Method of producing beer-like sparkling beverage

Abstract

To provide a method of producing a beer-like sparkling beverage whose turbidity is sufficiently reduced in spite of performing dry hopping.SOLUTION: A method for producing a beer-like sparkling beverage includes: a mashing step of preparing a fermentation raw material liquid; a fermentation step of inoculating yeast into the fermentation raw material liquid to carry out fermentation; a liquid separation step of separating the resulting fermentation liquid into fermentation liquids A and B; a first aging step of aging the fermentation liquid A in a storage tank A without the addition of hops; a second aging step of aging the fermentation liquid B in a storage tank B with the addition of hops, and then removing the yeast and hops; a blending step of mixing the storage liquid in the storage tank B after the second aging step with the storage liquid in the storage tank A after the first aging step; a low-temperature stabilization step of maintaining the mixed storage liquid obtained in the blending step at 5°C or lower; and a filtration step of filtering the storage liquid after the low-temperature stabilization step.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage by performing so-called dry hopping, in which, after all the steps of heating are completed in beer production, hops are added to a liquid cooled to, for example, 20°C or lower.

Background Art

[0002] Hops are an important raw material for imparting the characteristic bitterness and aroma of beer. In the production of ordinary beer, in order to impart sufficient bitterness to the final product beer, hops are added to the wort during boiling in the mashing process (kettle hopping). When a stronger aroma derived from hops is to be imparted, hops may be added to the wort immediately before the end of boiling or to the whirlpool after the end of boiling (late hopping). Also, as a method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage rich in aroma components derived from hops, hops can be added after wort cooling (dry hopping).

[0003] Since the hops added by dry hopping are not heat-treated, they can impart an aroma different from that of late hopping. For this reason, dry hopping is used for the production of beer-like foaming beverages having a characteristic aroma derived from hops, and various improvement methods have also been developed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method in which hops used for dry hopping are appropriately heat-treated in advance in order to reduce the pungency and harshness while maintaining the emphasized hop aroma of the flavor of dry-hopped beer.

[0004] Beer produced using dry hopping contains a large amount of polyphenols derived from hops added by dry hopping, so generally the turbidity is high, and turbidity that can be visually recognized often occurs. Therefore, a method for producing a clearer beer-like foaming beverage even when dry hopping is desired. As a method for reducing the turbidity of the product beer, for example, a method of adding carrageenan as a clarifying agent to the wort in the whirlpool after boiling treatment is known (Non-Patent Document 1).

[0005] On the other hand, during the beer production process, especially a method of adding fruits to the aging tank and leaching their components to impart the flavor of the fruits to the beer is practiced by European beer manufacturers and is known as a characteristic beer. For example, Patent Document 2 describes that a fermented malt beverage that does not lose the beer-like flavor derived from malt and is harmonious with the flavor derived from fruit juice can be produced by mixing a charge liquid containing wort and fruit juice in an appropriate ratio and inoculating and fermenting the obtained mixed liquid with yeast.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Non-Patent Documents

[0007]

Non-Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0008] When performing dry hopping, by adding carrageenan to the wort in the whirlpool after boiling treatment, although the turbidity of the product beer is slightly reduced, the reduction in turbidity is insufficient, and it is difficult to obtain a clear beer-like carbonated beverage.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a beer-like carbonated beverage with sufficiently reduced turbidity despite performing dry hopping. [Means for Solving the Problems]

[0010] As a result of intensive research to solve the above problems, the present inventors divided the fermentation broth into two liquids, added hops only to one of the fermentation broths, performed dry hopping and aging, and aged the remaining fermentation broth without adding hops. Then, by mixing both liquids and further aging the obtained mixed liquid, it was found that a clear beer-like carbonated beverage rich in beer aroma can be obtained without using a clarifying agent, and the present invention was completed.

[0011] The present invention is as follows. [1] A charging step of saccharifying a mixture containing a fermentation raw material and water, and boiling the obtained saccharified liquid to prepare a fermentation raw material liquid; A fermentation step of inoculating yeast into the fermentation raw material liquid and fermenting; A liquid splitting step of splitting the fermentation broth obtained in the fermentation step into fermentation broth A and fermentation broth B; A first aging step of aging the fermentation broth A in a storage tank A without adding hops; A second aging step of aging the fermentation broth B in a storage tank B with hops added, and then removing yeast and hops; A liquid mixing step of mixing the stored liquid in the storage tank B after the second aging step and the stored liquid in the storage tank A after the first aging step; A low-temperature stabilization step of holding the stored liquid obtained in the liquid mixing step at 5°C or lower; A filtration step of filtering the stored liquid after the low-temperature stabilization step; A method for producing a beer-like carbonated beverage, comprising: [2] The method for producing the beer-like foaming beverage according to [1], wherein the mass ratio of the fermentation broth A to the fermentation broth B is 1.0 to 5.0:1.0. [3] The method for producing the beer-like foaming beverage according to [1] or [2], wherein in the second aging step, the yeast is removed from the liquid in the beer storage tank B by withdrawing the sediment from the bottom of the beer storage tank B. [4] The method for producing the beer-like foaming beverage according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein in the second aging step, after removing the yeast from the liquid in the beer storage tank B, the hops are removed. [5] The method for producing the beer-like foaming beverage according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the turbidity of the obtained beer-like foaming beverage is 10.0 °EBC or less. [6] The method for producing the beer-like foaming beverage according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the linalool concentration of the obtained beer-like foaming beverage is 250 ppb or more. [7] A method for reducing the turbidity of a beer-like foaming beverage, which has a charging step, a fermentation step, an aging step, a low-temperature stabilization step, and a filtration step, and is produced by adding hops during the aging step, wherein the aging step is a liquid separation step of dividing the fermentation broth obtained in the fermentation step into a fermentation broth A and a fermentation broth B, a first aging step of aging the fermentation broth A in a beer storage tank A without adding hops, a second aging step of aging the fermentation broth B in a beer storage tank B with hops added, and then removing the yeast and the hops, a liquid mixing step of mixing the stored liquor in the beer storage tank B after the second aging step and the stored liquor in the beer storage tank A after the first aging step, and is carried out by the above steps, a method for reducing the turbidity of a beer-like foaming beverage. [8] The method for producing the beer-like foaming beverage according to [7], wherein the mass ratio of the fermentation broth A to the fermentation broth B is 1.0 to 5.0:1.0. [Effect of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a beer-like foaming beverage having sufficient hop aroma and sufficiently reduced turbidity without using a clarifying agent.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] In the present invention and this specification, "ppm" means "mass ppm (mg / L)" and "ppb" means "mass ppb (ng / L)".

[0014] In the present invention and this specification, a beer-like foaming beverage is a foaming beverage having a beer-like quality. In the present invention and this specification, "beer-like quality" means a taste that reminds one of beer in terms of flavor, regardless of the product name or label. That is, a beer-like foaming beverage means a foaming beverage having a flavor, taste, and texture equivalent to or similar to that of beer, and having a high quenching feeling and drinkability (the property of being able to drink several glasses continuously without getting tired), regardless of the presence or absence and content of alcohol, the use or non-use of malt, the use or non-use of hops, the presence or absence of fermentation, etc.

[0015] Beer-like foaming beverages include both alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beverages that do not contain alcohol. Specific examples of the beer-like foaming beverage produced by the beer-like foaming beverage according to the present invention include beverages produced through a fermentation process, such as beer, sparkling wine, low-alcohol beer-like foaming beverages, non-alcoholic beer, etc. In addition, liqueurs obtained by mixing a beverage produced through a fermentation process with an alcohol-containing distillate are also included.

[0016] Note that the alcohol-containing distillate is a solution containing alcohol obtained by a distillation operation, and generally, those classified as distilled spirits can be used. For example, it may be raw material alcohol, and distilled spirits such as spirits, whiskey, brandy, vodka, rum, tequila, gin, and shochu can be used.

[0017] The method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage according to the present invention is a method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage by dry hopping, which comprises dividing the fermentation broth into two liquids, fermentation broth A and fermentation broth B. Fermentation broth A is aged as it is without adding hops, and fermentation broth B is aged with hops added. After removing yeast and hops, the two liquids are mixed and further aged. By performing dry hopping with a reduced amount of the fermentation broth, insolubles increased by the addition of hops are more likely to settle, and a beer-like foaming beverage with a sufficiently reduced turbidity can be produced without using a clarifying agent such as carrageenan.

[0018] The method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage according to the present invention specifically comprises: a charging step of saccharifying a mixture containing a fermentation raw material and water, and boiling the obtained saccharified liquid to prepare a fermentation raw material liquid; a fermentation step of inoculating yeast into the fermentation raw material liquid and fermenting it; a liquid dividing step of dividing the fermentation broth obtained in the fermentation step into two, fermentation broth A and fermentation broth B; a first aging step of aging fermentation broth A in a storage tank A without adding hops; a second aging step of aging fermentation broth B in a storage tank B with hops added, and then removing yeast and hops; a liquid mixing step of mixing the stored liquid in storage tank B after the second aging step and the stored liquid in storage tank A after the first aging step; a low-temperature stabilization step of maintaining the stored liquid obtained in the liquid mixing step at 5°C or lower; a filtration step of filtering the stored liquid after the low-temperature stabilization step; and has.

[0019] The method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage according to the present invention can be produced in the same manner as a general beer-like foaming beverage, except that it has an aging step of adding hops only to a part of the fermentation broth. Hereinafter, each step will be described.

[0020] As a charging step (fermentation raw material liquid preparation step), a fermentation raw material liquid is prepared from a fermentation raw material. Specifically, first, a mixture containing a fermentation raw material and raw water is prepared and heated to saccharify the starch of the fermentation raw material. Auxiliary raw materials other than water may be added to the mixture, such as the fermentation raw material. Examples of the auxiliary raw materials include hops, water-soluble dietary fiber, yeast extract, proteolysate, sweeteners, bitter agents, fruit juices, coloring agents, herbs, spices, and the like.

[0021] In the method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage according to the present invention, only malt may be used as the fermentation raw material, or malt and other fermentation raw materials may be used, or only fermentation raw materials other than malt may be used. The malt used as the fermentation raw material may be barley malt, wheat malt, or both may be used in combination. In the method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage according to the present invention, when malt is used as the fermentation raw material, the malt usage ratio (the ratio of the amount of malt used to the total amount of fermentation raw materials) is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of excellent beer-like flavor, the malt usage ratio is preferably 50 to 100% by mass, more preferably 70 to 100% by mass, and even more preferably 90 to 100% by mass.

[0022] As the cereal raw material other than malt used in the method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage according to the present invention, one type of cereal raw material may be used, or a mixture of multiple types of cereal raw materials may be used. As the fermentation raw material other than malt, only cereal raw materials may be used, only sugar raw materials may be used, or both may be used in combination. Examples of the cereal raw materials include cereals other than malt, rice, corn, beans such as soybeans, and tubers. Examples of the sugar raw materials include sugars such as liquid sugar and sucrose.

[0023] Each cereal raw material including malt can be used as cereal syrup, cereal extract, etc., but it is preferably used as a cereal pulverized product obtained by pulverization treatment. The pulverization treatment of cereals can be performed by a conventional method. The cereal pulverized product may be one subjected to the treatments usually performed before and after the pulverization treatment, such as malt crushed product, corn starch, corn grits, etc.

[0024] By using hops as a raw material, a beer-like foamy beverage containing iso-α acids can be produced. The hops used as a raw material may be fresh hops, dried hops, hop pellets, or processed hop products. The processed hop products used as a raw material may be hop extracts obtained by extracting bitter components from hops. Further, processed hop products containing components obtained by isomerizing bitter components in hops, such as isomerized hop extracts, tetrahydroisohumulone, and hexahydroisohumulone, may also be used.

[0025] Water-soluble dietary fiber means carbohydrates that dissolve in water and are not digested or are difficult to digest by human digestive enzymes. Examples of the water-soluble dietary fiber used in the present invention include indigestible dextrin, polydextrose, soy dietary fiber, galactomannan, inulin, guar gum degradation products, pectin, gum arabic, and the like. These water-soluble dietary fibers may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0026] The sweetener may be sugar, a sweetener with a relatively low sweetness, or a high-intensity sweetener. Specific examples of the sweetener with a relatively low sweetness include polysaccharides and sweet amino acids. Polysaccharides mean carbohydrates in which three or more monosaccharides are polymerized. Polysaccharides are mainly classified into starch, dextrin, and oligosaccharides according to their size. Oligosaccharides are carbohydrates in which about 3 to 10 monosaccharides are polymerized, and dextrin is a carbohydrate obtained by hydrolyzing starch and refers to a substance larger than oligosaccharides. Examples of the sweet amino acids include alanine and glycine, and alanine is preferred. Examples of the high-intensity sweeteners include potassium acesulfame, neotame, aspartame, sucralose, stevia, and enzyme-treated stevia. These sweeteners may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0027] As the bittering agent, in the beer-like foaming beverage which is the product, there is no particular limitation as long as it exhibits a bitterness similar to or approximate to that of beer. It may be a bitter component contained in hops, or a bitter component not contained in hops. Specifically, examples of the bittering agent include magnesium salts, calcium salts, tributyl citrate, triethyl citrate, naringin, quassin, iso-α acids, tetraiso-α acids, oxides of β acids, quinine, momordicin, quercitrin, theobromine, caffeine and other bitterness-imparting components, and bitter melon, Korean ginseng tea, kudingcha tea, mugwort extract, gentiana extract, cinchona extract and other bitterness-imparting materials. These bittering agents may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0028] Examples of the proteolytic product include soy protein hydrolyzate. Examples of the coloring agent include caramel pigment. Examples of the flavoring agent include beer flavor, beer fragrance, hop fragrance.

[0029] In the charging step, it is preferable to add saccharifying enzymes such as α-amylase, glucoamylase, pullulanase and enzyme agents such as protease. By these enzymes, the decomposition reaction of non-assimilable sugars in the fermentation raw material into assimilable sugars is promoted, and even when using a fermentation raw material with a high malt usage ratio, a fermentation raw material liquid with a low non-assimilable sugar content can be prepared.

[0030] The saccharification treatment is carried out using enzymes derived from cereal raw materials and the like or enzymes added separately. The temperature and time during the saccharification treatment are appropriately adjusted in consideration of the type of cereal raw materials used, the proportion of cereal raw materials in the whole fermentation raw material, the type and amount of enzymes added, the quality of the target beer-like foaming beverage, and the like. For example, the saccharification treatment can be carried out by a conventional method such as holding a mixture containing cereal raw materials at 35 to 70 °C for 20 to 90 minutes. By adjusting the time of the saccharification treatment, the saccharification efficiency can be controlled, and the sugar content of the finally obtained beer-like foaming beverage can also be adjusted within a desired range.

[0031] By boiling the sugar solution obtained after the saccharification treatment, a boiled juice (the boiled product of the sugar solution) can be prepared. It is preferable to filter the sugar solution before the boiling treatment and subject the obtained filtrate to the boiling treatment. Alternatively, instead of the filtrate of this sugar solution, a mixture obtained by adding warm water to malt extract may be used and boiled. The boiling method and its conditions can be determined as appropriate.

[0032] Before or during the boiling treatment, by appropriately adding vanilla or the like, a beer-like foaming beverage having a desired flavor can be produced. In particular, it is preferable to add hops before or during the boiling treatment. By performing the boiling treatment in the presence of hops, the flavor and aroma components of hops can be efficiently extracted. The addition amount of hops, the addition mode (for example, adding in several portions), and the boiling conditions can be determined as appropriate.

[0033] After the charging step and before the fermentation step, it is preferable to remove the lees such as proteins generated by precipitation from the prepared boiled juice. The removal of the lees may be performed by any solid-liquid separation treatment, but generally, the precipitate is removed using a tank called a whirlpool. The temperature of the boiled juice at this time may be 15°C or higher, and generally, it is carried out at about 50 to 100°C. The boiled juice (filtrate) after removing the lees is cooled to an appropriate fermentation temperature by a plate cooler or the like. The boiled juice after removing the lees becomes the fermentation raw material liquid.

[0034] Next, as the fermentation step, yeast is inoculated into the cooled fermentation raw material liquid and fermentation is carried out. The cooled fermentation raw material liquid may be directly subjected to the fermentation step, or may be subjected to the fermentation step after being adjusted to a desired extract concentration. The yeast used for fermentation is not particularly limited, and usually, it can be appropriately selected from the yeasts used in the production of alcoholic beverages. It may be a top-fermenting yeast or a bottom-fermenting yeast, but from the viewpoints of easy application to large-scale brewing facilities and easy removal together with sediment in the aging step, it is preferable to be a bottom-fermenting yeast.

[0035] After the fermentation step, as an aging step, the obtained fermented liquid is aged (post-fermented) in a storage tank. When transferring the fermented liquid from the fermentation tank to the storage tank, it is preferable to separate and recover at least a part of the yeast, particularly the precipitated yeast, from the fermented liquid. The fermented liquid transferred into the storage tank is aged by being left standing for several days to about two weeks in a temperature range (aging temperature) of about ±5°C from the fermentation temperature.

[0036] The fermented liquid (fermented liquid A and fermented liquid B) transferred to the storage tank after the fermentation step preferably has an extract content (true extract) of 5.0 mass% or more. Since there is sufficient extract content at the start of aging, fermentation by the remaining yeast during aging proceeds, and a beer-like foaming beverage with more excellent flavor can be obtained. The true extract (mass%) of the fermented liquid can be measured based on the method (8.4) described in the Revised BCOJ (Brewery Convention of Japan) analysis method (published by the Japan Brewery Association).

[0037] In the method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage according to the present invention, after removing at least a part of the yeast from the fermented liquid, preferably, the fermented liquid is divided into two parts, fermented liquid A and fermented liquid B (liquid division step). Next, fermented liquid A is aged in storage tank A without adding hops (first aging step). Fermented liquid B is aged in storage tank B with hops added, and then the yeast and hops are removed (second aging step). In dry hopping in which hops are added to the fermented liquid to be aged (post-fermented) after the main fermentation (fermentation in the fermentation step), by adding hops only to a part of the fermented liquid and extracting the components derived from hops, the insolubles increased by the addition of hops are likely to precipitate.

[0038] As long as the fermented liquid is divided into two liquids, fermented liquid A and fermented liquid B, the mass ratio of fermented liquid A and fermented liquid B is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the liquid volume (mass) of fermented liquid A is equal to or more than the liquid volume (mass) of fermented liquid B. In particular, the mass ratio of fermented liquid A and fermented liquid B is preferably 1.0 to 5.0:1.0, more preferably 1.5 to 4.5:1.0, and even more preferably 2.0 to 4.0:1.0.

[0039] As the hops added to the fermentation liquid B in the beer storage tank B by dry hopping, the hops listed above can be used. When using fresh hops, dried hops, hop pellets, etc. as hops, these can be added to the fermentation liquid as they are and mixed.

[0040] The amount of hops added to the fermentation liquid B is not particularly limited, and any amount sufficient to achieve a desired content of hop-derived aroma components may be used, and it can be appropriately determined in consideration of the type and quality of the hops used. The intensity of the hop aroma imparted by dry hopping can be indicated by, for example, the content of linalool in the beer-like carbonated beverage. Linalool is one of the main hop-derived aroma components responsible for a flowery hop aroma. In the present invention, the amount of hops added to the fermentation liquid B is preferably such that the linalool concentration in the final product, the beer-like carbonated beverage, is 250 ppb or more, and more preferably 300 ppb or more. According to the present invention, a beer-like carbonated beverage containing a very rich amount of hop-derived aroma components such as linalool without separately adding a fragrance or the like can be produced. The upper limit value of the linalool concentration of the beer-like carbonated beverage produced by the method for producing a beer-like carbonated beverage according to the present invention is not particularly limited, and for example, it is preferably 1000 ppb or less, more preferably 750 ppb or less, further preferably 500 ppb or less, and even more preferably 400 ppb or less. The linalool content in the beer-like carbonated beverage can be quantified by GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry).

[0041] In the second aging step, hops may be added to the fermentation broth B before it is introduced into the beer storage tank B, may be added to the fermentation broth B after it is contained in the beer storage tank B at the start of aging, or may be added to the liquid in the beer storage tank B at any time from the start to the end of the second aging step. Since it is easy to obtain a beer-like foaming beverage with a more beer-like flavor due to sufficient fermentation by yeast in the presence of hops, the timing of adding hops to the liquid in the beer storage tank B is more preferably before the lapse of 7 days from the start of the second aging step, even more preferably before the lapse of 3 days from the start of the second aging step, and even more preferably at the start of the second aging step.

[0042] In the second aging step, after adding hops to the fermentation broth B, it is aged in the beer storage tank B for a predetermined time, and then yeast and hops are removed from the liquid in the beer storage tank B. For the removal of yeast, at least a part of the yeast may be removed, and it is particularly preferable to remove the precipitated yeast. For the removal of yeast and hops, either one may be removed first, or they may be removed simultaneously. For example, after adding hops to the liquid in the beer storage tank B and aging for a predetermined time, yeast may be removed, and then after further aging for a predetermined time, hops may be removed. Also, after adding hops to the liquid in the beer storage tank B and aging for a predetermined time, hops may be removed, and then after further aging for a predetermined time, yeast may be removed. The second aging step may end immediately after removing yeast and hops from the liquid in the beer storage tank B, or may end after further aging for a predetermined time after removing yeast and hops from the liquid in the beer storage tank B.

[0043] The aging time until yeast is removed from the liquid in the beer storage tank B is not particularly limited, but it may be a time sufficient for the insoluble matter extracted from the hops to precipitate together with the yeast to form a sediment, and can be appropriately determined in consideration of the extract concentration of the fermentation broth B, the type and amount of hops added, the aging temperature, and the like. As the aging time until yeast is removed from the liquid in the beer storage tank B in the present invention, for example, it can be 1 to 14 days, preferably 1 to 10 days, more preferably 1 to 7 days in a temperature range of about ±5°C from the fermentation temperature.

[0044] The aging time until the hops are removed from the liquid in the beer storage tank B is not particularly limited, as long as it is sufficient time for the aroma components to be extracted from the hops. It can be appropriately determined in consideration of the extract concentration of the fermentation liquid B, the type and amount of hops added, the aging temperature, etc. The aging time until the hops are removed from the liquid in the beer storage tank B in the present invention can be, for example, 1 to 14 days, preferably 1 to 10 days, more preferably 1 to 7 days in a temperature range of about ±5°C from the fermentation temperature.

[0045] The method for removing the yeast and hops from the liquid in the beer storage tank B is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to remove the sediment formed at the bottom of the beer storage tank B. As aging progresses, yeast, hops, and other insoluble substances (especially aggregates of hop-derived polyphenols and proteins) settle at the bottom of the beer storage tank B to form sediment. By removing the sediment at the bottom of the beer storage tank B, the yeast and hops can be removed simultaneously, and the liquid in the beer storage tank B can be clarified. By mixing the clarified beer liquid in the beer storage tank B after the second aging step with the beer liquid in the beer storage tank A after the first aging step, a beer liquid with a significantly reduced turbidity (clarified beer liquid) can be obtained. The method for removing the sediment containing yeast formed at the bottom of the beer storage tank B is not particularly limited, but in order to avoid the sediment diffusing into the supernatant liquid, it is preferable to draw out the sediment from the bottom of the beer storage tank. Also, the supernatant liquid can be drawn out from the side wall of the beer storage tank above the sediment.

[0046] The first aging step is performed by allowing the fermentation liquid A contained in the beer storage tank A to stand in a temperature range of about ±5°C from the fermentation temperature. In the first aging step, the aging time for aging the fermentation liquid A in the beer storage tank A is the time until the second aging step is completed. The beer liquid obtained by aging the fermentation liquid A is allowed to stand in the beer storage tank A until it is mixed with the liquid in the beer storage tank B after the yeast and hops have been removed.

[0047] After the first aging process and the second aging process, as a mixing step, the stored liquor in storage tank A and the stored liquor in storage tank B are mixed. The mixing of the two stored liquors may be performed by introducing the stored liquor in storage tank A into storage tank B, but it is preferably performed by introducing the stored liquor in storage tank B into storage tank A. Further, both the stored liquor in storage tank A and the stored liquor in storage tank B may be introduced into a new storage tank.

[0048] The stored liquor obtained in the mixing step (the mixed liquor of the stored liquor in storage tank A after the first aging process and the stored liquor in storage tank B after the second aging process) may be directly subjected to the next low-temperature stabilization process, or may be further aged. By maintaining the temperature at the aging temperature even after the mixing step, a sufficiently aged stored liquor can be obtained. When further aging is performed after the mixing step, the aging period for aging the stored liquor obtained in the mixing step is not particularly limited. For example, the aging time from the start of the first aging process and the second aging process to the end of aging after the mixing step can be about 1 day to 2 weeks.

[0049] Next, as a low-temperature stabilization process, after the mixing step, the stored liquor, which may be further aged if necessary, is maintained at 5°C or lower, preferably about -2 to 2°C. The stored liquor obtained after aging is stored under low-temperature conditions to be stabilized. In the low-temperature stabilization process, the storage time (low-temperature stabilization treatment time) under low-temperature conditions is not particularly limited. For example, it can be 1 day to several months.

[0050] Furthermore, as a filtration step, the stored liquor after low-temperature stabilization is filtered. By this filtration treatment, insoluble matter that has not settled can be removed to produce a beer-like foaming beverage with a very low turbidity. Examples of such insoluble matter include floating yeast and proteins. The filtration treatment may be any method capable of filtering and removing yeast. For example, diatomaceous earth filtration, filter filtration using a filter with an average pore size of about 0.4 to 1.0 μm, etc. can be mentioned.

[0051] Before the filtration treatment, the beer storage liquid after low-temperature stabilization may be centrifuged. The centrifugation can be carried out by a conventional method. Also, the beer storage liquid after low-temperature stabilization may be diluted by adding an appropriate amount of water before filtration or before centrifugation.

[0052] The filtrate obtained in the filtration step may be directly used as a beer-like foaming beverage, or may be diluted by adding an appropriate amount of water to obtain a desired alcohol concentration and then used as a beer-like foaming beverage. Also, the filtrate obtained in the filtration step may be mixed with an alcohol-containing distillate to obtain a beer-like foaming beverage corresponding to liqueurs under the Liquor Tax Law. The addition of the alcohol-containing distillate may be before or after the water addition for adjusting the alcohol concentration. Since the added alcohol-containing distillate can produce a beer-like foaming beverage with a more preferable malt flavor, malt spirits are preferred. The obtained beer-like foaming beverage is usually bottled by a filling process and shipped as a product.

[0053] The beer-like foaming beverage produced by the method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage according to the present invention may be an alcoholic beverage or a non-alcoholic beverage without alcohol. As the beer-like foaming beverage produced by the method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage according to the present invention, an alcoholic beverage, for example, an alcoholic beverage having an alcohol concentration of 0.5% by volume or more is preferable, more preferably 0.5 to 10.0% by volume, still more preferably 0.5 to 8.0% by volume, and even more preferably 2.5 to 8.0% by volume.

[0054] By the method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage according to the present invention, dry hopping can be carried out, and a beer-like foaming beverage with very low turbidity can be produced despite having a rich hop aroma. As the turbidity of the beer-like foaming beverage produced by the method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage according to the present invention, it is preferably 10.0 °EBC or less, more preferably 5.0 °EBC or less, still more preferably 3.0 °EBC or less, and even more preferably 2.0 °EBC or less.

[0055] Here, EBC is a turbidity unit, which is a unit based on a turbidity standard solution defined by the official analytical method (ANALYTICA - EBC (1987), Method 9.16) of EBC (European Brewery Convention) and is well - known in the technical field. When the turbidity is 10.0 °EBC or less, turbidity cannot be visually recognized and it is semi - transparent to transparent. When the turbidity is 5.0 °EBC or less, it is clear and transparent. The turbidity of the beer - like foaming beverage is measured at 90 degrees of scattered light using, for example, a Sigrist turbidimeter.

Examples

[0056] Next, the present invention will be described in more detail by showing examples and reference examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples and the like.

[0057] <Measurement of the linalool content (concentration) in beer - like foaming beverages> The linalool content (concentration) in each beer - like foaming beverage was quantified by GC - MS analysis. Specifically, aroma components were extracted from the test sample using a C18 solid - phase column, and the obtained extract was subjected to GC / MS. The internal standard method was used for quantification. Borneol was used as the internal standard substance and added so as to be 50 mass ppb in the sample. The analysis conditions for hop aroma components in GC / MS were as follows.

[0058] [GC / MS analysis conditions] Capillary column: Trade name "DB - WAX" (length 60 m, inner diameter 0.25 mm, film thickness 0.25 μm), Oven temperature: 40 °C (10 minutes) → 3 °C / min → 240 °C (20 minutes), carrier gas: He, low - pressure gas supply at 10 psi, Transfer line temperature: 240 °C, MS ion source temperature: 230 °C, MSQ pole temperature: 150 °C, Front inlet temperature: 200 °C, Ions used for quantification: m / z = 110 (borneol), m / z = 93 (linalool).

[0059] [Example 1] In the aging process, the fermentation broth was divided into two parts, and dry hopping was performed only on one of the fermentation broths. The turbidity of the obtained beer-like foaming beverage was compared with the case where dry hopping was performed on the entire amount of the fermentation broth.

[0060] (Test groups 1-1 to 1-3) 960 kg of barley malt and 3000 L of warm water were introduced into a charging tank, and saccharification was carried out at a temperature in the range of 60 to 78 °C. The obtained saccharified liquid was filtered using a Lauter tun as a filtration tank, and then transferred to a boiling kettle and boiled for 60 minutes. After boiling, warm water was added to make the saccharified liquid 4700 L, and then transferred to a whirlpool tank. After adding 8.5 kg of hops and removing the heat trub, it was cooled to 17 °C using a plate cooler to obtain wort. Beer yeast was added to the wort and fermented in the range of 14 to 19 °C for 3 to 4 days, and then the beer yeast was removed. 4500 L of the fermentation broth was transferred to a storage tank. 32.5 kg of hops were added and aged at around 14 °C for 3 days. Then, the sediment (yeast and insoluble matter) at the bottom of the storage tank was drained, and then the hops were also removed, and it was further aged for 7 days. The stored liquor obtained after aging was cooled to around -1 °C and then held for 5 days for stabilization. The stored liquor after low-temperature stabilization was centrifuged and then diatomaceous earth filtered. Since the turbidity of the obtained filtrate was high, the filtrate was filtered again with diatomaceous earth for clarification, and the obtained beer-like foaming beverage was filled into containers.

[0061] (Test group 2-1) 960 kg of barley malt and 3000 L of warm water were introduced into a mashing tank, and mashing was carried out at a temperature in the range of 60 to 78 °C. The obtained mash was filtered using a Lauter tun as a filter tank, and then transferred to a boiling kettle and boiled for 60 minutes. After boiling, warm water was added to the mash to make it 4700 L, and then it was transferred to a whirlpool tank. After adding 8.5 kg of hops and removing heat trub, it was cooled to 17 °C using a plate cooler to obtain wort. Beer yeast was added to the wort and fermented in the range of 14 to 19 °C for 3 to 4 days, and then the beer yeast was removed. Out of the total 4500 L of the fermented liquid, 3000 L was stored in storage tank A and 1500 L was stored in storage tank B. The fermented liquid in storage tank A was aged at around 14 °C for 4 days as it was. 32.5 kg of hops were added to the fermented liquid in storage tank B, and after aging at around 14 °C for 3 days, the sediment (insoluble matter containing yeast and hops) at the bottom of the storage tank was drawn out and removed. After removing the sediment, the liquid in storage tank B was aged at around 14 °C for 1 day, then put into storage tank A and mixed with the liquid in storage tank A, and further aged at around 14 °C in storage tank A for 7 days. The stored liquid obtained after aging was cooled to around -1 °C and then held for 5 days for stabilization. The stored liquid after low-temperature stabilization was subjected to centrifugal separation treatment, and then only filtered once with diatomaceous earth for clarification, and the obtained beer-like foaming beverage was filled into containers.

[0062] For each test section, the turbidity (°EBC) was measured for the stored liquid after low-temperature stabilization, the stored liquid after centrifugal separation treatment, the stored liquid after diatomaceous earth filtration, and the beer-like foaming beverage (product beverage) after container filling. The turbidity (°EBC) was measured at 90 degrees of scattered light using a Sigrist turbidimeter. Since test sections 1-1 to 1-3 were all visually the same, only test section 1-1 was measured.

[0063]

Table 1

[0064] Table 1 shows the turbidity measurement results of each test section. In test section 1-1 where no clarifying agent was used and hops were added to the entire amount of the fermentation broth in the aging process, the turbidity was high, and even after performing diatomaceous earth filtration twice, the turbidity remained high. In contrast, in test section 2-1 where hops were added only to one-third of the total amount of the fermentation broth in the aging process, a clear beer-like foaming beverage with no visible turbidity was obtained by only one diatomaceous earth filtration treatment.

[0065] Furthermore, the linalool concentration of the beer-like foaming beverages obtained in each test section was measured. The measurement results are shown in Table 2. As shown in Table 2, although the linalool concentration in test section 2-1 was slightly lower than that in test sections 1-1 to 1-3, it was 300 ppb or more, indicating a sufficiently high concentration.

[0066]

Table 2

[0067] Also, the flavors of the beer-like foaming beverages in test section 1-3 and test section 2-1 were compared by 8 professional panelists, and a sensory evaluation was conducted on which one was felt stronger in terms of the overall intensity of hop aroma, citrus, pineapple, grassy, ester, diacetyl, and astringency. Table 3 shows the number of panelists who evaluated that it was felt stronger for each evaluation item, and free comments on the aroma and taste of each beverage.

[0068]

Table 3

[0069] As shown in Table 3, in terms of flavor, the beer-like foaming beverages in test section 2-1 and test section 1-3 had similar flavors. That is, the beer-like foaming beverage in test section 2-1 had a hop aroma as rich as that of the beer-like foaming beverage in test section 1-3 despite being clear.

Claims

1. A charging step of saccharifying a mixture containing a fermentation raw material and water, and boiling the obtained saccharified liquid to prepare a fermentation raw material liquid; A fermentation step of inoculating yeast into the fermentation raw material liquid and fermenting it; A liquid splitting step of splitting the fermentation liquid obtained in the fermentation step into fermentation liquid A and fermentation liquid B; A first aging step of aging the fermentation liquid A in a storage tank A without adding hops; A second aging step of aging the fermentation liquid B in a storage tank B with hops added, and then removing yeast and hops; A liquid mixing step of mixing the stored liquor in the storage tank B after the second aging step and the stored liquor in the storage tank A after the first aging step; A low-temperature stabilization step of holding the stored liquor obtained in the liquid mixing step at 5°C or lower; A filtration step of filtering the stored liquor after the low-temperature stabilization step; A method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage, comprising:

2. The method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage according to claim 1, wherein the mass ratio of the fermentation liquid A to the fermentation liquid B is 1.0 to 5.0:1.

0.

3. The method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage according to claim 1, wherein in the second aging step, yeast is removed from the liquid in the storage tank B by draining the sediment from the bottom of the storage tank B.

4. The method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage according to claim 1, wherein in the second aging step, after removing yeast from the liquid in the storage tank B, hops are removed.

5. The method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage according to claim 1, wherein the turbidity of the obtained beer-like foaming beverage is 10.0 °EBC or less.

6. The method for producing a beer-like foaming beverage according to claim 1, wherein the linalool concentration of the obtained beer-like foaming beverage is 250 ppb or more.

7. A method for reducing the turbidity of a beer-like foaming beverage produced by having a charging step, a fermentation step, an aging step, a low-temperature stabilization step, and a filtration step, and adding hops during the aging step, wherein the aging step is A liquid splitting step of splitting the fermentation liquid obtained in the fermentation step into fermentation liquid A and fermentation liquid B; A first aging step of aging the fermentation liquid A in a storage tank A without adding hops; A second aging step of aging the fermentation liquid B in a storage tank B with hops added, and then removing yeast and hops; A mixing step of mixing the stored liquor in the storage tank B after the second aging step with the stored liquor in the storage tank A after the first aging step; A method for reducing the turbidity of a beer-like foaming beverage, which is carried out by the above.

8. The method for reducing the turbidity of a beer-like foaming beverage according to claim 7, wherein the mass ratio of the fermentation liquid A to the fermentation liquid B is 1.0 to 5.0:1.0.

Images