JP2024093601A - Alcoholic beverage, method for producing alcoholic beverage, and, method for improving flavor of alcoholic beverage - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide: an alcoholic beverage of which fruit taste, tight aftertaste and fruit skin feeling are enhanced; a method for producing the alcoholic beverage; and a method for improving flavor of the alcoholic beverage.SOLUTION: The alcoholic beverage according to the present invention has an acidity of 0.1 g/100 mL or more, a content of geranyl acetate of 0.5 ppm or more, and a content of linalool of 0.05-1.0 ppm. The method for improving flavor of the alcoholic beverage according to the present invention is a method for improving the flavor of the alcoholic beverage that enhances fruit taste, tight aftertaste and fruit skin feeling with respect to the alcoholic beverage having the acidity of 0.1 g/100 mL or more, and includes a step of making a content of geranyl acetate 0.5 ppm or more and a content of linalool 0.05 -1.0 ppm.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

The present invention relates to alcoholic beverages, methods for producing alcoholic beverages, and methods for improving the flavor of alcoholic beverages.

For alcoholic beverages that contain alcohol, various inventions have been created to date that focus on the flavor of the beverage.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an alcoholic beverage having a furfural concentration of 0.5 to 500 ppb.

JP 2020-99303 A

The invention described in Patent Document 1 aims to reduce the harshness of alcohol by adding a specified amount of furfural to an alcoholic beverage.

Meanwhile, the present inventors have focused on alcoholic beverages having an acidity equal to or higher than a predetermined value and conducted detailed studies.
In consideration of the high consumer demand for beverages that have a lemon flavor (lemon beverages), the inventors wished to create a beverage that has enhanced fruit flavor typical of a lemon beverage (suitably referred to as "fruit flavor"), a firm aftertaste typical of a lemon beverage (suitably referred to as "firm aftertaste"), and a lemon peel feel (suitably referred to as "peel feel").

Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to provide an alcoholic beverage with enhanced fruit flavor, a firm aftertaste, and a fruit skin feel, a method for producing an alcoholic beverage, and a method for improving the flavor of an alcoholic beverage.

The above problems can be solved by the following measures.
(1) An alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1 g/100 mL or more, a geranyl acetate content of 0.5 ppm or more, and a linalool content of 0.05 to 1.0 ppm.
(2) The alcoholic beverage described in 1, wherein the content of geranyl acetate is 0.7 to 3.0 ppm.
(3) The alcoholic beverage according to 1 or 2, having an alcohol content of 5 to 8 v/v%.
(4) An alcoholic beverage described in any one of 1 to 3, which contains a high-intensity sweetener.
(5) An alcoholic beverage described in any one of 1 to 4, which is a lemon-flavored beverage.
(6) A method for producing an alcoholic beverage, comprising the steps of setting the acidity to 0.1 g/100 mL or more, setting the geranyl acetate content to 0.5 ppm or more, and setting the linalool content to 0.05 to 1.0 ppm.
(7) A method for improving the flavor of an alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1 g/100 mL or more, which enhances the fruitiness, firmness of the aftertaste, and the feeling of fruit skin, comprising a step of adjusting the content of geranyl acetate to 0.5 ppm or more and the content of linalool to 0.05 to 1.0 ppm.

The alcoholic beverage according to the present invention has an enhanced fruit flavor, a sharp aftertaste, and a fruit skin feel.
The method for producing an alcoholic beverage according to the present invention can produce an alcoholic beverage that has enhanced fruit flavor, a sharp aftertaste, and a fruit skin feel.
The method for enhancing the flavor of an alcoholic beverage according to the present invention can enhance the fruit flavor, the sharpness of the aftertaste, and the fruit skin feel.

Hereinafter, the alcoholic beverage, the method for producing an alcoholic beverage, and the method for improving the flavor of an alcoholic beverage according to the present invention will be described.

[Alcoholic drinks]
The alcoholic beverage according to this embodiment is a beverage having an acidity equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and contains geranyl acetate and linalool.
Here, an alcoholic beverage is a beverage that contains alcohol, and is not limited to a specific type of beverage, but an example of such an alcoholic beverage is a chuhai-flavored beverage. A chuhai-flavored beverage is a beverage that tastes like chuhai, that is, a beverage that is flavored and designed to have the flavor of chuhai. The flavor of chuhai also includes the flavors of sours and cocktails.
Furthermore, since the alcoholic beverage according to this embodiment is a beverage that exhibits the fruity flavor characteristic of a lemon beverage, the refreshing aftertaste characteristic of a lemon beverage, and the effect of having a lemon peel feel, it is particularly preferable for use in lemon-flavored beverages (lemon-flavored beverages: beverages that are flavored so that the flavor of lemon can be felt).
Below, each element constituting the alcoholic beverage according to this embodiment will be described.

(Geranyl acetate)
Geranyl acetate is a type of monoterpene represented by the chemical formula C ₁₂ H ₂₀ O ₂ , and is also known as geraniol acetate.
The present inventors have surprisingly found that by adding both geranyl acetate and linalool, which will be described later, to an alcoholic beverage having an acidity of a predetermined level or higher, it is possible to enhance all of the fruit flavor, firm aftertaste, and peel feel.

The content of geranyl acetate is preferably 0.5 ppm or more, more preferably 0.6 ppm or more, 0.7 ppm or more, 0.8 ppm or more, 0.82 ppm or more, 0.85 ppm or more, 0.9 ppm or more, 1.0 ppm or more, and more preferably 1.1 ppm or more. By having a content of geranyl acetate of a predetermined value or more, the desired effects (enhancing effect of fruit flavor, enhancing effect of firm aftertaste, enhancing effect of peel feeling) can be fully exhibited.
The content of geranyl acetate is preferably 7.0 ppm or less, more preferably 5.0 ppm or less, 3.0 ppm or less, 2.5 ppm or less, 2.2 ppm or less, and more preferably 2.0 ppm or less. By keeping the content of geranyl acetate below a predetermined value, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the chemical odor becomes strong and to avoid a situation in which the flavor of a lemon drink becomes far from that of a lemon drink (reduced fruitiness, reduced firmness of the aftertaste, reduced peel feeling).
In this specification, the unit "ppm" is synonymous with "mg/L".

(Linalool)
Linalool is a type of monoterpene alcohol represented by the chemical formula C ₁₀ H ₁₈ O.
The inventors have discovered that by adding both linalool and the above-mentioned geranyl acetate to an alcoholic beverage having an acidity of a predetermined value or higher, it is possible to surprisingly enhance the fruit flavor, the firm aftertaste, and the feel of the fruit skin.

The content of linalool is preferably 0.05 ppm or more, more preferably 0.1 ppm or more, 0.2 ppm or more, 0.3 ppm or more, 0.4 ppm or more, 0.5 ppm or more, 0.6 ppm or more, 0.65 ppm or more, 0.69 ppm or more, 0.7 ppm or more.By the content of linalool being a predetermined value or more, it can firmly exert each desired effect (enhancement effect of fruit taste, enhancement effect of tightening aftertaste, enhancement effect of fruit peel feeling).
The content of linalool is preferably 1.00 ppm or less, more preferably 0.9 ppm or less, 0.8 ppm or less.By making the content of linalool below a certain value, it is possible to avoid the situation that the gorgeous flavor becomes too strong and goes away from the flavor of lemon drink (reduction of fruit flavor, reduction of firmness of aftertaste, reduction of fruit peel feeling).

(Method of measuring each component)
The content of geranyl acetate and the content of linalool in an alcoholic beverage can be measured, for example, by diluting the sample appropriately and measuring the content by solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS).

(acidity)
The acidity (acidity calculated as citric acid) of the beverage according to this embodiment is as follows.
The acidity is preferably 0.1 g/100 mL or more, more preferably 0.2 g/100 mL or more, 0.3 g/100 mL or more, 0.5 g/100 mL or more, 0.6 g/100 mL or more, 0.7 g/100 mL or more, 0.75 g/100 mL or more, 0.8 g/100 mL or more, and more preferably 0.85 g/100 mL or more. By having an acidity of a predetermined value or more, a sour taste can be imparted to the alcoholic beverage, and the flavor can be made closer to the desired lemon taste.
The acidity is preferably 3.0 g/100 mL or less, more preferably 2.0 g/100 mL or less, 1.5 g/100 mL or less, and more preferably 1.0 g/100 mL or less. By keeping the acidity at a predetermined value or less, the beverage can have a well-balanced flavor.

In this specification, the acidity (acidity converted into citric acid equivalent: acidity value converted into citric acid equivalent) can be determined by the method specified in the Japanese Agricultural Standards for Fruit Drinks (Notification No. 489 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, February 24, 2016). Specifically, the beverage is neutralized by titration with sodium hydroxide solution (0.1 mol/L), and the acidity can be calculated using the "titration amount (ml)" of the sodium hydroxide solution required in the neutralization titration, the "weight (g)" of the beverage used in the titration, and a constant of 0.0064 (weight (g) of citric acid equivalent to 1 mL of 0.1 mol/L aqueous sodium hydroxide solution).
The acidity can be adjusted by adding an acidulant or fruit juice, as described below.

(alcohol)
The alcoholic beverage according to this embodiment contains alcohol.
The alcohol may be any drinkable alcohol, and is not limited by type, production method, raw materials, etc., so long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of alcohol that can be used include whiskey, brandy, spirits (e.g., spirits such as gin, vodka, rum, and raw material alcohols), liqueurs, shochu, and brewed alcohol such as sake, fruit wine, and beer. Of these, one or more of vodka, which is a distilled alcoholic beverage, and raw material alcohol can be used.
In this specification, alcohol refers to ethanol unless otherwise specified.

(Alcohol degree)
The alcohol content is preferably 3 v/v % or more, more preferably 4 v/v % or more, and more preferably 5 v/v % or more.
The alcohol content is preferably 10 v/v % or less, more preferably 9 v/v % or less, and more preferably 8 v/v % or less.
By ensuring that the alcohol content is within the specified range, the desired effects can be fully exerted.
The alcohol content of the alcoholic beverage according to this embodiment can be measured, for example, based on the National Tax Agency's prescribed analytical method (instruction) 3 Sake: 3-4 alcohol content (vibration density meter/gas chromatograph analysis method).

(sweetener)
The alcoholic beverage according to this embodiment may contain a sweetener.
Examples of sweeteners include isomerized liquid sugars such as high fructose glucose liquid sugar and high fructose glucose liquid sugar; monosaccharides such as fructose, glucose, and galactose; disaccharides such as sucrose, maltose, and lactose; high-intensity sweeteners such as acesulfame K, neotame, sucralose, saccharin, sodium saccharin, disodium glycyrrhizinate, cyclamate, dulcin, stevia, glycyrrhizin, thaumatin, monellin, aspartame, and alitame; and oligosaccharides and sugar alcohols.

The sweetness of the alcoholic beverage according to this embodiment (converted into sucrose) may be as follows:
The sweetness of the beverage may be 0, but when a sweetener is contained in the beverage, the sweetness of the beverage is preferably 0.3 or more, more preferably 0.5 or more, 1.0 or more, 2.0 or more, 2.5 or more, or 2.82 or more.
The sweetness of the beverage is preferably 8.0 or less, more preferably 5.0 or less, 4.0 or less, and even more preferably 3.0 or less.
By ensuring that the sweetness of the beverage falls within a prescribed range, each of the desired effects can be fully exerted.

The sweetness of a beverage (converted into sucrose) is an index showing the sweetness of the beverage, where the sweetness of a beverage containing 1 g of sucrose per 100 g of beverage is taken as "1". Specifically, the sweetness of a beverage (converted into sucrose) is a value calculated by multiplying the "content of sweetener in the beverage (w/w%)" by the "sweetness of the sweetener/sweetness of sucrose". For example, in the case of a beverage containing 1.0 w/w% maltose, the sweetness in sucrose is "0.33", which is the unitless value obtained by multiplying the maltose concentration (w/w%) "1.0" by "0.33/1" (=sweetness of maltose/sucrose).

The sweetness of each sweetener can be expressed as, for example, fructose-glucose syrup: 1, glucose-fructose syrup: 0.80, fructose: 1.50, glucose: 0.75, lactose: 0.16, galactose: 0.32, maltose: 0.33, sucrose: 1, acesulfame K: 200, sucralose: 600, neotame: 10,000, sodium saccharin: 500, and stevia: 250. The sweetness of oligosaccharides may be measured as follows: fructooligosaccharides: 0.45, galactooligosaccharides: 0.20, xylooligosaccharides: 0.45, lactoferrin: 0.60, raffinose: 0.20, isomaltooligosaccharides: 0.30, soybean oligosaccharides: 0.70; and the sweetness of sugar alcohols may be measured as follows: sorbitol: 0.65, mannitol: 0.60, maltitol: 0.85, xylitol: 0.60, reduced palatinose: 0.45, erythritol: 0.75. The sweetener content in the beverage may be measured using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

(Fruit juice)
The alcoholic beverage according to this embodiment may contain fruit juice.
The type of fruit from which the juice is derived may be one or more types of fruits known in the art, such as citrus fruits, such as lemon, lime, mandarin orange, orange, grapefruit, yuzu, and shikuwasa, as well as plum, apple, strawberry, peach, cherry (yellow peach), grape, plum, pomegranate, blueberry, black currant, cranberry, maqui berry, mango, pineapple, kiwi, and pear, although in order to obtain a lemon-flavored beverage, the type of fruit from which the juice is derived is preferably lemon.
Examples of fruit juice that can be used include various types of fruit juice such as concentrated fruit juice, reconstituted fruit juice, and straight fruit juice, fruit puree (a semi-liquid product made by mashing or straining cooked or raw fruit), and diluted solutions, concentrated solutions, and mixtures of these.

When fruit juice is contained in the alcoholic beverage of this embodiment, the fruit juice content is, for example, 0.05% or more, 0.08% or more, 0.1% or more, 0.5% or more, 1.0% or more, and 10% or less, 8% or less, 5% or less.
The fruit juice content can be calculated by "content (in terms of fruit juice ratio) % (specifically, w/w %)" = "amount of fruit juice blended (g) in 100 g of beverage" x "concentration ratio" / 100 g x 100. Here, the "concentration ratio" (relative concentration ratio of fruit juice when straight fruit juice is taken as 100%) is calculated according to the JAS standard, and for example, when lemon juice with an acidity of 9% is used, the standard acidity of lemon is 4.5% according to Appendix 4 of the Japanese Agricultural Standards for Fruit Drinks (Notification No. 489 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, February 24, 2016), so this lemon juice is 2 times concentrated lemon juice.

(Foaming)
The alcoholic beverage according to the present embodiment is preferably a carbonated beverage that contains carbon dioxide gas and has a bubbly nature. Here, the term "bubbly" in the present embodiment means that the gas pressure (total pressure) at 20°C is 0.5 kg/ ^cm2 or more, preferably 1.0 kg/cm2 or more, more preferably 1.5 kg/ ^cm2 or more, 2.0 ^kg /cm2 or more, and more preferably 2.5 kg/ ^cm2 or more, and more preferably 5.0 kg/ ^{cm2 or} less, more preferably 4.0 kg/ ^cm2 or less, 3.5 kg/ ^cm2 or less, and more preferably 3.0 kg/ ^cm2 or less.

(others)
The alcoholic beverage according to the present embodiment may contain antioxidants, acidulants, salts, dietary fiber, and the like (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as "additives") that are usually blended into beverages to the extent that the desired effects of the present invention are not inhibited, or of course, may not contain them. Examples of antioxidants that can be used include vitamin C, vitamin E, polyphenols, and the like. Examples of acidulants that can be used include citric acid, adipic acid, trisodium citrate, glucono delta lactone, gluconic acid, potassium gluconate, sodium gluconate, succinic acid, monosodium succinate, disodium succinate, sodium acetate, DL-tartaric acid, L-tartaric acid, sodium DL-tartrate, L-sodium tartrate, carbon dioxide, lactic acid, sodium lactate, fumaric acid, monosodium fumarate, DL-malic acid, sodium DL-malate, phosphoric acid, and the like. Examples of the salts that can be used include table salt, potassium acid phosphate, calcium acid phosphate, ammonium phosphate, calcium sulfate, potassium metabisulfite, calcium chloride, potassium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, etc. Examples of the dietary fibers that can be used include indigestible dextrin, pectin, polydextrose, and decomposed guar gum.
The above-mentioned raw materials can be generally commercially available.

If the alcoholic beverage of this embodiment is to be a chuhai-flavored beverage, it may contain fruit flavors (flavors that impart a fruit-like aroma) and fruit extracts (extracts obtained by extracting the active ingredients of fruit or fruit juice using water, alcohol, etc.).
The fruit species of the fruit flavor or fruit extract are the same as the types of fruit in the fruit juice described above.

(Packaged alcoholic beverages)
The alcoholic beverage according to the present embodiment can be provided in various containers. By filling the alcoholic beverage in various containers, deterioration of the quality due to long-term storage can be suitably prevented.
The container may be any container that can be sealed, and so-called can containers and barrel containers made of metal (such as aluminum or steel) may be used. Glass containers, PET bottle containers, paper containers, pouch containers, etc. may also be used. The capacity of the container is not particularly limited, and any container currently in circulation may be used. It is preferable to use a metal container, since it can completely block gas, moisture, and light and maintain stable quality at room temperature for a long period of time.

As described above, the alcoholic beverage according to this embodiment has enhanced fruit flavor, a sharp aftertaste, and a fruit peel feel.
Furthermore, the alcoholic beverage according to this embodiment can suppress the chemical odor and has a favorable overall evaluation.

[Method of producing alcoholic beverages]
Next, a method for producing an alcoholic beverage according to this embodiment will be described.
The method for producing an alcoholic beverage according to this embodiment includes a mixing step and a post-treatment step.

In the mixing step, water, geranyl acetate, linalool, alcohol, additives, etc. are appropriately charged into a mixing tank to produce a mixed liquid.
In this mixing step, the raw materials are mixed and adjusted so that the content of geranyl acetate, the content of linalool, etc. are within the above-mentioned specified ranges.

In the post-treatment process, for example, filtration, sterilization, addition of carbon dioxide gas, and filling into a container are selectively performed as necessary.
The filtration process in the post-processing step can be performed using a general filter or strainer. The sterilization process in the post-processing step is preferably performed by plate sterilization from the viewpoint of processing speed, etc., but is not limited to this and can be applied as long as a similar process can be performed. The filling process in the post-processing step is preferably performed in a clean room that is kept as clean as is usually done in the manufacture of beverages. The order of each process in the post-processing step is not particularly limited.

The processes carried out in the mixing and post-processing steps can be carried out using equipment commonly used to manufacture RTD beverages (ready to drink beverages), etc.

As described above, the method for producing an alcoholic beverage according to this embodiment can produce an alcoholic beverage with enhanced fruit flavor, a sharp aftertaste, and a fruit skin feel.
Furthermore, according to the method for producing an alcoholic beverage according to this embodiment, it is possible to produce an alcoholic beverage that has a reduced chemical odor and is overall evaluated as favorable.

[Method for improving the flavor of alcoholic beverages]
Next, the method for enhancing the flavor of an alcoholic beverage according to this embodiment will be described.
The method for improving the flavor of an alcoholic beverage according to this embodiment is a method for improving the flavor of an alcoholic beverage that enhances the fruit flavor, firmness of the aftertaste, and fruit peel feel of an alcoholic beverage having an acidity of a predetermined value or more, and is a method for incorporating geranyl acetate and linalool.
The contents of each component are the same as those described above in the "alcoholic beverages" section.

As described above, according to the method for enhancing the flavor of an alcoholic beverage according to this embodiment, it is possible to enhance the fruit flavor, sharpness of the aftertaste, and the fruit skin feel of the alcoholic beverage.
Furthermore, according to the method for enhancing the flavor of an alcoholic beverage according to this embodiment, the chemical odor can be suppressed, and the overall evaluation can be made favorable.

Next, the present invention will be explained by illustrating examples that satisfy the requirements of the present invention and comparative examples that do not.

[Sample preparation]
Each sample in Tables 1 to 3 was prepared by mixing vodka, lemon juice, geranyl acetate, linalool, acidulants (citric acid (anhydrous), trisodium citrate), carbonated water, and pure water in the amounts shown in the tables. Only sample 3-2 in Table 3 was mixed with sweeteners (acesulfame potassium, sucralose).
The gas pressure (total pressure) at 20°C for each sample in Tables 1 to 3 was 2.2 kg/ ^cm2 . The acidity of Samples 3-3 and 3-4 in Table 3 was adjusted by reducing the content of the acidulant to compensate for the increase in acidity caused by the fruit juice. The contents of geranyl acetate and linalool in the lemon juice used were very small and negligible compared to the contents added.

[contents of the test]
For each sample produced by the above-mentioned method, five trained panelists with discriminatory abilities rated the samples on a five-point scale from 1 to 5 in accordance with the following evaluation criteria for "fruit flavor typical of a lemon drink,""firm aftertaste typical of a lemon drink,""lemon peel feel,""chemicalsmell," and "overall evaluation," and calculated the average score.
All evaluations were performed by drinking the samples.

(Fruit flavor typical of lemon drinks: Evaluation criteria)
The evaluation of the fruitiness of a lemon drink was based on a standard of 1 point for sample 1-1, with "not at all" being 1 point, "almost none" being 2 points, "somewhat" being 3 points, "somewhat" being 4 points, and "very much" being 5 points.
As for the fruity flavor characteristic of a lemon drink, the higher the score, the stronger it is, and the more preferable it can be judged to be.
Here, "fruit flavor typical of a lemon drink" is evaluated based on whether or not the drink has a strong lemon-specific acidity and a fresh fruit flavor.

(A refreshing aftertaste typical of a lemon drink: Evaluation criteria)
The evaluation of the sharp aftertaste typical of a lemon drink was based on a standard score of 1 for Sample 1-1, with "not at all" being 1 point, "almost none" being 2 points, "somewhat" being 3 points, "some" being 4 points, and "very much" being 5 points.
Furthermore, the higher the score, the stronger the refreshing aftertaste that is characteristic of a lemon drink, and the more preferable it can be judged to be.
Here, "the refreshing aftertaste typical of a lemon drink" is evaluated based on the refreshing aftertaste that is characteristic of lemon drinks, with a higher score being given, and a lower score being given if the aftertaste is refreshing and lingering.

(Lemon peel feel: Evaluation criteria)
The lemon peel feel was evaluated based on a standard score of 1 for sample 1-1, with "not at all" being 1 point, "almost none" being 2 points, "somewhat" being 3 points, "somewhat" being 4 points, and "very much" being 5 points.
As for the lemon peel flavor, the higher the score, the stronger it is, and the more preferable it is.
Here, the "lemon peel flavor" was evaluated based on whether or not the refreshing bitterness and oily flavor that is unique to lemon peel was felt.

(Chemical odor: Evaluation standard)
The evaluation of the chemical odor was based on a standard of 1 point for sample 1-1, with "not at all" being 1 point, "almost none" being 2 points, "slightly" being 3 points, "somewhat" being 4 points, and "very much" being 5 points.
As for the chemical odor, the higher the score, the stronger the odor becomes, and it can be judged to be undesirable.
Here, the "chemical odor" was evaluated based on whether or not a chemical odor caused mainly by geranyl acetate was felt.

(Overall evaluation: Evaluation criteria)
For the overall evaluation, no cut-off point was set, with a score of 1 for a "very poor overall evaluation," 3 for an "unequal overall evaluation," and 5 for a "very good overall evaluation."
Here, the "overall rating" is based on the balance of flavor as an alcoholic beverage. For example, if the flavor balance is disrupted by a strong flavor based on a specific component, the beverage is rated as "poor."

The table shows the content of each sample and the results of each evaluation. The numerical values and indices of each component shown in the table are the content and indices of the final product.
The sweetness in the table is the sucrose equivalent value as described above, and the lemon juice content is a value taking into account the concentration ratio as described above.

(Review of results)
Table 1 shows the results when the content of linalool was varied while the content of geranyl acetate was kept constant.
From the results in Table 1, it was confirmed that increasing the linalool content increased the scores for "fruit flavor typical of a lemon drink,""firm aftertaste typical of a lemon drink," and "lemon peel feel" (for example, each to 1.5 points or more).
However, it was also confirmed that if the linalool content increases too much, the linalool flavor becomes stronger, resulting in a slight decrease in the scores for "fruitiness typical of a lemon drink,""firm aftertaste typical of a lemon drink," and "lemon peel flavor," as well as a slight increase in the score for "chemical odor."
Taking all the evaluations into consideration, among samples 1-1 to 1-6, samples 1-2 to 1-5 (particularly samples 1-4 to 1-5) gave favorable results.

Table 2 shows the results when the linalool content was kept constant and the geranyl acetate content was varied.
From the results in Table 2, it was confirmed that increasing the content of geranyl acetate increased the scores for "fruit flavor typical of a lemon drink,""firm aftertaste typical of a lemon drink," and "lemon peel feel."
However, it was also confirmed that if the content of geranyl acetate was increased too much, the chemical odor specific to geranyl acetate became stronger, resulting in a slight decrease in the scores for "fruitiness typical of a lemon drink,""firm aftertaste typical of a lemon drink," and "lemon peel feel," while the score for "chemical odor" increased.
Taking all the evaluations into consideration, among samples 2-1 to 2-5, samples 2-2 to 2-5 (particularly samples 2-3 to 2-4) gave favorable results.

Table 3 shows the results of varying the alcohol content, sweetness, and fruit juice content.
Comparing Sample 2-3 with Sample 3-1, it was confirmed that each effect (enhancing effect of fruit flavor, enhancing effect of firmness of aftertaste, enhancing effect of fruit skin feeling) was exhibited even if the alcohol content was different. Therefore, it was found that each effect of the present invention is exhibited over a wide range of alcohol content.
Comparing Sample 2-3 with Sample 3-2, it was confirmed that the respective effects were exhibited even when a sweetener (high-intensity sweetener) was contained. Therefore, it was found that the respective effects of the present invention are exhibited regardless of whether or not a sweetener is contained.
The results for Samples 2-3, 3-3, and 3-4 showed that although each effect was exhibited with a low fruit juice content, each effect was exhibited more strongly with a higher fruit juice content.

The above problems can be solved by the following measures.
(1) An alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1 g/100 mL or more, a geranyl acetate content of 0.7 to 2.0 ppm , and a linalool content of 0.3 to 1.0 ppm.
( 2 ) The alcoholic beverage according to item 1 , having an alcohol content of 5 to 8 v/v%.
( 3 ) The alcoholic beverage according to 1 or 2, which contains a high-intensity sweetener.
( 4 ) An alcoholic beverage described in any one of 1 to 3 , which is a lemon-flavored beverage.
( 5 ) A method for producing an alcoholic beverage, comprising the steps of: setting the acidity to 0.1 g/100 mL or more; setting the geranyl acetate content to 0.7 to 2.0 ppm ; and setting the linalool content to 0.3 to 1.0 ppm.
( 6 ) A method for improving the flavor of an alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1 g/100 mL or more, by enhancing the fruitiness, firmness of the aftertaste, and the fruit skin feel, comprising the steps of adjusting the content of geranyl acetate to 0.7 to 2.0 ppm and the content of linalool to 0.3 to 1.0 ppm.

Claims (7)

The acidity is 0.1 g/100 mL or more,
The content of geranyl acetate is 0.5 ppm or more,
An alcoholic beverage having a linalool content of 0.05 to 1.0 ppm. The alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, wherein the geranyl acetate content is 0.7 to 3.0 ppm. The alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which has an alcohol content of 5 to 8 v/v%. An alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or claim 2, which contains a high-intensity sweetener. The alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which is a lemon-flavored beverage. A method for producing an alcoholic beverage, comprising the steps of: setting the acidity to 0.1 g/100 mL or more; setting the geranyl acetate content to 0.5 ppm or more; and setting the linalool content to 0.05 to 1.0 ppm. A method for improving the flavor of an alcoholic beverage, which enhances the fruit flavor, the firmness of the aftertaste, and the fruit skin feel of an alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1 g/100 mL or more, comprising:
A method for improving the flavor of an alcoholic beverage, comprising the steps of: adjusting the content of geranyl acetate to 0.5 ppm or more; and adjusting the content of linalool to 0.05 to 1.0 ppm.