A beer-flavored beverage with reduced grassiness and a light, refreshing aftertaste.

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to provide a beer-flavored beverage with reduced grassiness and a light aftertaste, as well as a method for producing the same. [Solution] In a beer-flavored beverage, the problem of the present invention can be solved if at least one of the following conditions (A) to (C) is met. (A) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 15 ppb or higher; (B) The concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 45 ppb or higher; (C) The concentration of diethyl succinate is 520 ppb or higher;

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a beer - flavored beverage and a method for producing the same. More specifically, it relates to a beer - flavored beverage with reduced grassy flavor and imparted with a refreshing aftertaste, and a method for producing the same.

Background Art

[0002] One of the important characteristics of a beer - flavored beverage is having bitterness. However, when bitterness is imparted to a beer - flavored beverage, often a grassy flavor (a hay - like scent accompanied by a solvent or resin - like scent) is also imparted. For example, in the beer production process, in the wort boiling step during wort production, a method of boiling bittering ingredients to volatilize and reduce the grassy scent is common. However, even in this method, a grassy scent remains in the beer. Since some consumers tend to avoid this grassy flavor, in order to produce a highly palatable beer - flavored beverage, it is required to reduce this grassy flavor. Also, when bitterness is imparted to a beer - flavored beverage, it is often accompanied by a heavy aftertaste on the tongue, and the refreshing aftertaste is likely to be impaired.

[0003] As a technique for reducing the grassy flavor, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for producing a beer - like foaming beverage, which includes a step of boiling a raw material liquid containing a grain - derived component and a step of adjusting the composition of the raw material liquid so that the mass ratio of linalool / β - citronellol is 1.0 or more and the mass ratio of myrcene / β - citronellol is 1.0 or less. However, it has not been known until now that by containing ethyl 2 - methylbutyrate, ethyl isovalerate, and / or diethyl succinate in a beer - flavored beverage at respective predetermined concentrations, the grassy flavor of the beer - flavored beverage can be reduced and a refreshing aftertaste can be imparted.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-127374 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a beer-flavored beverage with reduced grassiness and a light aftertaste, as well as a method for producing the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of diligent research to solve the above problems, the present inventors have found that by adding ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl isovalerate, and / or diethyl succinate to a beer-flavored beverage at predetermined concentrations, it is possible to obtain a beer-flavored beverage that reduces grassiness and provides a light aftertaste, thus completing the present invention.

[0007] In other words, the present invention provides the following invention. [1] A beer-flavored beverage that satisfies at least one of the following conditions (A) to (C). (A) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 15 ppb or higher; (B) The concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 45 ppb or higher; (C) The concentration of diethyl succinate is 520 ppb or higher; [2] A beer-flavored beverage that satisfies at least one of the following conditions (D) to (F). (D) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, and the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more; (E) The concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; (F) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; [3] A beer-flavored beverage that meets the following condition (G). (G) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; [4] A method for producing a beer-flavored beverage, comprising preparing the beer-flavored beverage such that it satisfies at least one of the following conditions (A) to (C). (A) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 15 ppb or higher; (B) The concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 45 ppb or higher; (C) The concentration of diethyl succinate is 520 ppb or higher; [5] A method for producing a beer-flavored beverage, comprising preparing the beer-flavored beverage such that it satisfies at least one of the following conditions (D) to (F). (D) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, and the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more; (E) The concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; (F) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; [6] A method for producing a beer-flavored beverage, comprising preparing the beer-flavored beverage such that it satisfies the following condition (G). (G) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; [7] A method for reducing the grassiness of a beer-flavored beverage and imparting a light aftertaste, comprising preparing the beer-flavored beverage such that it satisfies at least one of the following conditions (A) to (C). (A) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 15 ppb or higher; (B) The concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 45 ppb or higher; (C) The concentration of diethyl succinate is 520 ppb or higher; [8] A method for reducing the grassiness of a beer-flavored beverage and imparting a light aftertaste, comprising preparing the beer-flavored beverage such that it satisfies at least one of the following conditions (D) to (F). (D) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, and the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more; (E) The concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; (F) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; [9] A method for reducing the grassiness of a beer-flavored beverage and imparting a light aftertaste, comprising preparing the beer-flavored beverage such that it satisfies the following condition (G). (G) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a beer-flavored beverage with reduced grassiness and a light aftertaste, as well as a method for producing the same. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The present invention includes the following embodiments. [1-1] A beer-taste beverage (hereinafter, also referred to as "the first beverage of the present invention") that satisfies at least one of the following conditions (A) to (C). (A) The content concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 15 ppb or more; (B) The content concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 45 ppb or more; (C) The content concentration of diethyl succinate is 520 ppb or more; [1-2] A beer-taste beverage (hereinafter, also referred to as "the second beverage of the present invention") that satisfies at least one of the following conditions (D) to (F). (D) The content concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more and the content concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more; (E) The content concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more and the content concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; (F) The content concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more and the content concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; [1-3] A beer-taste beverage (hereinafter, also referred to as "the third beverage of the present invention") that satisfies the following condition (G). (G) The content concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, the content concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the content concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; (Hereinafter, "the first beverage of the present invention", "the second beverage of the present invention", and "the third beverage of the present invention" are also collectively referred to as "the beverage of the present invention".) [2-1] A method for producing a beer-taste beverage, the method (hereinafter, also referred to as "the first production method of the present invention") including preparing the beer-taste beverage so that the beer-taste beverage satisfies at least one of the following conditions (A) to (C). (A) The content concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 15 ppb or more; (B) The content concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 45 ppb or more; (C) The concentration of diethyl succinate is 520 ppb or higher; [2-2] A method for producing a beer-flavored beverage, comprising preparing the beer-flavored beverage such that it satisfies at least one of the following conditions (D) to (F), the method (hereinafter also referred to as "the second method of production of the present invention"). (D) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, and the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more; (E) The concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; (F) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; [2-3] A method for producing a beer-flavored beverage, comprising preparing the beer-flavored beverage such that the beer-flavored beverage satisfies the following condition (G) (hereinafter also referred to as "the third method of production of the present invention"). (G) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; (Hereinafter, "the first manufacturing method of the present invention," "the second manufacturing method of the present invention," and "the third manufacturing method of the present invention" will also be referred to as "the manufacturing method of the present invention.") [3-1] A method for reducing the grassiness of a beer-flavored beverage and imparting a light aftertaste, comprising preparing the beer-flavored beverage such that it satisfies at least one of the following conditions (A) to (C), the method (hereinafter also referred to as "the first flavor enhancement method of the present invention"). (A) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 15 ppb or higher; (B) The concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 45 ppb or higher; (C) The concentration of diethyl succinate is 520 ppb or higher; [3-2] A method for reducing the grassiness of a beer-flavored beverage and imparting a light aftertaste, comprising preparing the beer-flavored beverage such that it satisfies at least one of the following conditions (D) to (F) (hereinafter also referred to as "the second flavor enhancement method of the present invention"). (D) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, and the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more; (E) The concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; (F) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; [3-3] A method for reducing the grassiness of a beer-flavored beverage and imparting a light aftertaste, comprising preparing the beer-flavored beverage such that it satisfies the following condition (G), the method (hereinafter also referred to as "the third flavor enhancement method of the present invention"). (G) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more. (Hereinafter, "the first method for improving flavor according to the present invention," "the second method for improving flavor according to the present invention," and "the third method for improving flavor according to the present invention" will also be referred to as "the flavor improvement method according to the present invention.")

[0010] In this specification, ppb represents mass per unit volume.

[0011] (A) In the first beverage of the present invention, when ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is used, the concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 15 ppb or higher. In beer-flavored beverages, a concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate of 15 ppb or higher reduces the grassiness and provides a light aftertaste. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of obtaining a higher effect, the lower limit of the concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 15 ppb or higher, and preferably 20 ppb or higher, 30 ppb or higher, 40 ppb or higher, 50 ppb or higher, 60 ppb or higher, 70 ppb or higher, 80 ppb or higher, 90 ppb or higher, 100 ppb or higher, 110 ppb or higher, 120 ppb or higher, 130 ppb or higher, 140 ppb or higher, 150 ppb or higher, 160 ppb or higher, 170 ppb or higher, 180 ppb or higher, 190 ppb or higher, or 200 ppb or higher. In the first beverage of the present invention, when ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is used, there are no particular limitations on the upper limit of the concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, but examples include 5000 ppb or less, 4000 ppb or less, 3000 ppb or less, 2000 ppb or less, 1500 ppb or less, 1000 ppb or less, 800 ppb or less, 700 ppb or less, 600 ppb or less, 500 ppb or less, 400 ppb or less, 300 ppb or less, and 200 ppb or less. From the viewpoint of obtaining a lighter aftertaste, 190 ppb or less, 180 ppb or less, 170 ppb or less, 160 ppb or less, 150 ppb or less, 140 ppb or less, 130 ppb or less, 120 ppb or less, 110 ppb or less, and 100 ppb or less are preferred. These lower and upper limits can be arbitrarily combined.

[0012] (B) In the first beverage of the present invention, when ethyl isovalerate is used, the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 45 ppb or higher. In beer-flavored beverages, when the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 45 ppb or higher, the grassiness is reduced and a light aftertaste is provided. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of obtaining a higher effect, the lower limit of the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 45 ppb or higher, and preferably 50 ppb or higher, 60 ppb or higher, 70 ppb or higher, 80 ppb or higher, 90 ppb or higher, 100 ppb or higher, 110 ppb or higher, 120 ppb or higher, 130 ppb or higher, 140 ppb or higher, 150 ppb or higher, 160 ppb or higher, 170 ppb or higher, 180 ppb or higher, 190 ppb or higher, or 200 ppb or higher. In the first beverage of the present invention, when ethyl isovalerate is used, there are no particular limitations on the upper limit of the ethyl isovalerate content, but examples include 5000 ppb or less, 4000 ppb or less, 3000 ppb or less, 2000 ppb or less, 1500 ppb or less, 1000 ppb or less, 800 ppb or less, 700 ppb or less, 600 ppb or less, 500 ppb or less, 400 ppb or less, 300 ppb or less, and 200 ppb or less. From the viewpoint of obtaining a lighter aftertaste, 190 ppb or less, 180 ppb or less, 170 ppb or less, 160 ppb or less, 150 ppb or less, 140 ppb or less, 130 ppb or less, 120 ppb or less, 110 ppb or less, and 100 ppb or less are preferred. These lower and upper limits can be arbitrarily combined.

[0013] (C) In the first beverage of the present invention, when diethyl succinate is used, the diethyl succinate content is 520 ppb or higher. In beer-flavored beverages, a diethyl succinate content of 520 ppb or higher reduces the grassy taste and provides a light aftertaste. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of obtaining a higher effect, the lower limit of the diethyl succinate content is 520 ppb or higher, and preferably 550 ppb or higher, 600 ppb or higher, 650 ppb or higher, 700 ppb or higher, 750 ppb or higher, 800 ppb or higher, 850 ppb or higher, 900 ppb or higher, 950 ppb or higher, or 1000 ppb or higher. In the first beverage of the present invention, when diethyl succinate is used, there are no particular limitations on the upper limit of the diethyl succinate content, but examples include 10,000 ppb or less, 7,000 ppb or less, 5,000 ppb or less, 4,000 ppb or less, 3,500 ppb or less, 3,000 ppb or less, 2,500 ppb or less, 2,000 ppb or less, 1,500 ppb or less, and 1,000 ppb or less. From the viewpoint of obtaining a lighter aftertaste, 950 ppb or less, 900 ppb or less, 850 ppb or less, 800 ppb or less, 750 ppb or less, and 700 ppb or less are preferred, and 650 ppb or less and 600 ppb or less are more preferred. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily.

[0014] (D) In the second beverage of the present invention, when ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and ethyl isovalerate are used, the concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, and the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more. In a beer-flavored beverage, when the concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, and the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, the grassiness is reduced, and a light aftertaste is provided. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of obtaining a higher effect, the lower limit of the ethyl 2-methylbutyrate content is 1 ppb or more, and preferably 3 ppb or more, 5 ppb or more, 7 ppb or more, 10 ppb or more, 15 ppb or more, 20 ppb or more, 30 ppb or more, 40 ppb or more, 50 ppb or more, 60 ppb or more, 70 ppb or more, 80 ppb or more, 90 ppb or more, or 100 ppb or more. The lower limit of the ethyl isovalerate content is 1.5 ppb or more, and preferably 3 ppb or more, 5 ppb or more, 7 ppb or more, 10 ppb or more, 15 ppb or more, 20 ppb or more, 30 ppb or more, 40 ppb or more, 45 ppb or more, 50 ppb or more, 60 ppb or more, 70 ppb or more, 80 ppb or more, 90 ppb or more, or 100 ppb or more. These lower limits for ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and ethyl isovalerate can be combined in any way. In the second beverage of the present invention, when ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and ethyl isovalerate are used, there are no particular limitations on the upper limits of the concentrations of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and ethyl isovalerate. However, examples of upper limits for ethyl 2-methylbutyrate include 5000 ppb or less, 4000 ppb or less, 3000 ppb or less, 2000 ppb or less, 1500 ppb or less, 1000 ppb or less, 800 ppb or less, 700 ppb or less, 600 ppb or less, 500 ppb or less, 400 ppb or less, 300 ppb or less, and 200 ppb or less. From the viewpoint of obtaining a lighter aftertaste, examples include 190 ppb or less, 180 ppb or less, 170 ppb or less, 160 ppb or less, 150 ppb or less, 140 ppb or less, and 130 ppb or less. Preferably, the concentration is 100ppb or less, 120ppb or less, 110ppb or less, and 100ppb or less. As upper limits for the concentration of ethyl isovalerate, for example, 5000ppb or less, 4000ppb or less, 3000ppb or less, 2000ppb or less, 1500ppb or less, 1000ppb or less, 800ppb or less, 700ppb or less, 600ppb or less, 500ppb or less, 400ppb or less, 300ppb or less, and 200ppb or less are mentioned. From the viewpoint of obtaining a lighter aftertaste, preferably, 190ppb or less, 180ppb or less, 170ppb or less, 160ppb or less, 150ppb or less, 140ppb or less, 130ppb or less, 120ppb or less, 110ppb or less, and 100ppb or less are mentioned. The upper limits for the concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and the upper limits for the concentration of ethyl isovalerate can be combined in any way. Furthermore, the lower and upper limits of the concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate can be arbitrarily combined, and the lower and upper limits of the concentration of ethyl isovalerate can also be arbitrarily combined.

[0015] (E) In the second beverage of the present invention, when ethyl isovalerate and diethyl succinate are used, the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more. In a beer-flavored beverage, when the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more, the grassiness is reduced and a light aftertaste is provided. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of obtaining a higher effect, the lower limit of the ethyl isovalerate content is 1.5 ppb or higher, and preferably 3 ppb or higher, 5 ppb or higher, 7 ppb or higher, 10 ppb or higher, 15 ppb or higher, 20 ppb or higher, 30 ppb or higher, 40 ppb or higher, 45 ppb or higher, 50 ppb or higher, 60 ppb or higher, 70 ppb or higher, 80 ppb or higher, 90 ppb or higher, or 100 ppb or higher, and the lower limit of the diethyl succinate content is 1 In addition to 0 ppb or higher, preferred levels include 15 ppb or higher, 20 ppb or higher, 30 ppb or higher, 40 ppb or higher, 50 ppb or higher, 100 ppb or higher, 200 ppb or higher, 300 ppb or higher, 400 ppb or higher, 500 ppb or higher, 520 ppb or higher, 550 ppb or higher, 600 ppb or higher, 650 ppb or higher, 700 ppb or higher, 750 ppb or higher, 800 ppb or higher, 850 ppb or higher, 900 ppb or higher, 950 ppb or higher, or 1000 ppb or higher. These lower limits for ethyl isovalerate and diethyl succinate can be combined in any way. In the second beverage of the present invention, when ethyl isovalerate and diethyl succinate are used, there are no particular limitations on the upper limits of the concentrations of ethyl isovalerate and diethyl succinate. However, examples of upper limits for ethyl isovalerate include 5000 ppb or less, 4000 ppb or less, 3000 ppb or less, 2000 ppb or less, 1500 ppb or less, 1000 ppb or less, 800 ppb or less, 700 ppb or less, 600 ppb or less, 500 ppb or less, 400 ppb or less, 300 ppb or less, and 200 ppb or less. From the viewpoint of obtaining a lighter aftertaste, examples include 190 ppb or less, 180 ppb or less, 170 ppb or less, 160 ppb or less, 150 ppb or less, and 14 Preferably, the ethyl isovalerate content is 0 ppb or less, 130 ppb or less, 120 ppb or less, 110 ppb or less, and 100 ppb or less. For example, the upper limit of the diethyl succinate content is 10,000 ppb or less, 7,000 ppb or less, 5,000 ppb or less, 4,000 ppb or less, 3,500 ppb or less, 3,000 ppb or less, 2,500 ppb or less, 2,000 ppb or less, 1,500 ppb or less, and 1,000 ppb or less. From the viewpoint of obtaining a lighter aftertaste, preferably, it is 950 ppb or less, 900 ppb or less, 850 ppb or less, 800 ppb or less, 750 ppb or less, and 700 ppb or less, and more preferably, it is 650 ppb or less and 600 ppb or less. These upper limits for the ethyl isovalerate content and the diethyl succinate content can be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, the lower and upper limits of the concentration of ethyl isovalerate can be arbitrarily combined, and the lower and upper limits of the concentration of diethyl succinate can also be arbitrarily combined.

[0016] (F) In the second beverage of the present invention, when ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and diethyl succinate are used, the concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more. In a beer-flavored beverage, when the concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more, the grassiness is reduced and a light aftertaste is provided. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of obtaining a higher effect, the lower limit of the ethyl 2-methylbutyrate content is 1 ppb or more, and preferably 3 ppb or more, 5 ppb or more, 7 ppb or more, 10 ppb or more, 15 ppb or more, 20 ppb or more, 30 ppb or more, 40 ppb or more, 50 ppb or more, 60 ppb or more, 70 ppb or more, 80 ppb or more, 90 ppb or more, or 100 ppb or more, and the lower limit of the diethyl succinate content is 10 ppb In addition to the above, preferred levels include 15 ppb or more, 20 ppb or more, 30 ppb or more, 40 ppb or more, 50 ppb or more, 100 ppb or more, 200 ppb or more, 300 ppb or more, 400 ppb or more, 500 ppb or more, 520 ppb or more, 550 ppb or more, 600 ppb or more, 650 ppb or more, 700 ppb or more, 750 ppb or more, 800 ppb or more, 850 ppb or more, 900 ppb or more, 950 ppb or more, or 1000 ppb or more. These lower limits for ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and diethyl succinate can be combined in any way. In the second beverage of the present invention, when ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and diethyl succinate are used, there are no particular limitations on the upper limits of the content concentrations of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and diethyl succinate. However, examples of upper limits for ethyl 2-methylbutyrate include 5000 ppb or less, 4000 ppb or less, 3000 ppb or less, 2000 ppb or less, 1500 ppb or less, 1000 ppb or less, 800 ppb or less, 700 ppb or less, 600 ppb or less, 500 ppb or less, 400 ppb or less, 300 ppb or less, and 200 ppb or less. From the viewpoint of obtaining a lighter aftertaste, 190 ppb or less, 180 ppb or less, 170 ppb or less, 160 ppb or less, 150 ppb or less, 140 ppb or less, 130 ppb or less, 120 ppb or less, 110 ppb or less, and 100 ppb or less are preferred. Examples of upper limits for the diethyl succinate content include 10,000 ppb or less, 7,000 ppb or less, 5,000 ppb or less, 4,000 ppb or less, 3,500 ppb or less, 3,000 ppb or less, 2,500 ppb or less, 2,000 ppb or less, 1,500 ppb or less, and 1,000 ppb or less. From the viewpoint of obtaining a lighter aftertaste, 950 ppb or less, 900 ppb or less, 850 ppb or less, 800 ppb or less, 750 ppb or less, and 700 ppb or less are preferred, and 650 ppb or less and 600 ppb or less are more preferred. These upper limits for the ethyl isovalerate content and the diethyl succinate content can be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, the lower and upper limits of the concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate can be arbitrarily combined, and the lower and upper limits of the concentration of diethyl succinate can also be arbitrarily combined.

[0017] (G) In the third beverage of the present invention, the concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more. In a beer-flavored beverage, when the concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more, the grassiness is further reduced and a lighter aftertaste is provided compared to the cases of (D), (E), or (F) above. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of obtaining a higher effect, the lower limit of the ethyl 2-methylbutyrate content is 1 ppb or more, and preferably 3 ppb or more, 5 ppb or more, 7 ppb or more, 10 ppb or more, 15 ppb or more, 20 ppb or more, 30 ppb or more, 40 ppb or more, 50 ppb or more, 60 ppb or more, 70 ppb or more, 80 ppb or more, 90 ppb or more, or 100 ppb or more. The lower limit of the ethyl isovalerate content is 1.5 ppb or more, and preferably 3 ppb or more, 5 ppb or more, 7 ppb or more, 10 ppb or more, 15 ppb or more, 20 ppb or more, 30 ppb or more, 40 ppb or more, 45 ppb or more, or 50 ppb. Examples of concentrations include 10 ppb or higher, 60 ppb or higher, 70 ppb or higher, 80 ppb or higher, 90 ppb or higher, or 100 ppb or higher. The lower limit for the diethyl succinate content is 10 ppb or higher, and preferably 15 ppb or higher, 20 ppb or higher, 30 ppb or higher, 40 ppb or higher, 50 ppb or higher, 100 ppb or higher, 200 ppb or higher, 300 ppb or higher, 400 ppb or higher, 500 ppb or higher, 520 ppb or higher, 550 ppb or higher, 600 ppb or higher, 650 ppb or higher, 700 ppb or higher, 750 ppb or higher, 800 ppb or higher, 850 ppb or higher, 900 ppb or higher, 950 ppb or higher, or 1000 ppb or higher. These lower limits for ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl isovalerate, and diethyl succinate can be combined in any way. In the third beverage of the present invention, there are no particular limitations on the upper limits of the content concentrations of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl isovalerate, and diethyl succinate, but for example, the upper limits for ethyl 2-methylbutyrate are 5000 ppb or less, 4000 ppb or less, 3000 ppb or less, 2000 ppb or less, 1500 ppb or less, 1000 ppb or less, 800 ppb or less, 700 ppb or less, 600 ppb or less, 500 ppb or less, 400 ppb or less, 300 ppb or less, and 200 ppb or less. From the viewpoint of obtaining a lighter aftertaste, preferred concentrations are 190 ppb or less, 180 ppb or less, 170 ppb or less, 160 ppb or less, 150 ppb or less, 140 ppb or less, 130 ppb or less, 120 ppb or less, 110 ppb or less, and 100 ppb or less. For example, upper limits for the ethyl isovalerate content are 5000 ppb or less, 4000 ppb or less, 3000 ppb or less, 2000 ppb or less, 1500 ppb or less, 1000 ppb or less, and 800 ppb. Examples include 10,000p or less, 700ppb or less, 600ppb or less, 500ppb or less, 400ppb or less, 300ppb or less, and 200ppb or less. From the viewpoint of obtaining a lighter aftertaste, 190ppb or less, 180ppb or less, 170ppb or less, 160ppb or less, 150ppb or less, 140ppb or less, 130ppb or less, 120ppb or less, 110ppb or less, and 100ppb or less are preferred. As an upper limit for the diethyl succinate content, for example, 10,000p Examples of concentrations include ppb or less, 7000ppb or less, 5000ppb or less, 4000ppb or less, 3500ppb or less, 3000ppb or less, 2500ppb or less, 2000ppb or less, 1500ppb or less, and 1000ppb or less. From the viewpoint of obtaining a lighter aftertaste, preferred concentrations are 950ppb or less, 900ppb or less, 850ppb or less, 800ppb or less, 750ppb or less, and 700ppb or less, with 650ppb or less and 600ppb or less being more preferred. These upper limits for the concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl isovalerate, and diethyl succinate can be combined in any way. Furthermore, the lower and upper limits of the concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate can be arbitrarily combined, the lower and upper limits of the concentration of ethyl isovalerate can be arbitrarily combined, and the lower and upper limits of the concentration of diethyl succinate can be arbitrarily combined.

[0018] In this specification, with respect to ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl isovalerate, and diethyl succinate, if these components are already included in the beer-flavored beverage, the concentrations of each component mentioned above refer to the concentrations including those already included in the beer-flavored beverage.

[0019] The concentrations of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl isovalerate, and diethyl succinate in beer-flavored beverages can be measured by known methods, such as gas chromatography or high-performance liquid chromatography.

[0020] In the present invention, there are no particular limitations on the method for adjusting the concentrations of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl isovalerate, and diethyl succinate in the beer-flavored beverage. For example, the concentrations can be adjusted by adding each component or a composition or raw material containing each component to the beer-flavored beverage. For adjusting the concentrations of each component, commercially available products such as purified ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl isovalerate, and diethyl succinate may be used. Furthermore, the components used in the present invention may be synthetic or derived from natural products.

[0021] (Beer-flavored beverage) In this specification, "beer-flavored beverage" means a beverage having a beer-like flavor, and includes "beer," "low-malt beer," "other brewed alcoholic beverages," "liqueurs," "miscellaneous alcoholic beverages," etc., as defined in the Liquor Tax Act (as of October 1, 2020). A beer-flavored beverage may be a beer-flavored alcoholic beverage with an alcohol content of 1 v / v% or more, or a non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1 v / v%. In this specification, "alcohol" means ethanol unless otherwise specified.

[0022] The alcohol content of the beer-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited. The lower limit of the alcohol content of the beer-flavored alcoholic beverage is, for example, 1v / v% or more, 1.5v / v% or more, 2v / v% or more, 2.5v / v% or more, 3v / v% or more, 3.5v / v% or more, 4v / v% or more, 4.5v / v% or more, 5v / v% or more, 5.5v / v% or more, 6v / v% or more, 6.5v / v% or more, 7v / v% or more, 7.5v / v% or more, 8v / v% or more, 8.5v / v% or more. It may also be 9v / v% or higher, 9.5v / v%, 10v / v% or higher, 11v / v% or higher, 12v / v% or higher, 13v / v% or higher, 14v / v% or higher, 15v / v% or higher, 16v / v% or higher, 17v / v% or higher, 18v / v% or higher, 19v / v% or higher, 20v / v% or higher, 25v / v%, 30v / v% or higher, 35v / v% or higher, 40v / v% or higher, 45v / v% or higher, or 50v / v% or higher. Furthermore, the upper limit of the alcohol content for beer-flavored alcoholic beverages may be, for example, 60v / v% or less, 50v / v% or less, 35v / v% or less, 20v / v% or less, 15v / v% or less, 10v / v% or less, 9.5v / v% or less, 9v / v% or less, 8.5v / v% or less, 8v / v% or less, 7.5v / v% or less, 7v / v% or less, 6.5v / v% or less, 6v / v% or less, 5.5v / v% or less, 5v / v% or less, 4.5v / v% or less, 4v / v% or less, 3.5v / v% or less, or 3v / v% or less. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any way.

[0023] Non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages are beverages that contain virtually no alcohol. The alcohol content of non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages may be less than 1 v / v%, 0.5 v / v%, 0.1 v / v%, less than 0.05 v / v% (0.0 v / v%), or less than 0.005 v / v% (0.00 v / v%).

[0024] In this specification, the alcohol content of beer-flavored beverages can be measured by any known method, but for example, it can be measured based on the "BCOJ Beer Analysis Method 8.3.6 Alcoholizer Method" established by the National Tax Agency of Japan.

[0025] The beer-flavored beverage of the present invention may be a beverage that does not undergo a fermentation process by microorganisms such as yeast, or a beverage that undergoes a fermentation process (preferably alcoholic fermentation) by microorganisms such as yeast (preferably yeast). Furthermore, the beer-flavored beverage of the present invention may be a beer-flavored beverage using hops and malt, a beer-flavored beverage using hops but not malt, a beer-flavored beverage using malt but not hops, or a beer-flavored beverage using neither hops nor malt. Preferred embodiments of the beer-flavored beverage of the present invention include a beer-flavored beverage using hops and malt, a beer-flavored beverage using hops but not malt, or a beer-flavored beverage using malt but not hops. Furthermore, preferred embodiments of the beer-flavored beverage of the present invention include a beer-flavored fermented beverage using hops and malt (for example, a beer-flavored alcoholic fermented beverage), a beer-flavored fermented beverage using hops but not malt (for example, a beer-flavored alcoholic fermented beverage), or a beer-flavored fermented beverage using malt but not hops (for example, a beer-flavored alcoholic fermented beverage). Furthermore, a preferred embodiment of the beer-flavored beverage of the present invention is a beer-flavored fermented beverage (for example, a beer-flavored alcoholic fermented beverage) using hops and malt.

[0026] When the beer-flavored beverage of the present invention is a beer-flavored alcoholic beverage using malt, the malt ratio of the beer-flavored alcoholic beverage is not particularly limited and can be 10% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, 30% by mass or more, 40% by mass or more, 45% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 55% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 65% by mass or more, 66% by mass or more, 67% by mass or more, 68% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 75% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, 85% by mass or more, 90% by mass or more. The malt content may be 95% by mass or more, 98% by mass or more, or 100% by mass, and may also be 100% by mass or less, 98% by mass or less, 95% by mass or less, 90% by mass or less, 85% by mass or less, 80% by mass or less, 75% by mass or less, 70% by mass or less, 68% by mass or less, 67% by mass or less, 66% by mass or less, 65% by mass or less, 60% by mass or less, 55% by mass or less, 50% by mass or less, 45% by mass or less, 40% by mass or less, 30% by mass or less, 20% by mass or less, or 10% by mass or less. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any way. In this specification, the "malt content" of beer-flavored alcoholic beverages means the value calculated in accordance with the Liquor Tax Act and the Interpretation Circular on Laws and Regulations Related to the Administration of Liquor, etc., which came into effect on April 1, 2018.

[0027] Non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages may be beverages that do not undergo a fermentation process by microorganisms such as yeast, or beverages that undergo a fermentation process by microorganisms such as yeast (preferably yeast) (preferably alcoholic fermentation). Examples of non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages that undergo a fermentation process by microorganisms such as yeast include beverages obtained by shortening the alcoholic fermentation period by microorganisms such as yeast compared to the manufacturing method of a normal alcohol-containing beer-flavored beverage, beverages obtained using microorganisms such as yeast with low or no alcohol-producing ability, beverages obtained by suppressing alcoholic fermentation by microorganisms such as yeast at low temperatures, beverages obtained by removing microorganisms such as yeast during alcoholic fermentation, and beverages obtained by de-alcoholizing alcohol-containing beer-flavored beverages.

[0028] When the beer-flavored beverage of the present invention is a non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage using malt, the malt ratio of the non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage is not particularly limited and may be 5% by mass or more, 10% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, 30% by mass or more, 40% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or less, 70% by mass or less, 60% by mass or less, 50% by mass or less, 40% by mass or less, 30% by mass or less, 20% by mass or less, or 10% by mass or less. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily. In this specification, "malt ratio" of a non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage means the ratio (mass%) of the mass of malt to the total dry mass of ingredients other than water.

[0029] If the beer-flavored beverage of the present invention is a beer-flavored beverage that does not use malt, grains other than malt may be used instead of malt. In addition, grains other than malt may be used in combination with malt in the beer-flavored beverage of the present invention. Examples of such grains other than malt include grains that are not malt (barley, wheat, rye, oats, oats, pearl oats, etc.), rice (white rice, brown rice, etc.), corn, sorghum, potato, beans (soybeans, peas, etc.), buckwheat, sorghum, millet, barnyard millet, and starches obtained from them, extracts thereof, etc. It is also possible to use raw materials other than malt that can be assimilated by yeast (carbon sources, nitrogen sources). Examples of carbon sources of raw materials that can be assimilated by yeast include monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and their sugar solutions, etc., and examples of nitrogen sources include yeast extract, amino acid-containing materials (e.g., soy protein, etc.), and their decomposition products, etc.

[0030] The beer-flavored beverage of the present invention may or may not contain added alcoholic ingredients. Examples of alcoholic ingredients include brewing alcohol, spirits (rum, vodka, gin, etc.), liqueurs, whiskey, brandy, or shochu (continuous distillation shochu, single distillation shochu, etc.). When alcoholic ingredients are added, spirits are preferred as such alcoholic ingredients.

[0031] The pH of the beer-flavored beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but examples of lower limits include 2.0 or higher, 2.3 or higher, 2.5 or higher, 2.8 or higher, 3.0 or higher, 3.1 or higher, 3.2 or higher, 3.3 or higher, 3.4 or higher, 3.5 or higher, 3.6 or higher, 3.7 or higher, 3.8 or higher, 3.9 or higher, 4.0 or higher, etc., and examples of upper limits include 5.4 or lower, 5.2 or lower, 5.0 or lower, 4.8 or lower, 4.7 or lower, 4.6 or lower, 4.5 or lower, 4.4 or lower, 4.3 or lower, 4.2 or lower, 4.1 or lower, 4.0 or lower, etc. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily.

[0032] (The present invention's beverage) The first beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a beer-flavored beverage that satisfies at least one of the following conditions (A) to (C). (A) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 15 ppb or higher; (B) The concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 45 ppb or higher; (C) The concentration of diethyl succinate is 520 ppb or higher;

[0033] In this specification, "at least one of (A) to (C)" is not particularly limited as long as it is at least one of (A) to (C), but examples include one of (A) to (C), at least two of (A) to (C), two of (A) to (C), and three of (A) to (C). The "two of the above conditions (A) to (C)" specifically include the conditions "(A) and (B)", "(B) and (C)", and "(A) and (C)".

[0034] The second beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a beer-flavored beverage that satisfies at least one of the following conditions (D) to (F). (D) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, and the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more; (E) The concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; (F) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more;

[0035] In this specification, "at least one of (D) to (F)" is not particularly limited as long as it is at least one of (D) to (F), but examples include one of (D) to (F), at least two of (D) to (F), two of (D) to (F), and three of (D) to (F). The "two of the conditions (D) to (F)" mentioned above specifically include the conditions "(D) and (E)", "(E) and (F)", and "(D) and (F)".

[0036] The third beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a beer-flavored beverage that satisfies the following condition (G). (G) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more;

[0037] The first beverage of the present invention is no different from a typical "beer-flavored beverage" in terms of the raw materials used, manufacturing method, and manufacturing conditions, except that it satisfies at least one of the above conditions (A) to (C). The second beverage of the present invention is no different from a typical "beer-flavored beverage" in terms of the raw materials used, manufacturing method, and manufacturing conditions, except that it satisfies at least one of the above conditions (D) to (F). The third beverage of the present invention is no different from a typical "beer-flavored beverage" in terms of the raw materials used, manufacturing method, and manufacturing conditions, except that it satisfies the conditions of (G) above.

[0038] The beverage of the present invention can be manufactured by incorporating each component in any of the above (A) to (G) desired conditions at any stage in a general manufacturing method for "beer-flavored beverages" that is well known in the art.

[0039] The beverage of the present invention typically contains grain raw materials and / or carbohydrate raw materials, or fermented products thereof, water, and bitter components. The beverage of the present invention may also contain optional components as long as they do not interfere with the effects of the present invention. Examples of such optional components include colorants, flavorings, acidulants, seasonings, water-soluble dietary fiber, and antioxidants.

[0040] The bitter components mentioned above include those derived from bitter raw materials and / or bittering agents (including bittering agents). Examples of bitter raw materials include hops, citrus fruits, bitter quince, cinchona bark, coffee, tea, bitter melon, lotus germ, aloe vera, rosemary, reishi mushroom, laurel, sage, caraway, and wormwood. Examples of bittering agents include hop extract (preferably isomerized hop extract), citrus extract, bitter quince extract, cinchona bark extract, coffee extract, tea extract, bitter melon extract, lotus germ extract, aloe vera extract, rosemary extract, reishi mushroom extract, laurel extract, sage extract, caraway extract, and wormwood extract. Examples of bitter components in bitter raw materials and bittering agents include iso-alpha acids (e.g., isohumulone), naringin, kwashin, and quinine. Iso-alpha acids are bitter components found in large quantities in hops. These bittering ingredients and bittering agents can be used individually or in combination. Furthermore, when a bittering agent is used in the beer-flavored beverage of the present invention, there are no particular limitations on the bittering agent, but from the viewpoint of a stronger grassy aroma and a greater significance of the present invention, hop extract, citrus extract, bitter oak extract, and cinchona bark extract are preferred. When a bittering raw material is used in the present invention, hops are preferred as the bittering raw material, and when a bittering agent is used in the present invention, hop extract is preferred as the bittering agent. Hop extract is a composition obtained by extracting hops. Hop extraction can be carried out by immersing hops (e.g., hop cones, hop pellets, hop powder, etc.) in a solvent and extracting the components contained in the hops. The solvent is not particularly limited as long as it is a fluid that can extract hop-derived bitter components, and can be one or more selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide (liquefied carbon dioxide, supercritical carbon dioxide), water, alcohol (e.g., ethanol), and organic solvent (e.g., hexane). In addition, hop processed products such as isopropyl hops and reduced hops may be used as hop extracts.

[0041] The bitterness content of the beer-flavored beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but for example, when iso-alpha acids are included as bitterness components, the bitterness value (an indicator of bitterness brought about by iso-alpha acids, etc.) can be set as follows: lower limits include, for example, 0.1 BU or more, 0.2 BU or more, 0.3 BU or more, 0.5 BU or more, 1 B.U. or more, 2 B.U. or more, 3 B.U. or more, 4 B.U. or more, and 5 B.U. or more; from the viewpoint of a stronger grassy aroma and a greater significance of the present invention, 7 B.U. or more and 10 B.U. or more are preferred; upper limits include, for example, 100 B.U. or less, 90 B.U. or less, 80 B.U. or less, 70 B.U. or less, 60 B.U. or less, 50 B.U. or less, and 40 B.U. or less; and from the viewpoint of palatability, 30 B.U. or less and 25 B.U. or less are preferred. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any way. In this specification, the bitterness value of a beverage can be measured, for example, by the EBC method (Beer Brewers Association: "Beer Analysis Methods" 8.151990). Specifically, it refers to the value (BU) obtained by multiplying the absorbance at 275 nm, measured against pure isooctane as a control, by a constant (50), after adding acid to the sample, extracting with isooctane, and centrifuging the isooctane layer obtained.

[0042] The beverage of the present invention may be a packaged beverage. Examples of such containers include metal cans, barrels, plastic bottles (e.g., PET bottles, cups), paper containers, bottles, pouches, and the like.

[0043] The beverage of the present invention may be subjected to heat sterilization treatment as necessary during its manufacturing process. Heat sterilization treatment may be performed before or after filling into containers. Sterilization can be carried out by conventional methods such as UHT (ultra-high temperature) sterilization, pasteurization, or retort sterilization.

[0044] (Manufacturing method of the present invention) The first method of production of the present invention is not particularly limited insofar as it includes preparing the beer-flavored beverage such that it satisfies at least one of the following conditions (A) to (C), and otherwise, conventionally known methods for producing beer-flavored beverages can be used. (A) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 15 ppb or higher; (B) The concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 45 ppb or higher; (C) The concentration of diethyl succinate is 520 ppb or higher;

[0045] The second method of production of the present invention is not particularly limited insofar as it includes preparing the beer-flavored beverage such that it satisfies at least one of the following conditions (D) to (F), and otherwise, conventionally known methods for producing beer-flavored beverages can be used. (D) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, and the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more; (E) The concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; (F) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more;

[0046] The third method of production of the present invention is not particularly limited insofar as it includes preparing the beer-flavored beverage so that it satisfies the following condition (G), and otherwise, conventionally known methods for producing beer-flavored beverages can be used. (G) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more;

[0047] In the manufacture of beer-flavored beverages, a more specific method for incorporating each component into the beer-flavored beverage to satisfy the desired conditions from (A) to (G) above is to incorporate each component into the beverage's raw materials (for example, "water," or "water further containing some or all of the optional components") (hereinafter also referred to as "water, etc.") to satisfy the desired conditions from (A) to (G) above.

[0048] In the manufacturing method of the present invention, grain raw materials and / or carbohydrate raw materials, or fermented products thereof, water, and bitter components are typically used. In addition, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, optional components such as colorants, flavorings, acidulants, seasonings, water-soluble dietary fiber, and antioxidants may be included in the beer-flavored beverage.

[0049] In the manufacturing method of the present invention, there are no particular restrictions on the order in which the manufacturing raw materials are incorporated, as long as it is possible to produce the beverage of the present invention containing the manufacturing raw materials and / or their fermented products. When the beverage of the present invention is to be packaged, it can be produced by preparing a liquid in which the manufacturing raw materials are mixed, filling it into a container, and sealing it. Furthermore, when carbonation is to be imparted to the beverage of the present invention by a method other than alcoholic fermentation, carbonation can be imparted to the beverage of the present invention by introducing carbon dioxide gas at any stage in the manufacturing method of the present invention, or by using carbonated water, etc.

[0050] In the manufacturing method of the present invention, heat sterilization treatment may be performed as needed. Heat sterilization treatment may be performed before filling the container or after filling the container. As for the sterilization method, conventional methods such as UHT (ultra-high temperature) sterilization treatment, pasteurization treatment, and retort sterilization treatment can be used.

[0051] (The present invention's method for improving flavor) The first method for improving flavor of the present invention (a method for reducing the grassiness of a beer-flavored beverage and imparting a light aftertaste) is not particularly limited as long as it includes preparing the beer-flavored beverage so that it satisfies at least one of the following conditions (A) to (C), and otherwise, conventionally known methods for manufacturing beer-flavored beverages can be used. (A) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 15 ppb or higher; (B) The concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 45 ppb or higher; (C) The concentration of diethyl succinate is 520 ppb or higher;

[0052] The second method for improving flavor according to the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it includes preparing the beer-flavored beverage so that it satisfies at least one of the following conditions (D) to (F), and otherwise, conventionally known methods for producing beer-flavored beverages can be used. (D) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, and the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more; (E) The concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more; (F) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more;

[0053] The third method for improving flavor according to the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it includes preparing the beer-flavored beverage so that it satisfies the following condition (G), and otherwise, conventionally known methods for producing beer-flavored beverages can be used. (G) The concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or more, the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or more, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or more;

[0054] In the production of beer-flavored beverages, the method for incorporating each component into the beer-flavored beverage to satisfy the desired conditions from (A) to (G) above can be the same as the method described above (production method of the present invention).

[0055] (Reduction of glassiness in the present invention) The beverage of the present invention is a beer-flavored beverage in which the grassy quality (grassy aroma) of a beer-flavored beverage has been reduced. In this specification, "grassy" refers to the degree of grassy aroma, accompanied by solvent or resin-like notes, that can be perceived when drinking a beer-flavored beverage.

[0056] In the present invention, a beer-flavored beverage with reduced grassiness refers to a beer-flavored beverage in which the grassiness is reduced compared to a beverage outside the scope of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as a "control beverage") (for example, a beer-flavored beverage in which the concentration of a component under one or more conditions selected from the group consisting of (A) to (G) in the present invention is below the lower limit).

[0057] The degree of grassiness in a beer-flavored beverage, and how that degree of grassiness compares to the control beverage in the present invention (for example, whether the grassiness is reduced and to what extent), can be easily and clearly determined by a trained panel. The grassiness of the control beverage may be used as a baseline, and the average of the evaluations of multiple panel members may be adopted.

[0058] (Improving a light aftertaste in the present invention) The beverage of the present invention is a beer-flavored beverage with a light aftertaste. In this specification, "light aftertaste" refers to a flavor that, when consumed as a beer-flavored beverage, is perceived as light and free from a heavy, lingering aftertaste on the tongue.

[0059] In the present invention, a beer-flavored beverage described as having a "light aftertaste" refers to a beer-flavored beverage that has a light aftertaste compared to a beverage outside the scope of the present invention ("control beverage") (for example, a beer-flavored beverage in which the concentration of a component under one or more conditions selected from the group consisting of (A) to (G) in the present invention is below the lower limit).

[0060] The degree of a light aftertaste in a beer-flavored beverage, and how that degree of light aftertaste compares to the control beverage in the present invention (for example, whether a light aftertaste is present and to what extent), can be easily and clearly determined by a trained panel. The average of the evaluations of multiple panel members may be used, for example, based on the light aftertaste of the control beverage.

[0061] In this invention, the improvement of the flavor of a beer-flavored beverage can be comprehensively evaluated by reducing the grassiness and providing a light aftertaste.

[0062] The flavor enhancement method of the present invention can improve the palatability of beer-flavored beverages and make them easier to drink.

[0063] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. [Examples]

[0064] Test 1. [Effect of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate on the flavor of beer-flavored beverages] The following experiment investigated how ethyl 2-methylbutyrate affects the flavor of beer-flavored beverages.

[0065] (1. Preparation of sample beverages) A commercially available beer exhibiting a grassy character and lacking a light aftertaste (corresponding to "beer-flavored alcoholic fermented beverage using hops and malt") was prepared and used as a control beverage (Test Example 1). The concentrations of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl isovalerate, and diethyl succinate in the control beverage (Test Example 1) were measured using solid-phase microextraction (SPME)-GC / MS (Shimadzu Corporation), as shown in Table 4. Ethyl 2-methylbutyrate was added to the control beverage to the concentrations shown in Table 4 and mixed to prepare the sample beverages for Test Examples 2 to 6.

[0066] (2. Sensory evaluation test) The degree of "reduction in grassiness (i.e., a grassy aroma accompanied by solvent or resin-like scents)" and "light aftertaste (i.e., an aftertaste that feels light without a heavy lingering feeling on the tongue)" of the sample beverages in Test Examples 1-6 was evaluated by a panel of six trained experts using the evaluation criteria in Tables 1 and 2 below. Using the "grassyness" and "light aftertaste" of the sample beverage in Test Example 1 as a baseline, the degree of "reduction in grassiness" and "light aftertaste" of each sample beverage was evaluated on a 51-point scale from 0 to 5.0, as shown in Tables 1 and 2, with increments of 0.1 indicating a similar degree of difference. In addition, the average of the evaluation scores of the six expert panel members was calculated for each sample beverage, and the value obtained by rounding the average to two decimal places was adopted as the evaluation result for that sample beverage. For the evaluation of "reduction in grassiness," an evaluation result of 1.5 points or higher was judged to be "grassyness reduced." Furthermore, regarding the evaluation of "a light aftertaste," a score of 1.5 or higher was considered to indicate that "a light aftertaste was achieved."

[0067] [Table 1]

[0068] [Table 2]

[0069] Furthermore, an overall evaluation was conducted using the total scores for "reduction of grassiness" and "light aftertaste" for each sample beverage, as shown in Table 3.

[0070] [Table 3]

[0071] Table 4 shows the results of the sensory evaluation tests for the sample beverages in Test Examples 1-6.

[0072] [Table 4]

[0073] The results in Table 4 show that in beer-flavored beverages, a concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate of 15 ppb or higher reduces grassiness and imparts a light aftertaste. Furthermore, both of these effects tended to increase with the concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, and from the viewpoint of obtaining a higher effect, a concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate of 20 ppb or higher was indicated to be more preferable.

[0074] Test 2. [Effect of ethyl isovalerate on the flavor of beer-flavored beverages] The following experiment investigated how ethyl isovalerate affects the flavor of beer-flavored beverages.

[0075] (1. Preparation of sample beverages) Ethyl isovalerate was added to the control beverage (Test Example 1) at the concentrations shown in Table 5 and mixed to prepare the sample beverages for Test Examples 7-11.

[0076] (2. Sensory evaluation test) Sensory evaluation tests were conducted using the same method as in Test 1. above to assess the degree of "reduction in grassiness" and "light aftertaste" of the sample beverages in Test Examples 1 and 7-11. The results are shown in Table 5.

[0077] [Table 5]

[0078] The results in Table 5 show that in beer-flavored beverages, a concentration of ethyl isovalerate of 45 ppb or higher reduces grassiness and imparts a light aftertaste. Furthermore, both of these effects tended to increase with the concentration of ethyl isovalerate, and from the viewpoint of obtaining a higher effect, a concentration of ethyl isovalerate of 50 ppb or higher was indicated to be more preferable.

[0079] Test 3. [Effect of diethyl succinate on the flavor of beer-flavored beverages] The following experiment investigated how diethyl succinate affects the flavor of beer-flavored beverages.

[0080] (1. Preparation of sample beverages) Diethyl succinate was added to the control beverage (Test Example 1) at the concentrations shown in Table 6 and mixed to prepare the sample beverages for Test Examples 12-16.

[0081] (2. Sensory evaluation test) Sensory evaluation tests were conducted using the same method as in Test 1. above to assess the degree of "reduction in grassiness" and "light aftertaste" of the sample beverages in Test Examples 1 and 12-16. The results are shown in Table 6.

[0082] [Table 6]

[0083] The results in Table 6 show that in beer-flavored beverages, a diethyl succinate concentration of 520 ppb or higher reduces grassiness and imparts a light aftertaste. Furthermore, both of these effects tended to increase with the ethyl isovalerate concentration, and from the viewpoint of obtaining a higher effect, a diethyl succinate concentration of 600 ppb or higher was indicated to be more preferable.

[0084] Test 4. [Confirmation of the combined effect of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and ethyl isovalerate] The following experiment investigated how the combined use of two components, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and ethyl isovalerate, affects the flavor of beer-flavored beverages.

[0085] (1. Preparation of sample beverages) Ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and ethyl isovalerate were added to the control beverage (Test Example 1) at the concentrations shown in Table 7 and mixed to prepare the sample beverages for Test Examples 17-24.

[0086] (2. Sensory evaluation test) Sensory evaluation tests were conducted on the degree of "reduction in grassiness" and "light aftertaste" of the sample beverages in Test Example 1 and 17-24 using the same method as in Test 1 above. The results are shown in Table 7.

[0087] [Table 7]

[0088] The results in Table 7 show that in beer-flavored beverages, a concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate of 1 ppb or higher and a concentration of ethyl isovalerate of 1.5 ppb or higher reduces grassiness and imparts a light aftertaste. Furthermore, both of these effects tended to increase depending on the concentrations of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and ethyl isovalerate.

[0089] Test 5. [Confirmation of the combined effect of ethyl isovalerate and diethyl succinate] The following experiment investigated how the combined use of ethyl isovalerate and diethyl succinate affects the flavor of beer-flavored beverages.

[0090] (1. Preparation of sample beverages) Ethyl isovalerate and diethyl succinate were added to the control beverage (Test Example 1) at the concentrations shown in Table 8 and mixed to prepare the sample beverages for Test Examples 25-32.

[0091] (2. Sensory evaluation test) Sensory evaluation tests were conducted on the degree of "reduction in grassiness" and "light aftertaste" of the sample beverages from Test Example 1 and 25-32 using the same method as in Test 1 above. The results are shown in Table 8.

[0092] [Table 8]

[0093] The results in Table 8 show that in beer-flavored beverages, a concentration of ethyl isovalerate of 1.5 ppb or higher and a concentration of diethyl succinate of 10 ppb or higher reduces the grassy taste and imparts a light aftertaste. Furthermore, both of these effects tended to increase depending on the concentrations of ethyl isovalerate and diethyl succinate.

[0094] Test 6. [Confirmation of the combined effect of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and diethyl succinate] The following experiment investigated how the combined use of two components, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and diethyl succinate, affects the flavor of beer-flavored beverages.

[0095] (1. Preparation of sample beverages) Sample beverages for Test Examples 33-40 were prepared by adding ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and diethyl succinate to the control beverage (Test Example 1) at the concentrations shown in Table 9 and mixing.

[0096] (2. Sensory evaluation test) Sensory evaluation tests were conducted on the degree of "reduction in grassiness" and "light aftertaste" of the sample beverages in Test Example 1 and 33-40 using the same method as in Test 1 above. The results are shown in Table 9.

[0097] [Table 9]

[0098] The results in Table 9 show that in beer-flavored beverages, a concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate of 1 ppb or higher and a concentration of diethyl succinate of 10 ppb or higher reduces the grassiness and imparts a light aftertaste. Furthermore, both of these effects tended to increase depending on the concentrations of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and diethyl succinate.

[0099] Test 7. [Confirmation of the combined effect of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl isovalerate, and diethyl succinate] The following experiment investigated how the combined use of three components—ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl isovalerate, and diethyl succinate—affects the flavor of beer-flavored beverages.

[0100] (1. Preparation of sample beverages) To the control beverage (Test Example 1), ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl isovalerate, and diethyl succinate were added and mixed at the concentrations shown in Table 10 to prepare the sample beverages for Test Examples 41-62.

[0101] (2. Sensory evaluation test) Sensory evaluation tests were conducted on the degree of "reduction in grassiness" and "light aftertaste" of the sample beverages from Test Example 1 and 41-62 using the same method as in Test 1 above. The results are shown in Table 10.

[0102] [Table 10]

[0103] The results in Table 10 show that in beer-flavored beverages, when the concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is 1 ppb or higher, the concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 1.5 ppb or higher, and the concentration of diethyl succinate is 10 ppb or higher, the grassiness is reduced and a light aftertaste is imparted. Furthermore, compared to the samples in Test Examples 17 (Table 7), 25 (Table 8), and 33 (Table 9), in which any two of these three components were used in combination at the above concentrations, the sample in Test Example 41, in which all three components were used in combination at the above concentrations, showed a greater reduction in grassiness and a greater imparting of a light aftertaste. Moreover, both of these effects tended to increase depending on the concentration of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl isovalerate, and diethyl succinate. [Industrial applicability]

[0104] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a beer-flavored beverage with reduced grassiness and a light aftertaste, as well as a method for producing the same.

Claims

1. A beer-flavored beverage that satisfies the following condition (B). (B) The concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 50 ppb or more and 1000 ppb or less;

2. A method for producing a beer-flavored beverage, comprising preparing the beer-flavored beverage such that it satisfies the following condition (B). (B) The concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 50 ppb or more and 1000 ppb or less;

3. A method for reducing the grassiness of a beer-flavored beverage and imparting a light aftertaste, comprising preparing the beer-flavored beverage such that it satisfies the following condition (B). (B) The concentration of ethyl isovalerate is 50 ppb or more and 1000 ppb or less;

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