Beer-flavored fermented beverage and method for producing the same

Abstract

Offering a novel beer-flavored fermented beverage that reduces carbohydrate concentration while improving the deterioration of flavor caused by carbohydrate reduction. [Solution] According to the present invention, a beer-flavored fermented beverage is provided in which the carbohydrate concentration is 2.0 g / 100 ml or less and the γ-aminobutyric acid concentration is 6 ppm or more. According to the present invention, in a beer-flavored fermented beverage with reduced carbohydrate concentration, by setting the γ-aminobutyric acid concentration to a predetermined value, it is possible to provide a beer-flavored fermented beverage with good flavor while reducing the carbohydrate concentration.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a beer-taste fermented beverage and a method for producing the same, and more particularly to a beer-taste fermented beverage with a reduced sugar concentration and a method for producing the same.

Background Art

[0002] Due to the increasing health consciousness in recent years, there is a demand for beer-taste beverages with a reduced sugar content. To date, various technologies have been developed to achieve beer-taste beverages with a reduced sugar content (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). On the other hand, there is known a beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage that has a reduced sugar content while achieving a rich taste (Patent Document 3).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The inventors of the present invention found that in a beer-taste fermented beverage with a reduced sugar concentration, the flavor of the entire beverage becomes weaker due to the reduction in the sugar concentration, resulting in a decrease in the drinking feeling and there is room for improvement. An object of the present invention is to provide a novel beer-taste fermented beverage in which, while the sugar concentration is reduced, the decrease in the drinking feeling due to the reduction in the sugar concentration is improved.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] According to the present invention, the following inventions are provided. [1] A beer-flavored fermented beverage having a carbohydrate concentration of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, and a γ-aminobutyric acid concentration of 6 ppm or more. [2] The beer-flavored fermented beverage described in [1] above, wherein the ethyl acetate concentration is 3.5 ppm or higher. [3] The beer-flavored fermented beverage described in [1] or [2] above, wherein the total concentration of γ-aminobutyric acid and ethyl acetate is 9.5 ppm or higher. [4] A beer-flavored fermented beverage as described in any of [1] to [3] above, having an alcohol concentration of 3.0 v / v% or more and 7.0 v / v% or less. [5] A beer-flavored fermented beverage as described in any of [1] to [4] above, in which the malt usage ratio is 50% or more and 100% or less. [6] A method for producing a beer-flavored fermented beverage having a carbohydrate concentration of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, comprising the step of including γ-aminobutyric acid at a concentration of 6 ppm or more. [7] A method for improving the flavor of a beer-flavored fermented beverage having a carbohydrate concentration of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, the method comprising a step of adding γ-aminobutyric acid to the beverage in a concentration of 6 ppm or more during its production.

[0006] According to the present invention, in a beer-flavored fermented beverage with reduced carbohydrate concentration, by setting the γ-aminobutyric acid concentration to a predetermined value, it is possible to provide a beer-flavored fermented beverage with good aroma and taste while reducing the carbohydrate concentration. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] In this invention, "beer-flavored beverage" means a beverage having a beer-like flavor. In this invention, "beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage" means a beverage fermented with yeast using a carbon source, a nitrogen source, and water as raw materials, and includes beer and sparkling alcoholic beverages. Preferred embodiments of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage include a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage in which malt and / or ungerminated grains are used as at least part of the raw materials, and more preferably a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage in which malt is used as at least part of the raw materials. In this invention, "beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage" means a beverage produced by removing the alcohol component produced in a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage that has undergone a fermentation process using yeast, and a beverage produced by stopping the fermentation process at a stage where the ethanol concentration is less than 1 v / v%. In this invention, "beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage" includes beverages that contain no alcohol at all, i.e., beverages with an ethanol concentration of 0.00 v / v%, and beverages with an ethanol concentration greater than 0.00 v / v% and less than 1 v / v%. In this invention, the term "beer-flavored fermented beverage" includes both "beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages" and "beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverages."

[0008] In this invention, "low-malt beer" includes those containing distilled alcohol as an ingredient, and those that do not contain malt or hops. In this invention, "beer" can be defined as a product made by fermenting malt, hops, and water, or a product made by fermenting malt, hops, water, and certain auxiliary ingredients, and that satisfies the following two conditions (limited to those with an alcohol content of less than 20%) (see the Liquor Tax Act (Law No. 6 of 1953), which came into effect on October 1, 2024). • The malt ratio must be 50 / 100 or higher. • The weight of the fruit used (including dried, boiled, or concentrated fruit juice) and certain flavorings must not exceed 5% of the weight of the malt (including those not used).

[0009] When the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention uses malt as at least part of its raw materials, the malt usage ratio is, for example, 0%, 0% or more, 5% or less, 5% or more, 10% or less, 10% or more, 12.5% ​​or less, 12.5% ​​or more, 15% or less, 15% or more, 17.5% or less, 17.5% or more, 20% or less, 20% or more, 22.5% or less, 22.5% or more, 25% or less, 25% or more. 27.5% or less, 27.5% or more, 30% or less, 30% or more, 32.5% or less, 32.5% or more, 35% or less, 35% or more, 37.5% or less, 37.5% or more, 40% or less, 40% or more Above, 42.5% or less, 42.5% or more, 45% or less, 45% or more, 47.5% or less, 47.5% or more, 50% or less, 50% or more, 52.5% or less, 52.5% or more, 55% or less, 55% or more, 57.5% or less, 57.5% or more, 60% or less, 60% or more, 62.5% or less, 62.5% or more, 65% or less, 65% or more, 67.5% or less, 67.5% or more, 70% or less, 7 0% or more, 72.5% or less, 72.5% or more, 75% or less, 75% or more, 77.5% or less, 77.5% or more, 80% or less, 80% or more, 82.5% or less, 82.5% or more, 85% or less, The malt content can be 85% or more, 87.5% or less, 87.5% or more, 90% or less, 90% or more, 92.5% or less, 92.5% or more, 95% or less, 95% or more, 97.5% or less, 97.5% or more, 100% or less, or 100%, preferably 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 100% or less, or 100%. These upper and lower limits can be combined in any way, "or less" can be changed to "less than", and "or more" can be changed to "greater than". In this invention, "malt usage ratio" refers to the ratio of the mass of malt to the mass of all raw materials excluding hops and brewing water.

[0010] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention can use, for example, barley malt or wheat malt as malt, and may use one type of malt or a combination of multiple types of malt. In the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention, the proportion of barley malt (mass) to the total mass of raw malt is, for example, 0%, 0% or more, 10% or more, 10% or less, 12.5% ​​or more, 12.5% ​​or less, 15% or more, 15% or less, 17.5% or more, 17.5% or less, 20% or more, 20% or less, 22.5% or more, 22.5% or less, 25% or more, 25% or less, 27.5% or more, 27.5% or less, 30% or more, 30% or less, 32.5% or more, 32.5% or less, 35% or more, 35% or less, 37.5% or more, 37.5% or less, 40% or more, 40% or less, 42.5% or more, 42.5% or less, 45% or more, 45% or less, 47.5% or more, 47.5% or less, 50% or more, 50% or less. It can be 52.5% or more, 52.5% or less, 55% or more, 55% or less, 57.5% or more, 57.5% or less, 60% or more, 62.5% or more, 62.5% or less, 65% or more, 65% or less, 67.5% or more, 67.5% or less, 70% or more, 70% or less, 72.5% or more, 72.5% or less, 75% or more, 75% or less, 77.5% or more, 77.5% or less, 80% or more, 80% or less, 82.5% or more, 82.5% or less, 85% or more, 85% or less, 87.5% or more, 87.5% or less, 90% or more, 92.5% or more, 92.5% or less, 95% or more, 95% or less, 97.5% or more, 97.5% or less, 100% or less, or 100%. These upper and lower limits can be combined in any way; "less than or equal to" can be changed to "less than," and "greater than or equal to" can be changed to "greater than."In the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention, the proportion of wheat malt (mass) to the total amount of raw malt (mass) is, for example, 0%, 0% or more, 10% or more, 10% or less, 12.5% ​​or more, 12.5% ​​or less, 15% or more, 15% or less, 17.5% or more, 17.5% or less, 20% or more, 20% or less, 22.5% or more, 22.5% or less, 25% or more, 25% or less, 27.5% or more, 27.5% or less, 30% or more, 30% or less, 32.5% or more, 32.5% or less, 35% or more, 35% or less, 37.5% or more, 37.5% or less, 40% or more, 40% or less, 42.5% or more, 42.5% or less, 45% or more, 45% or less, 47.5% or more, 47.5% or less, 50% or more, 50% The following percentages may be 52.5% or more, 52.5% or less, 55% or more, 55% or less, 57.5% or more, 57.5% or less, 60% or more, 62.5% or more, 62.5% or less, 65% or more, 65% or less, 67.5% or more, 67.5% or less, 70% or more, 70% or less, 72.5% or more, 72.5% or less, 75% or more, 75% or less, 77.5% or more, 77.5% or less, 80% or more, 80% or less, 82.5% or more, 82.5% or less, 85% or more, 85% or less, 87.5% or more, 87.5% or less, 90% or more, 92.5% or more, 92.5% or less, 95% or more, 95% or less, 97.5% or more, 97.5% or less, 100% or less, or 100%. In the above, "greater than or equal to" can be written as "greater than or equal to". These upper and lower limits can be combined in any way, "less than or equal to" can be written as "less than", and "greater than or equal to" can be written as "greater than or equal to".

[0011] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention can use dark malt as part of the malt raw material. In this specification, "dark malt" refers to malt that has been roasted at a relatively high temperature (for example, about 120°C or higher) during the production of malt from barley, resulting in a dark brown color. Non-limiting examples of dark malt include caramel malt and black malt. Generally, dark malt tends to be darker in color the higher the roasting temperature.

[0012] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention may also contain malts other than dark malt, such as pale malt (base malt). Non-limiting examples of pale malt include pale malt (barley malt), pilsner malt (barley malt), and wheat malt (wheat malt).

[0013] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention may preferably use dark malt as part of the malt ingredients, in which case the malt other than dark malt may include light malt.

[0014] In the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention, the ratio of dark malt (mass) to total malt raw materials (mass) is, for example, 0%, 0% or more, 1% or more, 1% or less, 2% or more, 2% or less, 3% or more, 3% or less, 4% or more, 4% or less, 5% or more, 5% or less, 6% or more, 6% or less, 7% or more, 7% or less, 8% or more, 8% or less, 9% or more, 9% or less, 10% or more, 10% or less, 12.5% ​​or more. 12.5% ​​or less, 15% or more, 15% or less, 17.5% or more, 17.5% or less, 20% or more, 20% or less, 22.5% or more, 22.5% or less, 25% or more, 25% or less, 27.5% or more, 27.5% or less, 30% or more, 30% or less, 32.5% or more, 32.5% or less, 35% or more, 35% or less, 37.5% or more, 37.5% or less, 40% or more, 40% or less, 42.5% or more, 4 2.5% or less, 45% or more, 45% or less, 47.5% or more, 47.5% or less, 50% or more, 50% or less, 52.5% or more, 52.5% or less, 55% or more, 55% or less, 57.5% or more, 5 7.5% or less, 60% or more, 60% or less, 62.5% or more, 62.5% or less, 65% or more, 65% or less, 67.5% or more, 67.5% or less, 70% or more, 70% or less, 72.5% or more, 72 It can be 0.5% or less, 75% or more, 75% or less, 77.5% or more, 77.5% or less, 80% or more, 80% or less, 82.5% or more, 82.5% or less, 85% or more, 85% or less, 87.5% or more, 87.5% or less, 90% or more, 90% or less, 92.5% or more, 92.5% or less, 95% or more, 95% or less, 97.5% or more, 97.5% or less, 100% or less, or 100%. These upper and lower limits can be combined in any way, "or less" can be changed to "less than", and "or more" can be changed to "greater than".

[0015] In the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention, the ratio of pale malt (mass) to total malt raw materials (mass) is, for example, 0%, 0% or more, 10% or more, 10% or less, 12.5% ​​or more, 12.5% ​​or less, 15% or more, 15% or less, 17.5% or more, 17.5% or less, 20% or more, 20% or less, 22.5% or more, 22.5% or less, 25% or more, 25% or less, 27.5% or more, 27.5% or less, 30% or more, 30% or less, 32.5% or more, 32.5% or less, 35% or more, 35% or less, 37.5% or more, 37.5% or less, 40% or more, 40% or less, 42.5% or more, 42.5% or less, 45% or more, 45% or less, 47.5% or more, 47.5% or less, 50% or more, 50% or less Lower, 52.5% or more, 52.5% or less, 55% or more, 55% or less, 57.5% or more, 57.5% or less, 60% or more, 60% or less, 62.5% or more, 62.5% or less , 65% or more, 65% or less, 67.5% or more, 67.5% or less, 70% or more, 70% or less, 72.5% or more, 72.5% or less, 75% or more, 75% or less, 77.5 The upper and lower limits can be any combination of these values, "less than or equal to" can be "less than", and "greater than or equal to" can be "greater than".

[0016] The beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention can have an arbitrarily set alcohol concentration. The lower limit value (greater than or equal to) of the alcohol concentration can be, for example, 0.001 v / v%, 0.002 v / v%, 0.003 v / v%, 0.004 v / v%, 0.005 v / v%, 0.01 v / v%, 0.05 v / v%, 0.1 v / v%, 0.2 v / v%, 0.3 v / v%, 0.4 v / v%, 0.5 v / v%, 0.6 v / v%, 0.7 v / v%, 0.8 v / v%, 0.9 v / v%, 1.0 v / v%, 1.1 v / v%, 1.2 v / v%, 1.3 v / v%, 1.4 v / v%, 1.5 v / v%, 1.6 v / v%, 1.7 v / v%, 1.8 v / v%, 1.9 v / v%, 2.0 v / v%, 2.1 v / v%, 2.2 v / v%, 2.3 v / v%, 2.4 v / v%, 2.5 v / v%, 2.6 v / v%, 2.7 v / v%, 2.8 v / v%, 2.9 v / v%, 3.0 v / v%, 3.1 v / v%, 3.2 v / v%, 3.3 v / v%, 3.4 v / v%, 3.5 v / v%, 3.6 v / v%, 3.7 v / v%, 3.8 v / v%, 3.9 v / v% or 4.0 v / v%. The upper limit value (less than or equal to) can be, for example, 11.0 v / v%, 10.9 v / v%, 10.8 v / v%, 10.7 v / v%, 10.6 v / v%, 10.5 v / v%, 10.4 v / v%, 10.3 v / v%, 10.2 v / v%, 10.1 v / v%, 10.0 v / v%, 9.9 v / v%, 9.8 v / v%, 9.7 v / v%, 9.6 v / v%, 9.5 v / v%, 9.4 v / v%, 9.3 v / v%, 9.2 v / v%, 9.1 v / v%, 9.0 v / v%, 8.9 v / v%, 8.8 v / v%, 8.7 v / v%, 8.6 v / v%, 8.5 v / v%, 8.4 v / v%, 8.3 v / v%, 8.2 v / v%, 8.1 v / v%, 8.0 v / v%, 7.9 v / v%, 7.8 v / v%, 7.7 v / v%, 7.6 v / v%, 7.5 v / v%, 7.4 v / v%, 7.3 v / v%, 7.2 v / v%, 7.1 v / v%, 7.0 v / v%, 6.9 v / v%, 6.8 v / v%, 6.7 v / v%, 6.6 v / v%, 6.5 v / v%, 6.4 v / v%, 6.3 v / v%, 6.2 v / v%, 6.1 v / v%, 6.0 v / v%, 5.9 v / v%, 5.8 v / v%, 5.7 v / v%, 5.6 v / v%, 5.5 v / v%, 5.4 v / v%, 5.3 v / v%, 5.2 v / v%, 5.1 v / v%, 5.0 v / v%, 4.9 v / v%, 4.The alcohol content can be 8v / v%, 4.7v / v%, 4.6v / v%, 4.5v / v%, 4.4v / v%, 4.3v / v%, 4.2v / v%, 4.1v / v%, or 4.0v / v%. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any way, and the alcohol concentration of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 1.0v / v% to 10.0v / v%, preferably 2.0v / v% to 8.0v / v%, and more preferably 3.0v / v% to 7.0v / v%. The alcohol concentration of the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is less than 1.00 v / v%, and can be, for example, 0.001 v / v% or more but less than 1 v / v%, 0.001 v / v% or more but 0.5 v / v%, 0.001 v / v% or more but 0.1 v / v%, or 0.001 v / v% or less. "Or less" can be written as "less than".

[0017] Methods for measuring the alcohol concentration (ethanol concentration) in beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages are widely known to those skilled in the art. For example, the alcohol concentration can be measured by the method described in the "National Tax Agency's prescribed analytical method." The alcohol concentration (ethanol concentration) of beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverages can be measured by gas chromatography (GC) with an FID (flame ionization detector) (hereinafter also referred to as "GC / FID"). In this case, for more accurate concentration measurement, it is desirable to use a calibration curve created based on the measured values ​​of several control samples with known concentrations. It is preferable that these control samples with known concentrations are within the same concentration range as the one being measured. It is also preferable to use an internal standard substance, and an example of an internal standard substance is 2-propanol.

[0018] The beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention has a reduced sugar concentration. The sugar concentration of the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention can be 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, 1.9 g / 100 mL or less, 1.8 g / 100 mL or less, 1.7 g / 100 mL or less, 1.6 g / 100 mL or less, 1.5 g / 100 mL or less, 1.4 g / 100 mL or less, 1.3 g / 100 mL or less, 1.2 g / 100 mL or less, 1.1 g / 100 mL or less, 1.0 g / 100 mL or more and 1.0 g / 100 mL or less, 0.9 g / 100 mL or more and 0.9 g / 100 mL or less, 0.8 g / 100 mL or more and 0.8 g / 100 mL or less, 0.7 g / 100 mL or more and 0.7 g / 100 mL or less, 0.6 g / 100 mL or more and 0.6 g / 100 mL or less, 0.5 g / 100 mL or more and 0.5 g / 100 mL or less, 0.4 g / 100 mL or more and 0.4 g / 100 mL or less, 0.3 g / 100 mL or more and 0.3 g / 100 mL or less, 0.2 g / 100 mL or more, or 0.2 g / 100 mL or less. These lower limit values and upper limit values can be arbitrarily combined, "or less" can be "less than", and "or more" can be "more than". Note that a beverage with a sugar concentration of less than 0.5 g / 100 mL corresponds to a "zero-sugar beverage".

[0019] The measurement of the sugar concentration can be carried out by a known method, and can be carried out according to the method of calculating from the mass of the sample to be measured by excluding the amounts of water, protein, lipid, ash and dietary fiber (see the Nutritional Labeling Standards (Consumer Affairs Agency Notice No. 9, December 16, 2009, partial amendment)).

[0020] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention may have a reduced purine concentration, or the concentration of any one of adenine, guanine, xanthine, and hypoxanthine, or a combination of some or all of these, may be reduced (in this specification, "purine concentration" refers to the total concentration of the four purine bases: adenine, guanine, xanthine, and hypoxanthine). The purine concentrations of the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention may be 35,000 ppb or less, 34,000 ppb or less, 33,000 ppb or less, 32,000 ppb or less, 31,000 ppb or less, 30,000 ppb or less, 29,000 ppb or less, 28,000 ppb or less, 27,000 ppb or less, 26,000 ppb or less, 25,000 ppb or less, and 24 ,000ppb or less, 23,000ppb or less, 22,000ppb or less, 21,000ppb or less, 20,000ppb or more, 20,000ppb or less, 19,000ppb or more, 19,000ppb or less, 18,000ppb or more, 18,000ppb or less, 17,000ppb or more, 17,000ppb or less, 16,000ppb or more, 16,000ppb or more 00 ppb or less, 15,000 ppb or more, 15,000 ppb or less, 14,000 ppb or more, 14,000 ppb or less, 13,000 ppb or more, 13,000 ppb or less, 12,000 ppb or more, 12,000 ppb or less, 11,000 ppb or more, 11,000 ppb or less, 10,000 ppb or more, 10,000 ppb or less, 9,000 ppb The purine concentration can be ppb or higher, 9,000 ppb or lower, 8,000 ppb or higher, 8,000 ppb or lower, 7,000 ppb or higher, 7,000 ppb or lower, 6,000 ppb or higher, 6,000 ppb or lower, 5,000 ppb or higher, 5,000 ppb or lower, 4,000 ppb or higher, 4,000 ppb or lower, 3,000 ppb or higher, or 3,000 ppb or lower. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily, "or lower" can be changed to "less than", and "or higher" can be changed to "greater than". Beverages with a purine concentration of less than 5,000 ppb correspond to "purine-free beverages". In this invention, the unit "ppb" is synonymous with "μg / L".

[0021] The adenine concentration of the beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 1,000 ppb or less, 900 ppb or more and 900 ppb or less, 800 ppb or more and 800 ppb or less, 700 ppb or more and 700 ppb or less, 600 ppb or more and 600 ppb or less, 500 ppb or more and 500 ppb or less, 450 ppb or more and 450 ppb or less, 400 ppb or more and 400 ppb or less, 350 ppb or more and 350 ppb or less, 300 ppb or more and 300 ppb or less, 250 ppb or more and 250 ppb or less, 200 ppb or more and 200 ppb or less, 150 ppb or more and 150 ppb or less, 100 ppb or more and 100 ppb or less, 50 ppb or more and 50 ppb or less, 40 ppb or more and 40 ppb or less, 30 ppb or more and 30 ppb or less, 20 ppb or more or 20 ppb or less. These lower limit values and upper limit values can be arbitrarily combined, "or less" can be "less than", and "or more" can be "more than".

[0022] The guanine concentration of the beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 4,000 ppb or less, 3,500 ppb or less, 3,500 ppb or more and 3,000 ppb or more, 3,000 ppb or less, 2,500 ppb or less, 2,500 ppb or more and 2,000 ppb or more, 2,000 ppb or less, 1,900 ppb or more and 1,900 ppb or less, 1,800 ppb or more and 1,800 ppb or less, 1,700 ppb or more and 1,700 ppb or less, 1,600 ppb or more and 1,600 ppb or less, 1,500 ppb or more and 1,500 ppb or less, 1,400 ppb or more and 1,400 ppb or less, 1,300 ppb or more and 1,300 ppb or less, 1,200 ppb or more and 1,200 ppb or less, 1,100 ppb or more and 1,100 ppb or less, 1,000 ppb or more and 1,000 ppb or less, 500 ppb or more and 500 ppb or less, 100 ppb or more and 100 ppb or less, 50 ppb or more or 50 ppb or less. These lower limit values and upper limit values can be arbitrarily combined, "or less" can be "less than", and "or more" can be "more than".

[0023] The xanthine concentration of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is, for example, 2,000 ppb or less, 1,900 ppb or more, 1,900 ppb or less, 1,800 ppb or more, 1,800 ppb or less, 1,700 ppb or more, 1,700 ppb or less, 1,600 ppb or more, 1,600 ppb or less, 1,500 ppb or more, 1,500 ppb or less, 1,400 ppb or more, 1,400 ppb or less, 1,300 ppb or more, 1,300 ppb or less, 1,200 ppb or more, 1,200 ppb or less, and 1,100 ppb. The limits can be pb or higher, 1,100 ppb or lower, 1,000 ppb or higher, 1,000 ppb or lower, 900 ppb or higher, 900 ppb or lower, 800 ppb or higher, 800 ppb or lower, 700 ppb or higher, 700 ppb or lower, 600 ppb or higher, 600 ppb or lower, 500 ppb or higher, 500 ppb or lower, 400 ppb or higher, 400 ppb or lower, 300 ppb or higher, 300 ppb or lower, 200 ppb or higher, 200 ppb or lower, 100 ppb or higher, 100 ppb or lower, 50 ppb or higher, or 50 ppb or lower. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any way, "or lower" can be changed to "less than", and "or higher" can be changed to "greater than".

[0024] The hypoxanthine concentration of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is 1,500 ppb or less, 1,400 ppb or more, 1,400 ppb or less, 1,300 ppb or more, 1,300 ppb or less, 1,200 ppb or more, 1,200 ppb or less, 1,100 ppb or more, 1,100 ppb or less, 1,000 ppb or more, 1,000 ppb or less, 900 ppb or more, 900 ppb or less, 800 ppb or more, 800 ppb or less, The limits can be 750 ppb or higher, 750 ppb or lower, 700 ppb or higher, 700 ppb or lower, 600 ppb or higher, 600 ppb or lower, 500 ppb or higher, 500 ppb or lower, 400 ppb or higher, 400 ppb or lower, 300 ppb or higher, 300 ppb or lower, 200 ppb or higher, 200 ppb or lower, 150 ppb or higher, 150 ppb or lower, 100 ppb or higher, 100 ppb or lower, 50 ppb or higher, or 50 ppb or lower. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any way, "or lower" can be changed to "less than", and "or higher" can be changed to "greater than".

[0025] The concentrations of adenine, guanine, xanthine, and hypoxanthine can be measured by known methods. For example, they can be measured by detecting them using LC-MS / MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) after hydrolysis with perchloric acid (see Journal of Food Hygiene 55(2):110-116(2014)). Furthermore, the purine concentration can be calculated as the total concentration of the four purine bases: adenine, xanthine, guanine, and hypoxanthine.

[0026] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is characterized by having a predetermined γ-aminobutyric acid (CAS RN: 56-12-2) concentration. The lower limit (greater than or equal to) of the γ-aminobutyric acid concentration of the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention can be 6.0 ppm, and other limits include 6.1 ppm, 6.2 ppm, 6.3 ppm, 6.4 ppm, 6.5 ppm, 6.6 ppm, 6.7 ppm, 6.8 ppm, 6.9 ppm, 7.0 ppm, 7.1 ppm, 7.2 ppm, 7.3 ppm, 7.4 ppm, 7.5 ppm, 7.6 ppm, 7.7 ppm, 7.8 ppm, 7.9 ppm, 8.0 ppm, 8.1 ppm, 8.2 ppm, 8.3 ppm, 8.4 ppm, 8.5 ppm, and 8. It can also be 6 ppm, 8.7 ppm, 8.8 ppm, 8.9 ppm, 9.0 ppm, 9.1 ppm, 9.2 ppm, 9.3 ppm, 9.4 ppm, 9.5 ppm, 9.6 ppm, 9.7 ppm, 9.8 ppm, 9.9 ppm, 10 ppm, 11 ppm, 12 ppm, 13 ppm, 14 ppm, 15 ppm, 16 ppm, 17 ppm, 18 ppm, 19 ppm, 20 ppm, 21 ppm, 22 ppm, 23 ppm, 24 ppm, 25 ppm, 26 ppm, 27 ppm, 28 ppm, 29 ppm, or 30 ppm. Furthermore, the upper limit (or less than or equal to) of the γ-aminobutyric acid concentration in the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but for example, 250 ppm, 245 ppm, 240 ppm, 235 ppm, 230 ppm, 225 ppm, 220 ppm, 215 ppm, 210 ppm, 205 ppm, 200 ppm, 195 ppm, 190 ppm, 185 ppm, 180 ppm, 175 ppm, 170 ppm, 165 ppm, 160 ppm, 155 ppm, 150 ppm, 145 ppm, 140 ppm, 135ppm, 130ppm, 125ppm, 120ppm, 115ppm, 110ppm, 105ppm, 100ppm, 95ppm, 90ppm, 85ppm, 80ppm, 79ppm, 78ppm, 77ppm, 76ppm, 75ppm, 74ppm, 73 ppm, 72ppm, 71ppm, 70ppm, 69ppm, 68ppm, 67ppm, 66ppm, 65ppm, 64ppm, 63ppm, 62ppm, 61ppm, 60ppm, 59ppm, 58ppm, 57ppm, 56ppm, 55ppm, 54ppm,The limits can be 53 ppm, 52 ppm, 51 ppm, or 50 ppm. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any way, for example, 6 ppm to 250 ppm, 10 ppm to 250 ppm, 15 ppm to 250 ppm, 20 ppm to 250 ppm, 25 ppm to 250 ppm, 30 ppm to 250 ppm, 6 ppm to 225 ppm, 10 ppm to 225 ppm, 15 ppm to 225 ppm, 20 ppm to 225 ppm, 25 ppm to 225 ppm, 30 ppm to 225 ppm, and 6 ppm to 200 ppm. Below 10 ppm, 10 ppm to 200 ppm, 15 ppm to 200 ppm, 20 ppm to 200 ppm, 25 ppm to 200 ppm, 30 ppm to 200 ppm, 6 ppm to 175 ppm, 10 ppm to 175 ppm, 15 ppm to 175 ppm, 20 ppm to 175 ppm, 25 ppm to 175 ppm, 30 ppm to 175 ppm, 6 ppm to 150 ppm, 10 ppm to 150 ppm, 15 ppm to 150 ppm, 20 ppm to 150 ppm m or less, 25ppm to 150ppm, 30ppm to 150ppm, 6ppm to 125ppm, 10ppm to 125ppm, 15ppm to 125ppm, 20ppm to 125ppm, 25ppm to 125ppm, 30ppm m to 125ppm, 6ppm to 100ppm, 10ppm to 100ppm, 15ppm to 100ppm, 20ppm to 100ppm, 25ppm to 100ppm, 30ppm to 100ppm, 6ppm to 90ppm , 10 ppm to 90 ppm, 15 ppm to 90 ppm, 20 ppm to 90 ppm, 25 ppm to 90 ppm, 30 ppm to 90 ppm, 6 ppm to 80 ppm, 10 ppm to 80 ppm, 15 ppm to 80 ppm, 20 ppm to 80 ppm, 25 ppm to 80 ppm, 30 ppm to 80 ppm, 6 ppm to 70 ppm, 10 ppm to 70 ppm, 15 ppm to 70 ppm, 20 ppm to 70 ppm, 25 ppm to 70 ppm,The concentration can be 30 ppm to 70 ppm, 6 ppm to 60 ppm, 10 ppm to 60 ppm, 15 ppm to 60 ppm, 20 ppm to 60 ppm, 25 ppm to 60 ppm, 30 ppm to 60 ppm, 6 ppm to 50 ppm, 10 ppm to 50 ppm, 15 ppm to 50 ppm, 20 ppm to 50 ppm, 25 ppm to 50 ppm, or 30 ppm to 50 ppm. In this invention, the unit "ppm" is synonymous with "mg / L".

[0027] The γ-aminobutyric acid concentration of the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is also, when the malt usage ratio is 70% or less (preferably 60% or less), for example, 3 ppm to 40 ppm, 3 ppm to 35 ppm, 3 ppm to 30 ppm, 3 ppm to 25 ppm, 3 ppm to 20 ppm, 3 ppm to 15 ppm, 3 ppm to 10 ppm, 4 ppm to 40 ppm, 4 ppm to 35 ppm, 4 ppm to 30 ppm, 4 ppm to 25 ppm, and 4 ppm or more. 20 ppm or less, 4 ppm to 15 ppm, 4 ppm to 10 ppm, 5 ppm to 40 ppm, 5 ppm to 35 ppm, 5 ppm to 30 ppm, 5 ppm to 25 ppm, 5 ppm to 20 ppm, 5 ppm to 15 ppm, 5 ppm to 10 ppm, 6 ppm to 40 ppm, 6 ppm to 35 ppm, 6 ppm to 30 ppm, 6 ppm to 25 ppm, 6 ppm to 20 ppm, 6 ppm to 15 ppm, 6 ppm to 10 ppm Less than 1 ppm, 7 ppm to 40 ppm, 7 ppm to 35 ppm, 7 ppm to 30 ppm, 7 ppm to 25 ppm, 7 ppm to 20 ppm, 7 ppm to 15 ppm, 7 ppm to 10 ppm, 8 ppm to 40 ppm, 8 ppm to 35 ppm, 8 ppm to 30 ppm, 8 ppm to 25 ppm, 8 ppm to 20 ppm, 8 ppm to 15 ppm, 8 ppm to 10 ppm, 9 ppm to 40 ppm, 9 ppm to 35 ppm It can also be written as m or less, 9 ppm to 30 ppm, 9 ppm to 25 ppm, 9 ppm to 20 ppm, 9 ppm to 15 ppm, 9 ppm to 10 ppm, 10 ppm to 40 ppm, 10 ppm to 35 ppm, 10 ppm to 30 ppm, 10 ppm to 25 ppm, 10 ppm to 20 ppm, 10 ppm to 15 ppm, or 10 ppm to 10 ppm. "Greater than or equal to" can be written as "greater than", and "less than or equal to" can be written as "less than".

[0028] In the present invention, the γ-aminobutyric acid concentration of the beverage can be quantified using commercially available equipment such as a high-speed amino acid analyzer (for example, the L-8900 (Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation)).

[0029] In the present invention, the γ-aminobutyric acid concentration can be adjusted by selecting the raw materials. Non-limiting examples of raw materials containing γ-aminobutyric acid and raw materials that generate γ-aminobutyric acid in the final product include barley malt, wheat malt, rice germ, and germinated brown rice, but extracts obtained by enzymatically treating these to increase the γ-aminobutyric acid content can also be used. In the present invention, the γ-aminobutyric acid concentration can also be adjusted by appropriately setting the manufacturing conditions. Non-limiting examples of such manufacturing conditions include the mashing conditions, the selection of yeast (including strains), the adjustment of the amount of yeast used, the adjustment of fermentation conditions, and the selection and adjustment of the amount of filtration aids used. Furthermore, the concentration can also be adjusted by adding γ-aminobutyric acid at any stage of the manufacturing process.

[0030] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention may contain ethyl acetate. Ethyl acetate is known to have a fruity and sweet aroma, generally resembling apples or pears. The lower limit (greater than or equal to) of the ethyl acetate concentration in the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is not limited, but examples include 3.5 ppm, 3.6 ppm, 3.7 ppm, 3.8 ppm, 3.9 ppm, 4.0 ppm, 4.1 ppm, 4.2 ppm, 4.3 ppm, 4.4 ppm, 4.5 ppm, 4.6 ppm, 4.7 ppm, 4.8 ppm, 4.9 ppm, 5.0 ppm, 5.1 ppm, 5.2 ppm, 5.3 ppm, 5.4 ppm, 5.5 ppm, 5.6 ppm, 5.7 ppm, 5.8 ppm, 5. 9ppm, 6.0ppm, 6.1ppm, 6.2ppm, 6.3ppm, 6.4ppm, 6.5ppm, 6.6ppm, 6.7ppm, 6.8ppm, 6.9ppm, 7.0ppm, 7.1ppm, 7.2ppm, 7.3ppm, 7.4ppm, 7.5 ppm, 7.6ppm, 7.7ppm, 7.8ppm, 7.9ppm, 8.0ppm, 8.1ppm, 8.2ppm, 8.3ppm, 8.4ppm, 8.5ppm, 8.6ppm, 8.7ppm, 8.8ppm, 8.9ppm, 9.0ppm, 9.1pp m, 9.2ppm, 9.3ppm, 9.4ppm, 9.5ppm, 9.6ppm, 9.7ppm, 9.8ppm, 9.9ppm, 10.0ppm, 10.1ppm, 10.2ppm, 10.3ppm, 10.4ppm, 10.5ppm, 10.6ppm , 10.7ppm, 10.8ppm, 10.9ppm, 11.0ppm, 11.1ppm, 11.2ppm, 11.3ppm, 11.4ppm, 11.5ppm, 11.6ppm, 11.7ppm, 11.8ppm, 11.9ppm, 12.0ppm, 12.1ppm, 12.2ppm, 12.3ppm, 12.4ppm, 12.5ppm, 12.6ppm, 12.7ppm, 12.8ppm, 12.9ppm, 13.0ppm, 13.1ppm, 13.2ppm, 13.3ppm, 13.4ppm, 1 3.5ppm, 13.6ppm, 13.7ppm, 13.8ppm, 13.9ppm, 14.0ppm, 14.1ppm, 14.2ppm, 14.3ppm, 14.4ppm, 14.5ppm, 14.6ppm, 14.7ppm, 14.8ppm, 14.It can be 9 ppm or 15.0 ppm. The upper limit (less than or equal to) is not limited to, but can be, for example, 50 ppm, 49 ppm, 48 ppm, 47 ppm, 46 ppm, 45 ppm, 44 ppm, 43 ppm, 42 ppm, 41 ppm, 40 ppm, 39 ppm, 38 ppm, 37 ppm, 36 ppm, 35 ppm, 34 ppm, 33 ppm, 32 ppm, 31 ppm, 30 ppm, 29 ppm, 28 ppm, 27 ppm, 26 ppm, 25 ppm, 24 ppm, 23 ppm, 22 ppm, 21 ppm, or 20 ppm. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any way, for example: 3.5 ppm to 50 ppm, 4 ppm to 50 ppm, 4.5 ppm to 50 ppm, 5 ppm to 50 ppm, 5.5 ppm to 50 ppm, 6 ppm to 50 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 50 ppm, 7 ppm to 50 ppm, 7.5 ppm to 50 ppm, 8 ppm or less Up to 50 ppm, 8.5 ppm to 50 ppm, 9 ppm to 50 ppm, 9.5 ppm to 50 ppm, 10 ppm to 50 ppm, 10.5 ppm to 50 ppm, 11 ppm to 50 ppm, 11.5 ppm to 50 ppm, 12 ppm to 50 ppm, 12.5 ppm to 50 ppm, 13 ppm to 50 ppm, 13.5 ppm to 50 ppm The following ranges apply: 14 ppm to 50 ppm, 14.5 ppm to 50 ppm, 15 ppm to 50 ppm, 3.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 4 ppm to 40 ppm, 4.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 5 ppm to 40 ppm, 5.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 6 ppm to 40 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 7 ppm to 40 ppm, 7.5 ppm to 40 ppm ppm or less, 8 ppm to 40 ppm, 8.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 9 ppm to 40 ppm, 9.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 10 ppm to 40 ppm, 10.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 11 ppm to 40 ppm, 11.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 12 ppm to 40 ppm, 12.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 13 ppm to 40 ppm, 13.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 14 ppm to 40 ppm, 14.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 15 ppm to 40 ppm, 3.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 4 ppm to 30 ppm, 4.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 5 ppm to 30 ppm, 5.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 6 ppm to 30 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 7 ppm to 30 ppm, 7.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 8 ppm to 30 ppm, 8.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 9 ppm to 30 ppm, 9.5 ppm m to 30ppm, 10ppm to 30ppm, 10.5ppm to 30ppm, 11ppm to 30ppm, 11.5ppm to 30ppm, 12ppm to 30ppm, 12.5ppm to 30ppm, 13ppm to 30ppm, 1 3.5ppm to 30ppm, 14ppm to 30ppm, 14.5ppm to 30ppm, 15ppm to 30ppm, 3.5ppm to 25ppm, 4ppm to 25ppm, 4.5ppm to 25ppm, 5ppm to 25ppm, 5.5ppm to 25ppm, 6ppm to 25ppm, 6.5ppm to 25ppm, 7ppm to 25ppm, 7.5ppm to 25ppm, 8ppm to 25ppm, 8.5ppm to 25ppm, 9ppm to 25ppm, 9.5 ppm to 25ppm, 10ppm to 25ppm, 10.5ppm to 25ppm, 11ppm to 25ppm, 11.5ppm to 25ppm, 12ppm to 25ppm, 12.5ppm to 25ppm, 13ppm to 25ppm , 13.5 ppm to 25 ppm, 14 ppm to 25 ppm, 14.5 ppm to 25 ppm, 15 ppm to 25 ppm, 3.5 ppm to 20 ppm, 4 ppm to 20 ppm, 4.5 ppm to 20 ppm, 5 ppm to 20 ppm, 5.5 ppm to 20 ppm, 6 ppm to 20 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 20 ppm, 7 ppm to 20 ppm, 7.5 ppm to 20 ppm, 8 ppm to 20 ppm, 8.5 ppm to 20 ppm, 9 ppm to 20 ppm, 9.The concentration can be between 5 ppm and 20 ppm, 10 ppm and 20 ppm, 10.5 ppm and 20 ppm, 11 ppm and 20 ppm, 11.5 ppm and 20 ppm, 12 ppm and 20 ppm, 12.5 ppm and 20 ppm, 13 ppm and 20 ppm, 13.5 ppm and 20 ppm, 14 ppm and 20 ppm, 14.5 ppm and 20 ppm, or 15 ppm and 20 ppm.

[0031] In the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention, the ethyl acetate concentration can be measured using GC / FID according to the description in the BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (2013 Revised and Enlarged Edition) (8.22). For example, the concentration of ethyl acetate can be determined by introducing the gas phase of a beer sample heated in a vial into the GC / FID, reading the area of ​​ethyl acetate from the gas chromatogram, and calculating the amount of each component from the ratio to the area of ​​the internal standard substance (n-butanol). In this case, for more accurate concentration measurement, it is desirable to use a calibration curve created based on the measured values ​​of several control samples with known concentrations.

[0032] In the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention, the ethyl acetate concentration can be adjusted to a predetermined value by adding ethyl acetate at any stage in the beverage's manufacturing process or after the preparation of the mash. Ethyl acetate may be added as a flavoring agent, or fruits such as bananas or apples may be used as the ethyl acetate-containing material.

[0033] The lower limit (greater than or greater than) of the total concentration of γ-aminobutyric acid and ethyl acetate in the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is not limited to, but for example, 9.5 ppm, 10 ppm, 11 ppm, 12 ppm, 13 ppm, 14 ppm, 15 ppm, 16 ppm, 17 ppm, 18 ppm, 19 ppm, 20 ppm, 21 ppm, 22 ppm, 23 ppm, 24 ppm, The concentration can be 25 ppm, 26 ppm, 27 ppm, 28 ppm, 29 ppm, 30 ppm, 31 ppm, 32 ppm, 33 ppm, 34 ppm, 35 ppm, 36 ppm, 37 ppm, 38 ppm, 39 ppm, 40 ppm, 41 ppm, 42 ppm, 43 ppm, 44 ppm, 45 ppm, 46 ppm, 47 ppm, 48 ppm, 49 ppm, or 50 ppm. The upper limit (less than or equal to) is not limited to, but could be, for example, 300 ppm, 290 ppm, 280 ppm, 270 ppm, 260 ppm, 250 ppm, 240 ppm, 230 ppm, 220 ppm, 210 ppm, 200 ppm, 195 ppm, 190 ppm, 185 ppm, 180 ppm, 175 ppm, 170 ppm, 165 ppm, 160 ppm, 155 ppm, 150 ppm, 145 ppm, 140 ppm, 135 ppm, 130 ppm, 125 ppm, 120 ppm, 115 ppm, 110 ppm, 105 ppm, 100 ppm, 95 ppm, 90 ppm, 85 ppm, 80 ppm, 75 ppm, or 70 ppm. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any way, for example: 9.5 ppm to 300 ppm, 10 ppm to 300 ppm, 15 ppm to 300 ppm, 20 ppm to 300 ppm, 25 ppm to 300 ppm, 30 ppm to 300 ppm, 35 ppm to 300 ppm, 40 ppm to 300 ppm, 45 ppm to 300 ppm. Lower, 50ppm to 300ppm, 9.5ppm to 275ppm, 10ppm to 275ppm, 15ppm to 275ppm, 20ppm to 275ppm, 25ppm and above 275ppm or less, 30ppm or more and 275ppm or less, 35ppm or more and 275ppm or less, 40ppm or more and 275ppm or less, 45ppm or more and 275ppm or less, 50ppm or more and 275ppm or less, 9.5ppm to 250ppm, 10ppm to 250ppm, 15ppm to 250ppm, 20ppm to 250ppm, 25ppm to 250ppm, 30ppm to 250ppm, 35ppm to 250ppm, 40ppm to 25 0ppm or less, 45ppm to 250ppm, 50ppm to 250ppm, 9.5ppm to 200ppm, 10ppm to 200ppm, 15ppm to 200ppm, 20ppm to 200ppm, 25ppm to 200ppm, 3 0 ppm to 200 ppm, 35 ppm to 200 ppm, 40 ppm to 200 ppm, 45 ppm to 200 ppm, 50 ppm to 200 ppm, 9.5 ppm to 175 ppm, 10 ppm to 175 ppm, 15 ppm to 175 ppm, 20 ppm to 175 ppm, 25 ppm to 175 ppm, 30 ppm to 175 ppm, 35 ppm to 175 ppm, 40 ppm to 175 ppm, 45 ppm to 175 ppm, 50 ppm to 175 ppm, 9. 5 ppm to 150 ppm, 10 ppm to 150 ppm, 15 ppm to 150 ppm, 20 ppm to 150 ppm, 25 ppm to 150 ppm, 30 ppm to 150 ppm, 35 ppm to 150 ppm, 40 ppm to 150 ppm, 45 ppm to 150 ppm, 50 ppm to 150 ppm, 9.5 ppm to 125 ppm, 10 ppm to 125 ppm, 15 ppm to 125 ppm, 20 ppm to 125 ppm, 25 ppm to 125 ppm, 3 0 ppm to 125 ppm, 35 ppm to 125 ppm, 40 ppm to 125 ppm, 45 ppm to 125 ppm, 50 ppm to 125 ppm, 9.5 ppm to 100 ppm, 10 ppm to 100 ppm, 15 ppm to 100 ppm, 20 ppm to 100 ppm, 25 ppm to 100 ppm, 30 ppm to 100 ppm, 35 ppm to 100 ppm, 40 ppm to 100 ppm, 45 ppm to 100 ppm, 50 ppm to 100 ppm, 9.5ppm to 90ppm, 10ppm to 90ppm, 15ppm to 90ppm, 20ppm to 90ppm, 25ppm to 90ppm, 30ppm to 90ppm, 35ppm to 90ppm, 40ppm to 90pp m or less, 45ppm to 90ppm, 50ppm to 90ppm, 9.5ppm to 80ppm, 10ppm to 80ppm, 15ppm to 80ppm, 20ppm to 80ppm, 25ppm to 80ppm, 30ppm or less The levels can be set to 80 ppm or less, 35 ppm to 80 ppm, 40 ppm to 80 ppm, 45 ppm to 80 ppm, 50 ppm to 80 ppm, 9.5 ppm to 70 ppm, 10 ppm to 70 ppm, 15 ppm to 70 ppm, 20 ppm to 70 ppm, 25 ppm to 70 ppm, 30 ppm to 70 ppm, 35 ppm to 70 ppm, 40 ppm to 70 ppm, 45 ppm to 70 ppm, or 50 ppm to 70 ppm.

[0034] The total concentration of γ-aminobutyric acid and ethyl acetate in the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is also, when the malt usage ratio is 70% or less (preferably 60% or less), for example, 6.5 ppm to 55 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 50 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 45 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 35 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 8 ppm to 55 ppm, 8 ppm to 50 ppm, 8 ppm to 45 ppm, 8 ppm to 40 ppm, 8 ppm to 35 ppm, 8 ppm to 30 ppm, 10 ppm to 55 ppm, 10 ppm to 50 ppm, 10 ppm to 45 ppm, 10 ppm to 40 ppm, 10 ppm to 35 ppm, 10 ppm to 30 ppm, 12 ppm to 55 ppm, 12 ppm to 50 ppm, 12 ppm to 45 ppm, 12 ppm to 40 ppm, 12 ppm to 35 ppm, 12 ppm to 30 ppm, 15 ppm to 55 ppm, 15 ppm to 50 ppm, 15 ppm to 45 ppm, 15 ppm to 40 ppm, 15 ppm to 35 ppm, 15 ppm to 30 ppm, 18 ppm to 55 ppm, 18 ppm to 50 ppm, 18 ppm to 45 The values ​​can be less than or equal to ppm, 18 ppm to 40 ppm, 18 ppm to 35 ppm, 18 ppm to 30 ppm, 20 ppm to 55 ppm, 20 ppm to 50 ppm, 20 ppm to 45 ppm, 20 ppm to 40 ppm, 20 ppm to 35 ppm, or 20 ppm to 30 ppm. "Less than or equal to" can be changed to "less than", and "greater than or equal to" can be changed to "greater than".

[0035] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is characterized by improved flavor and aroma despite a reduced sugar concentration. Beer-flavored fermented beverages with reduced sugar concentration (particularly beer and low-malt beer) have had the problem of having a weaker flavor due to the reduced sugar concentration. The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention improves the lack of body and aroma caused by the reduced sugar concentration, thereby solving the above-mentioned problems of beer-flavored fermented beverages with reduced sugar concentration. Here, "body" refers to the flavor sensation perceived as richness and fullness of taste. "Aroma" refers to the flavor sensation of elegance perceived as fruity and floral.

[0036] The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not limited in its manufacturing procedure, as long as the carbohydrate concentration is reduced to a predetermined level and γ-aminobutyric acid is contained at a predetermined level. For example, it can be manufactured as follows: Fermentation yeast is added to wort prepared from brewing raw materials such as malt, hops, adjuncts, and brewing water, and fermentation is carried out. The resulting fermented liquid is stored at a low temperature, the yeast is removed by a filtration process, and if necessary, it is further diluted to produce a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage. The carbohydrate concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage can be reduced according to the known methods described below. Furthermore, to include a predetermined concentration of γ-aminobutyric acid in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage, as described above, γ-aminobutyric acid can be added during the beverage manufacturing process, or the raw materials or manufacturing conditions can be appropriately set. In this way, a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage with a reduced carbohydrate concentration and a predetermined γ-aminobutyric acid concentration can be manufactured.

[0037] The beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can also be produced, for example, by removing alcohol from a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage after its production, or by stopping fermentation at a stage where the ethanol concentration is less than 1 v / v% during the fermentation process in the production of a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage. In this method, the γ-aminobutyric acid concentration can be adjusted at any stage of the production process, and can also be further adjusted by adding γ-aminobutyric acid.

[0038] Methods for removing alcohol from beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages include, for example, (i) a method of removing alcohol and low-boiling point components by distillation under reduced pressure or atmospheric pressure, (ii) a method of removing alcohol and low-molecular-weight components using a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane, and (iii) a method of removing volatile components by adsorption onto vapor using centrifugal force. In this specification, a beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage produced by removing alcohol from a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage may be referred to as a "de-alcoholic beverage," and a de-alcoholic beverage can be rephrased as a "beverage made from de-alcoholic wort ferment."

[0039] The sugar concentration in beer-flavored fermented beverages can be reduced according to known methods. Non-limiting examples of methods for reducing sugar concentration in beer-flavored fermented beverages include adding glucoamylase during the saccharification process, adding glucoamylase during the fermentation process (see Enzyme Utilization Technology System - From Basics and Analysis to Modification, High Functionality and Industrial Use - (supervised by Makoto Komiyama, NTS Corporation, 2010), etc.), reducing sugar by using liquid sugar containing a large amount of sugars assimilated by yeast to enhance assimilation by yeast (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-131202), and filtering the wort during the saccharification process (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-147780).

[0040] The purine concentration in beer-flavored fermented beverages can be reduced according to known methods. Non-limiting examples of methods for reducing the purine concentration in beer-flavored fermented beverages include methods of reducing the purine content in the beverage by contacting the pre-fermentation liquid or fermentation liquid with an adsorbent such as activated carbon or zeolite (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-169658, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-290071, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-290072, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-112090, etc.), and raw materials other than malt that have low purine content (for example, soybeans). Examples include a method for reducing the purine content in a beverage using corn grits (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-117204, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-117205, etc.), and a method for reducing yeast-non-assimilable purines in the wort by performing an enzyme inactivation treatment to inactivate at least a portion of the enzyme group derived from malt, and then performing a purine nucleosidase treatment on the brewing liquid (for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-64502).

[0041] In the above manufacturing procedure, wort can be prepared according to conventional methods. For example, wort can be prepared by saccharifying a mixture of brewing ingredients and brewing water, filtering it to obtain wort, adding hops to the wort, boiling it, and then cooling the boiled wort. Alternatively, wort can be prepared by adding commercially available enzyme preparations during the saccharification process. For example, protease preparations can be used for protein degradation, α-amylase preparations, glucoamylase preparations, pullulanase preparations, etc., for carbohydrate degradation, and β-glucanase preparations, cellulose-degrading enzyme preparations, etc., for cellulose degradation, or a mixture of these preparations can be used.

[0042] In the production of the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention, in addition to malt, the following are used: unsprouted grains (e.g., unsprouted barley (including extract), unsprouted wheat (including extract)); rice, corn, sorghum, potatoes, starch, sugars (e.g., liquid sugar), dietary fiber (including dietary fiber contained in liquid sugar), fruits (e.g., fruit juice, concentrated fruit juice), coriander or its seeds, spices or their raw materials (e.g., pepper, cinnamon, sansho pepper), herbs (e.g., chamomile, sage, basil), vegetables (e.g., sweet potato, pumpkin), buckwheat. Alternatively, auxiliary ingredients such as sesame seeds, sugar-containing substances (e.g., honey, brown sugar), salt, miso, flowers, tea, coffee, cocoa (including preparations thereof), and marine products (e.g., oysters, kelp, wakame seaweed, bonito flakes); nitrogen sources such as protein hydrolysates and yeast extracts; other grains (e.g., soybeans); and other additives such as flavorings, colorings, foaming and foam retention enhancers, water conditioners, and fermentation aids may be used as brewing ingredients. However, the above are examples, and ingredients other than those listed above may be used in the production of the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention.

[0043] In the production of the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention, γ-aminobutyric acid can be incorporated into the beer-flavored fermented beverage at a predetermined concentration by using a raw material containing γ-aminobutyric acid as a brewing raw material. When the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is beer, γ-aminobutyric acid cannot be incorporated as a brewing raw material for beer. However, according to the present invention, γ-aminobutyric acid can be incorporated into the beer at a predetermined concentration by selecting the brewing raw material, which is advantageous in that it can improve the flavor of the beer.

[0044] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention may use at least malt and hops as raw materials other than brewing water, and may also use sugars, rice, corn, starch, etc. as raw materials in some cases. It goes without saying that all-malt beer, among beer-flavored fermented beverages, can be produced from malt, hops, and water.

[0045] In this invention, "bitterness value (BU)" refers to the value measured according to the method described in section 8.15 of the BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (2013 revised and augmented edition). Specifically, it can be determined by adding acid to a sample beverage, extracting with isooctane, measuring the absorbance (275 nm) of the isooctane layer, and multiplying this measurement by 50.

[0046] The upper limit of the bitterness value (BU) of the beverage of the present invention can be 60, 50, 40, 30, 25, 22, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, or 10, and the lower limit can be 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, or 2. The range of the bitterness value (BU) of the beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 2 to 60, and from the viewpoint of obtaining a beer-tasting fermented beverage with a more preferable flavor, it can be, for example, 3 to 30, preferably 4 to 25, 5 to 22, or 5 to 20.

[0047] In the present invention, there are no particular limitations on the method for adjusting the bitterness value (BU), but a preferred method is to adjust the amount of hops and / or hop products used and / or the boiling time in the production of a beer-flavored fermented beverage. Generally, increasing the amount of hops and / or hop products used and / or the boiling time increases the concentration of iso-α acids, etc., in the beer-flavored fermented beverage produced, resulting in a higher BU of the beer-flavored fermented beverage. Conversely, decreasing the amount of hops and / or hop products used and / or the boiling time decreases the concentration of iso-α acids, etc., in the beer-flavored fermented beverage produced, resulting in a lower BU of the beer-flavored fermented beverage. Examples of hops used include fresh hops, hop pellets that have been pre-crushed and processed into pellets, hop pellets that contain a large amount of lupulin by sieving the lupulin particles beforehand during processing, and hop extract obtained by extracting the bitter substances and essential oils of lupulin. Examples of hop products used include raw hops, hexahops, tetrahops, isomerized hop extract (isotope extract), etc.

[0048] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention can have a pH of 2.0 to 7.0, preferably 2.3 to 5.0, more preferably 3.0 to 4.7, and most preferably 3.5 to 4.5. The pH of the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention can be adjusted using a pH adjusting agent. The pH of the beer-flavored fermented beverage can be measured using a commercially available pH meter (for example, HORIBA Scientific Benchtop pH Meter, HORIBA Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.).

[0049] The beverage provided by the present invention may be subjected to a carbon dioxide addition process, and further, after processes such as filling and sterilization, it can be provided as a packaged beverage. Sterilization may be performed before or after filling. In addition, if the pH of the beverage is adjusted to less than 4, the filling process can be performed directly without the sterilization process to produce a packaged beverage.

[0050] The container used for the beverage according to the present invention may be any container that is normally used for filling beverages, such as metal cans, barrels, plastic bottles (e.g., PET bottles, cups), paper containers, bottles, pouches, etc., but preferably metal cans / barrels, plastic bottles (e.g., PET bottles), or bottles.

[0051] In another aspect of the present invention, a method for producing a beer-flavored fermented beverage having a carbohydrate concentration of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less is provided, the method comprising a step of containing γ-aminobutyric acid at a concentration of 5 ppm or more. According to the production method of the present invention, the flavor of the produced beer-flavored fermented beverage is improved. Here, "improved flavor" or "flavor enhancement" of the beer-flavored fermented beverage means that the deterioration of flavor (e.g., decline in drinkability and aroma) due to the reduction of carbohydrate concentration in the beer-flavored fermented beverage is improved. In addition to the above, the production method of the present invention can be carried out in accordance with the description of the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention.

[0052] In another aspect of the present invention, a method for improving the flavor of a beer-flavored fermented beverage having a carbohydrate concentration of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less is provided, the method comprising a step of incorporating γ-aminobutyric acid to a concentration of 5 ppm or more during the production of the beverage. According to this flavor improvement method, the flavor of a beer-flavored fermented beverage with a reduced carbohydrate concentration can be improved. In addition to the above, the flavor improvement method of the present invention can be carried out in accordance with the description of the beer-flavored fermented beverage and its production method of the present invention. [Examples]

[0053] The present invention will be described more specifically based on the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0054] Measurement of alcohol concentration The alcohol concentration (ethanol concentration) was measured using the method described in the "National Tax Agency's prescribed analytical method."

[0055] Measurement of carbohydrate concentration The carbohydrate concentration, based on nutritional labeling standards, was measured by subtracting the amounts of water, protein, lipids, ash, and dietary fiber from the mass of the sample beverage, in accordance with the method described in the publicly known Fifth Revised Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan Analysis Manual.

[0056] Measurement of purine concentration Adenine, guanine, xanthine, and hypoxanthine concentrations were measured using LC-MS / MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) after hydrolysis with perchloric acid (see Journal of Food Hygiene 55(2):110-116(2014)). Purine concentration was calculated as the total concentration of the four purine bases: adenine, xanthine, guanine, and hypoxanthine.

[0057] Measurement of γ-aminobutyric acid concentration The γ-aminobutyric acid concentration was measured using a Hitachi High-Speed ​​Amino Acid Analyzer L-8900 (Hitachi High-Tech Science Co., Ltd.) with the filtrate obtained by filtering the sample through a 0.45 μm filter as the analytical sample solution. A calibration curve was created using standards for the measurement.

[0058] Measurement of ethyl acetate concentration The ethyl acetate concentration was measured using GC / FID according to the BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (8.22).

[0059] Example 1: Production and evaluation of beer-flavored fermented beverages In Example 1, test samples of beer-flavored fermented beverages were prepared, and evaluation tests were conducted on each sample.

[0060] (1) Method a. Preparation of test samples (i) Test Sections 1-14 Barley malt and dark malt were used as the main ingredients (malt usage ratio 90%). For saccharification, an enzyme preparation was used, and the temperature and time of saccharification were adjusted. The mixture was then filtered to obtain wort. Specifically, 90 parts by mass of barley malt, a β-glucanase enzyme preparation, and an enzyme preparation mainly composed of glucoamylase were added to 100 parts by mass of 50°C water and held for 30 minutes. The temperature was then raised to 64°C and held for 70 minutes. Afterward, the temperature was raised to 78°C and held for 5 minutes, followed by filtration to obtain wort. Following the wort preparation process, 10 parts by mass of hops and liquid sugar mainly composed of assimilated sugars were added to the obtained wort and boiled at 100°C for 90 minutes. The wort was then allowed to stand, the tube was separated, and the mixture was cooled to obtain the pre-fermentation liquid. Bottom-fermenting yeast was then added to the pre-fermentation liquid, and primary and secondary fermentation were carried out according to conventional methods. Subsequently, the fermented liquid after secondary fermentation was stored at a lower temperature, filtered, and a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage was produced. Water and raw material alcohol (95%) were added to this beverage as appropriate to prepare base beverage A1 (Test Section 1 in Table 1-1), base beverage A2 (Test Section 11 in Table 1-2), and base beverage A3 (Test Section 13 in Table 1-2). Test samples for Test Sections 2 to 10 were prepared by adding γ-aminobutyric acid or γ-aminobutyric acid and ethyl acetate as appropriate to base beverage A1. Test Section 12 was prepared by adding γ-aminobutyric acid to base beverage A2. Test Section 14 was prepared by adding γ-aminobutyric acid to base beverage A3.

[0061] (ii) Test plots 15-20 Barley malt and dark malt were used as the main ingredients (malt usage ratio 60%). For saccharification, an enzyme preparation was used, and the temperature and time of saccharification were adjusted, and the mixture was filtered to obtain wort. Specifically, 60 parts by mass of barley malt, a β-glucanase enzyme preparation, and an enzyme preparation mainly composed of glucoamylase were added to 100 parts by mass of 50°C water and held for 30 minutes, then the temperature was raised to 64°C and held for 70 minutes. After that, the temperature was raised to 78°C and held for 5 minutes, and then filtered to obtain wort. Following the above wort preparation process, 40 parts by mass of hops and liquid sugar mainly composed of assimilated sugars were added to the obtained wort and boiled at 100°C for 90 minutes, then the wort was allowed to stand, the treble was separated, and then it was cooled to obtain the pre-fermentation liquid. Then, bottom-fermenting yeast was added to the pre-fermentation liquid, and primary and secondary fermentation were carried out according to conventional methods. Subsequently, the fermented liquid after secondary fermentation was stored by maintaining it at a lower temperature, filtered, and a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage was produced. Base beverage B (test section 15 in Table 1-2) was prepared by adding water and raw material alcohol (95%) as appropriate to this beverage. Test samples for test sections 16-20 were prepared by adding γ-aminobutyric acid or γ-aminobutyric acid and ethyl acetate as appropriate to base beverage B.

[0062] (iii) Test Sections 21-29 Barley malt and dark malt were used as the main ingredients (malt usage ratio 80%). For saccharification, an enzyme preparation was used, and the temperature and time of saccharification were adjusted. The mixture was then filtered to obtain wort. Specifically, 80 parts by mass of barley malt, a β-glucanase enzyme preparation, and an enzyme preparation mainly composed of glucoamylase were added to 100 parts by mass of 50°C water and held for 30 minutes. The temperature was then raised to 64°C and held for 70 minutes. Afterward, the temperature was raised to 78°C and held for 5 minutes, followed by filtration to obtain wort. Following the wort preparation process, 20 parts by mass of hops and liquid sugar mainly composed of assimilated sugars were added to the obtained wort and boiled at 100°C for 90 minutes. The wort was then allowed to stand, the tube was separated, and the mixture was cooled to obtain the pre-fermentation liquid. Bottom-fermenting yeast was then added to the pre-fermentation liquid, and primary and secondary fermentation were carried out according to conventional methods. Subsequently, the fermented liquid after secondary fermentation was stored at a lower temperature, filtered, and a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage was produced. Base beverage C (test section 21 in Table 1-3) was prepared by adding water and raw material alcohol (95%) as appropriate to this beverage. Test samples for test sections 22-29 were prepared by adding γ-aminobutyric acid or γ-aminobutyric acid and ethyl acetate as appropriate to base beverage C. Note that the total concentration in Table 1 indicates the total concentration (ppm) of γ-aminobutyric acid and ethyl acetate.

[0063] I. Evaluation Test Evaluation tests were conducted for test sections 1-30 by five trained panelists. Specifically, three evaluation items—"drinkability," "aroma," and "balance"—were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 points in 0.5 increments, and the average of the five panelists' evaluation scores was calculated. Here, "drinkability" refers to the flavor sensation perceived as depth and body of taste. "Aroma" refers to the flavor sensation perceived as fruity and floral in the top notes. "Balance" refers to a flavor where the depth of taste and the floral aroma are in harmony, and each element that constitutes the natural flavor of beer does not stand out, resulting in a well-balanced beer. Furthermore, the specific scoring criteria are as shown below. As a comparative example of test samples with a common base beverage, the scores for each evaluation item in test sections 1, 16, and 22 were set to 1.0 to unify the evaluation criteria among the panelists, and evaluations were conducted while comparing samples with the same base beverage. Samples with a score of 2.5 or higher were judged to have a favorable effect on the evaluation item, and samples with a score of 3.5 or higher were judged to have a more favorable effect on the evaluation item. <Criteria for each rating> 1: It is comparable to the comparative example. 2: By comparing it sequentially with the comparative example, a slight improvement can be recognized. 3. Improvements can be recognized by comparing them sequentially with the comparative example. 4: It can be recognized as an improvement without comparing it to the comparative example. 5: It can be recognized as a significant improvement without comparison to the comparative example.

[0064] (2) Results The results are shown in Table 1. Reducing the purine concentration resulted in a weaker taste and aroma of the base beverage (test groups 1, 15, and 21), but increasing the concentrations of γ-aminobutyric acid and ethyl acetate tended to improve the taste and aroma (test groups 2-14, 16-20, and 22-29).

[0065] [Table 1]

Claims

1. A beer-flavored fermented beverage having a carbohydrate concentration of 2.0 g / 100 ml or less, and a γ-aminobutyric acid concentration of 6 ppm or more.

2. The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to claim 1, wherein the ethyl acetate concentration is 3.5 ppm or higher.

3. A beer-flavored fermented beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the total concentration of γ-aminobutyric acid and ethyl acetate is 9.5 ppm or more.

4. A beer-flavored fermented beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the alcohol concentration is 3.0 v / v% or more and 7.0 v / v% or less.

5. A beer-flavored fermented beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the malt usage ratio is 50% or more and 100% or less.

6. A method for producing a beer-flavored fermented beverage having a carbohydrate concentration of 2.0 g / 100 ml or less, comprising the step of including γ-aminobutyric acid at a concentration of 6 ppm or more.

7. A method for improving the flavor of a beer-flavored fermented beverage having a carbohydrate concentration of 2.0 g / 100 ml or less, the method comprising a step in the production of the beverage to include γ-aminobutyric acid at a concentration of 6 ppm or more.

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