What makes a beverage truly exceptional? For those involved in its production, the answer to this question lies in an ingredient as simple as it is splendid: fruit. Below, we'll explore why you should consider fruit alcoholic drinks in your production.

An overview of the market 

The fruit alcoholic drinks market has grown strongly in the U.S. and Canada. The reason? Consumers are looking for unique and healthy sensory experiences.

Here are some interesting facts you should know:

• In Canada, projected revenues in the alcoholic drinks sector will have an estimated annual growth rate of 4.78 % (Statista Market Insights, Alcoholic Beverages — Canada, 2023).
• The largest market niche in Canada is wine, with a market volume of US$10 billion in 2023 (Statista Market Insights, Alcoholic Beverages - Canada, 2023).
• Alcoholic drinks revenues are expected to reach US$196.6 billion by 2023 (Statista Market Insights, 2023).
• Millennials have a soft spot for new experiences. They are willing to invest in high-quality, handcrafted products.

Consumers are also showing an increasing interest in wine (Mordor Intelligence, 2023). Some of the characteristics desired by consumers are:

• Flavorless additives.
• Gluten-free.
• Low in carbohydrates.
• Reduced in calories.
• Low alcohol content.
• Light and organic, among others.

On the other hand, many of these drinks are used for fruit cocktails or party drinks. Now let's learn about their production.

Artisanal production of fruit alcoholic drinks

The artisanal production of fruit alcoholic drinks is a tradition still used in different parts of the world (Moreno, 2021). When talking about a type of drink, there is generally a classification of four fundamental categories of liquors:

• Berries
• Citrus fruits.
• Fruit brandies.
• Creamy-textured liqueurs.

According to Moreno (2021), the most recognized fruit drinks worldwide are the following:

• Grand Marnier. A premium orange liqueur originally from France. It is known for its citric flavor and use in classic cocktails such as the “Margarita”.
• Chambord. A French raspberry liqueur highly valued for its exquisite fruity flavor, used in cocktails such as the “Kir Royale”.
• Peach Schnapps. It is a peach liqueur very popular in tropical and fruit cocktails.

Know-how and raw material treatment

The essence of creating fruit alcoholic drinks with distinctive flavor profiles lies in the use of excellent ingredients. Likewise, there must be a meticulous production process.

To bring fruit alcoholic drinks to life, several key steps must be followed to bring out their distinctive flavors:

1. Use of fresh and good quality fruits. This guarantees an authentic and lively flavor in the final result.
2. To achieve the flavors and aromas of the fruits, it is common to macerate the fruits in alcohol for a certain time.
3. Also, the balance of sugar is key to counteracting the natural acidity of the fruits. This helps to achieve a harmonious flavor in the final product.
4. Before bottling, a meticulous process of filtration and clarification is carried out. This results in a transparent and free-of-impurities drink.

Treatment of raw materials for alcoholic fruit drinks

How the raw material is treated to make this type of drink can change depending on the type of drink to be made (Gordillo-Vinueza et al., 2022).

The aspects considered in this artisanal process are the following:

• When selecting the raw material, we advise washing, peeling, or pitting as needed.
• Subsequently, the fruits are crushed or grinded to extract the juice or pulp.
• There is a filtering operation to remove seeds, skin, and other residues.
• Then, fermentation takes place, where the sugars present in the juice or pulp are transformed into alcohol. Fermentation can occur naturally or induced by the addition of selected yeasts.
• Finally, a distillation process is carried out to increase the alcohol content of the drink. The result is a significant increase in alcohol content.

How does it differ from industrial processes?

Also, there are important differences between fruit alcoholic drinks made in an artisanal way and those produced on a large scale in industrial processes (Mera, 2023).

Artisanal ones are usually known for using seasonal or harvested ingredients. Also, meticulous attention is paid to details. For example, aging times are longer to avoid the use of additives.

On the other hand, we can tell you:

• The particularity of artisanal fruit alcoholic drinks is that production is in small batches, whereas, industrial production focuses on efficiency and large batch production.
• Artisanal manufacturers have greater control and attention to quality. Industrial processes rely more on automation, which implies less attention to detail and variations in the final product.
• In terms of ingredients and additives, artisanal manufacturers tend to avoid additives and preservatives. Meanwhile, in industrial production, additives are used to stabilize the product and prolong its shelf life.

Best practices to be implemented

To create authentic drinks, it is important to choose to execute some unavoidable actions, such as:

• Maintain cleanliness and disinfection of spaces, as well as equipment.
• Measure and combine ingredients accurately.
• Efficient temperature control and storage.
• Having clear and complete labels.
• Having adequate containers that lead to an optimal storage of liquors.

• Encourage constant training in the correct handling of raw materials and finished products for personnel.

Finally, in the food industry, innovations are focused on functional drinks, with less sugar, and advanced processing technologies using fruit ingredients. It is important to keep these trends in mind to value authenticity and quality in drinks and the industry in general. Now, which of these tips will you start applying in your industry?

Gordillo-Vinueza, G., Narváez-García, A., Aguilar-Carrera, J., y Ferriol-Sánchez, F. (2022). Development, production and analysis of distilled alcoholic beverages using ten types of native Ecuadorian fruits. Polo del Conocimiento, 267-280. https://polodelconocimiento.com/ojs/index.php/es/article/download/4073/9535

Mera, V. (2023). Creación de una microempresa productora y comercializadora de licores artesanales a base de frutas exóticas producidas en la ciudad de Ambato, Tungurahua. Ambato: Universidad Técnica de Ambato.

Mordor Intelligence. (2023). Tamaño del mercado de bebidas alcohólicas y análisis de acciones tendencias de crecimiento y pronósticos (2023 - 2028). Mordor Intelligence: https://www.mordorintelligence.com/es/industry-reports/alcoholic-beverages-market

Moreno, D. (2021). Tipos y clases de licor. Yo pongo el hielo: https://www.yopongoelhielo.com/blog/tipos-y-clases-de-licor/

Statista Market Insights. (2023). Bebidas alcohólicas - Canadá. Statista Market Insights: https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/alcoholic-drinks/canada

Statista Market Insights. (2023). Bebidas Alcohólicas - Estados Unidos. Statista Market Insights: https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/alcoholic-drinks/united-states