Coffee compositions with enhanced flavor characteristics and method of making

Abstract

A ready to drink coffee beverage comprising a coffee portion, said coffee portion comprising a principal coffee component and N relevant coffee components, where N is a number in the range of from about 1 to about 20, wherein the principal coffee component corresponds to a principal coffee component of a second coffee and the relevant coffee components correspond to relevant coffee components of the second coffee, and wherein the total concentration of the principal coffee component is in the range of from about 50% below to about 50% above the total concentration of the corresponding principal coffee component in the second coffee, and wherein the value of the total concentration of the principal coffee component divided by the total concentration of each of the relevant coffee components is within the range of from about 50% below to about 50% above the value of the total concentration of the corresponding principal coffee component in the second coffee divided by the total concentration of the corresponding relevant coffee components in the second coffee, wherein said ready to drink coffee beverage exhibits and enhanced flavor profile.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A beverage composition comprising: 
 a coffee portion comprising a resulting coffee component, said coffee portion exhibiting a resulting coffee component profile, said coffee portion comprising: 
 i) a coffee source comprising a coffee source component, said coffee source exhibiting a coffee source component profile;  
 ii) a coffee source component modifier;  
 iii) a flavor source component;  
   wherein the amount of said resulting coffee component mimics the amount of a target component in a component profile of a target coffee, and wherein said coffee portion has a pH value in the range of from about 2.0 units below to about 2.0 units above the pH value said target coffee.    
     
     
         2 . The beverage composition of  claim 1  wherein said coffee portion has a pH value in the range of from about 1.0 units below to about 1.0 units above the pH value said target coffee.  
     
     
         3 . The beverage composition of  claim 1  wherein said coffee portion has a pH value in the range of from about 0.5 units below to about 0.5 units above the pH value said target coffee.  
     
     
         4 . The beverage composition of  claim 1  wherein said coffee source is selected from the group consisting of roast and ground coffee, soluble coffee, a coffee extract, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The beverage composition of  claim 1  wherein said flavor source is selected from the group consisting of compounds capable of imparting a characteristic flavor note associated with nuts, berries, dairy flavor contributing products, cocoa, vanilla, alcohols, and liqueur flavor contributing products, caramel, mint, coffees, chocolates, cinnamon, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         6 . A coffee composition comprising: 
 a coffee portion comprising a resulting source component, said coffee portion exhibiting a resulting source component profile, said coffee portion comprising: 
 i) a coffee source comprising a coffee source component, said coffee source exhibiting a coffee source component profile;  
 ii) a source component modifier;  
 iii) a flavor source component;  
   wherein the amount of said resulting source component mimics the amount of a target coffee component in a component profile of a target coffee, and wherein said coffee portion provides a pH value in use in the range of from about 2.0 units below to about 2.0 units above the pH value said target coffee.    
     
     
         7 . The beverage composition of  claim 6  wherein said coffee portion provides a pH value in use in the range of from about 0.5 units below to about 0.5 units above the pH value said target coffee.  
     
     
         8 . The beverage composition of  claim 6  wherein said coffee source is selected from the group consisting of roast and ground coffee, soluble coffee, a coffee extract, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The beverage composition of  claim 6  wherein said flavor source is selected from the group consisting of compounds capable of imparting a characteristic flavor note associated with nuts, berries, dairy flavor contributing products, cocoa, vanilla, alcohols, and liqueur flavor contributing products, caramel, mint, coffees, chocolates, cinnamon, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         10 . A ready to drink coffee beverage comprising a coffee portion, said coffee portion comprising a principal coffee component and N relevant coffee components, where N is a number in the range of from about 1 to about 20, wherein said principal coffee component corresponds to a principal coffee component of a target coffee and said N relevant coffee components correspond to N relevant coffee components of said target coffee, wherein the total concentration of said principal coffee component is in the range of from about 50% below to about 50% above the total concentration of said corresponding principal coffee component in said target coffee, and wherein the value of the total concentration of said principal coffee component of said first coffee divided by the total concentration of said Nth relevant coffee component of said first coffee is within the range of from about 50% below to about 50% above the value of the total concentration of said principal coffee component in said target coffee divided by the total concentration of said Nth relevant coffee component of said target coffee.  
     
     
         11 . The ready to drink coffee beverage of  claim 10  wherein said flavor source is selected from the group consisting of compounds capable of imparting a characteristic flavor note associated with nuts, berries, dairy flavor contributing products, cocoa, vanilla, alcohols, and liqueur flavor contributing products, caramel, mint, coffees, chocolates, cinnamon, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         12 . A ready to drink coffee beverage comprising a coffee portion, said coffee portion comprising a principal coffee component and N relevant coffee components, where N is a number in the range of from about 1 to about 20, wherein said principal coffee component corresponds to a principal coffee component of a target coffee and said N relevant coffee components correspond to N relevant coffee components of said target coffee, wherein the total concentration of said principal coffee component is in the range of from about 50% below to about 50% above the total concentration of said corresponding principal coffee component in said target coffee, and wherein the value of the total concentration of said principal coffee component of said first coffee divided by the total concentration of said Nth relevant coffee component of said first coffee is within the range of from about 50% below to about 50% above the value of the total concentration of said principal coffee component in said target coffee divided by the total concentration of said Nth relevant coffee component of said target coffee, and wherein said coffee portion has a sufficient amount of a coffee source component modifier such that the pH of said coffee portion is within the range of from about 2 units above to about 2 units below the pH of said target coffee.  
     
     
         13 . The ready to drink coffee beverage of  claim 12  wherein the value of the total concentration said principal coffee component of said coffee portion divided by the total concentration of said Nth relevant coffee component of said coffee portion is equal to the value of the total concentration of said corresponding principal coffee component of said target coffee divided by the total concentration of said corresponding Nth relevant coffee component of said target component.  
     
     
         14 . The ready to drink coffee beverage of  claim 13  where in the ratio of principal coffee component of said coffee portion to each of said Nth relevant coffee components of said coffee portion is equal to the ratio of said corresponding principal coffee components of said target coffee to each of said corresponding Nth relevant coffee components of said target coffee.