Fermented alcoholic beverage

Abstract

To achieve a clean taste while suppressing fermentation-derived off-odors in a fermented alcoholic beverage, specifically in a fermented alcoholic beverage in which the proportion of grain raw materials containing protein sources including malt is low.SOLUTION: A fermented alcoholic beverage having a hydrogen sulfide concentration of 5 ppb or less and a total nitrogen concentration of 15 mg / 100 ml or less.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fermented alcoholic beverage. [Background technology]

[0002] Currently, with the rise of health consciousness worldwide, hard seltzers, which are made from fermented sugars only and have a simpler, cleaner taste, are on the rise compared to heavy-tasting alcoholic beverages like beer. Fermented alcoholic beverages that use a low proportion of grain ingredients, including protein sources such as malt, suppress unpleasant odors that arise during fermentation by adding a large amount of protein source ingredients in addition to the main carbohydrate source ingredient. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0003] [Non-Patent Document 1] Journal of the Society for Odor and Fragrance Environment, January 2013, pp. 13-20 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Protein sources can suppress unpleasant odors, but if they remain in the product, it can lead to a heavy taste, and the product loses the clean taste that is characteristic of fermented alcoholic beverages that use a low proportion of grain ingredients, including protein sources such as malt. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present invention is as follows. [1] A fermented alcoholic beverage having a hydrogen sulfide concentration of 5 ppb or less and a total nitrogen concentration of 15 mg / 100 ml or less. [2] The fermented alcoholic beverage according to [1] above, which contains a yeast fermentation liquid. [3] A fermented alcoholic beverage according to [1] or [2] above, having a color of 5°EBC or less. [4] The fermented alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [3] above, which has a bitterness value of 4 BU or more. According to the present invention, in particular in fermented alcoholic beverages that use a low proportion of grain ingredients containing protein sources such as malt, the ingredient composition has been devised to minimize the residual protein source, thereby achieving a clean taste without noticeable unpleasant odors (especially sulfur-based off-flavors). [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, it is possible to achieve a refreshing taste while reducing unpleasant odors caused by fermentation in fermented alcoholic beverages, particularly fermented alcoholic beverages that contain a low proportion of grain ingredients containing a protein source such as malt. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention relates to fermented alcoholic beverages. "Fermented alcoholic beverages" refer to alcoholic beverages obtained by fermenting raw materials such as sugar solutions. "Alcoholic beverages" refer to beverages that contain a substantial amount of ethanol. Under Japan's Liquor Tax Act, beverages with an alcohol content of 1% or more by volume are considered alcoholic beverages. These alcoholic beverages are an example of alcoholic beverages.

[0008] The fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention has a hydrogen sulfide concentration of 5 ppb or less. In the present invention, the generation of sulfur-based off-flavors can be suppressed, for example, by the production method described below, so that the fermented alcoholic beverage can have a hydrogen sulfide concentration of 5 ppb or less. The hydrogen sulfide concentration is preferably 4 ppb or less, more preferably 2 ppb or less. The hydrogen sulfide concentration can be measured by the method described in the Examples.

[0009] The fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention has a total nitrogen concentration of 15 mg / 100 ml or less. This allows for a fermented alcoholic beverage with a refreshing taste. The total nitrogen concentration is preferably 10 mg / 100 ml or less, and more preferably 7 mg / 100 ml or less. The total nitrogen concentration can be measured by the method described in "BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods" (edited by the International Technical Committee of the Brewers Association of Japan, published in 2013).

[0010] The fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention preferably has a pyruvic acid concentration of 5 to 100 ppm, more preferably 5 to 80 ppm, and even more preferably 10 to 60 ppm. The pyruvic acid concentration can be measured, for example, according to the method specified in "8.24.2 Organic Acids" in "BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods (2013 Revised Edition) (edited by the Brewers Association International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee)").

[0011] The fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention preferably has a malic acid concentration of 5 to 100 ppm, more preferably 5 to 80 ppm, and even more preferably 10 to 60 ppm. The lingonic acid concentration can be measured, for example, according to the method specified in "8.24.2 Organic Acids" in "BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods (2013 Revised Edition) (edited by the Brewers Association International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee)").

[0012] The fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention preferably has a succinic acid concentration of 5 to 200 ppm, more preferably 10 to 170 ppm, and even more preferably 20 to 150 ppm. The succinic acid concentration can be measured, for example, according to the method specified in "8.24.2 Organic Acids" in "BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods (2013 Revised Edition) (edited by the Brewers Association International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee)").

[0013] The fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention preferably contains a yeast fermentation liquid. The "yeast fermentation liquid" is obtained by inoculating a pre-fermentation liquid such as a saccharified liquid with yeast and fermenting it. The type of yeast to be inoculated can be appropriately selected taking into consideration the desired flavor. Examples of yeast include brewer's yeast, and either top-fermenting yeast or bottom-fermenting yeast may be used.

[0014] The fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention preferably has a color of 5° EBC or less. A color of 5° EBC or less results in an appearance that harmonizes with the taste. The color is more preferably 3.0 EBC or less, even more preferably 2.0 EBC or less, and most preferably 1.0 EBC or less. Color can be measured by the Analytica-EBC standard method of the EBC (European Brewery Convention) or a method conforming thereto. EBC is a unit of color in beer analysis that expresses the color intensity of beer numerically (measured visually using a comparator with nine glass disks of EBC color scale, or calculated based on absorbance at a wavelength of 430 nm).

[0015] The bitterness value of the fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be appropriately adjusted depending on the desired taste quality. The bitterness value can be, for example, 4 BU or more, preferably 8 BU or more and 30 BU or less, and more preferably 8 BU or more and 24 BU or less.

[0016] The fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be produced, for example, by a method including the following steps. (a) Preparing a pre-fermentation solution (b) A step of alcoholically fermenting the pre-fermentation liquid to obtain a fermented alcoholic beverage (yeast fermentation liquid).

[0017] <(a) Step of preparing pre-fermentation liquid> (carbon source) The pre-fermentation liquid used in the method for producing a fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention contains a carbon source. As used herein, the term "carbon source" refers to carbohydrates ingested by yeast during alcoholic fermentation. Carbon sources are generally monosaccharides, disaccharides, and trisaccharides such as glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, and maltotriose. Preferred carbon sources are glucose, maltose, and sucrose. A more preferred carbon source is sucrose. Either a single type or multiple types of carbon sources may be used. The pre-fermentation liquid may contain carbohydrates in addition to the carbon source. Examples of carbohydrates that the pre-fermentation liquid may contain include isomerized sugars such as isomaltose, panose, isomaltotriose, isomaltooligosaccharides, polysaccharides of tetrasaccharides or more, oligosaccharides, starch hydrolysates, and dietary fiber. These carbohydrates are not taken up by yeast during alcoholic fermentation and remain in the fermentation liquid even after alcoholic fermentation, thereby enhancing the body and / or drinkability of the fermentation liquid. The amount of carbon source contained in the pre-fermentation liquid is determined appropriately taking into consideration the ethanol concentration of the resulting fermented alcoholic beverage. For example, the amount of carbon source contained in the pre-fermentation liquid is set to 2 to 20% (w / v), preferably 4 to 16% (w / v), and more preferably 8 to 12% (w / v).

[0018] (amino nitrogen) The pre-fermentation liquid used in the method for producing a fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention has a total nitrogen concentration limited to 15 mg / 100 ml or less. By reducing the total nitrogen content of the pre-fermentation liquid, less nitrogen remains in the product, resulting in a refreshing taste. If the total nitrogen concentration in the pre-fermentation liquid is 15 to 20 mg / 100 ml, the product is likely to have a heavy taste. The amount of total nitrogen contained in the pre-fermentation liquid is preferably less than 15 mg / 100 ml, and more preferably 7 mg / 100 ml or less. Specific examples of amino acids that can be used in the pre-fermentation solution include those contained in starchy raw materials such as wheat, malt, corn, potato, rice, and soybeans, those contained in yeast extract, and those contained in enzymatic hydrolyzates of proteins. To promote fermentation, magnesium sulfate, diammonium phosphate, thiamine hydrochloride, calcium pantothenate, folic acid, and niacin may also be used.

[0019] The raw material for the pre-fermentation solution may be, for example, an aqueous solution of water-soluble carbohydrates. Specific examples of water-soluble carbohydrates include sugars, starch hydrolysates, and dietary fiber. For the purpose of imparting or improving flavor, spices, herbs, fruits, and the like that are substantially free of amino acids and proteins may also be used as raw materials.

[0020] (work) The water-soluble carbohydrate is dissolved in drinking water, and an amino acid-containing raw material is added, if necessary. The type and amount of the raw material used are adjusted so that the carbon source and total nitrogen concentrations satisfy the above conditions. The resulting aqueous solution is boiled according to the method and conditions typically used in beer production. For example, the aqueous solution is transferred to a boiling kettle, and hops are added and boiled. Hops may be added at any stage between the start and end of boiling. The boiled aqueous solution is transferred to a settling tank called a whirlpool, and hop dregs and insoluble matter resulting from boiling are removed, followed by cooling to an appropriate fermentation temperature using a plate cooler. A pre-fermentation solution is obtained by the above boiling procedure.

[0021] <(b) Step of alcoholically fermenting the pre-fermentation liquid to obtain a fermented alcoholic beverage> The pre-fermentation liquid is fermented. Fermentation can be carried out according to conventional methods. For example, the cooled pre-fermentation liquid is inoculated with yeast, transferred to a fermentation tank, and fermentation is carried out. The type of yeast inoculated into the pre-fermentation liquid is selected taking into account the desired flavor. The amount of yeast to be inoculated into the pre-fermentation liquid is adjusted depending on the fermentation conditions, etc., but it is recommended to use 5 x 10 per ml of pre-fermentation liquid. 6 ~50×10 6 pieces, preferably 10 x 10 6 ~45×10 6 pieces, more preferably 15 x 10 6 ~40×10 6 is selected from a range of The fermentation temperature is adjusted depending on the fermentation conditions, etc., and is selected from the range of 0 to 25°C, preferably 10 to 20°C, and more preferably 13 to 17°C. If the fermentation temperature exceeds 25°C, the fermentation may not proceed normally depending on the type of yeast used. Furthermore, the fermentation may become vigorous, resulting in the generation of an unpleasant odor. The fermentation period varies depending on the fermentation conditions, but is selected from the range of 1 to 20 days, preferably 2 to 10 days, and more preferably 3 to 6 days. Furthermore, in the maturation step, the obtained fermented liquid is maturated in a storage tank and stored under low-temperature conditions at about 0° C. for stabilization. Next, in the filtration step, the fermented liquid after maturation is filtered to remove yeast and the like, thereby obtaining a fermented alcoholic beverage. Since all of the nitrogen contained in the pre-fermentation liquid is assimilated by the yeast, the total nitrogen concentration in the fermentation liquid does not exceed the total nitrogen concentration in the pre-fermentation liquid.

[0022] Traditionally, beer-flavored beverages have used colorings to reproduce the appearance of beer. Colorings used in beer-flavored beverages include natural colorings such as caramel coloring, safflower coloring, gardenia coloring, koryan coloring, cochineal coloring, carrot coloring, paprika coloring, red cabbage coloring, grape coloring, purple corn coloring, elderberry coloring, beet coloring, monascus coloring, and turmeric coloring, as well as food colorings such as Food Red No. 102, Food Red No. 104, Orange No. 201, Food Yellow No. 5, and Yellow No. 201. The colorings are mixed with the liquid before or after fermentation. It is preferable not to use any coloring matter in the alcoholic beverage of the present invention in order to avoid affecting the appearance of the beverage, which has a low color. The alcoholic beverage of the present invention has an alcohol concentration of 1 to 10% (v / v), preferably 2 to 8% (v / v), and more preferably 4 to 6% (v / v). [Example]

[0023] (Samples 1 to 12) 100 g of granulated sugar, 450 g of panose, 2 g of malt extract, and 2 g of hops were added to a boiling kettle, followed by 100 L of warm water and boiling for 5 minutes. After boiling, additional warm water was added to replace the evaporated contents. The heat trough was removed in a whirlpool tank, and the mixture was cooled to 8°C using a plate cooler to obtain cold wort. Beer yeast (bottom-fermenting yeast) was added to the resulting wort, fermented at approximately 15°C, and the beer yeast (bottom-fermenting yeast) was removed. The mixture was transferred to a tank, cooled to approximately -1°C, and stabilized for 2 to 5 days. The mixture was then diluted with degassed water to a final concentration of 8.0°P, and filtered through diatomaceous earth to obtain a fermented liquor. The total nitrogen concentration was adjusted by adding soy protein, and the bitterness value was adjusted by adding hops or isosimido hop extract to obtain the fermented liquors for evaluation, Samples 1 to 12.

[0024] (total nitrogen concentration) The total nitrogen concentration was measured using the method described in "BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods" (edited by the International Technical Committee of the Brewers Association of Japan, published in 2013).

[0025] (Hydrogen sulfide concentration) The hydrogen sulfide concentration was determined by adding a predetermined amount of sodium chloride, 3N hydrochloric acid solution, and internal standard solution (ethyl methyl sulfide standard solution 10 mg / L) to the sample and measuring it by headspace GC-FPD. The GC (gas chromatography) conditions were as follows: Column: DB-1 (HP60m x 0.32mmID x 5μm) Oven temperature: 35°C (10 min) → 40°C / min → 250°C (5 min) FPD temperature: 210℃ Column flow rate: 7.5 ml / min Inlet: Split (split ratio 4:1) Inlet temperature: 150℃

[0026] (chromaticity) The color was measured according to the Analytica-EBC standard method of the EBC (European Brewery Convention).

[0027] (bitterness value) The bitterness value was measured according to the method described in BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods, 8.15 (2004), edited by the Brewers Association of Japan.

[0028] (sensory evaluation) Each sample was subjected to a sensory evaluation. The sensory evaluation was conducted by five trained panelists specializing in beer, who scored the "strength of the refreshing aftertaste" and "strength of the unpleasant odor" according to the following criteria. For the "strength of the refreshing aftertaste," sample 6 was given a score of 1 and sample 1 a score of 4, and the scoring criteria were standardized among the panelists. On the other hand, for the "strength of the unpleasant odor," sample 1 was given a score of 1 and sample 6 a score of 4, and the scoring criteria were standardized among the panelists. The average scores of each panelist were calculated, and these were used as the results of the sensory evaluation. The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2. Standard (strength of refreshing aftertaste): 1: The aftertaste is not very refreshing 2: The aftertaste is a little weak 3: The aftertaste is slightly refreshing 4: A refreshing aftertaste Standard (unpleasant odor strength): 1: Weak unpleasant odor 2: Slightly weak unpleasant odor 3: Slightly strong unpleasant odor 4: Strong unpleasant odor

[0029] [Table 1]

[0030] [Table 2]

Claims

1. A fermented alcoholic beverage having a hydrogen sulfide concentration of 5 ppb or less and a total nitrogen concentration of 15 mg / 100 ml or less.

2. The fermented alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, which contains a yeast fermentation liquid.

3. 2. The fermented alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, having a color of 5° EBC or less.

4. The fermented alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, having a bitterness value of 4 BU or more.

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