Peeled short malt

Abstract

The present invention relates to a peeled short malt having the following combination of features: a moisture content of less than 15 wt.%; the alpha-amylase activity is less than 58 dextrinized units (DU) per gram of dry matter; the extract content (CE) of the solid adjuvant is a dry matter of at least 79% by weight; and-a Klason lignin content (CL) of less than 1.8% by weight of dry matter; and a dry matter having an ash content (CA) of less than 2.2% by weight; wherein CE / (CL * CA) is greater than or equal to 25 and less than or equal to 160. The malt of the invention can be produced by a grain germination process different from the process used to produce common malt, in that the process employs a shortened germination period of 12 to 72 hours, and further in that the process employs a peeling step after drying.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to dehulled short malt, said malt having the following combination of characteristics:

[0002] · Moisture content less than 15wt.%;

[0003] α-amylase activity less than 58 dextrinizing units (DU) / g dry matter;

[0004] · Extract content of solid auxiliary agent (C E ) is at least 79% dry matter by weight; and

[0005] Klason lignin content (C L ) is less than 1.8% dry matter by weight; and

[0006] Ash content (C A ) is less than 2.2% dry matter by weight;

[0007] Where 25≤C E / (C L *C A )≤160.

[0008] The present invention also relates to a process for preparing peeled short malt, the process comprising:

[0009] Provide short malt; and

[0010] • The short malt is dehulled to produce dehulled short malt.

[0011] There is further provided a method for producing wort, the method comprising

[0012] providing a mixture comprising malt and water, wherein at least 1 wt.% of the malt is dehulled short malt according to the invention;

[0013] saccharifying the mixture to convert starch into fermentable sugars and produce a mash containing fermentable sugars; and

[0014] - The mash containing fermentable sugars is subjected to solid-liquid separation to separate the wort from the insoluble matter. Background of the Invention

[0016] Malt is germinated cereal grain produced in a process called "malting".

[0017] Malting is the process of soaking, germinating, drying and derooting the grains to convert them into malt. The main purpose of the malting process is to develop the endogenous enzymes alpha-amylase and beta-amylase. These enzymes catalyze the conversion of starch into fermentable sugars when the malt is used to produce wort (i.e. the liquid extracted from the mashing process during the brewing of beer or whiskey). Various grains are used for malting; the most common are barley, sorghum, wheat and rye. The malted grains obtained by germinating barley or rye kernels still contain the husk.

[0018] Steeping is the beginning of the kernel germination process and involves adding steepwater to cover the grain to increase the moisture content of the grain to between 40% and 45%. In a modern pneumatic malt house, the grain is alternately soaked (wet rest) and then drained (air rest) for one, two or three cycles to achieve the target grain moisture content and desired sprout count. Sprouts are the first sign of rootlet germination. At the end of the steeping, the grain is soaked for germination.

[0019] The purpose of germination is to germinate the grain. During germination, maltase is activated and these enzymes begin to modify the structure of the barley endosperm by breaking down the cell walls and protein matrix. Germination generates a large amount of heat. The grain bed is maintained at a constant temperature between 10°C and 16°C by a continuous supply of fresh humidified air, and tumblers are moved through the grain bed to keep it loose to allow adequate air flow. Germination typically takes 4-6 days and produces what is known as "green malt".

[0020] Kiln drying reduces the grain moisture content of green malt and stops the germination process. In the first stage, the free drying stage, the air temperature is kept cool to dry the grain without causing enzyme denaturation. As the grain dries, the air temperature can be raised (the second stage or forced drying stage) to further dry the grain without inactivating the amylases. The target malt moisture after kiln drying is about 5% by weight. In the final drying stage, color and malt aroma are developed through the Maillard reaction.

[0021] Derooting is the term used for the removal of small roots from the malt. Derooting is usually done soon after transfer from the kiln.

[0022] "Short malt" is a special type of malt, which differs from ordinary malt in that short malt is obtained by a process with a shortened germination period, typically 1-2 days. The alpha-amylase activity of short malt is quite low compared to ordinary malt. The alpha-amylase activity (EBC 4.13) of ordinary malt is typically about 64 dextrinizing units (DU) / gram dry matter, and the alpha-amylase activity of short malt obtained after 1 day of germination is typically less than 58 DU / gram dry matter.

[0023] "Dehulling" is a mechanical process used to remove tissue (eg, husk and / or bran) from grains by mechanical grinding action.

[0024] US 4,004,034 describes a process for making wort, which comprises subjecting barley to at least one treatment cycle comprising soaking in water and then exposure to air, the temperature conditions and duration of the various stages of the cycle being selected to cause germination of the barley to form short malt and promote the development of maximum enzymatic potential, rolling the short malt, drying the rolled short malt to stop the development of biological processes occurring therein while maintaining its enzymatic potential, grinding the dried and rolled short malt and extracting it with a mixture of hot water and malt, the amount of malt being from 10% to 40% by weight of solids based on the dry weight of the mixture of ground malt and malt, and separating the wort thus produced.

[0025] US 3,708,002 describes a method for germinating cereal grain kernels, wherein a portion of the outer layer of the untreated grains is removed by mechanical treatment prior to germination of the grains, but the amount of outer layer removed is not sufficient to significantly reduce germination of the grains.

[0026] US 3,647,473 describes a process for preparing germinated cereal grains comprising the following steps:

[0027] · dehulling the grain by dry mechanical means which damages the grain sufficiently to prevent the growth of numerous rootlets but leaves the aleurone layer substantially undamaged, and

[0028] The hulled grain kernels are germinated.

[0029] Holmes, M. Glennie. "The pearling of barley malt as an early generation selection tool in barley breeding programmes." Journal of the Institute of Brewing 96.1 (1990): 21-26 describes the determination of malt hardness by pearling as a method for assessing the kernel germination potential of malt in breeding programmes.

[0030] Holmes, M. Glennie. "The use of partially-modified barley for malting quality assessment." Journal of the Institute of Brewing 97.4 (1991): 283-289 describes a study that investigated the characteristics of partially modified barley using near infrared reflectance spectrophotometry (NIR), pearling resistance (PR), changes in acid extract viscosity, and changes in weight and translucency of boiled grain cut surfaces.

[0031] DE 44 28 978 describes a process in which a) the malt is dried uniformly to a water content of 20-10% by weight, b) the malt is demalted, c) the malt grains are dehulled and the hulls are separated from the malt grains, d) the malt grains are ground, and e) the malt is irradiated with microwaves and in the process on the one hand is dried in such a way that the residual water content is at most 8% by weight and on the other hand color and aroma are developed.

[0032] WO 2007 / 121594 relates to a method and a system for dehulling cereals, in particular spet and / or seed coat and germ of cereals and / or germinated cereals, and their processing in the brewing industry.

[0033] Viking TM Pearl black malt is a commercially available malt produced from pearled barley before the kernels are malted and roasted. This malt has no amylolytic activity and is low in fermentable extracts. It is used in dark beers such as stout and porter, primarily because of its strong coloring power.

[0034] In order to reduce the overall carbon footprint of malting, it is desirable to increase malt house productivity and improve the efficiency of transport and storage. Summary of the invention

[0035] The inventors have developed a new type of malt which has the aforementioned benefits and which can be suitably used to replace at least a portion of the conventional malt used in, for example, beer production.

[0036] The malt of the present invention can be produced by a different process for germinating grains from that used to produce conventional malt, the difference being that the process uses a shortened germination period of 12 to 72 hours, and further that the process uses a dehulling step after drying. The dehulled short malt thus obtained is characterized by relatively low α-amylase activity, low hull content, and high extract content. The low hull content of the dehulled short malt is evident from its low lignin content and low ash content. Since, in contrast to the hull, the endosperm of barley does not contain lignin, the removal of the hull from the short malt necessarily results in a reduction in the lignin content. Similarly, since the hull contains almost no starch, the removal of the hull also necessarily results in an increase in the extract content.

[0037] Therefore, a first aspect of the present invention relates to a dehulled short malt having the following combination of characteristics:

[0038] · Moisture content less than 15wt.%;

[0039] α-amylase activity less than 58 dextrinizing units (DU) / g dry matter;

[0040] · Extract content of solid auxiliary agent (C E ) is at least 79% dry matter by weight; and

[0041] Klason lignin content (C L ) is less than 1.8% dry matter by weight; and

[0042] Ash content (C A ) is less than 2.2% dry matter by weight;

[0043] Where 25≤C E / (C L *C A )≤160.

[0044] Requirement C E / (C L *C A )≥25 reflects that the dehulled short malt of the present invention combines a high extract content with a low lignin content and a low ash content. Requirement C E / (C L *C A )≤160 indicates that a non-negligible amount of husk is still present. Complete removal of the husk is economically unattractive since it is inevitably accompanied by a loss of starch.

[0045] Due to the removal of the husk, the bulk density of dehulled short grist is significantly increased. Therefore, the transportation and storage of dehulled short grist requires less space and energy than conventional malt.

[0046] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a process for preparing dehulled short malt, the process comprising:

[0047] Provide short malt; and

[0048] • The short malt is dehulled to produce dehulled short malt.

[0049] The dehulled short malt of the present invention offers the advantage that its production requires considerably less time and energy than the production of conventional malt, since the germination period is reduced from 5-6 days to no more than 3 days.

[0050] Since most of the hulls have been removed from the dehulled short malt of the present invention, the required shipping volume and storage volume are greatly reduced. In addition, the integrity of the malt is increased due to the removal of bioburden.

[0051] By using the dehulled short malt of the present invention, efficiency gains can also be obtained in the production of wort. By using a malt blend containing the dehulled short malt of the present invention, the application of excess husks in the lautering step can be avoided and the yield and capacity of the brewery can be improved.

[0052] The inventors have realized that in the production of wort, there is no problem in using malt with low α-amylase activity if such malt is combined with a sufficient amount of ordinary malt, because today's ordinary malt contains excessive amylase activity. In addition, or alternatively, the loss of α-amylase activity can be compensated by using added α-amylase during the saccharification process. Therefore, in the production of wort, the dehulled short malt of the present invention can be appropriately used to replace at least a part of the ordinary malt without any adverse effect on the quality of the wort or the quality of the malt beverage obtained after the fermentation of the wort.

[0053] Therefore, the present invention also provides a malt blend comprising:

[0054] 50 wt.% to 98 wt.% of common malt having an alpha-amylase activity of at least 58 dextrinizing units (DU) / g dry matter; and

[0055] · 2-50 wt.% of dehulled short malt according to the invention.

[0056] Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of producing a malt beverage, the method comprising:

[0057] providing a mixture comprising malt and water, wherein at least 1 wt.% of the malt is dehulled short malt according to the invention;

[0058] saccharifying the mixture to convert starch into fermentable sugars and produce a mash containing fermentable sugars; and

[0059] - The mash containing fermentable sugars is subjected to solid-liquid separation to separate the wort from the insoluble matter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] The present invention provides a dehulled short malt having the following characteristic combination:

[0061] (i) a moisture content of less than 15 wt.%, as determined by EBC method 4.2 (moisture content of malt);

[0062] (ii) an α-amylase activity of less than 58 dextrinizing units (DU) / g dry matter as determined by EBC method 4.13 (α-amylase content of malt);

[0063] (iii) Extract content (C E ) is at least 79% dry matter by weight as determined by EBC method 6.4 (Extractable content of solid adjuvants; De Clerck method);

[0064] (iv) Klason lignin content (C L ) is less than 1.8% dry matter by weight as determined by standard method TAPPI T 222om-02; and

[0065] (v) Ash content (C A ) is less than 2.2% dry matter by weight;

[0066] Where 25≤C E / (C L *C A )≤160.

[0067] As used herein, the term "barley" refers to hulled grains from the species Hordeum vulgare. As used herein, the term "barley" does not encompass hullless barley or "naked" barley (Hordeum vulgare L. var. nudum).

[0068] As used herein, the term "malt" refers to germinated barley grains that have been dried.

[0069] As used herein, the term "short malt" refers to malt obtained by germinating barley over a period of time ranging from 12 hours to 3 days. During this germination step, alpha-amylase is activated.

[0070] As used herein, the term "dehulled short malt" refers to short malt from which most of the original husk has been mechanically removed. At least a portion of the husk is removed after the kernels have been germinated. In addition to the husk, pericarp, seed coat, and aleurone may also have been mechanically removed from the short malt.

[0071] As used herein, the term "dehulling" refers to the application of abrasion and / or friction to remove husks from the malt. For example, dehulling can be performed by using pearling equipment that typically employs grinding stones or by using a dehuller / sheller, in which the husks are removed by passing the malt between rotating rollers.

[0072] As used herein, the term "husk" refers to the outer layer of the germinated barley grain surrounding the pericarp layer.

[0073] As referred to herein, the term "aleurone" refers to the layer of living endosperm cells surrounding the outer surface of the starchy endosperm of a cereal grain.

[0074] As used herein, the term "steeping" refers to a procedure in which the grains are covered with soaking water to increase their moisture content ("wet rest"). The wet rest may be interrupted by a so-called "dry rest", during which the water is drained off and fresh air may be supplied to remove excess carbon dioxide.

[0075] As used herein, the term "germination" refers to a process in which a soaked grain bed is allowed to germinate under moist conditions.

[0076] As used herein, the term "beer" refers to a yeast-fermented malt beverage that has optionally been hopped. Beer is typically produced by a process that includes the following basic steps:

[0077] saccharifying a mixture comprising malted grains, preferably malted barley, optionally supplementary grains and water to produce a mash;

[0078] Separation of mash into wort and spent grains;

[0079] · boiling the wort to produce boiled wort;

[0080] · fermenting the boiled wort with live yeast to produce fermented wort;

[0081] subjecting the fermented wort to one or more further process steps (e.g. maturation and filtration) to produce beer; and

[0082] ·Pack the beer in sealed containers such as bottles, cans or kegs.

[0083] Hops or hop extracts are typically added during the wort boil to create a hoppy beer. The hopping method and timing employed may vary depending on the beer style and brewing facility.

[0084] Whenever a standard method (e.g., an EBC method) is referred to herein, the standard method means the last version of the standard method published before May 5, 2022.

[0085] Common malt contains a core consisting of the starchy endosperm (distal end) and the germinating embryo (proximal end). The outside of the starchy endosperm, not adjacent to the scutellum that separates the starchy endosperm from the germinating embryo, is covered by the aleurone layer, the seed coat, the pericarp, and the husk (from the inside to the outside).

[0086] The dehulled short malt according to the invention has preferably been dried to a moisture content of less than 12 wt.%, more preferably a moisture content of 2 to 10 wt.%, even more preferably a moisture content of 2.5 to 8 wt.%, and most preferably a moisture content of 3 to 7 wt.%, as determined by EBC 4.2.

[0087] The alpha-amylase activity of the dehulled short malt is preferably 1-50, more preferably 2-40, most preferably 4-32 dextrinizing units (DU) per gram dry matter as determined by EBC method 4.13.

[0088] The extract content of the dehulled short malt of the invention is preferably at least 80% by weight of dry matter, more preferably 81-86% by weight of dry matter, and most preferably 82-85% by weight of dry matter as determined by EBC method 6.4.

[0089] According to particularly preferred embodiments, the dehulled short malt has a Klason lignin content of less than 1.5% by weight of dry matter, more preferably less than 1.2% by weight of dry matter, even more preferably less than 1.1% by weight of dry matter, and most preferably less than 1.0% by weight of dry matter.

[0090] The ash content of the dehulled short malt is preferably less than 2.1 % dry matter by weight, more preferably less than 2.0 % dry matter by weight, even more preferably less than 1.9 % dry matter by weight, and most preferably less than 1.8 % dry matter by weight.

[0091] Ratio C E / (C L *C A ) is preferably in the range of 28 to 150, more preferably in the range of 32 to 120, and most preferably in the range of 35 to 100.

[0092] The beta-amylase activity of the dehulled short malt is preferably at least 2 units / gram dry matter, more preferably at least 4 units / gram dry matter, most preferably 6-40 units / gram dry matter, as determined using the beta-amylase assay kit (Betamyl-3) of Megazyme. Preferably, the beta-amylase activity of the dehulled short malt does not exceed 30 units / gram dry matter, more preferably does not exceed 20 units / gram dry matter, most preferably does not exceed 15 units / gram dry matter.

[0093] The ratio of the beta-amylase activity of dehulled short malt (expressed in units / gram dry matter) to the alpha-amylase activity of dehulled short malt (expressed in DU / gram dry matter) is preferably in the range of 1:10 to 2:1, more preferably in the range of 1:5 to 1.5:1 and most preferably in the range of 1:4 to 1:1.

[0094] According to a preferred embodiment, the dehulled short malt has a Kuhlbach index of 5%-35%, more preferably 8%-30%, most preferably 10%-25%, as determined by EBC method 4.9.3 (Soluble Nitrogen of Malt: Dumas Combustion Method).

[0095] As determined by EBC 4.11.1, the final fermentation degree of the dehulled short malt is preferably more than 30%. More preferably, the final fermentation degree is in the range of 35% to 80%, even more preferably in the range of 40% to 70%, and most preferably in the range of 52% to 65%.

[0096] The pH of the dehulled short malt of the present invention is preferably at least 4.9, more preferably at least 5.0, as determined by EBC 8.17 (pH of wort). Typically, the pH does not exceed 6. The optimum pH is about 5.4. At a pH below 4.9, both alpha-amylase and beta-amylase are inactivated.

[0097] The color of malt can be determined according to EBC 4.7.2 (Color of malt: Visual method). Preferably the color of dehulled short malt is 1-10 EBC, more preferably 1.5-8 EBC, most preferably 2-4 EBC.

[0098] The color contribution of malt to beer can also be determined using MEBAK R-205.07.110 [2016-03] (A). Preferably, the color value of dehulled short malt as determined by this method is at least 2.0, more preferably 2.0 to 3.2, and most preferably 2.1 to 3.0.

[0099] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the dehulled short malt of the invention is very similar to conventional malt in terms of the flavor and color contribution it provides to the final beverage. This is why the kilning step used to remove water from the green malt is preferably carried out under conditions similar to those used in the production of conventional malt. The kilning step has an important influence on both the flavor and color of the malt, as it typically employs high temperatures that promote Maillard reactions, oxidation reactions and caramelization.

[0100] The thiobarbituric acid value or TBZ value indicates the content of carbonyl compounds, including aldehydes (e.g. 5-hydroxymethylfurfural) and ketones, which is affected by the heat load applied during the kilning of the malt. Typically, the dehulled short malt of the present invention has a TBZ value of at least 2, more preferably at least 3, even more preferably from 5 to 12, and most preferably from 5.5 to 10, as determined using the analytical method of the American Society of Brewing Chemists "Thiobarbituric Acid Index 2009". The Thiobarbituric Acid Index method is applied to wort prepared using the European Brewery Convention (EBC) method 4.5.1 (Extract of malt: Congress Mash).

[0101] For malt aroma, 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone (HDMF) is an important contributor to the formation of the Maillard reaction during kiln drying. The dehulled short malt of the present invention preferably contains at least 0.3 mg / kg of HDMF, more preferably at least 0.5 mg / kg of HDMF, even more preferably 0.8 to 20 mg / kg of HDMF, yet more preferably 1 to 15 mg / kg of HDMF, and most preferably 1.5 to 10 mg / kg of HDMF. The HDMF content can be suitably determined using the method described by Mackie and Slaughter (Formation of 4-hydroxyfuranones and their precursors during production ofworts and beers, J. Inst. Brew. (2002) 108, 336-343).

[0102] Preferably, the dehulled short malt of the invention has an S-methylmethionine content (expressed as dimethyl sulfide equivalent) of less than 100 μg / g dry matter, more preferably 0.01-10 μg / g dry matter, most preferably 0.05-1 μg / g dry matter. The S-methylmethionine content can be suitably determined by LC-MS / MS.

[0103] Preferably, the dehulled short malt has a dimethyl sulfide content of less than 10 μg / liter dry matter, more preferably less than 6 μg / gram dry matter, most preferably less than 0.2 μg / gram dry matter, as determined by GC-MS / MS.

[0104] During germination, the root germ of barley grains secretes a phytohormone called gibberellic acid, which initiates the synthesis of alpha-amylase. In some kernel germination operations, gibberellic acid is sprayed onto barley to accelerate germination. Bromate is sometimes used to inhibit rootlet growth and kernel germination losses.

[0105] The short malt of the invention has preferably been obtained by a kernel malting process wherein no gibberellic acid or bromate has been applied.

[0106] It is known to use hydrogen peroxide or ozone during steeping to promote the growth of barley spirals.The dehulled short malt of the invention has preferably been obtained by a kernel malting process in which no hydrogen peroxide or ozone has been applied.

[0107] It is known to add enzymes (e.g. amylolytic enzymes, proteolytic enzymes and / or alpha-glycanases) during the production of short malt to enhance enzyme activity. The dehulled short malt of the present invention preferably contains no enzyme activity originating from microbial sources, more preferably no enzyme activity originating from sources other than barley.

[0108] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the dehulled short malt of the invention has been milled. The milling of the malt offers the advantage that the malt can be introduced directly into the mash in the brewery. Furthermore, the milling of the dehulled short malt can be used to increase the bulk density of the malt, thereby reducing the volume required for transportation and storage. Unlike ordinary malt, the dehulled short malt of the invention can be milled without generating a large amount of dust.

[0109] Preferably, the bulk load density (free standing) of the milled malt according to the invention is at least 54 kg / hl, more preferably at least 58 kg / hl, most preferably 60-67 kg / hl. The bulk load density of the milled malt may suitably be determined by a chondrometer.

[0110] Preferably, the particle size distribution of the ground malt, as determined using a set of sieves, is as follows:

[0111] Less than 20wt.%>1.0mm

[0112] ·No more than 15wt.%≤0.15mm

[0113] More preferably the particle size distribution of the milled malt is as follows:

[0114] Less than 15wt.%>1.0mm

[0115] ·No more than 10wt.%≤0.15mm

[0116] Most preferably the particle size distribution of the milled malt is as follows:

[0117] Less than 10wt.%>1.0mm

[0118] ·No more than 5wt.%≤0.15mm

[0119] The grinding of dehulled short malt also offers the advantage that particle size variation can be minimized, especially if fines are removed after grinding. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the ground malt contains less than 2 wt.%, more preferably less than 1 wt.% fines, the particle size of which does not exceed 0.15 mm.

[0120] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the milled dehulled short malt is packaged in a bag or container for transportation. Typically, the bag or container holds at least 50 kg of the milled dehulled short malt.

[0121] The dehulled short malt of the present invention may suitably be produced by a process as described below.

[0122] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a process for preparing peeled buds, the process comprising:

[0123] Provide short malt; and

[0124] • The short malt is dehulled to produce dehulled short malt.

[0125] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the process of the invention produces dehulled short malt as described herein before.

[0126] Preferably, the process of the invention is an industrial process, wherein at least 10 tonnes, more preferably at least 30 tonnes, even more preferably at least 50 tonnes, most preferably at least 70 tonnes of dehulled short malt are prepared within 1 week.

[0127] The short malt used in the process of the present invention may have been partially husked before the kernels are germinated. Partial husking before the kernels are germinated provides the advantage that less water is required to soak the barley and less energy is required to remove the water by drying. Partial husking before the kernels are germinated should be done with care, as the barley grains should not be damaged to the extent that they lose their ability to germinate. Preferably, the barley grains are not husked before the kernels are germinated.

[0128] According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the process according to the invention, not all of the husk is removed from the short malt by dehulling. Complete removal of the husk is inevitably accompanied by a loss of starch.

[0129] The moisture content of the short malt provided in the process of the invention preferably does not exceed 15 wt.%, more preferably does not exceed 12 wt.%, and most preferably 2-10 wt.%, as determined by EBC method 4.2.

[0130] The alpha-amylase activity of the short malt provided in the process of the invention is preferably less than 58 DU / g dry matter, more preferably in the range of 1-50 DU / g dry matter, more preferably 2-40 DU / g dry matter, and most preferably in the range of 4-32 DU / g dry matter, as determined by EBC method 4.13.

[0131] The extract content of the short malt provided in the process of the invention is preferably not more than 81% dry matter by weight, more preferably not more than 80% dry matter by weight, and most preferably 72-79% dry matter by weight, as determined by EBC method 6.4.

[0132] The dehulling step preferably increases the extract content of the short malt by at least 1%, more preferably by at least 1.5%, and most preferably by 2% to 10% (extract content determined by the EBC method). Here, the percentage increase is calculated as:

[0133] 100% x([EC 后 ]-[EC 前 ]) / [EC 前 ]

[0134] in

[0135] EC 前 ] indicates the extract content after peeling;

[0136] [EC 后 ] indicates the extract content before peeling.

[0137] The lignin content of the short malt provided in the process of the present invention is preferably in the range of 1.5%-4.0% by weight of dry matter, more preferably in the range of 1.6%-3.5% by weight of dry matter, and most preferably in the range of 1.7%-3.0% by weight of dry matter, as determined by standard method TAPPI T 222om-02.

[0138] In the debarking step, preferably at least 25 wt.%, more preferably at least 35 wt.% and most preferably at least 40 wt.% of the lignin is removed (lignin content determined by standard method TAPPI T 222om-02).

[0139] Since it is practically impossible to remove all lignin without also removing starch, thereby reducing the extract content of the malt, it is preferred not to remove all lignin present in the short malt. Preferably, no more than 90 wt.%, even more preferably no more than 80 wt.% of the lignin is removed by debarking in the process of the invention.

[0140] The ash content of the dehulled short malt in the process of the invention is preferably over 1.6% by weight of dry matter, more preferably over 1.8% by weight of dry matter and most preferably in the range of 1.9-3.0% by weight of dry matter.

[0141] The short malt provided in the process of the invention may have been derooted, or alternatively the roots may have been removed from the short malt during debarking.

[0142] The process of the invention preferably does not comprise the addition of gibberellic acid, bromate, hydrogen peroxide or ozone.

[0143] In a further preferred embodiment, the process of the invention does not comprise the addition of amylolytic enzymes, proteolytic enzymes or alpha-glycanases. Even more preferably, the process does not comprise the addition of enzymes.

[0144] Typically, the malting process for the short malt grains used in the process of the invention provides for a steeping period of from 3 to 30 hours, more preferably from 4 to 26 hours, most preferably from 5 to 25 hours.

[0145] The short malt provided in the process is preferably obtained by a kernel malting process with a germination period of 12 hours to 3 days, more preferably 18 hours to 2 days, most preferably 20 to 40 hours.

[0146] Typically, during germination at least 85%, more preferably at least 90% and most preferably at least 93% of the barley grains produce visible sprouts.

[0147] During germination of barley to produce short malt, the temperature is preferably maintained at 15 to 25°C, more preferably 16 to 22°C.

[0148] The moisture content of the barley grain is preferably maintained at 30-40 wt.%, more preferably 33-35 wt.% during germination.

[0149] During the dehulling step, the short malt preferably undergoes a weight loss of 2%-18%, more preferably 3%-15%, most preferably 5%-12%.

[0150] Dehulling of the short malt is preferably achieved by passing the short malt through a grain dehuller comprising one or more rotatable grinding rollers.

[0151] In the process of the present invention, the dehulled short malt is preferably obtained by a process comprising the following steps:

[0152] Provide barley grain;

[0153] Mechanically removing the husk from the grain, thereby producing hulled grain and husk material;

[0154] soaking the hulled grains with an aqueous liquid to produce soaked hulled grains having a moisture content of at least 20 wt.%;

[0155] germination of the soaked, dehulled grains over a period of 12-72 hours; and

[0156] • Drying the germinated grains to reduce the water content to 9 wt.% or less.

[0157] The germination period employed is preferably in the range of 18 hours to 2 days, most preferably 20 to 40 hours.

[0158] During germination, preferably at least 85%, more preferably at least 90% and most preferably at least 93% of the barley grains produce visible sprouts.

[0159] During germination of the barley, the temperature is preferably maintained at 15 to 25°C, more preferably 16 to 22°C.

[0160] The moisture content of the barley grain is preferably maintained at 30-40 wt.%, more preferably 33-35 wt.% during germination.

[0161] The germinated grains are preferably dried to reduce the water content to less than 8 wt.%, more preferably to a water content of 1 to 7.5 wt.%, even more preferably to a water content of 2 to 7 wt.%, and most preferably to a water content of 3 to 6.5 wt.%, as determined by EBC 4.2.

[0162] Drying of the germinated grains is preferably carried out by contacting the germinated grains with hot air.

[0163] Preferably, during drying of the germinated cereals, the temperature in the cereals rises to at least 50°C, more preferably to a temperature of at least 60°C, even more preferably to a temperature of 65-100°C, and most preferably to a temperature of 70-98°C.

[0164] The present invention also provides a malt blend comprising:

[0165] 50 wt.% to 98 wt.% of common malt having an alpha-amylase activity of at least 58 dextrinizing units (DU) / g dry matter as determined by EBC method 4.13;

[0166] · 2-50 wt.% of dehulled short malt according to the invention.

[0167] The malt blend can be suitably used in the production of wort because the blend provides sufficient starch, amylolytic activity and husk (filter bed material) to produce high quality wort without the use of any adjuvants.

[0168] The malt blend preferably contains 60 wt.% to 95 wt.% common malt and 5 wt.% to 40 wt.% dehulled short malt. More preferably, the malt blend contains 65 wt.% to 92 wt.% common malt and 8 wt.% to 35 wt.% dehulled short malt. Most preferably, the malt blend contains 70 wt.% to 90 wt.% common malt and 10 wt.% to 30 wt.% dehulled short malt.

[0169] The combination of regular malt and dehulled short malt preferably constitutes 80-100 wt.%, more preferably 90-100 wt.% and most preferably 100 wt.% of the malt blend.

[0170] The moisture content of the malt blend preferably does not exceed 15 wt.%, more preferably does not exceed 10 wt.%, and most preferably does not exceed 8 wt.%, as determined by EBC method 4.2.

[0171] The moisture content of the common malt contained in the malt blend preferably does not exceed 15 wt.%, more preferably does not exceed 12 wt.%, and most preferably 2-10 wt.%, as determined by EBC method 4.2.

[0172] The alpha-amylase activity of common malt is preferably at least 58 DU / g dry matter, more preferably in the range of 60-120 DU / g dry matter, and most preferably in the range of 62-100 DU / g dry matter, as determined by EBC method 4.13.

[0173] The extract content of common malt present in the malt blend is preferably less than 82% by weight of dry matter, more preferably less than 81% by weight of dry matter, and most preferably 72-80% by weight of dry matter as determined by EBC method 6.4.

[0174] The lignin content of common malt in the malt blend is preferably in the range of 0.8-4% by weight of dry matter, more preferably in the range of 1.0-3.5% by weight of dry matter, and most preferably in the range of 1.2-3.0% by weight of dry matter, as determined by standard method TAPPI T 222om-02.

[0175] The ash content of ordinary malt is preferably over 1.6% by weight of dry matter, more preferably over 1.8% by weight of dry matter, and most preferably in the range of 1.9-3.0% by weight of dry matter.

[0176] Common malt and dehulled short malt may be present in the malt blend in the form of milled or non-milled malt. Preferably, both malt components are present in the same form, i.e. milled or non-milled. Most preferably, the malt blend contains common malt and dehulled short malt in non-milled form.

[0177] The alpha-amylase activity of the malt blend of the invention is preferably at least 44 dextrinizing units (DU), more preferably 46 to 100 DU, and most preferably 48 to 80 DU per gram dry matter as determined by EBC method 4.13.

[0178] Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of producing a malt beverage, the method comprising:

[0179] providing a mixture comprising malt and water, wherein at least 1 wt.% of the malt is dehulled short malt according to the invention;

[0180] saccharifying the mixture to convert starch into fermentable sugars and produce a mash containing fermentable sugars; and

[0181] - The mash containing fermentable sugars is subjected to solid-liquid separation to separate the wort from the insoluble matter.

[0182] Preferably at least 50 wt.%, more preferably at least 75 wt.%, most preferably 100 wt.% of the malt in the mixture comprising malt and water is barley malt.

[0183] Preferably at least 2 wt.%, more preferably at least 5 wt.%, even more preferably at least 8 wt.% and most preferably at least 10 wt.% of the malt in the mixture comprising malt and water is dehulled short malt according to the invention.

[0184] Typically no more than 50 wt.%, more preferably no more than 40 wt.% and most preferably no more than 35 wt.% of the malt in the mixture comprising malt and water is the dehulled short malt of the invention.

[0185] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the malt in the mixture comprising malt and water contains at least 90 wt.%, more preferably at least 95 wt.% and most preferably 100 wt.% of a combination of dehulled short malt and normal malt of the invention, as defined above.

[0186] The alpha-amylase activity of the malt employed in the process of the invention is preferably at least 44 dextrinizing units (DU), more preferably 46 to 100 DU, and most preferably 48 to 80 DU per gram dry matter as determined by EBC method 4.13.

[0187] The combination of regular malt and dehulled short malt preferably constitutes 80-100 wt. %, more preferably 90-100 wt. % and most preferably 100 wt. % of the malt in the mixture comprising malt and water.

[0188] The process of the invention preferably does not involve the addition of enzyme preparations prior to or during saccharification.Herein, the term "enzyme preparation" refers to a preparation containing enzyme activity other than malt (including the dehulled short malt of the invention).

[0189] According to a preferred embodiment, the saccharification is soaking saccharification. Compared with other saccharification methods (such as decoction saccharification), soaking saccharification is more energy-saving and time-saving.

[0190] The mixture comprises malt and water, preferably without adjuvants.

[0191] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the solid-liquid separation of the mash comprises filtering the mash through a filter bed, the mash comprising at least 80 wt.%, more preferably at least 90 wt.% and most preferably 100 wt.% insoluble material from malt.

[0192] Examples of apparatus that may be used for such filtration include lauter tuns, mash filters, and mash / filtration vessels.

[0193] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the process according to the invention produces a wort based on 100% malt.

[0194] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the wort is further processed to produce a malt beverage in the form of beer or whiskey, said further processing comprising the step of subjecting the wort to a yeast fermentation. Preferably the fermentation is a bottom fermentation.

[0195] The present invention is further illustrated by the following non-limiting examples.

[0196] Examples

[0197] Example 1

[0198] Short malt is produced from barley (two-row spring barley, originating from France), as follows:

[0199] The conventional malting process was followed except that the barley was germinated for only 24 hours instead of 5 days.

[0200] The short malt thus obtained was debarked in batches of 100 g for 10-120 seconds in a Satake test grinder (TM05C(2)-T).

[0201] The short malt starting material as well as the dehulled short malt were analyzed to determine the moisture content, lignin content and ash content. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0202] Table 1

[0203]

[0204] Example 2

[0205] Short malt is produced from barley (two-row spring barley, originating from France), as follows:

[0206] The barley was soaked for 8 hours at 22°C. Subsequently, the barley was germinated for 24 hours at 18°C. During the drying process, the temperature varied over time. During the first 5.5 hours, the temperature was raised to 55°C and kept at 55°C for 30 minutes. It was then raised to 62°C within 100 minutes and kept at this temperature for 7.3 hours. In the last step, the temperature was raised to 80°C within 2.3 hours and kept at this temperature for 2.8 hours.

[0207] The short malt thus obtained was dehulled for 12 or 30 seconds. The short malt starting material and dehulled short malt were analyzed. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0208] Table 2

[0209]

[0210]

[0211] Example 3

[0212] Two single malt beers were produced using the same brewing process, the only difference being that beer A was produced using 100% normal malt, whereas beer B was produced using an 80:20 (w / w) blend of normal malt and dehulled short malt (dehulled 12 seconds) from Example 2.

[0213] The beers thus obtained were subjected to a differential control test using a panel of 12 trained beer testers. The results showed that the two beers were indistinguishable.

[0214] Comparative Examples

[0215] Short malt was prepared from RGT Planet barley which had been mechanically dehulled to remove approximately 6 wt.% of the material.

[0216] The dehulled barley was steeped, germinated and dried using the procedure summarized in Table 3.

[0217] Table 3

[0218]

[0219]

[0220] The short malt thus obtained was analyzed. The results of the analysis are shown in Table 4.

[0221] Table 4

[0222] <![CDATA[β - amylase activity 1 > 196 <![CDATA[Wort color 2 > 1.9 pH(EBC 8.17) 4.8 Final fermentation degree (EBC 4.11.1) 26.1％

[0223] 1 MEBAK R-200.22.111[2016-03](A)

[0224] 2 MEBAK R-205.07.110[2016-03](A)

Claims

1. A dehulled short malt having the following combination of characteristics: (i) a moisture content of less than 15 wt.%, as determined by EBC method 4.2 (moisture content of malt); (ii) an α-amylase activity of less than 58 dextrinizing units (DU) / g dry matter as determined by EBC method 4.13 (α-amylase content of malt); (iii) Extract content (C E ) is at least 79% dry matter by weight as determined by EBC method 6.4 (Extractable content of solid adjuvants; De Clerck method); (iv) Klason lignin content (C L ) is less than 1.8% dry matter by weight as determined by standard method TAPPI T222om-02; and (v) Ash content (C A ) is less than 2.2% dry matter by weight; Where 25≤C E / (C L *C A )≤160.

2. The malt according to claim 1, wherein the malt has a β-amylase activity of at least 2 units / g dry matter as determined using the β-amylase assay kit (Betamyl-3) from Magzyme.

3. Malt according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the extract content of the malt is at least 82% dry matter by weight as determined by EBC method 6.

4.

4. Malt according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the Klason lignin content of the malt is less than 1.5% by weight of dry matter as determined by standard method TAPPI T 222om-02.

5. Malt according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ash content of the malt is less than 2.0% dry matter by weight.

6. Malt according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein 28 ≤ C E / (C L *C A )≤150.

7. Malt according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the malt has a Kuhlbach Index of 5% to 35%.

8. Malt according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the malt is milled malt having a bulk density of at least 60 kg / hl and characterized in that The following particle size distribution: Less than 20wt.%>1.0mm; ·Not more than 15wt.%≤0.15mm.

9. A process for preparing malt according to any one of the preceding claims, the process comprising: Provide short malt; as well as • The short malt is dehulled to produce dehulled short malt.

10. The process according to claim 8, wherein the short malt is obtained by a malt germination process with a germination period of 12 hours to 3 days.

11. The process according to claim 8 or 9, wherein during the debarking step the short malt undergoes a weight loss of 2%-18%.

12. The process according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the short malt is provided with a lignin content of at least 1.5% by weight of dry matter as determined by standard method TAPPI T 222 om-02.

13. The process according to any one of claims 8-11, wherein the short malt is provided with an ash content of at least 1.6% dry matter by weight.

14. A malt blend comprising: 50 wt.% to 98 wt.% of common malt having an alpha-amylase activity of at least 58 dextrinizing units (DU) / g dry matter as determined by EBC method 4.13; · 2-50 wt.% of dehulled short malt according to any one of claims 1-8.

15. A method of producing a malt beverage, the method comprising: Providing a mixture comprising malt and water, wherein at least 1 wt.% of the malt is dehulled short malt according to any one of claims 1 to 8; saccharifying the mixture to convert starch into fermentable sugars and produce a mash containing fermentable sugars; and - The mash containing fermentable sugars is subjected to solid-liquid separation to separate the wort from the insoluble matter.

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