Method for producing an ice-suspension beverage

Abstract

This invention provides a method for producing an ice suspension beverage, which can be used as a means to enhance the enjoyment of consuming the beverage by observing how it transforms into an ice suspension. [Solution] A supercooled beverage 10 is prepared, and physical stimulation is applied to the beverage 10 in the drinking vessel 2 so that the supercooled beverage changes into an ice suspension. Physical stimulation can be applied by means such as stirring the beverage, adding additives to the beverage, shaking the beverage, or pouring the beverage into the cooled vessel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a beverage in an ice suspension state.

Background Art

[0002] As a method for producing a beverage in an ice suspension state, a beverage enclosed in a bottle is cooled without applying a stimulus to a temperature range lower than the freezing point so that the beverage is in a supercooled state, and then the beverage in the bottle is vibrated to generate ice nuclei, thereby changing the beverage into an ice suspension state. A method is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Conventional production methods change the beverage into an ice suspension state inside a beverage container such as a bottle by vibrating the container itself, or utilize the physical stimulus generated when pouring the beverage in the bottle into a drinking utensil such as a glass to sequentially change the beverage into an ice suspension state during the pouring process of the beverage. However, those methods have several problems. For example, when changing the beverage into an ice suspension state inside a bottle-shaped beverage container, it may be difficult to smoothly ingest the ice suspension beverage through a narrow opening. When changing to an ice suspension state during pouring into a utensil, it may not be sufficient to enhance the interest during beverage intake by allowing the user, who is the consumer of the beverage, to observe the change in the state of the beverage. For example, when pouring the beverage into a utensil and providing it to the user, the user is only provided with a beverage that has already changed to an ice suspension state, and the user cannot observe the state of the change.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to solve the problems of conventional production methods and provide a method for producing an ice suspension beverage that can be used as a means to enhance the enjoyment of consuming the beverage by observing how the beverage changes into an ice suspension. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A method for producing an ice suspension beverage according to one aspect of the present invention includes the steps of preparing a beverage in a supercooled state and applying physical stimulation to the beverage in a drinking vessel so that the supercooled beverage changes into an ice suspension. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A diagram illustrating an example of a procedure for cooling a beverage to a supercooled state. [Figure 2] A diagram illustrating an example of the procedure for pouring a beverage into a drinking vessel while maintaining a supercooled state. [Figure 3] A diagram illustrating an example of a procedure for applying physical stimulation to a supercooled beverage using a stirring bar. [Figure 4] This diagram illustrates an example of a procedure for adding additives to a supercooled beverage to apply physical stimulation. [Figure 5] A diagram illustrating an example of a procedure for applying physical stimulation to a supercooled beverage using ultrasound. [Figure 6] A diagram illustrating an example of cooling beverages while they are poured into a dish. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Figures 1 to 3 show an example of a procedure for producing an ice suspension beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a beverage filled in a bottle 1, as an example of a beverage container, is poured into a cup 2, as an example of a drinking vessel, and the beverage is transformed into an ice suspension inside the cup 2. However, the beverage container is not limited to bottle 1 and includes various containers used for transporting and storing beverages. For example, various containers such as bottles, pitchers, drink servers, and water bottles may be used as beverage containers. The drinking vessel is not limited to cup 2 and can be any vessel with an opening of a suitable size for pouring or consuming beverages. For example, drinking vessels include glasses, mugs, tumblers, and other so-called drinkware. Furthermore, bowls and goblet-shaped vessels may also be included as drinking vessels as long as they are used for drinking. An ice suspension beverage is a beverage in which ice crystals are suspended in the liquid. The beverages covered may include various types of beverages, such as tea-based beverages, carbonated beverages, fruit juices, coffee beverages, mineral water, vegetable juices, and alcoholic beverages, as long as they can create a supercooled state. Tap water, purified water, and carbonated water are also included in the category of beverages as long as they are consumed.

[0009] In this embodiment, an ice suspension beverage is produced according to the following procedure. 1. Prepare a supercooled beverage. In this embodiment, preparing a supercooled beverage involves the following two-step procedure. (1) Cooling of beverages As shown in Figure 1, a bottle 1 filled with beverage is placed in a cooler 3, and the beverage is cooled to a temperature below its freezing point without subjecting the bottle 1 to any physical disturbance. As a result, the beverage inside the bottle 1 does not solidify and remains in a supercooled state as a liquid. The bottle 1 to be cooled may be closed or open. Also, the beverage in the bottle 1 may be uncooked or partially consumed.

[0010] (2) Pouring beverages into tableware Remove the supercooled beverage from the refrigerator 3. If bottle 1 is sealed, open it. Then, pour the beverage from bottle 1 into cup 2. At this stage, pour the beverage into cup 2 in a way that maintains its supercooled state. That is, pour the beverage gently into cup 2 so that no physical stimulus necessary to create ice nuclei is applied to the beverage. As an example of a method to achieve such pouring, as shown in Figure 2, cup 2 may be tilted so that the beverage 10 flows down the inner wall 2a of cup 2. In this case, the opening 1a of bottle 1 should be brought as close as possible to the inner wall 2a of cup 2 to prevent unnecessary physical stimulus from being applied to the beverage 10. At this stage, it is not necessarily required to pour the entire amount of beverage from bottle 1 into cup 2. If only a portion of the beverage is poured into cup 2, the remaining beverage can be used on another occasion, or the beverage can be distributed into multiple cups 2 to provide supercooled beverages to multiple users.

[0011] 2. Adding physical stimulation to beverages After pouring the required amount of beverage into cup 2, a physical stimulus is applied to the beverage 10 in cup 2 to create ice nuclei in the beverage 10. This changes the beverage 10 in cup 2 from a supercooled state to an ice suspension containing ice crystal clusters 11. The physical stimulus may be applied by various means, as long as it adds enough energy to the beverage to create ice nuclei. For example, as shown in Figure 3, a physical stimulus may be applied to the beverage 10 by inserting a stirrer 4 into the beverage in cup 2 and stirring the beverage 10.

[0012] The stirring bar 4 can be appropriately selected as long as it can stir the beverage 10. For example, a stick-shaped item such as a straw, stirrer, or chopsticks may be used as the stirring bar 4. Cutlery such as a spoon or fork may also be used as the stirring bar 4. The stirring bar 4 may be further cooled. Cooling the stirring bar 4 can promote the formation of ice nuclei necessary to change the beverage 10 into an ice suspension. Furthermore, the stirring bar 4 may be cooled to contain ice. For example, a stirring bar 4 containing ice may be formed by sealing a liquid such as water inside a straw and cooling it to a low temperature below the freezing point of the liquid to freeze the liquid. Alternatively, a stirring bar 4 containing ice may be formed by dropping liquid onto the scoop of a stirrer and cooling it to a low temperature below the freezing point of the liquid to freeze the liquid. Alternatively, a stirring bar 4 containing ice may be formed by impregnating a stirring bar made of wood or other material with hygroscopic properties, such as disposable chopsticks, with liquid and cooling it to a low temperature below the freezing point of the liquid to freeze the liquid.

[0013] When using the stirring bar 4 which contains ice, the liquid that serves as the raw material for the ice may be water or the beverage to be consumed. Alternatively, seasonings and other various liquids may be used as the raw material for ice to be included in the stirring bar 4, as long as there is no problem with consuming them together with the beverage.

[0014] When the beverage 10 is stirred using a stirring bar 4 that has been cooled to contain ice, the ice in the stirring bar 4 comes into contact with the supercooled beverage 10 in the cup 2, further promoting the formation of ice nuclei necessary for the beverage 10 to transform into an ice suspension. Therefore, it is possible to transform the beverage 10 in the cup 2 into an ice suspension more quickly and easily.

[0015] The means of adding physical stimulation to the beverage 10 are not limited to stirring the beverage using the stirrer 4. For example, physical stimulation may be added to the beverage 10 by adding an additive to the beverage 10 in the cup 2. For example, as shown in Figure 4, physical stimulation may be added to the beverage 10 by adding an ice block 5 as an example of an additive to the beverage 10 in the cup 2. Adding an ice block 5 can also promote the formation of ice nuclei. However, the additive is not limited to the ice block 5, and various substances to be added to the beverage 10 may be selected as additives. For example, fruit pulp, sugar confectionery or other topping materials to be added to the beverage 10, or decorative items to enhance the appearance of the beverage 10 may be added to the beverage 10 as additives. The additive may also be various items that are immersed in the beverage 10 and used, such as straws, spoons, and stirrers. Various additives may be cooled in the same way as the stirrer 4 described above and added to the beverage 10. Furthermore, the additive may be added to the beverage 10 in a cooled state that includes ice. The ice block 5 is an example of such an additive. When additives are added to apply physical stimulation, it is possible to change the beverage 10 into an ice suspension without operations such as stirring, making it easier to change the state of the beverage 10. Furthermore, by cooling the additives or cooling them to include ice, it is possible to promote the formation of ice nuclei and change the beverage 10 into an ice suspension more rapidly.

[0016] Furthermore, physical stimulation may be applied to the beverage 10 by vibrating the beverage 10 inside cup 2. For example, as shown in Figure 5, physical stimulation may be applied to the beverage 10 by placing cup 2 on the vibration section 6a of the ultrasonic vibrator 6 and vibrating the beverage 10 with ultrasound. Alternatively, physical stimulation may be applied to the beverage 10 by covering cup 2 and shaking cup 2 itself.

[0017] According to the above production method, since the beverage 10 is changed into an ice suspension in the cup 2, there is no inconvenience that makes it difficult to pour out the changed beverage 10 from the bottle 1. The user, who is the consumer of the beverage 10, can observe how the state of the beverage 10 changes in the cup 2. Thereby, it is possible to provide the user with a new interest when consuming the beverage. If the user applies physical stimulation by means such as stirring, the interest can be further enhanced.

[0018] When changing the beverage into an ice suspension by utilizing the physical stimulation when pouring the beverage, it is necessary to pour the beverage with a certain degree of force, and since the new beverage hits the solidified beverage in the tableware, the beverage is likely to splash around the tableware. On the other hand, when changing the beverage into an ice suspension in the tableware, there is no need to pour the beverage with force, and the new beverage does not hit the solidified beverage with force either. Therefore, the advantage that the beverage is difficult to splash around even when physical stimulation is applied to the beverage is obtained.

[0019] The physical stimulation may be applied by a person other than the user. For example, in a beverage store such as a café, the beverage is cooled and stored in a supercooled state, the beverage is poured into the cup 2 in front of the customer as a user, and then, a store clerk of the beverage store applies physical stimulation to the beverage 10 in the cup 2 so that the customer can observe how the beverage changes into an ice suspension in the cup 2. Even in that case, it is possible to let the user experience a new production in beverage consumption. Also, such an experience can be effectively utilized as one of the commercial materials in the beverage store.

[0020] When stirring the beverage 10 in the cup 2 with a stirrer 4, when adding an additive to the beverage 10, or when shaking the cup 2 itself, the beverage 10 can be changed into an ice suspension without using any special devices. Therefore, it is possible for the user to easily experience the change in the state of the beverage.

[0021] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and may be implemented in any form with appropriate modifications or changes. For example, the procedure for preparing a supercooled beverage does not necessarily have to be carried out in two stages: a procedure for cooling the beverage in a beverage container, and a procedure for pouring the supercooled beverage from the beverage container into a drinking dish. For example, as shown in Figure 6, the beverage may be placed in a cooler 3 to cool the beverage to a supercooled state, thereby preparing the supercooled beverage in a dish. In the example in Figure 6, the cup 2 may be closed with a lid.

[0022] The methods of applying physical stimuli are not necessarily limited to stirring the beverage, adding additives, or shaking the beverage. For example, even when a container such as cup 2 is cooled to a temperature below the freezing point of the beverage and the beverage is gently poured into the container as illustrated in Figure 2, it is possible to apply the physical stimuli necessary to create ice nuclei in the beverage, thereby changing the beverage into an ice suspension within the container. In this case, the beverage can be considered to be subjected to thermal stimuli, and this type of stimuli also falls under the category of physical stimuli.

[0023] As drinking tableware, transparent tableware that allows the user to observe the changes in the beverage inside the tableware is preferably used, from the viewpoint of showing the user how the beverage changes into an ice suspension state inside the tableware. However, even opaque tableware can be used as tableware to apply the present invention, as it is possible to observe how the state of the beverage changes through the opening. The material of the tableware may be appropriately selected from a single material such as glass, resin, or metal, or a composite material combining these.

[0024] Various aspects of the present invention derived from the embodiments and modifications described above are described below. In the following description, corresponding components shown in the accompanying drawings are indicated in parentheses to facilitate understanding of each aspect of the present invention, but this does not mean that the present invention is limited to the illustrated forms.

[0025] A method for producing an ice suspension beverage according to one aspect of the present invention includes the steps of preparing a beverage (10) in a supercooled state and applying physical stimulation to the beverage in a drinking vessel so that the supercooled beverage changes into an ice suspension.

[0026] According to the above-described method of production, since a physical stimulus is applied to the supercooled beverage within the dish to change it into an ice suspension, the inconvenience of difficulty in pouring the changed beverage from the beverage container does not occur. The user, who is the consumer of the beverage, can observe the process of the beverage changing into an ice suspension within the dish, and this process can be used as a means to provide the user with a new level of interest when consuming the beverage. Another advantage is that the splashing of the beverage around the dish can be suppressed.

[0027] In the above embodiment, the following matters may be further added. Various matters may be combined and applied as appropriate, provided that they do not contradict each other.

[0028] In the above embodiment of the production method, the preparation procedure may involve preparing the supercooled beverage in a container. This allows the user to reliably observe the beverage changing into an ice suspension state within the container by first preparing the supercooled beverage in a container and then applying physical stimulation to the beverage in the container.

[0029] Furthermore, the preparation procedure may further include a procedure for cooling the beverage in the beverage container (1) to a supercooled state, and a procedure for pouring the beverage in the beverage container into the dish while maintaining the supercooled state. In this case, it is possible to cool the beverage to a supercooled state using the beverage container, and at least a portion of the beverage can be taken out into the dish while it is still supercooled and transformed into an ice suspension. When pouring a portion of the beverage into the dish, the remaining beverage can be used on another occasion, or the beverage can be distributed into multiple dishes to provide supercooled beverages to multiple users.

[0030] In the procedure for applying the aforementioned physical stimulus, the physical stimulus may be applied by stirring the beverage in the dish. By stirring the beverage in the dish, the beverage can be reliably transformed into an ice suspension within the dish.

[0031] When stirring a beverage, the beverage may be stirred using a cooled stirring bar (4). This promotes the formation of ice nuclei necessary to transform the beverage into an ice suspension. Furthermore, the beverage may be stirred using a stirring bar (4) that has been cooled to contain ice. By bringing the ice contained in the stirring bar into contact with the beverage, the formation of ice nuclei can be further promoted. According to these embodiments, it is possible to transform the beverage in the dish into an ice suspension more quickly and easily.

[0032] In the procedure for applying the physical stimulus, the physical stimulus may be applied by adding the additive (5) to be added to the beverage in the dish. By simply adding the additive to the beverage, the beverage in the dish can be physically stimulated and transformed into an ice suspension.

[0033] When additives are used, cooled additives may be added to the beverage. This promotes the formation of ice nuclei necessary to transform the beverage into an ice suspension. Furthermore, additives cooled to contain ice may be added to the beverage. By bringing the ice contained in the additive into contact with the beverage, the formation of ice nuclei can be further promoted. According to these embodiments, it is possible to transform the beverage into an ice suspension more quickly and easily.

[0034] In the procedure for applying the aforementioned physical stimulus, the physical stimulus may be applied by shaking the beverage in the dish. By shaking the beverage in the dish, a physical stimulus can be applied to the beverage, causing it to change into an ice suspension.

[0035] In the procedure for applying the aforementioned physical stimulus, the beverage in the dish may be vibrated with ultrasound. This allows the beverage in the dish to be quickly and reliably transformed into an ice suspension using ultrasonic vibrations.

[0036] In the above embodiment of the production method, the step of applying the physical stimulus may be performed by pouring the supercooled beverage into a dish that has been cooled to a temperature below the freezing point of the beverage. This makes it possible for the user to observe how the beverage changes into an ice suspension state within the dish when the beverage is poured gently into the dish, by using the cooled dish to apply a physical stimulus to the beverage. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0037] 1 bottle 2 cups 2a Inner wall of the cup 3. Cooler 4. Stirring bar 5 Ice blocks 6. Ultrasonic vibrator 10 Beverages 11 Crystal Groups

Claims

1. The procedure for preparing a beverage in a supercooled state, A procedure for applying physical stimulation to a beverage in a drinking vessel so that the supercooled beverage inside the vessel changes into an ice suspension, A method for producing an ice-suspension-like beverage containing [a specific ingredient / material].

2. The method for producing an ice suspension beverage according to claim 1, wherein the preparation procedure involves preparing the beverage in a supercooled state while it is contained in the container.

3. The steps to prepare as described above are: The procedure for cooling a beverage in a beverage container to a supercooled state, A procedure for pouring the beverage from the beverage container into the dish while maintaining a supercooled state, A method for producing an ice suspension beverage according to claim 2, further comprising:

4. The method for producing an ice suspension beverage according to claim 2, wherein the physical stimulus is applied by stirring the beverage in the dish.

5. A method for producing an ice suspension beverage according to claim 4, wherein the beverage is stirred using a cooled stirring bar.

6. A method for producing an ice suspension beverage according to claim 4, wherein the beverage is stirred using a stirrer that has been cooled to contain ice.

7. The method for producing an ice suspension beverage according to claim 2, wherein the physical stimulus is applied by adding an additive to the beverage in the dish.

8. A method for producing an ice suspension beverage according to claim 7, wherein a cooled additive is added to the beverage.

9. A method for producing an ice suspension beverage according to claim 7, wherein an additive cooled to include ice is added to the beverage.

10. The method for producing an ice suspension beverage according to claim 2, wherein the step of applying the physical stimulus is to apply the physical stimulus by shaking the beverage in the dish.

11. The method for producing an ice suspension beverage according to claim 10, wherein the step of applying the physical stimulus involves vibrating the beverage in the dish with ultrasonic waves.

12. The method for producing an ice suspension beverage according to claim 1, wherein the physical stimulation is applied by pouring the supercooled beverage into a dish that has been cooled to a temperature below the freezing point of the beverage.

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