Manufacturing method for concentrated beer-flavored beverages

Abstract

To provide a method for producing concentrated beer-flavored beverages that eliminates the need for energy-intensive pretreatment such as distillation, and suppresses the occurrence of turbidity and precipitation during the concentration process. [Solution] A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage, comprising: a concentration step of concentrating a raw beer-flavored beverage to obtain a concentrated beer-flavored beverage; and an additive treatment step of adding one or more additives selected from the group consisting of 5'-inosinic acid, arginine, and protease to the raw beer-flavored beverage or the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration step.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage that is intended to be diluted with water, carbonated water, or the like before consumption. [Background technology]

[0002] Due to growing concern for environmental protection, various efforts are being made to reduce the environmental impact during manufacturing. For example, in the case of beer-flavored beverages, so-called concentrated beer-flavored beverages have been proposed, which have a lower water content compared to typical beer-flavored beverages. Concentrated beer-flavored beverages are intended to be consumed after being diluted with water or carbonated water to the same level as typical beer-flavored beverages. This reduces the weight and volume during manufacturing and transportation, thereby lowering storage and transportation costs and the environmental impact.

[0003] As for the manufacturing method of concentrated beer-flavored beverages, in the case of fermented beer-flavored beverages, for example, there is a high-concentration brewing method in which wort with a higher extract concentration than usual is fermented. In the case of non-fermented beer-flavored beverages, concentrated non-fermented beer-flavored beverages can be manufactured by blending each raw material such as hops, malt extract, and flavorings at a higher concentration than that of typical non-fermented beer-flavored beverages. In addition, concentrated beer-flavored beverages can also be manufactured by performing a concentration treatment that removes some of the water from beer-flavored beverages manufactured by conventional manufacturing methods, such as freeze concentration or membrane separation. Examples of membrane separation methods for dehydration include reverse osmosis (RO) membrane filtration (Patent Document 1) and forward osmosis (FO) membrane filtration (Patent Document 2).

[0004] On the other hand, beer-flavored beverages contain various components, and when concentrated, turbidity and precipitation occur due to the aggregation and crystallization of these components, resulting in appearance problems. In such cases, it is necessary to remove aggregates and other substances by centrifugal separation or other methods. Therefore, there is a need to develop methods to eliminate turbidity caused by concentration. For example, Patent Document 3 discloses a method for producing liquid beer concentrate by removing alcohol beforehand by distillation, and then separating the resulting low-alcohol beer by membrane separation or freeze-concentrating, as high alcohol concentration in liquid beer concentrates tend to cause turbidity due to the precipitation of proteins, etc. Patent Document 4 discloses a method for suppressing the occurrence of turbidity and precipitation by adding ascorbic acid to liquid beer concentrate obtained by membrane separation or freeze-concentration. In addition, Patent Document 5 discloses a method for suppressing turbidity that occurs during cooling in general beer-flavored beverages by adding proline-specific and / or hydroxy-prolyl-specific and / or alanine-specific endoprotease. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2018 / 237015 [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 2020-517282 [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2021 / 228874 [Patent Document 4] International Publication No. 2024 / 046843 [Patent Document 5] International Publication No. 2003 / 104382 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] In the method described in Patent Document 3, it is necessary to remove the alcohol content by distillation in advance, which is insufficient in terms of reducing the environmental load. Further, the method of adding ascorbic acid described in Patent Document 4 does not require a treatment such as distillation and is preferable in terms of reducing the environmental load. However, in addition to ascorbic acid, there is preferably a substance that has little influence on the flavor and can effectively suppress the generation of turbidity during concentration.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a concentrated beer-taste beverage, which does not require a pretreatment with a high energy cost such as a distillation process and suppresses the occurrence of turbidity and precipitation during the concentration process.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] As a result of intensive studies to solve the above problems, the present inventors have found that by adding one or more additives selected from the group consisting of 5'-inosinic acid, arginine, and protease to the raw material beer-taste beverage to be concentrated or the concentrated beer-taste beverage after the treatment, the occurrence of turbidity and precipitation during the concentration process can be suppressed, and the present invention has been completed.

[0009] The present invention is as follows. [1] A method for producing a concentrated beer-taste beverage, comprising: a concentration step of concentrating a raw material beer-taste beverage to obtain a concentrated beer-taste beverage; an additive treatment step of adding one or more additives selected from the group consisting of 5'-inosinic acid, arginine, and protease to the raw material beer-taste beverage or the concentrated beer-taste beverage obtained in the concentration step; A method for producing a concentrated beer-taste beverage, comprising the above steps. [2] The method for producing a concentrated beer-taste beverage according to [1], wherein in the concentration step, the raw material beer-taste beverage is concentrated by forward osmosis membrane concentration or reverse osmosis membrane concentration. [3] The method for producing a concentrated beer-taste beverage according to [1] or [2], wherein in the concentration step, the raw material beer-taste beverage is concentrated 3.0 times or more. [4] In the additive treatment step, To the raw beer-flavored beverage, an amount of disodium 5'-inosinate is added such that the concentration of disodium 5'-inosinate in the raw beer-flavored beverage increases by 93.8 mg / L or more. To the aforementioned raw beer-flavored beverage, an amount of arginine is added such that the arginine concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage increases by 93.8 mg / L or more, or A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to any of the [1] to [3] above, comprising adding to the raw beer-flavored beverage an amount of protease that increases the protease concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage by 12.5 to 62.5 mg / L. [5] In the additive treatment step, To the concentrated beer-flavored beverage, an amount of disodium 5'-inosinate is added such that the concentration of disodium 5'-inosinate in the concentrated beer-flavored beverage increases by 0.375 g / L or more. To the concentrated beer-flavored beverage, add an amount of arginine such that the arginine concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage increases by 0.375 g / L or more, or A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to any of the [1] to [4] above, comprising adding to the concentrated beer-flavored beverage an amount of protease that increases the protease concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage by 0.050 to 0.250 g / L. [6] A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to any of [1] to [5], wherein in the additive treatment step, one or more of the additives are added to the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration step. [7] A method for producing any of the concentrated beer-flavored beverages described in [1] to [6] above, wherein the visible extract content of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is 10.0 w / w% or more. [8] A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to any of [1] to [7], wherein the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is diluted according to the concentration ratio in the concentration step before being made drinkable. [9] A concentrated beer-flavored beverage is produced by any of the methods for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage described in [1] to [7] above. A method for producing a beer-flavored beverage, comprising diluting the obtained concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to the concentration ratio in the concentration step to produce a beer-flavored beverage.

[10] A method for producing the beer-flavored beverage according to [9], wherein the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is diluted and then carbon dioxide is added to it.

[11] A concentrated beer-flavored beverage having an appearance extract content of 10.0 w / w% or more is diluted 3.0 times or more to produce a beer-flavored beverage. The aforementioned concentrated beer-flavored beverage has a 5'-inosinate disodium concentration of 0.375 g / L or higher, or an arginine concentration of 0.375 g / L or higher. A method for manufacturing beer-flavored beverages.

[12] The visible extract content is 10.0 w / w% or more, Contains 5' disodium inosinate, Concentrated beer-flavored beverage.

[13] The visible extract content is 10.0 w / w% or more, Arginine concentration of 0.375 g / L or higher, It is a concentrated beer-flavored beverage. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] This invention makes it possible to reduce transportation costs and minimize environmental impact during transportation, while also providing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage with suppressed turbidity. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This figure shows the results of turbidity measurements of concentrated beer-flavored beverages prepared by concentrating commercial product A in Example 1 and adding L-ascorbic acid, disodium 5'-inosinate, L-arginine, or D-arginine. [Figure 2] This figure shows the results of turbidity measurement of a concentrated beer-flavored beverage prepared by concentrating commercially available product A and adding protease A in Example 1. [Figure 3]This is a diagram showing the sensory evaluation results of a beer - flavored beverage obtained by concentrating a commercially available product B, adding L - arginine, diluting it, and then adding carbon dioxide gas. [Figure 4] This is a diagram showing the sensory evaluation results of a beer - flavored beverage obtained by concentrating a commercially available product B, adding protease A, diluting it, and then adding carbon dioxide gas in Example 2.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] In the present invention and this specification, "P1 to P2 (where P1 and P2 are real numbers satisfying P1 < P2)" means a numerical range of "P1 or more and P2 or less".

[0013] In the present invention and this specification, a "beer - flavored beverage" is a beverage having a beer - like taste. In the present invention and this specification, "beer - like taste" means a taste that reminds people of beer in terms of flavor, regardless of the product name and label. That is, a beer - flavored beverage is a foaming beverage having a flavor, taste, and texture equivalent to or similar to beer, and having a high quenching feeling and drinkability (the property of being able to drink several cups continuously without getting tired), regardless of the presence or absence and content of alcohol, the use of malt, the use of hops, the presence or absence of fermentation, etc.

[0014] In the present invention and this specification, beer - flavored beverages include both alcoholic beverages and non - alcoholic beverages (beverages with an alcohol concentration of less than 0.05 v / v%) that do not contain alcohol. Specific examples of the beer - flavored beverage according to the present invention include beer, sparkling wine, low - alcohol beer - flavored beverages (beverages with an alcohol concentration of less than 1.00 v / v%), non - alcoholic beer - flavored beverages, and the like.

[0015] In the present invention and this specification, "fermented beer-flavored beverage" refers to a beer-flavored beverage produced through a fermentation process. The fermentation method is not particularly limited and may be single fermentation, single-stage multiple fermentation, or parallel multiple fermentation. However, it is preferable to use single-stage multiple fermentation, which involves separately performing a saccharification process to break down starch contained in raw materials such as malt into 1-3 sugars, and a fermentation process to produce alcohol from the sugars using yeast, similar to the production of traditional beer. In addition, liqueurs obtained by mixing a beverage produced through a fermentation process with an alcohol-containing distillate are also included in the definition of fermented beer-flavored beverage. In the present invention and this specification, "non-fermented beer-flavored beverage" refers to a beer-flavored beverage manufactured without undergoing a fermentation process.

[0016] The alcohol-containing distillate is a solution containing alcohol obtained by distillation, and generally, distilled spirits can be used. For example, it may be raw material alcohol, and distilled spirits such as spirits, whiskey, brandy, vodka, rum, tequila, gin, and shochu can be used.

[0017] In the present invention and this specification, "concentrated beer-flavored beverage" refers to a beer-flavored beverage intended to be consumed after being diluted with water or carbonated water. Concentrated beer-flavored beverages include both those in which the raw beer-flavored beverage before concentration is a fermented beer-flavored beverage and those in which the raw beer-flavored beverage is a non-fermented beer-flavored beverage.

[0018] In the present invention and this specification, "concentration ratio" refers to the extract concentration (%) of the concentrated solution (E C2 ) is the extract concentration (%) of the solution before concentration (E C1 The value obtained by dividing by ([E C2 ] / [E C1 ]) means. In the present invention and this specification, "dilution ratio" refers to the extract concentration (%) of the solution before dilution (E D1 ) the extract concentration (%) of the diluted solution (E D2 The value obtained by dividing by ([ED1 ] / [E D2 ]) means.

[0019] In the present invention and this specification, unless otherwise specified, "hops" includes not only fresh hops, dried hops, hop pellets, etc., but also processed hop products. Examples of processed hop products include hop extract obtained by extracting bitter components from hops, isopropyl hop extract, tetrahydroisohumulone, hexahydroisohumulone, and other hop products containing isopropyl hop components obtained by isopropyl hop extraction.

[0020] The present invention relates to a method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage, comprising: a concentration step of concentrating a raw beer-flavored beverage to obtain a concentrated beer-flavored beverage; and an additive treatment step of adding one or more additives selected from the group consisting of 5'-inosinic acid, arginine, and protease to the raw beer-flavored beverage or the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration step. By maintaining the concentrated state in the presence of one or more additives selected from the group consisting of 5'-inosinic acid, arginine, and protease, a concentrated beer-flavored beverage in which the occurrence of turbidity and precipitation is effectively suppressed can be produced. By diluting the obtained concentrated beer-flavored beverage for drinking, a beer-flavored beverage with no turbidity or precipitation and excellent appearance quality can be obtained. Hereafter, 5'-inosinic acid, arginine, and protease may be collectively referred to as "turbidity inhibitors."

[0021] Various types of beer-flavored beverages can be used as raw material. For example, the raw material beer-flavored beverage may be a fermented beer-flavored beverage or a non-fermented beer-flavored beverage. Furthermore, the raw material beer-flavored beverage may be a beer-flavored beverage of a concentration suitable for direct consumption, or it may be a beer-flavored beverage that is relatively concentrated for direct consumption, such as a beer-flavored beverage produced by high-concentration brewing or a non-fermented beer-flavored beverage in which various ingredients are blended to have a relatively high proportion of true extract (for example, 8.0% Plato or higher).

[0022] The pH of the raw beer-flavored beverage is not particularly limited and can be between 2.0 and 5.0, similar to general beer-flavored beverages. However, for greater drinkability, the pH of the raw beer-flavored beverage used in this invention is preferably 3.0 or higher, more preferably 3.2 or higher, even more preferably 3.8 or higher, and even more preferably 4.0 or higher.

[0023] The method for producing concentrated beer-flavored beverages according to the present invention can effectively suppress the occurrence of turbidity in concentrated beer-flavored beverages. To more fully demonstrate this turbidity-suppressing effect, the raw beer-flavored beverage may be one in which the concentration of various components thought to be involved in turbidity generation is relatively high.

[0024] The appearance extract content of the raw beer-flavored beverage used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but for example, it is preferably 3.6 w / w% or more, more preferably 4.0 w / w% or more, even more preferably 5.0 w / w% or more, and even more preferably 5.4 w / w% or more. The appearance extract content of the raw beer-flavored beverage is preferably 9.0 w / w% or less, more preferably 8.5 w / w% or less, and even more preferably 8.0 w / w% or less.

[0025] The visible extract concentration of beer-flavored beverages can be calculated from the specific gravity of beer using the "8.1.4 Alcoholizer Method" in the "BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (2013 Revised Edition) (edited by the International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee) of the Beer Brewers Association)." For example, using the specific gravity at 20°C, the visible extract concentration can be calculated as sucrose-equivalent extract concentration (w / w%) from the Plato table in Anton Paar's alcoholizer-equipped extract meter.

[0026] The β-glucan concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but for example, 7.0 mg / L or more is preferred, 8.0 mg / L or more is more preferred, 9.0 mg / L or more is even more preferred, and 9.9 mg / L or more is even more preferred. The β-glucan concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage is, for example, 30.0 mg / L or less is preferred, 25.0 mg / L or less is more preferred, and 20.0 mg / L or less is even more preferred.

[0027] The β-glucan concentration in beer-flavored beverages can be measured using, for example, the "GlucaTest kit" (manufactured by JK International).

[0028] The calcium concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 35 ppm or more, and more preferably 40 ppm or more. The calcium concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage is preferably 100 ppm or less, more preferably 80 ppm or less, and even more preferably 50 ppm or less.

[0029] The calcium concentration in beer-flavored beverages can be measured, for example, by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

[0030] The amount of amino nitrogen in the raw beer-flavored beverage used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but for example, it is preferably 0.5 mg / 100 mL or more, more preferably 1.0 mg / 100 mL or more, even more preferably 5.0 mg / 100 mL or more, and even more preferably 7.5 mg / 100 mL or more. The amount of amino nitrogen in the raw beer-flavored beverage is preferably 15.0 mg / 100 mL or less, more preferably 12.0 mg / 100 mL or less, and even more preferably 10.0 mg / 100 mL or less.

[0031] The amount of amino nitrogen in beer-flavored beverages can be measured, for example, by the ninhydrin method (Beer Brewers Association of Japan: BCOJ Beer Analysis Method, 8.18 Free Amino Nitrogen (2013)). For example, the amount of amino nitrogen in beer-flavored beverages can be analyzed using the above method with an automated analyzer ("MiSSion-S", manufactured by BL-TECH).

[0032] The total polyphenol content of the raw beer-flavored beverage used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but for example, it is preferably 50 ppm or more, more preferably 70 ppm or more, even more preferably 85 ppm or more, and even more preferably 89 ppm or more. The total polyphenol content of the raw beer-flavored beverage is preferably 200 ppm or less, more preferably 150 ppm or less, even more preferably 120 ppm or less, and even more preferably 105 ppm or less.

[0033] The total polyphenol content of beer-flavored beverages can be measured, for example, by a colorimetric method utilizing the reaction with ferric trivalent ions (see "Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method," 2013, 8.19 Total Polyphenols).

[0034] The raw material beer-flavored beverage may be an alcoholic beverage or a non-alcoholic beverage (a beverage with an alcohol concentration of less than 0.05 v / v%). If the raw material beer-flavored beverage is an alcoholic beverage, the alcohol concentration of the beverage is not particularly limited and can be between 0.5 and 15.0 v / v%, preferably between 0.5 and 10.0 v / v%, more preferably between 2.5 and 8.0 v / v%, and even more preferably between 3.0 and 6.0 v / v%. The raw material beer-flavored beverage may also be a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage (a beverage with an alcohol concentration of less than 1.00 v / v%).

[0035] The alcohol concentration of beer-flavored beverages can be measured according to the method specified in "8.3.1 Distillation-Hydroponic Method" of the "BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (2013 Revised Edition) (edited by the International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee) of the Beer Brewers Association)".

[0036] In the method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention, the concentration step involves concentrating the raw beer-flavored beverage to obtain a concentrated beer-flavored beverage. The concentration process is not particularly limited as long as it is a process that can remove a portion of the water from the raw beer-flavored beverage, but from the viewpoint of energy cost and suppression of flavor deterioration, membrane concentration processes such as microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, forward osmosis membrane treatment, reverse osmosis membrane treatment, or freeze concentration processes are preferred, membrane concentration processes are more preferred, forward osmosis membrane concentration processes or reverse osmosis membrane concentration processes are even more preferred, and forward osmosis membrane concentration processes are even more preferred.

[0037] Forward osmosis (FSO) concentration is a process that concentrates a specific liquid by separating a solution with high osmotic pressure from a solution with low osmotic pressure using a semipermeable membrane, and utilizing the phenomenon that only water permeates from the low-osmotic-pressure solution to the high-osmotic-pressure solution. Reverse osmosis concentration, on the other hand, is a concentration process that separates a solution with high osmotic pressure from a solution with low osmotic pressure using a semipermeable membrane, and applies pressure from the outside that exceeds the osmotic pressure difference to the high-osmotic-pressure side, causing only water molecules to escape from the high-concentration side to the low-concentration side. Both forward osmosis and reverse osmosis concentration can be carried out using commercially available equipment and according to the recommended methods.

[0038] In the concentration process, the degree of concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage is not particularly limited and can be appropriately determined considering the desired product quality, etc. For example, in order to achieve more sufficient concentration, it is preferable to concentrate the raw beer-flavored beverage by 3.0 times or more, that is, a concentration ratio of 3.0 or more is preferable, a concentration ratio of 4.0 or more is more preferable, and a concentration ratio of 5.0 or more is even more preferable. There is no particular upper limit to the concentration ratio, but it is preferable that the concentration ratio is 15.0 or less, and a concentration ratio of 10.0 or less is more preferable.

[0039] The visible extract content of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10.0 w / w% or more, more preferably 15.0 w / w% or more, even more preferably 20.0 w / w% or more, and even more preferably 30.0 w / w% or more. The visible extract content of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is preferably 50.0 w / w% or less, more preferably 45.0 w / w% or less, and even more preferably 40.0 w / w% or less.

[0040] The β-glucan concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process is not particularly limited, but is preferably 21.0 mg / L or higher, more preferably 30.0 mg / L or higher, even more preferably 40.0 mg / L or higher, and even more preferably 50.0 mg / L or higher. The β-glucan concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is preferably 150.0 mg / L or lower, more preferably 90.0 mg / L or lower, and even more preferably 60.0 mg / L or lower.

[0041] The calcium concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process is not particularly limited, but is preferably 105 ppm or higher, and more preferably 120 ppm or higher. The calcium concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is preferably 500 ppm or lower, more preferably 250 ppm or lower, and even more preferably 150 ppm or lower.

[0042] The amount of amino nitrogen in the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process is not particularly limited, but for example, it is preferably 1.5 mg / 100 mL or more, more preferably 5.0 mg / 100 mL or more, even more preferably 10.0 mg / 100 mL or more, and even more preferably 25.0 mg / 100 mL or more. The amount of amino nitrogen in the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is preferably 75.0 mg / 100 mL or less, more preferably 50.0 mg / 100 mL or less, and even more preferably 40.0 mg / 100 mL or less.

[0043] The total polyphenol content of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process is not particularly limited, but is preferably 150 ppm or more, more preferably 200 ppm or more, even more preferably 250 ppm or more, and even more preferably 270 ppm or more. The total polyphenol content of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is preferably 1000 ppm or less, more preferably 600 ppm or less, even more preferably 450 ppm or less, and even more preferably 300 ppm or less.

[0044] The concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process may be an alcoholic beverage, a low-alcohol beverage (a beverage with an alcohol concentration of less than 1.00 v / v%), or a non-alcoholic beverage (a beverage with an alcohol concentration of less than 0.05 v / v%). If the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is an alcoholic beverage, the alcohol concentration of the beverage can be, for example, 1.0 to 45.0 v / v%, preferably 1.5 to 30.0 v / v%, more preferably 5.0 to 30.0 v / v%, and even more preferably 10.0 to 30.0 v / v%.

[0045] In the method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention, the concentrated beer-flavored beverage contains one or more turbidity inhibitors selected from the group consisting of 5'-inosinic acid, arginine, and protease. The presence of the turbidity inhibitor provides a turbidity suppression effect, thereby suppressing the occurrence of turbidity and precipitation in the concentrated beer-flavored beverage. The turbidity inhibitor may be added to the raw beer-flavored beverage before the concentration process, or to the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process. Furthermore, when adding two or more turbidity inhibitors, they may be added simultaneously, or they may be added at different times. For example, 5'-inosinic acid and arginine may be added to the raw beer-flavored beverage, or only one of 5'-inosinic acid and arginine may be added to the raw beer-flavored beverage and the other added to the concentrated beer-flavored beverage after the concentration process, or 5'-inosinic acid and arginine may be added to the concentrated beer-flavored beverage.

[0046] 5'-inosinic acid used as a turbidity inhibitor may be an edible salt. An example of a 5'-inosinic acid salt is disodium 5'-inosinate.

[0047] The arginine used as a turbidity inhibitor may be L-arginine or D-arginine. Alternatively, a mixture of L-arginine and D-arginine may also be used.

[0048] The protease used as a turbidity inhibitor is not particularly limited as long as it is an enzyme that has the activity to decompose proteins at any pH within the range of pH 2.0 to 5.0. It may be an acidic protease or a neutral protease, but an acidic protease is preferred because it has a higher turbidity-inhibiting effect. Furthermore, it may be an endo-type protease or an exo-type protease, but an endo-type protease is preferred because it has a higher turbidity-inhibiting effect. In addition, an acidic endo-type protease is more preferred because it has a higher turbidity-inhibiting effect.

[0049] The 5'-inosinic acid, arginine, and protease used as turbidity inhibitors may be chemically synthesized products, or they may be extracted and purified from products generated by microorganisms. Commercially available products can also be used as is.

[0050] The amount of each turbidity inhibitor added is not particularly limited, as long as it is an amount that exerts a turbidity-suppressing effect, specifically, an amount that suppresses the occurrence of turbidity and precipitation in the concentrated beer-flavored beverage more effectively than when no turbidity inhibitor is added. It is adjusted as appropriate, taking into account the composition of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage, the timing of addition, and the type of turbidity inhibitor used. When added to a raw beer-flavored beverage, the concentration of the turbidity inhibitor in the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained after concentration processing is adjusted as appropriate, taking into account the concentration ratio, so that it is an amount that exerts a turbidity-suppressing effect.

[0051] When using disodium 5'-inosinate as a turbidity inhibitor, to obtain a more sufficient turbidity inhibitory effect, it is preferable that the increase in the concentration of disodium 5'-inosinate in the concentrated beer-flavored beverage due to the addition of disodium 5'-inosinate is 0.375 g / L or more, more preferably between 0.375 g / L and 2.000 g / L, and even more preferably between 0.375 g / L and 1.500 g / L. If the increase is 2.000 g / L or less, the impact on flavor is smaller, and a more drinkable concentrated beer-flavored beverage can be obtained. In the method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention, if a turbidity inhibitor is present in the concentrated beer-flavored beverage, a turbidity suppression effect can be obtained. Therefore, it is preferable that the increase in the concentration of disodium 5'-inosinate in the concentrated beer-flavored beverage due to the addition of disodium 5'-inosinate is 0.075 g / L or more, 0.225 g / L or more, 0.750 g / L or more, 0.075 g / L to 2.000 g / L, 0.075 g / L to 1.500 g / L, 0.225 g / L to 1.500 g / L, or 0.750 g / L to 1.500 g / L. For example, when adding disodium 5'-inosinate to a concentrated beer-flavored beverage, it is preferable to add an amount of disodium 5'-inosinate that increases the concentration of disodium 5'-inosinate in the concentrated beer-flavored beverage by 0.375 g / L or more, preferably 0.375 to 2,000 g / L, and more preferably 0.375 to 1,500 g / L. It is preferable that the concentration of disodium 5'-inosinate is 0.075 g / L or more, 0.225 g / L or more, 0.750 g / L or more, 0.075 to 2,000 g / L, 0.075 to 1,500 g / L, 0.225 to 1,500 g / L, or 0.750 to 1,500 g / L.

[0052] When adding disodium 5'-inosinate to a raw beer-flavored beverage, it is preferable to adjust the concentration ratio so that the concentration of disodium 5'-inosinate in the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained after concentration treatment increases by 0.375 g / L or more compared to the case without the addition. For example, disodium 5'-inosinate can be added to a raw beer-flavored beverage in an amount that increases the concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage by 93.8 mg / L or more, preferably 93.8 to 500 mg / L, and more preferably 93.8 to 375 mg / L. If the increase in the disodium 5'-inosinate concentration is 500 mg / L or less, the impact on flavor is smaller, and a concentrated beer-flavored beverage more suitable for drinking is obtained. In the method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention, if a turbidity inhibitor is present in the concentrated beer-flavored beverage, a turbidity suppression effect can be obtained, so it is preferable that the concentration of disodium 5'-inosinate is 18.8 mg / L or more, 56.3 mg / L or more, 188 mg / L or more, 18.8 to 500 mg / L, 18.8 to 375 mg / L, 56.3 to 375 mg / L, or 188 to 375 mg / L.

[0053] When using arginine as a turbidity inhibitor, to obtain a more sufficient turbidity inhibitory effect, it is preferable that the increase in arginine concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage due to the addition of arginine be 0.375 g / L or more, more preferably 0.750 g / L or more, even more preferably 0.750 g / L to 2.000 g / L, and even more preferably 0.750 g / L to 1.500 g / L. If the increase is 2.000 g / L or less, the impact on flavor is smaller, and a more drinkable concentrated beer-flavored beverage can be obtained. In the method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention, if a turbidity inhibitor is present in the concentrated beer-flavored beverage, a turbidity suppression effect can be obtained. Therefore, it is preferable that the increase in the arginine concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage due to the addition of arginine is 0.075 g / L or more, 0.225 g / L or more, 0.750 g / L or more, 0.075 g / L to 2.000 g / L, 0.075 g / L to 1.500 g / L, 0.225 g / L to 1.500 g / L, or 0.375 g / L to 1.500 g / L. For example, when adding arginine to a concentrated beer-flavored beverage, it is preferable to add an amount of arginine that increases the arginine concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage by 0.375 g / L or more, preferably 0.750 g / L or more, more preferably 0.750 to 2.000 g / L, and even more preferably 0.750 to 1.500 g / L. It is preferable that the arginine concentration is 0.075 g / L or more, 0.225 g / L or more, 0.750 g / L or more, 0.075 to 2.000 g / L, 0.075 to 1.500 g / L, 0.225 to 1.500 g / L, or 0.375 to 1.500 g / L.

[0054] When adding arginine to a raw beer-flavored beverage, it is preferable to adjust the concentration ratio so that the arginine concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained after concentration treatment increases by 0.375 g / L or more compared to the case without arginine addition. For example, an amount of arginine can be added to a raw beer-flavored beverage such that the arginine concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage increases by 93.8 mg / L or more, preferably 188 mg / L or more, more preferably 188 to 500 mg / L, and even more preferably 188 to 375 mg / L. If the increase in arginine concentration is 500 mg / L or less, the impact on flavor is smaller, and a concentrated beer-flavored beverage more suitable for drinking is obtained. In the method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention, if a turbidity inhibitor is present in the concentrated beer-flavored beverage, a turbidity suppression effect can be obtained, so it is preferable that the arginine concentration is 18.8 mg / L or higher, 56.3 mg / L or higher, 188 mg / L or higher, 18.8 to 500 mg / L, 18.8 to 375 mg / L, 56.3 to 375 mg / L, or 93.8 to 375 mg / L.

[0055] When using protease as a turbidity inhibitor, in order to obtain a more sufficient turbidity inhibitory effect, it is preferable that the increase in the protease concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage due to the addition of protease be 0.050 to 0.250 g / L, more preferably 0.050 to 0.200 g / L, even more preferably 0.050 to 0.150 g / L, and even more preferably 0.050 to 0.125 g / L. For example, when adding protease to a concentrated beer-flavored beverage, it is preferable to add an amount of protease that increases the protease concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage by 0.050 to 0.250 g / L, preferably 0.050 to 0.200 g / L, more preferably 0.050 to 0.150 g / L, and even more preferably 0.050 to 0.125 g / L.

[0056] When adding protease to a raw beer-flavored beverage, it is preferable to adjust the concentration ratio so that the protease concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained after concentration treatment increases by 0.050 to 0.250 g / L compared to the case without the addition. For example, an amount of protease can be added to the raw beer-flavored beverage such that the protease concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage increases by 12.5 to 62.5 mg / L, preferably 12.5 to 50.0 mg / L, more preferably 12.5 to 37.5 mg / L, and even more preferably 12.5 to 31.3 mg / L.

[0057] A concentrated beer-flavored beverage containing one or more turbidity inhibitors can be filled into containers and sealed to produce a bottled concentrated beer-flavored beverage. Filling and sealing the containers can be done by conventional methods. In addition, the empty space in the bottled beer-flavored beverage may be filled with an inert gas such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide. These inert gases can reduce the amount of oxygen present in the container.

[0058] The containers used to fill the bottled concentrated beer-flavored beverage are not particularly limited. Specifically, examples include glass bottles, cans, and flexible containers. Examples of cans include two-piece beverage cans, three-piece beverage cans, and bottle cans. Examples of flexible containers include those made by molding flexible resins such as PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), EVOH (ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer), and PET (polyethylene terephthalate). Flexible containers may be made of a single layer of resin or a multi-layer resin.

[0059] Concentrated beer-flavored beverages to which one or more turbidity inhibitors have been added shall be heat-sterilized as necessary. Heat sterilization may be performed before or after filling into containers. Sterilization may be carried out by conventional methods such as UHT (ultra-high temperature) sterilization, pasteurization, or retort sterilization.

[0060] By the method for producing a concentrated beer - flavored beverage according to the present invention, a concentrated beer - flavored beverage with an appearance extract content of 10.0 w / w% or more can be produced. As the concentrated beer - flavored beverage produced by the method for producing a concentrated beer - flavored beverage according to the present invention, there are: a concentrated beer - flavored beverage with an appearance extract content of 10.0 w / w% or more and containing disodium 5'-inosinate; a concentrated beer - flavored beverage with an appearance extract content of 10.0 w / w% or more and an arginine concentration of 0.375 g / L or more; and a concentrated beer - flavored beverage with an appearance extract content of 10.0 w / w% or more, an arginine concentration of 0.375 g / L or more, and containing disodium 5'-inosinate can be obtained.

[0061] The amounts of 5'-inosinic acid and its salts in the concentrated beer - flavored beverage and the beer - flavored beverage obtained by diluting the concentrated beer - flavored beverage can be measured according to the method described in "54 Disodium 5'-inosinate" of "Analytical Methods for Food Additives in Foods" (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare).

[0062] The amount of arginine in the concentrated beer - flavored beverage and the beer - flavored beverage obtained by diluting the concentrated beer - flavored beverage can be measured according to the method described in "50 L - Arginine L - Glutamate" of "Analytical Methods for Food Additives in Foods" (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare).

[0063] The concentrated beer - flavored beverage obtained by the method for producing a concentrated beer - flavored beverage according to the present invention is diluted and provided for drinking. The dilution ratio is not particularly limited and is appropriately determined according to the intended product design. From the point of approaching the sensory quality of the raw material beer - flavored beverage, the dilution ratio (R D ) of the concentrated beer - flavored beverage is 0.3 to 10 times the concentration ratio (R C ), (R C ×0.3≤R D ≤R C ×10.0), and may be within the range of 0.3 to 8 times (R C ×0.3≤R D ≤R C ×8.0), and may be within the range of 0.3 to 6 times (R C ×0.3≤RD ≤R C It may be within the range of ×6.0, and 0.3 to 4 times (R C ×0.3≦R D ≤R C It may be within the range of ×4.0, and 0.5 to 2 times (R C ×0.5≦R D ≤R C It may be within the range of ×2.0, and 0.8 to 1.25 times (R C ×0.8≦R D ≤R C It may be within the range of ×1.25, or 0.9 to 1.1 times (R C ×0.9≦R D ≤R C It may be within the range of ×1.1). Also, for manufacturing suitability, the dilution ratio (R D ) is the concentration ratio (R C ) 1.0 to 10 times (R C ×1.0≦R D ≤R C ×10.0), 1.0~8 times (R C ×1.0≦R D ≤R C ×8.0), 1.0~6 times (R C ×1.0≦R D ≤R C ×6.0), 1.0~4 times (R C ×1.0≦R D ≤R C ×4.0) or 1.0~2 times (R C ×1.0≦R D ≤R C It is preferable that it be within the range of ×2.0.

[0064] The concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained by the method for producing concentrated beer-flavored beverages according to the present invention may be diluted and then, if necessary, carbon dioxide may be added. Adding carbon dioxide can provide a sufficient refreshing sensation. The addition of carbon dioxide can be done by conventional methods. For example, carbonated water may be mixed with the diluted beer-flavored beverage, or carbon dioxide may be added directly and dissolved.

[0065] After adding carbon dioxide, the resulting beer-flavored beverage may be subjected to further treatments such as filtration to remove insoluble matter. The insoluble matter removal treatment is not particularly limited and can be carried out by methods commonly used in the art.

[0066] A beer-flavored beverage intended for consumption, obtained by diluting a concentrated beer-flavored beverage, can be filled into a container and sealed to produce a bottled beer-flavored beverage. Heat sterilization can also be performed as necessary. Filling and sealing the container, the choice of container, and heat sterilization can be carried out in the same manner as described above.

[0067] The method for producing concentrated beer-flavored beverages according to the present invention can be incorporated into the manufacturing process of general fermented beer-flavored beverages and non-fermented beer-flavored beverages.

[0068] Fermented beer-flavored beverages can be manufactured through the processes of mashing (preparation of fermentation raw material liquid), fermentation, storage, and filtration.

[0069] Malt may be used as at least part of the fermentation ingredients. The malt used as a fermentation ingredient may be barley malt, wheat malt, or both may be used in combination. Malt alone may be used as a fermentation ingredient, or malt may be used in combination with other ingredients, that is, the malt usage ratio (the proportion of malt used in the total amount of fermentation ingredients) may be less than 100% by mass. From the standpoint of producing a more beer-like aroma and flavor, a malt usage ratio of 50-100% by mass is preferred, 70-100% by mass is more preferred, and 90-100% by mass is even more preferred.

[0070] The grain raw materials used other than malt may be a single type of grain raw material or a mixture of multiple types of grain raw materials. The fermentation raw materials other than malt may be grain raw materials only, carbohydrate raw materials only, or a mixture of both. Examples of grain raw materials include grains other than malt, rice, corn, legumes such as soybeans, and potatoes. Examples of carbohydrate raw materials include sugars such as liquid sugar and sucrose.

[0071] While malt and other grain raw materials can be used as grain syrup, grain extract, etc., it is preferable to use them as grain pulverized products obtained by grinding. The grinding of grains can be carried out by conventional methods. The grain pulverized products may be those that have undergone processing before and after grinding, such as crushed malt, corn starch, and corn grits.

[0072] As part of the preparation process (fermentation raw material liquid preparation process), a fermentation raw material liquid is prepared from the fermentation raw materials. Specifically, first, a mixture containing the fermentation raw materials and raw water is prepared and heated to saccharify the starch in the fermentation raw materials. Other auxiliary ingredients besides the fermentation raw materials and water may be added to this mixture. Examples of such auxiliary ingredients include hops, yeast extract, protein hydrolysates, water-soluble dietary fiber, sweeteners, bittering agents, fruit juice, coloring agents, herbs, and flavorings.

[0073] By using hops or hop products as raw materials, a fermented beer-flavored beverage containing iso-alpha acids can be produced. Hops contain alpha acids, which are precursors to iso-alpha acids. The hops used as raw materials may be fresh hops, dried hops, or hop pellets. The hop products used as raw materials may include hop extract, which is obtained by extracting the bitter components from hops. Alternatively, hop products containing isopropyl hop extract, tetrahydroisohumulone, hexahydroisohumulone, or other components in which the bitter components of hops have been isodulated may also be used.

[0074] Water-soluble dietary fiber refers to carbohydrates that dissolve in water and are not digested or are difficult to digest by human digestive enzymes. Examples of water-soluble dietary fiber used in this invention include indigestible dextrin, polydextrose, soy dietary fiber, galactomannan, inulin, guar gum hydrolysate, pectin, and gum arabic. These water-soluble dietary fibers may be used individually or in combination of two or more types.

[0075] The sweetener may be sugar, a relatively low-sweetness sweetener, or a high-sweetness sweetener. Examples of relatively low-sweetness sweeteners include polysaccharides and sweet-tasting amino acids. Polysaccharides refer to carbohydrates formed by the polymerization of three or more monosaccharides. Polysaccharides are broadly classified into starch, dextrin, and oligosaccharides, mainly based on their size. Oligosaccharides are carbohydrates formed by the polymerization of 3 to 10 monosaccharides, while dextrin is a carbohydrate obtained by hydrolyzing starch and is larger than oligosaccharides. Examples of sweet-tasting amino acids include alanine and glycine, with alanine being preferred. Examples of high-sweetness sweeteners include acesulfame potassium, neotame, aspartame, sucralose, stevia, and enzyme-treated stevia. These sweeteners may be used individually or in combination of two or more.

[0076] The bittering agent is not particularly limited as long as it exhibits a bitterness similar to or identical to that of beer in the fermented beer-flavored beverage product. It may be a bittering component contained in hops, or a bittering component not contained in hops. Specifically, examples of such bittering agents include bittering components such as magnesium salts, calcium salts, tributyl citrate, triethyl citrate, naringin, kwashin, iso-alpha acids, tetraiso-alpha acids, β-acid oxides, quinine, momordicin, quercitrin, theobromine, and caffeine, as well as bittering materials such as bitter melon, gentian tea, bitter tea, wormwood extract, gentian extract, and cinchona extract. One type of these bittering agent may be used, or two or more types may be used in combination.

[0077] Examples of protein hydrolysates include soy protein hydrolysates. Examples of coloring agents include caramel coloring. Examples of flavorings include beer flavor, beer fragrance, and hop fragrance.

[0078] In the brewing process, it is preferable to add enzyme preparations such as saccharifying enzymes like α-amylase, glucoamylase, and pullulanase, as well as proteases. These enzymes promote the decomposition reaction of non-assimilable sugars in the fermentation raw materials into assimilable sugars, making it possible to prepare a fermentation raw material liquid with a low content of non-assimilable sugars, even when using fermentation raw materials with a high proportion of malt.

[0079] Saccharification is carried out using enzymes derived from grain raw materials or enzymes added separately. The temperature and time during saccharification are adjusted as appropriate, taking into account the type of grain raw materials used, the proportion of grain raw materials in the total fermentation materials, the type and amount of enzymes added and the desired quality of the fermented beer-flavored beverage. For example, saccharification can be carried out by conventional methods, such as holding the mixture containing grain raw materials at 35-70°C for 20-90 minutes. By adjusting the saccharification time, the saccharification efficiency can be controlled, and the sugar content of the final fermented beer-flavored beverage can be adjusted to a desired range.

[0080] The boiled sugar solution (the boiled sugar solution) can be prepared by boiling the sugar solution obtained after the saccharification treatment. It is preferable to filter the sugar solution before boiling and boil the resulting filtrate. Alternatively, a mixture of malt extract and warm water may be used instead of the filtrate of the sugar solution, and this mixture may be boiled. The boiling method and conditions can be determined as appropriate.

[0081] By adding herbs and other ingredients as appropriate before or during boiling, a fermented beer-flavored beverage with a desired aroma can be produced. Hops, in particular, are preferably added before or during boiling. Boiling in the presence of hops allows for efficient extraction of the hop's flavor and aroma components. The amount of hops added, the method of addition (e.g., adding in several stages), and the boiling conditions can be determined as appropriate.

[0082] After the preparation process and before the fermentation process, it is preferable to remove the residue, such as proteins, that have settled from the prepared broth. The residue can be removed by any solid-liquid separation process, but generally, a tank called a whirlpool is used to remove the precipitate. The temperature of the broth at this time should be 15°C or higher, and is generally carried out at around 50-100°C. The broth (filtrate) after the residue has been removed is cooled to an appropriate fermentation temperature using a plate cooler or the like. This broth after the residue has been removed becomes the raw material liquid for fermentation.

[0083] Next, as a fermentation step, yeast is inoculated into the cooled fermentation raw material liquid and fermentation is carried out. The cooled fermentation raw material liquid may be used as is in the fermentation step, or it may be used after being adjusted to the desired extract concentration. The yeast used for fermentation is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected from yeasts commonly used in the production of alcoholic beverages. It may be a top-fermenting yeast or a bottom-fermenting yeast, but a bottom-fermenting yeast is preferred because it is easier to apply to large-scale brewing equipment.

[0084] When using non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages or low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages as raw materials for beer-flavored beverages, only yeast with low ethanol production capacity may be used for fermentation, or a combination of yeast with normal ethanol production capacity and yeast with low ethanol production capacity may be used. Examples of yeast with low ethanol production capacity include Kluyveromyces Flagilis (Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-094077), Saccharomycodes ludwigii (ellut, et al., Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists, 2019, DOI: 10.1080 / 03610470.2019.1569452), and a phenotype (RAG) in which growth is impossible when respiration is inhibited. - Examples include known yeast strains and their mutants, such as the Kluiveromyces lactis mutant with a specific phenotype (Wesolowski-Louvel, et al., Molecular and General Genetics, 1992, vol.233(1-2), p.89-96).

[0085] Furthermore, in the storage process, the obtained fermented liquid is matured in a storage tank and stabilized under low temperature conditions of about 0°C. Then, in the filtration process, the matured fermented liquid is filtered to remove yeast and proteins insoluble at that temperature range, thereby obtaining the desired fermented beer-flavored beverage. The filtration process can be any method that can filter out the yeast, such as diatomaceous earth filtration or filter filtration using a filter with an average pore size of about 0.4 to 1.0 μm. In addition, an appropriate amount of water may be added before or after filtration to dilute the product to the desired alcohol concentration.

[0086] Before or after the filtration process, a membrane filtration treatment may be performed to remove water. The membrane filtration treatment can be a known membrane treatment used in concentration processes, such as RO membrane treatment or FO membrane treatment.

[0087] In addition, in the process following the yeast fermentation, for example, by mixing with an alcohol-containing distillate, a fermented beer-flavored beverage equivalent to a liqueur under the Liquor Tax Law can be produced. The addition of the alcohol-containing distillate may be before or after the addition of water to adjust the alcohol concentration. Barley spirits are preferred as the added alcohol-containing distillate, as they can produce a fermented beer-flavored beverage with a more desirable malty character.

[0088] When using non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages or low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages as raw materials for beer-flavored beverages, de-alcoholization can be performed before or after filtration. Various de-alcoholization methods capable of removing at least a portion of the alcohol can be used, such as low-temperature distillation (a process of removing alcohol by distillation under reduced pressure at 50°C or below).

[0089] The beer-flavored beverage thus obtained can be used as the raw material beer-flavored beverage, and by performing the concentration step and the additive treatment step, a concentrated beer-flavored beverage can be produced. Before performing the concentration treatment or adding additives, the raw material beer-flavored beverage may be subjected to a degassing treatment.

[0090] Non-fermented beer-flavored beverages, which are produced without a fermentation process, can generally be manufactured by mixing the raw materials (formulation method). Specifically, the formulation method includes a mixing step of preparing a mixture by mixing the raw materials, and a gas introduction step of adding carbon dioxide to the resulting mixture. The mixture prepared after the mixing step but before the gas introduction step can be used as the raw beer-flavored beverage in the method for producing concentrated beer-flavored beverages according to the present invention.

[0091] First, in the blending process, a blended liquid is prepared by mixing the raw materials. In the blending process, it is preferable to prepare a blended liquid by mixing all raw materials except carbon dioxide. The order in which the raw materials are mixed is not particularly limited. All raw materials may be added to the raw water at the same time, or they may be added sequentially, for example, by dissolving the raw materials that were added first and then adding the remaining raw materials. Alternatively, solid raw materials (e.g., in powder or granular form) and alcohol may be mixed with the raw water, or the solid raw materials may be prepared as an aqueous solution beforehand, and these aqueous solutions, alcohol, and raw water as needed may be mixed. Furthermore, heated raw materials may be added to the raw water, or the prepared blended liquid may be heated.

[0092] Ingredients include bittering agents, acidulants, sweeteners, caramel coloring, flavorings, ethanol (raw material alcohol), emulsifiers, polysaccharides, water-soluble dietary fiber, protein or its hydrolysates, etc. As bittering agents, those listed above can be used.

[0093] Examples of sweeteners include, but are not limited to, sucrose, glucose, fructose, isomerized sugar, and high-intensity sweeteners. These sweeteners may be used individually or in combination of two or more. Examples of high-intensity sweeteners include aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, neotame, stevia, and enzyme-treated stevia.

[0094] Examples of acidulants include organic acids such as lactic acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, phosphoric acid, adipic acid, and fumaric acid. Flavorings include beer extract, beer flavoring, and hop flavoring.

[0095] Examples of emulsifiers include polyglycerin fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, polypropylene glycol fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, and polysorbates.

[0096] Examples of polysaccharides include starch and dextrin. Dextrin is a carbohydrate obtained by hydrolyzing starch, and refers to a carbohydrate that is larger than oligosaccharides (carbohydrates in which 3 to 10 monosaccharides are polymerized).

[0097] Water-soluble dietary fiber refers to carbohydrates that dissolve in water and are not digested or are difficult to digest by human digestive enzymes. Examples of water-soluble dietary fiber include soy fiber (soluble soy polysaccharides), polydextrose, indigestible dextrin, galactomannan, inulin, guar gum hydrolysate, pectin, and gum arabic.

[0098] A concentrated beer-flavored beverage can be produced by using the prepared liquid in the blending process as a raw material beer-flavored beverage and carrying out the concentration process and additive processing process. If insoluble matter is generated in the prepared liquid in the blending process, it is preferable to remove the insoluble matter by filtration or other methods before performing the concentration process or adding additives. The insoluble matter removal process is not particularly limited and can be carried out by methods commonly used in the art, such as filtration or centrifugal separation. It is preferable to remove the insoluble matter by filtration, and more preferably by diatomaceous earth filtration. [Examples]

[0099] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to examples and reference examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0100] [Example 1] The effects of various additives on the turbidity of concentrated beer-flavored beverages obtained by concentrating commercially available beer-flavored beverages were investigated. The additives used were L-ascorbic acid (manufactured by Kanto Chemical Co., Ltd.), 5'-inosinate disodium (manufactured by Kanto Chemical Co., Ltd.), L-arginine (manufactured by Kanto Chemical Co., Ltd.), D-arginine (manufactured by Kanto Chemical Co., Ltd.), and protease (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.).

[0101] <Preparation of raw material beer-flavored beverage> A commercially available beer-flavored beverage (commercial product A, pH 4.5) was used as the raw material. 9.2 liters of the raw material beer-flavored beverage were poured into a polyethylene tank.

[0102] <Forward Osmosis Concentration Treatment> For the forward osmosis membrane concentration process, a forward osmosis membrane module (Aquaporin Inside® HFFO® 2, manufactured by Aquaporin) was used. In addition, 2M sodium chloride aqueous solutions and 2.5M sodium chloride aqueous solutions were prepared for use in membrane concentration tests. The concentrations of each reagent were adjusted using ultrapure water (Merck Millipore).

[0103] The concentration process was carried out in a room with a temperature of 18°C ​​and a humidity of 50%. First, both the draw solution (DS) side (the solution with higher osmotic pressure, which acts as the driving force for liquid movement) and the feed solution (FS) side (the solution with lower osmotic pressure, which is the liquid being concentrated) were filled with pure water. Next, more than 500 mL of the test solution was poured into the FS side, and then more than 500 mL of the test solution (raw beer-flavored beverage) was poured into the FS side, and more than 500 mL of 2M sodium chloride aqueous solution was poured into the DS side, so that the FS side was filled with the test solution and the DS side with 2M sodium chloride aqueous solution. Next, both FS and DS were switched to circulation mode, and concentration was started. The weight of the test solution was measured every 5 minutes, and circulation continued until the target concentration ratio was reached. When the osmotic pressure difference between FS and DS decreased and the weight loss of the test solution slowed down, the solution circulating in DS was switched to a 2.5 M sodium chloride aqueous solution to restore the osmotic pressure difference between FS and DS. Each time the target concentration ratio was reached by weight calculation, 150 mL of the test solution was sampled. The official concentration ratio was determined by measuring the extract using an extract meter (portable densimeter: DMA35, manufactured by Anton Paar), and the concentration of the extract was defined as the concentration ratio.

[0104] <Turbidity Measurement> A concentrated beer-flavored beverage with a concentration ratio of 4:1 was mixed with each additive in an amount corresponding to the concentration increase shown in Table 1. The mixture was left to stand at room temperature for 4-5 hours, and then left to stand at 4°C for one week to prepare samples. The turbidity of each sample was measured after standing. A control sample was prepared by adding an equal amount of water to the additive, and the difference in turbidity between the two samples was also examined.

[0105] The samples used for turbidity measurement were prepared by thoroughly degassing the containers by shaking them at room temperature, and then placing them in 50 mL dedicated vials. For each sample prepared in a 50 mL vial, turbidity was measured using a turbidimeter (HAZE 3001 TURBIDITY METER, manufactured by Anton Paar).

[0106] [Table 1]

[0107] The results of turbidity measurements for each sample are shown in Table 1 and Figures 1 and 2. As shown in Table 1, in all cases where any additive was added, the turbidity difference with the control sample to which water was added was greater than 0, indicating that the turbidity was lower than that of the control sample and that the occurrence of turbidity was suppressed. In particular, with 5'-inosinate disodium, L-arginine, and D-arginine, adding an amount that increased the beverage concentration by 0.375 g / L or more, and with protease, adding an amount that increased the beverage concentration by 0.050 g / L or more, significantly reduced the turbidity of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage four times more than adding an amount that increased the L-ascorbic acid concentration by 1.500 g / L.

[0108] [Example 2] Using a commercially available beer-flavored beverage (commercial product B) different from the commercially available product A used in Example 1, the effect of additives on the turbidity of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage was investigated in the same manner as in Example 1. The additives used were ascorbic acid (manufactured by Kanto Chemical Co., Ltd.), disodium 5'-inosinate (manufactured by Kanto Chemical Co., Ltd.), L-arginine (manufactured by Kanto Chemical Co., Ltd.), D-arginine (manufactured by Kanto Chemical Co., Ltd.), protease A (neutral endo-type protease "Neutrase® 0.8 L BrewQ", manufactured by Novozymes Switzerland AG), protease B (endo-type protease "FAN Boost", manufactured by Novozymes), and protease C (acidic endo-type protease "UF "Amano" SD", manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.).

[0109] A commercially available beer-flavored beverage (commercial product B, pH 4.5) was used as the raw material. 9.2 liters of the raw material beer-flavored beverage were poured into a polyethylene tank. Each raw beer-flavored beverage (test sample) was subjected to forward osmosis membrane concentration treatment in the same manner as in Example 1 to prepare a concentrated beer-flavored beverage with a concentration ratio of 4:1. To the obtained concentrated beer-flavored beverage, each additive was added in an amount that increased the concentration according to Table 2, and the mixture was left to stand at room temperature for 4-5 hours, followed by standing at 4°C for 1 week to prepare samples. The turbidity of each sample after standing was measured. A control sample was prepared by adding an equal amount of water to the additive, and the difference in turbidity between the control sample and the additive sample was also examined.

[0110] [Table 2]

[0111] Table 2 shows the turbidity measurement results for each sample. As shown in Table 2, in all cases where any additive was added, the turbidity difference with the control sample to which water was added was greater than 0, indicating that the turbidity was lower than that of the control sample and that the generation of turbidity was suppressed.

[0112] <Sensory evaluation of diluted beer-flavored beverage> A concentrated beer-flavored beverage (80g) was prepared by concentrating commercial product B (test product B) 4.1 times. 0.75g / L of L-arginine or 0.125g / L of protease A was added to this concentrated beverage and allowed to stand at 4°C for one week. Subsequently, carbon dioxide was injected into a diluted solution, which was then diluted 4.1 times with ultrapure water, to prepare a beer-flavored beverage (test product B'). The carbon dioxide injection was performed using a constant-temperature bath carbonator test apparatus (UT-CS400AN model, manufactured by Unitech Co., Ltd.) under the following conditions.

[0113] Conditions for injecting carbon dioxide Sample temperature: 10℃ CO2 gas pressure: 2.0 MPa Shaking time: 15 minutes

[0114] <Sensory evaluation> The flavor profile of test product B' (a beer-flavored beverage with added carbon dioxide) was evaluated by a panel of two experts. The evaluation criteria included 10 items: grain / roast, hops, esters, fermentation, sweetness, acidity, bitterness, astringency, body, and crispness. Test product B' was evaluated in comparison to the evaluation of commercial product B, according to the following criteria. The average score of two expert panel members was used as the evaluation score for test product B'.

[0115] Evaluation Criteria 3: It differs considerably from test sample B, with test sample B' being stronger. 2: Unlike test sample B, test sample B' is stronger. 1: Test sample B' is slightly different from test sample B, and is stronger. 0: Same as test sample B. -1: Slightly different from test sample B, test sample B' is weaker. -2: Unlike test sample B, test sample B' is weaker. -3: It differs considerably from test sample B, with test sample B' being weaker.

[0116] Figure 3 and Table 3 show the sensory evaluation results for test product B' with added L-arginine, and Figure 4 and Table 4 show the sensory evaluation results for test product B' with added protease A. These results suggest that there is no significant difference in flavor between test product B' and test product B before concentration.

[0117] Table 3

[0118] Table 4

Claims

1. A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage, A concentration process in which raw beer-flavored beverages are concentrated to obtain concentrated beer-flavored beverages, An additive treatment step is to add one or more additives selected from the group consisting of 5'-inosinic acid, arginine, and protease to the raw beer-flavored beverage or the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration step, A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage having [a certain characteristic].

2. The method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein in the concentration step, the concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage is carried out by forward osmosis membrane concentration or reverse osmosis membrane concentration.

3. A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein in the concentration step, the raw beer-flavored beverage is concentrated by 3.0 times or more.

4. In the aforementioned additive treatment step, To the raw beer-flavored beverage, an amount of disodium 5'-inosinate is added such that the concentration of disodium 5'-inosinate in the raw beer-flavored beverage increases by 93.8 mg / L or more. To the aforementioned raw beer-flavored beverage, an amount of arginine is added such that the arginine concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage increases by 93.8 mg / L or more, or A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, comprising adding to the raw beer-flavored beverage an amount of protease such that the protease concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage increases by 12.5 to 62.5 mg / L.

5. In the aforementioned additive treatment step, To the concentrated beer-flavored beverage, an amount of disodium 5'-inosinate is added such that the concentration of disodium 5'-inosinate in the concentrated beer-flavored beverage increases by 0.375 g / L or more. To the concentrated beer-flavored beverage, add an amount of arginine such that the arginine concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage increases by 0.375 g / L or more, or A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, comprising adding to the concentrated beer-flavored beverage an amount of protease such that the protease concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage increases by 0.050 to 0.250 g / L.

6. A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein in the additive treatment step, one or more of the additives are added to the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration step.

7. A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein the apparent extract content of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is 10.0 w / w% or more.

8. The method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is diluted according to the concentration ratio in the concentration step before being made available for consumption.

9. A concentrated beer-flavored beverage is produced by the method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage described in any one of claims 1 to 7. A method for producing a beer-flavored beverage, comprising diluting the obtained concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to the concentration ratio in the concentration step to produce a beer-flavored beverage.

10. A method for producing a beer-flavored beverage according to claim 9, wherein the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is diluted and then carbon dioxide is added to it.

11. A concentrated beer-flavored beverage with an apparent extract content of 10.0 w / w% or more is diluted 3.0 times or more to produce a beer-flavored beverage. The concentration of 5'-inosinate disodium in the aforementioned concentrated beer-flavored beverage is 0.375 g / L or higher, or the concentration of arginine is 0.375 g / L or higher. A method for manufacturing beer-flavored beverages.

12. The visible extract content is 10.0 w / w% or more, and, Contains 5' disodium inosinate, Concentrated beer-flavored beverage.

13. The visible extract content is 10.0 w / w% or more, and, Arginine concentration of 0.375 g / L or higher, It is a concentrated beer-flavored beverage.

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