A DRINK PRODUCT

Abstract: A drink product comprises a liquid solution including in composition an alcoholic liquid base with one or a selection of flavoured essences, a sweetener, water and sodium caseinate to provide the solution with a specific gravity of less than 1.09, a protein level equivalent to 2.5 %, a ph value lower than 7, and an acidity level of less than 4.0, the solution being treated with Carbon Dioxide, Nitrogen or Nitrous Oxide and canned with a Nitrogen or Nitrous Oxide head pressure into cans each fitted internally with a fixed or floating head creating device.

Description: A DRINK PRODUCT This invention relates to a drink product, particularly a canned drink product, which on being opened and pourόd into a drinking vessel produces a creamy type head over the drink, for example a drink giving the appearance of Irish coffee with a dark liquid. Accordingly, the present invention is a drink product comprising a liquid solution including in composition an alcoholic liquid base with one or a selection of flavoured essences, a sweetner, water and a whey product heading agent to provide the solution with a specific gravity of less than 1.09, a protein level equivalent to 2.5%, a ph value lower than 7, and an acidity level of less than 4.0 ± 10%, the solution being pre- saturated with Carbon Dioxide, Nitrogen or Nitrous Oxide and canned with a Nitrogen or Nitrous Oxide head pressure into cans each fitted internally with a fixed or floating head creating device. Preferably, the alcoholic liquid base is a grape wine base and the resultant alcohol by volume (abv) value is 12.5%. Preferably also, the whey product heading agent is sodium caseinate. Preferably further, a particular selection of flavoured essences includes one or more coffee flavours, a chocolate flavour and a caramel flavour. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example. A drink product in the nature of Irish coffee comprises a liquid solution including in composition an alcoholic wine base with one or more coffee flavours, a chocolate flavour and a caramel flavour admixed with a sweetner, water and a whey product heading agent in this case sodium caseinate. The finished composition will have an alcohol content of 14.95 to 15.05 in percentage volume. The solution has a specific gravity of less than 1.09 preferably between 1.080 to 1.086, a protein level equivalent to 2.5%, a 12.5% abv., a ph value lower than 7, and an acidity level of less than 4.0% + 10%. The water is demineralised water and is also used to reduce the abv value to 12.5%. The abv value could be between 4 - 40%. The solution is treated or sparged with Nitrogen or Nitrous Oxide and canned with a Nitrogen or Nitrous Oxide head pressure into slim line 25cl cans, each of a type fitted internally with a fixed or floating head creating device or widget operable on a can being opened and the contents poured into a drinking vessel, such as a slim line glass or a stemmed Irish coffee glass. EXAMPLE: A liquid solution is formed from a composition of the following: INGREDIENT UNITS QUANTITY: per 1000 litres De/H2O Lts 35 Sodium Caseinate kg 10 Tru sweet Lts 274 Light Style Wine Base NE22Y Lts 686 Flavourings to balance The flavourings for an Irish Coffee type liquid solution are High Roast Coffee Flavour Lt 1 Mellow Coffee Flavour Lts 4 Chocolate Flavour Mis 300 Caramel 15639 kg 2 If the abv. value of the alcoholic liquid base is high, a greater amount of water (demineralised) is used to decrease this value. In a container, the water is gently heated to aid absorption of the solids which are added into the blend until all are dissolved. The container is removed from the heat and gradually, the wine base and sugar liquids are blended into the mix. This causes the heat in the mix to be reduced to room temperature. The process takes approximately one hour. The liquid produced is then ready for processing. The liquid solution needs to be pre-saturated preferably through a Small Pane Sinter at 4 to 5 bar of Nitrous Oxide before final filling. The smaller the gas bubble created, the better the dissolution of the Nitrous Oxide, and also the colder the product the easier the dissolution becomes. Ideally, the temperature is at 7°C but may be within the range of 4°C to 11°C. The product is pre-saturated by being treated or sparged with Nitrous Oxide to 5 bar (nominal) and canned with Nitrogen head pressure into the slim line 25cl cans each fitted with a head creating device. The treating or sparging of the product is within the range of 4 to 5 bar, the gas accounting for 3-3.4 grams per litre or V/z % by volume of the canned product. After each can is filled a drop of liquid Nitrogen is added to increase pressure to 2 - 2.5 bar and capped. If a fixed widget is used then each can is immediately inverted to pressurise the head creating device and then re-inverted ready for labelling and packing on trays and stored. The alcoholic liquid base may be other than a grape wine base, and other flavoured essences used may include fruit flavoured essences such as strawberry, peach, mango, tangerine, or kiwi, or other flavoured essences such as aniseed, liquorice or ginger. On opening of a can, the release of pressure causes the collected gas in the head creating device to pass through the product. When poured, the product is gaseous and on standing ideally separates into a liquid and a head of approximately 2cms in about two minutes depending on shape and size of glass used. The product when poured into a non-metallic drinking vessel can be micro-waved for approximately 40 seconds or at least so long as it is not boiled. This gives a simulated hot Irish Coffee. Due to there being no milk/cream in the product, it does not require pasteurisation nor sterilisation. Nitrous Oxide gives taste and texture to the head reacting with the other constituents. The drink product is a cocktail drink and beneficial in that on a single pour, separates into a coloured or clear liquid and a head. The pre-satu ration can be achieved by Carbon Dioxide or Nitrogen rather than Nitrous Oxide. Variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention described above and as claimed hereinafter.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A drink product comprising a liquid solution including in composition an alcoholic liquid base with one or a selection of flavoured essences, a sweetener, water and a whey product heading agent to provide the solution with a specific gravity of less than 1.09, a protein level equivalent to 2.5%, a ph value lower than 7, and an acidity level of less than 4.0% ± 10% , the solution being pre-saturated with Nitrogen or Nitrous Oxide and canned with a Carbon Dioxide, a Nitrogen or Nitrous Oxide head pressure into cans each fitted internally with a fixed or floating head creating device. 2. A drink product as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the alcoholic liquid base is grape wine base. 3. A drink product as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the resultant alcohol volume value is 12.5%. 4. A drink product as claimed in Claim 1 , 2 or 3, wherein the whey product heading agent is sodium caseinate. 5. A drink product as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the liquid solution, on being poured from a can, separates into a coloured or clear liquid and a head. 6. A drink product as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein a selection of flavoured essences includes one or more coffee flavours, a chocolate flavour and caramel flavour. 7. A drink product as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the selection of flavoured essences includes a strawberry flavour, a peach flavour, a mango flavour, a tangerine flavour or a Kiwi flavour. 8. A drink product as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the selection of flavoured essences includes an aniseed flavour, a liquorice flavour or a ginger flavour 9. A drink product as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the liquid solution on being poured from a can into a drinking vessel, is capable of being micro-waved and heated to a non-boiling temperature. 10. A drink substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the example.

Inventors: KILLEN IAN, KILLEN, IAN
Applicants: BETTER BRANDS NI LTD, KILLEN IAN, BETTER BRANDS NI LIMITED, KILLEN, IAN
Application year: 2001
Main classification: C12G3
IPC codes: C12G3