Beer-tasting fermented alcoholic beverage and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

The present invention aims to provide a beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage with reduced purine concentration, which is good in strength of taste, refreshing feeling, and balance of aroma and taste. According to the present invention, a beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage with a purine concentration of 2.0 mg / 100 mL or less, in which the trehalose concentration is 5.0 mg / L or more, can be provided. The malt usage ratio of the beverage of the present invention is, for example, 25% or more and 100% or less. According to the present invention, it is advantageous in terms of being able to satisfy various needs of consumers, such as health intentions.

Description

[0001] Reference to relevant applications

[0002] This application enjoys the benefit of priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-201371 (filed on November 29, 2023), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages and methods for manufacturing the same, and more specifically, to beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages with reduced purine body concentration and methods for manufacturing the same. Background Technology

[0004] It is estimated that beer, a fermented malt beverage, contains approximately 4 mg / 100 mL to 10 mg / 100 mL of purine compounds. These purine compounds are broken down into uric acid when ingested as food. While dietary restrictions for hyperuricemia sometimes limit the intake of these purine compounds, this restriction also applies to fermented malt beverages like beer, in addition to restrictions on foods with higher purine content such as meat, eggs, and liver. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce the intake of products containing fewer purine compounds, such as beer, in the fermented malt beverage market.

[0005] To date, as a technique for reducing purine compounds in fermented malt beverages such as beer, the following techniques are known: acting on the wort of beer with nucleoside phosphorylase and / or nuclease to decompose nucleosides in the wort, thereby reducing the concentration of purine compounds (Patent Document 1). Additionally, the following techniques are known: in the manufacturing process of fermented malt beverages, after the saccharification process and before the addition of hops, a treatment is performed at a temperature range of 25°C or higher and below the temperature used in the saccharification process, using an adsorbent that selectively adsorbs purine compounds to adsorb and remove purine compounds, thereby reducing the concentration of purine compounds in the fermented malt beverage (Patent Document 2).

[0006] Existing technical documents

[0007] Patent documents

[0008] Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 96 / 25483

[0009] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-290071 Summary of the Invention

[0010] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0011] The purpose of this invention is to provide a novel beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage with reduced purine body concentration and a good balance of flavor intensity, refreshing sensation, and aroma and taste.

[0012] Methods for solving problems

[0013] The inventors have discovered that in beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages where purine body concentration is reduced, by setting the trehalose concentration to a predetermined level, the purine body concentration is reduced, and the intensity, refreshing sensation, and balance of aroma and flavor are improved. This invention is based on this insight.

[0014] According to the present invention, the following invention is provided.

[0015] [1] A beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage, wherein the concentration of purine body is less than 2.0 mg / 100 mL and the concentration of trehalose is more than 5.0 mg / L.

[0016] [2] According to the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage described in [1] above, the malt usage ratio is more than 25% and less than 100%.

[0017] [3] The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage described in [1] or [2] above, wherein the malt usage ratio is more than 50% and less than 100%.

[0018] [4] The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [3] above, wherein the concentration of purine body is less than 0.5 mg / 100 mL.

[0019] [5] A beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [4] above, wherein the trehalose concentration is 40.0 mg / L or less.

[0020] [6] A beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [5] above, wherein the alcohol concentration is 10.0 v / v% or less.

[0021] [7] A beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [6] above, wherein the ratio of alcohol concentration (v / v%) to trehalose concentration (mg / L) in the beverage is 0.01 or more and less than 2.5.

[0022] [8] A beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [7] above, wherein the ratio of the concentration of purine bodies (mg / 100mL) in the beverage to the concentration of trehalose (mg / L) is less than 0.3.

[0023] [8-1] A beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [8] above, wherein the ratio of sugar concentration (g / 100mL) to trehalose concentration (mg / L) in the beverage is less than 0.1.

[0024] [9] A manufacturing method for a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage with a purine concentration of 2.0 mg / 100 mL or less, comprising: a step of containing trehalose in such a way that the concentration of trehalose in the beverage reaches 5.0 mg / L or more.

[0025]

[10] A method for improving the flavor of a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage with a purine concentration of 2.0 mg / 100 mL or less, comprising: a step of containing trehalose in such a way that the concentration of trehalose in the beverage reaches 5.0 mg / L or more.

[0026] According to the present invention, by setting the trehalose concentration to a predetermined concentration in a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage with a reduced purine body concentration, it is possible to provide a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage with a reduced purine body concentration and a good balance of flavor intensity, refreshing taste, and aroma. Therefore, the present invention is advantageous in meeting various consumer needs, such as health preferences. Detailed Implementation

[0027] In this invention, "beer-flavored beverage" refers to a beverage having a beer-like flavor. In this invention, "beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage" refers to a beverage made from carbon sources, nitrogen sources, and water, fermented using yeast. Examples include beer, sparkling wine, beverages made by adding alcohol to beer or sparkling wine using malt as a raw material (e.g., beverages classified under the Liquor Tax Law as "liqueur (sparkling) (2)" or "sparkling wine (2)" (after October 2026 as "sparkling wine")), and beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages that do not use malt (e.g., beverages classified under the Liquor Tax Law as "other brewed wine (sparkling) (2)" or "sparkling wine (2)" (after October 2026 as "sparkling wine")). As a preferred embodiment of beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages, examples include beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages using at least a portion of malt and / or unmalted barley as raw materials; more preferably, examples include beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages using at least a portion of malt as a raw material.

[0028] In the case where the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention uses malt as at least a portion of the raw material, the malt usage ratio can be set, for example, to 0%, 0% or more, 5% or less, 5% or more, 10% or less, 10% or more, 12.5% ​​or less, 12.5% ​​or more, 15% or less, 15% or more, 17.5% or less, 17.5% or more, 20% or less, 20% or more, 22.5% or less, 22.5% or more, 25% or less, or 25%. Above, below 27.5%, above 27.5%, below 30%, above 30%, below 32.5%, above 32.5%, below 35%, above 35%, below 37.5%, above 37.5%, below 40%, above 40%, below 42.5%, above 42.5%, below 45%, above 45%, below 47.5%, above 47.5%, below 50%, above 50%, below 52.5%, and above 52.5%. Above, below 55%, above 55%, below 57.5%, above 57.5%, below 60%, above 60%, below 62.5%, above 62.5%, below 65%, above 65%, below 67.5%, above 67.5%, below 70%, above 70%, below 72.5%, above 72.5%, below 75%, above 75%, below 77.5%, above 77.5%, below 80%, above 80%, 82 The percentages of malt used in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of this invention can be 0.5% or less, 82.5% or more, 85% or less, 85% or more, 87.5% or less, 87.5% or more, 90% or less, 90% or more, 92.5% or less, 92.5% or more, 95% or less, 95% or more, 97.5% or less, 97.5% or more, 100% or less, or 100%. Preferably, these percentages can be set to 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, or 100%. These upper and lower limits can be combined arbitrarily, and "below" can be replaced with "less than" and "above" can be replaced with "more than". In this invention, "malt usage ratio" refers to the proportion of malt mass to the mass of all raw materials except hops and brewing water. It should be noted that when malt is used as at least a portion of the raw material in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of this invention, it is also called a beer-flavored fermented malt alcoholic beverage. Furthermore, in this invention, beer can refer to beer fermented from malt, hops, water, and other certain by-products, or beer fermented with the addition of hops or certain by-products, and must meet the following two conditions (limited to beer with an alcohol content of less than 20%) (refer to the Liquor Tax Law (Law No. 6 of 1953) which came into effect on October 1, 2023): • The malt ratio is 50% or higher; • The weight of the fruit used (including dried fruit, boiled and concentrated fruit or concentrated juice) and certain flavorings shall not exceed 5 / 100 of the weight of the malt (including cases where they are not used).

[0029] For the beer-flavored fermented malt alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the malt can be, for example, barley malt or wheat malt; either one type of malt or a combination of two or more malts can be used. In the beer-flavored fermented malt alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the proportion of barley malt (by weight) in the raw malt (by weight) can be, for example, set to 0%, 0% or more, 10% or more, 12.5% ​​or more, 15% or more, 17.5% or more, 20% or more, 22.5% or more, 25% or more, 27.5% or more, 30% or more, 32.5% or more, 35% or more, 37.5% or more, 40% or more, 42.5% or more, 45% or more. % or more, 47.5% or more, 50% or more, 52.5% or more, 55% or more, 57.5% or more, 60% or more, 62.5% or more, 65% or more, 67.5% or more, 70% or more, 72. More than 5%, more than 75%, more than 77.5%, more than 80%, more than 82.5%, more than 85%, more than 87.5%, more than 90%, more than 92.5%, more than 95%, more than 97.5%, 100 The percentage of wheat malt (by weight) in the raw malt (by weight), whether below 0% or 100%, can be set as follows: 0%, 0% or above, 10% or above, 12.5% ​​or above, 15% or above, 17.5% or above, 20% or above, 22.5% or above, 25% or above, 27.5% or above, 30% or above, 32.5% or above, 35% or above, 37.5% or above, 40% or above, 42.5% or above, 45% or above, 47.5%. Above, 50% or above, 52.5% or above, 55% or above, 57.5% or above, 60% or above, 62.5% or above, 65% or above, 67.5% or above, 70% or above, 72.5% or above, 75% or above, 77.5% or above, 80% or above, 82.5% or above, 85% or above, 87.5% or above, 90% or above, 92.5% or above, 95% or above, 97.5% or above, below 100% or 100%. In the above, "above" can be replaced with "exceeds".

[0030] The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of this invention allows for arbitrary setting of alcohol concentration. The lower limit (above or exceeding) of the alcohol concentration can be set, for example, to 1.0v / v%, 1.1v / v%, 1.2v / v%, 1.3v / v%, 1.4v / v%, 1.5v / v%, 1.6v / v%, 1.7v / v%, 1.8v / v%, 1.9v / v%, 2.0v / v%, 2.1v / v%, 2.2v / v%, 2.3v / v%, 2.4v / v%. The upper limits (below or less than) of v% are 2.5v / v%, 2.6v / v%, 2.7v / v%, 2.8v / v%, 2.9v / v%, or 3.0v / v, and their upper limits can be set as follows: 11.0v / v%, 10.9v / v%, 10.8v / v%, 10.7v / v%, 10.6v / v%, 10.5v / v%, 10.4v / v%, 10.3v / v%, 10.2v / v%, 10.1v / v%, 10.0v / v%. v / v%, 9.9v / v%, 9.8v / v%, 9.7v / v%, 9.6v / v%, 9.5v / v%, 9.4v / v%, 9.3v / v%, 9.2v / v%, 9.1v / v%, 9.0v / v%、8.9v / v%、8.8v / v%、8.7v / v%、8.6v / v%、8.5v / v%、8.4v / v%、8.3v / v%、8.2v / v%、8.1v / v%、8.0v / The alcohol concentration of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be set to, for example, 1.0 v / v% or higher and 10.0 v / v% or lower, preferably 2.0 v / v% or higher and 8.0 v / v% or lower, and more preferably 3.0 v / v% or higher and 6.0 v / v% or lower. The lower and upper limits can be arbitrarily combined.

[0031] The methods for determining the alcohol concentration (ethanol concentration) in beverages are widely known to those skilled in the art; for example, the alcohol concentration can be determined by the methods described in the "National Tax Agency Regulations for Analysis".

[0032] The purine body concentration of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is reduced. Specifically, the upper limit (below or less than) of the purine body concentration of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is 2.0 mg / 100 mL, or it can be set to 1.9 mg / 100 mL, 1.8 mg / 100 mL, 1.7 mg / 100 mL, 1.6 mg / 100 mL, 1.5 mg / 100 mL, 1.4 mg / 100 mL, 1.3 mg / 100 mL, 1.2 mg / 100 mL, 1.1 mg / 100 mL, 1.0 mg / 100 mL, 0.9 mg / 100 mL, 0.8 mg / 100 mL, 0.7 mg / 100 mL, 0.6 mg / 100 mL, 0.5 mg / 100 mL, 0.4 mg / 100 mL, 0.3 mg / 100 mL, or 0.2 mg / 100 mL. It should be noted that beverages with a purine concentration of less than 0.5 mg / 100 mL are considered "purine-free beverages".

[0033] Purine body determination can be performed using known methods, such as LC-MS / MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) after hydrolysis with perchloric acid (see Journal of Food Hygiene 55(2): 110-116(2014)). It should be noted that in this specification, "purine body concentration" refers to the total amount of the four purine body bases: adenine, xanthine, guanine, and hypoxanthine.

[0034] The sugar concentration of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can also be reduced. Specifically, the upper limit (below or less than) of the sugar concentration of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is 2.0 g / 100 mL, or it can be set to 1.9 g / 100 mL, 1.8 g / 100 mL, 1.7 g / 100 mL, 1.6 g / 100 mL, 1.5 g / 100 mL, 1.4 g / 100 mL, 1.3 g / 100 mL, 1.2 g / 100 mL, 1.1 g / 100 mL, 1.0 g / 100 mL, 0.9 g / 100 mL, 0.8 g / 100 mL, 0.7 g / 100 mL, 0.6 g / 100 mL, 0.5 g / 100 mL, 0.4 g / 100 mL, 0.3 g / 100 mL or 0.2 g / 100 mL. It should be noted that beverages with a sugar concentration of less than 0.5g / 100mL are considered "zero-sugar beverages".

[0035] Sugar concentration can be determined by known methods, and can be calculated by removing moisture, protein, lipids, ash and dietary fiber from the mass of the sample being tested (refer to the nutrition labeling standards (partial revision of Consumer Affairs Notice No. 9 dated December 16, 2009)).

[0036] The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is characterized by a trehalose concentration within a specified value. Specifically, the lower limit (above or exceeding) of the trehalose concentration is 5.0 mg / L, but it can also be set to 5.1 mg / L, 5.2 mg / L, 5.3 mg / L, 5.4 mg / L, 5.5 mg / L, 5.6 mg / L, 5.7 mg / L, 5.8 mg / L, 5.9 mg / L, 6.0 mg / L, 6.1 mg / L, 6.2 mg / L, 6.3 mg / L, 6.4 mg / L, 6.5 mg / L, 6.6 mg / L, 6.7 mg / L, 6.8 mg / L, 6.9 mg / L, 7.0 mg / L, 7.1 mg / L, 7.2 mg / L, or 7.3 mg / L. , 7.4mg / L, 7.5mg / L, 7.6mg / L, 7.7mg / L, 7.8mg / L, 7.9mg / L, 8.0mg / L, 8.1mg / L, 8.2mg / L, 8.3mg / L, 8.4mg / L, 8.5mg / L, 8.6mg / L, 8.7m g / L, 8.8mg / L, 8.9mg / L, 9.0mg / L, 9.1mg / L, 9.2mg / L, 9.3mg / L, 9.4mg / L, 9.5mg / L, 9.6mg / L, 9.7mg / L, 9.8mg / L, 9.9mg / L or 10.0mg / L.Furthermore, the upper limit (or less than) of the trehalose concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the effect of the present invention is achieved. For example, it can be set to 60.0 mg / L, 59.0 mg / L, 58.0 mg / L, 57.0 mg / L, 56.0 mg / L, 55.0 mg / L, 54.0 mg / L, 53.0 mg / L, 52.0 mg / L, 51.0 mg / L, 50.0 mg / L, etc. g / L, 49.0mg / L, 48.0mg / L, 47.0mg / L, 46.0mg / L, 45.0mg / L, 44.0mg / L, 43.0mg / L, 42.0mg / L , 41.0mg / L, 40.0mg / L, 39.5mg / L, 39.0mg / L, 38.5mg / L, 38.0mg / L, 37.5mg / L, 37.0mg / L, 36. 5mg / L, 36.0mg / L, 35.5mg / L, 35.0mg / L, 34.5mg / L, 34.0mg / L, 33.5mg / L, 33.0mg / L, 32.5mg / L, 32.0mg / L, 31.5mg / L, 31.0mg / L, 30.5mg / L, 30.0mg / L, 29.5mg / L, 29.0mg / L, 28.5mg / L, 2 8.0mg / L, 27.5mg / L, 27.0mg / L, 26.5mg / L, 26.0mg / L, 25.5mg / L, 25.0mg / L, 24.5mg / L, 24.0m g / L, 23.5mg / L, 23.0mg / L, 22.5mg / L, 22.0mg / L, 21.5mg / L, 21.0mg / L, 20.5mg / L or 20.0mg / L. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily. For example, the trehalose concentration of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be set to 5.0 mg / L or more and 40.0 mg / L or less, 5.0 mg / L or more and 30.0 mg / L or less, 5.0 mg / L or more and 25.0 mg / L or less, 5.0 mg / L or more and 20.0 mg / L or less, 7.0 mg / L or more and 20.0 mg / L or less, or 9.0 mg / L or more and 20.0 mg / L or less.

[0037] In this invention, in addition to adding trehalose during the beverage manufacturing process, trehalose can also be incorporated into beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages by setting the raw materials or manufacturing conditions. Non-limiting examples of such raw materials and manufacturing conditions include the selection of yeast (including strains), adjustment of the amount of yeast used, and adjustment of fermentation conditions. For example, setting the fermentation time and temperature to conditions that apply pressure to the yeast (J. Brew. Soc. Japan. Vol.92, No.10, p.769-772 (1997)) and subjecting the yeast to heat shock treatment (e.g., 40-50°C) during pre-fermentation (J. Brew. Soc. Japan. Vol.92, No.10, p.769-772 (1997)). However, the scope of by-products in beer as defined by the Alcohol Tax Law is limited, and trehalose is not specified as a by-product. Therefore, in the case of beer, the fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is beer, it is not possible to use trehalose itself as a brewing ingredient for beer. However, according to the present invention, by adjusting the brewing conditions, it is possible to make the beer contain trehalose at a specified concentration, thereby improving the flavor of the beer, which is advantageous in this respect.

[0038] In the manufacture of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention, when trehalose is added, the trehalose can be any form suitable for food manufacturing, and its form can be any form that is easily soluble in water-based solvents, such as liquid, powder, solid, or a combination thereof.

[0039] In the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the concentration of trehalose can be quantified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS / MS).

[0040] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of providing a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage with reduced purine body concentration and a good balance of flavor intensity, refreshing taste, and aroma and flavor, the ratio of alcohol concentration (v / v%) to trehalose concentration (mg / L) in the beverage of the present invention can be set to a predetermined value. Specifically, the lower limit (above or exceeding) of the above ratio in the beverage is 0.01, and it can also be set to 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.05, 0.06, 0.07, 0.08, 0.09, 0.10, 0.11, 0.12, 0.13, 0.14, 0.15, 0.16, 0.17, 0.18, 0.19, or 0.20. The upper limit (or less than) of the above ratio is 2.5, but it can also be set to 2.4, 2.3, 2.2, 2.1, 2.0, 1.9, 1.8, 1.7, 1.6, 1.5, 1.4, 1.3, 1.2, 1.1, 1.0, 0.9, 0.8, or 0.7. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily. For example, the range of the above ratio in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be set to 0.01 or more and less than 2.5, 0.05 or more and less than 2.5, 0.10 or more and less than 2.5, 0.11 or more and less than 2.5, 0.12 or more and less than 2.5, 0.13 or more and less than 2.5, 0.14 or more and less than 2.5, 0.15 or more and less than 2.5, or 0.16 or more and less than 2. 5. 0.17 or higher and less than 2.5; 0.18 or higher and less than 2.5; 0.19 or higher and less than 2.5; 0.20 or higher and less than 2.5; 0.01 or higher and less than 2.0; 0.05 or higher and less than 2.0; 0.10 or higher and less than 2.0; 0.11 or higher and less than 2.0; 0.12 or higher and less than 2.0; 0.13 or higher and less than 2.0; 0.14 or higher and less than 2.0; 0.15 or higher and less than 2.0; 0.16 or higher And below 2.0, above 0.17 and below 2.0, above 0.18 and below 2.0, above 0.19 and below 2.0, above 0.20 and below 2.0, above 0.01 and below 1.5, above 0.05 and below 1.5, above 0.10 and below 1.5, above 0.11 and below 1.5, above 0.12 and below 1.5, above 0.13 and below 1.5, above 0.14 and below 1.5, above 0.15 and below 1.5, 0 0.16 and above, 0.17 and above, 0.18 and above, 0.19 and above, 0.20 and above, 0.01 and above, 0.05 and above, 0.10 and above, 0.11 and above, 0.12 and above, 0.13 and above, 0.14 and above, 0.15 and above, 0.16 and above, 0.17 ...Below 2, 0.16 and above 1.2, 0.17 and above 1.2, 0.18 and above 1.2, 0.19 and above 1.2, 0.20 and above 1.2, 0.01 and above 1.0, 0.05 and above 1.0, 0.10 and above 1.0, 0.11 and above 1.0, 0.12 and above 1.0, 0.13 and above 1.0, 0.14 and above 1.0, 0.15 and above 1.0, 0.16 and above 1.0, 0.17 and above 1.0, 0.18 Values ​​above and below 1.0, 0.19 and above 1.0, 0.20 and above 1.0, 0.01 and above 0.7, 0.05 and above 0.7, 0.10 and above 0.7, 0.11 and above 0.7, 0.12 and above 0.7, 0.13 and above 0.7, 0.14 and above 0.7, 0.15 and above 0.7, 0.16 and above 0.7, 0.17 and above 0.7, 0.18 and above 0.7, 0.19 and above 0.7, or 0.20 and above 0.7.

[0041] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of providing a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage with reduced purine body concentration and a good balance of flavor intensity, refreshing taste, and aroma and flavor, the ratio of purine body concentration (mg / 100mL) to trehalose concentration (mg / L) in the beverage of the present invention can be set to a predetermined value. Specifically, the upper limit (below or less than) of the above ratio in the beverage is less than 0.3, and can be set to 0.25, 0.20, 0.15, 0.10, 0.09, 0.08, 0.07, 0.06, 0.05, or 0.04. The lower limit (above or exceeding) of the above ratio can be arbitrarily set, for example, it can be set to 0.001, 0.005, 0.010, 0.011, 0.012, 0.013, 0.014, 0.015, 0.016, 0.017, 0.018, 0.019, or 0.020. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily. For example, the range of the above ratio in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be set to 0.001 or more and less than 0.3, 0.01 or more and less than 0.3, 0.015 or more and less than 0.3, 0.02 or more and less than 0.3, 0.001 or more and less than 0.08, 0.01 or more and less than 0.08, 0.015 or more and less than 0.08, 0.02 or more and less than 0.08, 0.001 or more and less than 0.04, 0.01 or more and less than 0.04, 0.015 or more and less than 0.04, or 0.02 or more and less than 0.04.

[0042] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of providing a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage with reduced purine body concentration and a good balance of flavor intensity, refreshing taste, and aroma and flavor, the ratio of sugar concentration (g / 100mL) to trehalose concentration (mg / L) in the beverage of the present invention can be set to a predetermined value. Specifically, the upper limit (below or less than) of the above ratio in the beverage is less than 0.1, and can be set to 0.09, 0.08, 0.07, 0.06, 0.05, 0.04, 0.03, 0.02, or 0.014. The lower limit (above or exceeding) of the above ratio can be arbitrarily set, for example, it can be set to 0.001, 0.002, 0.003, 0.004, 0.005, 0.006, or 0.007. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily. For example, the range of the above ratio in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be set as 0.001 or more and less than 0.1, 0.002 or more and less than 0.1, 0.003 or more and less than 0.1, 0.007 or more and less than 0.1, 0.001 or more and less than 0.03, 0.002 or more and less than 0.03, 0.003 or more and less than 0.03, 0.007 or more and less than 0.03, 0.001 or more and less than 0.014, 0.002 or more and less than 0.014, 0.003 or more and less than 0.014, or 0.007 or more and less than 0.014.

[0043] The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is characterized by a good balance of flavor intensity, refreshing sensation, and aroma and taste despite a reduced purine body concentration. Beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages (especially beer and sparkling wine) with reduced purine body concentration often suffer from aroma problems such as a decrease in body texture. The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention improves the flavor intensity, refreshing sensation, and aroma and taste balance, thus solving the aforementioned problems of beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages with reduced purine body concentration. Here, "flavor intensity" refers to the degree of the characteristic flavor of beer. "Refreshing sensation" refers to an aroma impression that evokes a pleasant sensation and leaves no lingering aftertaste in the mouth. "Aroma and taste balance" refers to the harmonious overall flavor characteristic of beer, where none of the various taste elements constituting the natural flavor of beer (sweetness, bitterness, sourness, umami, etc.) are prominent.

[0044] The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be manufactured without limitation on its manufacturing steps, provided that the purine body concentration is reduced to a specified concentration and trehalose is contained in a manner that achieves a specified concentration. For example, it can be manufactured as follows: Fermentation yeast is added to wort prepared from brewing raw materials such as malt, hops, by-products, and brewing water for fermentation. After storing the resulting fermented liquid at a low temperature, the yeast is removed by a filtration process, thereby producing a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage. The reduction of the purine body concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage can be carried out according to known methods described later. Furthermore, to contain a specified concentration of trehalose in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage, as described above, this can be achieved by adding trehalose during the beverage manufacturing process and appropriately setting the raw materials or manufacturing conditions. In this way, a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage with a reduced purine body concentration and a specified trehalose concentration can be manufactured.

[0045] The concentration of purine bodies in beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages can be reduced using known methods. Non-limiting examples of methods for reducing the concentration of purine bodies in beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages include: methods that reduce the purine body content by contacting the pre-fermentation liquid or fermentation liquid with an adsorbent such as activated carbon or zeolite (see Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 2003-169658, 2004-290071, 2004-290072, and 2015-112090); and methods that reduce the purine body content in beverages by using raw materials other than malt (e.g., soy protein or corn grits) with low purine body incorporation (see Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 2014-117204 and 2014-117205).

[0046] The sugar concentration in beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages can be reduced using known methods. Non-limiting examples of methods for reducing sugar concentration in beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages include: adding glucosylamylase during the saccharification process; adding glucosylamylase during the fermentation process (see *Enzyme Utilization Technology: From Basic / Analysis to Modification / High Functionalization / Industrial Utilization* (edited by Makoto Komiyama, NTS Co., Ltd., 2010), etc.); reducing sugar concentration by increasing yeast-based assimilation through the use of a large amount of liquid sugar containing sugars that can be assimilated by yeast (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-131202); and filtering wort during the saccharification process (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-147780).

[0047] In the above manufacturing steps, wort preparation can be carried out using conventional methods. For example, a mixture of brewing ingredients and brewing water is saccharified, filtered to obtain wort, hops are added to the wort, it is boiled, and the boiled wort is cooled to prepare wort. Alternatively, commercially available enzyme preparations can be added during the saccharification process to prepare the wort. For example, protease preparations can be used separately for protein breakdown, α-amylase preparations, glucoamylase preparations, amylopectin preparations, etc., for sugar breakdown, and β-glucanase preparations, cellulase preparations, etc., or a mixture thereof can be used.

[0048] In the manufacture of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention, in addition to malt, unmalted cereals (e.g., unmalted barley (including its extract), unmalted wheat (including its extract)) may also be used; rice, corn, sorghum, potatoes, starch, sugars (e.g., liquid sugar), fruits (e.g., fruit juice, concentrated fruit juice), coriander or its seeds, spices or their raw materials (e.g., pepper, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper), herbs (e.g., chamomile, sage, basil), vegetables (e.g., sweet potato, pumpkin), buckwheat or sesame, sugar-containing... By-products such as organic materials (e.g., honey, brown sugar), salt, miso, flowers, tea, coffee, cocoa (tea, coffee, and cocoa may include their preparations), and seafood (e.g., oysters, kelp, wakame, dried bonito flakes); nitrogen sources such as protein breakdown products and yeast extracts; grains other than those mentioned above (e.g., soybeans); and other additives such as flavorings, colorings, foaming / foam persistence enhancers, water quality regulators, and fermentation aids are used as brewing raw materials. However, the above is an example, and raw materials other than those mentioned above can be used in the manufacture of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention.

[0049] In the manufacture of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention, by using raw materials containing trehalose (e.g., soybeans, honey) as brewing raw materials, the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage can contain trehalose at a predetermined concentration. In the case of beer, the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention cannot be used as a brewing raw material for beer. However, according to the present invention, by selecting brewing raw materials, the beer can contain trehalose at a predetermined concentration, thereby improving the flavor of the beer, which is advantageous.

[0050] The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can use at least malt and hops as raw materials other than brewing water, and may also use sugars, rice, corn, starch, etc. as raw materials, depending on the circumstances. It should be noted that the all-malt beer in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage can of course be made from malt, hops, and water.

[0051] In the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the concentration of ethyl acetate can be set to, for example, 100 ppm or less. From the viewpoint of improving the intensity, freshness, and balance of aroma and flavor, it is preferably set to 50 ppm or less, more preferably 40 ppm or less, and even more preferably 30 ppm or less. Furthermore, in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the concentration of ethyl acetate can be set to, for example, 1 ppm or more, 2 ppm or more, or 3 ppm or more. The concentration of ethyl acetate in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage can be adjusted by known methods (e.g., using yeast with low ethyl acetate production capacity, adjusting brewing conditions such as fermentation temperature, etc.).

[0052] The concentration of ethyl acetate in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be determined using a headspace gas chromatograph with an FID detector as described in BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (2013 Supplement and Revision) "8.22". For example, the concentration of ethyl acetate can be determined as follows: the gas phase of a beer sample heated in a vial is introduced into a gas chromatograph with an FID detector; the area of ​​ethyl acetate is read from the gas chromatogram; and the amount of each component is calculated from the ratio of its area to the area of ​​an internal standard (n-butanol). In this case, for more accurate concentration determination, it is preferable to use a standard curve based on the measurements of several control samples with known concentrations.

[0053] In the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the concentration of malic acid can be set to, for example, 20-120 ppm, preferably 30-100 ppm. The concentration of malic acid in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage can be determined by capillary electrophoresis as described in BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (2013 Supplement and Revision) "8.24.2".

[0054] In this invention, "bitterness value (BU)" refers to the value determined according to the method described in section 8.15 of the BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (2013 Supplement and Revision). Specifically, it can be obtained by adding acid to the sample beverage, extracting with isooctane, measuring the absorbance of the isooctane layer (275 nm), and multiplying the measured value by 50.

[0055] The bitterness value (BU) of the beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 2 to 60. From the viewpoint of obtaining a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage with a more suitable aroma, it can be set to 3 to 30, preferably 4 to 25, more preferably 5 to 22, and even more preferably 5.5 to 20.

[0056] In this invention, there are no particular limitations on the method for adjusting the bitterness value (BU). Methods for adjusting the amount of hops and / or processed hops used in the manufacture of beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages and / or the boiling time are preferred. Generally, increasing the amount of hops and / or processed hops and / or the boiling time increases the concentration of isoalpha acids and the like in the manufactured beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage, resulting in an increased BU. Conversely, decreasing the amount of hops and / or processed hops and / or the boiling time decreases the concentration of isoalpha acids and the like in the manufactured beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage, resulting in a decreased BU. Examples of hops that can be used include raw hops, hop granules that have been pre-crushed and processed into granules, hop granules containing a large amount of humulin due to pre-screening of humulin particles during processing, and hop extracts obtained by extracting the bitter substances and essential oils from humulin. In addition, as processed hop products, reductive hops, hexahydro hops, tetrahydro hops, and isomerized hop extracts can be used.

[0057] In the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the pH can be set to 2.0 or higher and 7.0 or lower, preferably 2.3 or higher and 5.0 or lower, more preferably 3.0 or higher and 4.7 or lower, and most preferably 3.5 or higher and 4.5 or lower. The pH of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be adjusted using a pH adjuster. The pH of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage can be measured using a commercially available pH meter (e.g., HORIBA Scientific benchtop pH meter, Horiba Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.).

[0058] The beverage provided by this invention can undergo a carbon dioxide addition process, followed by filling and sterilization processes to produce a containerized beverage for delivery. Sterilization can be performed before or after filling the container. Alternatively, if the pH of the beverage is adjusted to less than 4, the filling process can be performed directly without sterilization to produce a containerized beverage.

[0059] The containers used for the beverages of the present invention can be any containers commonly used in beverage filling, such as metal cans, barrels, plastic bottles (e.g., PET bottles, cups), paper containers, bottles, pouches, etc., preferably metal cans, barrels, plastic bottles (e.g., PET bottles), or bottles.

[0060] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage with a purine concentration of 2.0 mg / 100 mL or less is provided, comprising a step of containing trehalose in a manner that results in a trehalose concentration of 5.0 mg / L or more in the manufactured beverage. According to the manufacturing method of the present invention, the flavor of the manufactured beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is improved. Here, "improved flavor" or "flavor enhancement" in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage means that, despite a reduction in the purine concentration, a good effect is achieved in terms of flavor intensity, refreshingness, and the balance between aroma and taste. In addition to the above, the manufacturing method of the present invention can also be implemented according to the description of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention.

[0061] According to another aspect of the present invention, a flavor improvement method is provided for a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage with a purine concentration of 2.0 mg / 100 mL or less, comprising a step of containing trehalose in a manner that results in a trehalose concentration of 5.0 mg / L or more in the manufactured beverage. According to the flavor improvement method, the flavor of a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage with a reduced purine concentration can be improved. In addition to the above, the flavor improvement method of the present invention can also be implemented according to the description of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage and its manufacturing method of the present invention.

[0062] Example

[0063] The invention is illustrated more specifically by the following examples, but the invention is not limited to these examples.

[0064] Determination of alcohol concentration

[0065] The alcohol concentration (ethanol concentration) was determined using the method described in the "National Tax Service Regulations for Analysis".

[0066] Determination of purine body concentration

[0067] Purine body concentration was determined as follows: by LC-MS / MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) after hydrolysis with perchloric acid (refer to Journal of Food Hygiene 55(2): 110-116(2014)).

[0068] Analysis of sugar concentration

[0069] The sugar concentration based on the nutritional labeling benchmark was determined according to the method described in the fifth revision of the Japanese Food Standards Composition Table Analysis Manual, and was calculated by removing water, protein, lipids, ash and dietary fiber from the mass of the sample beverage.

[0070] Determination of trehalose concentration

[0071] Trehalose concentration was determined as follows: The analytical apparatus used was an EXION AC Pump LC and a TripleQuad 3500MS / MS, and the determination was performed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS / MS) under the following conditions.

[0072] <LC Analysis Conditions>

[0073] Column: Hypercarb 2.1mm × 150mm, particle size 3μm (ThermoScientific)

[0074] Flow rate: 0.2 mL / min

[0075] Column temperature: 60℃

[0076] Mobile phase A: 10 mmol / L ammonium acetate solution (0.1 v / v acetic acid)

[0077] Mobile phase B: Methanol

[0078] <Analytical conditions for trehalose>

[0079] Ionization modes: ESI, positive ion mode

[0080] MRM m / z 360.0→163.1

[0081] Example 1: Manufacturing and evaluation of beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages

[0082] In Example 1, test samples of beer-flavored beverages were prepared, and evaluation tests were conducted on each sample.

[0083] (1) Method

[0084] Preparation of test samples A

[0085] Malt is saccharified using enzymes and filtered to obtain wort. Hops and a liquid sugar system containing primarily assimilative sugars are added to the wort, and the mixture is boiled at 100°C. The wort is then allowed to stand, and the coagulated proteins (thermal coagulate) are separated and cooled to obtain pre-fermentation liquid. Sub-fermentation yeast is added to the pre-fermentation liquid, and primary and secondary fermentation are carried out to obtain fermentation liquid. The fermentation liquid is stored at low temperature to stop fermentation, and then filtered to obtain a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage (53% malt). This beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is then diluted, and brewing ethanol (95%) is added to prepare a base beverage (test area 1 shown in Table 3). Test samples for test areas 2–11 shown in Table 3 are prepared by adding either or both of brewing ethanol (95%) and trehalose to this base beverage.

[0086] B Evaluation Test

[0087] The experiment was conducted by four trained reviewers. The evaluation criteria for flavor intensity, freshness, and the balance between aroma and flavor are shown in Table 2. For these evaluation items, based on the evaluation criteria in Table 2, scores were given in increments of 0.1 within a range of 1.0 (minimum) to 5.0 (maximum), and the average score from the four reviewers was calculated. Furthermore, the score for each evaluation item in test area 1 was set to 1.50, and test areas 2 through 11 were evaluated based on the unified evaluation criteria among the reviewers. Samples with a score of 3.0 or higher were considered to have an improvement effect, and samples with a score of 3.5 or higher were considered to have a greater improvement effect.

[0088]

[0089] (2) Results

[0090] The results are shown in Table 3. At the specified trehalose concentration, the intensity of the flavor, the refreshing sensation, and the balance between aroma and flavor all achieved good results with scores of 3.0 or higher.

[0091]

Claims

1. A beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage, wherein the purine body concentration is below 2.0 mg / 100 mL, wherein... The trehalose concentration is above 5.0 mg / L.

2. The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, wherein, The malt usage rate is between 25% and 100%.

3. The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The malt usage rate is between 50% and 100%.

4. The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The concentration of purine bodies is below 0.5 mg / 100 mL.

5. The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The trehalose concentration is below 40.0 mg / L.

6. The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The alcohol concentration is below 10.0 v / v%.

7. The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The ratio of alcohol concentration (v / v%) to trehalose concentration (mg / L) in the beverage is greater than 0.01 and less than 2.

5.

8. The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The ratio of purine body concentration (mg / 100mL) to trehalose concentration (mg / L) in the beverage is less than 0.

3.

9. A method for manufacturing a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage with a purine body concentration of less than 2.0 mg / 100 mL, comprising: The process of making the beverage contain trehalose in such a way that the concentration of trehalose in the beverage reaches 5.0 mg / L or more.

10. A method for improving the flavor of a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage with a purine body concentration of less than 2.0 mg / 100 mL, comprising: The process of making the beverage contain trehalose in such a way that the concentration of trehalose in the beverage reaches 5.0 mg / L or more.

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