Alcoholic beverage concentrate process

Abstract

Methods and systems for forming a concentrate from an alcoholic beverage, such as a beverage made by fermentation processes. A membrane process may be used to reduce water and alcohol content, followed by freeze concentration to further reduce water content.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of producing concentrates for an alcoholic beverage, comprising:
 forming a retentate by removing alcohol from the alcoholic beverage;   reducing water content of the retentate; and   forming a beverage concentrate from the retentate having a solids concentration greater than a solids concentration of the alcoholic beverage, and having an alcohol concentration less than an alcohol concentration of the alcoholic beverage.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming a permeate with the alcohol removed during the forming the retentate. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising producing a distilled alcohol solution from the permeate having an alcohol concentration greater than the alcoholic beverage. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising packaging the beverage concentrate and the distilled alcohol solution in the beverage container, the beverage container being adaptable for piercing by a beverage machine for producing a single-serve beverage. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising subjecting the alcoholic beverage to a membrane process wherein at least some water and alcohol pass through a membrane to form the permeate and other components of the alcoholic beverage do not pass through the membrane to form the retentate. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein reducing comprises:
 freezing water in the retentate to form ice; and   removing the ice from the retentate.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, subsequent to the operation of forming the beverage concentrate, reintroducing alcohol to the beverage concentrate. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the alcohol of the operation of reintroducing is configured to inhibit spoilage of the beverage concentrate. 
     
     
         9 . A method of producing concentrates for a beverage container using an alcoholic beverage, comprising:
 forming a beverage concentrate from the alcoholic beverage by:
 reducing an alcohol content of the alcoholic beverage; and 
 increasing a solids concentration of a reduced-alcohol concentration form of the alcoholic beverage; and 
   reintroducing concentrated alcohol or aroma materials removed during the operation of reducing to the beverage concentrate.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the concentrated alcohol or aroma materials are configured to inhibit spoilage of the beverage concentrate or enhance a flavor profile of the beverage concentrate. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising sealing the beverage concentrate and the concentrated alcohol or aroma materials in the beverage container. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the beverage container is adapted for piercing by a beverage machine for producing a beverage using contents of the beverage container; and   the operation of reintroducing occurs substantially during the production of the beverage.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein reducing the alcohol content comprises subjecting the alcoholic beverage to a membrane process by which at least some water and alcohol pass through a membrane to be part of a permeate and other components of the alcoholic beverage do not pass through the membrane to be part of a retentate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein increasing the solids concentration comprises removing water from the reduced-alcohol concentration form of the alcoholic beverage using a freeze-concentration process. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the beverage concentrate exhibits an alcohol concentration of less than 5%. 
     
     
         16 . A method of producing concentrates for a beverage container using an alcoholic beverage, comprising:
 separating the alcoholic beverage into a permeate and a retentate, the permeate having an increased alcohol content from the alcoholic beverage;   increasing a solids concentration of the retentate by removing water; and   sealing a beverage concentrate formed using at least one of the permeate or the retentate in the beverage container, the container being adaptable for piercing by a beverage machine for producing a single-serve beverage.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising, prior to the sealing, reintroducing concentrated alcohol or aroma materials to the retentate removed during the operation of separating. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein separating comprises subjecting the alcoholic beverage to a membrane process by which at least some water and alcohol pass through a membrane to be part of the permeate and other components of the alcoholic beverage do not pass through the membrane and are part of the retentate. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the alcoholic beverage has an alcohol concentration greater than an alcohol concentration of the beverage concentrate. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the alcohol concentration of the alcoholic beverage is 30% or less; and   the alcohol concentration of the beverage concentrate is 20% or less.