A distilled liquor made from juniper berries

Abstract

To provide a production method for a distilled alcoholic beverage that uses juniper berries as a raw material, the method being capable of controlling fresh, herbal and woody flavors to suitable intensities while suppressing harsh off-flavors in the distillate.SOLUTION: A method for producing a distilled alcoholic beverage using juniper berries as a raw material comprises the steps of: (a) coarsely grinding juniper berries; (b) mixing the coarsely ground juniper berries with an ethanol aqueous solution; and (c) subjecting the resulting mixture to a distillation treatment.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a distilled spirit made from juniper berries. [Background technology]

[0002] Juniper berries are essential in the production of gin, but usually the berries are used whole (complete juniper berries) without any processing, and the components that contribute to the aroma and flavor are extracted by soaking the whole berries in alcohol or exposing them to steam. Normally, it is difficult to create a product with an excellent flavor using juniper berries alone, so various herbs (botanicals) such as coriander, cardamom, and cinnamon are used in combination.

[0003] Various techniques have been proposed to improve the flavor of gin. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a technique of using roasted juniper berries in place of all or part of the juniper berries. Patent Document 1 describes that by using roasted juniper berries, the resulting gin has a reduced bitter taste that sticks in the throat and a mellow aftertaste. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-165540 Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present inventors have found that by using coarsely ground juniper berries in the production of distilled spirits using juniper berries as a raw material, it is possible to control the intensity of fresh, herbal, and woody flavors in the distillate while suppressing the bitterness in the distillate. The present invention is based on this finding.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention provides a method for producing a distilled liquor using juniper berries as a raw material, which has a fresh flavor, herbal flavor, and woody flavor controlled to an appropriate intensity while suppressing the bitterness in the distillate, a distilled liquor obtained by the method, and an alcoholic beverage containing the distilled liquor.

[0007] The present invention includes the following inventions. [1] A method for producing a distilled liquor using juniper berries as a raw material, comprising: (a) coarsely grinding juniper berries; (b) mixing the coarsely ground juniper berries with an aqueous ethanol solution; and (c) distilling the resulting mixture The method comprising: [2] The method according to [1] above, wherein in step (a), the juniper berries are coarsely ground so that 2 to 8 crushed pieces are obtained from one juniper berry. [3] The method according to [1] above, wherein the mixture of coarsely ground juniper berries and an aqueous ethanol solution obtained in step (b) is soaked for 1 to 48 hours before step (c). [4] The method according to [1] above, wherein the distilled alcoholic beverage produced is gin. [5] The method according to [1] above, wherein only juniper berries are used as botanicals. [6] A distilled alcoholic beverage produced by the method according to any one of [1] to [5] above. [7] A distilled liquor made from juniper berries, It contains alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, and limonene. the ratio of the beta-pinene content (ppm) to the alpha-pinene content (ppm) is between 0.05 and 0.1, and / or A distilled spirit in which the ratio of limonene content (ppm) to alpha-pinene content (ppm) is 0.08 to 0.28. [8] The distilled spirit described in [7] above, having an alpha-pinene content of 10 ppm or more, a beta-pinene content of 2 ppm or more, and a limonene content of 3 ppm or more. [9] The distilled spirit described in [7] above, which is gin.

[10] The distilled spirit described in [7] above, in which only juniper berries are used as botanicals.

[11] An alcoholic beverage containing the distilled liquor described in [6] above.

[12] An alcoholic beverage containing the distilled liquor according to any one of [7] to

[10] above.

[13] A method for controlling fresh flavor, herbal flavor, and woody flavor while suppressing bitterness in a distilled liquor using juniper berries as a raw material, the method comprising the following steps in the production process of the distilled liquor: (a) coarsely grinding juniper berries; (b) mixing the coarsely ground juniper berries with an aqueous ethanol solution; and (c) distilling the resulting mixture The way in which this is done.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for producing a distilled liquor using juniper berries as a raw material, in which the bitterness in the distillate is suppressed while the fresh flavor, herbal flavor, and woody flavor are controlled to a suitable intensity, a distilled liquor obtained by the method, and an alcoholic beverage containing the distilled liquor.

[0009] The distilled spirit of the present invention is made from coarsely ground juniper berries. In other words, the distilled spirit of the present invention uses botanicals as a raw material and contains coarsely ground juniper berries as the botanicals.

[0010] Here, "distilled alcohol" refers to alcohol produced by distilling an alcohol-containing substance. Distilled alcohol is defined as a distilled alcoholic beverage under the Liquor Tax Act, and examples include various spirits such as gin, shochu, brandy, vodka, and whiskey, as well as raw alcohol, and may be one or a combination of two or more of these. However, among these, gin is preferred as a distilled alcoholic beverage.

[0011] Gin is a clear, colorless distilled alcoholic beverage made by saccharifying, fermenting, and distilling grains such as barley, rye, and potatoes, and then adding flavoring components (botanical components) from herbs, roots, and bark, and further distilling the resulting liquid.

[0012] Furthermore, when the distilled liquor of the present invention is served to consumers, restaurants, etc., it may be served neat or on the rocks, or it may be served as a beverage base (RTS: Ready To Serve) and then diluted with a mixer, or it may be served as a beverage (RTD: Ready To Drink) after diluting the distilled liquor, which is the beverage base, with a mixer.

[0013] The distilled spirit of the present invention can be produced by a method including the steps of (a) coarsely grinding juniper berries, (b) mixing the coarsely ground juniper berries with an aqueous ethanol solution, and (c) distilling the resulting mixture.

[0014] Juniper berries are cones of the common juniper (Juniperus communis). In step (a), the juniper berries are coarsely ground. Here, "coarsely grinding" means dividing (splitting) the cone into two or more pieces, and is also called "cracking." However, "coarsely grinding" in the present invention does not include crushing the cone. In the present invention, by appropriately dividing the juniper berry cone, the total cross-sectional area of ​​the cone can be adjusted to an appropriate range, thereby making it possible to obtain the effects demonstrated in the examples. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the juniper berries are coarsely ground so that 2 to 8 crushed pieces are obtained from one juniper berry.

[0015] Next, in step (b), the coarsely ground juniper berries are mixed with an aqueous ethanol solution. The ethanol concentration of the aqueous ethanol solution is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10 v / v% or more, more preferably 20 v / v% or more, 30 v / v% or more, 35 v / v% or more, or 40 v / v% or more. The ethanol concentration of the aqueous ethanol solution is preferably 80 v / v% or less, more preferably 70 v / v% or less, 65 v / v% or less, 60 v / v% or less, or 50 v / v% or less. Suitable examples of such aqueous ethanol solutions include distillates obtained by saccharifying, fermenting, and distilling grains such as barley, rye, and potato.

[0016] The amount of coarsely ground juniper berries to be mixed with the aqueous ethanol solution can be selected depending on the intensity of flavor desired to be imparted to the final distilled spirit. For example, if the distilled spirit of the present invention is used as a flavoring to be added to food or beverage, it is desirable to set the weight of coarsely ground juniper berries relative to the volume of the aqueous ethanol solution to be relatively large. On the other hand, if the distilled spirit of the present invention is to be consumed as is, it is desirable to set the weight of coarsely ground juniper berries relative to the volume of the aqueous ethanol solution to be relatively small. From this perspective, those skilled in the art can appropriately determine the weight of coarsely ground juniper berries relative to the volume of the aqueous ethanol solution; for example, it can be 0.5 to 30 g / L, preferably 1 to 25 g / L, and more preferably 2 to 22.5 g / L.

[0017] In addition to coarsely ground juniper berries, whole juniper berries that have not been coarsely ground may also be used. The ratio of coarsely ground juniper berries to whole juniper berries is not particularly limited and can be determined appropriately by those skilled in the art. For example, the ratio of the surface area of ​​the juniper berry skin to the cross-sectional surface area exposed by coarse grinding is considered important for achieving the effects of the present invention. Therefore, whole juniper berries may be used as an ingredient that increases only the surface area of ​​the skin without increasing the cross-sectional surface area. As an example, when a distilled spirit using a predetermined amount of juniper berries with a predetermined degree of coarse grinding (degree of crushing) is desired to have a flavor similar to that of a distilled spirit using only whole juniper berries, whole juniper berries can be added instead of adjusting the degree of coarse grinding.

[0018] The mixture of coarsely ground juniper berries and aqueous ethanol solution obtained in step (b) is subjected to distillation in step (c), but it is preferable to subject the berries to a soaking treatment directly prior to step (c). The soaking treatment can be carried out under conditions typically used in the production of distilled spirits using botanicals, preferably for 1 to 48 hours, more preferably for 2 to 24 hours, and even more preferably for 5 to 20 hours. The preferred temperature conditions are 2 to 40°C, more preferably 5 to 30°C, and even more preferably 10 to 25°C.

[0019] In step (c), the mixture of coarsely ground juniper berries and aqueous ethanol obtained in step (b) is distilled to produce the distilled spirit of the present invention. This distillation can be carried out under conditions typically used in the production of distilled spirits using botanicals, and common methods such as the steeping method (immersion method) and the vapor infusion method (basket method) can be used, but the steeping method is preferred.

[0020] The alcohol concentration of the distilled liquor of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10 v / v% or more, more preferably 20 v / v% or more, 30 v / v% or more, 35 v / v% or more, or 40 v / v% or more. The alcohol concentration of the distilled liquor is preferably 80 v / v% or less, more preferably 70 v / v% or less, 65 v / v% or less, 60 v / v% or less, or 50 v / v% or less. The alcohol concentration (alcohol content) of the distilled liquor of the present invention can be measured, for example, according to the National Tax Agency's prescribed analytical method (instruction) 3 Sake 3-4 Alcohol Content (Vibration Density Meter Method).

[0021] One advantage of the present invention is that the effects demonstrated in the examples can be obtained without using any material other than juniper berries as botanicals. Therefore, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, juniper berries alone are used as the botanical in the production of the distilled spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, in the present invention, citrus fruits, herbs, etc. may be used in combination as additional botanicals, as long as the effects can be obtained by using juniper berries as the botanical. Therefore, according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, juniper berries are used in combination with an additional botanical selected from the group consisting of citrus fruits and herbs as the botanical in the production of the distilled spirit of the present invention.

[0022] In the present invention, it has been revealed that the distilled spirits produced as described above and exhibiting the effects described in the Examples have a different component composition compared to conventional distilled spirits of the same type. Therefore, the distilled spirits according to the second aspect of the present invention have any of the following characteristics. Note that, in this specification, "ppm" is synonymous with "mg / L." (1) A distilled liquor made from juniper berries, containing alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, and limonene. the ratio of the β-pinene content (ppm) to the α-pinene content (ppm) is 0.05 to 0.1, preferably 0.06 to 0.09, and more preferably 0.07 to 0.08; A distilled spirit in which the ratio of the limonene content (ppm) to the α-pinene content (ppm) is 0.08 to 0.28, preferably 0.09 to 0.20, and more preferably 0.10 to 0.15. (2) A distilled liquor made from juniper berries containing alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, and limonene. The α-pinene content is 10 ppm or more, preferably 20 ppm or more, and more preferably 25 to 30 ppm; The β-pinene content is 2 ppm or more, preferably 5 ppm or more, and more preferably 6 to 7 ppm; A distilled alcoholic beverage having a limonene content of 3 ppm or more, preferably 7 ppm or more, and more preferably 8 to 10 ppm. (3) A distilled liquor made from juniper berries containing alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, and limonene. the ratio of the β-pinene content (ppm) to the α-pinene content (ppm) is 0.05 to 0.1, preferably 0.06 to 0.09, and more preferably 0.07 to 0.08; A distilled spirit in which the ratio of the limonene content (ppm) to the α-pinene content (ppm) is 0.08 to 0.28, preferably 0.09 to 0.20, and more preferably 0.10 to 0.15, and the α-pinene content is 10 ppm or more, preferably 20 ppm or more, and more preferably 30 ppm. (4) A distilled liquor made from juniper berries containing alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, and limonene. the ratio of the β-pinene content (ppm) to the α-pinene content (ppm) is 0.05 to 0.1, preferably 0.06 to 0.09, and more preferably 0.07 to 0.08; A distilled spirit in which the ratio of the limonene content (ppm) to the α-pinene content (ppm) is 0.08 to 0.28, preferably 0.09 to 0.20, and more preferably 0.10 to 0.15, and the β-pinene content is 2 ppm or more, preferably 5 ppm or more, and more preferably 6 to 7 ppm. (5) A distilled liquor made from juniper berries containing alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, and limonene. the ratio of the β-pinene content (ppm) to the α-pinene content (ppm) is 0.05 to 0.1, preferably 0.06 to 0.09, and more preferably 0.07 to 0.08; A distilled spirit in which the ratio of the limonene content (ppm) to the α-pinene content (ppm) is 0.08 to 0.28, preferably 0.09 to 0.20, and more preferably 0.10 to 0.15, and the limonene content is 3.0 ppm or more, preferably 7 ppm or more, and more preferably 8 to 10 ppm. (6) A distilled liquor made from juniper berries, containing alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, and limonene. the ratio of the β-pinene content (ppm) to the α-pinene content (ppm) is 0.05 to 0.1, preferably 0.06 to 0.09, and more preferably 0.07 to 0.08; the ratio of the limonene content (ppm) to the α-pinene content (ppm) is 0.08 to 0.28, preferably 0.09 to 0.20, more preferably 0.10 to 0.15, and the α-pinene content is 10 ppm or more, preferably 20 ppm or more, more preferably 25 to 30 ppm; The β-pinene content is 2 ppm or more, preferably 5 ppm or more, and more preferably 6 to 7 ppm; A distilled alcoholic beverage having a limonene content of 3 ppm or more, preferably 7 ppm or more, and more preferably 8 to 10 ppm.

[0023] The concentrations of α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene, and the like in a liquid can be measured, for example, by gas chromatography analysis. Specifically, a sample is placed in a vial, and the aroma component sample in the vial is drawn up with a syringe and subjected to gas chromatography for quantitative analysis. An analyzer used for such measurements is, for example, the gas chromatograph "Agilent 8890GC" (Agilent Technologies). Further details of the gas chromatography analysis method are described in the Examples.

[0024] The alcoholic beverage of the present invention is a beverage (a beverage containing a distilled alcohol) that uses the distilled alcohol described above (including both the distilled alcohol produced by the above-described production method and the distilled alcohol according to the second aspect of the present invention).

[0025] Here, an alcoholic beverage is a beverage containing alcohol and is not limited to a specific type of beverage. One example of a type of beverage is a chuhai-flavored beverage. A chuhai-flavored beverage is a beverage that tastes like chuhai, that is, a beverage designed to have a chuhai flavor. The chuhai flavor also includes the flavors of sours and cocktails.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the alcoholic beverage of the present invention is obtained by mixing the above-mentioned distilled liquor (particularly gin) with a mixer. Examples of mixers include water, carbonated water, tonic water, hot water, ice, fruit juice, fruit juice drinks, milk, and tea, and one or more of these can be used in combination. However, carbonated water is preferably used as the mixer. The dilution ratio using the mixer (= (volume of mixer + volume of distilled liquor) / volume of distilled liquor) is, for example, 1.2 times or more, 1.5 times or more, 2 times or more, or 3 times or more, and 10 times or less, 8 times or less, 7 times or less, 6 times or less, or 5 times or less. When a refreshing flavor is desired to be imparted to the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, it is preferable that the alcoholic beverage of the present invention be composed only of a distilled liquor and a mixer (e.g., one of water, carbonated water, and tonic water, particularly carbonated water).

[0027] The alcoholic beverage of the present invention contains the distilled alcoholic beverage described above and therefore has a predetermined alcohol concentration. For example, the alcohol concentration of the alcoholic beverage is preferably 3 v / v% or more, more preferably 5 v / v% or more, 7 v / v% or more, 8 v / v% or more, or 9 v / v% or more. Furthermore, the alcohol concentration of the alcoholic beverage is preferably 20 v / v% or less, more preferably 18 v / v% or less, 15 v / v% or less, 13 v / v% or less, or 12 v / v% or less.

[0028] The alcoholic beverage of the present invention may be one into which carbon dioxide has been injected, i.e., a carbonated beverage. The carbon dioxide pressure can be adjusted as desired, for example, within the range of 0.05 to 0.24 MPa (gas pressure at 20°C). In one embodiment, the alcoholic beverage of the present invention may be an alcoholic beverage with an adjusted sugar concentration, for example, a sugar concentration of less than 0.5 g / 100 mL, which corresponds to "zero sugar" as defined by the Food Labeling Standards of the Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan.

[0029] The alcoholic beverage of the present invention may contain other ingredients used in the production of beverages, such as acidulants (e.g., citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, phytic acid, itaconic acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, adipic acid, acetic acid, or salts thereof), colorings, and food additives (e.g., foaming and foam retention improvers, bittering agents, preservatives, antioxidants, thickening stabilizers, emulsifiers, dietary fiber, pH adjusters, etc.).

[0030] The distilled spirits and alcoholic beverages of the present invention are preferably provided as packaged beverages. The containers used for the distilled spirits and alcoholic beverages of the present invention may be any container commonly used for filling beverages, such as metal cans, barrels, plastic bottles (e.g., PET bottles, cups), paper containers, bottles, and pouches, with metal cans, barrels, plastic bottles (e.g., PET bottles), or bottles being preferred.

[0031] Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling fresh flavor, herbal flavor, and woody flavor while suppressing bitterness in a distilled liquor made from juniper berries, the method comprising the steps of: (a) coarsely grinding juniper berries; (b) mixing the coarsely ground juniper berries with an aqueous ethanol solution; and (c) distilling the resulting mixture will be carried out.

[0032] According to the above method, it is possible to suitably control the balance of the intensities of three types of flavors, i.e., fresh, herbal, and woody, while suppressing the harshness of the distilled spirit. Here, "fresh," "herbal," and "woody" are descriptors used by those skilled in the art of flavor and can be found in various reference sources, such as "Perfume and Flavor Chemicals," Vols. I and II; Steffen Arctander Allured Pub. Co. (1994) and "Perfumes: Art, Science and Technology"; Muller, P.M. and Lamparsky, D., Blackie Academic and Professional (1994). [Example]

[0033] The present invention will be specifically described based on the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0034] Example 1: Investigating the effect of coarsely grinding juniper berries in the production of gin In this example, the effect of coarsely grinding juniper berries used in the production of gin was investigated.

[0035] (1) Sample preparation Distillate samples were produced using juniper berries as the raw material. The juniper berry coarse grinding conditions were changed as shown in the following test plots. Unprocessed and processed juniper berries were soaked in the raw alcohol for 1 hour before distillation. Test area 1: No juniper berry processing Test area 2: Juniper berries coarsely ground into two parts (crushed) Test plot 3: Juniper berries coarsely ground into 8 pieces (crushed) Test 4: Juniper berries were crushed until completely pulverized.

[0036] Raw material processing in test area 1 11.25g of unprocessed juniper berries were placed in 500mL of raw alcohol adjusted to 60% alcohol content and soaked at room temperature for 1 hour. After soaking, distillation was carried out using a glass still while blowing in steam. 470mL of the distillate was collected and analyzed and subjected to sensory evaluation.

[0037] Raw material processing in test areas 2-4 The juniper berries were coarsely ground (broken into 2 or 8 pieces) and cut using a utility knife. For test 4, the fine grinding was performed using a Multiquick 7 MR730cc (Brown). 11.25g of unprocessed juniper berries were placed in 500mL of raw alcohol adjusted to 60% alcohol content and soaked at room temperature for 1 hour. After soaking, distillation was carried out using a glass still while blowing in steam. 470mL of the resulting distillate was collected and analyzed and subjected to sensory evaluation.

[0038] Reference ward 1~4 Commercially available products use only juniper berries as the raw material, but are subjected to the usual soaking process. 470 mL of each of the three samples was collected and analyzed and subjected to sensory evaluation. Reference Area 1: XORIGUER GIN Reference Area 2: AKAYANE DRAFT GIN Juniper Berry Only (Akayane Craft Gin Juniper Berry Only) Reference Area 3: JIN TALOG SINGLE BOTANICAL JUNIPER ORGANIC GIN Reference Area 4: JUST JUNIPER GIN (TRIPLE THREE DISTILLERY)

[0039] (2) Sensory evaluation of samples The sensory evaluation of the samples was carried out by nine panelists who were trained to the extent that they could give the same score to the same sample. The evaluation items and evaluation criteria were as follows:

[0040] <Sensory evaluation items> Evaluation items: fresh, herbal, woody, bitter, astringent, fresh / astringent, 3 aroma elements (fresh, herbal, woody) / astringent Evaluation criteria: The nine-point scale was used to ensure that panelists agreed on a score of "5" for test group 3. In addition, according to the following definitions, each test group was evaluated on a scale of 1 to 9 points, and the average score was calculated (n=9). 1: None 3: Weak but detectable 5: Strong 9: Too strong to drink

[0041] The results of the sensory evaluation are shown in the table below. [Table 1]

[0042] [Table 2]

[0043] The results shown in the table above confirm that coarse grinding (dividing into 2 or 8 parts) improves the total amount of desirable aromas (fresh, herbal, woody), including freshness, and also reduces the bitterness compared to fine grinding.

[0044] (3) Analysis of components in the sample The concentrations of α-pinene, β-pinene, and limonene in each sample were measured by gas chromatography (GC). Specifically, the measurements were carried out under the following conditions: Regarding the measurement samples, for GC / FID (flame ionization detector) measurements, the distillate was diluted to 1 mL: 15 mL of ethanol, and for GC / MS (gas chromatography mass spectrometry) measurements, the distillate was diluted to 5 mL: 10 mL of ethanol, and for GC / MS (gas chromatography mass spectrometry) measurements, the distillate was diluted to 10 mL of ethanol, and for GC / MS measurements, the commercial product was diluted to 5 mL of ethanol.

[0045] <Analysis conditions for α-pinene GC / FID method> Equipment: Agilent 8890GC PAL RSI120 sampler Column: Agilent J&W DB-5 60m, 0.32mm id, 0.25μm Film 1μL of liquid Split ratio 15:1 Inlet: 250℃ Oven temperature: 60°C, 0 min - 5°C / min → 100°C - 3°C / min → 142°C - 12°C / min → 240°C, 10 min Carrier gas: pure nitrogen 0.93 mL / min Detector: FID 250℃ Retention time and spike concentration of standard spiked samples α-pinene: 12.675 min, 4.1 mg / L Methyl myristate: 32.48 min (internal standard), 2.0 mg / L

[0046] <GC / MS analysis conditions for β-pinene, limonene, etc.> Equipment: Agilent 8890GC / 5977B MSD MPS sampler Column: Agilent J&W DB-Heavy Wax 60m, 0.25mm id, 0.25μm Film. 1μL of liquid Split ratio 15:1 Inlet 260℃ Oven temperature: 40°C, 3 minutes → 15°C / minute → 200°C-4°C / minute → 250°C, 8 minutes Carrier gas: Helium Transfer line temperature: 250℃ MS ion source temperature: 230℃ Quadrupole temperature: 150℃ Retention time and spike concentration of standard spiked samples β-pinene 8.198 mg, 2.12 mg / L Limonene 9.341 mg, 3.23 mg / L Methyl myristate 17.07 min (internal standard), 2.06 mg / L Target ion: β-pinene: m / z=93 Limonene: m / z=68 Methyl myristate: m / z=87 Qualifying ion: β-pinene: m / z=69 Limonene: m / z=93 Methyl myristate: m / z=74

[0047] <Quantitative method> The analytical samples were analyzed in pairs, one with the addition of the standard substance and the internal standard substance, and the other with the addition of the internal standard only. The content of each component was calculated by dividing the chromatographic area of ​​the target substance by the chromatographic area of ​​the internal standard substance, and the difference between the two measurements was used to calculate a value equivalent to 1 ppm. This was then divided by the value for the group with only the internal standard added, and multiplied by the dilution factor to obtain the concentration in the original sample solution. This measurement was repeated three times to calculate the values, and the average value with a coefficient of variation CV (standard deviation / average value × 100) of less than 10% was divided by the original alcohol concentration and multiplied by 100 to obtain the quantitative value of each component as the amount of pure alcohol.

[0048] In addition, the alcohol content of each sample was measured according to the National Tax Agency's prescribed analytical method (instruction) 3 Sake 3-4 Alcohol content (vibration density meter method).

[0049] The results are shown in the table below. [Table 3]

[0050] The results shown in the table above indicate that a fresh aroma can be achieved by maintaining the concentrations of α-pinene, β-pinene, and limonene in the distillate at α-pinene: 10 ppm or higher, β-pinene: 2 ppm or higher, and limonene: 3 ppm or higher (ppm per 100% alcohol by volume). (The concentration of each aroma component per 100% alcohol by volume was calculated by measuring each aroma component and the alcohol content of the distilled spirit separately and converting the results to values ​​per 100% alcohol by volume.) Furthermore, it was confirmed that adjusting the degree of crushing of juniper berries could suppress the bitterness in the distillate while controlling the intensity of the fresh, herbal, and woody aromas.

Claims

1. A method for producing a distilled spirit using juniper berries as a raw material, comprising: (a) coarsely grinding juniper berries; (b) mixing the coarsely ground juniper berries with an aqueous ethanol solution; and (c) distilling the resulting mixture comprising In step (a), juniper berries are coarsely ground to obtain 2 to 8 crushed pieces per juniper berry; The mixture of coarsely ground juniper berries and aqueous ethanol solution obtained in step (b) is soaked for 1 to 24 hours before step (c). method.

2. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the distilled spirit produced is gin.

3. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein only juniper berries are used as the botanical.

4. A distilled alcoholic beverage produced by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. An alcoholic beverage containing the distilled liquor according to claim 4.

6. A method for controlling fresh flavor, herbal flavor, and woody flavor while suppressing bitterness in a distilled liquor using juniper berries as a raw material, the method comprising the steps of: (a) coarsely grinding juniper berries; (b) mixing the coarsely ground juniper berries with an aqueous ethanol solution; and (c) distilling the resulting mixture was carried out, In step (a), juniper berries are coarsely ground to obtain 2 to 8 crushed pieces per juniper berry; The mixture of coarsely ground juniper berries and aqueous ethanol solution obtained in step (b) is soaked for 1 to 24 hours before step (c). method.

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