Beer production process

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for producing beer. More specifically, the present invention relates to a saccharification step for a beer production process. In particular, the present invention first relates to feeding a first portion of ground malt into a saccharification step for saccharification, and then saccharifying it again with a second portion of malt. In the saccharification process, the first portion of ground malt accounts for at most 50% by weight of the total amount of ground malt. On the other hand, the present invention relates to the use of the saccharification method according to the present invention for producing beer. In a further aspect, the present invention relates to beer obtained by the saccharification method according to the present invention.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a beer production process. More specifically, the present invention relates to a saccharification step for a beer production process. In particular, the present invention relates to a method of feeding a first portion of ground malt to a saccharification step for saccharification and then saccharifying it again together with a second portion of malt. In the saccharification process, the first portion of ground malt accounts for at most 50% by weight of the total amount of ground malt.

[0002] In another aspect, the present invention relates to the use of the mashing method according to the present invention for producing beer. In a further aspect, the present invention relates to beer obtained by the mashing method according to the present invention. Background Art

[0003] Beer is a low-alcohol beverage containing carbon dioxide, which is obtained by alcoholic fermentation of wort flavored with hops. In short, the beer production process includes the following steps: grinding, saccharification, filtering, boiling, cooling, adding yeast and air, fermentation, maturation, filtering and filling. The malt obtained by germinating and drying barley is mashed with water under certain conditions to obtain beer, which contains alcohol and CO2 and is obtained by alcoholic fermentation of wort boiled with hops. Malt is obtained by soaking, germinating and drying barley. Subsequently, the obtained malt is ground and transferred to the saccharification process.

[0004] Saccharification is a process for preparing simple molecular nutrients (maltose and low molecular sugars in starch, as well as peptides and amino acids in protein structure) that can be fermented by yeast during the fermentation step. The saccharification process is carried out in a large barrel equipped with a special agitator and a heating system with temperature and time programs. The saccharification process can be divided into two types according to the heating method: leaching saccharification and boiling saccharification.

[0005] In the process of infusion mashing, the mash tun is gradually heated to allow the beta-amylase and alpha-amylase enzymes to reach their optimal temperature. This produces efficient results in the processed malt. Decoction mashing is a process in which a portion of the mash is immediately removed from the mash tun, boiled in a transferred barrel and then returned to the mash tun. This method consumes much more energy than currently known methods.

[0006] Under the current technical level, a method is needed to produce beer that is suitable for drinking and has a high degree of fermentation without the disadvantages of the current beer production methods.

[0007] In particular, one way to increase the degree of fermentation is to use commercial enzymes. Due to the use of commercial enzymes, a higher degree of fermentation can be easily achieved. However, according to the German Purity Law, a guideline for beer production, only water, malt, hops and yeast can be used in beer production. In this case, biochemical additives such as commercial enzymes are not suitable for use. In order for the resulting produced beer to have the desired properties, the quality of the raw materials used in the production method is important and difficult-to-control production parameters, such as longer mashing times, should be used.

[0008] During the mashing process, of the enzymes naturally present in barley malt, beta-amylase (62°C) comes first, followed by alpha-amylase (70°C), which work in sequence according to their optimal working temperatures. Alpha-amylase randomly breaks long starch chains into smaller structures. In other words, it creates new ends that can be degraded by beta-amylase.

[0009] First, alpha-amylase works at its optimal operating temperature (70°C), then beta-amylase works at a lower temperature (62°C), which means reversing the situation that nature offers us, which is not favorable for breweries.

[0010] Although unfavorable conditions can be easily overcome using commercial enzymes, products are still obtained that violate the German Purity Law.

[0011] In this context, an object of the present invention is to obtain beer that complies with the German Purity Law. In addition, the present invention aims to provide a mashing method that does not use commercial enzymes. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for obtaining beer that complies with the German Purity Law while minimizing changes in the production process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 A flow chart showing a saccharification method according to the present invention.

[0013] Figure 2 A temperature-time diagram is shown for one embodiment of the saccharification method according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] In particular, the present invention firstly involves feeding a first portion of ground malt to a saccharification step for saccharification, and then saccharifying it again with a second portion of malt. In the saccharification process, the first portion of ground malt accounts for at most 50% by weight of the total amount of ground malt.

[0015] Accordingly, the present invention relates to a saccharification method in beer production, the method comprising the following steps:

[0016] a. Mashing the first portion of the ground malt in a separate barrel,

[0017] b. combining the first part of the malt that has completed the first mashing cycle with the second part of the malt, subjecting the combination to a second mashing cycle and mashing them together;

[0018] The first portion of malt accounts for at most 50% of the total weight of the ground malt.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ratio of the first part of malt to the total ground malt is 20% to 45% by weight.

[0020] On the other hand, the saccharification method used in the method for producing beer according to the present invention includes the following steps.

[0021] a. heating the first portion of the ground malt to a temperature in the range of 60 to 65° C. (101),

[0022] b. maturing the first portion of malt at a temperature range of 60 to 65° C. for a time t1 to perform a first enzyme activation (102),

[0023] c. After standing, raising the temperature of the first portion of malt to a temperature of 70 to 75° C. (103),

[0024] d. leaving the first portion of malt at a temperature range of 70 to 75° C. for a period of time t2 for a second enzyme activation (104),

[0025] e. Combining the first portion of malt that has completed the first mashing cycle with another second portion of malt and repeating steps b to d (105).

[0026] Figure 1 An embodiment of the method according to the invention is shown in the flow chart of FIG.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the temperature in step b of the saccharification method is 62 to 64°C.

[0028] In one embodiment of the present invention, the temperature of step c of the saccharification method is 70 to 72°C.

[0029] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the time t1 in step b of the saccharification method is 20-60 minutes, preferably 35-45 minutes.

[0030] In another embodiment of the present invention, the time t2 in step d of the saccharification method is 15-45 minutes, preferably 20-30 minutes.

[0031] In another embodiment of the present invention, the saccharification method of the present invention comprises an optional additional resting step (106) between the first enzyme activation (step b) and the second enzyme activation (step d) during the second saccharification cycle.

[0032] In this preferred embodiment of the invention, the additional resting step lasts from 1 to 30 minutes.

[0033] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the additional resting step lasts from 5 to 15 minutes.

[0034] The saccharification method of the present invention is typically shown in Figure 2 The temperature-time diagram.

[0035] The t1 time and t2 time of step b and step c in the saccharification method of the present invention will vary with the optimal working temperature of the first enzyme and the second enzyme and the quality of the raw materials. The above values ​​are calculated based on the gelatinization analysis data of barley malt (barley malt is also the raw material used). This analysis data may vary depending on the climatic conditions of the year when the product is harvested.

[0036] The first enzyme and the second enzyme that work in the saccharification method of the present invention are β-amylase and α-amylase, respectively. Therefore, in the saccharification process of the present invention, the temperature is raised so that during the two saccharification cycles, β-amylase first works and then α-amylase works. However, since two saccharifications are performed, after the first round of saccharification is completed (70-72°C), it is placed in a second round of saccharification barrel at a temperature of 62-64°C and mixed to start the second round of saccharification (temperature is lower than 62°C). In this way, during the saccharification cycle, after the α-amylase works, the β-amylase is at the optimal working temperature.

[0037] In the saccharification process of the present invention, a tank with a heater and a stirrer is used.

[0038] An optional additional resting step (106) is resting at an intermediate temperature, which is optionally used depending on the characteristics of the raw materials used.

[0039] The rest step is a period of time during which the temperature is kept constant, the length of which depends on the quality of the raw materials.

[0040] The quality of the raw material can be analytical values ​​such as viscosity, Korbach index, friability, etc., which indicate the level of modification during the conversion of barley into malt according to analyses showing the enzyme content and activity of the barley malt (diastatic power, amylase activity).

[0041] In another aspect, the present invention relates to the use of the saccharification method of the present invention for producing beer.

[0042] In a further aspect, the present invention relates to commercial enzyme-free beer obtained using the mashing method of the present invention.

[0043] In the fermentation step of the saccharification method of the present invention, it was observed that brewer's yeast increased the proportion of nutrient elements, that is, when its weight was 60%, it could be fermented to 65%, and when its weight was 65%, it could be fermented to 70%.

[0044] Therefore, in another aspect, the present invention relates to beer obtained using the saccharification method of the present invention, wherein the proportion of nutrients fermentable by brewer's yeast during the fermentation process is 60% to 70% of the total amount, and the nutrients are converted into alcohol through the fermentation process.

[0045] In the fermentation step, the nutrients that brewer's yeast can ferment can be low molecular weight sugars, such as maltose, maltotriose, sucrose, glucose and fructose, which are all obtained from starch.

[0046] The saccharification method of the present invention is also called "double saccharification". In the double saccharification process, a portion of the ground malt is placed in a separate mash tun for saccharification, first at the resting temperature of the beta-amylase and then at the resting temperature of the alpha-amylase. The mash with alpha-amylase activity is put into the mash tun containing the remaining malt.

[0047] Therefore, in the first mash tun, alpha-amylase gelatinizes the starch into degradable sugar molecules, and then beta-amylase gelatinizes it into monosaccharides in the second mash tun. Therefore, the first mash is rested once more in each step.

[0048] Through the double mashing process, yeast fermentation forms more nutrients. In addition, in accordance with the German Purity Law, no commercial enzymes are used in the double mashing process.

[0049] According to sensory evaluations conducted by trained beer tasters and taste tests by consumers, beer that is easy to drink and has a high degree of fermentation is produced by the saccharification method of the present invention.

Claims

1. A saccharification method for producing beer, characterized in that: The method consists of the following steps: 1) The first part of the ground malt is mashed in a separate barrel, 2) combining the first part of malt that has completed the first saccharification cycle with the second part of malt, subjecting the combination to a second saccharification cycle and saccharifying them together; wherein the first portion of malt accounts for at most 50% of the total weight of the ground malt; Wherein step 1) is composed of the following steps: a. heating the first part of the ground malt to 60-65°C (101), b. leaving the first portion of malt at 60-65°C for a period of time t1 for the first enzyme activation (102), c. After standing, raise the temperature of the first part of malt to 70-75°C (103), d. the first part of the malt is left to stand at 70-75°C for a period of time t2 for a second enzyme activation (104), and Wherein step 2) is composed of the following steps: e. Mix the first part of malt that has completed the first mashing cycle with the remaining second part, and repeat steps b to d (105).

2. A saccharification method for producing beer, characterized in that: The method consists of the following steps: 1) The first part of the ground malt is mashed in a separate barrel, 2) combining the first part of malt that has completed the first saccharification cycle with the second part of malt, subjecting the combination to a second saccharification cycle and saccharifying them together; wherein the first portion of malt accounts for at most 50% of the total weight of the ground malt; Wherein step 1) is composed of the following steps: a. heating the first part of the ground malt to 60-65°C (101), b. leaving the first portion of malt at 60-65°C for a period of time t1 for the first enzyme activation (102), c. After standing, raise the temperature of the first part of malt to 70-75°C (103), d. the first part of the malt is left to stand at 70-75°C for a period of time t2 for a second enzyme activation (104), and Wherein step 2) is composed of the following steps: e. mixing the first part of the malt that has completed the first mashing cycle with the remaining second part, repeating steps b to d (105), and f. an optional additional resting step (106) between the first enzyme activation (step b) and the second enzyme activation (step d) during the second mashing cycle.

3. The saccharification method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The proportion of the first part of malt to the total ground malt is between 20% and 45% by weight.

4. The saccharification method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The temperature in step b is 62-64°C.

5. The saccharification method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The temperature of step c is 70-72°C.

6. The saccharification method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The t1 time in step b is 20-60 minutes.

7. The saccharification method according to claim 6, characterized in that The t1 time in step b is 35-45 minutes.

8. The saccharification method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The t2 time in step d is 15-45 minutes.

9. The saccharification method according to claim 8, characterized in that The t2 time in step d is 20-30 minutes.

10. The saccharification method according to claim 2, characterized in that The additional resting step time is 1-30 minutes.

11. The saccharification method according to claim 10, characterized in that The additional resting step is 5-15 minutes.

12. Use of the mashing method according to any one of the preceding claims in beer production.

13. Commercial enzyme-free beer obtained using the mashing method according to any one of the preceding claims.

14. Beer obtained using the mashing method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the proportion of nutrients fermentable by brewer's yeast during fermentation is 60% to 70% of the total amount, and the nutrients are converted into alcohol through the fermentation process.

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