Low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage

Abstract

Our goal is to provide a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage that excels in beer-like aroma and flavor, with enhanced complexity derived from the brewing process. [Solution] A non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage comprising an aroma composition containing myrcene at 0.0475 ppb or more, β-ionone at 0.000475 ppb or more, linalool at 5.8125 ppb or more, citronellol at 0.7025 ppb or more, geraniol at 0.115 ppb or more, and α-eudesmol at 0.09 ppb or more.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages. "Low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage" refers to a beer-flavored beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1% (V / V). The term "low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage" also includes non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages that contain substantially no alcohol. Furthermore, the term "alcohol" refers to ethanol. [Background technology]

[0002] Low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages are required to exhibit a similar flavor and aroma to beer, except for their low alcohol content.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a process for enriching the aroma profile of beverages, particularly beer and wine, by extracting aroma from a raw beverage using pervaporation and adding the extracted aroma to a completely or partially de-alcoholized beverage.

[0004] In the process described in Patent Document 1, aromatic compounds such as higher alcohols and higher esters are selectively permeated from a fermented alcoholic beverage through a hydrophobic membrane used in the pervaporation process. As a result, a highly concentrated permeate of aromatic compounds is added to a de-alcoholized beverage to improve its sensory quality without significantly increasing the ethanol content.

[0005] Patent Document 2 describes a method for improving the taste of a fermented malt beverage, characterized by adjusting the content of furaneol, linalool, and β-myrcene in the fermented malt beverage so that the furaneol content is 350 ppb or more, the linalool content is 10 ppb or more, and the ratio of linalool content to β-myrcene content ([linalool content] / [β-myrcene content]) is 10 or more.

[0006] According to the method described in Patent Document 2, the palatability of a fermented malt beverage can be improved without increasing the proportion of malt used. The fermented malt beverage referred to in Patent Document 2 may be an alcoholic beverage with an alcohol concentration of 1.0% by volume or more, or a so-called non-alcoholic beverage with an alcohol concentration of less than 1.0% by volume. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2010-517559 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-183126 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] Beer contains a wide variety of aromatic compounds, making it difficult to perfectly replicate its aroma composition. Therefore, low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages often lack the characteristic beer flavor and complex brewing characteristics. For example, when producing a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage by distilling and removing alcohol from a beer-flavored beverage containing alcohol, the resulting beverage often has unpleasant odors such as natto (fermented soybeans), saliva, burnt, or potato-like smells. These unpleasant odors are perceived immediately upon tasting and significantly negatively impact the palatability of the beverage.

[0009] The state of a beverage immediately after it enters the drinker's mouth is generally referred to as the "top aroma." For example, the aroma of a beverage perceived immediately after taking a sip is called the "top aroma." The top aroma of beer-flavored beverages includes the aromas of components that are present in large quantities and have high volatility, such as alcohol.

[0010] The reason why low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages, obtained by distilling and removing alcohol from beer-flavored beverages, often have unpleasant aromas such as natto (fermented soybeans), saliva, burnt, or potato-like smells is thought to be because the removal of alcohol-derived aromas emphasizes the aromas of low-volatile aromatic components, disrupting the original flavor balance of beer.

[0011] Patent Document 1 does not describe the process of permeating highly volatile aroma components from beer, and even if a high-concentration permeate of the aroma compound described in Patent Document 1 is added to a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage, the effect of improving the flavor balance of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is insufficient. Furthermore, the highly volatile aroma components of beer are not limited to furaneol, linalool, and β-myrcene, and the method described in Patent Document 2, which is characterized by adjusting the content of these components, is insufficient in improving the flavor balance of the beer-flavored beverage in a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage.

[0012] The present invention solves the above problems, and its objective is to provide a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage that has excellent beer-like aroma and flavor at the top, and enhanced complexity derived from brewing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] This invention relates to myrcene at a concentration of 0.0475 ppb or more, β-ionone at levels of 0.000475 ppb or higher, Linalool at 5.8125 ppb or higher, Citronellol at 0.7025 ppb or higher, Geraniol at 0.115 ppb or higher, α-eudesmol at levels of 0.09 ppb or higher, The present invention provides a non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage containing an aromatic composition including [specific ingredient].

[0014] In one embodiment, the aroma composition contains 0.0475 to 1.0 ppb of myrcene, 0.000475 to 0.010 ppb of β-ionone, 5.8125 to 71.33 ppb of linalool, 0.7025 to 10.0 ppb of citronellol, 0.115 to 1.4 ppb of geraniol, and 0.090 to 1.1 ppb of α-eudesmol.

[0015] In one embodiment, the aroma components of the aroma composition are derived from wort fermentation broth.

[0016] In one embodiment, the wort fermentation broth is bottom-fermented wort fermentation broth.

[0017] In one embodiment, the wort fermentation broth has a malt usage ratio of 50% or more.

[0018] In one embodiment, the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage contains a de-alcoholized wort fermentation broth.

[0019] Further, the present invention provides a method for producing a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage, comprising: a step of adjusting the carbon dioxide gas pressure of the wort fermentation broth to 0.05 to 0.25 MPa; <…>a step of vaporizing carbon dioxide gas and aroma components from the wort fermentation broth by spraying the wort fermentation broth under reduced pressure; a step of condensing the vaporized aroma components to obtain an aroma composition; a step of adding the obtained aroma composition to the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage;

[0020] Further, the present invention provides a method for producing a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage, comprising: a step of adjusting the carbon dioxide gas pressure of the wort fermentation broth to 0.05 to 0.25 MPa; a step of vaporizing carbon dioxide gas and aroma components from the wort fermentation broth by spraying the wort fermentation broth under reduced pressure; a step of condensing the vaporized aroma components to obtain an aroma composition; a step of adding the obtained aroma composition to the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage; This invention provides a method for enhancing the beer-like aroma and brewing-derived complexity of non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages, encompassing the characteristics of beer.

[0021] In one embodiment, the non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage to which the aroma composition is added is obtained by de-alcoholizing the wort fermentation liquid.

[0022] In one embodiment, the aroma composition contains 0.0475 ppb or more of myrcene, 0.000475 ppb or more of β-ionone, 5.8125 ppb or more of linalool, 0.7025 ppb or more of citronellol, 0.115 ppb or more of geraniol, and 0.09 ppb or more of α-eudesmol.

[0023] In one form, the aroma composition contains 0.0475 to 1.0 ppb of myrcene, 0.000475 to 0.010 ppb of β-ionone, 5.8125 to 71.33 ppb of linalool, 0.7025 to 10.0 ppb of citronellol, 0.115 to 1.4 ppb of geraniol, and 0.090 to 1.1 ppb of α-eudesmol. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] According to the present invention, a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is provided that has excellent beer-like aroma and flavor at the top, and enhanced complexity derived from brewing. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0025] <Fragrance composition> In the present invention, the aroma composition refers to a composition containing specific amounts of myrcene, β-ionone, linalool, citronellol, geraniol, and α-eudesmol, which are aroma components of low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages. The amount of aroma components contained in the aroma composition is expressed as the concentration in the state in which they are contained in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage.

[0026] When each aroma component is combined in a certain amount or more, it reduces or masks the unpleasant odor, allowing the drinker to perceive a beer-like aroma at the top. Therefore, the amount of each aroma component only needs to be adjusted to a range that provides an effect of mitigating or masking the unpleasant odor, and there is no need to specify an upper limit in order to solve the problem of the invention.

[0027] The aroma components may be artificially chemically synthesized or derived from natural products, such as fermentation metabolites produced by yeast. From the viewpoint of optimizing the ratio of each aroma component, it is particularly preferable that the aroma components be derived from wort fermentation liquid obtained as fermentation metabolites produced by yeast. Furthermore, if isomers (e.g., structural isomers and optical isomers) exist for the aroma components, the aroma component may be either isomer or a mixture of those isomers.

[0028] Myrsen, formula C 10 H 16 Myrcene is a monoterpene represented by and is an aromatic component having an aroma. In the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage of the present invention, the concentration of myrcene is 0.0475 ppb or higher, preferably 0.095 ppb or higher, and more preferably 0.1425 ppb or higher, from the viewpoint of improving the flavor of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage. Furthermore, the upper limit of the myrcene concentration is, for example, 1.0 ppb or less, preferably 0.57 ppb or less, and more preferably 0.50 ppb or less. The upper and lower limits of the numerical ranges specified herein can be arbitrarily selected and combined.

[0029] In one form, the concentration of myrcene in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is preferably 0.0475 to 1.0 ppb, more preferably 0.095 to 0.57 ppb, and even more preferably 0.1425 to 0.50 ppb.

[0030] β-ionone is represented by formula C 13 H 20It is a terpenoid represented by O and is an aromatic component having a sweet, fruity aroma. In the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage of the present invention, the concentration of β-ionone is 0.000475 ppb or higher, preferably 0.00095 ppb or higher, and more preferably 0.001425 ppb or higher, from the viewpoint of improving the flavor of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage. Furthermore, the upper limit of the concentration of β-ionone is, for example, 0.010 ppb or lower, preferably 0.0058 ppb or lower, and more preferably 0.0010 ppb or lower.

[0031] In one embodiment, the concentration of β-ionone in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is preferably 0.000475 to 0.010 ppb, more preferably 0.00095 to 0.0058 ppb, and even more preferably 0.001425 to 0.0010 ppb.

[0032] Linalool is given by formula C 10 H 18 Linalool is a monoterpene alcohol represented by O and is an aroma component having a floral-like aroma. In the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage of the present invention, the concentration of linalool is 5.8125 ppb or higher, preferably 11.625 ppb or higher, and more preferably 17.4375 ppb or higher, from the viewpoint of improving the flavor of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage. Furthermore, the upper limit of the linalool concentration is, for example, 71.33 ppb or lower, preferably 30.0 ppb or lower, and more preferably 20.0 ppb or lower.

[0033] In one embodiment, the concentration of linalool in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is preferably 5.8125 to 71.33 ppb, more preferably 11.625 to 30.0 ppb, and even more preferably 17.4375 to 20.0 ppb.

[0034] Citronellol is, formula C 10 H 20It is a monoterpene alcohol represented by O and is an aroma component having a rose-like aroma. In the low-alcohol beer-taste beverage of the present invention, the concentration of citronellol is 0.7025 ppb or more, preferably 1.405 ppb or more, more preferably 2.1075 ppb or more from the viewpoint of improving the flavor of the low-alcohol beer-taste beverage. Also, the upper limit of the concentration of citronellol is, for example, 10.0 ppb or less, preferably 8.63 ppb or less, more preferably 5.0 ppb or less.

[0035] In one form, the concentration of the citronellol in the low-alcohol beer-taste beverage is preferably 0.7025 to 10.0 ppb, more preferably 1.405 to 8.63 ppb, still more preferably 2.1075 to 5.0 ppb.

[0036] Geraniol is C 10 H 18 It is a monoterpene alcohol represented by O and is an aroma component having a rose-like aroma. In the low-alcohol beer-taste beverage of the present invention, the concentration of geraniol is 0.115 ppb or more, preferably 0.230 ppb or more, more preferably 0.345 ppb or more from the viewpoint of improving the flavor of the low-alcohol beer-taste beverage. Also, the upper limit of the concentration of geraniol is, for example, 1.4 ppb or less, preferably 1.0 ppb or less, more preferably 0.50 ppb or less.

[0037] In one form, the concentration of the geraniol in the low-alcohol beer-taste beverage is preferably 0.115 to 1.4 ppb, more preferably 0.230 to 1.0 ppb, still more preferably 0.345 to 0.50 ppb. <0000,160>

[0038] α-Eudesmol is of the formula C 15 H 26α-eudesmol is a sesquiterpene represented by O, also known as α-eudesmol, and is an aromatic component that provides a refreshing taste. In the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage of the present invention, the concentration of α-eudesmol is 0.090 ppb or higher, preferably 0.18 ppb or higher, and more preferably 0.27 ppb or higher, from the viewpoint of improving the flavor of the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage. Furthermore, the upper limit of the concentration of α-eudesmol is, for example, 1.1 ppb or lower, preferably 1.0 ppb or lower, and more preferably 0.50 ppb or lower.

[0039] In one embodiment, the concentration of α-eudesmol in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage is preferably 0.090 to 1.1 ppb, more preferably 0.18 to 1.0 ppb, and even more preferably 0.27 to 0.50 ppb.

[0040] <Wort fermentation liquid> Generally, wort is a sugar solution obtained by enzymatically treating raw materials, including malt. Wort ferment liquor is the liquid obtained by fermenting wort, which is used in the production of regular beer. Wort ferment liquor may be top-fermented wort or bottom-fermented wort. Top-fermented wort is wort ferment obtained by inoculating wort with top-fermenting yeast and fermenting it under normal fermentation conditions, for example, at 15-25°C for several days. Bottom-fermented wort is wort ferment obtained by inoculating wort with bottom-fermenting yeast and fermenting it under normal fermentation conditions, for example, at around 10°C for about a week.

[0041] <Manufacturing of Wort Fermented Liquid> The method for producing wort fermentation liquid is described below.

[0042] First, crushed malt, adjuncts such as barley, and warm water are added to a mashing tank and mixed to prepare the maishe. The maishe can be prepared by conventional methods; for example, by first holding it at 35-60°C for 20-90 minutes, the proteins derived from the raw materials are broken down into amino acids, etc., and the process moves on to the saccharification stage. At this time, if necessary, in addition to the main and adjuncts, enzyme preparations such as saccharifying enzymes and proteases described later, as well as flavoring components such as spices and herbs, may be added.

[0043] Subsequently, the Meishe is gradually heated and maintained at a predetermined temperature for a certain period of time, thereby saccharifying the starch using enzymes derived from malt and enzymes added to the Meishe. The temperature and time during the saccharification process can be appropriately determined considering the type of enzyme used, the amount of Meishe, and the desired quality of the wort ferment. For example, it can be carried out by maintaining it at 60-72°C for 30-90 minutes. After the saccharification process, the Meishe is maintained at 76-78°C for about 10 minutes, and then filtered through a wort filter to obtain a clear sugar solution. Additionally, an appropriate amount of enzyme preparation may be added during the saccharification process as needed.

[0044] The grains used for saccharification include malt. The malt content in the grains used for saccharification is, for example, 25% by weight or more, preferably 50% by weight or more, and more preferably 67% by weight or more. The grains used for saccharification may also be 100% malt. The ratio (by weight) of malt to all raw materials excluding water is called the malt usage ratio. The higher the malt content in the grains, the stronger the malt-derived flavor, richness, and body of the resulting wort will be.

[0045] Auxiliary ingredients refer to ingredients other than malt and hops. Examples of such auxiliary ingredients include starch ingredients such as barley, wheat, corn starch, corn grits, rice, and sorghum, as well as carbohydrate ingredients such as liquid sugar and sugar. Here, liquid sugar is produced by breaking down and saccharifying starch with acid or saccharifying enzymes, and mainly contains glucose, maltose, maltotriose, etc. In addition, spices, herbs, and fruits used for the purpose of imparting or improving flavor are also included as auxiliary ingredients.

[0046] Saccharifying enzymes are enzymes that break down starch to produce sugars. Examples of such saccharifying enzymes include α-amylase, glucoamylase, and prunalase.

[0047] The wort boiling procedure should be carried out according to the usual methods and conditions used in beer production. For example, a pH-adjusted sugar solution is transferred to a boiling kettle and boiled. Hops are added from the start of boiling of the sugar solution until the whirlpool settles. Hop extract or components extracted from hops may be used as the hops. The sugar solution is then transferred to a sedimentation tank called a whirlpool, where hop residue and coagulated proteins resulting from boiling are removed, and then it is cooled to an appropriate temperature using a plate cooler. Wort is obtained by the above wort boiling procedure.

[0048] The resulting wort is then fermented. Fermentation of the wort can be carried out according to conventional methods. For example, beer yeast is inoculated into cooled wort, and it is transferred to a fermentation tank for alcoholic fermentation. Either top-fermenting yeast or bottom-fermenting yeast may be used, but bottom-fermenting yeast is preferable from the viewpoint of suppressing acidity, astringency, etc.

[0049] The final visible degree of fermentation of the wort ferment is preferably 80% or higher. If the final visible degree of fermentation of the wort ferment is less than 80%, the amount of amino nitrogen will not decrease sufficiently, and it may be necessary to add a large amount of acid to sufficiently lower the pH of the wort ferment. The final visible degree of fermentation of the wort ferment of the present invention is preferably 80-110%, more preferably 85-100%.

[0050] The degree of fermentation is an important indicator of how far fermentation has progressed in beer after fermentation. Furthermore, the final degree of fermentation refers to the proportion of extract that brewer's yeast can utilize relative to the original wort extract. Here, the extract that brewer's yeast can utilize is the original wort extract minus the extract contained in the finished beer (i.e., the extract remaining after all the extract available to brewer's yeast has been fermented (called the final extract)). The apparent final degree of fermentation refers to the final degree of fermentation calculated using the value of the final extract and the extract concentration (%) determined from the specific gravity of the beer, which still contains alcohol.

[0051] Furthermore, "extract" refers to non-volatile solids. Depending on the context, the term "extract" can mean the non-volatile solids themselves, the amount of non-volatile solids, or the concentration of non-volatile solids.

[0052] The final degree of fermentation (Vend) of the wort fermentation liquid can be determined, for example, by the following formula (1). Vend(%) = {(P-Eend) / P} × 100 (1) [In the formula, P is the original wort extract, and Eend is the final visible extract.]

[0053] The original wort extract P is theoretically calculated by working backward from the alcohol concentration and extract value of the finished beer, following Balling's formula, to determine the wort extract value before alcohol fermentation. Specifically, it can be determined by the method shown in Analytica-EBC(9.4)(2007). The final visible extract Eend can be determined by taking a sample of beer into a flask, adding a large amount of fresh pressed yeast, fermenting it with stirring at 25°C until the extract value no longer decreases (24 hours), and then measuring the visible extract value in the remaining beer.

[0054] The final visible extract (Eend) is calculated from the specific gravity of the final extract containing alcohol, and therefore may show a negative value. As a result, the final visible fermentation degree may exceed 100%.

[0055] The final visible degree of fermentation can be controlled by adjusting factors such as saccharification conditions, whether or not enzymes are used to saccharify the raw materials, and the type and proportion of raw materials. For example, extending the saccharification time can increase the sugar concentration available to the yeast, thereby increasing the visible degree of fermentation.

[0056] After fermentation is complete, the resulting wort ferment is further matured in storage tanks under low temperature conditions of around 0°C to stabilize it. Next, in the filtration process, the matured wort ferment is filtered to remove yeast and proteins, etc., to obtain the wort ferment.

[0057] The resulting wort ferment liquor contains 1.75 to 8.00% by weight of true extract. If the true extract content is less than 1.75% by weight, the resulting beer-flavored beverage may lose its beer-like flavor and taste watery. On the other hand, if the true extract content exceeds 8.00% by weight, the resulting beer-flavored beverage may lack the crispness characteristic of beer. The true extract content is preferably 2.50 to 5.50% by weight, and more preferably 3.00 to 5.00% by weight.

[0058] The true extract content of the wort ferment can be measured, for example, by the EBC method (Bergist Association of Japan, ed.: BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods, 7.2 (2004)).

[0059] <Manufacturing of fragrance compositions> The aroma composition used in the present invention can be produced, for example, by blending predetermined amounts of each aroma component. In a preferred embodiment, the aroma composition can also be produced by vaporizing the aroma components from the wort fermentation liquid and recovering them.

[0060] One method for vaporizing aroma components from wort ferment is to adjust the carbon dioxide pressure of the wort ferment to 0.05 to 0.25 MPa and spray the wort ferment under reduced pressure. By adjusting the carbon dioxide pressure of the wort ferment before spraying to the aforementioned range, the ratio of each aroma component's content is optimized. The carbon dioxide pressure is preferably adjusted to 0.05 to 0.20 MPa, and more preferably to 0.15 to 0.20 MPa.

[0061] The ambient pressure when spraying the wort ferment is preferably 50 to 200 mbar, more preferably 70 to 150 mbar, and even more preferably 80 to 100 mbar. By adjusting the ambient pressure to this range, the vaporization efficiency of the aroma components is improved. Spraying the wort ferment can be carried out, for example, in a tank in which the internal pressure is adjusted to this range.

[0062] The temperature of the wort ferment when spraying is 40-70°C, preferably 47-68°C, and more preferably 55-65°C. By adjusting the temperature within this range, each aroma component can be efficiently vaporized.

[0063] One method for recovering vaporized aroma components is to cool them according to a conventional method, thereby condensing the aroma component gas. The condensed liquid is an aroma composition containing the aforementioned specific aroma component in a specific amount.

[0064] <Manufacturing of low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages> The low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage of the present invention can be produced by adding a predetermined amount of the aroma composition to a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage. The low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage to which the aroma composition is added may be a fermented low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage produced through a fermentation process, or a non-fermented low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage produced without a fermentation process.

[0065] From the viewpoint of enhancing the complexity of flavor derived from brewing, in one preferred form, the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage containing the aroma composition is a fermented low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage. From the viewpoint of optimizing the flavor balance, it is preferable that the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage containing the aroma composition is a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage, i.e., a dealcoholized wort ferment, obtained by dealcoholizing the wort ferment from which the aroma composition has been volatilized.

[0066] The present invention will be further illustrated by the following examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. [Examples]

[0067] <Examples> [Production of wort fermentation liquid] Crushed malt, water, and cornstarch were added to the mashing kettle, gelatinized at 70°C, and liquefied at 100°C. Next, crushed malt, enzymes, and warm water were added to the mashing tank, and after protein rest at around 55°C, the liquid was transferred from the mashing kettle to the mashing tank, where saccharification was carried out at a temperature between 60°C and 76°C. This saccharified liquid was filtered through a lauter (a filtration tank), then transferred to a boiling kettle, hops were added, and it was boiled for 60 minutes. After boiling, warm water was added to compensate for evaporation, the heat trube was removed in a whirlpool tank, and then it was cooled to 10°C using a plate cooler to obtain cold wort. Bottom-fermenting brewer's yeast was added to this wort, and it was fermented at around 10°C for 7 days, after which the brewer's yeast was removed. After being transferred to a tank and aged for 7 days, it was cooled to around -1°C and stabilized for 14 days. After that, deaerated water was added to dilute it, and it was filtered using diatomaceous earth to obtain wort ferment (bottom-fermented wort).

[0068] [Measurement of linalool, citronellol, myrcene, geraniol, β-ionone, and α-eudesmol concentrations] In the following examples and comparative examples, the concentrations of linalool, β-citronellol, myrcene, geraniol, β-ionone, and α-eudesmol were measured by the following methods.

[0069] The concentrations of each hop aroma component were measured using the Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction (SBSE) method. Specifically, β-Damascone was added to the final non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage as an internal standard to a concentration of 0.1 ppb. The sample was diluted fivefold, and 20 ml of the diluted sample was collected in a 30 ml vial. A 47 μl PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) coated stirring bar (length = 20 mm; Twister (trade name); Gerstel, Germany) was placed in the vial, the lid was closed, and the vial was stirred at 40°C for 2 hours to adsorb the hop aroma components onto the stirring bar. The stirring bar was removed from the vial, water droplets were completely removed, and then it was inserted into a GC-MS equipped with a Thermal Desorption Unit (TDU); Gerstel and a Programmable Temperature-Vaporization Inlet (CIS4; Gerstel).

[0070] The GC-MS conditions are as follows: • Gas chromatograph: Agilent Technologies 6890 • Detector: MSD5973N quadrupole mass spectrum analyzer (manufactured by Agilent Technologies) • Column: DB-WAX capillary column (Length: 60m, Inner diameter: 0.25mm, Film thickness: 0.25μm, manufactured by Agilent Technologies) • Injection port: 250℃ Pulsed splitless injection mode ·Injection volume: 1μL Carrier gas: Helium (1 ml / min) Column temperature setting: 40°C (hold for 5 minutes) - (3°C / min) - 240°C (20 minutes) ·Mass-to-charge ratio: 30~350(m / z) • Ionization conditions: 70 eV, single-ion monitoring mode (SIM mode) • Quantitative analysis: This was performed by comparing the peak area area of ​​each aroma component with the peak area area of ​​the internal standard. The results of the analysis are shown in Table 1.

[0071] [Table 1]

[0072] [Manufacturing of non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages containing fragrance components] After adjusting the gas pressure of the wort fermentation liquid (liquid temperature 0°C) obtained above to 0.20 MPa, the liquid temperature was adjusted to 55-65°C using a heat exchanger, and the liquid was sprayed into a degassing tank under reduced pressure of around 90 mbar to vaporize carbon dioxide and aroma components. The vaporized aroma components were condensed by cooling to approximately 20°C to obtain an aroma composition.

[0073] The wort ferment liquor, from which the aroma components had been vaporized, was heated to approximately 50°C using a plate cooler. Then, it was brought into contact with steam heated to approximately 50°C in a reduced-pressure column at approximately 90 mbar to adsorb volatile components onto the steam, thereby removing alcohol and volatile components. Subsequently, the aroma composition was returned to the dealcoholized wort ferment liquor to produce a non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage containing the aroma composition. The resulting non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage containing the aroma composition was designated as Sample 1. The alcohol content of Sample 1 was less than 1%. The analysis results of the aroma components are shown in Table 2.

[0074] [Table 2]

[0075] <Comparative Example 1> [Manufacturing of non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages containing fragrance components] A non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage containing an aroma composition was produced in the same manner as in the example, except that the gas pressure of the wort fermentation liquid (liquid temperature 0°C) before spraying into the degassing tank was adjusted to 0.04 MPa. The obtained non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage containing an aroma composition was designated as Sample 2. The alcohol content of Sample 2 was less than 1%. The results of the aroma component analysis are shown in Table 3.

[0076] [Table 3]

[0077] <Comparative Example 2> [Manufacturing of non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages that do not contain flavoring components] A non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage without the aroma composition was produced in the same manner as in the example, except that the gas pressure of the wort ferment (liquid temperature 0°C) before spraying into the degassing tank was adjusted to 0.04 MPa, and the aroma composition was not returned to the de-alcoholized wort ferment. The obtained non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage without the aroma composition was designated as Sample 3. The alcohol content of Sample 3 was less than 1%. The results of the aroma component analysis are shown in Table 4.

[0078] [Table 4]

[0079] <Reference example> [Changes to the concentration and types of fragrance components] Samples 1 and 3 were mixed in varying ratios to produce 1 liter of non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages with different concentrations of aroma components, which were designated as Samples 4-9.

[0080] <Sensory evaluation of non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages> The non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage produced as described above was subjected to sensory evaluation. The evaluators were six trained panelists. The evaluation items were the intensity of the natto odor, the intensity of the saliva odor, the intensity of the burnt odor, the intensity of the potato odor, and the complexity of the brewing process.

[0081] The evaluation method involved adjusting the sample temperature to approximately 4°C and scoring the intensity of the aforementioned sensory characteristics immediately upon tasting, i.e., at the top of the mouth, on a 5-point scale. The scoring system was as follows: Sample 1 received a score of 3, a slightly strong sensation was rated 4, a strong sensation 5, a slightly weak sensation 2, and a weak sensation 1. Finally, the average of the scores from the six participants was calculated. The evaluation criteria for beer-like aroma were as follows:

[0082] Good "A": The average score for the intensity of each of the following odors is 2.0 or less, and the average score for the complexity of the brewing-derived flavor is 4.0 or higher. Acceptable "B": The average score for the intensity of each of the following odors is greater than 2.0 but less than or equal to 2.5, and the average score for the complexity of the brewing-derived flavor is between 3.5 and less than 4.0. Fail "C": The average score for the intensity of each of the following odors exceeds 2.5, or the average score for the complexity of the brewing-derived flavor is less than 3.5.

[0083] Table 5 shows the aroma component concentrations and evaluation results for samples 4-9.

[0084] [Table 5]

[0085] Table 5 shows the sensory evaluation results, indicating that at a minimum of the aroma component concentrations of Sample 6 (myrcene concentration of 0.0475 ppb or higher, β-ionone concentration of 0.000475 ppb or higher, linalool concentration of 5.8125 ppb or higher, citronellol concentration of 0.7025 ppb or higher, geraniol concentration of 0.115 ppb or higher, and α-eudesmol concentration of 0.09 ppb or higher), unpleasant aromas (natto smell, saliva smell, burnt smell, potato smell) at the top of non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages are reduced. Furthermore, it was shown that the complexity of flavors derived from brewing is enhanced depending on the aroma component concentration of Sample 6.

[0086] Furthermore, to investigate how each type of aroma component affects the flavor of non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages, samples 10-33 were prepared by varying the concentration of one aroma component from sample 7. The sensory evaluation results for samples 10-33 are shown in Tables 6-9.

[0087] [Table 6]

[0088] [Table 7]

[0089] [Table 8]

[0090] [Table 9]

[0091] Sensory evaluation results for samples 10-33 showed that myrcene, β-ionone, linalool, citronellol, geraniol, and α-eudesmol, when present or at increased concentrations, reduced unpleasant aromas in non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages and increased the complexity of flavors derived from brewing, indicating that they are highly effective aroma components for improving flavor.

Claims

1. Myrcene at 0.0475 ppb or higher, β-ionone at 0.000475 ppb or higher, 5. Linalool at 5.8125 ppb or higher, Citronellol at 0.7025 ppb or higher, Geraniol at 0.115 ppb or higher, 0.09 ppb or more of α-eudesmol, A non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage containing a fragrance composition including [specific ingredient].

2. The non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein the aroma composition comprises 0.0475 to 1.0 ppb of myrcene, 0.000475 to 0.010 ppb of β-ionone, 5.8125 to 71.33 ppb of linalool, 0.7025 to 10.0 ppb of citronellol, 0.115 to 1.4 ppb of geraniol, and 0.090 to 1.1 ppb of α-eudesmol.

3. The non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the aroma component of the aroma composition is derived from the fermented wort liquid.

4. The non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the wort fermentation liquid is the bottom-fermentation liquid of the wort.

5. The wort fermentation liquid is a non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, having a malt usage ratio of 50% or more.

6. A non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a de-alcoholized wort fermentation liquid.

7. A process of adjusting the carbon dioxide pressure of the wort fermentation liquid to 0.05 to 0.25 MPa; A process of vaporizing carbon dioxide and aromatic components from the wort ferment by spraying it under reduced pressure; A process of obtaining an aroma composition by condensing vaporized aroma components; The process involves adding the resulting aroma composition to a non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage; A method for manufacturing a non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage, including [the specified element].

8. A process of adjusting the carbon dioxide pressure of the wort fermentation liquid to 0.05 to 0.25 MPa; A process of vaporizing carbon dioxide and aromatic components from the wort ferment by spraying it under reduced pressure; A process of obtaining an aroma composition by condensing vaporized aroma components; The process involves adding the resulting aroma composition to a non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage; A method for enhancing the beer-like aroma and brewing-derived complexity of non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages, encompassing the following:

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage to which the aroma composition is added is obtained by de-alcoholizing a wort fermentation liquid.

10. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the aroma composition contains 0.0475 ppb or more of myrcene, 0.000475 ppb or more of β-ionone, 5.8125 ppb or more of linalool, 0.7025 ppb or more of citronellol, 0.115 ppb or more of geraniol, and 0.09 ppb or more of α-eudesmol.

11. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the aroma composition comprises 0.0475 to 1.0 ppb of myrcene, 0.000475 to 0.010 ppb of β-ionone, 5.8125 to 71.33 ppb of linalool, 0.7025 to 10.0 ppb of citronellol, 0.115 to 1.4 ppb of geraniol, and 0.090 to 1.1 ppb of α-eudesmol.

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