Carbonated alcohol beverage

Abstract

The present invention relates to a carbonated beverage containing:-900 to 988 mg / g water; -3 to 60 mg / g of ethanol; 0.2 to 8 mg / g dissolved carbon dioxide; 0 to 4 mg / g protein; ethyl acetate, ethanol at a concentration of 1 to 20 mg / g; isoamyl acetate, ethanol at a concentration of 0.1 to 5 mg / g; -C3-C5 alcohol is ethanol with the concentration of 1.5 to 50 mg / g; wherein ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio in the range of from 2: 1 to 30: 1. The carbonated beverage of the present invention combines a strong taste with a pleasant fruity taste. The invention also provides a method of producing the aforementioned carbonated beverage, said method comprising:-providing a yeast fermentation broth comprising at least 1.5% (v / v) ethanol and volatile flavor components; -subjecting the yeast fermentation broth to a decarbonation step in which gaseous components comprising carbon dioxide, ethanol and volatile flavor components are removed; -contacting the gaseous component with an aqueous liquid to transfer at least a portion of the ethanol and the volatile flavor component from the gaseous component to the aqueous liquid, thereby producing wash water; -optionally diluting the wash water; and carbonating the optionally diluted wash water.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the Chinese patent application with application number 202080086274.0. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to a carbonated alcoholic beverage which can be produced from a side stream generated by the fermentation of a beverage with non-alcoholic yeasts, more specifically from a side stream generated in a decarbonation step applied prior to the dealcoholization of alcoholic beer.

[0004] The carbonated beverage of the present invention contains:

[0005] 900-988 mg / g water;

[0006] 3-60 mg / g ethanol;

[0007] 0.2-8 mg / g dissolved carbon dioxide;

[0008] 0-4 mg / g protein;

[0009] Ethyl acetate, concentration 1-20 mg / g ethanol;

[0010] Isoamyl acetate, concentration 0.1-5 mg / g ethanol;

[0011] C3-C5 alcohols, concentration 1.5-50 mg / g ethanol;

[0012] Wherein ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio ranging from 2:1 to 30:1.

[0013] The carbonated beverage according to the invention combines a powerful taste with a pleasant fruity flavor.

[0014] The present invention also relates to a method for producing the aforementioned carbonated beverage, the method comprising:

[0015] Providing a yeast fermentation broth comprising at least 1.5% (v / v) ethanol and volatile flavor components;

[0016] subjecting the yeast fermentation broth to a decarbonation step, in which gaseous components including carbon dioxide, ethanol and volatile flavor components are removed from the yeast fermentation broth;

[0017] contacting a gaseous component comprising carbon dioxide, ethanol, and volatile flavor components with an aqueous liquid to transfer at least a portion of the ethanol and volatile flavor components from the gaseous component to the aqueous liquid, thereby producing wash water;

[0018] optionally diluting the wash water; and

[0019] • Carbonating the optionally diluted wash water. Background of the Invention

[0021] Beer is a universally popular beverage consumed worldwide. Beer is usually produced by a process that includes the following basic steps:

[0022] Mashing a mixture of grains and water to create a mash;

[0023] Separate the mash from the spent grains in the wort;

[0024] Boiling the wort to stabilize it, sterilize it, and extract the bitterness from the hops;

[0025] Fermentation of the cooked wort with live yeast to produce new beer;

[0026] subjecting the new beer to one or more further processing steps (such as maturation and filtration) to produce beer; and

[0027] • Pack beer in sealed containers such as bottles, cans or kegs.

[0028] The beer market has seen a significant increase in the consumption of non-alcoholic beer in recent years.

[0029] Non-alcoholic beer is produced by two basic methods. One applies traditional brewing methods and then removes the alcohol by techniques such as reverse osmosis, dialysis or evaporation. The other method aims to avoid or reduce the formation of alcohol during fermentation by contacting the wort with live yeast under conditions that minimize the fermentation production of alcohol.

[0030] US 5,384,135 describes a process for producing non-alcoholic pale beer by dealcoholizing alcoholic pale beer by evaporation under high vacuum, wherein the dealcoholization is carried out continuously and comprises:

[0031] a decarbonation stage at a pressure of 0.06-0.1 bar, during which a portion of the ethanol and flavour compounds are entrained with the CO2 and are partially condensed and recovered;

[0032] • A distillation stage at a pressure of 0.06-0.1 bar at a temperature of 50°C to 65°C, where the flavour compounds are condensed, wherein the ethanol phase is partially extracted and recovered.

[0033] US2015 / 0017280 describes a method for producing a non-alcoholic or low-alcohol fermented malt-based beverage having an alcohol content of not more than 1.0% by volume, the method comprising the following steps:

[0034] (a) preparing a malt-based beverage having an alcohol content of not more than 1.0% by volume by vacuum evaporation and wherein the portion of the gas phase other than ethanol is condensed;

[0035] (b) measuring the content of ethyl acetate and ethyl butyrate in the beverage thus obtained; and

[0036] (c) adding at least a portion of the condensate to the beverage.

[0037] US2015 / 017280 further describes a fermented malt-based beverage having an alcohol content of not more than 1.0% by volume, comprising:

[0038] 7.00-30.00ppm ethyl acetate

[0039] 0.01-0.20ppm ethyl butyrate

[0040] 0.05-2.00 ppm isoamyl acetate; and

[0041] 0.01-0.05ppm ethyl hexanoate.

[0042] Collin et al. (Relationships between the chemical composition and sensory evaluation of lager beers. Food Quality and Preference, Vol. 5, 1-2 (1994), 145-149) reported the average, maximum and minimum values ​​of ester and dimethyl sulfide contents in 33 commercially available lagers.

[0043] Ammari et al. (Batch stripping of fiavour active compounds from beer, Food and Bioproducts Processing, Vol. 118, (2019, 306-317) studied the effects of a complex mixture of beer dry matter, carbohydrates and proteins, and ethanol on flavour properties during treatment with a packed bed column using CO2 as a decolorising agent. Figures B1 and B2 provide information on the composition of some commercially available beers. Summary of the invention

[0044] The inventors have surprisingly found that a carbonated alcoholic beverage with a very pleasant taste can be produced from an aqueous liquid obtained when the carbon dioxide produced during the decarbonation of alcoholic beer is passed through water (washing). The wash water thus obtained contains ethanol and other organic volatiles, including lower alcohols, such as amyl alcohol and isobutanol, and aromatic compounds, such as ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate.

[0045] The carbonated beverage of the present invention can be produced by carbonating the above-mentioned wash water (in which water and ethanol are main components), and optionally adding additional ingredients such as water, sugar, fruit juice (concentrate), etc.

[0046] The carbonated beverage according to the present invention is characterized in that it contains:

[0047] 900-988 mg / g water;

[0048] 3-60 mg / g ethanol;

[0049] 0.2-8 mg / g dissolved carbon dioxide;

[0050] 0-4 mg / g protein;

[0051] Ethyl acetate, concentration 1-20 mg / g ethanol;

[0052] Isoamyl acetate, concentration 0.1-5 mg / g ethanol;

[0053] C3-C5 alcohols, concentration 1.5-50 mg / g ethanol;

[0054] Wherein ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio ranging from 2:1 to 30:1.

[0055] The carbonated beverage of the present invention combines a powerful taste with a pleasant fruity flavor. This pleasant taste comes from the presence of the fruity esters ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate in specified concentrations and the presence of ethanol and C3-C5 alcohols. It is also believed that other aromatic compounds present in the wash water contribute to the pleasant, complex flavor of the carbonated beverage.

[0056] The present invention also provides a method for producing the above-mentioned carbonated beverage, the method comprising:

[0057] Providing a yeast fermentation broth comprising at least 1.5% (v / v) ethanol and volatile flavor components;

[0058] subjecting the yeast fermentation broth to a decarbonation step, in which gaseous components including carbon dioxide, ethanol and volatile flavor components are removed from the yeast fermentation broth;

[0059] contacting a gaseous component comprising carbon dioxide, ethanol, and volatile flavor components with an aqueous liquid to transfer at least a portion of the ethanol and volatile flavor components from the gaseous component to the aqueous liquid, thereby producing wash water;

[0060] optionally diluting the wash water; and

[0061] • Carbonating the optionally diluted wash water.

[0062] Examples of yeast fermentation liquids that can be used for the method of the present invention include beer, fruit wine and wine. Surprisingly, it was found that the composition of the wash water produced in the above method was hardly affected by the ratio of the gaseous component to the aqueous liquid in contact. It was found that increasing this ratio resulted in a considerable increase in the level of ethanol and volatile flavor components in the wash water. In other words, if a high ratio of gaseous components to aqueous liquid is used, the wash water produced is simply a more concentrated form of the wash water obtained when using a much lower ratio. This means that, in order to produce a carbonated beverage of constant quality, it is not necessary to carefully control the "washing" step of the method of the present invention, because the wash water can be diluted to obtain a constant composition.

[0063] The present invention also relates to the use of wash water obtained from the decarbonation of a yeast fermented beverage in the preparation of a beverage containing 0-4 mg / g of a starch hydrolyzed component selected from maltose, maltotriose, maltotetraose and a combination thereof, the preparation comprising combining the wash water with one or more components selected from carbon dioxide, a sweetener, an edible acid, a fruit juice, a fruit juice concentrate, an essential oil and a combination thereof. Detailed Description

[0065] A first aspect of the present invention relates to a carbonated beverage comprising:

[0066] 900-988 mg / g water;

[0067] 3-60 mg / g ethanol;

[0068] 0.2-8 mg / g dissolved carbon dioxide;

[0069] 0-4 mg / g protein;

[0070] Ethyl acetate, concentration 1-20 mg / g ethanol;

[0071] Isoamyl acetate, concentration 0.1-5 mg / g ethanol;

[0072] C3-C5 alcohols, concentration 1.5-50 mg / g ethanol;

[0073] Wherein ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio ranging from 2:1 to 30:1.

[0074] As used herein, the term "isoamyl acetate" refers to 3-methyl-1-butyl acetate.

[0075] As used herein, the term "protein" refers to a polymer comprising a linear chain of at least 10 amino acid residues.

[0076] As used herein, the term "decarbonation" refers to the removal of carbon dioxide from a liquid.

[0077] The wash water used to prepare the carbonated beverage of the present invention is substantially colorless. Preferably, no colorant is added in the preparation of the carbonated beverage. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, the beverage is colorless.

[0078] Wash water used to prepare carbonated beverages is usually a clear liquid. This clarity is preferably maintained in the carbonated beverage by using only completely dissolved ingredients. Therefore, in a particularly preferred embodiment, the carbonated beverage of the present invention is a clear beverage.

[0079] In addition to the wash water, the carbonated beverage of the present invention may also contain other ingredients. However, preferably, the beverage consists of the optionally diluted wash water and no more than a small amount of added ingredients. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, the combination of ethanol and water constitutes at least 95wt.%, more preferably at least 97wt.% and most preferably at least 98wt.% of the carbonated beverage.

[0080] The carbonated beverage of the present invention can be suitably produced using wash water obtained by decarbonation of a yeast-fermented malt beverage (e.g., beer). Beer typically contains hop acids that impart the desired bitterness. These hop acids are non-volatile, so the wash water does not contain such hop acids. It is also preferred that hop acids are not used in the preparation of carbonated beverages. Therefore, the carbonated beverage preferably contains 0-1 μg / g, more preferably 0-0.1 μg / g, and most preferably 0-0.01 μg / g of hop acids selected from alpha-acids, iso-alpha acids, and combinations thereof.

[0081] Starch hydrolysis components are another example of non-volatile components present in beer, but they are preferably not present in the carbonated beverage of the present invention or are present in a much lower concentration than in beer. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, the carbonated beverage contains no more than 4 mg / g, more preferably no more than 1 mg / g, and most preferably no more than 0.2 mg / g of starch hydrolysis components selected from maltose, maltotriose, maltotetraose and combinations thereof.

[0082] The carbonated beverage of the present invention can also be produced from fruit wine, such as cider. Fruit wine typically contains malic acid in a concentration of 4.5-7.5 g / L. Malic acid is non-volatile, so the wash water produced during the decarbonation of the fruit wine contains no more than a very limited amount of malic acid. Malic acid is preferably not added to the carbonated beverage of the present invention. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, the carbonated beverage contains less than 3 mg / g, more preferably less than 1 mg / g, and most preferably less than 0.5 mg / g of malic acid.

[0083] The water content of carbonated beverages is typically in the range of 920 to 985 mg / g, more preferably in the range of 940 to 982 mg / g, and most preferably in the range of 950 to 980 mg / g.

[0084] Preferably, the ethanol content of the carbonated beverage is in the range of 5 to 50 mg / g, more preferably in the range of 8 to 45 mg / g, and most preferably in the range of 15 to 40 mg / g.

[0085] The carbonated beverage of the present invention is preferably moderately carbonated. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the beverage contains 0.3-6 mg / g dissolved carbon dioxide, more preferably 0.4-4 mg / g dissolved carbon dioxide.

[0086] Carbonated beverages of the present invention can be suitably packaged in sealed containers such as bottles, cans or barrels. In one embodiment of the present invention, the carbonated beverage is packaged in glass bottles, cans or barrels, and the carbonated beverage contains 0.2-5 mg / g dissolved carbon dioxide, preferably 0.3-4 mg / g dissolved carbon dioxide. In another embodiment, the carbonated beverage is packaged in a PET bottle, and the carbonated beverage contains 3-8 mg / g dissolved carbon dioxide, preferably 4-7 mg / g dissolved carbon dioxide.

[0087] Protein is another component not present in the wash water as it is non-volatile. The carbonated beverage preferably contains 0-3 mg / g protein, more preferably 0-1 mg / g protein, and most preferably 0-0.05 mg / g protein.

[0088] Ethyl acetate is preferably included in the carbonated beverage in a concentration of 2-18 mg / g ethanol, more preferably in a concentration of 2.5-15 mg / g ethanol, and most preferably in a concentration of 3-12 mg / g ethanol.

[0089] In one embodiment of the invention, the carbonated beverage is prepared from wash water obtained by decarbonation of beer. According to this embodiment, isoamyl acetate is preferably contained in the carbonated beverage in a concentration of 0.4-4 mg / g ethanol, more preferably in a concentration of 0.5-3.5 mg / g ethanol, and most preferably in a concentration of 0.6-3 mg / g ethanol.

[0090] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the carbonated beverage is prepared from wash water obtained by decarbonation of fruit wine, in particular cider. According to this embodiment, isoamyl acetate is preferably contained in the carbonated beverage in a concentration of 0.1-2 mg / g ethanol, more preferably in a concentration of 0.15-1.5 mg / g ethanol, and most preferably in a concentration of 0.2-1 mg / g ethanol.

[0091] If the carbonated beverage is prepared from wash water from beer production, the C3-C5 alcohols are preferably contained in the carbonated beverage in a concentration of 2-12 mg / g ethanol, more preferably 2.5-11 mg / g ethanol, most preferably 3-10 mg / g ethanol.

[0092] If the carbonated beverage is prepared from wash water from wine production, the C3-C5 alcohols are preferably contained in the carbonated beverage in a concentration of 5-50 mg / g ethanol, more preferably 8-40 mg / g ethanol, and most preferably 10-35 mg / g ethanol.

[0093] The ratio of ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate present in a carbonated beverage has a significant effect on the flavor profile of the beverage. In the case of a carbonated beverage prepared from wash water from beer production, preferably ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio in the range of 2.5:1 to 12:1, more preferably in the range of 3:1 to 10:1, and most preferably in the range of 3.5:1 to 9:1.

[0094] In case the carbonated beverage is prepared from wash water from wine production, preferably ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio in the range of 5:1 to 30:1, more preferably in the range of 8:1 to 25:1, and most preferably in the range of 12:1 to 20:1.

[0095] In another preferred embodiment, amyl alcohols selected from 3-methylbutan-1-ol, 2-methylbutan-1-ol and combinations thereof are present in the carbonated beverage at a concentration of 1-50 mg / g ethanol. In the case where the carbonated beverage is prepared from wash water from beer production, these amyl alcohols are preferably present in the beverage at a concentration of 1-15 mg / g ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 1.5-12 mg / g ethanol, most preferably at a concentration of 2-10 mg / g ethanol.

[0096] In case the carbonated beverage is prepared from wash water from wine production, the amyl alcohols selected from 3-methylbutan-1-ol, 2-methylbutan-1-ol and combinations thereof are preferably present in the carbonated beverage in a concentration of 5-50 mg / g ethanol, more preferably in a concentration of 7-40 mg / g ethanol, and most preferably in a concentration of 8-30 mg / g ethanol.

[0097] According to another advantageous embodiment, the carbonated beverage contains no more than a limited amount of polysaccharides. Preferably, the beverage contains 0-10 mg / g, more preferably 0-3 mg / g, and most preferably 0-1 mg / g polysaccharides. Herein, the term "polysaccharide" refers to a polymeric carbohydrate comprising at least 10 monosaccharide units.

[0098] Sweeteners such as sucrose, glucose and / or fructose may be present in the carbonated beverage.Preferably, the beverage contains 0-30 mg / g, even more preferably 1-15 mg / g, and most preferably 2-10 mg / g of a sugar selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides and combinations thereof.

[0099] In addition to ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate, carbonated beverages typically contain a variety of other volatile compounds that occur naturally in yeast-fermented beverages. Examples of such compounds include acetaldehyde, dimethyl sulfide, ethyl hexanoate, 3-methylbutan-1-ol, 2-methylbutan-1-ol, and isobutanol.

[0100] In a preferred embodiment, the beverage contains acetaldehyde in a concentration of 0.1-5 mg / g ethanol, more preferably in a concentration of 0.2-4 mg / g ethanol, and most preferably in a concentration of 0.3-3 mg / g ethanol.

[0101] The aromatic compound dimethyl sulfide is preferably contained in a carbonated beverage at a concentration of 1-20 μg / g ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 2-15 μg / g ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 2.5-10 μg / g ethanol.

[0102] Ethyl caproate is preferably present in the carbonated beverage in a concentration of 15-200 μg / gram ethanol, more preferably in a concentration of 20-180 μg / gram ethanol, and most preferably in a concentration of 25-150 μg / gram ethanol.

[0103] In another preferred embodiment, the carbonated beverage contains isobutanol in a concentration of 0.2-5 mg / g ethanol. More preferably, the isobutanol is present in the beverage in a concentration of 0.3-4 mg / g ethanol, most preferably in a concentration of 0.4-3 mg / g ethanol.

[0104] The carbonated beverage of the present invention typically has a pH in the range of 3 to 7, more preferably in the range of 4 to 6.5, and most preferably in the range of 4.5 to 6.0.

[0105] According to a preferred embodiment, the carbonated beverage contains no added flavorings.

[0106] In another preferred embodiment, the carbonated beverage contains no added coloring agents. Even more preferably, the carbonated beverage is colorless.

[0107] The carbonated beverage of the present invention is preferably obtained by the method described below.

[0108] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for producing a carbonated beverage of the present invention, the method comprising:

[0109] Providing a yeast fermentation broth comprising at least 1.5% (v / v) ethanol and volatile flavor components;

[0110] subjecting the yeast fermentation broth to a decarbonation step, in which gaseous components including carbon dioxide, ethanol and volatile flavor components are removed from the yeast fermentation broth;

[0111] contacting a gaseous component comprising carbon dioxide, ethanol, and volatile flavor components with an aqueous liquid to transfer at least a portion of the ethanol and volatile flavor components from the gaseous component to the aqueous liquid, thereby producing wash water;

[0112] optionally diluting the wash water; and

[0113] • Carbonating the optionally diluted wash water.

[0114] The yeast fermented beverage used in the method of the invention is preferably beer or wine. Most preferably, the yeast fermented beverage is beer, most preferably lager.

[0115] The decarbonation step is preferably carried out at a pressure of 20-400 mbar, more preferably at a pressure of 40-300 mbar, and most preferably at a pressure of 50-200 mbar.

[0116] When the yeast fermented beverage is subjected to the decarbonation step, it preferably has a temperature in the range of 10-80°C, more preferably in the range of 20-70°C and most preferably in the range of 30-55°C.

[0117] The gaseous components removed from the yeast fermentation broth typically contain at least 50 vol.%, more preferably at least 80 vol.% carbon dioxide.

[0118] The aqueous liquid with which the gaseous component is contacted preferably contains at least 99 wt.% water, more preferably at least 99.5 wt.% water when it first comes into contact with the gaseous component.

[0119] The gaseous component is preferably contacted with an aqueous liquid at a temperature in the range of 1-60°C, more preferably at a temperature in the range of 2-40°C, and most preferably at a temperature in the range of 4-30°C.

[0120] The contact of the gaseous component and the aqueous liquid is preferably continued until the wash water contains at least 5 mg / g of ethanol. More preferably, the contact is continued until the wash water contains at least 10 mg / g of ethanol, most preferably 20-100 mg / g of ethanol.

[0121] In the process of the present invention, after the decarbonation step, the liquid decarbonated with carbon dioxide is usually subjected to a de-alcoholization step, which comprises evaporation, preferably vacuum evaporation. The de-alcoholization step usually reduces the ethanol content to less than 1% (v / v).

[0122] In a preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention, 1 part by weight of washing water is diluted with 1-20 parts by weight of water. More preferably, 1 part by weight of washing water is diluted with 2-12 parts by weight of water, and most preferably with 3-10 parts by weight of water.

[0123] Another aspect of the present invention relates to the use of wash water obtained by decarbonation of a yeast fermented beverage in the preparation of a beverage containing 0-4 mg / g of a starch hydrolyzed component selected from maltose, maltotriose, maltotetraose and combinations thereof, the preparation comprising combining the wash water with one or more components selected from carbon dioxide, a sweetener, an edible acid, a fruit juice, a fruit juice concentrate, an essential oil and combinations thereof, wherein the wash water comprises:

[0124] 890-990 mg / g water;

[0125] 5-100 mg / g ethanol;

[0126] 0-0.1 mg / g non-volatile components selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, amino acids, dipeptides, oligopeptides, polypeptides and combinations thereof;

[0127] Ethyl acetate, concentration 1-20 mg / g ethanol;

[0128] Isoamyl acetate, concentration 0.1-5 mg / g ethanol;

[0129] C3-C5 alcohols, concentration 1.5-50 mg / g ethanol;

[0130] Wherein ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio ranging from 2:1 to 30:1.

[0131] The water content of the wash water is typically in the range of 900-985 mg / g, more preferably in the range of 905-982 mg / g, and most preferably in the range of 910-980 mg / g.

[0132] Preferably, the ethanol content of the wash water is in the range of 5 to 110 mg / g, more preferably in the range of 10-100 mg / g, and most preferably in the range of 20 to 90 mg / g.

[0133] The wash water preferably contains 0-0.05 mg / g protein, most preferably 0-0.01 mg / g protein.

[0134] Ethyl acetate is preferably contained in the wash water in a concentration of 2-18 mg / g ethanol, more preferably in a concentration of 2.5-15 mg / g ethanol, and most preferably in a concentration of 3-12 mg / g ethanol.

[0135] If the wash water is obtained from the production of beer, isoamyl acetate is preferably contained in the wash water in a concentration of 0.4-4 mg / g ethanol, more preferably in a concentration of 0.5-3.5 mg / g ethanol, most preferably in a concentration of 0.6-3 mg / g ethanol.

[0136] If the wash water is obtained from the production of fruit wine, isoamyl acetate is preferably contained in the wash water in a concentration of 0.1-2 mg / g ethanol, more preferably in a concentration of 0.15-1.5 mg / g ethanol and most preferably in a concentration of 0.2-1 mg / g ethanol.

[0137] If the wash water is obtained from the production of beer, the C3-C5 alcohols are preferably contained in the wash water in a concentration of 2-12 mg / g ethanol, more preferably in a concentration of 2.5-11 mg / g ethanol, most preferably in a concentration of 3-10 mg / g ethanol.

[0138] If the wash water is obtained from the production of fruit wine, the C3-C5 alcohols are preferably contained in the wash water in a concentration of 5-50 mg / g ethanol, more preferably in a concentration of 8-40 mg / g ethanol and most preferably in a concentration of 10-35 mg / g ethanol.

[0139] If the wash water is obtained from the production of beer, ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are preferably present in the wash water in a weight ratio in the range of 2.5:1 to 12:1, more preferably in the range of 3:1 to 10:1 and most preferably in the range of 3.5:1 to 9:1.

[0140] If the wash water is obtained from the production of fruit wine, ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are preferably present in the wash water in a weight ratio in the range of 5:1 to 30:1, more preferably in the range of 8:1 to 25:1 and most preferably in the range of 12:1 to 20:1.

[0141] In another preferred embodiment, the amyl alcohols are present in the wash water at a concentration of 1-50 mg / g ethanol, the amyl alcohols being selected from 3-methylbutan-1-ol, 2-methylbutan-1-ol and combinations thereof. If the wash water is obtained from the production of beer, preferably the above amyl alcohols are present in the wash water at a concentration of 1-15 mg / g ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 1.5-12 mg / g ethanol, most preferably at a concentration of 2-10 mg / g ethanol.

[0142] If the wash water is obtained from the production of fruit wine, the above-mentioned amyl alcohols are preferably present in the wash water in a concentration of 5-50 mg / g ethanol, more preferably in a concentration of 7-40 mg / g ethanol, most preferably in a concentration of 8-30 mg / g ethanol.

[0143] In addition to ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate, wash water typically contains a variety of other volatile compounds that occur naturally in yeast fermented beverages. Examples of such compounds include acetaldehyde, dimethyl sulfide, 3-methylbutan-1-ol, 2-methylbutan-1-ol, and isobutanol.

[0144] In a preferred embodiment, the wash water contains acetaldehyde in a concentration of 0.1-5 mg / g ethanol, more preferably in a concentration of 0.2-5 mg / g ethanol, and most preferably in a concentration of 0.3-3 mg / g ethanol.

[0145] The aromatic compound dimethyl sulfide is preferably contained in the wash water at a concentration of 1 to 20 μg / g ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 2 to 15 μg / g ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 2.5 to 10 μg / g ethanol.

[0146] Ethyl hexanoate is preferably present in the wash water in a concentration of 15-200 μg / g ethanol, more preferably in a concentration of 20-180 μg / g ethanol, and most preferably in a concentration of 25-150 μg / g ethanol.

[0147] In another preferred embodiment, the wash water contains isobutanol at a concentration of 0.2-5 mg / g ethanol. More preferably, the isobutanol is present in the beverage at a concentration of 0.3-4 mg / g ethanol, most preferably at a concentration of 0.4-3 mg / g ethanol.

[0148] The wash water of the present invention typically has a pH in the range of 5-8, more preferably a pH in the range of 5.2-7.5, and most preferably a pH in the range of 5.5-7.2.

[0149] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the use of the wash water comprises combining the wash water with carbon dioxide to produce a carbonated beverage. This application also relates to the following implementation schemes

[0151] Embodiment 1. A carbonated beverage comprising:

[0152] 900-988 mg / g water;

[0153] 3-60 mg / g ethanol;

[0154] 0.2-8 mg / g dissolved carbon dioxide;

[0155] 0-4 mg / g protein;

[0156] Ethyl acetate, concentration 1-20 mg / g ethanol;

[0157] Isoamyl acetate, concentration 0.1-5 mg / g ethanol;

[0158] C3-C5 alcohols, concentration 1.5-50 mg / g ethanol;

[0159] Wherein ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio ranging from 2:1 to 30:1.

[0160] Embodiment 2. A carbonated beverage according to Embodiment 1, wherein the combination of ethanol and water constitutes at least 95 wt.% of the beverage.

[0161] Embodiment 3. A carbonated beverage according to Embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the beverage contains 0-4 mg / g of a starch hydrolyzed component, wherein the starch hydrolyzed component is selected from maltose, maltotriose, maltotetraose and a combination thereof.

[0162] Embodiment 4. A carbonated beverage according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the carbonated beverage preferably contains 0-1 μg / g hop acids, wherein the hop acids are selected from α-acids, iso-α-acids and combinations thereof.

[0163] Embodiment 5. A carbonated beverage according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the beverage contains 0-3 mg / g protein.

[0164] Embodiment 6. A carbonated beverage according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the beverage contains acetaldehyde at a concentration of 0.1-5 mg / g ethanol.

[0165] Embodiment 7. A carbonated beverage according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the beverage contains dimethyl sulfide at a concentration of 1-20 μg / g ethanol.

[0166] Embodiment 8. A carbonated beverage according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the beverage contains pentanols at a concentration of 1-50 mg / g ethanol, and the pentanols are selected from 3-methylbutan-1-ol, 2-methylbutan-1-ol and combinations thereof.

[0167] Embodiment 9. A carbonated beverage according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the beverage contains isobutanol at a concentration of 0.2-5 mg / g ethanol.

[0168] Embodiment 10. A carbonated beverage according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the pH of the beverage is in the range of 3-7.

[0169] Embodiment 11. A method for producing a carbonated beverage according to any one of the preceding embodiments, the method comprising:

[0170] Providing a yeast fermentation broth comprising at least 1.5% (v / v) ethanol and volatile flavor components;

[0171] subjecting the yeast fermentation broth to a decarbonation step, in which gaseous components including carbon dioxide, ethanol and volatile flavor components are removed from the yeast fermentation broth;

[0172] contacting a gaseous component comprising carbon dioxide, ethanol, and volatile flavor components with an aqueous liquid to transfer at least a portion of the ethanol and volatile flavor components from the gaseous component to the aqueous liquid, thereby producing wash water;

[0173] optionally diluting the wash water; and

[0174] • Carbonating the optionally diluted wash water.

[0175] Embodiment 12. The method according to embodiment 11, wherein the decarbonation step is carried out at a pressure of 20-400 mbar.

[0176] Embodiment 13. The method according to embodiment 11 or 12, wherein the yeast fermented beverage has a temperature in the range of 10-80°C when undergoing the decarbonation step.

[0177] Embodiment 14. The method according to any one of embodiments 11-13, wherein the yeast-fermented beverage is beer or wine.

[0178] Embodiment 15. Use of wash water obtained by decarbonating a beverage by yeast fermentation in the preparation of a beverage containing 0-4 mg / g of a starch hydrolysis component selected from maltose, maltotriose, maltotetraose and a combination thereof, the preparation comprising combining the wash water with one or more components selected from carbon dioxide, a sweetener, an edible acid, a fruit juice, a fruit juice concentrate, an essential oil and a combination thereof, wherein the wash water contains:

[0179] 890-990 mg / g water;

[0180] 5-100 mg / g ethanol;

[0181] 0-0.1 mg / g non-volatile components selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, amino acids, dipeptides, oligopeptides, polypeptides and combinations thereof;

[0182] Ethyl acetate, concentration 1-20 mg / g ethanol;

[0183] Isoamyl acetate, concentration 0.1-5 mg / g ethanol;

[0184] C3-C5 alcohols, concentration 1.5-50 mg / g ethanol;

[0185] Wherein ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio ranging from 2:1 to 30:1.

[0186] The present invention is further illustrated by the following non-limiting examples. Example

[0187] Example 1

[0188] Alcohol-free beer was produced on a factory scale by dealcoholizing lager with an alcohol content of 5 vol.%. The lager was decarbonated at a pressure of 100 mbar and a temperature of 43° C. before dealcoholization by vacuum evaporation. The carbon dioxide stream produced during carbonization was passed through a scrubber filled with tap water.

[0189] Over a period of 5 months, at regular intervals, samples were taken from the wash water after the washing operation had ceased. The samples were stored in sealed containers and then analyzed by GC-MS. The results of the analysis are shown in Table 1.

[0190] Table 1

[0191]

[0192] Example 2

[0193] A commercially available wheat beer with an alcohol content of 5 vol.% was decarbonated using the same conditions as described in Example 1. Samples were taken from the wash water and analyzed by GC-MS. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0194] Table 2

[0195]

[0196] Example 3

[0197] A commercially available abbey beer (Triple) with an alcohol content of 9 vol.% was decarbonated using the same conditions as described in Example 1. Samples were taken from the wash water and analyzed by GC-MS. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0198] Table 3

[0199]

[0200] Example 4

[0201] A commercially available cider with an alcohol content of 4.5 vol.% was decarbonated using the same conditions as described in Example 1. Samples were taken from the wash water and analyzed by GC-MS. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0202] Table 4

[0203]

[0204] Example 5

[0205] A carbonated beverage according to the invention was prepared by diluting 1 part by weight of the wash water of Example 1 with 6 parts by weight of spring water, followed by carbonation to a CO2 level of about 0.5 mg / g dissolved carbon dioxide and filling into glass bottles. The beverage thus obtained was found to have a very pleasant, fruity, strong taste.

Claims

1. Carbonated beverages containing: 900-988 mg / g water; 3-60 mg / g ethanol; 0.2-8 mg / g dissolved carbon dioxide; 0-4 mg / g protein; Ethyl acetate, concentration 1-20 mg / g ethanol; Isoamyl acetate, concentration 0.1-5 mg / g ethanol; C3-C5 alcohols, concentration 1.5-50 mg / g ethanol; Wherein ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio ranging from 2:1 to 30:

1.

2. A carbonated beverage according to claim 1, wherein the combination of ethanol and water constitutes at least 95 wt.% of the beverage.

3. The carbonated beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the beverage contains 0-4 mg / g of starch hydrolyzed components, and the starch hydrolyzed components are selected from maltose, maltotriose, maltotetraose and combinations thereof.

4. The carbonated beverage according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the carbonated beverage preferably contains 0-1 μg / g hop acids selected from alpha acids, iso-alpha acids and combinations thereof.

5. A carbonated beverage according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the beverage contains 0-3 mg / g protein.

6. A carbonated beverage according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the beverage contains acetaldehyde in a concentration of 0.1-5 mg / g ethanol.

7. A carbonated beverage according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the beverage contains dimethyl sulfide in a concentration of 1-20 μg / g ethanol.

8. The carbonated beverage according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the beverage contains amyl alcohols in a concentration of 1-50 mg / g ethanol, the amyl alcohols being selected from 3-methylbutan-1-ol, 2-methylbutan-1-ol and combinations thereof.

9. A method for producing a carbonated beverage according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising: Providing a yeast fermentation broth comprising at least 1.5% (v / v) ethanol and volatile flavor components; · subjecting the yeast fermentation broth to a decarbonation step, in which gaseous components including carbon dioxide, ethanol and volatile flavor components are removed from the yeast fermentation broth; contacting a gaseous component comprising carbon dioxide, ethanol, and volatile flavor components with an aqueous liquid to transfer at least a portion of the ethanol and volatile flavor components from the gaseous component to the aqueous liquid, thereby producing wash water; Optionally diluting the wash water; and • Carbonating the optionally diluted wash water.

10. Use of wash water obtained by decarbonating a beverage by yeast fermentation in the preparation of a beverage containing 0-4 mg / g of a starch hydrolyzed component selected from maltose, maltotriose, maltotetraose and a combination thereof, the preparation comprising combining the wash water with one or more components selected from carbon dioxide, a sweetener, an edible acid, a fruit juice, a fruit juice concentrate, an essential oil and a combination thereof, wherein the wash water contains: 890-990 mg / g water; 5-100 mg / g ethanol; 0-0.1 mg / g non-volatile components selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, amino acids, dipeptides, oligopeptides, polypeptides and combinations thereof; Ethyl acetate, concentration 1-20 mg / g ethanol; Isoamyl acetate, concentration 0.1-5 mg / g ethanol; C3-C5 alcohols, concentration 1.5-50 mg / g ethanol; Wherein ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio ranging from 2:1 to 30:1.

Images