Method for producing beer-taste beverage

Abstract

To provide a method for producing a beer-taste beverage by adding a solid raw material derived from a natural product, by which the beer-taste beverage having a sufficiently reduced number of beer-spoilage microorganisms can be produced in spite of not performing a heat sterilization treatment after the step of adding the solid raw material derived from the natural product.SOLUTION: A method for producing a beer-taste beverage, comprising an addition step of adding a naturally derived solid raw material to a raw material liquid after heat treatment, wherein heat sterilization treatment is not performed after the addition step, and a water activity value of the solid raw material is 0.70 or less, and the above-described method for producing a beer-taste beverage, comprising a measurement step of measuring a water activity value of the solid raw material before the addition step.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a beer-taste beverage in which a naturally occurring solid ingredient is added after the wort cooling step, such as dry hopping. [Background technology]

[0002] Hops are an important ingredient that imparts the characteristic bitterness and flavor of beer. In typical beer production, hops are added to the wort being boiled during the brewing process (kettle hopping) to impart sufficient bitterness to the final beer product. To impart a stronger hop-derived aroma, hops may be added to the wort just before the end of boiling or to the whirlpool after boiling (late hopping). Alternatively, hops may be added after the wort has been cooled (dry hopping) to produce a beer-flavored beverage rich in hop-derived aroma components.

[0003] Hops added in dry hopping are not heat-treated, and therefore can impart a different aroma to those obtained by kettle hopping or late hopping. For this reason, dry hopping is used to produce beer-flavored beverages with a distinctive hop-derived aroma, and various methods for improving it have been developed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method in which hops used in dry hopping are pre-heat-treated to an appropriate degree in order to reduce the irritation and harshness of dry-hopped beer while maintaining an enhanced hop aroma. Patent Document 2 also describes the production of a fermented alcoholic beverage imparted with a dry-hopped flavor and reduced astringency and resinous aroma by pre-heating hops under specified conditions and adding the heat-treated hops to a raw material mixture having a specified sugar content after the start of the fermentation process. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-004720 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7333170 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Naturally occurring solid raw materials such as hops are usually contaminated with various microorganisms, including beer-spoilage bacteria. For this reason, when naturally occurring solid raw materials are added to the fermentation raw material liquid and fermentation liquid obtained after the wort cooling process, such as in dry hopping, it has been essential to perform a sufficient heat sterilization treatment after the addition of the solid raw materials. However, performing a heat sterilization treatment under strict conditions after the wort cooling process is likely to impair the quality of the product, such as its flavor.

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a method for producing a beer-taste beverage using naturally occurring solid ingredients, in which the number of beer-spoilage bacteria is sufficiently reduced despite no heat sterilization treatment being carried out after the step of adding the naturally occurring solid ingredients. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of intensive research conducted by the present inventors to solve the above-mentioned problems, they discovered that when the water activity value of a solid ingredient is 0.70 or less, the viable count of beer-spoilage bacteria is sufficiently reduced without the need for conventional strong heat sterilization treatment after the addition of the solid ingredient, and that a beer-taste beverage can be produced without the risk of quality contamination by microorganisms, thereby completing the present invention.

[0008] The present invention is as follows. [1] An addition step of adding a natural solid raw material to the raw material liquid after the heat treatment; It has After the adding step, no heat sterilization treatment is performed, A method for producing a beer-taste beverage, wherein the water activity of the solid ingredient is 0.70 or less. [2] The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to [1] above, further comprising a measuring step of measuring the water activity of the solid ingredients before the adding step. [3] The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to [2] above, further comprising a preparation step of adjusting the water activity of the solid ingredients to 0.70 or less after the measurement step and before the addition step. [4] The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to any one of [1] to [3] above, further comprising a storage step of storing the solid ingredients at 15°C or higher for at least 3 days prior to the adding step. [5] The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to any one of [1] to [4] above, wherein the solid ingredients have not been subjected to a sterilization treatment. [6] The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to any one of [1] to [5] above, wherein the solid ingredients are one or more selected from the group consisting of hops, enzymes, fruits and vegetables, herbs, and tea. [7] The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to [6] above, wherein the hops are hop pellets. [8] Furthermore, a preparation step of saccharifying the fermentation raw material and heat-treating the resulting saccharified liquid to prepare a fermentation raw material liquid; a fermentation step of inoculating the fermentation raw material liquid with yeast and fermenting it; and The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to any one of [1] to [7] above, wherein the raw material liquid is a fermentation raw material liquid obtained in a preparation step, a liquid obtained after yeast has been added to the fermentation raw material liquid in the fermentation step, or a fermented liquid obtained in the fermentation step. [9] Furthermore, a blending step of preparing a blend by mixing all raw materials other than the naturally occurring solid raw materials; a heating step of heat sterilizing the obtained preparation; a gas introducing step of adding carbon dioxide gas to the prepared liquid after the heating step; and The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to any one of [1] to [7] above, wherein the liquid raw material is a prepared liquid after the heating step or a prepared liquid after the gas introducing step. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to produce a beer-taste beverage in which the number of beer-spoilage bacteria is sufficiently reduced, even though heat sterilization is not carried out after the addition of naturally occurring solid ingredients. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] In this invention and this specification, a "beer-taste beverage" is a beverage that has a beer-like flavor. In this invention and this specification, "beer-like" refers to a flavor or taste that is reminiscent of beer, regardless of the product name or labeling. In other words, a beer-taste beverage is a beverage that has a flavor, taste, and texture equivalent to or similar to that of beer, regardless of whether it contains alcohol or not, the amount of alcohol, whether it uses malt or hops, or whether it is fermented or not, and that has high thirst quenching properties and drinkability (the ability to drink multiple cups without getting bored). Beer-flavored beverages include both alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beverages (beverages with an alcohol concentration of less than 0.05% by volume).

[0011] In the present invention and this specification, a "fermented beer-taste beverage" refers to a beer-taste beverage produced via a fermentation process. The fermentation method is not particularly limited and may be simple fermentation, multiple simple fermentation, or multiple parallel fermentation. However, similar to traditional beer production, simple multiple fermentation is preferred, in which the beverage is produced via separate processes: a saccharification process in which starch contained in raw materials such as malt is broken down into mono- to trisaccharides, and a fermentation process in which alcohol is produced from the sugars using yeast. When the beer-taste beverage produced by the method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the present invention is a fermented beer-taste beverage, specific examples of such fermented beer-taste beverages include beer, happoshu (low-malt beer), low-alcohol beer-taste beverages, and non-alcohol beers, all of which are produced via a fermentation process. Furthermore, liqueurs obtained by blending a beverage produced via a fermentation process with an alcohol-containing distillate are also included in the fermented beer-taste beverage category.

[0012] The alcohol-containing distillate is a solution containing alcohol obtained by distillation, and can be any alcohol generally classified as a distilled alcoholic beverage, such as raw alcohol, spirits, whiskey, brandy, vodka, rum, tequila, gin, or shochu.

[0013] In the present invention and this specification, a "non-fermented beer-taste beverage" refers to a beer-taste beverage produced without going through a fermentation process. Specific examples include happoshu (low-malt beer), low-alcohol beer-taste beverages, and non-alcohol beers that are produced without going through a fermentation process.

[0014] The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the present invention includes an addition step of adding naturally occurring solid ingredients to a heated raw material liquid, and is characterized in that no heat sterilization is performed after the addition step, and the water activity of the solid ingredients is 0.70 or less. By adding the naturally occurring solid ingredients after the fermentation step, a beer-taste beverage rich in components derived from the solid ingredients can be produced. In this case, by keeping the water activity of the naturally occurring solid ingredients at 0.70 or less, the number of beer-spoilage bacteria derived from the solid ingredients is extremely low, even without heat sterilization after addition of the solid ingredients, and a beer-taste beverage can be obtained without the risk of quality contamination by microorganisms.

[0015] In the present invention, the solid ingredients added to the heated raw material liquid are not particularly limited as long as they are naturally derived, edible solid ingredients. Examples of such solid ingredients include hops, fruits and vegetables, herbs, tea, enzymes, etc. In the addition step of the method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the present invention, one type of solid ingredient may be added, or two or more types may be added in combination.

[0016] The hops may be fresh hops, dried hops, hop pellets, or processed hop products. The processed hop product used as a raw material may be a hop extract obtained by extracting bitter components from hops. It may also be a hop processed product containing isoforms of bitter components in hops, such as isoform hop extract, tetrahydroisohumulone, and hexahydroisohumulone. In the present invention and this specification, unless otherwise specified, "hops" includes fresh hops, dried hops, hop pellets, and the like, as well as processed hop products. As the solid raw material used in the present invention, hops are preferred, and hop pellets are particularly preferred.

[0017] The fresh produce may be either fruit or vegetable. Examples of fruit include tropical fruits such as mango, kiwi fruit, banana, pineapple, papaya, lychee, guava, and passion fruit; citrus fruits such as lemon, lime, yuzu, sudachi, kabosu, shikuwasa, grapefruit, sweetie, orange, Satsuma mandarin, summer mandarin, Iyokan, hassaku, and Hyuganatsu; and soft fruits such as peaches, plums, apples, grapes, melons, watermelons, pears, cherries, plums, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black currants, and loquats. Examples of vegetables that can be used include tomatoes, carrots, spinach, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, lettuce, parsley, watercress, kale, soybeans, beets, red peppers, pumpkins, Japanese mustard spinach, ginger, and parsley. Herbs include lemongrass, sage, cinnamon, lavender, rosemary, pepper, peppermint, vanilla, etc. Examples of tea include green tea leaves, black tea leaves, oolong tea leaves, and matcha. Examples of the enzyme include saccharifying enzymes such as α-amylase, glucoamylase, and pullulanase, and enzyme preparations such as proteases.

[0018] In the method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the present invention, the solid ingredients used in the addition step have a water activity value of 0.70 or less. Many naturally occurring solid ingredients contain various microorganisms, including beer-spoilage bacteria. For this reason, when naturally occurring solid ingredients are added to a liquid ingredient, the beer-spoilage bacteria from the solid ingredients are transferred to the beverage, making heat sterilization necessary for distribution as a beverage on the market. In contrast, the present invention uses solid ingredients with a water activity value of 0.70 or less. Therefore, the content of beer-spoilage bacteria is sufficiently reduced even without heat sterilization after the addition of the solid ingredients, allowing the production of a safe beer-taste beverage free from the risk of quality contamination by microorganisms.

[0019] The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the present invention preferably includes a step of measuring the water activity of the solid ingredients prior to the adding step. The water activity (Aw) is the ratio of the water vapor pressure (P) in the container to the vapor pressure of pure water (P0) (Aw=P / P0). The water vapor pressure can be measured using a water activity measuring device that uses a tunable diode laser, such as the AquaLab (registered trademark) TDL 2 manufactured by Mehta Corporation.

[0020] The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the present invention preferably includes a preparation step, after the measurement step and before the addition step, of adjusting the water activity of the solid ingredients to 0.70 or less. One method for reducing the water activity of the solid ingredients to 0.70 or less is to store them for a predetermined period in a storage cabinet equipped with a humidity regulator that can adjust the water vapor pressure within a desired range. Alternatively, the water activity can be reduced by treating the solid ingredients with a hot air dryer.

[0021] In the method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the present invention, a storage step of storing the solid ingredients at 15°C or higher for at least three days prior to the addition step is preferably included, in order to further reduce the number of beer-spoilage bacteria transferred from the solid ingredients to the beverage. The storage temperature is not particularly limited as long as it is 15°C or higher, but is preferably 20°C or higher, and more preferably 25°C or higher. The storage temperature is preferably 50°C or lower, more preferably 40°C or lower, and even more preferably 30°C or lower. The storage period is not particularly limited as long as it is three days or longer, but is preferably five days or longer, more preferably seven days or longer, and even more preferably 14 days or longer. The storage period is preferably three months or shorter, and more preferably one month or shorter.

[0022] In the storage step, the solid raw material may be stored in an anaerobic environment or an aerobic environment.

[0023] The solid raw materials used in the addition step have a water activity of 0.70 or less, so beer-spoilage bacteria cannot survive. Therefore, the solid raw materials may not have been sterilized. Because the solid raw materials can be used as raw materials without sterilization, there is no risk of the solid raw materials being denatured by sterilization, and a beer-taste beverage with better flavor can be produced.

[0024] The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the present invention can be carried out in the same manner as for producing a general beer-taste beverage, except that it includes an addition step of adding a naturally occurring solid ingredient to the heated raw material liquid.

[0025] When the beer-taste beverage produced by the method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the present invention is a fermented beer-taste beverage, it can be produced, for example, by a brewing step, a fermentation step, and a storage step. Each step will be explained below.

[0026] In the preparation process (fermentation raw material liquid preparation process), a fermentation raw material liquid is prepared from the fermentation raw material. Specifically, first, a mixture containing the fermentation raw material and raw material water is prepared and heated to saccharify the starch in the fermentation raw material. To this mixture, auxiliary materials other than the fermentation raw material and water may be added. Examples of such auxiliary materials include hops, water-soluble dietary fiber, yeast extract, protein hydrolysates, sweeteners, bittering agents, fruit juice, coloring agents, herbs, and flavoring agents.

[0027] In the method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the present invention, malt alone may be used as the fermentation raw material, malt and other fermentation raw materials may be used, or only fermentation raw materials other than malt may be used. The malt used as the fermentation raw material may be barley malt, wheat malt, or a combination of both. In the method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the present invention, when malt is used as the fermentation raw material, the malt usage ratio (the proportion of malt used in the total fermentation raw materials) is not particularly limited, but from the perspective of achieving a more beer-like flavor and aroma, the malt usage ratio is preferably 50 to 100% by mass, more preferably 70 to 100% by mass, and even more preferably 90 to 100% by mass.

[0028] The grain raw material other than malt used in the method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the present invention may be a single type of grain raw material or a mixture of multiple types of grain raw materials. The fermentation raw material other than malt may be a grain raw material alone, a carbohydrate raw material alone, or a mixture of both. Examples of grain raw materials include wheat, barley, rice, corn, beans such as soybeans, and potatoes. Examples of carbohydrate raw materials include sugars such as liquid sugar and sucrose.

[0029] Each grain raw material including malt can be used as grain syrup, grain extract, etc., but is preferably used as a ground grain product obtained by grinding. The grinding of grains can be carried out by a conventional method. The ground grain product may be one that has been subjected to conventional treatments before or after grinding, such as crushed malt, corn starch, corn grits, etc.

[0030] By using hops as a raw material, a beer-flavored beverage containing iso-α acids can be produced. Hops used as a raw material can be the same as those listed above.

[0031] Water-soluble dietary fiber refers to carbohydrates that dissolve in water and are not or are difficult to digest by human digestive enzymes. Examples of water-soluble dietary fibers used in the present invention include indigestible dextrin, polydextrose, soybean dietary fiber, galactomannan, inulin, guar gum hydrolyzate, pectin, gum arabic, etc. These water-soluble dietary fibers may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0032] The sweetener may be sugar, a sweetener with a relatively low sweetness, or a sweetener with a high sweetness. Specific examples of sweeteners with a relatively low sweetness include polysaccharides and sweet amino acids. Polysaccharides refer to carbohydrates formed by the polymerization of three or more monosaccharides. Polysaccharides are broadly classified into starch, dextrin, and oligosaccharides, mainly based on their size. Oligosaccharides are carbohydrates formed by the polymerization of approximately 3 to 10 monosaccharides, and dextrin refers to carbohydrates obtained by hydrolyzing starch and larger than oligosaccharides. Examples of sweet amino acids include alanine and glycine, with alanine being preferred. Examples of high-sweetness sweeteners include acesulfame potassium, neotame, aspartame, sucralose, stevia, enzyme-treated stevia, etc. These sweeteners may be used alone or in combination.

[0033] The bittering agent is not particularly limited as long as it imparts a bitterness identical to or similar to that of beer in the final beer-flavored beverage, and may be a bittering component contained in hops or a bittering component not contained in hops. Specific examples of the bittering agent include bittering components such as magnesium salts, calcium salts, tributyl citrate, triethyl citrate, naringin, quasin, iso-α acids, tetraiso-α acids, β acid oxides, quinine, momordicin, quercitrin, theobromine, and caffeine, as well as bittering materials such as bitter melon, Swertia japonica tea, Kuding tea, wormwood extract, gentian extract, and cinchona extract. These bittering agents may be used alone or in combination.

[0034] Examples of protein hydrolysates include soy protein hydrolysates. Examples of coloring agents include caramel color. Examples of flavorings include beer flavors, beer aromas, and hop aromas.

[0035] In the mashing step, it is preferable to add saccharifying enzymes such as α-amylase, glucoamylase, pullulanase, etc., or enzyme preparations such as protease, etc. These enzymes promote the decomposition reaction of non-assimilable sugars in the fermentation raw material into assimilable sugars, and even when a fermentation raw material with a high malt content is used, it is possible to prepare a fermentation raw material liquid with a low content of non-assimilable sugars.

[0036] Saccharification is carried out using enzymes derived from the grain raw materials or enzymes added separately. The temperature and time during saccharification are appropriately adjusted taking into consideration the type of grain raw materials used, the proportion of the grain raw materials in the total fermentation raw materials, the type and amount of enzymes added, and the desired quality of the beer-taste beverage. For example, saccharification can be carried out by conventional methods, such as by maintaining a mixture containing the grain raw materials at 35 to 70°C for 20 to 90 minutes. Adjusting the saccharification time can control the saccharification efficiency and adjust the carbohydrate content of the final beer-taste beverage to fall within a desired range.

[0037] The sugar solution obtained after saccharification can be boiled to prepare a broth (a boiled product of the sugar solution). It is preferable to filter the sugar solution before boiling, and then boil the obtained filtrate. Alternatively, instead of the filtrate of the sugar solution, a mixture of malt extract and warm water may be used and boiled. The boiling method and conditions can be determined as appropriate.

[0038] By adding herbs and other ingredients as appropriate before or during the boiling process, a beer-flavored beverage with the desired flavor can be produced. Hops are particularly preferably added before or during the boiling process. Boiling in the presence of hops allows the flavor and aroma components of the hops to be efficiently extracted. The amount of hops to be added, the manner of addition (e.g., adding hops in several batches), and the boiling conditions can be determined as appropriate.

[0039] After the mashing step and before the fermentation step, it is preferable to remove dregs such as proteins generated by precipitation from the prepared broth. The removal of dregs can be carried out by any solid-liquid separation process, but typically, a tank called a whirlpool is used to remove the sediment. The temperature of the broth at this time should be 15°C or higher, and is generally about 50 to 100°C. The broth (filtrate) after dregs removal is cooled to an appropriate fermentation temperature using a plate cooler or the like. This broth after dregs removal becomes the fermentation raw material liquid.

[0040] Next, in the fermentation step, yeast is inoculated into the cooled fermentation raw material liquid and fermentation is carried out. The cooled fermentation raw material liquid may be subjected to the fermentation step as is, or may be subjected to the fermentation step after being adjusted to a desired extract concentration. The yeast used for fermentation is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately selected from yeasts normally used in the production of alcoholic beverages. Either top-fermenting yeast or bottom-fermenting yeast may be used, but bottom-fermenting yeast is preferred because it is easily applicable to large-scale brewing equipment and is easily removed together with the lees during the storage step.

[0041] Furthermore, in the storage process, the obtained fermented liquid is aged (post-fermentation) in a storage tank, and then stabilized at low temperature. The fermented liquid transferred to the storage tank is aged by being left to stand for several days to two weeks at a temperature range (aging temperature) of about fermentation temperature ±5°C. Next, the liquid in the storage tank after aging (stored liquid) is kept at 5°C or below, preferably at about -2 to 2°C. The aged stored liquid is stabilized by storing it under low-temperature conditions. The storage time under low-temperature conditions (low-temperature stabilization treatment time) is not particularly limited and can be, for example, one day to several months.

[0042] In the method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the present invention, naturally occurring solid ingredients are added to the fermentation raw material liquid after boiling in the brewing process. More specifically, the raw material liquid to which the naturally occurring solid ingredients are added may be the fermentation raw material liquid (wort) after boiling and removal of sediment in a whirlpool, or the fermentation raw material liquid after further cooling to the fermentation temperature, or the fermentation liquid during the fermentation process, the fermentation liquid during post-fermentation, the fermentation liquid during low-temperature stabilization, or the fermentation liquid after low-temperature stabilization. The solid ingredients may be added together with yeast to the fermentation raw material liquid in the fermentation tank at the start of fermentation, or to the liquid in the fermentation tank after the start of fermentation but before the end of fermentation, or to the fermentation liquid after the end of fermentation but before transfer to the storage tank (the liquid in the fermentation tank after the end of fermentation) before transfer to the storage tank, or to the liquid in the storage tank before the end of the maturation process. In the method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the present invention, adding the solid ingredients to the liquid in the storage tank after the end of fermentation is preferred, as this minimizes the impact on fermentation (main fermentation) in the fermentation process. Furthermore, since sufficient fermentation by yeast in the presence of solid ingredients facilitates the production of a beer-flavored beverage with an excellent flavor derived from the solid ingredients, the timing for adding the solid ingredients to the liquid in the storage tank is preferably before 7 days have passed since the start of the aging process, even more preferably before 3 days have passed since the start of the aging process, and even more preferably at the start of the aging process.

[0043] Next, in the filtration step, the fermented liquid after aging and stabilization is filtered to remove yeast and proteins insoluble in the temperature range, thereby obtaining the desired beer-taste beverage. Any method capable of filtering out the yeast may be used for this filtration, and examples include diatomaceous earth filtration and filter filtration using a filter with an average pore size of approximately 0.4 to 1.0 μm. Furthermore, to achieve the desired alcohol concentration, an appropriate amount of water may be added before or after filtration to dilute the liquid.

[0044] Before filtration, the pooled liquor may be centrifuged. Centrifugation may be performed by a conventional method. Furthermore, the pooled liquor may be diluted by adding an appropriate amount of water before filtration or centrifugation.

[0045] Before or after the filtration treatment, a membrane filtration treatment to remove water can be further performed. As the membrane filtration treatment, a known membrane treatment used in a concentration treatment, such as an RO membrane treatment or an FO membrane treatment, can be used.

[0046] The filtrate obtained in the filtration step may be used as a beer-taste beverage as is, or may be diluted with an appropriate amount of water to achieve a desired alcohol concentration and then used as a beer-taste beverage. The filtrate obtained in the filtration step may also be mixed with an alcohol-containing distillate to produce a beer-taste beverage that corresponds to liqueurs under the Liquor Tax Act. The alcohol-containing distillate may be added before or after adding water to adjust the alcohol concentration. Barley spirits are preferred as the alcohol-containing distillate to be added, as this allows for the production of a beer-taste beverage with a more desirable barley flavor.

[0047] When the beer-taste beverage produced by the method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the present invention is a non-fermented beer-taste beverage, it can be produced, for example, by mixing the ingredients (blending method). Specifically, it can be produced by a blending step in which the ingredients are mixed to prepare a blend, and a gas-introducing step in which carbon dioxide gas is added to the resulting blend.

[0048] First, in the blending step, a blended liquid is prepared by mixing all of the raw materials except for the naturally occurring solid raw materials. In the blending step, it is preferable to prepare a blended liquid by mixing the naturally occurring solid raw materials and all of the raw materials except for carbon dioxide gas. The order in which the raw materials are mixed is not particularly limited. All of the raw materials may be added to the raw material water at the same time, or the raw materials may be added sequentially, such as by dissolving the previously added raw materials and then adding the remaining raw materials. Furthermore, for example, solid raw materials (e.g., powder or granular) and alcohol may be mixed with the raw material water, or the solid raw materials may be prepared as aqueous solutions in advance, and these aqueous solutions, alcohol, and, if necessary, raw material water may be mixed. Furthermore, heated raw materials may be added to the raw material water, or the prepared blended liquid may be heated.

[0049] The raw materials used in the blending process include bittering agents, acidulants, sweetening agents, caramel coloring, flavoring agents, ethanol (raw alcohol), emulsifiers, polysaccharides, water-soluble dietary fiber, proteins or their decomposition products, etc. As the bittering agent, sweetening agent, polysaccharide, water-soluble dietary fiber, and protein hydrolysate, those listed above can be used. Acidulants include organic acids such as citric acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, phosphoric acid, lactic acid, adipic acid, and fumaric acid. Examples of emulsifiers include polyglycerin fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, polypropylene glycol fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, and polysorbates.

[0050] If insoluble matter is generated in the preparation prepared in the preparation step, it is preferable to subject the preparation to a treatment to remove the insoluble matter, such as filtration, before the gas introduction step. The insoluble matter removal treatment is not particularly limited, and can be carried out by a method commonly used in the technical field, such as filtration or centrifugation. In the present invention, it is preferable to remove the insoluble matter by filtration, and more preferably by diatomaceous earth filtration.

[0051] After the blending step, the resulting preparation is subjected to heat sterilization (heating step). Heat sterilization can be carried out by a conventional method such as UHT (ultra-high temperature) sterilization, pasteurizer sterilization, or retort sterilization.

[0052] After the heating step, a gas introduction step is performed in which carbon dioxide gas is added to the heat-sterilized preparation. This results in a non-fermented, beer-like sparkling beverage. The addition of carbon dioxide imparts a refreshing sensation similar to that of beer. The addition of carbon dioxide gas can be carried out by a conventional method. For example, the heat-sterilized preparation may be mixed with sterilized carbonated water, or carbon dioxide gas may be directly added to the heat-sterilized preparation and dissolved therein.

[0053] After the addition of carbon dioxide gas, the resulting non-fermented, beer-like sparkling beverage may be further subjected to a process for removing insoluble matter, such as filtration. The insoluble matter removal process is not particularly limited, and may be carried out by a method commonly used in the art.

[0054] In the method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the present invention, a naturally occurring solid ingredient is added to a prepared liquid after the heating step. More specifically, the raw material liquid to which the naturally occurring solid ingredient is added may be a prepared liquid after the heating step and before the gas introduction step, or may be a prepared liquid after the gas introduction step.

[0055] The produced beer-taste beverage can be filled into a container and sealed to produce a packaged beer-taste beverage. The container can be filled and sealed using conventional methods. The empty space of the packaged beer-taste beverage may also be filled with an inert gas such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide. The inert gas can reduce the amount of oxygen present in the container.

[0056] The container into which the packaged beer-taste beverage is filled is not particularly limited. Specific examples include glass bottles, cans, and flexible containers. Examples of cans include two-piece beverage cans, three-piece beverage cans, and bottle-shaped cans. Examples of flexible containers include containers made by molding flexible resins such as PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), EVOH (ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer), and PET (polyethylene terephthalate). Flexible containers may be made of a single-layer resin or a multi-layer resin.

[0057] The beer-taste beverage of the present invention has an extremely low number of beer-spoilage bacteria and is therefore free from the risk of microbial contamination, making it possible to omit heat sterilization after filling into containers. Many of the aroma components that contribute to beer-like flavor are highly volatile and are easily lost through heat sterilization. Because the beer-taste beverage of the present invention does not require heat sterilization after filling into containers, it has a more superior flavor derived from the solid ingredients than conventional beer-taste beverages that are heat sterilized after filling into containers.

[0058] The beer-taste beverage produced by the method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the present invention may be an alcoholic beverage or a non-alcoholic beverage that does not contain alcohol. The beer-taste beverage produced by the method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the present invention is preferably an alcoholic beverage, for example, an alcoholic beverage with an alcohol concentration of 0.5% by volume or more, more preferably 0.5 to 10.0% by volume, even more preferably 0.5 to 8.0% by volume, and even more preferably 2.5 to 8.0% by volume.

[0059] In beer-taste beverages that do not undergo heat sterilization after packaging, yeast-derived enzymes tend to remain intact. Beer-taste beverages produced by the method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the present invention preferably have an invertase activity of greater than 0 units, and more preferably greater than 55 units. [Example]

[0060] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to examples and reference examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples. In the following experiments, water activity values ​​were measured using an "AquaLab (registered trademark) TDL 2" manufactured by Meter Co. This device is a water activity measuring device that measures relative humidity and determines water activity by irradiating the space above a sample with a tunable diode laser.

[0061] [Example 1] Beer-spoilage bacteria were cultured on plates consisting of agar alone, with the water activity adjusted, and their survival was examined. The beer-spoilage bacteria used were two Gram-negative bacteria (Pectinatus frisingensis, Megasphaera cerevisiae), two Gram-positive bacteria (Pediococcus damnosus, Lactobacillus brevis), and two yeast species (Dekkera bruxellensis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae).

[0062] The culture media used were MRS medium, TGCII medium, YM medium, or agar-only plate medium. Merck's "GranuCult® MRS broth" was used as the MRS medium, Shimadzu Diagnostics' "Acudia® Thioglycolic Acid Medium II" was used as the TGCII medium, and Becton Dickinson's "Difco® YM Broth" was used as the YM medium. The water activity of agar-only plate medium was adjusted using glycerin. The compositions of the media are shown in Tables 1 to 4.

[0063] [Table 1]

[0064] [Table 2]

[0065] [Table 3]

[0066] [Table 4]

[0067] <Pre-culture and bacterial solution preparation> Each microorganism was inoculated into MRS medium, TGCII medium, or YM medium and pre-cultured under the conditions shown in Table 5. The pre-cultured cells were suspended in sterile physiological saline to prepare a bacterial solution.

[0068] [Table 5]

[0069] <Microbial Cultivation> Each bacterial solution was inoculated onto a 10 cm dish containing agar-only plates with adjusted water activity to give 100-1000 cfu / dish, and cultured at 25°C for 14 days under anaerobic or aerobic conditions (in air). The number of colonies formed on the plates was counted over time, and the logarithmic reduction value (LRV) was calculated. The measurement results are shown in Tables 6 and 7.

[0070] [Table 6]

[0071] [Table 7]

[0072] As shown in Tables 6 and 7, under conditions with a water activity of 0.75, all microorganisms except Saccharomyces cerevisiae were killed within three days of incubation. Under conditions with a water activity of 0.65, all beer-spoilage bacteria tested in this study were killed by the fifth day of incubation. Furthermore, the results were the same under aerobic and anaerobic environments. These results confirmed that beer-spoilage bacteria cannot survive in an environment with a low water activity, and that storing solid ingredients such as hops at a low water activity can kill beer-spoilage bacteria in the solid ingredients, enabling the production of beer-flavored beverages with a reduced risk of quality contamination by beer-spoilage bacteria.

[0073] [Example 2] The effect of temperature on the viability of L. brevis and D. bruxellensis under low water activity conditions was investigated. Specifically, the experiment was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1, except for the temperature conditions. The results of the number of days required for LRV to reach 2 or more are shown in Tables 8 and 9.

[0074] [Table 8]

[0075] [Table 9]

[0076] As shown in Table 8, D. bruxellensis died within three days at a water activity of 0.65 or less, regardless of temperature or aerobic or anaerobic conditions. On the other hand, as shown in Table 9, L. brevis died within three days at temperatures above 25°C and within seven days at 20°C at a water activity of 0.65 or less. At 15°C, it died within seven days under aerobic conditions and within 14 days under anaerobic conditions.

Claims

1. an adding step of adding a naturally-derived solid raw material to the raw material liquid after the heat treatment; It has After the adding step, no heat sterilization treatment is performed, A method for producing a beer-taste beverage, wherein the water activity of the solid ingredient is 0.70 or less.

2. 2. The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to claim 1, further comprising a measuring step of measuring the water activity of the solid ingredients before the adding step.

3. 3. The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to claim 2, further comprising a preparation step of adjusting the water activity of the solid ingredients to 0.70 or less after the measurement step and before the addition step.

4. 2. The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to claim 1, further comprising a storage step of storing the solid ingredients at 15°C or higher for at least three days prior to the adding step.

5. 5. The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to claim 1, wherein the solid ingredients have not been subjected to a sterilization treatment.

6. 5. The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to claim 1, wherein the solid ingredient is one or more selected from the group consisting of hops, enzymes, fruits and vegetables, herbs, and tea.

7. 7. The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to claim 6, wherein the hops are hop pellets.

8. moreover, a preparation step of saccharifying the fermentation raw material and heat-treating the resulting saccharified liquid to prepare a fermentation raw material liquid; a fermentation step of inoculating the fermentation raw material liquid with yeast and fermenting it; and 5. The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the raw material liquid is a fermentation raw material liquid obtained in a preparation step, a liquid obtained after yeast has been added to the fermentation raw material liquid in the fermentation step, or a fermented liquid obtained in the fermentation step.

9. moreover, a blending step of preparing a blend by mixing all raw materials other than the naturally occurring solid raw materials; a heating step of heat sterilizing the obtained preparation; a gas introducing step of adding carbon dioxide gas to the prepared liquid after the heating step; and 5. The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to claim 1, wherein the liquid raw material is a prepared liquid after the heating step or a prepared liquid after the gas introducing step.

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