Sparkling spirits could be on their way to off-licence shelves as Diageo has applied to patent a method of putting fizz into the hard stuff. The process, filed by Diageo & 3 of its research scientists, describes a way of mixing spirits - at 30% abv or less at the start of the process - with yeast & a fermentable carbohydrate to create the sparkle. The patent application describes tests with gin, vodka & whisky, with fermentation taking place inside the bottle. Both sparkling spirits & spirit drinks were made in the process, which were then dosed with ingredients to improve the flavour profile. A spokeswoman for Diageo said: "We we are committed to developing innovation where a clear opportunity exists for both our business & commercial partners & we invest significant amounts into new product development in order to achieve this."
