Do you check the ingredients while buying alcoholic beverages? Most commonly, consumers want to know about the content to learn about the flavour. They also try to identify the alcohol percentage in the beverage. However, it is essential to detect the additives used in the beverage.
Some brands claim that they have used no additives. Nevertheless, additives are common in most alcoholic beverages. Using the additives makes the formula more complex. Distilleries and breweries use various substances to produce beer and other beverages. Belvedere vodka 700ml is a good, healthy spirit without additives. The company has considered the Polish vodka rules, which prevent manufacturers from adding anything harmful. Belvedere lets you get hints of vanilla and almond. You will experience a velvety finish with this drink.
Which are common additives for your alcoholic drinks?
A wide range of additives is used for alcoholic beverage production:
Flavour booster – Some additives allow manufacturers to improve the aroma and taste of alcoholic beverages. Essential oils and botanical extracts make the flavour profiles more appealing.
Sweeteners – Artificial sweeteners are detrimental to your health. But, you can find them as one of the ingredients in the spirits. Corn syrup contains a high level of fructose. Many liqueurs and cocktails have artificial sweeteners to increase the sweetness levels.
Stabilisers and preservatives – Citric acid and some other compounds stabilise the shelf life of the drink. Stabilisers are effective in adjusting tartness and viscosity. Breweries also use antioxidants (like sulphur dioxide) to prevent damage and oxidation risks.
Emulsifiers – Polysorbate and other emulsifiers maintain the consistency in flavours and prevent the risk of separating liquids. They also retain the colloidal structure of substances.
Colourants – Natural pigments and caramel are common colourants to make the product visually appealing. However, chemical-based colourants are not safe for your health. Most commonly, wines have caramels as the traditional colouring agents.
Do additives provide any advantages?
Spices and fruit extracts impart the best flavours to your drink. Sometimes, fermentation alone does not provide these flavours. Moreover, additives help in standardising the product. By preventing stabilisers and emulsifiers, the additives may alter the appearance of the beverage.
Antioxidants in the beverage combat oxidation during the ageing process. Some additives precipitate and aggregate suspended particles that make the drink more attractive. Alcohol beverage manufacturers use enzymes to replace a part of the mashed grains with corn and rice. So, these are some reasons for using additives for your spirit.
The alcohol additives will evolve in the future based on industry trends and consumer preferences. Reliable manufacturers provide clear labelling where you can read information about the use of additives. Some companies try to choose organic additives to meet customers’ needs.
With more research in the coming years, you may find better-quality alcoholic spirits. Trusted brands prefer sustainable practices and use eco-friendly additives for their products. They also adapt to new regulations and maintain quality standards for every alcoholic spirit. The use of excessive alcohol additives may cause safety issues for consumers.