Carbonated alcoholic beverage

Abstract

To provide a carbonated alcoholic beverage that can be produced from by-products generated in a decarbonation step applied before the alcohol removal of an alcohol-containing beer, and a method for producing the same.SOLUTION: A carbonated alcoholic beverage contains 900 to 988 mg / g of water, 5 to 60 mg / g of ethanol, 0.2 to 8 mg / g of dissolved carbon dioxide, 0 to 4 mg / g of protein, 1 to 20 mg of ethyl acetate per gram of ethanol, 0.1 to 5 mg of isoamyl acetate per gram of ethanol, and 1.5 to 50 mg of C3 to C5 alcohols per gram of ethanol, wherein the weight ratio of ethyl acetate to isoamyl acetate is in the range of 2:1 to 30:1.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to carbonated alcoholic beverages that can be produced from by-products of the production of alcohol-free yeast-fermented beverages, in particular from by-products resulting from the decarbonation step applied prior to dealcoholization of alcohol-containing beer.

[0002] The carbonated beverage of the present invention ·900-988mg / g water; · 3-60 mg / g ethanol; · 0.2-8 mg / g dissolved carbon dioxide; · 0-4 mg / g protein; · 1-20 mg of ethyl acetate per 1 g of ethanol; · 0.1-5 mg of isoamyl acetate per 1 g of ethanol; 1.5-50 mg of C3-C5 alcohol per gram of ethanol wherein the ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio of 2:1 to 30:1.

[0003] The carbonated beverage of the present invention has a punchy taste and a pleasant fruity flavor.

[0004] The present invention also provides a method for producing the carbonated beverage, comprising: providing a yeast fermentation liquid containing at least 1.5% v / v of ethanol and volatile flavor components; subjecting the yeast fermentation liquid to a decarboxylation step in which gaseous components including carbon dioxide, ethanol and volatile flavor components are removed from the yeast fermentation liquid; contacting a gaseous component comprising carbon dioxide, ethanol, and volatile flavor components with an aqueous liquid to transfer at least a portion of the ethanol and volatile flavor components from the gaseous component to the aqueous liquid, thereby producing scrubber water; optionally, diluting the scrubber water; and Optionally, carbonating the diluted scrubber water The present invention relates to a method comprising: [Background technology]

[0005] Beer is a widely popular beverage consumed all over the world. It is typically made through the following basic processes: · Grinding a mixture of grain and water to produce mash; Separating the mash into wort and spent grain; Boiling the wort to stabilize and sterilize it and extract the bitterness from the hops; · The process of fermenting boiling wort with live yeast to produce green beer; subjecting the green beer to one or more further processes (e.g., maturation and filtration) to produce beer; and Packaging beer into sealed containers, such as bottles, cans or kegs It is produced by a method comprising:

[0006] In recent years, the beer market has seen a significant increase in consumption of non-alcoholic beer.

[0007] Non-alcoholic beer is produced by two basic methods: one applies the classical brewing process followed by techniques such as reverse osmosis, dialysis or evaporation to remove the alcohol, while the other approach aims to avoid or reduce the formation of alcohol during fermentation by contacting the wort with live yeast under conditions that minimize the fermentative production of alcohol.

[0008] US Patent No. 5,384,135 describes a method for producing alcohol-free pale beer by dealcoholization of alcoholic pale beer by high vacuum evaporation, in which the dealcoholization is carried out continuously, A decarbonation step at a pressure of 0.06-0.1 bar, during which ethanol and a portion of the flavor compounds are entrained with CO2, and then partially condensed and recovered; A distillation step at 50°C to 65°C under a pressure of 0.06 to 0.1 bar to partially extract and recover the flavor compounds condensed with the ethanol phase. Includes:

[0009] US Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0017280 discloses a method for producing an alcohol-free or low-alcohol fermented malt-based beverage having an alcohol content of 1.0% or less by volume, the method comprising the steps of: (a) producing by vacuum evaporation a malt-based beverage having an alcohol content of 1.0% by volume or less, wherein a portion of the vapor phase excluding ethanol has been condensed; (b) measuring the content of ethyl acetate and ethyl butyrate in the beverage thus obtained; and (c) adding at least a portion of the concentrate to said beverage. A method is described which includes:

[0010] In U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 017280, 7.00~30.00 ppm of ethyl acetate 0.01 to 0.20 ppm of ethyl butyrate 0.05 to 2.00 ppm isoamyl acetate; and 0.01 to 0.05 ppm of ethyl hexanoate Further described is a fermented malt-based beverage having an alcohol content of 1.0% or less by volume, comprising:

[0011] Collin et al. (Relationships between the chemical composition and sensory evaluation of lager beers. Food Quality and Preference, vol. 5, no. 1-2 (1994), 145-149) reported the mean, maximum and minimum values ​​of ester and dimethyl sulfide contents in 33 commercial lager beers.

[0012] (Batch stripping of flavor active compounds from beer, Food and Bioproducts Processing, vol. 118, 2019, 306-317) investigated the effect of beer dry matter, a complex mixture of carbohydrates and proteins, and ethanol on flavor behavior during processing in a packed-bed column using CO2 as the stripping agent. Figures B1 and B2 show compositional information for several commercial beers. Summary of the Invention

[0013] The inventors have surprisingly discovered that a very pleasant tasting carbonated alcoholic beverage can be produced from the aqueous liquid obtained when passing the carbon dioxide stream produced during the decarbonation of alcoholic beer through water (scrubbing). The scrubber water thus obtained contains ethanol and other organic volatiles, including lower alcohols such as amyl alcohol and isobutanol, as well as aroma compounds such as ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate.

[0014] The carbonated beverage of the present invention can be produced by carbonating the above-mentioned scrubber water, which is mainly composed of water and ethanol, and optionally adding further ingredients such as water, sugar, fruit juice (concentrated fruit juice), etc.

[0015] The carbonated beverage of the present invention ·900-988mg / g water; · 3-60 mg / g ethanol; · 0.2-8 mg / g dissolved carbon dioxide; · 0-4 mg / g protein; · 1-20 mg of ethyl acetate per 1 g of ethanol; · 0.1-5 mg of isoamyl acetate per 1 g of ethanol; 1.5-50 mg of C3-C5 alcohol per gram of ethanol wherein the ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio of 2:1 to 30:1.

[0016] The carbonated beverages of the present invention combine a punchy taste with a pleasant fruity flavor. This pleasant flavor is derived from the presence of specific concentrations of the fruity esters ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate, as well as the presence of ethanol and C3-C5 alcohols. Other aroma compounds present in the scrubber water are also believed to contribute to the pleasant, complex flavor of the carbonated beverages.

[0017] The present invention also provides a method for producing the carbonated beverage, comprising: providing a yeast fermentation liquid containing at least 1.5% v / v of ethanol and volatile flavor components; subjecting the yeast fermentation liquid to a decarboxylation step in which gaseous components including carbon dioxide, ethanol and volatile flavor components are removed from the yeast fermentation liquid; contacting a gaseous component comprising carbon dioxide, ethanol, and volatile flavor components with an aqueous liquid to transfer at least a portion of the ethanol and volatile flavor components from the gaseous component to the aqueous liquid, thereby producing scrubber water; optionally, diluting the scrubber water; and Optionally, carbonating the diluted scrubber water The present invention provides a method comprising:

[0018] Examples of yeast-fermented liquids that can be used in the method of the present invention include beer, cider, and wine. Surprisingly, it has been found that the composition of the scrubber water produced in the method is largely unaffected by the ratio of contact between the gaseous components and the aqueous liquid. It has been found that increasing this ratio results in a corresponding increase in the amount of ethanol and volatile flavor components in the scrubber water. In other words, when a high ratio of gaseous components to aqueous liquid is used, the scrubber water produced is simply a more concentrated form of the scrubber water obtained when a much lower ratio is used. This means that the "scrubbing" step of the method of the present invention does not need to be carefully controlled to produce a consistent quality of carbonated beverage, since the scrubber water can be diluted to achieve a consistent composition.

[0019] The present invention also relates to the use of scrubber water obtained by decarbonation of a yeast-fermented beverage in the production of a beverage comprising 0-4 mg / g of a starch hydrolysate component selected from maltose, maltotriose, maltotetraose and combinations thereof, said production comprising combining the scrubber water with one or more components selected from carbon dioxide, sweeteners, food acids, fruit juices, fruit juice concentrates, essential oils and combinations thereof. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] The first aspect of the present invention is ·900-988mg / g water; · 3-60 mg / g ethanol; · 0.2-8 mg / g dissolved carbon dioxide; · 0-4 mg / g protein; · 1-20 mg of ethyl acetate per 1 g of ethanol; · 0.1-5 mg of isoamyl acetate per 1 g of ethanol; 1.5-50 mg of C3-C5 alcohol per gram of ethanol wherein the ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio of 2:1 to 30:1.

[0021] As used herein, the term "isoamyl acetate" refers to 3-methyl-1-butyl ethanoate.

[0022] As used herein, the term "protein" means a polymer containing a linear chain of at least 10 amino acid residues.

[0023] As used herein, the term "decarbonation" means the removal of carbon dioxide from a liquid.

[0024] The scrubber water used in the production of the carbonated beverages of the present invention is essentially colorless. Preferably, no colorants are added in the production of the carbonated beverages. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the beverages are colorless.

[0025] Typically, scrubber water used to produce carbonated beverages is a clear liquid. Preferably, this clarity is maintained in the carbonated beverage by using only fully soluble ingredients. Thus, in certain preferred embodiments, the carbonated beverages of the present invention are clear beverages.

[0026] The carbonated beverages of the present invention may contain other ingredients in addition to scrubber water. Preferably, however, the beverage comprises scrubber water, optionally diluted, and trace amounts of additional ingredients. Thus, in preferred embodiments, the combination of ethanol and water comprises at least 95% by weight of the carbonated beverage, more preferably at least 97% by weight, and most preferably at least 98% by weight.

[0027] The carbonated beverages of the present invention can be suitably produced using scrubber water obtained by decarbonating a yeast-fermented malt beverage, such as beer. Beer typically contains hop acids that impart a desirable bitterness. These hop acids are non-volatile, and therefore the scrubber water does not contain these hop acids. It is also preferred that no hop acids be used in the production of carbonated beverages. Therefore, the carbonated beverages preferably contain 0 to 1 μg / g, more preferably 0 to 0.1 μg / g, and most preferably 0 to 0.01 μg / g, of hop acids selected from alpha acids, isoalpha acids, and combinations thereof.

[0028] Starch hydrolysates are an example of another non-volatile component present in beer, but preferably absent or present at much lower concentrations than in beer in the carbonated beverages of the present invention. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the carbonated beverage comprises no more than 4 mg / g, more preferably no more than 1 mg / g, and most preferably no more than 0.2 mg / g of starch hydrolysates selected from maltose, maltotriose, maltotetraose, and combinations thereof.

[0029] The carbonated beverages of the present invention may be produced from cider, e.g., apple cider. Typically, cider contains malic acid at a concentration of 4.5 to 7.5 g / L. Malic acid is non-volatile, and therefore, the scrubber water produced during the decarbonation of cider does not contain more than very limited amounts of malic acid. Preferably, malic acid is not added to the carbonated beverages of the present invention. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the carbonated beverage contains less than 3 mg / g, more preferably less than 1 mg / g, and most preferably less than 0.5 mg / g of malic acid.

[0030] Typically, the water content of carbonated drinks is 920 to 985 mg / g, more preferably 940 to 982 mg / g, and most preferably 950 to 980 mg / g.

[0031] Preferably, the alcohol content of the carbonated drink is 5 to 50 mg / g, more preferably 8 to 45 mg / g, and most preferably 15 to 40 mg / g.

[0032] Preferably, the carbonated beverages of the present invention are moderately carbonated, and therefore in a preferred embodiment, the beverage contains 0.3 to 6 mg / g of dissolved carbon dioxide, more preferably 0.4 to 4 mg / g of dissolved carbon dioxide.

[0033] The carbonated beverage of the present invention may be suitably packaged in a sealed container, such as a bottle, can, or cask. In one embodiment of the present invention, the carbonated beverage is packaged in a glass bottle, can, or cask, and contains 0.2 to 5 mg / g of dissolved carbon dioxide, preferably 0.3 to 4 mg / g of dissolved carbon dioxide. In another embodiment, the carbonated beverage is packaged in a PET bottle, and contains 3 to 8 mg / g of dissolved carbon dioxide, preferably 4 to 7 mg / g of dissolved carbon dioxide.

[0034] Protein is non-volatile and therefore another component not present in the scrubber water. Preferably, the carbonated beverage contains 0-3 mg / g protein, more preferably 0-1 mg / g protein, and most preferably 0-0.05 mg / g protein.

[0035] Preferably, ethyl acetate is present in the carbonated beverage at a concentration of 2 to 18 mg per gram of ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 2.5 to 15 mg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 3 to 12 mg per gram of ethanol.

[0036] In one embodiment of the present invention, a carbonated beverage is produced from scrubber water obtained by decarbonating beer. According to this embodiment, the carbonated beverage preferably contains isoamyl acetate at a concentration of 0.4 to 4 mg per 1 g of ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 0.5 to 3.5 mg per 1 g of ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 0.6 to 3 mg per 1 g of ethanol.

[0037] In another aspect of the invention, a carbonated beverage is produced from scrubber water obtained by decarbonating cider, particularly apple cider. According to this aspect, the carbonated beverage preferably contains isoamyl acetate at a concentration of 0.1 to 2 mg per gram of ethanol, more preferably 0.15 to 1.5 mg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably 0.2 to 1 mg per gram of ethanol.

[0038] When a carbonated beverage is produced from scrubber water from beer production, preferably the C3-C5 alcohol is present in the carbonated beverage at a concentration of 2-12 mg per gram of ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 2.5-11 mg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 3-10 mg per gram of ethanol.

[0039] When the carbonated beverage is produced from scrubber water from cider production, preferably the C3-C5 alcohol is present in the carbonated beverage at a concentration of 5-50 mg per gram of ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 8-40 mg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 10-35 mg per gram of ethanol.

[0040] The ratio of ethyl acetate to isoamyl acetate in a carbonated beverage has a clear effect on the flavor characteristics of the beverage. When a carbonated beverage is produced from scrubber water from beer production, preferably the ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio of 2.5:1 to 12:1, more preferably 3:1 to 10:1, and most preferably 3.5:1 to 9:1.

[0041] When the carbonated beverage is produced from cider-making scrubber water, preferably the ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio of from 5:1 to 30:1, more preferably from 8:1 to 25:1, most preferably from 12:1 to 20:1.

[0042] In another preferred embodiment, the amyl alcohol selected from 3-methylbutan-1-ol, 2-methylbutan-1-ol, and combinations thereof is present in the carbonated beverage at a concentration of 1 to 50 mg per gram of ethanol. When the carbonated beverage is produced from scrubber water from beer production, preferably, the amyl alcohol is present in the beverage at a concentration of 1 to 15 mg per gram of ethanol, more preferably, at a concentration of 1.5 to 12 mg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably, at a concentration of 2 to 10 mg per gram of ethanol.

[0043] When the carbonated beverage is produced from scrubber water from cider production, preferably, amyl alcohol selected from 3-methylbutan-1-ol, 2-methylbutan-1-ol, and combinations thereof is present in the carbonated beverage at a concentration of 5 to 50 mg per gram of ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 7 to 40 mg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 8 to 30 mg per gram of ethanol.

[0044] According to another advantageous embodiment, the carbonated beverage does not contain more than a limited amount of polysaccharides. Preferably, the beverage contains 0-10 mg / g of polysaccharides, more preferably 0-3 mg / g, and most preferably 0-1 mg / g. As used herein, the term "polysaccharide" refers to a polymeric carbohydrate containing at least 10 monosaccharide units.

[0045] Sweeteners such as sucrose, glucose and / or fructose may be included in the carbonated beverage. Preferably, the beverage contains 0 to 30 mg / g, more preferably 1 to 15 mg / g, and most preferably 2 to 10 mg / g of sugars selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides and combinations thereof.

[0046] Carbonated beverages typically contain, in addition to ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate, several other volatile compounds naturally present in yeast-fermented beverages, including acetaldehyde, dimethyl sulfide, ethyl caproate, 3-methylbutan-1-ol, 2-methylbutan-1-ol, and isobutanol.

[0047] In a preferred embodiment, the beverage contains acetaldehyde at a concentration of 0.1 to 5 mg per gram of ethanol, more preferably 0.2 to 4 mg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably 0.3 to 3 mg per gram of ethanol.

[0048] Preferably, the aroma compound dimethyl sulfide is present in the carbonated beverage at a concentration of 1 to 20 μg per gram of ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 2 to 15 μg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 2.5 to 10 μg per gram of ethanol.

[0049] Preferably, ethyl caproate is present in the carbonated beverage at a concentration of 15 to 200 μg per gram of ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 20 to 180 μg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 25 to 150 μg per gram of ethanol.

[0050] In another preferred embodiment, the carbonated beverage contains isobutanol at a concentration of 0.2 to 5 mg per gram of ethanol. More preferably, isobutanol is present in the beverage at a concentration of 0.3 to 4 mg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 0.4 to 3 mg per gram of ethanol.

[0051] The pH of the carbonated drink of the present invention is usually 3 to 7, more preferably 4 to 6.5, and most preferably 4.5 to 6.0.

[0052] According to a preferred embodiment, the carbonated beverage contains no added flavorings.

[0053] In a further preferred embodiment, the carbonated beverage contains no added colorants. Even more preferably, the carbonated beverage is colorless.

[0054] Preferably, the carbonated beverage of the present invention is obtained by the following method.

[0055] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a carbonated beverage of the present invention, comprising: providing a yeast fermentation liquid containing at least 1.5% v / v of ethanol and volatile flavor components; subjecting the yeast fermentation liquid to a decarboxylation step in which gaseous components including carbon dioxide, ethanol and volatile flavor components are removed from the yeast fermentation liquid; contacting a gaseous component comprising carbon dioxide, ethanol, and volatile flavor components with an aqueous liquid to transfer at least a portion of the ethanol and volatile flavor components from the gaseous component to the aqueous liquid, thereby producing scrubber water; optionally, diluting the scrubber water; and Carbonating the optionally diluted scrubber water The present invention relates to a method comprising:

[0056] Preferably, the yeast-fermented beverage used in the method of the present invention is beer or cider. Most preferably, the yeast-fermented beverage is beer, most preferably lager beer.

[0057] Preferably, the decarboxylation step is carried out at a pressure of 20 to 400 mbar, more preferably 40 to 300 mbar, most preferably 50 to 200 mbar.

[0058] The temperature at which the yeast-fermented beverage is subjected to the decarbonation step is preferably 10 to 80°C, more preferably 20 to 70°C, and most preferably 30 to 55°C.

[0059] Typically, the gaseous components removed from the yeast fermentation liquid comprise at least 50% by volume, more preferably at least 80% by volume, of carbon dioxide.

[0060] Preferably, the aqueous liquid that contacts the gaseous component comprises at least 99% by weight water, more preferably at least 99.5% by weight water, when first contacted with the gaseous component.

[0061] Preferably, the gaseous component is contacted with the aqueous liquid at a temperature of from 1 to 60°C, more preferably from 2 to 40°C, and most preferably from 4 to 30°C.

[0062] Preferably, contacting the gaseous component with the aqueous liquid continues until the scrubber water contains at least 5 mg / g ethanol, more preferably, the contacting continues until the scrubber water contains at least 10 mg / g ethanol, most preferably, 20-100 mg / g ethanol.

[0063] Typically in the process of the invention, after the decarboxylation step, the decarboxylated liquid is subjected to a dealcoholization step which involves evaporation, preferably vacuum evaporation, which typically reduces the ethanol content to less than 1% v / v.

[0064] In a preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention, 1 part by weight of scrubber water is diluted with 1 to 20 parts by weight of water, more preferably 1 part by weight of scrubber water is diluted with 2 to 12 parts by weight of water, and most preferably 3 to 10 parts by weight of water.

[0065] Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to the use of scrubber water obtained by decarbonation of a yeast-fermented beverage in the production of a beverage containing 0 to 4 mg / g of a starch hydrolysate component selected from maltose, maltotriose, maltotetraose and combinations thereof, comprising combining scrubber water obtained by decarbonation of a yeast-fermented beverage with one or more components selected from carbon dioxide, sweeteners, food acids, fruit juice, fruit juice concentrates, essential oils and combinations thereof, wherein the scrubber water is ·890-990mg / g water; · 5-100 mg / g ethanol; · 0-0.1 mg / g of non-volatile components selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, amino acids, dipeptides, oligopeptides, polypeptides, and combinations thereof; · 1-20 mg of ethyl acetate per 1 g of ethanol; · 0.1-5 mg of isoamyl acetate per 1 g of ethanol; 1.5-50 mg of C3-C5 alcohol per gram of ethanol wherein the ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio of 2:1 to 30:1.

[0066] Typically, the water content of the scrubber water is 900 to 985 mg / g, more preferably 905 to 982 mg / g, and most preferably 910 to 980 mg / g.

[0067] Preferably, the alcohol content of the scrubber water is 5 to 110 mg / g, more preferably 10 to 100 mg / g, most preferably 20 to 90 mg / g.

[0068] Preferably, the scrubber water contains 0 to 0.05 mg / g protein, most preferably 0 to 0.01 mg / g protein.

[0069] Preferably, ethyl acetate is present in the scrubber water at a concentration of 2 to 18 mg per gram of ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 2.5 to 15 mg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 3 to 12 mg per gram of ethanol.

[0070] When the scrubber water is obtained from the manufacture of beer, preferably the isoamyl acetate is contained in the scrubber water at a concentration of 0.4 to 4 mg per gram of ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 0.5 to 3.5 mg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 0.6 to 3 mg per gram of ethanol.

[0071] When the scrubber water is obtained from the production of cider, preferably the isoamyl acetate is contained in the scrubber water at a concentration of 0.1 to 2 mg per gram of ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 0.15 to 1.5 mg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 0.2 to 1 mg per gram of ethanol.

[0072] When the scrubber water is obtained from the production of beer, preferably the C3 to C5 alcohol is present in the scrubber water at a concentration of 2 to 12 mg per gram of ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 2.5 to 11 mg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 3 to 10 mg per gram of ethanol.

[0073] When the scrubber water is obtained from the production of cider, preferably the C3-C5 alcohol is present in the scrubber water at a concentration of 5-50 mg per gram of ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 8-40 mg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 10-35 mg per gram of ethanol.

[0074] When the scrubber water is obtained from the manufacture of beer, preferably the ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in the scrubber water in a weight ratio of from 2.5:1 to 12:1, more preferably from 3:1 to 10:1, most preferably from 3.5:1 to 9:1.

[0075] When the scrubber water is obtained from the manufacture of cider, preferably the ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in the scrubber water in a weight ratio of from 5:1 to 30:1, more preferably from 8:1 to 25:1, most preferably from 12:1 to 20:1.

[0076] In another preferred embodiment, an amyl alcohol selected from 3-methylbutan-1-ol, 2-methylbutan-1-ol, and combinations thereof is present in the scrubber water at a concentration of 1 to 50 mg per gram of ethanol. When the scrubber water is obtained from the production of beer, preferably, the amyl alcohol is present in the scrubber water at a concentration of 1 to 15 mg per gram of ethanol, more preferably, at a concentration of 1.5 to 12 mg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably, at a concentration of 2 to 10 mg per gram of ethanol.

[0077] When the scrubber water is obtained from the production of cider, preferably the amyl alcohol is present in the scrubber water at a concentration of 5 to 50 mg per gram of ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 7 to 40 mg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 8 to 30 mg per gram of ethanol.

[0078] In addition to ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate, the scrubber water typically contains several other volatile compounds naturally present in yeast-fermented beverages, including acetaldehyde, dimethyl sulfide, 3-methylbutan-1-ol, 2-methylbutan-1-ol, and isobutanol.

[0079] In a preferred embodiment, the scrubber water contains acetaldehyde at a concentration of 0.1 to 5 mg per gram of ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 0.2 to 5 mg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 0.3 to 3 mg per gram of ethanol.

[0080] Preferably, the aromatic compound dimethyl sulfide is present in the scrubber water at a concentration of 1 to 20 μg per gram of ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 2 to 15 μg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 2.5 to 10 μg per gram of ethanol.

[0081] Preferably, ethyl caproate is present in the scrubber water at a concentration of 15 to 200 μg per gram of ethanol, more preferably at a concentration of 20 to 180 μg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 25 to 150 μg per gram of ethanol.

[0082] In another preferred embodiment, the scrubbing water contains isobutanol at a concentration of 0.2 to 5 mg per gram of ethanol. More preferably, isobutanol is present in the beverage at a concentration of 0.3 to 4 mg per gram of ethanol, and most preferably at a concentration of 0.4 to 3 mg per gram of ethanol.

[0083] Typically, the pH of the scrubber water of the present invention is 5 to 8, more preferably 5.2 to 7.5, and most preferably 5.5 to 7.2.

[0084] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the use of scrubber water involves combining the scrubber water with carbon dioxide for the production of carbonated beverages.

[0085] The present invention is further illustrated by the following non-limiting examples. [Example]

[0086] Example 1 A lager beer with an alcohol content of 5% by volume was dealcoholized to produce alcohol-free beer on an industrial scale. The lager was decarbonated at 100 mbar and 43°C, and then subjected to dealcoholization by vacuum evaporation. The carbon dioxide stream generated during carbonation was passed through a scrubber column filled with tap water.

[0087] After scrubbing was discontinued, samples were collected from the scrubber water at regular intervals for five months. The samples were stored in sealed containers and then analyzed by GC-MS. The results of the analysis are shown in Table 1.

[0088] [Table 1]

[0089] Example 2 A commercial wheat beer with an alcohol content of 5.0% by volume was decarbonated using the conditions of Example 1. Samples were collected from the scrubber water and analyzed by GC-MS. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0090] [Table 2]

[0091] Example 3 Commercially available Abbey Beer (Triple) with an alcohol content of 9% by volume was decarbonated using the conditions of Example 1. Samples were collected from the scrubber water and analyzed by GC-MS. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0092] [Table 3]

[0093] Example 4 Commercially available apple cider with an alcohol content of 4.5% by volume was decarbonated using the conditions in Example 1. Samples were collected from the scrubber water and analyzed by GC-MS. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0094] [Table 4]

[0095] Example 5 One part by weight of the scrubber water from Example 1 was diluted with six parts by weight of spring water, carbonated to a CO2 content of approximately 0.5 mg / g of dissolved carbon dioxide, and bottled in glass to produce a carbonated beverage of the present invention. The resulting beverage was found to have a very pleasant, punchy taste and a fruity aroma.

Claims

1. 900-988 mg / g water; 3 to 60 mg / g of ethanol; - 0.2 to 8 mg / g dissolved carbon dioxide; 0-4 mg / g protein; 1-20 mg of ethyl acetate per gram of ethanol; 0.1 to 5 mg of isoamyl acetate per gram of ethanol; ・1.5 to 50 mg of C per 1 g of ethanol ３ ~C ５ alcohol wherein the ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio of from 2:1 to 30:

1.

2. 10. The carbonated beverage of claim 1, wherein the combination of ethanol and water comprises at least 95% by weight of the beverage.

3. 3. The carbonated beverage of claim 1 or 2, wherein the beverage comprises 0 to 4 mg / g of a starch hydrolysate component selected from maltose, maltotriose, maltotetraose, and combinations thereof.

4. 4. The carbonated beverage of claim 1, wherein the carbonated beverage preferably comprises 0-1 μg / g of hop acids selected from alpha acids, isoalpha acids, and combinations thereof.

5. The carbonated beverage of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the beverage contains 0 to 3 mg / g protein.

6. The carbonated beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the beverage contains acetaldehyde at a concentration of 0.1 to 5 mg per 1 g of ethanol.

7. The carbonated beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the beverage contains dimethyl sulfide at a concentration of 1 to 20 µg per 1 g of ethanol.

8. 8. The carbonated beverage according to claim 1, wherein the beverage comprises an amyl alcohol selected from 3-methylbutan-1-ol, 2-methylbutan-1-ol, and combinations thereof, at a concentration of 1 to 50 mg per gram of ethanol.

9. The carbonated beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the beverage contains isobutanol at a concentration of 0.2 to 5 mg per 1 g of ethanol.

10. The carbonated beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the beverage has a pH of 3 to 7.

11. The method for producing a carbonated beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 10, - Providing a yeast fermentation liquid containing at least 1.5% v / v of ethanol and volatile flavor components; subjecting the yeast fermentation liquid to a decarboxylation step in which gaseous components including carbon dioxide, ethanol and volatile flavor components are removed from the yeast fermentation liquid; contacting the gaseous components, including carbon dioxide, ethanol, and volatile flavor components, with an aqueous liquid to transfer at least a portion of the ethanol and the volatile flavor components from the gaseous components to the aqueous liquid, thereby producing scrubber water; Optionally, diluting the scrubber water; and Carbonating the optionally diluted scrubber water A method comprising:

12. 12. The process according to claim 11, wherein the decarboxylation step is carried out at a pressure of from 20 to 400 mbar.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the yeast-fermented beverage is subjected to the decarbonation step at a temperature of 10 to 80°C.

14. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the yeast-fermented beverage is beer or cider.

15. 1. Use of scrubber water obtained by decarbonation of a yeast-fermented beverage in the production of a beverage comprising 0-4 mg / g of starch hydrolysates selected from maltose, maltotriose, maltotetraose, and combinations thereof, said production comprising combining said scrubber water with one or more ingredients selected from carbon dioxide, sweeteners, food acids, fruit juice, fruit juice concentrates, essential oils, and combinations thereof, said scrubber water being 890-990 mg / g water; 5 to 100 mg / g of ethanol; - 0-0.1 mg / g of non-volatile components selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, amino acids, dipeptides, oligopeptides, polypeptides and combinations thereof; 1-20 mg of ethyl acetate per gram of ethanol; 0.1 to 5 mg of isoamyl acetate per gram of ethanol; ・1.5 to 50 mg of C per 1 g of ethanol ３ ~C ５ alcohol wherein the ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio of 2:1 to 30:1.

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