Low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage and its production method

Abstract

The present invention aims to provide a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage with a good balance of sourness, bitterness, and sweetness, offering a complex beer-like flavor and feel, while also reducing mouthwatering and potato-like odors. This solution is a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage comprising less than 40 μg / L of linalool, more than 30 mg / L and less than 170 mg / L of acetic acid, and a component derived from a fermented wort broth.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages, particularly low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages with an alcohol concentration of less than 1% v / v. "Beer flavor" refers to a taste and aroma reminiscent of beer. "Beer" refers to a beverage obtained by fermenting malt, hops, and water with yeast. Background Art

[0002] Low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages are known, obtained by dealcoholizing fermented beer to remove the alcohol content. Dealcoholizing beer-flavored beverages after fermentation remove the alcohol content, which removes the sweetness inherent in the alcohol and the unique aroma of beer, resulting in a bland flavor that is insufficient in both aroma and taste for drinking.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a carbonated beverage in which malt extract is added to a fermented, de-alcoholized beer-flavored beverage to impart flavor and further adjust the sugar composition, thereby imparting a beer-like flavor with improved sweetness balance, throat smoothness, and refreshing feeling.

[0004] Patent Document 2 describes the presence of a potato and porridge-like aroma in non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages, not found in beer, and states that this aroma is undesirable for achieving a beer-like flavor. Patent Document 2 describes reducing the potato and porridge-like aroma by adjusting the content of geranyl acetate or geraniol. On the other hand, Patent Document 2, which focuses on a non-fermented beer-flavored beverage made from malt and hops, does not describe the presence of a potato and porridge-like aroma in a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage containing fermented wort.

[0005] Patent Document 3 describes a non-fermented beer-flavored beverage that contains water-soluble dietary fiber to enhance the drinking experience. The water-soluble dietary fiber causes a paper-like odor, or "papery odor." Patent Document 1 describes a papery odor that is reduced by containing specific amounts of linalool and geraniol. On the other hand, Patent Document 2 describes a method for masking the papery odor to a level that does not affect the flavor by adding hops or a hop extract. However, there is no description of the presence of a papery odor in beer-flavored beverages containing hops.

[0006] Patent Document 4 describes a beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage containing, as main ingredients, vinegar or malt vinegar obtained by acetic acid fermentation of beer and wort, substantially free of alcohol, and having a pH of 4.2 to 4.7. The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of Patent Document 4 has a flavor similar to that of beer.

[0007] Prior art literature

[0008] Patent Literature

[0009] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-250503

[0010] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 6786699

[0011] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-184916

[0012] Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-148838 Summary of the Invention

[0013] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0014] The following problems exist in beer-flavored beverages that undergo dealcoholization after fermentation: low-molecular sugars in the wort are consumed during the fermentation process, and alcohol and volatile aroma components are removed. The complex taste and drinking experience similar to beer are insufficient, and unpleasant odors accompanying fermentation, such as saliva odor and potato odor, tend to become apparent.

[0015] The present invention is an invention for solving the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide the following low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage, which has a good balance of sourness, bitterness and sweetness, has a complex taste and drinking feel similar to beer, and has reduced saliva odor and potato odor.

[0016] Means for solving problems

[0017] The present invention provides a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage, which comprises less than 40 μg / L of linalool, more than 30 mg / L and less than 170 mg / L of acetic acid, and components derived from wort fermentation liquid.

[0018] In one embodiment, the concentration of the linalool is 2 to 40 μg / L.

[0019] In one embodiment, the concentration of the linalool is 5 to 35 μg / L.

[0020] In one embodiment, the concentration of the acetic acid is 110 to 160 mg / L.

[0021] In one embodiment, the ratio B / A of the acetic acid concentration B [mg / L] to the linalool concentration A [μg / L] in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is 1.14 to 32.

[0022] In one embodiment, the ratio B / A is 4-12.

[0023] In one embodiment, the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage has a bitterness value of 10 to 50 BU.

[0024] In one embodiment, the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage has an apparent extract of 1 to 10 w / v%.

[0025] In one embodiment, the wort fermentation liquid is wort bottom fermentation liquid.

[0026] In one embodiment, the wort fermentation liquid has a malt usage ratio of 50 w / w% or more.

[0027] In one embodiment, the wort fermentation liquid is dealcoholized wort fermentation liquid.

[0028] In addition, the present invention provides a method for producing a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage, comprising: adjusting the linalool concentration of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage to less than 40 μg / L, adjusting the acetic acid concentration of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage to greater than 30 mg / L and less than 170 mg / L, and allowing the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage to contain components derived from wort fermentation broth.

[0029] Effects of the Invention

[0030] According to the present invention, a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage can be provided, which has a good balance of sourness, bitterness, and sweetness, a complex taste and drinking feel similar to beer, and reduced saliva odor and potato odor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] In this specification, the term "process" includes not only independent processes, but also processes that cannot be clearly distinguished from other processes as long as the desired purpose of the process can be achieved. In addition, with respect to the content of each component in the composition, when there are multiple substances equivalent to each component in the composition, unless otherwise specified, it means the total amount of the multiple substances present in the composition. In addition, the upper and lower limits of the numerical range of this specification can be arbitrarily selected and combined with the relevant numerical values. Below, the embodiments of the present invention are described in detail. However, the embodiments shown below illustrate low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages and their production methods for concretizing the technical ideas of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages and their production methods shown below.

[0032] <Low-alcohol beer-flavored drinks>

[0033] The low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage of the present invention comprises linalool, acetic acid and components from wort fermentation liquor.

[0034] "Low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages" refer to beer-flavored beverages with a lower alcohol concentration than typical beer-flavored beverages. Low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages have an alcohol concentration of 3% v / v or less, preferably 2% v / v or less, and more preferably less than 1% v / v. "Low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages" also include non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages that contain substantially no alcohol (e.g., an alcohol concentration of 0.00% v / v). The term "alcohol" refers to ethanol.

[0035] Linalool

[0036] Linalool is a compound also known as 3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadien-3-ol, and is a type of monoterpene alcohol. Linalool is an ingredient with a fresh, sweet fragrance like lily of the valley. The linalool used in the present invention may be any of linalool isolated or extracted from natural products, linalool obtained by chemical synthesis using a method permitted in food chemistry, linalool derived from a raw material containing linalool, and linalool derived from a raw material containing a precursor that is converted into linalool during the manufacturing process. Examples of raw materials containing linalool include hops, hop extracts, and hop flavors. Regarding the linalool contained in the fermented beer-flavored beverage of the present invention, commercially available linalool as a flavoring may also be added.

[0037] Linalool in low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages improves the balance of sourness, bitterness, and sweetness of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages and reduces saliva odor and potato odor.

[0038] Linalool is included in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage in an amount of less than 40 μg / L. If the linalool concentration in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is 40 μg / L or higher, the balance of sourness, bitterness, and sweetness in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage may be disrupted. However, if the linalool concentration in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is too low, the saliva odor or potato odor of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage may not be reduced. The linalool concentration in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is preferably 5 to 35 μg / L, more preferably 5 to 30 μg / L, and even more preferably 10 to 25 μg / L.

[0039] In one embodiment, the linalool concentration of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is preferably 2 to 40 μg / L, more preferably 5 to 35 μg / L, and even more preferably 10 to 30 μg / L.

[0040] The concentration of linalool in low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages can be measured using GC / MS, for example.

[0041] The linalool concentration of low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages can be adjusted by, for example, adjusting the type of linalool-rich raw materials (such as hops), their usage amount, the timing of adding the raw materials, or by appropriately adding linalool.

[0042] Acetic acid

[0043] Acetic acid is an organic acid produced by yeast during wort fermentation and is a sour flavoring substance. The acetic acid contained in low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages can be produced by fermentation of raw materials used to produce low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages. The acetic acid contained in low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages can be commercially available as an acidulant or compound added to low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages, or it can be acetic acid contained in raw materials commonly used to produce low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages.

[0044] The acetic acid in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage enhances the beer-like complex taste and drinking feeling of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage and reduces the saliva odor and potato odor.

[0045] Acetic acid is included in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage in an amount such that the acetic acid concentration in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage exceeds 30 mg / L and is less than 170 mg / L. If the acetic acid concentration in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is 30 mg / L or less, the mouthwatering or potato-like odor of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage may not be reduced. Furthermore, if the acetic acid concentration in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is 170 mg / L or higher, the sour taste of the acetic acid may be pronounced, and the balance of sourness, bitterness, and sweetness in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage may be disrupted. The acetic acid concentration in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is preferably 40 to 160 mg / L, more preferably 50 to 150 mg / L, and even more preferably 60 to 140 mg / L.

[0046] In one embodiment, the acetic acid concentration of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is preferably 100 to 165 mg / L, more preferably 110 to 160 mg / L, and even more preferably 120 to 150 mg / L.

[0047] The acetic acid concentration contained in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage can be measured, for example, using HPLC analysis based on a post-column pH-buffered conductivity detection method.

[0048] The acetic acid concentration of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage can be adjusted by, for example, adjusting the type of yeast and fermentation conditions, or by appropriately adding acetic acid.

[0049] From the perspective of improving the balance of sourness, bitterness, and sweetness in low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages, the ratio B / A of the acetic acid concentration B [mg / L] to the linalool concentration A [μg / L] in low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages is, for example, 1.14 to 32. The ratio B / A is preferably 4.0 to 15.0, more preferably 6.0 to 12.0, and even more preferably 6.0 to 7.5.

[0050] In one embodiment, the ratio B / A is preferably 4.0 to 12.0, more preferably 6.0 to 8.5, and even more preferably 7.5 to 8.5.

[0051] <Ingredients from wort fermentation liquid>

[0052] The low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage of the present invention comprises ingredients derived from wort fermentation broth. By comprising ingredients derived from wort fermentation broth, the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage has a complex beer-like taste.

[0053] The components derived from the fermented wort liquid refer to the components contained in the fermented wort liquid. In addition, the fermented wort liquid refers to a liquid obtained by fermenting the wort used in general beer production with brewer's yeast.

[0054] The amount and concentration of the component derived from the wort fermentation liquid contained in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage are not particularly limited and can be appropriately set according to the desired flavor.

[0055] The fermented wort broth may be either top-fermented or bottom-fermented. From the perspective of leaving a clean aftertaste, bottom-fermented wort broth is preferred. Top-fermented wort broth refers to wort fermented by inoculating top-fermented yeast into wort and fermenting it under standard fermentation conditions, such as at 15-25°C for several days. Bottom-fermented wort broth refers to wort fermented by inoculating bottom-fermented yeast into wort and fermenting it under standard fermentation conditions, such as at around 10°C for about a week.

[0056] The wort fermentation liquid has a malt usage ratio of a specified concentration. The malt usage ratio refers to the ratio of the weight of malt to the weight of the starchy raw material. The malt usage ratio of the wort fermentation liquid is, for example, 50 w / w% or more. If the malt usage ratio of the wort fermentation liquid contained in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is less than 50 w / w%, the complex beer-like taste of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is reduced. The malt usage ratio of the wort fermentation liquid contained in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is preferably 55 w / w% or more, more preferably 60 w / w% or more, and even more preferably 60 to 75 w / w%.

[0057] Alternatively, the fermented wort liquid may be dealcoholized wort liquid. Dealcoholized wort liquid refers to a wort liquid obtained by removing the alcohol from the liquid obtained by fermenting the wort typically used in beer production. Methods for removing the alcohol include vaporizing the alcohol and removing the alcohol using a reverse osmosis membrane or the like. The dealcoholized wort liquid may be any liquid that removes the alcohol to the desired concentration of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage in the final product.

[0058] The low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage may be a substance containing dealcoholized wort fermentation liquid, or a substance obtained by using dealcoholized wort fermentation liquid as a reference liquid and appropriately adjusting the linalool concentration and acetic acid concentration.

[0059] The apparent extract of low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages is adjusted to 1-10 w / v%. If the apparent extract of a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is less than 1 w / v%, the complex beer-like flavor of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage may be insufficient. On the other hand, if the apparent extract of a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage exceeds 10 w / v%, the aftertaste of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage may become heavy. The apparent extract of a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is preferably 2-9 w / v%, more preferably 2-8 w / v%, and even more preferably 3-7 w / v%.

[0060] In one embodiment, the apparent extract of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is preferably 3 to 9.5 w / v%, more preferably 5 to 9 w / v%, and even more preferably 6 to 8.5 w / v%.

[0061] The apparent extract of low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages can be measured, for example, by the method described in BCOJ Beer Analysis (2004), edited by the Brewers Association of Japan. Low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages can be produced, for example, by the method for producing low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages described below.

[0062] The apparent extract of low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages can be adjusted by adjusting the fermentation degree of the wort, or increasing or decreasing the content of liquid sugar or wort fermentation liquid.

[0063] Proline

[0064] The low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage of the present invention preferably contains proline. Proline is an amino acid contained in malt. The proline contained in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage can be commercially available as a compound added to low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages, or it can be proline contained in nitrogen-containing raw materials commonly used to produce low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages, such as malt.

[0065] Proline in low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages imparts a malt-like sweetness and enhances body. The proline concentration in low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages is, for example, greater than 100 mg / L, preferably 150 to 550 mg / L, more preferably 200 to 500 mg / L, and even more preferably 250 to 450 mg / L.

[0066] The proline concentration in low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages can be measured, for example, using an Acquity UPLC analyzer manufactured by Waters (USA) using the AccQ-Tag Ultra labeling method. Alternatively, it can be measured using an automatic amino acid analyzer JLC-500 / V manufactured by JEOL Ltd.

[0067] The proline concentration in low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of nitrogen-rich raw materials that can be assimilated by yeast, or by adding proline as needed. Examples of nitrogen-rich raw materials include malt, soybeans, yeast extract, peas, and unmalted grains.

[0068] Bitterness

[0069] Low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages preferably have a specified bitterness value (unit: BU). By having a specified bitterness value in a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage, the balance of sourness, bitterness, and sweetness in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is improved. Here, the bitterness value is an indicator of the bitterness imparted by a group of substances derived from hops, primarily composed of isohumulones (Japanese: isoflurone).

[0070] The bitterness value of a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is preferably 10 to 50 BU. If the bitterness value of a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is less than 10 BU, the balance of sourness, bitterness, and sweetness in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage may be disrupted, particularly when acetic acid is included in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage. Furthermore, if the bitterness value of a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage exceeds 50 BU, the balance of sourness, bitterness, and sweetness in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage may be disrupted. The bitterness value of a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is more preferably 15 to 45 BU, even more preferably 15 to 40 BU, and particularly preferably 20 to 35 BU.

[0071] The bitterness value can be measured by the method described in, for example, BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods, 8.15 (2004), edited by the Japan Brewers Association.

[0072] The bitterness of low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages can be adjusted by adjusting the type of raw materials containing bitter substances (such as hops, etc.), the amount used, the timing of adding the raw materials, etc., or by appropriately adding bitter substances. As bitter substances, isolated iso-α acids can be used. In addition, iso-α acids are contained in hops and can also be used in the form of hops or hop extracts. Hops or hop extracts refer to hop leaves, their ground materials, extracts obtained by extracting them with water or hot water, concentrates of extracts, and dried products.

[0073] <Method for producing low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage>

[0074] The method for producing a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage includes the steps of adjusting the linalool concentration contained in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage to a predetermined concentration, adjusting the acetic acid concentration contained in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage to a predetermined concentration, and allowing the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage to contain components derived from wort fermentation liquid. Except for these steps, the conventional method for producing a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage can be utilized.

[0075] The method for producing a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage herein may include: a linalool concentration adjustment step for adjusting the linalool concentration in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage to a predetermined concentration; an acetic acid concentration adjustment step for adjusting the acetic acid concentration in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage to a predetermined concentration; and a step for adding a component derived from a fermented wort broth to the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage. The order of the linalool concentration adjustment step, the acetic acid concentration adjustment step, and the step of adding the component derived from the fermented wort broth is not particularly limited and may be performed in any order.

[0076] The linalool concentration adjustment step may include adjusting the linalool concentration in the low-alcohol beer flavored beverage to the above range.

[0077] The acetic acid concentration adjustment step may include adjusting the acetic acid concentration in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage to the above range.

[0078] The step of adding the components derived from the fermented wort liquid may include making the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage contain the components derived from the fermented wort liquid. In this case, the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage may contain the fermented wort liquid itself, or the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage may be prepared based on the fermented wort liquid.

[0079] In addition, the method for producing a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage may include a fermentation step, a dealcoholization step, a proline concentration adjustment step, a bitterness value adjustment step, or an apparent extract adjustment step.

[0080] The proline concentration adjustment step may include adjusting the proline concentration in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage to the above range.

[0081] The bitterness value adjustment process may include: adjusting the bitterness value of the low-alcohol beer flavored beverage to the above range.

[0082] The apparent extract adjustment step may include adjusting the apparent extract of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage to the above range.

[0083] The fermentation step can be any step involving adding yeast to the wort and fermenting it. Conditions such as the fermentation temperature and time can be freely set. For example, fermentation can be carried out under conditions commonly used for beer or sparkling sake production, i.e., at 8-25°C for 1 to 10 days. Furthermore, the temperature (increasing or decreasing) or pressure of the fermented liquid can be varied during the fermentation step.

[0084] The dealcoholization step is a step of removing alcohol from a beer-flavored beverage, fermented wort, beer composition, or the like until the alcohol content of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage in the final product reaches a desired concentration. Examples of methods for removing alcohol include vaporizing the alcohol and removing the alcohol using a reverse osmosis membrane, etc. However, vaporizing the alcohol is preferred because it allows for quicker alcohol removal.

[0085] The method for producing a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage may further include a step of adding caramel pigment using a known apparatus, a boiling step, a pH adjustment step, a filtration step, a flavor adjustment step, a step of dissolving carbon dioxide, and the like.

[0086] The method for producing a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage may further include the steps of adding dietary fiber, soybean peptides, carbonic acid, extracts, flavorings, acidulants, sweeteners, bittering agents, coloring agents, antioxidants, pH adjusters, various nutrients, etc., as needed.

[0087] The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0088] Example

[0089] <Analysis Method for Low-Alcohol Beer-Flavored Beverages>

[0090] [Apparent leachables]

[0091] The apparent extract was determined by the following formula (1) in accordance with the method described in BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (2004), edited by the Japan Brewers Association.

[0092] Es end=-460.234+662.649×SG EA -202.414×SG EA 2 (1)

[0093] Where, “Es end” is the apparent extract,

[0094] “SG EA ” is the proportion of deaerated low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages.

[0095] [Linalool concentration]

[0096] A low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage was diluted 10-fold after adding d5-linalool as an internal standard to a concentration of 20 ppb. 15 mL of the resulting diluted sample was aliquoted into a 30 mL vial. A "Twister" (trade name) stirring rod (20 mm in length, manufactured by Gerstel) coated with 47 μL of PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) was placed into the vial, capped, and stirred at 40°C for 2 hours to allow the stirring rod to adsorb aroma components.

[0097] Next, the stirring rod was removed from the vial, and after completely removing the water droplets, it was inserted into a GC / MS equipped with a thermal desorption unit (TDU, manufactured by Gerstel) and a programmable temperature-vaporization inlet (CIS4, manufactured by Gerstel), and GC / MS was performed under the following conditions.

[0098] Separation was performed using a GC / MS (Agilent 6890 / 5973N) using a DB-WAX column (60 m x 0.25 mm ID x; 0.25 μm F.T.). Analysis was performed under oven temperatures of 40°C (5 minutes) to 3°C / min to 240°C (20 minutes), with ionization at 70 eV and selected ions of linalool (93%) and β-damascenone (internal standard) (177%). For quantification, standards were added and a calibration curve was generated.

[0099] [Bitterness value]

[0100] Bitterness was measured according to BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods, 8.15 (2004), edited by the Brewers Association of Japan. Specifically, an acid was added to the sample, followed by extraction with isooctane. After centrifugation, the isooctane layer was obtained. The absorbance of the isooctane layer at 275 nm, measured using pure isooctane as a control, was multiplied by a constant (50), and the resulting value (BU) was used as the bitterness value.

[0101] [Acetic acid concentration]

[0102] The acetic acid concentration was determined by HPLC analysis based on post-column pH buffering conductivity detection. The sample was filtered through a 0.45 μm filter and then subjected to the determination. An organic acid analysis system (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) was used. The column used was RSpak KC811 (manufactured by Shodex), the mobile phase used was 5 mmol / L p-toluenesulfonic acid, and the organic acids were separated at a flow rate of 0.8 mL / min. A conductivity detector (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation, CDD-10Avp) was used as the detector. Standard samples were added as the sample to prepare a standard curve, and quantification was performed using this standard curve.

[0103] <Example 1>

[0104] Crushed malt was put into the brewing pot so that the malt ratio became 20%, and water and corn starch were further added. Gelatinization was carried out at 70 °C and liquefaction was carried out at 100 °C. Then, crushed malt, enzymes, and warm water were put into the charging tank. After protein rest at around 55 °C, the liquid was transferred from the brewing pot to the brewing tank, and saccharification was carried out at a temperature in the range of 60 °C to 76 °C. The saccharified liquid was filtered using a filter barrel as a filter tank, and then transferred to the boiling pot. Bitter hops were added and boiled for 60 minutes. After boiling, warm water equivalent to the evaporation amount was added. After removing the hot coagulum using a whirlpool tank (Japanese: ワールプール槽), it was cooled to 10 °C using a plate cooler to obtain cold wort. Beer yeast was added to this wort, and fermentation was carried out at around 10 °C for 7 days, after which the beer yeast was removed. After transferring to another tank and aging for 7 days, it was cooled to around -1 °C and kept stable for 14 days. Then, degassed water was added for dilution, and filtration was carried out using diatomaceous earth to obtain a wort fermentation broth. Next, the obtained wort fermentation broth was sprayed into a degassing tank under reduced pressure near 90 mbar to remove carbon dioxide gas, and then heated to around 50 °C using a plate cooler. Then, it was brought into contact with steam heated to around 50 °C in a decompression column near 90 mbar, and the steam adsorbed the volatile components to remove alcohol and volatile components, obtaining a de-alcoholized wort fermentation broth with an alcohol concentration of 0.02 v / v%. Each raw material was added to the obtained de-alcoholized wort fermentation broth so that the concentrations became 10 g / L of liquid sugar, 0.3 g / L of caramel, 0.7 g / L of phosphoric acid, and 1.0 g / L of flavor, and dextrin was added so that the apparent extract became 8 w / v%. Furthermore, the acetic acid concentration was adjusted to 30 mg / L by adding acetic acid, obtaining the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage of Example 1.

[0105] <Examples 2 to 4>

[0106] The low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages of Examples 2 to 4 were obtained by adding acetic acid to the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage of Example 1 to adjust the acetic acid concentration to 120 mg / L, 150 mg / L, and 170 mg / L, respectively.

[0107] <Example 5>

[0108] A dealcoholized wort fermentation broth was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that hops were not used. The raw materials were added to the resulting dealcoholized wort fermentation broth to achieve concentrations of 10 g / L of liquid sugar, 0.3 g / L of caramel, 0.7 g / L of phosphoric acid, and 1.0 g / L of flavor. Dextrin was also added to achieve an apparent extract of 8 w / v%. Furthermore, acetic acid was added to adjust the acetic acid concentration to 120 mg / L, and a hop extract (manufactured by John I. Haas, Inc.) was added to adjust the bitterness to 21 BU, yielding the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage of Example 5.

[0109] <Examples 6 to 9>

[0110] The low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages of Examples 6 to 9 were obtained by adding linalool to the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage of Example 5 to adjust the linalool concentrations to 10 μg / L, 20 μg / L, 30 μg / L, and 40 μg / L, respectively.

[0111] Sensory Evaluation

[0112] Next, the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages were subjected to sensory evaluation. The evaluation criteria were "balance of sourness, bitterness, and sweetness," "complex beer-like flavor," "drinkability," "weakness of saliva odor," and "weakness of potato odor."

[0113] Five panelists specializing in beer-flavored beverages conducted a sensory evaluation of Examples 1-9. The evaluation criteria are as follows. It should be noted that the panelists were tested beforehand to confirm that there was no significant discrepancy between their scores. The average of the panelists' evaluations was used as the evaluation results for Examples 1-9. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

[0114] The "balance of sourness, bitterness, and sweetness" was evaluated on a five-point scale, with Example 1 being rated at 2 points and the best sample being rated at 5 points.

[0115] The "complex beer-like taste" was evaluated on a five-point scale, with Example 1 being rated at 2 points and the best sample being rated at 5 points.

[0116] The "drinking feeling" was evaluated on a five-point scale, with Example 1 being rated at 2 points and the best sample being rated at 5 points.

[0117] The “weakness of the odor of the mouth water” was evaluated on a five-point scale, with Example 1 being rated at 2 points and the best sample being rated at 5 points.

[0118] The “weakness of the potato smell” was evaluated on a five-point scale, with Example 1 being rated at 2 points and the best sample being rated at 5 points.

[0119] For all evaluation items, when the average score is 3.5 or higher, it is considered to have a beer-like aroma and the overall evaluation is set to "A: Good". If it does not meet the above scoring criteria, it is not considered to have a beer-like aroma and the overall evaluation is set to "B: Poor".

[0120] [Table 1]

[0121]

[0122] As shown in Table 1, by setting the acetic acid concentration of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage to 120-150 mg / L, the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage has a complex taste and drinking feel similar to beer. Furthermore, by setting the linalool concentration of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage to 10-30 μg / L, the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage has an excellent balance of sourness, bitterness, and sweetness, and the odor of saliva and potato is reduced. Furthermore, by setting the acetic acid concentration of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage to 120-150 mg / L and the linalool concentration to 10-30 μg / L, the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage has a complex taste and drinking feel similar to beer, an excellent balance of sourness, bitterness, and sweetness, and reduced odor of saliva and potato.

Claims

1. A low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage comprising ingredients from wort fermentation broth, 10 μg / L to 30 μg / L of linalool, and 120 mg / L to 150 mg / L of acetic acid. The ratio B / A of the acetic acid concentration B to the linalool concentration A in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is 4 to 12, and the unit of the linalool concentration A is μg / L, and the unit of the acetic acid concentration B is mg / L. The low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage has a bitterness value of 10BU to 50BU, The low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage has an apparent extract of 1 w / v% to 10 w / v%.

2. The low-alcohol beer flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein The wort fermentation liquid is wort fermentation liquid below.

3. The low-alcohol beer flavored beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The wort fermentation liquid has a malt usage ratio of 50 w / w % or more.

4. The low-alcohol beer flavored beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The wort fermentation liquid is dealcoholized wort fermentation liquid.

5. A method for producing a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage, comprising: The linalool concentration of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is adjusted to 10 μg / L to 30 μg / L, the acetic acid concentration of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is adjusted to 120 mg / L to 150 mg / L, and the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage contains ingredients derived from wort fermentation liquid. The ratio B / A of the acetic acid concentration B to the linalool concentration A in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is 4 to 12, and the unit of the linalool concentration A is μg / L, and the unit of the acetic acid concentration B is mg / L. The low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage has a bitterness value of 10BU to 50BU, The low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage has an apparent extract of 1 w / v% to 10 w / v%.

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