Method for producing doburoku using beer production apparatus
By utilizing beer production equipment, doburoku is produced efficiently with controlled temperature and carbon dioxide retention, addressing scalability and production challenges in traditional methods.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2024059340
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-04-02
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-15
- Estimated Expiration
- 2044-04-02
AI Technical Summary
Doburoku production methods typically utilize sake brewery facilities, limiting the scalability and efficiency of production, especially with the increasing demand for craft beer and small breweries.
Adapting beer production equipment, including a preparation kettle, fermentation and maturation tanks, and a tank temperature regulator, to produce doburoku by soaking rice in water, creating rice porridge, and fermenting with koji and yeast, while maintaining controlled temperatures and using a pressure vessel to retain carbon dioxide.
Eliminates the need for high-temperature steaming, facilitates temperature control, and ensures carbon dioxide retention, enabling easier and more efficient production of sparkling doburoku with extended shelf life and stability.
Smart Images
Figure 2025156740000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing doburoku using a beer production apparatus. [Background technology]
[0002] Sake is made by fermenting rice, koji, and water, and then filtering the resulting mash. Sake made with ingredients and brewed in Japan is called Nihonshu. In contrast, sake made from fermenting rice, koji, and water without filtering the mash is called Doburoku. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0003] Generally, doburoku is made using the same method as sake (Japanese sake), except that the process of separating the mash into sake and sake lees by filtering it is not carried out. Therefore, commercially available doburoku is generally made using the same facilities as sake breweries.
[0004] In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for beer (or happoshu) produced in small breweries, known as craft beer, and small breweries are found all over the country. The inventor came up with the idea that doburoku could be produced using beer production equipment found in breweries, and thus arrived at the present invention.
[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method for producing doburoku using a beer manufacturing apparatus owned by a brewery that produces beer such as craft beer. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing doburoku using a beer production apparatus, comprising: The beer production apparatus includes: Preparation kettle and Fermentation and maturation tanks are pressure vessels, a tank temperature regulator for adjusting the temperature of the liquid in the fermentation and maturation tank; The manufacturing method includes: soaking polished rice in water; Putting the impregnated polished rice into the mashing kettle; Adding warm water to the polished rice put into the mashing kettle to make rice porridge; Putting the porridge-like rice into the fermentation and maturation tank; adding koji, yeast, and water to the porridge-like rice in the fermentation and maturation tank; and maintaining the temperature inside the fermentation and maturation tank at a predetermined temperature using the tank temperature regulator. [Effects of the Invention]
[0007] In the doburoku production method using beer production equipment, instead of the rice steaming process (described below) used in general doburoku production methods, warm water is added to the preparation kettle. This eliminates the need for spraying high-temperature steam during the rice steaming process, making doburoku production easier. Furthermore, by using a fermentation / aging tank in combination with a tank temperature regulator, the temperature of the porridge-like rice inside the fermentation / aging tank can be easily adjusted. In particular, the heat of fermentation generated during the fermentation process can be removed, making it easy to maintain the temperature inside the tank at a specified level during fermentation and aging. Furthermore, because the fermentation / aging tank used for fermentation and aging is a pressure vessel, the carbon dioxide generated during fermentation is prevented from escaping and being lost outside. This allows the doburoku to be saturated with carbon dioxide. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a flowchart for explaining the general method of producing Nadoburoku, based on the method of producing sake. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the beer production apparatus 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a typical beer production method. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a method for producing doburoku using the beer production apparatus 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The method for producing doburoku according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this specification, doburoku is defined as an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting rice, koji, and water without filtering the mash.
[0010] First, we will explain the general method of producing Nadoburoku, based on the sake production method. As shown in Figure 1, polished rice is washed, the bran is removed, and the rice is soaked in water (S101). This process is called the rice washing process. Next, the washed rice is steamed by spraying high-temperature steam on it (S102). This process is called the rice steaming process. Next, koji mold is added to the steamed rice, and the rice is kneaded to grow under conditions of constant humidity and temperature (S103). This process is called koji making. Note that kneading refers to the process of sprinkling koji starter onto the steamed rice and mixing it so that the koji starter adheres evenly. Next, the koji, steamed rice, and water are mixed, and a certain amount of lactic acid is added to cultivate yeast (shubo). This process is called moto-zukuri or shubo-zukuri. Note that these steps can be omitted and commercially available yeast can be used. Next, water is added to the koji and yeast, and fermentation is carried out to produce moromi (mash) (S105). At this point, additional steamed rice may be added. This allows the enzymes in the koji to convert the rice starch into sugar, while at the same time the yeast (shubo) ferments the sugar into alcohol. This process is called shikomi. Doburoku is produced by bottling the mash made in this way without filtering it. Before or after bottling, the mash may be pasteurized by heating it to around 70°C to stop the alcoholic fermentation.
[0011] Next, a typical beer production method will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. As shown in FIG. 2, a typical beer brewery mainly includes a beer production apparatus 1 including a grinder 10, a brewing kettle 20, a fermentation / aging tank 30, a boiler 40, and a tank temperature regulator 50. First, malt is ground using the grinder 10 (S201) and placed in the brewing kettle 20. Next, hot water (approximately 78°C) heated by the boiler 40 is added to the brewing kettle 20 and stirred while maintaining the temperature. During this process, enzymes in the malt convert the starch in the malt into sugar through saccharification (S202). The wort thus produced is filtered to remove solids such as malt grains, and then the wort is boiled (S203). The boiling may be performed using the brewing kettle 20, or the wort may be transferred to a dedicated boiling kettle. During the boiling process, hops are added to impart bitterness and aroma. Next, the wort in the brewing kettle 20 is cooled using the tank temperature regulator 50 and transferred to the fermentation / aging tank 30. Yeast is then added to the wort transferred to the fermentation / aging tank 30, and the wort is fermented and aged to produce beer (S204). At this time, the tank temperature regulator 50 is used to adjust the temperature of the fermentation / aging tank 30 to an appropriate temperature. Furthermore, because the fermentation / aging tank 30 is a sealable pressure vessel, carbon dioxide generated during fermentation is prevented from escaping and being lost to the outside. This allows the beer to be saturated with carbon dioxide. Furthermore, carbon dioxide can be injected from the outside as needed. The beer produced in this manner is packed into cans or bottles to produce beer such as craft beer.
[0012] Next, a method for producing doburoku using the beer production apparatus 1 will be described with reference to Figure 4. First, polished rice is pulverized in the pulverizer 10 (S301). Next, the pulverized rice is soaked in water for about 30 to 40 minutes and then placed in the brewing kettle 20 (S302). Note that the rice placed in the brewing kettle 20 does not have to be pulverized; the above step of S301 may be omitted, and polished rice may be placed in the brewing kettle 20 after being soaked in water.
[0013] Next, hot water (approximately 50°C) heated in a boiler 40 is added to the preparation kettle 20 and heated to approximately 80°C (S303). This turns the rice into a porridge-like consistency. The porridge-like rice is then transferred to a fermentation and maturation tank 30 and cooled to approximately 17°C using a tank temperature regulator 50 (S304). Once the temperature has dropped, koji, yeast, and water are added and stirred, and the mixture is then fermented and maturated while maintaining the temperature at approximately 15°C (S305). After maturation for approximately three to four weeks, the mixture is bottled to produce doburoku. As with the above-described production method, pasteurization may be performed before or after bottling to stop the alcoholic fermentation by heating to approximately 70°C.
[0014] In the method of producing doburoku using the beer production apparatus 1, instead of the rice steaming step described above, hot water at about 50°C is added to the brewing kettle 20 and heated to about 80°C. This eliminates the laborious process of spraying high-temperature steam onto the rice during the rice steaming step, making it easier to produce doburoku. Furthermore, the brewing kettle 20 used in beer production was originally used in the process of adding hot water (about 78°C) to malt. Therefore, even if hot water at about 50°C is added to the brewing kettle 20 and further heated to about 80°C when used to produce doburoku, there is no problem with the temperature durability of the brewing kettle 20.
[0015] Furthermore, the fermentation / maturation tank 30 of the beer production apparatus 1 is used in combination with a tank temperature regulator 50 to regulate the temperature of the liquid (wort) inside during beer production. In the method for producing doburoku using the beer production apparatus 1, the fermentation / maturation tank 30 and the tank temperature regulator 50 are used in combination, so the temperature of the porridge-like rice inside the fermentation / maturation tank 30 can be easily lowered to around 17°C in the step S304 above. Furthermore, the fermentation / maturation tank 30 and the tank temperature regulator 50 are used in combination, so the heat of fermentation generated during the fermentation process can be removed in the step S305 above, and the temperature inside the tank can be easily maintained at a predetermined temperature (approximately 15°C) during the fermentation and maturation period.
[0016] In the typical doburoku (refined sake) production method used by sake breweries, the process of adding water to koji and yeast and fermenting them to produce moromi (mash) is carried out using wooden barrels or stainless steel tanks, but neither is a pressure vessel. As a result, most of the carbon dioxide generated during fermentation escapes and is lost outside the tank. In contrast, because beer is a sparkling alcoholic beverage, a pressure vessel is used as the fermentation and maturation tank 30 when producing beer to saturate the beer with carbon dioxide. In the doburoku (refined sake) production method using the beer production apparatus 1, the fermentation and maturation tank 30 used for fermentation and maturation is also a pressure vessel, so the carbon dioxide generated during fermentation is prevented from escaping and being lost outside. This allows the doburoku to be saturated with carbon dioxide. Furthermore, carbon dioxide can be injected from the outside if necessary.
[0017] Commercially available sparkling doburoku is not pasteurized, and is bottled and shipped with the yeast still alive. Therefore, fermentation continues inside the bottle even after bottling, and there is a risk that the carbon dioxide produced by fermentation will increase the internal pressure of the bottle. Therefore, to prevent the internal pressure of the bottle from increasing too much, a gas vent hole is often drilled in the bottle cap. Furthermore, because it is not pasteurized, the expiration date is set short, and there is a risk of deterioration due to temperature changes. Furthermore, because there is a gas vent hole in the cap, the bottle cannot be turned on its side.
[0018] In contrast, in the method for producing doburoku using the beer production apparatus 1, as described above, a pressure vessel is used as the fermentation and maturation tank 30 used for fermentation and maturation. Therefore, the doburoku can be saturated with carbon dioxide during fermentation and maturation. Therefore, even if the produced doburoku is pasteurized and the fermentation is stopped thereafter, it is possible to produce sparkling doburoku with sufficient dissolved carbon dioxide.
[0019] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the temperature of the hot water added to the preparation kettle 20 to make rice porridge does not necessarily have to be 50°C and can be set to any suitable temperature. The temperature inside the fermentation / aging tank 30 can also be set to any suitable temperature. The time for soaking the rice in water and the fermentation / aging time can also be changed as appropriate. For example, a hydrometer can be used to measure the sugar content of the liquid in the fermentation / aging tank 30, and the degree of fermentation / aging can be determined based on that information to determine the fermentation / aging time.
[0020] In the above embodiment, the beer brewing apparatus 1 is equipped with a boiler 40, but this is not essential. The hot water required for brewing doburoku can also be prepared separately.
[0021] The order of execution of each process in the manufacturing method shown in the specification and drawings is not particularly specified, and the processes may be executed in any order unless the output of a previous process is used in a subsequent process. For convenience, even if a description is made using "first," "next," etc., it does not mean that the processes must be executed in this order. [Explanation of symbols]
[0022] 10 Beer production equipment 20 Preparation kettle 30 Fermentation tank 40 Boiler 50 Tank temperature regulator
Claims
1. A method for producing doburoku using a beer production apparatus, The beer production apparatus includes: Preparation kettle and Fermentation and maturation tanks are pressure vessels, a tank temperature regulator for adjusting the temperature of the liquid in the fermentation and maturation tank; The manufacturing method includes: soaking polished rice in water; placing the impregnated rice in the mashing kettle; Adding warm water to the rice put into the brewing kettle to make rice porridge; placing the porridge-like rice in the fermentation and maturation tank; adding koji, yeast, and water to the porridge-like rice in the fermentation and maturation tank; and maintaining the temperature inside the fermentation and maturation tank at a predetermined temperature using the tank temperature regulator.
2. 2. The method for producing doburoku according to claim 1, further comprising crushing the polished rice with a crusher before soaking the polished rice in water.