White spirit rich in humulus lupulus flavor and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The invention provides white spirit rich in humulus lupulus flavor, raw materials are pretreated, fermented, distilled and aged to obtain the white spirit, humulus lupulus is added in a fermentation stage or a distillation stage to endow the white spirit with rich fragrance and taste, the humulus lupulus is added in the fermentation stage, and the distilled white spirit comprises a fraction A1 and a fraction A2, humulus lupulus is added in the distillation stage, Baijiu obtained through distillation contains a fraction B1 and a fraction B2, and a fraction A1 and a fraction A2 of the Baijiu or the fraction B1 and the fraction B2 of the Baijiu contain the following volatile components: 5-14 mg / L of myrcene, 0-12 mg / L of limonene and 4-7 mg / L of linalool. The humulus lupulus is used in the production process of solid-state fermentation and distillation of the white spirit, and the components of the humulus lupulus are ensured to be effectively fused into the white spirit body by optimizing process parameters without damaging the traditional flavor of the white spirit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of liquor fermentation, and particularly relates to a liquor rich in hop flavor and a preparation method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Baijiu, a traditional alcoholic beverage in my country, holds a significant position in the beverage market. However, the potential health risks of excessive consumption have sparked widespread concern. With rising consumer health awareness, the market demand for alcoholic products that combine flavor and health benefits is growing. However, the baijiu industry currently faces multiple challenges. On the one hand, traditional baijiu, with its high alcohol content, monotonous taste, and lack of health benefits, struggles to meet modern consumers' demand for lower-alcohol, healthier options. On the other hand, younger consumers are increasingly shifting their preferences toward emerging beverages like craft beer. Their "dinner + wine" consumption model is further compressing the market for traditional baijiu, weakening its brand value and increasing inventory pressures. Under this model, foreign alcoholic beverages are finding it more difficult to penetrate specific consumption scenarios, leading to a decline in brand value and impacting sales of established baijiu. Therefore, focusing on the consumer experience of young people, innovating baijiu flavors, and creating lower-alcohol, youthful, and personalized baijiu have become key R&D priorities for liquor companies.

[0003] The traditional liquor brewing process has long relied on grain raw materials such as sorghum and wheat, and the brewing process lacks the introduction and innovation of functional ingredients. Although hops, as a natural raw material, have significant advantages in antibacterial, antioxidant, and flavor adjustment, and have been used in food, medicine, cosmetics and other fields, its value in liquor brewing has not yet been fully explored. In the existing technology, the flavor blending of liquor mainly relies on aging technology and the addition of spices, which makes it difficult to achieve personalized and diversified taste innovation, and it is even more difficult to enhance the health attributes of the product through natural ingredients. In addition, key technical issues such as the compatibility of hops' volatile compounds and medicinal ingredients with the liquor brewing system and the optimization of the extraction process have not yet been resolved, resulting in its application in liquor being in a technical gap.

[0004] CN107828588A discloses glutinous rice wine and its preparation process, relating to the field of alcoholic beverage technology. The glutinous rice wine comprises the following ingredients by weight: 60-85 parts glutinous rice, 20-35 parts barley, 10-15 parts wolfberry, 10-20 parts buckwheat, 5-9 parts distiller's yeast (koji), and a functional additive. The distiller's yeast is homemade and is made from the following ingredients by weight: 80-95 parts glutinous sorghum, 50-80 parts indica rice, 40-65 parts Chinese yam, 5-10 parts light bamboo leaves, 6-12 parts hops, 5-10 parts hibiscus leaves, and an appropriate amount of water. The koji is obtained by the following method: (1) weighing glutinous sorghum, indica rice and Chinese yam cut into pieces and mixing them evenly, pouring them into a clean wok, stir-frying them over a slow fire until a slight burnt smell is emitted, taking them out and placing them in a dry place to naturally cool to 40-55°C, and then using a powder grinder to grind them into fine grain powder that can pass through an 80-100 mesh standard sieve; (2) washing weighed light bamboo leaves, hops and hibiscus leaves, placing them in a drying oven at a temperature of 80-100°C and drying them for 4-6 hours, and then placing them in a powder grinder to grind them into Chinese herbal medicine powder that can pass through 30-40 mesh, and then placing the Chinese herbal medicine powder in a casserole, adding 3-5 times the total weight of the Chinese herbal medicine powder and water at a temperature of 50-60°C, soaking them for 5-10 minutes, and boiling them over high heat. Then, the mixture is boiled over low heat for 30-45 minutes, and the filtrate is filtered to obtain the Chinese herbal medicine liquid; (3) the fine grain powder of step (1) and the Chinese herbal medicine liquid of step (2) are mixed, an appropriate amount of water is added, and the mixture is repeatedly kneaded to obtain a mixture that can be rubbed into a ball by hand and does not fall apart; (4) the mixture of step (3) is kneaded into cakes with a diameter of 1-3 cm, and neatly arranged in a winnowing basket covered with mulberry leaves, and a layer of clean straw is covered on the placed cakes, and then the winnowing basket is moved to a fermentation room, and the cakes are turned over every 10-15 hours. After fermentation until fine white hairs appear on more than 70% of the surface of the cakes, the cakes are placed in a ventilated place to dry naturally or sun-dry until the moisture content is not higher than 12%, thereby obtaining the desired distiller's yeast. However, the distiller's yeast production process is complicated, involving multiple raw materials and steps, which increases production costs and process difficulty. At the same time, hops are crushed and boiled into a herbal liquid, which is then mixed into fine grain powder to make a cake for fermentation. The hops here are one of the ingredients of the koji. The way hops are used may result in insufficient aroma or introduce other unnecessary ingredients.

[0005] CN111961551A discloses a preparation method of a liquor starter and its application in liquor. The preparation method of the liquor starter comprises: step 1, adding boiling water to grain powder, stirring, sealing, cooling to room temperature, obtaining a mixture, and setting aside; step 2, adding yellow rice wine, beer, and white sugar to the mixture, adding grain powder for the first time after fermentation for 3 days, then adding grain powder once every 5-7 days, stirring 2-3 times a day, and stirring once a day after 3 days to obtain the liquor. The liquor starter is fermented using its own raw materials, beer, yellow rice wine, and white sugar, and has low cost, can be used as needed, and is easy to operate. The liquor making success rate reaches over 98%, and drinking the liquor does not cause dry mouth, intoxication, or heartburn, and is rich in organic esters beneficial to the human body, with an appropriate alcohol content (50-55 degrees). Moreover, over 96.5% of the population believes that the obtained liquor is of good quality. However, using beer as a raw material may give the liquor other flavors of beer, making it less pure, and the ingredients of beer may be unstable, affecting the quality consistency of the liquor.

[0006] To sum up, modern liquor brewing faces defects such as single product function, insufficient health attributes, and poor market adaptability. It is urgently needed to optimize the flavor of the wine through technological innovation to meet consumers' demand for healthy and personalized liquor products. This is a problem that needs to be solved urgently. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In response to the existing problems and market demands of baijiu (white liquor), the present invention provides a baijiu rich in hop flavor. This process utilizes hops in the solid-state fermentation and distillation of baijiu. By optimizing process parameters, the hops are effectively incorporated into the liquor without disrupting the traditional flavor of the liquor. This innovative application of hops in the production of light-flavored baijiu preserves the main aroma of light-flavored baijiu while also adding a hop aroma, resulting in a richer aroma and taste. This significantly meets the needs of various consumers, offering a refreshing and fragrant flavor while also providing liver-clearing, eye-enhancing, blood pressure-lowering, and heat-clearing benefits.

[0008] The technical solutions of the present invention are as follows:

[0009] The present invention provides a hop-flavored liquor. The liquor is obtained by pretreating raw materials, fermenting, distilling, and aging. Hops are added during the fermentation stage or the distillation stage to impart a rich aroma and taste to the liquor. The liquor obtained by adding hops and distilling during the fermentation stage comprises an A1 fraction and an A2 fraction, and the liquor obtained by adding hops and distilling during the distillation stage comprises a B1 fraction and a B2 fraction. The A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor or the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor contain the following volatile components:

[0010] 5-14 mg / L of myrcene, 0-12 mg / L of limonene and 4-7 mg / L of linalool.

[0011] Furthermore, by adding hops during the fermentation stage, the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor contain the following volatile components: 11-14 mg / L of myrcene, 9-12 mg / L of limonene and 4-5 mg / L of linalool.

[0012] Furthermore, by adding hops in the distillation stage, the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor contain the following volatile components: 5-8 mg / L of myrcene and 4-7 mg / L of linalool.

[0013] Furthermore, by adding hops during the fermentation stage or the distillation stage, the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor or the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor also contain the following amounts of aldehyde flavor substances: at least one of 100-140 mg / L of acetaldehyde, 80-800 mg / L of isobutyraldehyde and 0-170 mg / L of acetal.

[0014] Furthermore, by adding hops during the fermentation stage, the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor further contain the following aldehyde flavor substances: at least one of 100-110 mg / L of acetaldehyde, 600-800 mg / L of isobutyraldehyde and 110-170 mg / L of acetal.

[0015] Furthermore, by adding hops in the distillation stage, the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor also contain the following aldehyde flavor substances: at least one of 110-140 mg / L of acetaldehyde, 80-130 mg / L of isobutyraldehyde and 0-100 mg / L of acetal.

[0016] Furthermore, by adding hops in the fermentation stage or the distillation stage, the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor or the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor do not contain furfural.

[0017] Furthermore, by adding hops during the fermentation stage or the distillation stage, the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor or the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor also contain the following contents of alcohol flavor substances: 140-340 mg / L of methanol, 0-410 mg / L of sec-butanol, 0-280 mg / L of n-propanol, 0-400 mg / L of isobutanol, 4-13 mg / L of n-butanol, 90-190 mg / L of active amyl alcohol (2-methyl-1-butanol), 350-600 mg / L of isopentanol, 0-5 mg / L of n-hexanol and 40-480 mg / L of 2,3-butanediol.

[0018] Furthermore, by adding hops in the fermentation stage or the distillation stage, the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor or the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor do not contain n-pentanol.

[0019] Furthermore, by adding hops during the fermentation stage, the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor also contain the following alcohol flavor substances: 280-340 mg / L of methanol, 320-410 mg / L of sec-butanol, 230-280 mg / L of n-propanol, 320-400 mg / L of isobutanol, 10-13 mg / L of n-butanol, 150-190 mg / L of active amyl alcohol (2-methyl-1-butanol, also known as active amyl alcohol), 490-600 mg / L of isopentanol, 0-4 mg / L of n-hexanol and at least one of 80-450 mg / L of 2,3-butanediol.

[0020] Furthermore, by adding hops in the distillation stage, the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor also contain the following alcohol flavor substances: 140-180 mg / L of methanol, 0-190 mg / L of sec-butanol, 0-250 mg / L of n-propanol, 0-6 mg / L of isobutanol, 4-6 mg / L of n-butanol, 90-130 mg / L of active amyl alcohol (2-methyl-1-butanol), 350-470 mg / L of isopentanol, 2-5 mg / L of n-hexanol and 40-480 mg / L of at least one of 2,3-butanediol.

[0021] Furthermore, by adding hops during the fermentation stage or the distillation stage, the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor or the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor contain at least one of the following contents of ester flavor substances: 590-3300 mg / L of ethyl acetate, 4-23 mg / L of ethyl butyrate, 0-70 mg / L of ethyl valerate, 0-10 mg / L of ethyl hexanoate, 68-1880 mg / L of ethyl lactate, 4-11 mg / L of ethyl octanoate, 0-7 mg / L of ethyl leucine, 0-12 mg / L of diethyl malonate, 0-39 mg / L of ethyl decanoate, 0-11 mg / L of diethyl succinate, 0-3 mg / L of ethyl tridecanoate and 0-10 mg / L of ethyl hexadecanoate.

[0022] Furthermore, by adding hops in the fermentation stage or the distillation stage, the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor or the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor do not contain ethyl formate.

[0023] Furthermore, by adding hops in the fermentation stage or the distillation stage, the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor or the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor further contain 0-19 mg / L of dimethyl disulfide and 10-23 mg / L of 3-hydroxy-2-butanone.

[0024] Furthermore, by adding hops during the fermentation stage, the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor contain the following amounts of ester flavor substances: at least one of 590-650 mg / L of ethyl acetate, 17-23 mg / L of ethyl butyrate, 9-10 mg / L of ethyl hexanoate, 68-71 mg / L of ethyl lactate, 8-11 mg / L of ethyl octanoate, 0-7 mg / L of ethyl leucine, 0-12 mg / L of diethyl malonate, 6-9 mg / L of ethyl decanoate and 0-10 mg / L of ethyl hexadecanoate.

[0025] Furthermore, by adding hops during the fermentation stage, the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor do not contain at least one of ethyl formate, ethyl valerate, diethyl succinate and ethyl tridecanoate.

[0026] Furthermore, by adding hops in the distillation stage, the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor contain the following amounts of ester flavor substances: at least one of 1730-3300 mg / L of ethyl acetate, 4-17 mg / L of ethyl butyrate, 7-70 mg / L of ethyl valerate, 0-5 mg / L of ethyl hexanoate, 1810-1880 mg / L of ethyl lactate, 4-11 mg / L of ethyl octanoate, 0-4 mg / L of diethyl malonate, 0-39 mg / L of ethyl decanoate, 0-11 mg / L of diethyl succinate, 0-3 mg / L of ethyl tridecanoate and 0-7 mg / L of ethyl hexadecanoate.

[0027] Furthermore, by adding hops in the distillation stage, the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor do not contain at least one of ethyl formate and ethyl leucine.

[0028] Furthermore, by adding hops during the fermentation stage, the alcohol content of the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor is 46.0-56.0% vol.

[0029] Furthermore, by adding hops during the fermentation stage, the pH of the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor is 4.7-5.3.

[0030] Furthermore, by adding hops during the fermentation stage, the acidity of the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor is 0.20-0.25 g / L.

[0031] Furthermore, by adding hops in the distillation stage, the alcohol content of the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor is 43.0-56.0% vol.

[0032] Furthermore, by adding hops in the distillation stage, the pH of the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor is 3.9-4.2.

[0033] Furthermore, by adding hops in the distillation stage, the acidity of the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor is 0.80-1.30 g / L.

[0034] The present invention also provides a method for preparing the aforementioned liquor, comprising the following steps:

[0035] Step 1: Raw material pretreatment

[0036] Crushing: Select grain crops for crushing to prepare Daqu powder and hop pellets to achieve a particle size suitable for steaming and subsequent fermentation;

[0037] Moistening the grain: Add 55-71% hot water (80-90°C) based on the total weight of the grain to the crushed grain, stir it to make it absorb water evenly, and then pile the grain for 20-24 hours;

[0038] Steaming: Steaming the crushed grains to fully gelatinize them, and then cooling them to obtain the fermented grains;

[0039] Step 2: Fermentation

[0040] Mixing the fermented grains, Daqu powder and hop pellets uniformly to obtain a mixture A, wherein the amount of hop pellets added is 2-5% of the total weight of the grain crops, and the amount of Daqu powder added is 9-15% of the total weight of the grain crops; or mixing the fermented grains and Daqu powder uniformly to obtain a mixture B, wherein the amount of Daqu powder added is 9-15% of the total weight of the grain crops;

[0041] Putting mixed material A or B into a fermentation tank for fermentation;

[0042] Step 3: Distillation

[0043] Rice husks accounting for 15-20% of the total mass of the grain crops are mixed into fermented mixture A; the mixture A mixed with rice husks is steamed and distilled to separate the volatile components in the mixture A, thereby obtaining fraction A; or rice husks accounting for 15-20% of the total mass of the grain crops and hop pellets accounting for 2-5% of the total mass of the grain crops are mixed into fermented mixture B; the mixture B mixed with rice husks is steamed and distilled to separate the volatile components in the mixture B, thereby obtaining fraction B;

[0044] Step 4: Aging

[0045] The liquor fraction obtained by distillation is transferred to a container for aging.

[0046] During the solid-state fermentation stage of baijiu fermentation, the present invention incorporates hop particles into the solid-state fermentation matrix. Through the gas-solid mass transfer effect of solid-state fermentation, the hop aroma components are more evenly integrated into the liquor body, while retaining the flavor characteristics of traditional solid-state fermentation of baijiu. The present invention can also add hops during the distillation stage to selectively extract volatile components such as alkenes and esters from the hops. During the distillation process, the hops are placed in a specific position in the distillation tower (such as the packing layer or aroma collection section), and the volatile hop components are carried into the distillate by steam. By controlling the distillation temperature and time, the content of hop aroma in the baijiu can be precisely controlled.

[0047] Furthermore, in step 1, the food crops include sorghum, wheat, etc.

[0048] Furthermore, in step 1, the sorghum is crushed, and particles of 4-, 6-, or 8-petal sizes account for 65%-75% of the total sorghum. The crushed sorghum is then screened using a sieve with a pore size of 1.0-1.2 mm, so that the fine powder passing through the 1.0-1.2 mm sieve does not exceed 25-35% of the total sorghum. This particle size control facilitates sufficient gelatinization of the sorghum during the subsequent steaming process, while also providing a suitable physical environment for microbial fermentation, ensuring smooth fermentation.

[0049] Furthermore, in step 1, the hop pellets are ground into a fine powder using a disc mill, so that at least 90% of the total hop fine powder passes through a sieve with a pore size of 1.0 mm. This hop fine powder can more fully release its active ingredients during the subsequent fermentation process, imparting a unique aroma and flavor to the baijiu.

[0050] Furthermore, in step 1, the fragrant Daqu is crushed into particles ranging in size from mung beans to millet using Daqu crushing equipment. The crushed Daqu powder is then screened using a 1.2 mm sieve to ensure that the fine powder that passes through the sieve accounts for 70% to 75% of the total Daqu powder. This particle size is beneficial for the growth and metabolism of microorganisms in the Daqu, while also ensuring uniformity when the Daqu is mixed with other ingredients, promoting the normal fermentation process.

[0051] Furthermore, in step 1, during the grain moistening stage, hot water accounting for 55%-71% of the weight of the grain crops is added to the crushed grain crops, and the hot water temperature is controlled at 80-90°C; multiple stirring methods are used to allow the grain crops to fully and evenly absorb water. After stirring, the grain crops are piled up for 20-24 hours, and the stirring operation is performed every 5-7 hours. When stirring, follow the principle of "top down, inside out" to ensure that the overall state of the grain crops is uniform. If lumps are found during the stirring process, the lumps need to be turned out in time to ensure the loose state of the grain crops. If the detection finds that the moisture of the grain has evaporated too much and the surface is dry, hot water accounting for 2-3% of the total amount of the grain crops needs to be added in time to maintain the moisture content of the grain crops and create good conditions for the subsequent steaming process.

[0052] Furthermore, in step 1, during the steaming stage, fresh, odorless, and impurity-free rice husks are selected as auxiliary materials and steamed for at least 40 minutes until the auxiliary materials are free of odor. This steaming operation removes odor, impurities, and possible microorganisms in the rice husks, ensuring that the auxiliary material meets winemaking requirements and avoids adverse effects on the quality of the liquor.

[0053] Furthermore, in step 1, during the steaming stage, the grain crops are first piled up after being moistened before steaming to make the moisture and temperature inside the grain crops more uniform; a layer of steamed rice husks is evenly sprinkled on the steamer grate to serve as isolation and ventilation; then the steamer is loaded with materials, and the loading process follows the principle of "sprinkling materials when steam is seen" to ensure that the grain crops are evenly and flatly distributed in the steamer. The loading process should be slow and uniform to avoid accumulation or excessive gaps; after the loading is completed, the steam is turned on to steam the grain. By controlling the amount of steam and the steaming time, the grain crops are ensured to be fully cooked, and the starch in the grain crops is fully gelatinized to provide sufficient available sugar for subsequent fermentation.

[0054] Furthermore, in step 1, during the cooking stage, after the steamer is loaded, the steam is turned on to steam the grain, the steam pressure is controlled to be 0.1-0.2 MPa, and the steaming time is 80-85 minutes.

[0055] Furthermore, in step 1, after steaming, the steamed grain crops are taken out of the steamer and spread out to cool; during the cooling process, cold water accounting for 25wt%-30wt% of the total weight of the grain crops is poured into the grain crops to accelerate the cooling rate of the grain crops; by continuously turning the grain crops, the heat of the grain crops is evenly dissipated, and the temperature of the grain crops is cooled to 20-25°C. This temperature range is conducive to the subsequent growth and metabolism of microorganisms in the Daqu, creating suitable temperature conditions for the fermentation process.

[0056] Furthermore, in step 2, the mixed materials are placed in a fermentation tank, where microorganisms fully act on the materials to carry out a fermentation reaction. The fermentation process lasts for 30-40 days, during which the fermentation conditions need to be monitored and managed to ensure the smooth progress of the fermentation.

[0057] Furthermore, in step 3, the rice husk serves to loosen the mash and facilitate steam circulation.

[0058] Furthermore, in step 3, a slow flow wine method is adopted during the distillation process, and the flow wine temperature is controlled to be 25-30°C and the flow wine time is 30-60min.

[0059] Furthermore, in step 3, the A fraction includes the A1 fraction (head), which accounts for 1%-5% of the total weight of the distilled liquor and is primarily used to blend other baijiu to enhance its aroma and flavor. The A1 fraction contains a high concentration of low-boiling volatile components, such as aldehydes and esters, which give the head its unique aroma and pungent taste.

[0060] Furthermore, in step 3, the A fraction includes the A2 fraction (heart), which accounts for 60-85% of the total mass of the distilled liquor and has a rich hop aroma and a mellow taste. This fraction is rich in alcohol and various flavor compounds such as esters and alcohols, and is a core component of the liquor's quality.

[0061] Furthermore, in step 3, the A fraction includes the A3 fraction (the tailings): the tailings are returned to the pot and placed at the bottom of the pot for further re-distillation. During the re-distillation process, some of the acidic substances and other components in the tailings will further react, increasing the acidity of the liquor. This also helps extract the residual alcohol and other flavor substances in the tailings, improving the utilization rate and quality of the liquor.

[0062] Furthermore, in step 3, the B fraction includes the B1 fraction (head), which accounts for 1%-5% of the total weight of the distilled liquor and is primarily used to blend other liquors to enhance their aroma and flavor. The A1 fraction contains a high concentration of low-boiling volatile components, such as aldehydes and esters, which give the head its unique aroma and pungent taste.

[0063] Furthermore, in step 3, the B fraction includes the B2 fraction (heart), which accounts for 60-85% of the total mass of the distilled liquor and has a rich hop aroma and a mellow taste. This fraction is rich in alcohol and various flavor compounds such as esters and alcohols, and is a core component of the quality of baijiu.

[0064] Furthermore, in step 3, the B fraction includes the B3 fraction (the tailings), which is returned to the pot and placed at the bottom of the pot for further re-distillation. During the re-distillation process, some acidic substances and other components in the tailings will further react, increasing the acidity of the liquor. This also helps to extract the residual alcohol and other flavor substances in the tailings, thereby improving the utilization rate and quality of the liquor.

[0065] Furthermore, during the aging process in step 4, the various components of the liquor undergo slow chemical reactions and physical changes, resulting in a mellower taste and richer aroma. During the aging period, the storage environment is maintained at a temperature of 10-20°C and a humidity of 60%-70% to promote aging and improve its quality. After a certain period of aging, the fragrant liquor reaches its optimal quality and is ready for subsequent packaging and sales.

[0066] The beneficial technical effects of the present invention are embodied in the following aspects:

[0067] (1) Integration of aroma components:

[0068] Hops contain a rich variety of volatile compounds, over 1,000 in total. During the solid-state fermentation process, these volatile aroma components are gradually released as the temperature changes and the metabolic activity of the microorganisms. For example, myrcene, limonene, and linalool in hops have unique herbal, floral, or fruity aromas. When combined with the liquor fermentation system, these aroma components are incorporated into the liquor's aroma system through processes such as diffusion and dissolution in the high-temperature fermentation environment and the complex chemical environment of the mash, thereby increasing the aroma complexity of the liquor.

[0069] Synergistic Effect with Baijiu's Original Aroma: Light-fragrance Baijiu inherently possesses a light aroma dominated by ethyl acetate. The addition of hops complements this primary aroma. On the one hand, the aroma components of hops can fill gaps in the aroma spectrum of light-fragrance Baijiu, such as adding layers of herbal and citrus notes. On the other hand, the aroma of hops can interweave with the esters, alcohols, and other aroma components in the Baijiu, forming a new aroma combination that makes the Baijiu's aroma more intense, lasting, and layered.

[0070] (2) Microbial impact mechanism

[0071] Regulation of microbial communities: During the solid-state fermentation process of the present invention, a variety of microorganisms, such as yeast and bacteria, participate in the fermentation of the mash. The components in hops (such as flavonoids) have certain antibacterial properties. An appropriate amount of hops can inhibit the growth of some harmful microorganisms, such as bacteria that produce unpleasant flavor substances, thereby ensuring that the fermentation process proceeds in a direction that is conducive to the production of good flavor substances. At the same time, hops may have a certain selective promoting effect on the growth of beneficial microorganisms (such as brewer's yeast), making the fermentation process more stable and efficient.

[0072] Influence of microbial metabolites: The present invention can see from the gas phase data that under the same fermentation conditions, the addition of hops can inhibit the production of acids and esters during fermentation, but it gives the product a strong hop aroma, thereby producing a new flavor of liquor.

[0073] (3) Chemical substance interaction mechanism

[0074] Chemical reactions with baijiu ingredients: Baijiu contains a variety of chemical components, such as alcohols, acids, and esters. Hop components (such as resins) can react chemically with these components. For example, hop resins may undergo esterification with organic acids in baijiu, producing new esters. These new esters can impart new aromas and flavors to the baijiu.

[0075] Impact on the stability of baijiu ingredients: The antioxidants in hops (such as flavonoids and polyphenols) can improve the stability of some components in baijiu. During solid-state fermentation, baijiu ingredients are susceptible to oxidation and other factors, leading to changes. Hops' antioxidants can prevent the oxidative decomposition of baijiu's aroma components (such as some easily oxidizable esters), thereby maintaining the flavor stability of the baijiu.

[0076] (4) Optimize liquor brewing process

[0077] The fermentation environment, conditions, and reaction processes of baijiu differ significantly from those of beer. Directly introducing hops could disrupt the original fermentation balance and flavor formation mechanisms of baijiu. The addition of hops could introduce new microorganisms or affect the stability of the fermentation environment, increasing the risk of bacterial contamination during fermentation. This could affect the quality and stability of the baijiu, such as causing off-flavors, spoilage, or precipitation.

[0078] The present invention ensures the stability and consistency of product quality by precisely controlling the addition of a certain proportion of raw materials, the microbial community of liquor fermentation, the fermentation temperature, the pH value and other conditions. For example, the present invention achieves the targeted enrichment and quantitative regulation of liquor flavor substances by precisely controlling the proportion of hops added (accounting for 2-5% of the total mass of grain crops) during the fermentation or distillation stage, combining key process parameters such as temperature, pH (4.7-5.3 or 3.9-4.2), acidity (0.20-0.25g / L or 0.80-1.30g / L), and slow air flow segmented distillation (temperature controlled at 25-30°C). Actual measurement results show that the content of myrcene, limonene and linalool in the liquor obtained by adding hops during the fermentation stage reaches 11-14mg / L, 9-12mg / L and 4-5mg / L respectively, and the content of flavor components is stable and controllable.

[0079] The introduction of hops of the present invention significantly improves the traditional process conditions: first, it expands the aroma spectrum, giving the liquor new flavors such as herbal and fruity aromas; second, its antibacterial components inhibit miscellaneous bacteria and adverse metabolism, thereby improving microbial stability; third, it reduces fermentation acidity and improves taste; fourth, it significantly reduces foreign flavor substances such as furfural and n-pentanol, thereby improving the purity of the liquor and the consistency of quality.

[0080] By optimizing the liquor brewing process and carefully selecting and matching hop varieties, the present invention is expected to inject new vitality into the liquor industry and meet the market's demand for health, innovation and personalization. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0081] Figure 1 This is a bar chart showing the test results of key volatile components of hop aroma, such as myrcene, limonene and linalool, in Examples 1 and 2 and two commercially available liquors (commercial sample 1: Fenjiu 53°, commercial sample 2: Fenyangwang 53°).

[0082] Figure 2 It is a line graph of the alcohol content test results of each fraction in Examples 1 and 2 and the comparative example.

[0083] Figure 3 It is a line graph of the pH value test results of each fraction in Examples 1, 2 and the comparative example.

[0084] Figure 4 It is a line graph of the acidity test results of each fraction in Examples 1, 2 and the comparative example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0085] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below. Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below, it should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited by the embodiments set forth herein. Instead, these embodiments are provided to make the present invention more thorough and complete and to fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art.

[0086] The hops used in the following examples were Charlotte HBC438, purchased from Shenzhen Hezhong Trading Co., Ltd.

[0087] Example 1

[0088] A hop-flavored liquor is obtained by pre-treating raw materials, fermenting, distilling, and aging. Hops are added during the fermentation stage and the distilled liquor comprises an A1 fraction and an A2 fraction.

[0089] The A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor contain the following volatile components: 11-14 mg / L of myrcene, 9-12 mg / L of limonene, and 4-5 mg / L of linalool;

[0090] The A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor further contain the following amounts of aldehyde flavor substances: at least one of 100-110 mg / L of acetaldehyde, 600-800 mg / L of isobutyraldehyde, and 110-170 mg / L of acetal;

[0091] The A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor further contain the following alcohol flavor substances: at least one of 280-340 mg / L of methanol, 320-410 mg / L of sec-butanol, 230-280 mg / L of n-propanol, 320-400 mg / L of isobutanol, 10-13 mg / L of n-butanol, 150-190 mg / L of active amyl alcohol (2-methyl-1-butanol), 490-600 mg / L of isopentanol, 0-4 mg / L of n-hexanol, and 80-450 mg / L of 2,3-butanediol;

[0092] The A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor contain the following ester flavor substances: at least one of 590-650 mg / L of ethyl acetate, 17-23 mg / L of ethyl butyrate, 9-10 mg / L of ethyl hexanoate, 68-71 mg / L of ethyl lactate, 8-11 mg / L of ethyl octanoate, 0-7 mg / L of ethyl leucine, 0-12 mg / L of diethyl malonate, 6-9 mg / L of ethyl decanoate, and 0-10 mg / L of ethyl hexadecanoate;

[0093] The alcohol content of the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor is 46.0-56.0% vol, the pH is 4.7-5.3, and the acidity is 0.20-0.25 g / L.

[0094] The preparation method is as follows:

[0095] Step 1: Raw material pretreatment

[0096] 1.1 Crushing: Select grain crops for crushing and prepare Daqu powder and hop particles to achieve a particle size suitable for cooking and subsequent fermentation;

[0097] Specifically, the sorghum is crushed, and the particles of the crushed sorghum with 4, 6, and 8 petals account for 65% to 75% of the total amount of sorghum; the crushed sorghum is screened using a sieve with a pore size of 1.2 mm, so that the fine powder passing through the 1.2 mm sieve hole does not exceed 25% to 35% of the total amount of sorghum;

[0098] Grinding the hop pellets into fine powder using a grinding disc mill so that the fine powder passing through a sieve with an aperture of 1.0 mm accounts for at least 90% of the total hop fine powder;

[0099] Use Daqu crushing equipment to crush the fragrant Daqu into particles the size of mung beans to millet, and use a sieve with a pore size of 1.2mm to screen the crushed Daqu powder, ensuring that the fine powder that can pass through the sieve hole accounts for 70%-75% of the total Daqu powder;

[0100] 1.2 Grain Moistening: Add 55%-71% hot water to the crushed grains, with the temperature of the hot water controlled at 80-90°C; stir the grains several times to ensure that the grains fully and evenly absorb water. After stirring, pile the grains for 20-24 hours, and stir them every 5-7 hours. Follow the principle of "top-down, inside-out" when stirring to ensure that the grains are evenly distributed. If lumps are found during the stirring process, they need to be turned over in time to ensure that the grains are loose. If the moisture of the grains is too much and the surface is dry, add 2-3% of the total amount of hot water to maintain the moisture content of the grains and create good conditions for the subsequent steaming process.

[0101] 1.3 Steaming: Select fresh, odorless and impurity-free rice husks as auxiliary materials for steaming. The steaming time should be no less than 40 minutes, until the auxiliary materials have no odor. During the steaming stage, the grain crops should be piled up after being moistened before steaming to make the moisture and temperature inside the grain crops more uniform. Evenly sprinkle a layer of steamed rice husks on the steamer grate to play a role of isolation and ventilation. Then load the steamer with materials. The loading process should follow the principle of "sprinkling materials when steam is seen" to ensure that the grain crops are evenly and flatly distributed in the steamer. The loading process should be slow and uniform to avoid accumulation or excessive gaps. After the loading is completed, turn on the steam to steam the grain, control the steam pressure to 0.1~0.2Mpa, and the steaming time to 80~85min to ensure that the grain crops are cooked thoroughly and the starch in the grain crops is fully gelatinized to provide sufficient available sugar for subsequent fermentation.

[0102] After steaming, the cooked grains are taken out of the steamer and spread out to cool. During the cooling process, 25-30 wt% of cold water is poured into the grains to accelerate the cooling of the grains. The grains are continuously turned over to evenly dissipate heat, and the temperature of the grains is cooled to 20-25° C., thereby obtaining fermented grains.

[0103] Step 2: Fermentation

[0104] The fermented grains, Daqu powder and hop pellets are uniformly mixed to obtain a mixture A, wherein the amount of the hop pellets added is 2-5% of the total weight of the grain crops, and the amount of the Daqu powder added is 9-15% of the total weight of the grain crops;

[0105] The mixed materials are placed in the fermentation tank, where microorganisms fully act on the materials to carry out fermentation reactions. The fermentation process lasts for 30-40 days. During this period, the fermentation conditions need to be monitored and managed to ensure the smooth progress of fermentation.

[0106] Step 3: Distillation

[0107] Mixing 15-20% of the total weight of the grain crop into the fermented mixture A; distilling the mixture A mixed with rice husks in a retort to separate the volatile components in the mixture A to obtain fraction A;

[0108] During the distillation process, a slow air flow method was used, with the flow temperature controlled at 25-30°C and the flow time at 30-60 minutes. The wine was harvested in sections to obtain the A1 fraction (the head, accounting for 1%-5% of the total weight of the distilled wine), the A2 fraction (the heart, accounting for 60-85% of the total weight of the distilled wine), and the A3 fraction (the tail, which was returned to the pot and placed at the bottom of the pot for further re-distillation). The main flavor compounds of each fraction are shown in Tables 1-4, and the taste evaluation results of each fraction are shown in Table 5.

[0109] Step 4: Aging

[0110] The liquor fraction obtained by distillation is transferred to a container for aging; during the aging period, the storage environment has a temperature of 10-20° C. and a humidity of 60%-70%.

[0111] Example 2

[0112] A hop-flavored liquor is obtained by pre-treating raw materials, fermenting, distilling, and aging. Hops are added during the distillation stage. The distilled liquor comprises a B1 fraction and a B2 fraction.

[0113] The B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor contain the following volatile components: 5-8 mg / L of myrcene and 4-7 mg / L of linalool.

[0114] The B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor further contain the following amounts of aldehyde flavor substances: at least one of 110-140 mg / L of acetaldehyde, 80-130 mg / L of isobutyraldehyde, and 0-100 mg / L of acetal;

[0115] The B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor further contain the following alcohol flavor substances: at least one of 140-180 mg / L of methanol, 0-190 mg / L of sec-butanol, 0-250 mg / L of n-propanol, 0-6 mg / L of isobutanol, 4-6 mg / L of n-butanol, 90-130 mg / L of active amyl alcohol (2-methyl-1-butanol), 350-470 mg / L of isopentanol, 2-5 mg / L of n-hexanol, and 40-480 mg / L of 2,3-butanediol;

[0116] The B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor contain the following amounts of ester flavor substances: at least one of 1730-3300 mg / L of ethyl acetate, 4-17 mg / L of ethyl butyrate, 7-70 mg / L of ethyl valerate, 0-5 mg / L of ethyl hexanoate, 1810-1880 mg / L of ethyl lactate, 4-11 mg / L of ethyl octanoate, 0-4 mg / L of diethyl malonate, 0-39 mg / L of ethyl decanoate, 0-11 mg / L of diethyl succinate, 0-3 mg / L of ethyl tridecanoate, and 0-7 mg / L of ethyl hexadecanoate;

[0117] The alcohol content of the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor is 43.0-56.0% vol, the pH is 3.9-4.2, and the acidity is 0.80-1.30 g / L.

[0118] The preparation method is as follows:

[0119] Step 1: Raw material pretreatment

[0120] 1.1 Crushing: Select grain crops for crushing and prepare Daqu powder and hop particles to achieve a particle size suitable for cooking and subsequent fermentation;

[0121] Specifically, the sorghum is crushed, and the particles of the crushed sorghum with 4, 6, and 8 petals account for 65% to 75% of the total amount of sorghum; the crushed sorghum is screened using a sieve with a pore size of 1.2 mm, so that the fine powder passing through the 1.2 mm sieve hole does not exceed 25% to 35% of the total amount of sorghum;

[0122] Grinding the hop pellets into fine powder using a grinding disc mill so that the fine powder passing through a sieve with an aperture of 1.0 mm accounts for at least 90% of the total hop fine powder;

[0123] Use Daqu crushing equipment to crush the fragrant Daqu into particles the size of mung beans to millet, and use a sieve with a pore size of 1.2mm to screen the crushed Daqu powder, ensuring that the fine powder that can pass through the sieve hole accounts for 70%-75% of the total Daqu powder;

[0124] 1.2 Grain Moistening: Add 55%-71% hot water to the crushed grains, with the temperature of the hot water controlled at 80-90°C; stir the grains several times to ensure that the grains fully and evenly absorb water. After stirring, pile the grains for 20-24 hours, and stir them every 5-7 hours. Follow the principle of "top-down, inside-out" when stirring to ensure that the grains are evenly distributed. If lumps are found during the stirring process, they need to be turned over in time to ensure that the grains are loose. If the moisture of the grains is too much and the surface is dry, add 2-3% of the total amount of hot water to maintain the moisture content of the grains and create good conditions for the subsequent steaming process.

[0125] 1.3 Steaming: Select fresh, odorless and impurity-free rice husks as auxiliary materials for steaming. The steaming time should be no less than 40 minutes, until the auxiliary materials have no odor. During the steaming stage, the grain crops should be piled up after being moistened before steaming to make the moisture and temperature inside the grain crops more uniform. Evenly sprinkle a layer of steamed rice husks on the steamer grate to play a role of isolation and ventilation. Then load the steamer with materials. The loading process should follow the principle of "sprinkling materials when steam is seen" to ensure that the grain crops are evenly and flatly distributed in the steamer. The loading process should be slow and uniform to avoid accumulation or excessive gaps. After the loading is completed, turn on the steam to steam the grain, control the steam pressure to 0.1~0.2Mpa, and the steaming time to 80~85min to ensure that the grain crops are cooked thoroughly and the starch in the grain crops is fully gelatinized to provide sufficient available sugar for subsequent fermentation.

[0126] After steaming, the cooked grains are taken out of the steamer and spread out to cool. During the cooling process, 25-30 wt% of cold water is poured into the grains to accelerate the cooling of the grains. The grains are continuously turned over to evenly dissipate heat, and the temperature of the grains is cooled to 20-25° C., thereby obtaining fermented grains.

[0127] Step 2: Fermentation

[0128] The fermented grains and the Daqu powder are evenly mixed to obtain a mixture B, wherein the amount of the Daqu powder added is 9-15% of the total weight of the grain crops;

[0129] The mixed materials are placed in the fermentation tank, where microorganisms fully act on the materials to carry out fermentation reactions. The fermentation process lasts for 30-40 days. During this period, the fermentation conditions need to be monitored and managed to ensure the smooth progress of fermentation.

[0130] Step 3: Distillation

[0131] Mixing the fermented mixture B with rice husks accounting for 15-20% of the total weight of the grain crops and hop pellets accounting for 2-5% of the total weight of the grain crops, retorting the mixture B mixed with rice husks for distillation, separating the volatile components in the mixture B to obtain a B fraction;

[0132] During the distillation process, a slow air flow method was used, with the flow temperature controlled at 25-30°C and the flow time at 30-60 minutes. The wine was harvested in sections to obtain the B1 fraction (head, accounting for 1%-5% of the total weight of the distilled wine), the B2 fraction (heart, accounting for 60-85% of the total weight of the distilled wine), and the B3 fraction (tail, which was returned to the pot and placed at the bottom of the pot for further re-distillation). The main flavor compounds of each fraction are shown in Tables 1-4, and the taste evaluation results of each fraction are shown in Table 6.

[0133] Step 4: Aging

[0134] The liquor fraction obtained by distillation is transferred to a container for aging; during the aging period, the storage environment has a temperature of 10-20° C. and a humidity of 60%-70%.

[0135] Comparative Example

[0136] Ordinary light-fragrance liquor (using the same raw materials and process as in Example 1, but without adding hops during fermentation and distillation) was prepared as follows:

[0137] Step 1: Raw material pretreatment

[0138] 1.1 Crushing: Select grain crops for crushing and prepare Daqu powder and hop particles to achieve a particle size suitable for cooking and subsequent fermentation;

[0139] Specifically, the sorghum is crushed, and the particles of the crushed sorghum with 4, 6, and 8 petals account for 65% to 75% of the total amount of sorghum; the crushed sorghum is screened using a sieve with a pore size of 1.2 mm, so that the fine powder passing through the 1.2 mm sieve hole does not exceed 25% to 35% of the total amount of sorghum;

[0140] Grinding the hop pellets into fine powder using a grinding disc mill so that the fine powder passing through a sieve with an aperture of 1.0 mm accounts for at least 90% of the total hop fine powder;

[0141] Use Daqu crushing equipment to crush the fragrant Daqu into particles the size of mung beans to millet, and use a sieve with a pore size of 1.2mm to screen the crushed Daqu powder, ensuring that the fine powder that can pass through the sieve hole accounts for 70%-75% of the total Daqu powder;

[0142] 1.2 Grain Moistening: Add 55%-71% hot water to the crushed grains, with the temperature of the hot water controlled at 80-90°C; stir the grains several times to ensure that the grains fully and evenly absorb water. After stirring, pile the grains for 20-24 hours, and stir them every 5-7 hours. Follow the principle of "top-down, inside-out" when stirring to ensure that the grains are evenly distributed. If lumps are found during the stirring process, they need to be turned over in time to ensure that the grains are loose. If the moisture of the grains is too much and the surface is dry, add 2-3% of the total amount of hot water to maintain the moisture content of the grains and create good conditions for the subsequent steaming process.

[0143] 1.3 Steaming: Select fresh, odorless and impurity-free rice husks as auxiliary materials for steaming. The steaming time should be no less than 40 minutes, until the auxiliary materials have no odor. During the steaming stage, the grain crops should be piled up after being moistened before steaming to make the moisture and temperature inside the grain crops more uniform. Evenly sprinkle a layer of steamed rice husks on the steamer grate to play a role of isolation and ventilation. Then load the steamer with materials. The loading process should follow the principle of "sprinkling materials when steam is seen" to ensure that the grain crops are evenly and flatly distributed in the steamer. The loading process should be slow and uniform to avoid accumulation or excessive gaps. After the loading is completed, turn on the steam to steam the grain, control the steam pressure to 0.1~0.2Mpa, and the steaming time to 80~85min to ensure that the grain crops are cooked thoroughly and the starch in the grain crops is fully gelatinized to provide sufficient available sugar for subsequent fermentation.

[0144] After steaming, the cooked grains are taken out of the steamer and spread out to cool. During the cooling process, 25-30 wt% of cold water is poured into the grains to accelerate the cooling of the grains. The grains are continuously turned over to evenly dissipate heat, and the temperature of the grains is cooled to 20-25° C., thereby obtaining fermented grains.

[0145] Step 2: Fermentation

[0146] The fermented grains and the Daqu powder are evenly mixed to obtain a mixture B, wherein the amount of the Daqu powder added is 9-15% of the total weight of the grain crops;

[0147] The mixed materials are placed in the fermentation tank, where microorganisms fully act on the materials to carry out fermentation reactions. The fermentation process lasts for 30-40 days. During this period, the fermentation conditions need to be monitored and managed to ensure the smooth progress of fermentation.

[0148] Step 3: Distillation

[0149] Mixing 15-20% of the total weight of the grain crops into the fermented mixture B, retorting the mixture B mixed with rice husks for distillation, separating the volatile components in the mixture B to obtain fraction C;

[0150] During the distillation process, a slow air flow method was used, with the flow temperature controlled at 25-30°C and the flow time at 30-60 minutes. The wine was harvested in sections to obtain the C1 fraction (head, accounting for 1%-5% of the total weight of the distilled wine), the C2 fraction (heart, accounting for 60-85% of the total weight of the distilled wine), and the C3 fraction (tail, which was returned to the pot and placed at the bottom of the pot for further re-distillation). The main flavor compounds of each fraction are shown in Tables 1-4, and the taste evaluation results of each fraction are shown in Table 7.

[0151] Step 4: Aging

[0152] The liquor fraction obtained by distillation is transferred to a container for aging; during the aging period, the storage environment has a temperature of 10-20° C. and a humidity of 60%-70%.

[0153] Test Case

[0154] (1) The contents of the main flavor substances in each fraction of the examples and comparative examples were determined by liquid chromatography. The results are shown in Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4.

[0155] Table 1 Determination of the content of main flavor substances - aldehydes in Examples 1, 2 and Comparative Examples

[0156]

[0157] Table 2 Determination of the content of main flavor substances-alcohols in Examples 1, 2 and Comparative Examples

[0158]

[0159] Table 3 Determination of the content of main flavor substances - esters in Examples 1, 2 and Comparative Examples

[0160]

[0161]

[0162] Table 4 Determination of main flavor substances in Examples 1, 2 and Comparative Examples - other substances

[0163]

[0164] (2) Sensory evaluation was performed on the three fractions of each of the examples and comparative examples. The evaluation results are shown in Tables 5, 6 and 7.

[0165] Table 5 Sensory evaluation of the three fractions of Example 1

[0166]

[0167] Table 6 Sensory evaluation of the three fractions of Example 2

[0168]

[0169] Table 7 Sensory evaluation of the three fractions of the comparative example

[0170]

[0171] From the above gas phase data and sensory evaluation, it can be seen that adding hops during fermentation can inhibit the production of acids and esters during fermentation, but it gives the product a strong hop aroma, thereby producing a new type of flavored liquor.

[0172] (3) Using gas chromatography (combined with Figure 1 ), the key volatile components of hop aroma, such as myrcene, limonene and linalool, were detected in Examples 1 and 2 and two commercially available liquors (sample 1 was Fenjiu 53° and sample 2 was Fenyangwang 53°).

[0173] Table 8 Key volatile component contents of Examples 1, 2 and commercially available liquor

[0174]

[0175] According to the analysis of the test results, the contents of the three key volatile components, myrcene, limonene and linalool, show the following characteristics:

[0176] a. High myrcene content

[0177] The myrcene contents of A1 and A2 were 13.40 mg / L and 11.32 mg / L, respectively, the highest among all samples and significantly higher than those of B1, B2, and commercially available samples. This indicates that products fermented with hops in the solid state have distinct herbal and spicy flavor characteristics.

[0178] b. The uniqueness of limonene

[0179] The limonene content of A1 and A2 was 11.91 mg / L and 10.03 mg / L, respectively, while no limonene was detected in B1, B2, or the commercially available sample. This highlights the unique citrus-like fresh aroma imparted by the solid-state fermentation of hops.

[0180] c. Moderate linalool content

[0181] The linalool contents of A1 and A2 were 4.92 mg / L and 4.95 mg / L, respectively, which were at a moderate level, close to those of B1 and commercial sample 2, but higher than commercial sample 1. This indicates that the samples fermented with hops in the solid state have certain floral and fruity characteristics, but are not overly strong.

[0182] The flavor of the hop-involved solid-state fermentation products (fractions A1 and A2 from Example 1) is characterized by a combination of herbal spice and citrus notes, with a moderate floral and fruity aroma. The products possess a fresh, complex, and layered aroma, resulting in a more recognizable and unique flavor.

[0183] (3) Detection of alcohol content, pH, and acidity

[0184] According to GB 5009.225-2023 National Food Safety Standard Determination of Ethanol Concentration in Wine and Edible Alcohol and GB / T 10345-2022 Liquor Analysis Method, the physicochemical properties of the liquor prepared in the above examples and comparative examples were tested. The results are shown in Table 1. Figure 2-Figure 4 , it can be seen that the alcohol content of the liquors prepared in Example 1 and Example 2 is not much different, but the total acidity and pH values ​​are quite different. The total acidity and pH data show that the addition of hops, especially hops in solid-state fermentation (Example 1), can inhibit acid production during fermentation, which was also verified in the sensory evaluation.

[0185] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not constitute any other form of limitation to the present invention. Any modification or equivalent variation based on the technical essence of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A hop-flavored liquor, characterized in that: Liquor is obtained by pre-treating raw materials, fermenting, distilling, and aging, and hops are added during the fermentation stage or the distillation stage to impart a rich aroma and taste to the liquor. The liquor obtained by adding hops and distilling during the fermentation stage comprises an A1 fraction and an A2 fraction, and the liquor obtained by adding hops and distilling during the distillation stage comprises a B1 fraction and a B2 fraction. The A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor or the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor contain the following volatile components: 5-14 mg / L of myrcene, 0-12 mg / L of limonene and 4-7 mg / L of linalool.

2. The liquor according to claim 1, characterized in that By adding hops during the fermentation stage or the distillation stage, the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor or the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor further contain the following amounts of aldehyde flavor substances: at least one of 100-140 mg / L of acetaldehyde, 80-800 mg / L of isobutyraldehyde and 0-170 mg / L of acetal.

3. The liquor according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that By adding hops during the fermentation and distillation stages, the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor or the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor further contain the following alcohol flavor substances: 140-340 mg / L of methanol, 0-410 mg / L of sec-butanol, 0-280 mg / L of n-propanol, 0-400 mg / L of isobutanol, 4-13 mg / L of n-butanol, 90-190 mg / L of active amyl alcohol (2-methyl-1-butanol), 350-600 mg / L of isopentanol, 0-5 mg / L of n-hexanol and at least one of 40-480 mg / L of 2,3-butanediol.

4. The liquor according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that By adding hops during the fermentation stage or the distillation stage, the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor or the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor contain the following amounts of ester flavor substances: at least one of 590-3300 mg / L of ethyl acetate, 4-23 mg / L of ethyl butyrate, 0-70 mg / L of ethyl valerate, 0-10 mg / L of ethyl hexanoate, 68-1880 mg / L of ethyl lactate, 4-11 mg / L of ethyl octanoate, 0-7 mg / L of ethyl leucine, 0-12 mg / L of diethyl malonate, 0-39 mg / L of ethyl decanoate, 0-11 mg / L of diethyl succinate, 0-3 mg / L of ethyl tridecanoate and 0-10 mg / L of ethyl hexadecanoate.

5. The liquor according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: By adding hops in the fermentation stage or the distillation stage, the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor or the B1 fraction and the B2 fraction of the liquor further contain 0-19 mg / L of dimethyl disulfide and 10-23 mg / L of 3-hydroxy-2-butanone.

6. The liquor according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: By adding hops in the fermentation stage, the alcohol content of the A1 fraction and the A2 fraction of the liquor is 46.0-56.0% vol, the pH is 4.7-5.3, and the acidity is 0.20-0.25 g / L.

7. A method for preparing the liquor according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Step 1: Raw material pretreatment Crushing: Select grain crops for crushing to prepare Daqu powder and hop pellets to achieve a particle size suitable for steaming and subsequent fermentation; Moistening the grain: Add 55-71% hot water (80-90°C) based on the total weight of the grain to the crushed grain, stir it to make it absorb water evenly, and then pile the grain for 20-24 hours; Steaming: Steaming the crushed grains to fully gelatinize them, and then cooling them to obtain the fermented grains; Step 2: Fermentation Mixing the fermented grains, Daqu powder and hop pellets uniformly to obtain a mixture A, wherein the amount of hop pellets added is 2-5% of the total weight of the grain crops, and the amount of Daqu powder added is 9-15% of the total weight of the grain crops; or mixing the fermented grains and Daqu powder uniformly to obtain a mixture B, wherein the amount of Daqu powder added is 9-15% of the total weight of the grain crops; Putting mixed material A or B into a fermentation tank for fermentation; Step 3: Distillation Rice husks accounting for 15-20% of the total mass of the grain crops are mixed into fermented mixture A; the mixture A mixed with rice husks is steamed and distilled to separate the volatile components in the mixture A, thereby obtaining fraction A; or rice husks accounting for 15-20% of the total mass of the grain crops and hop pellets accounting for 2-5% of the total mass of the grain crops are mixed into fermented mixture B; the mixture B mixed with rice husks is steamed and distilled to separate the volatile components in the mixture B, thereby obtaining fraction B; Step 4: Aging The liquor fraction obtained by distillation is transferred to a container for aging.

8. The preparation method according to claim 7, characterized in that In step 2, the fermentation process lasts for 30-40 days.

9. The preparation method according to claim 8, characterized in that In step 3, a slow flow of wine is adopted during the distillation process, and the flow temperature is controlled at 25-30°C and the flow time is 30-60 minutes.

10. The preparation method according to claim 8, characterized in that In step 3, the A fraction includes the A1 fraction, which accounts for 1%-5% of the total mass of the distilled wine; the A fraction also includes the A2 fraction, which accounts for 60-85% of the total mass of the distilled wine.

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