Fermented beverage, method for producing fermented beverage, and method for preventing discoloration of fermented beverage

Abstract

To provide a fermented beverage that can resist discoloration and fading degrees with time after its production.SOLUTION: A fermented beverage contains colored wort fermentation liquid. The colored wort fermentation liquid is made by fermenting, with yeast, unfermented liquid made of at least malt and coloring components. One of the coloring components is anthocyanin. There is also provided a method for producing colored wort fermentation liquid-containing fermented beverage, or a method for preventing color fading of a colored wort fermentation liquid-containing fermented beverage, wherein the coloring components are added in the preparation step of unfermented liquid.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fermented beverage, a method for producing a fermented beverage, and a method for preventing discoloration of a fermented beverage, and in particular to a fermented beverage that can suppress the degree of discoloration or fading that occurs over time after production. [Background technology]

[0002] Due to the diversification of consumer tastes, various proposals have been made for beer, happoshu, and other fermented malt beverages. The color of beer is generally described as yellow, gold, amber, etc., but it is also possible to produce dark brown or black beer by using black malt or caramel.

[0003] There are also beers whose colors have been changed using coloring ingredients such as fruit juice and coloring agents. For example, Kyodo Shoji Co., Ltd.'s "COEDO BEERS Beniaka" is a reddish amber-colored happoshu, while Hoppy Beverage Co., Ltd.'s "Akasaka Beer Rubinrot" and Miyazaki Hideji Beer Co., Ltd.'s "Murasakishu 2018" are beers that use the natural coloring of Ayamurasaki sweet potato. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, fermented malt beverages produced using coloring ingredients such as fruit juice and coloring agents have the problem of discoloration and / or fading over time after production due to the effects of oxygen and heat, which impairs their commercial value. In addition, because color changes are affected not only by the passage of time but also by the storage environment, if products with different storage periods or environments are opened at the same time and poured into separate glasses, the difference in the color of the liquid inside could lead to the misunderstanding that the products are different.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a fermented beverage that can solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional technology and can suppress the degree of discoloration or fading that occurs over time after production, and a method for producing the same. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for preventing fading of the color of a fermented beverage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of intensive research to achieve the above-mentioned objective, the inventors discovered that by adding a coloring component in the preparation process of the pre-fermentation liquid, the degree of discoloration and fading of the fermented beverage that occurs over time after production can be suppressed, and thus completed the present invention.

[0007] That is, the fermented beverage of the present invention contains a colored wort fermentation liquid.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the fermented beverage of the present invention, the colored wort fermentation liquid is a fermentation liquid obtained by fermenting a pre-fermentation liquid containing at least malt and colored components as raw materials with yeast.

[0009] In another preferred embodiment of the fermented beverage of the present invention, one of the coloring components is anthocyanin.

[0010] In another preferred embodiment of the fermented beverage of the present invention, the absorbance measured at 530 nm immediately after production is 0.1 or more.

[0011] In another preferred embodiment of the fermented beverage of the present invention, the relationship between the absorbance A measured at 530 nm immediately after production and the absorbance X measured at 530 nm 8 weeks after production at 37°C is 0.8A≦X≦A.

[0012] Another preferred embodiment of the fermented beverage of the present invention is a bottled beverage.

[0013] In another preferred embodiment of the fermented beverage of the present invention, the container is a brown container, a bottle container, or a brown bottle container.

[0014] In addition, in the method for producing a colored wort fermented liquid-containing fermented beverage of the present invention, a coloring component is added in the step of preparing the pre-fermentation liquid.

[0015] In addition, in the method of preventing discoloration of a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquid of the present invention, a coloring component is added in the step of preparing the pre-fermentation liquid.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the method for producing a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquid of the present invention or the method for preventing discoloration of a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquid of the present invention, the fermented beverage has an absorbance of 0.1 or more measured at 530 nm immediately after production.

[0017] In another preferred embodiment of the method for producing a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquid of the present invention or the method for preventing discoloration of a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquid of the present invention, the fermented beverage has an absorbance A measured at 530 nm immediately after production and an absorbance X measured at 530 nm 8 weeks after production at 37°C, such that the relationship between the absorbance A and the absorbance X is 0.8A≦X≦A.

[0018] In another preferable embodiment of the method for producing a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermented liquor of the present invention or the method for preventing discoloration of a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermented liquor of the present invention, the fermented beverage is a bottled beverage.

[0019] In another preferable embodiment of the method for producing a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquor of the present invention or the method for preventing discoloration of a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquor of the present invention, the container is a brown container, a bottle container, or a brown bottle container. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fermented beverage that can suppress the degree of discoloration or fading that occurs over time after production, and a method for producing the same. Also, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for preventing fading of the fermented beverage. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] The absorbance at 530 nm of fermented beverage A and fermented beverage B is shown. [Diagram 2]The absorbance at 530 nm of fermented beverage C and fermented beverage D is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] The present invention will be described in detail below.

[0023] One aspect of the present invention is a fermented beverage comprising a colored wort fermentation broth.

[0024] In this specification, the term "fermented beverage" refers to a beverage produced by fermenting raw materials such as malt, but also includes beverages prepared by mixing the product obtained through this fermentation process with an alcoholic beverage (e.g., distilled alcohol). In addition, fermented beverages made from at least malt as a raw material may also be referred to as "malt fermented beverages."

[0025] The alcohol content of the fermented beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, and the beverage may be either an alcoholic beverage or a non-alcoholic beverage. As used herein, the term "non-alcoholic beverage" refers to a beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1%.

[0026] The fermented beverage of the present invention is preferably a beer-taste beverage. In this specification, the term "beer-taste beverage" refers to a beverage that has the flavor of beer, regardless of the alcohol content. Specific examples include beer, happoshu, new genre (a sparkling alcoholic beverage that uses hops as one of the ingredients and does not fall under beer or happoshu), non-alcoholic beer, etc.

[0027] When the fermented beverage of the present invention is a beer-taste alcoholic beverage, its alcohol content is preferably 1 to 10%. In this specification, the alcohol content is expressed as a percentage of the volume of ethyl alcohol contained in the fermented beverage relative to the total volume of the fermented beverage, and "%" can also be expressed as "v / v%".

[0028] In the fermented beverage of the present invention, the colored wort fermentation liquid is a fermentation liquid obtained by fermenting a pre-fermentation liquid made of at least malt and coloring components with yeast. Here, the "pre-fermentation liquid" is a liquid to be subjected to fermentation. In this specification, such a pre-fermentation liquid may be referred to as "wort", but it is distinguished from general wort known in the art in that coloring components are added in the preparation process of the pre-fermentation liquid.

[0029] The proportion of the colored wort fermented liquor in the fermented beverage of the present invention is, for example, 95% by mass or more, and preferably 99% by mass or more. The fermented beverage of the present invention may be a beverage consisting of only the colored wort fermented liquor.

[0030] The colored wort fermentation liquid contains at least malt as a raw material. In the brewing process, carbohydrates and proteins in the malt are decomposed by the malt's own enzymes, and in the fermentation process, alcohol and carbon dioxide are produced from the carbohydrate decomposition products by yeast. In this specification, components obtained from malt through saccharification and fermentation are referred to as "malt-derived components." Examples of malt-derived components include alcohol, carbon dioxide, non-fermentable sugars, and nitrogenous compounds such as amino acids and peptides.

[0031] The colored wort fermentation liquid may further contain grains other than malt and carbohydrates as other carbohydrate raw materials. Most of these other carbohydrate raw materials, like malt, can have carbohydrates decomposed in the mashing process, and alcohol and carbon dioxide can be produced from the carbohydrate decomposition products in the fermentation process. Specific examples include grain raw materials such as barley, wheat, and oats, rice, corn, starch, koryan, soybeans, and other beans, potatoes, and carbohydrate raw materials such as liquid sugar and sugar. The carbohydrate raw materials other than malt may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0032] When other carbohydrate raw materials are used in addition to malt, it is preferable that malt is the main component (the component with the highest weight ratio) of the entire raw materials. In the fermented beverage of the present invention, the carbohydrate raw materials other than malt contained as raw materials are preferably 1 to 100 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of malt.

[0033] The carbohydrate raw material may be one that has been chopped or pulverized. The chopping or pulverization of the carbohydrate raw material may be carried out by a conventional method. The pulverized carbohydrate raw material may be one that has been subjected to a conventional treatment before or after the pulverization, such as malt pulverization, corn starch, corn grits, etc. For example, malt pulverization can be produced by germinating barley by a conventional method, drying it, and then pulverizing it to a predetermined particle size. In addition, the carbohydrate raw material may be one that has been subjected to a drying treatment such as freeze-drying. Also, one that has been subjected to a gelatinization treatment of the starch contained therein may be used. Depending on the type of carbohydrate raw material, saccharification can be carried out efficiently by gelatinizing the starch in advance. The gelatinization method is not particularly limited, and may be carried out by a conventional method such as steaming.

[0034] The colored wort fermentation liquor further contains a coloring component as a raw material. The present inventors have found that, instead of adding the coloring component to the wort fermentation liquor, adding the coloring component in the preparation step of a pre-fermentation liquid before obtaining the colored wort fermentation liquor can suppress the degree of discoloration or fading of the fermented beverage over time after production.

[0035] The coloring component may be any component that can be added to a beverage and can color the fermented beverage. The coloring component is preferably a coloring component that exhibits a specific hue by itself, such as a pigment. The coloring component may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds.

[0036] Various coloring components such as red, yellow, and blue are known as coloring components. For the colored wort fermentation liquid, a coloring component that exhibits a hue different from the color derived from malt is used, but considering consumer preferences, it is preferable to use a red or reddish purple coloring component for the colored wort fermentation liquid. Specific examples include gardenia red color, monascus color, cochineal color, safflower red color, anthocyanin color, red beet color, lycopene color, and food red No. 2, No. 3, and No. 40. In the fermented beverage of the present invention, the coloring component preferably contains anthocyanin.

[0037] The coloring component is preferably a pigment (natural pigment) derived from a natural product such as a flower, fruit, or vegetable. The coloring component may be a pigment extracted from a natural product, or may be used in the form of a natural product itself or fruit juice without extracting the pigment from the natural product. The natural product may be one that has been subjected to a drying process, a shredding process, a crushing process, a grinding process, or the like.

[0038] Anthocyanins are pigments contained in natural products such as berries, acai, grapes, red perilla, red radish, red cabbage, sweet potato, purple sweet potato, red yam, and red beans. Natural products containing a large amount of carbohydrates are preferred, and purple sweet potato is particularly preferred. Natural products containing carbohydrates can be used as carbohydrate raw materials other than the above-mentioned malt because, like malt, the carbohydrates are decomposed in the brewing process and alcohol and carbon dioxide can be produced from the decomposition products of the carbohydrates in the fermentation process.

[0039] In the fermented beverage of the present invention, the amount of coloring components (particularly anthocyanins) contained as raw materials is preferably 0.01 to 0.2 parts by weight, more preferably 0.025 to 0.15 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of malt. The amount of coloring components (particularly anthocyanins) contained as raw materials in the fermented beverage of the present invention can also be determined using the absorbance of the pre-fermentation liquid as an index. The higher the absorbance derived from the coloring components, the more the coloring components are contained. In the fermented beverage of the present invention, the pre-fermentation liquid preferably has an absorbance at 530 nm of 0.1 to 1.2, more preferably 0.15 to 0.8.

[0040] In this specification, the absorption spectrum is measured using a spectrophotometer to determine the absorbance of the pre-fermentation liquid at a wavelength of 530 nm. The measurement is performed at a temperature of 20° C. using a quartz cell.

[0041] The colored wort fermentation liquid preferably contains hops as a raw material. Hops are usually used as a raw material that imparts the flavor and bitterness of beer to beer-taste beverages. Hops can also be used as a processed hop product. The processed hop product refers to a hop product obtained by processing the above-mentioned hops in various ways. Examples of processed hop products include dried cones obtained by simply drying hops, hop pellets obtained by pelletizing hops, hop extracts obtained by extracting hops with an organic solvent or carbon dioxide gas, and iso-hop extracts obtained by iso-izing hops.

[0042] The bitterness value of the fermented beverage of the present invention is preferably 10 BU or more, more preferably 15 BU or more. The bitterness value is preferably 50 BU or less, more preferably 40 BU or less. The bitterness value can be measured, for example, by the method described in BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods, 8.15 (2004), edited by the Beer Brewing Association.

[0043] The fermented beverage of the present invention contains drinking water. This drinking water is mainly the drinking water contained in the colored wort fermentation liquid, but drinking water may also be added to the colored wort fermentation liquid, for example, to prepare an original wort extract by diluting the colored wort fermentation liquid.

[0044] If necessary, the fermented beverage of the present invention may contain raw materials or food additives commonly used in the food industry, such as pH adjusters (such as baking soda), vitamins, peptides, amino acids, water-soluble dietary fiber, antioxidants, stabilizers, emulsifiers, etc.

[0045] The fermented beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited in terms of the value of the original wort extract, but the original wort extract is, for example, 15% by weight or less, preferably 12.5% ​​by weight or less. In addition, in the fermented beverage of the present invention, the original wort extract is, for example, 8% by weight or more, preferably 10% by weight or more. In general, by increasing the original wort extract value, the drinking experience of the fermented beverage can be improved, and by decreasing the original wort extract value, the lightness of the fermented beverage can be improved. In this specification, the original wort extract is the extract contained in the wort after saccharification treatment, and can be determined by the method shown in Analytica-EBC (9.4) (2007).

[0046] The fermented beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited in terms of the value of the final apparent degree of fermentation, but the final apparent degree of fermentation is, for example, 90% or more, and preferably 93% or more. In general, by increasing the final apparent degree of fermentation, the lightness of the fermented beverage can be increased. In addition, in the fermented beverage of the present invention, the final apparent degree of fermentation is, for example, 105% or less, and preferably 102% or less.

[0047] In this specification, the final apparent degree of attenuation means the ratio of the sugar concentration that can be consumed by yeast as a nutrient source for alcoholic fermentation to the total sugar concentration contained in the pre-fermentation liquid. For example, the final apparent degree of attenuation "Vend" of a fermented beverage using malt as a raw material can be calculated by the following formula (1). Vend(%)={(P-Eend) / P}×100 (1) [wherein P is the original wort extract and Eend is the apparent final extract.] The apparent final extract Eend can be determined by taking the beer in a flask, adding a large amount of fresh compressed yeast, fermenting with stirring at 25°C until the extract value no longer decreases (24 hours), and measuring the apparent extract value of the remaining beer. The apparent final extract Eend is calculated from the specific gravity of the final extract including alcohol, so it may show a negative value. As a result, the apparent final attenuation may exceed 100%. The final apparent degree of attenuation can be controlled, for example, by adjusting the saccharification conditions, whether or not enzymes are used when saccharifying the raw materials, and the types and amounts of raw materials used, etc. For example, by extending the saccharification time, the sugar concentration available to yeast can be increased, thereby increasing the final apparent degree of attenuation.

[0048] The fermented beverage of the present invention has a carbohydrate content of, for example, 1 to 4 g / 100 ml. As used herein, carbohydrate refers to carbohydrates that are not dietary fiber.

[0049] The amino acid concentration in the fermented beverage of the present invention is, for example, 5 to 20 mg / 100 mL calculated as amino nitrogen (AN). The amino nitrogen (AN) means the concentration of amino nitrogen [mg / 100 mL], and can be analyzed by, for example, the ninhydrin method (Beer Brewing Association: Beer Analysis Methods, 8.18 (1990)).

[0050] The fermented beverage of the present invention is usually a carbonated beverage containing carbon dioxide, but may also be a non-carbonated beverage.

[0051] The pH of the fermented beverage of the present invention can be appropriately set depending on the type of beverage, and is adjusted, for example, to within the range of 2.5 to 5.0.

[0052] The fermented beverage of the present invention has an absorbance measured at 530 nm immediately after production of, for example, 0.1 or more, preferably 0.15 or more, more preferably 0.25 or more, and even more preferably 0.30 or more. Such a fermented beverage can provide a reddish fermented beverage. On the other hand, the fermented beverage of the present invention has an absorbance measured at 530 nm immediately after production of, for example, 1.2 or less, preferably 0.80 or less. In this specification, if the absorbance is measured on the day the fermented beverage is produced, it is treated as "the absorbance measured immediately after production". Therefore, "immediately after production" can also be expressed as "0 days after production", etc.

[0053] In this specification, after decarbonating the fermented beverage, the absorption spectrum is measured using a spectrophotometer to determine the absorbance of the fermented beverage at a wavelength of 530 nm. The measurement is performed using a quartz cell at a temperature of 20°C.

[0054] The fermented beverage of the present invention preferably has a relationship between absorbance A measured at 530 nm immediately after production and absorbance X measured at 530 nm 8 weeks after production at 37° C. that is 0.8A≦X≦A, and more preferably 0.9A≦X≦A. To measure absorbance X, the fermented beverage is filled into a beer bottle (e.g., an brown bottle) and stored at 37° C. for 8 weeks. The fermented beverage of the present invention can suppress discoloration or fading of the fermented beverage even when stored for a long period of time in a high-temperature environment.

[0055] The fermented beverage of the present invention can be provided as a packaged beverage. Suitable containers include brown containers, bottle containers, brown bottle containers, etc. Specific examples of containers include bottles (preferably brown, brown or black beer bottles), cans (preferably aluminum cans), barrels, etc., as well as plastic containers such as PET bottles and paper containers.

[0056] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquid (i.e., a fermented beverage containing a colored fermentation liquid), which includes adding a coloring component in the preparation process of the pre-fermentation liquid.

[0057] According to the production method of the present invention, the above-mentioned fermented beverage of the present invention can be provided, and preferably, a fermented beverage can be provided in which the absorbance measured at 530 nm immediately after production is 0.1 or more and / or the relationship between the absorbance A measured at 530 nm immediately after production and the absorbance X measured at 530 nm 8 weeks after production at 37° C. is 0.8A≦X≦A. In other words, according to the production method of the present invention, a fermented beverage can be provided in which the degree of discoloration and fading that occurs over time after production can be suppressed.

[0058] In the production method of the present invention, the step of preparing a pre-fermentation liquid is a step of preparing a liquid to be subjected to fermentation (pre-fermentation liquid) using malt as a raw material.

[0059] The preparation process of the pre-fermentation liquid includes a process of saccharifying malt (brewing process). In the brewing process, wort is prepared from malt as a raw material and starchy other carbohydrate raw materials used as necessary. In the brewing process, malt and other carbohydrate raw materials are added to a brewing tank and mixed with warm water to prepare mashed mash. Here, the malt and other carbohydrate raw materials are preferably used in a finely crushed form, and preferably in a gelatinized or even liquefied state. The preparation of mashed ...

[0060] Thereafter, the temperature of the mash is gradually increased and the mash is kept at a predetermined temperature for a certain period of time, whereby the starch is saccharified using the enzymes derived from the malt or the enzymes added to the mash (saccharification treatment). The temperature and time during the saccharification treatment can be appropriately determined in consideration of the type of enzyme used, the amount of the mash, the quality of the desired fermented beverage, etc., and can be, for example, kept at 60 to 76 ° C for 30 to 90 minutes. After the saccharification treatment, the mash is kept at 76 to 78 ° C for about 10 minutes, and then filtered in a wort filtration tank to obtain wort from which solids have been removed. In addition, the mash prepared by adding and mixing a part of the malt, a part or all of the other carbohydrate raw materials, and warm water to a mash kettle to prepare the mash may be saccharified, and then mixed with the mash saccharified in the mash tank described above, and then filtered in a wort filtration tank to obtain wort.

[0061] In the brewing process, the wort after the saccharification treatment is boiled (boiling treatment). In order to adjust the amount of raw wort extract, water may be added to the wort before the boiling treatment. When the fermented beverage is a beer-taste beverage, the obtained wort is usually transferred to a boiling kettle, and hops are added and boiled. Hops may be mixed at any stage from the start of boiling to the end of boiling. Furthermore, raw materials other than hops can be added to the wort as necessary. The boiled wort is transferred to a settling tank called a whirlpool, and hop lees and coagulated proteins generated by boiling are removed, and then the wort is cooled to an appropriate fermentation temperature by a plate cooler. The fermentation temperature is usually 8 to 15°C.

[0062] In the production method of the present invention, the coloring component may be added at any stage in the preparation process of the pre-fermentation liquid. For example, when the coloring component is a pigment contained in a natural product and is used without being extracted from the natural product, the coloring component is preferably added as a natural product together with malt to the brewing kettle and / or brewing tank in the brewing process. When the pigment itself is added, it may be added to the wort filtered in the wort filtration tank or to the wort that has been boiled, and specifically, it is preferably added to the wort in the whirlpool tank.

[0063] In the production method of the present invention, the amount of coloring component (particularly anthocyanin) added is preferably 0.01 to 0.2 parts by weight, more preferably 0.025 to 0.15 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of malt. In addition, in the production method of the present invention, the amount of coloring component (particularly anthocyanin) added can also be determined using the absorbance of the pre-fermentation liquid as an index. In the production method of the present invention, the pre-fermentation liquid has an absorbance at 530 nm of preferably 0.1 to 1.2, more preferably 0.15 to 0.8.

[0064] The production method of the present invention further includes a step (fermentation step) of fermenting the pre-fermentation liquid (or wort made from at least malt and coloring components) obtained in the pre-fermentation liquid preparation step. In the fermentation step, yeast is added to the pre-fermentation liquid, which is then transferred to a fermentation tank for fermentation. The fermentation temperature is usually 8 to 15°C, and the fermentation period is preferably 3 to 10 days. There is no particular limitation on the yeast used for fermentation, and any yeast that can decompose the carbohydrates in the pre-fermentation liquid into alcohol and carbon dioxide can be used, but it can be appropriately selected from yeasts that are usually used in the production of alcoholic beverages. For example, when the fermented beverage is a beer-flavored beverage, beer yeast can be used. Note that it may be top-fermenting yeast or bottom-fermenting yeast. The fermented liquid after the fermentation step is filtered to remove the yeast and the like, thereby producing a fermented beverage.

[0065] The production method of the present invention can include a step of maturing the fermented liquid obtained in the fermentation step (storage step). In the storage step, the fermented liquid obtained in the fermentation step is matured in a storage tank and stored under low-temperature conditions of about 0°C for stabilization. The fermented liquid after maturation can be filtered to remove yeast and the like, thereby producing a fermented beverage.

[0066] In the production method of the present invention, in order to obtain a desired alcohol concentration, a suitable amount of water may be added to the fermented liquid obtained in the fermentation step or storage step before or after filtration to dilute the fermented liquid. In addition, in the production method of the present invention, carbon dioxide gas may be added to the fermented liquid obtained in the fermentation step or storage step before or after filtration.

[0067] In the production method of the present invention, the fermented liquid obtained in the fermentation step or the storage step may be mixed with an alcohol-containing distilled liquid before or after filtration to produce liqueurs, etc. Here, the alcohol-containing distilled liquid is a solution containing alcohol obtained by a distillation operation. The alcohol-containing distilled liquid is not particularly limited as long as it is edible, and any liquid generally classified as distilled alcohol can be used. Examples of distilled alcohol include shochu, spirits, vodka, rum, gin, whiskey, brandy, tequila, and raw material alcohol. It is more preferable that the alcohol-containing distilled liquid is spirits, since it has little effect on the taste and is less likely to impair the malt feeling, etc.

[0068] The fermented beverage obtained by the production method of the present invention can be provided as a bottled beverage by filling and sealing it in a container. Suitable containers include brown containers, bottle containers, brown bottle containers, etc. Specific examples of containers include bottles (preferably brown, brown or black beer bottles), cans (preferably aluminum cans), barrels, etc., as well as plastic containers such as PET bottles and paper containers.

[0069] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for preventing discoloration of a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquid (i.e., a fermented beverage containing a colored fermentation liquid), which includes adding a colored component in the preparation process of the pre-fermentation liquid.

[0070] According to the color preventing method of the present invention, the degree of discoloration or fading of a fermented beverage that occurs over time after production can be suppressed by adding a coloring component in the preparation step of a pre-fermentation solution. Also, according to a preferred embodiment of the color preventing method of the present invention, the absorbance of the fermented beverage measured at 530 nm immediately after production is 0.1 or more and / or the relationship between the absorbance A of the fermented beverage measured at 530 nm immediately after production and the absorbance X of the fermented beverage measured at 530 nm 8 weeks after production at 37°C is 0.8A≦X≦A.

[0071] In the color fading prevention method of the present invention, the pre-fermentation liquid preparation process is a process in which malt is used as a raw material to prepare a liquid to be subjected to fermentation (pre-fermentation liquid), and the details thereof are as described in the production method of the present invention.

[0072] In the discoloration prevention method of the present invention, the amount of coloring component (particularly anthocyanin) added is preferably 0.01 to 0.2 parts by weight, more preferably 0.025 to 0.15 parts by weight, relative to 100 parts by weight of malt. In addition, in the discoloration prevention method of the present invention, the amount of coloring component (particularly anthocyanin) added can also be determined using the absorbance of the pre-fermentation liquid as an index. In the discoloration prevention method of the present invention, the absorbance of the pre-fermentation liquid at 530 nm is preferably 0.1 to 1.2, more preferably 0.15 to 0.8.

[0073] The color fading prevention method of the present invention can further include a step of fermenting the pre-fermentation liquid (or wort made from at least malt and colored components) obtained in the pre-fermentation liquid preparation step (fermentation step), and a step of maturing the fermented liquid obtained in the fermentation step (storage step). Details of the fermentation step and storage step are as explained in the production method of the present invention.

[0074] The fermented beverage obtained by the color fading prevention method of the present invention can be provided as a bottled beverage by filling and sealing it in a container. Suitable containers include brown containers, bottle containers, brown bottle containers, etc. Specific examples of containers include bottles (preferably brown, brown or black beer bottles), cans (preferably aluminum cans), barrels, etc., as well as plastic containers such as PET bottles and paper containers. EXAMPLES

[0075] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples in any way.

[0076] <Sample preparation method> (Example 1: Purple sweet potato pre-fermentation additive formulation) 40 kg of crushed malt and 2 kg of purple sweet potato powder (Kawamitsu Bussan Co., Ltd.) were saccharified and the enzymes were inactivated at 76°C. The resulting liquid (wort) was filtered. The resulting wort was then transferred to a boiling kettle, hops were added, and the mixture was boiled for 60 minutes. After boiling, hot water was added to replace the evaporated amount, and the heat trub was removed in a whirlpool tank. The mixture was then cooled to 8°C using a plate cooler to obtain 250 L of cold wort. This cold wort was named wort A. Beer yeast was added to this wort A, and the mixture was fermented at about 10°C for 7 days, after which the beer yeast was removed. The mixture was transferred to a tank and aged for 7 days, then cooled to about -1°C and stabilized for 14 days. Degassed water was then added to dilute the mixture to 11.8% by weight of the original wort extract, and the mixture was filtered using diatomaceous earth to obtain fermented beverage A. This fermented beverage A was filled into beer bottles. Immediately after filling, the absorbance of fermented beverage A at a wavelength of 530 nm was 0.694.

[0077] (Comparative Example 1: TH-CA (anthocyanin pigment) added after fermentation) 42 kg of ground malt was saccharified and enzymes were inactivated at 76°C. The resulting liquid (wort) was filtered. The resulting wort was then transferred to a boiling kettle, hops were added, and the mixture was boiled for 60 minutes. After boiling, hot water was added to replace the evaporated amount, and the heat trub was removed in a whirlpool tank. The mixture was then cooled to 8°C using a plate cooler to obtain 250 L of cold wort. This cold wort was designated wort B. Beer yeast was added to this wort B, and the mixture was fermented at about 10°C for 7 days, after which the beer yeast was removed. The mixture was transferred to a tank and aged for 7 days, then cooled to about -1°C and stabilized for 14 days. Then, 1,500 ppm of TH-CA and degassed water were added to dilute the mixture to 11.8% by weight of the original wort extract, and the mixture was filtered using diatomaceous earth to obtain fermented beverage B. This fermented beverage B was filled into beer bottles. Immediately after filling, the absorbance of fermented beverage B at a wavelength of 530 nm was 0.711.

[0078] In this specification, when the content of a component is expressed in ppm, the content is parts per million by weight of the component relative to the total volume. "ppm" can also be written as "w / v ppm".

[0079] (Example 2: TH-CA pre-fermentation addition formulation) 30 kg of crushed malt and 7.5 kg of corn starch were saccharified, and the enzymes were inactivated at 76°C. The resulting liquid (wort) was filtered. The resulting wort was then transferred to a boiling kettle, hops were added, and the mixture was boiled for 60 minutes. After boiling, hot water was added to replace the evaporated amount, 1,500 ppm of TH-CA was added in a whirlpool tank, and the heat trub was removed. The mixture was then cooled to 8°C using a plate cooler to obtain 250 L of cold wort. This cold wort was designated wort C. Beer yeast was added to this wort C, and fermented at about 10°C for 7 days, after which the beer yeast was removed. The mixture was transferred to a tank and aged for 7 days, then cooled to about -1°C and stabilized for 14 days. Degassed water was then added to dilute the original wort extract to 11.8% by weight, and the mixture was filtered using diatomaceous earth to obtain fermented beverage C. This fermented beverage C was filled into beer bottles. Immediately after filling, the absorbance of fermented beverage C at a wavelength of 530 nm was 0.322.

[0080] (Comparative Example 2: TH-CA post-fermentation addition formulation) 30 kg of ground malt and 7.5 kg of cornstarch were saccharified and enzymes were inactivated at 76°C. The resulting liquid (wort) was filtered. The resulting wort was then transferred to a boiling kettle, hops were added, and the mixture was boiled for 60 minutes. After boiling, hot water was added to replace the evaporated amount, and the heat trub was removed in a whirlpool tank. The mixture was then cooled to 8°C using a plate cooler to obtain 250 L of cold wort. This cold wort was named wort D. Beer yeast was added to this wort D, and fermented at about 10°C for 7 days, after which the beer yeast was removed. The wort was transferred to a different tank and aged for 7 days, then cooled to about -1°C and stabilized for 14 days. Then, 450 ppm of TH-CA and degassed water were added to dilute the wort extract to 11.8% by weight, and the mixture was filtered using diatomaceous earth to obtain fermented beverage D. This fermented beverage D was filled into beer bottles. Immediately after filling, the absorbance of fermented beverage D at a wavelength of 530 nm was 0.324.

[0081] <Absorbance> After the samples were decarbonated, the absorption spectrum was measured using a spectrophotometer. Since the red coloring component has a maximum absorption wavelength in the absorption spectrum around 500 nm, the absorption at 530 nm was measured to obtain the absorbance. The measurement was performed using a quartz cell at a temperature of 20°C. The absorbance at 530 nm of each sample was measured immediately after filling into a brown beer bottle and after 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks had passed at 37°C after filling. The results are shown in Tables 1-2 and Figures 1-2 below.

[0082] Table 1 and Figure 1 show the absorbance at 530 nm of fermented beverage A and fermented beverage B. Table 2 and Figure 2 show the absorbance at 530 nm of fermented beverage C and fermented beverage D. These results show that the fermented beverages of the Examples are able to reduce the degree of discoloration and fading that occurs over time after production, compared to the fermented beverages of the Comparative Examples.

[0083] [Table 1]

[0084] [Table 2]

Claims

1. A fermented beverage comprising a colored wort fermentation liquid, The colored wort fermentation liquid is a fermentation liquid obtained by fermenting a pre-fermentation liquid made of at least malt and a coloring component with yeast, one of the coloring components is an anthocyanin; and The fermented beverage has an absorbance A of 0.1 or more and 1.2 or less when measured at 530 nm immediately after production, and the relationship between the absorbance A and the absorbance X measured at 530 nm 8 weeks after production at 37°C is 0.8A≦X≦A. (However, the coloring ingredients do not include those derived from fruit juice.)

2. The fermented beverage according to claim 1 , which is a bottled beverage.

3. The fermented beverage according to claim 2 , wherein the container is a brown container, a bottle container or a brown bottle container.

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