Flavoring spirits are a way to add flavor to your favorite spirit. They are made from extracts and essences that may be mixed with alcohol, sugar or glycerin before bottling. Flavoring spirits are used in mixed drinks, cocktails, desserts and of course for cooking. Flavoring spirits can be found at most liquor stores and supermarkets near the liqueurs and alcoholic beverage mixers section. They come in many different flavors such as lemon zest, butterscotch, peppermint extract or root beer extract to name a few.
Different types of flavoring spirits
- Alcoholic extract
These are made from the alcohol that is derived after the process of distillation or through fermentation and contain a variety of different compound; such as carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, vitamins and flavors. These extracts may be separated from the alcohol by various methods such as spray drying techniques, extraction techniques, hydrolysis methods and solvent extraction techniques.
- Essences
Essences are made from the distillation of extracts. There are different methods to extract essential oils such as alcohol extraction, ethanolic extraction, steam distillation, and solvent extraction.
The benefits of flavoring spirits
- It adds flavor to alcoholic beverages
The alcohol that is used to make flavoring spirits is distilled and purified with additional flavor added. The alcohol has been removed from the original source. This makes the extract or essence of the flavoring agent.
- Increases shelf life of product
The powdered form of many flavors are able to retain their flavor for a longer period than their liquid counterparts because they lessen the exposure to air, light, and moisture, which can cause degradation in flavor. As a result of this degradation, liquid flavoring agents will have a shorter shelf-life than their powder counterparts because they are more susceptible to oxidation and other chemical reactions.
- There are many different flavors to select from
Flavoring spirits come in a variety of flavors such as coconut, rum, peppermint, lemon and root beer. The flavorings can be found in powder and liquid form as well. Flavors with the highest alcohol content are called super-strength flavors because they contain a high concentration of alcohol which is what provides the beverage its alcoholic content. Super-strength flavors can be used in large quantities because they do not contain any water or sugar which will dilute the drink if used in too large an amount.
- It is economical
Some of the strongest flavors like peppermint, cinnamon and root beer need to be diluted with water or other beverage such as cola before adding to alcoholic beverages. It is important to take into consideration that all extracts and essences vary from brand to brand. The alcoholic content is what causes the alcohol in the beverage its alcoholic content. Due to alcohol being less dense than water, its proof will be higher than that which is stated on the label. For example, a five percent super strength peppermint extract will have a proof of 31 instead of five percent.
- It is safe to consume
Many flavoring spirits are made from natural ingredients such as spices, fruits, vegetables and oils. These flavors do not contain any harmful additives or chemicals that can be harmful to human health. The flavorings may contain up to 65% alcohol which is less than that of the strongest beverages that can contain up to 80% alcohol. However, the amount of alcohol in the beverage will depend on how much of the liquid is consumed. For example: a drink made with five ounces of rum would only have one hundred and six (106) ml of alcohol whereas a drink made with ten ounces of rum would have two hundred and twenty two (222) ml of alcohol.