single distilled shochu is preferably 0.4% (v / v) or more, more preferably 0.4 to 50% (v / v), more preferably 2 to 50%, in terms of pure alcohol. (v/v) is more preferred, 2-30% (v/v) is even more preferred, and 2-15% (v/v) is particularly preferred. In addition, in the method for improving flavor according to the present invention, the alcohol concentration of the alcoholic beverage whose flavor is to be improved is, for example, preferably 0.5% (v/v) or more, and more preferably 2% (v/v) or more. Preferably, 2-50% (v/v) is more preferred, 2-30% (v/v) is even more preferred, and 2-15% (v/v) is particularly preferred.

In the method for improving flavor according to the present invention, the Brix value of the alcoholic beverage to be improved in flavor is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5% or less, more preferably 2% or less, because it can achieve low calorie. preferable. The Brix value of beverages, fruit juices, and fruits can be measured by a conventional method using a measuring device such as a refractometer (RX-7000i, manufactured by ATAGO).

In the method for improving flavor according to the present invention, the alcoholic beverage to be flavor-improved is highly In addition to sweetness sweeteners, single-distilled shochu, and alcohols other than single-distilled shochu, other components may be contained. Other ingredients include fruits, peels, fruit juices, vegetables, herbs, flavors, soft drinks, carbonated water, carbon dioxide gas, acidulants, sweeteners, water-soluble dietary fibers, coloring agents, antioxidants, and foaming agents. agent, protein or its decomposition product, yeast extract, raw material water, and the like.

Fruits, peels, and juices include tropical fruits such as mango, kiwifruit, banana, pineapple, papaya, litchi, guava, passion fruit; grapefruit, sweetie, lemon, lime, yuzu, sudachi, kabosu, shikuwasa, orange Citrus fruits such as , Satsuma mandarin oranges, summer mandarin oranges, Iyokan, Hassaku, and Hyuganatsu; soft fruits such as peaches, plums, apples, grapes, melons, watermelons, pears, pears, cherries, plums, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and cassis can be prepared by a conventional method. The alcoholic beverage may contain the juice of one type of fruit or the like, or may contain the juice of two or more types of fruit.

When alcoholic beverages containing high-intensity sweeteners contain fruit juice, the fruit juice shall be juice obtained by crushing the fruit, squeezing or pureing the fruit, and removing the skin, seeds, etc. (straight juice). It may be concentrated straight juice (concentrated juice), or diluted concentrated juice (reduced juice), from which at least some insoluble components have been removed ( clear juice).

Vegetables and herbs are not particularly limited. Vegetables include, for example, tomatoes, green peppers, celery, ginger, and parsley, and herbs include lemongrass, sage, cinnamon, lavender, rosemary, pepper, peppermint, and the like. Only one type of these vegetables may be used, or two or more types may be used in combination.

As the perfume, for example, one obtained by extracting aromatic components from the pericarp of a fruit or the like with a solvent such as alcohol, or one obtained by concentrating this by distillation under reduced pressure or normal pressure can be used. In addition, various food flavors added to beverages can be used as appropriate. These perfumes may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Acidulants include organic acids such as citric acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, phosphoric acid, lactic acid, adipic acid, and fumaric acid. These acidulants may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Sweeteners include sucrose, liquid sugar, oligosaccharides, dextrin, starch, sweetening amino acids, highly sensitive sweeteners and the like. Sweetening amino acids include alanine and glycine, with alanine being preferred. Such sensitive sweeteners include acesulfame potassium, aspartame, stevia, enzyme-treated stevia, sucralose and the like. These sweeteners may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Water-soluble dietary fiber refers to carbohydrates that dissolve in water and are indigestible or difficult to digest by human digestive enzymes. Examples of water-soluble dietary fiber include soybean dietary fiber, polydextrose, indigestible dextrin, galactomannan, inulin, guar gum hydrolyzate, pectin, gum arabic and the like. Only one type of these water-soluble dietary fibers may be used, or two or more types may be used in combination.

Antioxidants include, for example, sulfurous acid, vitamin C, and the like. These antioxidants may be used alone or in combination of two or more.
Foaming agents include, for example, soybean peptide, soybean saponin, alginate, quillaja saponin and the like. These foaming agents may be used alone or in combination of two or more.
Examples of protein hydrolyzate include soy protein hydrolyzate and the like. These protein hydrolyzates may be used alone or in combination of two or more.
Examples of coloring agents include pigments commonly used in food and drink such as caramel pigments. These coloring agents may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

In the method for improving flavor according to the present invention, a high-intensity sweetener, single-distilled shochu, and alcohol other than single-distilled shochu are used as raw materials, and the content in the beverage is 0.1 to 10 L / 1000 L in terms of pure alcohol. It can be carried out by producing an alcoholic beverage containing a high-intensity sweetener by containing a certain amount of shochu. An alcoholic beverage containing a high-intensity sweetener and single-distilled shochu by the method for improving flavor according to the present invention, wherein the concentration of the single-distilled shochu is 0.01 to 1% (v / v) in terms of pure alcohol. can be manufactured. The alcoholic beverage produced by the method for improving flavor according to the present invention has an alcohol concentration of 0.5% (v/v) or more and an extract content concentration of 10% (w/w) or less in the beverage. more preferably, the alcohol concentration is 0.5% (v/v) or more, and the extract concentration in the beverage is 2% (w/w) or less.

Examples of the method for producing an alcoholic beverage having an improved flavor by the method for improving flavor according to the present invention include a method of mixing raw materials (preparation method). The order of mixing each raw material is not particularly limited. All raw materials may be added to the raw material water at the same time, or the raw materials may be added sequentially, such as by adding the remaining raw material after dissolving the previously added raw material. Further, for example, raw material water may be mixed with a solid (for example, powder or granular) raw material and alcohol. May be mixed. Furthermore, heated raw materials may be added to the raw water, or the prepared mixed liquid may be heated.

If insoluble matter is generated in the prepared liquid preparation, it is preferable to subject the liquid preparation to a treatment such as filtration to remove the insoluble matter. The insoluble matter removal treatment is not particularly limited, and can be carried out by a method commonly used in the technical field, such as a filtration method or a centrifugation method. In the present invention, insoluble matter is preferably removed by filtration, more preferably by diatomaceous earth filtration.

For example, sparkling fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverages can be produced by using carbonated water or sparkling soft drinks such as cider or soda pop as raw materials. A sparkling fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverage can also be produced by preparing a mixed liquid in which all raw materials other than carbon dioxide gas are mixed, and then introducing carbon dioxide gas into this mixed liquid. Introduction of carbon dioxide gas can be performed by a conventional method.

EXAMPLES Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[sensory evaluation]
In subsequent experiments, a sensory evaluation of the aftertaste of sweetness was performed by six trained panelists, and the average score of all the panelists was used as the score to be evaluated.

Unless otherwise specified, the evaluation criteria for the aftertaste of sweetness were as follows.
Evaluation point 1: The aftertaste of sweetness is very weak.
Evaluation point 2: Sweet aftertaste is weak.
Evaluation point 3: Aftertaste of sweetness is slightly weak.
Evaluation point 4: The aftertaste of sweetness is strong.
Evaluation point 5: The aftertaste of sweetness is very strong.

[Reference example 1]
The aftertaste of sweetness of aspartame and sucralose was investigated. Fructose glucose liquid sugar was also used for comparison.
Specifically, first, raw material alcohol, water, each sweetener, and citric acid are mixed with an alcohol concentration of 5% (v / v), a sweetness of 6, and a citric acid concentration of 0.1% (w / w). A beverage was prepared.

The aftertaste of sweetness of each of the prepared beverages was examined by sensory evaluation. Table 1 shows the results. Aspartame and sucralose, which are high-intensity sweeteners, had a strong aftertaste of sweetness, and the sweetness remained in the mouth even after drinking, making it unrefreshing.

[Example 1]
Shochu was added to a sucralose-containing alcoholic beverage, which had a particularly strong aftertaste of sweetness, and its effect was investigated. Shochu is a potato shochu with an alcohol concentration of 25% (v/v), which is obtained by single atmospheric distillation of brewed liquor obtained from potatoes and white koji, and a single atmospheric distillation of brewed liquor obtained from rice and white koji. Rice shochu with an alcohol concentration of 25% (v/v) and barley shochu with an alcohol concentration of 25% (v/v) obtained by single atmospheric distillation of brewed liquor obtained from wheat and white koji were used.

First, an alcoholic beverage (reference beverage) having an alcohol concentration of 5% (v/v), a sweetness of 6, and a citric acid concentration of 0.1% (w/w) was prepared by mixing raw material alcohol, sucralose, and citric acid. prepared. Shochu was added to the reference beverage in an amount of 0.5 L/1000 L in terms of pure alcohol to prepare an alcoholic beverage having an alcohol concentration of 0.05% (v/v) derived from shochu in the beverage.

Sensory evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Reference Example 1 for the aftertaste of sweetness of each beverage. Table 2 shows the evaluation results. As a result, regardless of the type of shochu, beverages 1-1 to 1-3 with the addition of single distilled shochu (the ratio of the shochu-derived alcohol to the raw material alcohol-derived alcohol is 1% (v / v) in terms of pure alcohol ) also had a weaker aftertaste of sweetness than the drink 1-0 (reference drink without shochu addition), and the aftertaste of sweetness was improved, resulting in a refreshing taste. In particular, it was confirmed that the beverage 1-3 to which potato shochu was added had the weakest aftertaste of sweetness, and that potato shochu had the highest effect of improving the aftertaste of sweetness.

[Example 2]
The influence of the type of potato shochu on the effect of improving the aftertaste of sweetness of sucralose-containing alcoholic beverages by potato shochu confirmed in Example 1 was investigated. As potato shochu, shochu with an alcohol concentration of 25% (v/v), which is obtained by single atmospheric distillation of brewed liquor obtained from potatoes and white koji (white koji normal pressure distilled potato shochu), obtained from potatoes and white koji Shochu with an alcohol concentration of 25% (v / v), which is obtained by single-type vacuum distillation of brewed sake (white koji vacuum distilled potato shochu), and single-type atmospheric distillation of brewed sake obtained from potatoes and black koji, alcohol concentration of 25% (v / v) v/v) shochu (black koji atmospheric distillation potato shochu), shochu (black koji vacuum distilled potato shochu ) was used. The white koji vacuum distilled potato shochu is the same as the potato shochu used in Example 1.

First, an alcoholic beverage (reference beverage) having an alcohol concentration of 5% (v/v), a sweetness of 6, and a citric acid concentration of 0.1% (w/w) was prepared by mixing raw material alcohol, sucralose, and citric acid. prepared. Shochu was added to the reference beverage in an amount of 0.5 L/1000 L in terms of pure alcohol to prepare an alcoholic beverage having an alcohol concentration of 0.05% (v/v) derived from shochu in the beverage.

A sensory evaluation was performed for each beverage. Table 3 shows the results. As a result, beverages 2-1 to 2-4 (the ratio of shochu-derived alcohol to raw material alcohol-derived alcohol is 1% (v / v) in terms of pure alcohol) are all sweeter than the reference beverage. It was confirmed that potato shochu has the effect of improving the aftertaste of sweetness due to the high-intensity sweetener, regardless of the type of koji used for its production or the distillation method. It was observed that potato shochu obtained by atmospheric distillation tends to have a higher effect of improving aftertaste of sweetness than potato shochu obtained by vacuum distillation. Incidentally, all of the beverages 2-1 to 2-4 were alcoholic beverages with very high palatability without much concern about the taste of potato shochu.

[Example 3]
It was investigated whether or not an alcoholic beverage containing fruit juice could obtain an effect of improving the aftertaste of sweetness caused by a high-intensity sweetener by adding shochu. As the shochu, the same white koji vacuum distilled potato shochu used in Examples 1 and 2 was used.

As fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverages, three types of grape juice-containing alcoholic beverages A to C with different alcohol raw materials and one type of peach juice-containing alcoholic beverage D were used. All grape juice-containing alcoholic beverages have an alcohol concentration of 9% (v / v), an extract concentration of less than 2% (w / w), a grape juice of 2% (w / w), and a sweetness of 6. It contained acesulfame potassium, aspartame L-phenylalanine compound, and sucralose as sweeteners. Grape juice-containing alcoholic beverage A contained neutral alcohol as an alcohol raw material, grape juice-containing alcoholic beverage B contained continuous distilled shochu as an alcoholic raw material, and grape juice-containing alcoholic beverage C contained vodka as an alcoholic raw material. The peach juice-containing alcoholic beverage has an alcohol concentration of 9% (v / v), an extract concentration of less than 2% (w / w), a peach juice of 1.2% (w / w), a sweetness of 7, and alcohol It contained vodka as raw material and acesulfame potassium and sucralose as sweeteners.

Grape juice-containing alcoholic beverages A to C and peach (white peach) juice-containing alcoholic beverage D are added with potato shochu in an amount that is 0.1 to 50 L / 1000 L in terms of pure alcohol, and are derived from potato shochu in the beverage. A fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverage having an alcohol concentration as shown in Table 4 or 5 was prepared.

A sensory evaluation was performed on the aftertaste of sweetness and shochu feeling of each beverage. A fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverage to which shochu was not added was used as a reference beverage. As a comparative object, a sensory evaluation was similarly performed on a sweetener-free carbonated drink (a carbonated drink containing no sweetener or acidulant and having an alcohol concentration of 9% (v/v)). Sensory evaluation was performed according to the following evaluation criteria.

The evaluation criteria for the aftertaste of sweetness were as follows.
Evaluation point 1: The aftertaste of sweetness is weaker than the standard.
Evaluation point 2: Aftertaste of sweetness is slightly weaker than the standard.
Evaluation point 3: Equivalent to the standard.
Evaluation point 4: The aftertaste of sweetness is slightly stronger than the standard.
Evaluation point 5: Aftertaste of sweetness is stronger than the standard.

The evaluation criteria for the shochu feeling were as follows.
Evaluation point 0: Feeling of shochu is not felt.
Evaluation point 1: A feeling of shochu can be felt, but it is considerably weak.
Evaluation point 2: Feeling of shochu is weak.
Evaluation point 3: The taste of shochu can be clearly felt, but it does not impair the flavor of the beverage.
Evaluation point 4: The feeling of shochu is strong.
Evaluation point 5: The feeling of shochu is quite strong.

The evaluation criteria for comprehensive evaluation of beverages were as follows.
Evaluation point 1: Worse than the standard.
Evaluation point 2: Slightly worse than the standard.
Evaluation point 3: Equivalent to the standard.
Evaluation point 4: Slightly better than the reference.
Evaluation point 5: Better than the standard.

Tables 4 to 7 show the results of sensory evaluation of each beverage. Beverages 3-1 to 3-3, beverages 4-1 to 4-3, beverages 5-1 to 5-3, and beverages 6- added in an amount of 0.1 to 0.8 L / 1000 L in terms of pure alcohol In 1 to 6-3 (the ratio of alcohol derived from single distilled shochu to alcohol derived from alcohol other than single distilled shochu is 0.1 to 0.9% (v / v) in terms of pure alcohol), the standard beverage (no shochu The aftertaste of sweetness was weaker than that of the additive fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverage), and the aftertaste was refreshing. In addition, all of these beverages were very palatable fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverages, with the taste of potato shochu not being particularly noticeable. On the other hand, beverage 3-4, beverage 4-4, beverage 5-4, and beverage 6-4, in which the amount of potato shochu added is 50L / 1000L, has a strong potato shochu feeling, and the aftertaste of sweetness is standard. It has become stronger than the drink and the aftertaste has deteriorated. From these results, it was found that even in a fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverage, by containing an appropriate amount of potato shochu, it was possible to reduce the aftertaste of sweetness due to the high-intensity sweetener.

[Example 4]
It was investigated whether or not an alcoholic beverage containing fruit juice and having a low alcohol concentration could be improved in the aftertaste of sweetness caused by the high-intensity sweetener by adding shochu. As the shochu, the same white koji vacuum distilled potato shochu used in Examples 1 and 2 was used.

As a fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverage, grapes with an alcohol concentration of 0.5% (v / v), an extract concentration of 7.7% (w / w), grape juice of 2% (w / w), and a sweetness of 6 A fruit juice-containing alcoholic drink E was used. Grape juice-containing alcoholic beverage E contained neutral alcohol as an alcohol raw material, and contained acesulfame potassium, aspartame/L-phenylalanine compound, and sucralose as sweeteners.

Potato shochu is added to grape juice-containing alcoholic beverage E in an amount of 0.1 to 50 L / 1000 L in terms of pure alcohol, and the alcohol concentration derived from potato shochu in the beverage is as shown in Table 8 Grape juice. A contained alcoholic beverage was prepared.
Sensory evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 3 for the aftertaste of sweetness and shochu feeling of each drink. A grape juice-containing alcoholic beverage E to which shochu was not added was used as a reference beverage. For comparison, the sweetener-free carbonated beverage used in Example 3 was also subjected to sensory evaluation.

Table 8 shows the results of the sensory evaluation of each beverage. Beverages 7-1 to 7-3 with the addition of an amount that is 0.1 to 0.8 L / 1000 L in terms of pure alcohol (the ratio of the alcohol derived from single distilled shochu to the alcohol derived from alcohol other than single distilled shochu is converted to pure alcohol 2 to 16% (v/v) at 20% (v/v)), the sweetness was weaker than the standard drink (grape juice-containing alcoholic drink with no shochu added), and the aftertaste was refreshing. In addition, all of these beverages were very palatable fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverages, with the taste of potato shochu not being particularly noticeable. On the other hand, Beverage 7-4, in which the amount of potato shochu added was 50 L/1000 L, had a strong potato shochu feeling, a stronger aftertaste of sweetness than the standard beverage, and a worse aftertaste. From these results, it was found that even in a fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverage with a low alcohol concentration, by containing an appropriate amount of potato shochu, it was possible to reduce the aftertaste of sweetness due to the high-intensity sweetener.

Claims (13)

An alcoholic beverage characterized in that an alcoholic beverage containing a high-intensity sweetener and alcohol other than single-distilled shochu contains 0.1 to 10 L/1000 L of single-distilled shochu in terms of pure alcohol. Flavor improvement method. 2. The method of improving the flavor of an alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, wherein the aftertaste of sweetness characteristic of the high intensity sweetener of the alcoholic beverage is reduced. 3. The method for improving the flavor of alcoholic beverages according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the high-intensity sweetener is one or more selected from the group consisting of aspartame and sucralose. The method for improving the flavor of alcoholic beverages according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the single distilled shochu is potato shochu. The method for improving the flavor of alcoholic beverages according to claim 4, wherein the potato shochu is obtained by atmospheric distillation of brewed liquor obtained using white koji. The method for improving the flavor of alcoholic beverages according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the alcohol concentration is 0.5% (v/v) or more. The method for improving the flavor of alcoholic beverages according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the sweetness is 1 to 30. The method for improving the flavor of an alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the alcoholic beverage further contains fruit juice. The method for improving the flavor of an alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the alcoholic beverage has a Brix value of 2% or less. Using a high-intensity sweetener, single-distilled shochu, and alcohol other than single-distilled shochu as raw materials,
A method for producing an alcoholic beverage, characterized in that the shochu is contained in the beverage in an amount of 0.1 to 10 L/1000 L in terms of pure alcohol. Containing a high-intensity sweetener, single-distilled shochu, and alcohol other than single-distilled shochu,
alcohol concentration is 0.5% (v / v) or more,
An alcoholic beverage, wherein the shochu has a concentration of 0.01 to 1% (v/v) in terms of pure alcohol. 12. The alcoholic beverage according to claim 11, wherein the pot-distilled shochu is sweet potato shochu, and the high-intensity sweetener is one or more selected from the group consisting of aspartame and sucralose. The alcoholic beverage according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the alcohol content derived from pot-distilled shochu is 10% (v/v) or less of the alcohol content derived from alcohol other than pot-distilled shochu in terms of pure alcohol.