Beverage and method for producing the beverage

Abstract

beverage consisting of a mixture - a malt beverage (9) consisting of ▪ a cereal component in the form of a malt wort (10), wherein • the malt wort (10) is formed from barley malt by malting barley, crushing the barley malt, mashing, lautering, boiling and adding hop pellets, hop extract or hop cones, cooling and adding CO2, cold filtering and pasteurizing; ▪ a syrup component (16) consisting of • Sugar syrup (17), roasted malt beer (18), a citric acid solution (19), a vitamin mixture (20) and water; - a caffeine-containing cold water extract (1) which is a filtered and pasteurized extract of a coffee powder made from roasted and ground coffee beans; wherein in the mixture the volume fraction of the caffeine-containing cold water extract (1) is 20 vol% and the volume fraction of the malt beverage (9) is 80 vol%, the caffeine concentration is 175 mg / l and the alcohol content is 0.0 vol%.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a beverage and a method for producing the beverage.

[0002] Various beverages containing aqueous grain components are known from the prior art. These include, in particular, beers, non-alcoholic beers, and malt beverages. Unlike synthetic soft drinks, the above-mentioned beverages can be produced from natural ingredients and have a particularly robust and refreshing taste.

[0003] Furthermore, energy drinks containing caffeine or taurine are known to have a revitalizing or stimulating effect on consumers. However, the often synthetic taste of energy drinks is perceived as a disadvantage by consumers.

[0004] There have therefore been attempts to add caffeine, particularly to beers. For example, pure caffeine is added to the beers. However, some consumers find these beers unsuitable. In particular, the energizing effect is undesirably strong and short-lived.

[0005] Therefore, mixed drinks made from beer and coffee were developed, in which the caffeine in the drink comes from a natural source. In this process, coffee is brewed at temperatures near the boiling point of water, filtered, and then cooled. However, these drinks have the disadvantage of tasting comparatively bitter due to the coffee content. To overcome this, a relatively large amount of sweetener, especially sugar, is required. This, however, rightly raises health concerns among consumers.

[0006] From CH 374 274 A, an aqueous extract of ground coffee, malt coffee, chicory, or mixtures thereof is known. The extraction of the individual components or their mixtures is preferably carried out at low temperatures.

[0007] From internet publications - DRMARIO47: Coffee in a porter recipe [online]. Date of creation: August 28, 2011. On the internet: URL: https: / / www.homebrewersassociation.org / forum / index.php?topic=8959.0; - KLEMP, Florian: Perk Up Your Homebrew: Brewing with Coffee [online]. Date of publication: November 1, 2014. Available online at: URL: http: / / allaboutbeer.com / article / perk-homebrew-brewing-coffee / ; - DERAPULIER: Coffee in Stout [online]. Date of creation: October 23, 2015. On the internet: URL: https: / / hobbybrauer.de / forum / viewtopic.php?t=5610; and - VOREL, Jim: Caffeinated Pints: Cross-Tasting 14 Coffee Beers [online]. Date of publication: September 9, 2016. Available online at: URL: https: / / www.pastemagazine.com / articles / 2016 / 09 / caffeinated-pints-cross-tasting-14-coffee-beers.html; Furthermore, beer-based mixed drinks consisting of a strong beer with a comparatively high alcohol content for beer and a cold extract of coffee powder are known.

[0008] Furthermore, WO 2007 / 113 284 A1 discloses a beer-based mixed drink for the production of which extracts of green and white tea are used. The tea is extracted at temperatures of 180°F (82°C) or less.

[0009] Furthermore, German patent DE 10 2011 115 811 A1 discloses a malt beer mixed drink in which the usual hops are replaced by a caffeine-containing coffee extract. The alcohol content, as is typical for malt beers, is a maximum of 0.2%. The coffee powder in the wort is to be extracted at 89 ± 1 °C.

[0010] The invention is therefore based on the objective of providing a beverage and a method for its production, with which the disadvantages known from the prior art are eliminated.

[0011] As a solution, the invention proposes a beverage with the features according to claim 1.

[0012] It has been found that cold-water extracts of the coffee cherry contain fewer bitter substances and have a higher caffeine concentration than conventional brewed extracts. This improves the taste of the beverage and reduces the amount of sugar required. Furthermore, less extract is needed to achieve the desired caffeine level. It has been shown that such cold-water extracts, in combination with the aqueous grain component of the malt beverage, offer a particularly refreshing aroma and have a particularly invigorating effect. Moreover, the caffeine contained in the cold-water extract, in combination with the ingredients of the grain component, is particularly well tolerated.

[0013] According to the invention, the grain component is a wort made from malted barley. The term "wort" originates from beer production. In this process, grain, either malted or unmalted, is boiled with water under specific conditions, then extracted and further treated. This is the so-called wort. For the production of beer or non-alcoholic beer, the wort is subsequently mixed with yeast or other microorganisms for the purpose of fermentation. In contrast, no yeast is added to the wort when producing malt beverages. It has been found that the wort, in combination with the cold-water extract according to the invention, results in a particularly palatable beverage that is easily digestible and has a revitalizing effect. The combination is particularly advantageous when the grain component is a wort that has not been mixed with yeast, i.e., a yeast-free wort. According to the invention, the use of wort made from malted barley is used in this context.

[0014] A cold-water extract, as defined in the invention, is the product of extracting a starting material with water at temperatures significantly below its boiling point. According to the invention, the water temperature is a maximum of 30 °C. The extraction is carried out at normal pressure of approximately 1 bar. The lower the temperature, the fewer bitter substances and the higher the proportion of caffeine extracted. The invention provides pure cold-water extracts of the coffee powder. These are particularly advantageous in terms of taste when combined with the grain component according to the invention.

[0015] According to the invention, the mixture comprises a syrup component. The syrup component serves to round off the taste, color, and nutritional content of the beverage. The volume fraction of the syrup component in the mixture according to the invention is preferably 0.5% to 15% by volume.

[0016] Sugar syrup is used as a sweetener according to the invention. Roasted malt beer is used as a coloring agent according to the invention. Citric acid is used as an acidifying agent according to the invention. Furthermore, it is according to the invention that the syrup component contains various vitamins for health reasons.

[0017] According to the invention, the beverage contains caffeine. The caffeine concentration in the beverage is 175 mg / l. Packaging options include cans, bottles, sealable cups or glasses, or other drinking containers. In the case according to the invention, where the grain component predominates in the beverage, it is a "soft drink." According to the invention, the caffeine contained in the beverage originates entirely from the caffeine-containing cold water extract. This is advantageous with regard to metabolic tolerability. In particular, the caffeine has a less overall strain on the circulatory system and a longer duration of effect. "Entirely" within the meaning of the invention refers to the caffeine content deliberately and intentionally included in the beverage.

[0018] In principle, a beverage can be alcoholic, non-alcoholic, or alcohol-free. Alcoholic beverages are those with an alcohol content exceeding 0.5% by volume. Non-alcoholic beverages are those with an alcohol content of 0.5% by volume or less. Beverages according to the invention that are "alcohol-free" are those with an alcohol content of 0.0% by volume. It has been found that an alcohol content of 0.0% by volume, in combination with the caffeine-containing cold water extract in the beverage, offers a taste advantage.

[0019] The volume fraction of the syrup component in the mixture according to the invention is preferably 0.5 vol.% to 15 vol.%.

[0020] According to the invention, the beverage is carbonated. This enhances the invigorating effect of the beverage. For this purpose, the mixture is carbonated with CO2.

[0021] Furthermore, the invention proposes a method for producing a beverage with the features according to claim 2 to solve the problem.

[0022] According to the invention, an aqueous grain component and an aqueous caffeine-containing cold water extract are mixed together.

[0023] According to the invention, the coffee powder is produced within the process by roasting raw coffee beans and grinding them into powder. This allows the coffee-related parameters, such as acidity, grind size, and roast level, to be individually adjusted to the beverage. It is particularly preferred to use coffee of the Coffea arabica variety due to its comparatively low acidity. A low acidity has proven advantageous from a taste perspective when mixed with the aqueous grain component.

[0024] According to the invention, the extraction is carried out at normal pressure without additional pressurization. The extraction time is 12 to 17 hours at water temperatures of no more than 30°C. According to the invention, 5 to 15 liters of extraction water are used per kilogram of processed coffee beans. By selecting these extraction parameters, a comparatively low-bitter and high-caffeine extract can be produced.

[0025] According to the invention, the extraction water is circulated during the extraction process. This advantageously ensures optimized mixing between the extraction solvent and the material to be extracted.

[0026] After completion of the extraction, the extract is filtered according to the invention in order to remove the extracted material from the extract.

[0027] According to the invention, the cold water extract is pasteurized after filtration. This serves to kill any microorganisms that could damage the product.

[0028] After production, the cold water extract can optionally be fed directly into a mixer for blending with the aqueous grain component. This eliminates the need for separate bottling and storage, along with the associated costs. Alternatively, the cold water extract can be stored before blending with the grain component for use as needed. This includes concentrating or drying the cold water extract. This allows for both location-independent production of the beverage according to the invention and stockpiling to meet increased seasonal demand.

[0029] According to the invention, a syrup component is added. Specifically, the syrup component is added to the grain component before mixing it with the cold water extract, thus producing a premix. This offers advantages in terms of process engineering. Breweries typically already have the necessary infrastructure for producing beer-based mixed drinks or malt beverages. Beer-based mixed drinks are generally mixtures of beer and lemonade. Malt beverages, on the other hand, are mixtures of malt wort and lemonade. These existing facilities can be easily used to produce the premix of aqueous grain component and syrup component.

[0030] According to the invention, a wort made from barley is produced to manufacture the grain component. For this purpose, the grain is crushed, mashed, lautered, and boiled. According to the invention, the grain is malted before crushing. This advantageously imparts a natural sweetness. Barley malt according to the invention is particularly advantageous in this respect. According to a further feature of the invention, hops, in the form of hop cones, tablets, pellets, or hop extract, are added to the malted wort after boiling, which advantageously influences the flavor of the wort.

[0031] After boiling, the wort is clarified, separated, and / or at least filtered according to the invention. This serves to remove any solid residues from the wort. Furthermore, the wort is cooled after boiling. According to the invention, this takes place before filtration.

[0032] According to the invention, the grain component is further processed into a malt beverage. The wort is produced from barley malt and, in this case, is processed directly without the addition of yeast. According to the invention, this wort is then carbonated. This enhances the invigorating effect of the beverage.

[0033] The aqueous grain component is mixed with the syrup component immediately after its production. This eliminates the need for separate bottling and storage, and the associated costs. Alternatively, the aqueous grain component can be concentrated and stored as a concentrate or powder. This allows for both location-independent production of the beverage according to the invention and stockpiling to meet increased seasonal demand.

[0034] The inventive and preferred features of the invention, both individually and in combination, provide the synergistic advantage of a beverage that is refreshing, well-tolerated, and invigorating compared to beverages known from the prior art, and which contains less sweetener. The invention particularly utilizes the synergistic combination of a caffeine-containing cold-water coffee extract with a comparatively low bitterness on the one hand, and a grain component that is already nutritious and invigorating on its own, such as the malt beverage according to the invention. The aforementioned grain component contains, among other things, protein, minerals, and carbohydrates, which serve as important energy sources for the brain, nerves, and muscles.The health-promoting effect of the grain component is further enhanced by the beneficial, particularly antimicrobial, effect of the hops contained according to the invention. The mixture according to the invention is particularly effective in combination with caffeine obtained by cold water extraction.

[0035] The invention is explained below using an exemplary embodiment. Fig. 1 A schematic flow diagram of a method according to the invention in schematic representation.

[0036] Fig. Figure 1 shows the production of a beverage according to the invention. A caffeine-containing cold water extract 1 is produced. For this purpose, in the present example, coffee beans are roasted and ground into coffee powder in process step 2.

[0037] In process step 3, the coffee powder is weighed and comes into contact with the extraction solvent, in this case water. The ratio between coffee powder and extraction solvent is adjusted to 10 liters per kilogram of coffee powder. The water is at a temperature of 25 °C.

[0038] In process step 4, extraction takes place for 15 hours at normal pressure of approximately 1 bar without additional pressurization. During this time, the water is circulated continuously or intermittently. Process step 5 marks the end of the extraction process. Circulation is stopped no later than this step.

[0039] In process step 6, the extract is filtered to separate it from solid components, especially coffee powder. In step 7, the filtered extract is pasteurized to eliminate product-damaging microorganisms.

[0040] In step 8, the cold water extract 1 is cooled and can optionally be stored before being mixed with the other ingredients in process step 25 to produce the beverage according to the invention. Alternatively, the cooled cold water extract 1 can be added directly to process step 25.

[0041] Furthermore, the present exemplary process includes the production of a malt beverage 9 consisting of a malt wort 10 and a syrup component 16.

[0042] In the production of malt wort 10, a grain, in this case barley, is first malted in process step 11. In step 12, the barley malt is crushed, mashed, lautered, and boiled, and mixed with hop pellets, hop extract, or hop cones.

[0043] In step 13, the malt wort 10 is cooled and CO2 is added. Then, in step 14, the malt wort 10 is cold filtered.

[0044] In step 15, malt wort 10 is pasteurized to eliminate product-damaging microorganisms. Here, the malt wort 10 is then directly added to process step 23, the premix.

[0045] In the production of syrup component 16, a sugar syrup 17, preferably invert sugar syrup, is mixed with roasted malt beer, a citric acid solution, and a vitamin mixture, in particular comprising vitamin C, in process steps 18, 19, and 20. This mixture is then diluted with water in process step 21.

[0046] In process step 23, the aqueous malt wort 10 is mixed with the aqueous syrup component 16 as part of a premix to form a malt beverage 9. Optionally, further water 22 can be added to the mixture for dilution.

[0047] The malt beverage 9 thus obtained can optionally be fed directly to process step 25. Alternatively, it can be stored in an additional step 24 until it is needed. For this purpose, it is preferably concentrated to a concentrate or dried to a powder or granules.

[0048] The caffeine-containing cold water extract 1 is then mixed in process step 25 with the malt beverage 9, comprising an aqueous malt wort 10 and an aqueous syrup component 16. The mixture is adjusted so that the volume fraction of the caffeine-containing cold water extract 1 is 20% by volume and the volume fraction of the malt beverage 9 is 80% by volume. The caffeine concentration in the mixture is 175 mg / l. The alcohol content in the mixture is 0.0% by volume.

[0049] In step 26, the beverage is then filled into suitable containers. These can be either relatively large containers for delivery to intermediaries or ready-to-drink containers, such as bottles or cans. Reference sign 1 Cold water extract 2 Roasting / Grinding 3. Adjusting the coffee-to-water ratio 4 Extraction 5 End of extraction 6. Filter 7. Pasteurize 8. Cooling 9 Malt beverage 10 malt wort 11 Malting 12. Milling, mashing, lautering and boiling 13. Cool and add CO2 14 Filtering 15 Pasteurize 16 syrup components 17 Sugar syrup 18 Roasted malt beer 19 Citric acid solution 20 Vitamin Mix 21 Dilute 22 Dilute 23 Premix 24 storage 25 Mixture of cold water extract and malt beverage 26 Bottling

Claims

[1] beverage consisting of a mixture comprising - a malt beverage (9) consisting of ▪ a cereal component in the form of a malt wort (10), wherein • the malt wort (10) is formed from barley malt by malting barley, crushing the barley malt, mashing, lautering, boiling and adding hop pellets, hop extract or hop cones, cooling and adding CO2, cold filtering and pasteurizing; ▪ a syrup component (16) consisting of • Sugar syrup (17), roasted malt beer (18), a citric acid solution (19), a vitamin mixture (20) and water; - a caffeine-containing cold water extract (1) which is a filtered and pasteurized extract of a coffee powder made from roasted and ground coffee beans; wherein in the mixture the volume fraction of the caffeine-containing cold water extract (1) is 20 vol% and the volume fraction of the malt beverage (9) is 80 vol%, the caffeine concentration is 175 mg / l and the alcohol content is 0.0 vol%. [2] Method for producing a beverage according to claim 1, - in which a caffeine-containing cold water extract (1) is produced, ▪ wherein coffee beans are roasted and ground into coffee powder, wherein the coffee powder is weighed and contacted with water as the extraction solvent, wherein the ratio between coffee powder and extraction solvent is adjusted to 5 l to 15 l per kg of coffee powder, wherein the water has a temperature of no more than 30 °C, wherein extraction is carried out for 12 h to 17 h at normal pressure without additional pressurization and the water is continuously or intermittently circulated, wherein the circulation is subsequently stopped, wherein after completion of the extraction the extract is filtered to separate it from solid components, wherein the filtered extract is pasteurized to eliminate product-damaging microorganisms, and wherein the cold water extract (1) is cooled, and - in which a malt beverage (9) is produced consisting of a malt wort (10) and a syrup component (16), ▪ wherein in the production of the malt wort (10) barley is first malted and then the barley malt is crushed, mashed, lautered and boiled and mixed with hop pellets, hop extract or hop cones, wherein the malt wort (10) is then cooled and CO2 is added, wherein the malt wort (10) is then cold filtered and subsequently pasteurized to eliminate product-damaging microorganisms, and ▪ wherein in the preparation of the syrup component (16) a sugar syrup (17) is mixed with roasted malt beer (18), a citric acid solution (19) and a vitamin mixture (20) and this mixture is then diluted with water, and ▪ in which the aqueous malt wort (10) is mixed with the aqueous syrup component (16) as part of a premix to form the malt beverage (9), and - in which the caffeine-containing cold water extract (1) is mixed with the malt beverage (9), the mixture being adjusted such that the volume fraction of the caffeine-containing cold water extract (1) is 20 vol% and the volume fraction of the malt beverage (9) is 80 vol%, the caffeine concentration is 175 mg / l and the alcohol content is 0.0 vol%.

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