Beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage and method for producing same

Abstract

To provide a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage that achieves reduction in the harshness remaining in the mouth and a discomfort aftertaste.SOLUTION: A beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is provided, containing nerol at a concentration of 1.2 ppb or more.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the demand for beer-flavored beverages with reduced sugar content has been expanding due to the growing health consciousness. However, beer and beer-based beverages with reduced sugar content often have a weaker flavor, which can lead to a harsh aftertaste due to harshness of alcohol and ingredients.

[0003] In order to eliminate such unpleasant tastes and aftertastes in beer and beer-based beverages, attempts have been made to mask the unpleasant tastes and aftertastes by increasing the intensity of the taste of beer and beer-based beverages. For example, a method of increasing the bitterness units (BU) of beer and beer-based beverages and a method of imparting aroma using materials such as hops containing aroma components have been adopted. However, by increasing the BU of beer and beer-based beverages, the overall balance of their tastes is lost, and the addition of aromas by hops can make the taste impression monotonous.

[0004] Under these circumstances, there remains a continuing challenge for beer and beer-based beverages with reduced sugar content to reduce unpleasant flavors and aftertastes, particularly harshness in the mouth and bitterness derived from alcohol and ingredients. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present inventors have found that by adjusting the concentration of nerol in a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage to a predetermined range, the harshness in the mouth and the disharmony of the aftertaste of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage can be reduced. The present invention is based on this finding.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention provides a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage having reduced harshness in the mouth and unpleasant aftertaste, a method for producing the same, and a method for reducing the harshness in the mouth and unpleasant aftertaste in a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage.

[0007] According to the present invention, the following inventions are provided. [1] A beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage with a nerol concentration of 1.2 ppb or more. [2] A beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to [1], having a carbohydrate concentration of 0.5 g / 100 mL or less. [3] The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to [1] or [2], wherein the malt usage ratio is 50 to 100 mass%. [4] A beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [3], having an alcohol concentration of more than 3% by volume. [5] A beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the nerol concentration is 1.5 to 60 ppb. [6] A method for producing a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage, comprising a step of adjusting the nerol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage to 1.2 ppb or more. [7] The method according to [6], further comprising a step of adjusting the carbohydrate concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage to 0.5 g / 100 mL or less. [8] The method according to [6] or [7], wherein the malt usage ratio of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is 50 to 100 mass%. [9] The method according to any one of [6] to [8], further comprising a step of adjusting the alcohol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage to more than 3 volume %.

[10] A method for reducing harshness in the mouth or unpleasant aftertaste in a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage, comprising the step of adjusting the concentration of nerol in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage to 1.2 ppb or more.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the harshness in the mouth and the unpleasant aftertaste of a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage.

[0009] [Beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage (hereinafter also referred to as "the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention") is provided. The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention has a nerol concentration adjusted to a predetermined range. By adjusting the nerol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage to a predetermined range, the harshness in the mouth and disharmony in the aftertaste of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage (for example, a bad aftertaste caused by the harshness derived from alcohol or raw materials) can be reduced.

[0010] As used herein, the compound "nerol" refers to the compound with the IUPAC name "(Z)-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-1-ol."

[0011] In the present specification, the term "beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage" refers to beer (an alcoholic beverage obtained by fermenting malt and hops as raw materials with brewer's yeast) or a fermented alcoholic beverage having a flavor reminiscent of beer. In the present specification, the term "fermented alcoholic beverage" refers to an alcohol (ethanol)-containing beverage obtained by alcoholic fermentation with yeast using a carbon source, a nitrogen source, water, and the like as raw materials. The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is preferably a fermented beverage to which a hop aroma is imparted by using hops as a raw material. The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is preferably a fermented malt beverage, that is, a beverage using at least malt as a raw material. Examples of such fermented malt beverages include beer, happoshu, and liqueur (for example, beverages classified as "liqueur (sparkling) (1)" under the Liquor Tax Act), and the like, and preferably beer. The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is preferably a fermented malt beverage having a malt usage ratio of 50 to 100%, more preferably 50 to 95%.

[0012] The nerol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is 1.2 ppb or more, preferably 1.3 ppb or more, more preferably 1.4 ppb or more, and even more preferably 1.5 ppb or more. The nerol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but is, for example, 100 ppb or less. In one embodiment, the nerol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is preferably in the range of 1.2 to 80 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 80 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 70 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 60 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 50 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 30 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 20 ppb, and particularly preferably 1.5 to 15 ppb. In this specification, the unit "ppb" is synonymous with "μg / L".

[0013] The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be obtained by adjusting the nerol concentration during its production. The specific means for adjusting the nerol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, and examples include adding nerol to the raw materials and / or intermediates of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage, increasing or decreasing the amount of raw materials containing nerol used, increasing or decreasing the amount of raw materials that generate nerol in the final product, and adjusting the concentration of a substance that is converted to nerol by fermentation with yeast.

[0014] The concentration of nerol in a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage can be measured by GC / MS analysis. In order to measure the concentration more accurately, it is desirable to use a calibration curve created based on the measured values ​​of several control samples with known concentrations. This GC / MS analysis can be performed, for example, as follows. First, the components in the beverage are extracted using a C18 solid-phase column, and the dichloromethane elution fraction is used as the analysis sample. Quantitation is performed by the internal standard method, and borneol is used as the internal standard substance and is added to the analysis sample to achieve a concentration of 25 ppb. The analysis conditions for GC / MS can be, for example, those shown in Table 1 below.

[0015] [Table 1]

[0016] The alcohol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but is preferably more than 3% by volume (v / v%), more preferably 3.5% by volume or more, and even more preferably 4% by volume or more. The alcohol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but is, for example, 20% by volume or less. In one embodiment, the alcohol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is preferably more than 3% by volume and 10% by volume or less, more preferably more than 3% by volume and 7% by volume or less, and more preferably more than 3% by volume and 6% by volume or less. Alternatively, the alcohol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is preferably 3.5 to 10% by volume, more preferably 3.5 to 7% by volume, and more preferably 3.5 to 6% by volume. Alternatively, the alcohol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is preferably 4 to 10% by volume, and more preferably 4 to 7% by volume. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the alcohol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is 4 to 6% by volume. By adjusting the alcohol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage to the above range, the harshness in the mouth and the disharmony of the aftertaste of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage can be further reduced even if the nerol concentration is the same. The alcohol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage can be measured by a known method, specifically, based on the "BCOJ Beer Analysis Method 8.3.6 Alcolyzer Method" established by the National Tax Agency of Japan.

[0017] In one preferred embodiment, the nerol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is 1.2 ppb or more, more preferably 1.3 ppb or more, even more preferably 1.4 ppb or more, particularly preferably 1.5 ppb or more, and 100 ppb or less, and the alcohol concentration is more than 3 vol.%, more preferably 3.5 vol.% or more, particularly preferably 4 vol.% or more, and 20 vol.% or less. More specifically, the nerol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is preferably 1.2 to 80 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 80 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 70 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 60 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 50 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 30 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 20 ppb, and particularly preferably 1.5 to 15 ppb, and the alcohol concentration is preferably more than 3 volume% and not more than 10 volume%, more preferably more than 3 volume% and not more than 7 volume%, more preferably more than 3 volume% and not more than 6 volume%, or preferably 3.5 to 10 volume%, more preferably 3.5 to 7 volume%, more preferably 3.5 to 6 volume%, or preferably 4 to 10 volume%, more preferably 4 to 7 volume%, and particularly preferably 4 to 6 volume%. By adjusting the nerol concentration and the alcohol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage to the above ranges, respectively, the harshness in the mouth and the disharmony of the aftertaste of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage can be reduced.

[0018] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the nerol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is 1.5 to 60 ppb, and the alcohol concentration is 4 to 6% by volume. By adjusting the nerol concentration and the alcohol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage to the above ranges, respectively, it is possible to reduce the harshness in the mouth and the disharmony of the aftertaste of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage, and to achieve a good balance between the aroma and the taste. In particular, by adjusting the nerol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage to 1.5 to 15 ppb and the alcohol concentration to 4 to 6% by volume, it is possible to achieve a particularly good balance between the aroma and the taste.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is a beverage with a sugar content reduced compared to normal. This "reduced compared to normal" means that the sugar content is reduced when producing the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage. The sugar concentration in such a low-sugar beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is not particularly limited as long as the effect of the present invention is exhibited, but is, for example, 1.5 g / 100 mL or less, preferably less than 1.5 g / 100 mL, more preferably 1.1 g / 100 mL or less, more preferably 1.0 g / 100 mL or less, more preferably less than 1.0 g / 100 mL, more preferably 0.5 g / 100 mL or less, and particularly preferably less than 0.5 g / 100 mL. In one embodiment, the sugar concentration in the low-sugar beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is 0.4 g / mL or less.

[0020] The concentration of carbohydrates in a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage can be measured by a known method, specifically, based on the "Food Labeling Standards (March 30, 2015, Food Labeling Table No. 139) Attachment: Analytical Methods for Nutritional Components, etc." established by the Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan. More specifically, the carbohydrate concentration can be measured by subtracting the mass of each of the water, protein, lipid, ash, and dietary fiber from the mass of the sample to be measured.

[0021] The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention may be a carbonated beverage. The carbon dioxide pressure in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage may be appropriately adjusted depending on the type, taste, aroma, etc. of the desired beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage. The carbon dioxide pressure in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage may be adjusted, for example, within the range of 0.05 to 0.4 MPa (gas pressure at 20°C).

[0022] The pH of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be appropriately adjusted depending on the type, taste, aroma, etc. of the desired beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage. The pH of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage can be adjusted to, for example, 2.0 to 5.0, preferably 2.3 to 4.8, and more preferably 2.9 to 4.5. The pH of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage can be measured using a commercially available pH meter (for example, HORIBA Scientific tabletop pH meter, manufactured by HORIBA Advanced Techno Co., Ltd.).

[0023] The form of provision of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably provided as a packaged beverage. The container in which the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is packaged is not particularly limited as long as it is a container that is usually used for packaged beverages, and examples thereof include metal cans, barrel containers, plastic bottles (e.g., PET bottles, cups), paper containers, bottles, pouch containers, etc. In a preferred embodiment, the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is provided as a packaged beverage packaged in a metal can, barrel container, plastic bottle, or bottle.

[0024] In one embodiment, the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be produced according to a conventional method for producing a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage, except for adjusting the concentration of nerol.Conventional methods for producing a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage include, for example, a method of fermenting a pre-fermentation liquid containing at least water and malt by a fermentation process, that is, a method of adding fermentation yeast to wort (pre-fermentation liquid) prepared from brewing raw materials such as malt, fermenting the wort to obtain a fermentation liquid, storing the obtained fermentation liquid at a low temperature as necessary, and then removing the yeast from the fermentation liquid by a filtration process.

[0025] In the above-mentioned method for producing a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage, hops (including processed hop products) can be added to the intermediate of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage at any stage of the process. The amount of hops added can be appropriately adjusted depending on the type, taste, aroma, etc. of the desired beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage. The amount of hops added is typically adjusted to 0.1 to 5 g / L, preferably 0.1 to 2 g / L, more preferably 0.2 to 1.5 g / L, relative to the amount of pre-fermentation liquid in the fermentation step.

[0026] In the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention, in addition to malt, hops, and water, other brewing raw materials can be used, such as rice, corn, sorghum, potato, starch, sugars (e.g., liquid sugar, etc.), fruits, coriander, and other auxiliary raw materials specified by the Liquor Tax Law, as well as other additives such as protein hydrolysates, nitrogen sources such as yeast extract, colorants, foaming / foam retention improvers, water quality regulators, and fermentation aids. In addition, ungerminated wheat (e.g., ungerminated barley (including extracts), ungerminated wheat (including extracts), etc.) can also be used as a brewing raw material.

[0027] [Method of producing beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage (hereinafter also referred to as the "production method of the present invention"). The production method of the present invention includes a step of adjusting the concentration of nerol in a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage to a predetermined range. The specific means for adjusting the concentration of nerol in a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, and examples include adding nerol to the raw materials and / or intermediates of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage, increasing or decreasing the amount of raw materials containing nerol used, increasing or decreasing the amount of raw materials that produce nerol in the final product, and adjusting the concentration of a substance that is converted to nerol by fermentation with yeast.

[0028] In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the nerol concentration, alcohol concentration, carbohydrate concentration, carbon dioxide pressure, pH, and methods for adjusting and measuring these in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can all be the same as those for the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention described above.

[0029] The form of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage obtained by the production method of the present invention can be the same as that of the above-mentioned beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention.

[0030] The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage obtained by the manufacturing method of the present invention can use hops (including processed hop products), other additives, ungerminated wheat, etc. as raw materials, in the same manner as described above for the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention.

[0031] Method for reducing harshness or aftertaste in the mouth in beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for reducing the harshness in the mouth or the disharmony of the aftertaste in a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage (hereinafter also referred to as the "method of the present invention"). The method of the present invention includes a step of adjusting the concentration of nerol in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage to a predetermined range. The specific means for adjusting the concentration of nerol in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, and examples include adding nerol to the raw materials and / or intermediates of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage, increasing or decreasing the amount of raw materials containing nerol used, increasing or decreasing the amount of raw materials that produce nerol in the final product, and adjusting the concentration of substances that are converted to nerol by fermentation with yeast.

[0032] In the method of the present invention, the concentration of nerol in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is adjusted to 1.2 ppb or more, preferably 1.3 ppb or more, more preferably 1.4 ppb or more, and even more preferably 1.5 ppb or more. In the method of the present invention, the concentration of nerol in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but is adjusted to, for example, 100 ppb or less. In one embodiment, the range of the nerol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is preferably adjusted to 1.2 to 80 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 80 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 70 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 60 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 50 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 30 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 20 ppb, and particularly preferably 1.5 to 15 ppb. By adjusting the concentration of nerol in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage to the above range, the harshness in the mouth and / or the disharmony of the aftertaste of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage can be reduced. EXAMPLES

[0033] The present invention will be described more specifically based on the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0034] Example 1: Relationship between nerol concentration and mouth harshness and aftertaste disharmony in beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages In this example, the relationship between the concentration of nerol in test brewed beer and the harshness in the mouth and unpleasant aftertaste of the beer was investigated according to the following procedure.

[0035] (1) Preparation of tasting samples Tasting samples of beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages were prepared according to the following procedure. Malt was saccharified using an enzyme preparation mainly containing glucoamylase, and filtered to obtain wort. Barley malt was mainly used as the malt. Hops and liquid sugar mainly containing assimilable sugar were added to the obtained wort, and the mixture was boiled at 100°C. The wort was then left to stand to separate the coagulated protein (trube), and then cooled to obtain a pre-fermentation liquid. Bottom-fermenting yeast was added to the obtained pre-fermentation liquid, and main fermentation and post-fermentation were performed to obtain a fermentation liquid. The obtained fermentation liquid was stored at a low temperature to stop the fermentation, and filtered to obtain a clear beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage. The malt usage ratio of the obtained beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage was 60%.

[0036] The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage was diluted with water to obtain a base beverage so that the sugar concentration of the obtained beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage was 0.4 g / 100 mL. Next, alcohol for alcoholic beverages (manufactured by Daiichi Alcohol Co., Ltd., alcohol concentration 95%) was added to the obtained base beverage so that the alcohol concentration was 3 vol%, 4 vol%, and 6 vol%, respectively. Furthermore, nerol was added so that the nerol concentration was 1 ppb, 1.5 ppb, 15 ppb, and 60 ppb, respectively, to prepare each of the tasting samples of test plots 1 to 10. The alcohol, sugar, and nerol concentrations in each beverage in the examples were measured according to the following methods.

[0037] The alcohol concentration in each beverage in the examples was measured in accordance with the "BCOJ Beer Analysis Method 8.3.6 Alcolyzer Method" established by the National Tax Agency of Japan.

[0038] The carbohydrate concentration in each beverage in the examples was measured by subtracting the mass of water, protein, lipids, ash, and dietary fiber from the mass of the beverage to be measured, based on the "Food Labeling Standards (March 30, 2015, Food Labeling Table No. 139) Annex: Analytical Methods for Nutritional Components, etc." established by the Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan.

[0039] The concentration of nerol in each beverage in the examples was measured by GC / MS analysis under the following conditions. Specifically, the components in the beverage were extracted using a C18 solid-phase column, and the dichloromethane eluted fraction was used as the analytical sample. Quantitation was performed by the internal standard method, and borneol was used as the internal standard substance, and was added to the analytical sample to achieve a concentration of 25 ppb. [Table 2]

[0040] (2) Sensory evaluation of tasting samples A trained panel of seven members conducted a sensory evaluation of the tasting samples from each test group prepared in (1) above. The evaluation items for the sensory evaluation were "harshness in the mouth," "disharmony of aftertaste," and "balance of aroma and taste." The specific evaluation criteria for each evaluation item are shown below.

[0041] The harshness of the tasting samples from each test group was evaluated by comparing it with the harshness of the tasting sample from test group 1, which has an alcohol concentration of 3% by volume and a nerol concentration of 1 ppb, given a score of 3.0. A score lower than 3.0 indicates a weaker harshness in the mouth compared to the tasting sample from test group 1, and a score higher than 3.0 indicates a stronger harshness in the mouth compared to the tasting sample from test group 1.

[0042] The aftertaste disharmony of the tasting samples from each test group was evaluated by comparing the aftertaste disharmony caused by the alcohol or harshness derived from the ingredients of the tasting sample from test group 1, which was assigned a score of 3.0. A score lower than 3.0 indicates that the aftertaste disharmony caused by the alcohol or harshness derived from the ingredients was weaker compared to the tasting sample from test group 1, and a score higher than 3.0 indicates that the aftertaste disharmony caused by the alcohol or harshness derived from the ingredients was stronger compared to the tasting sample from test group 1.

[0043] The balance of aroma and taste of the tasting samples of each test group was evaluated by comparing it with the aroma and taste balance of the tasting sample of test group 1, which was given a score of 3.0. A score higher than 3.0 indicates a better balance of aroma and taste compared to the tasting sample of test group 1, and a score lower than 3.0 indicates a worse balance of aroma and taste compared to the tasting sample of test group 1.

[0044] The results of the sensory evaluation of the samples from each test group are summarized in Table 3. The scores of the sensory evaluation results are all shown as the average value ± standard deviation. [Table 3]

[0045] The results shown in Table 3 indicate that the harshness in the mouth and the disharmony of the aftertaste were weaker in all the tasting samples of test plots 2 to 10 than in the tasting sample of test plot 1. In particular, the harshness in the mouth and the disharmony of the aftertaste were weaker in the tasting samples of test plots 2, 4 to 6, and 8 to 10 than in the tasting sample of test plot 1, indicating that by adjusting the concentration of nerol to a predetermined range, both the harshness in the mouth and the disharmony of the aftertaste can be reduced regardless of the alcohol concentration. Furthermore, it was shown that the balance between the aroma and the taste was good in each of the tasting samples of test plots 4 to 6 and 8 to 10 compared to the tasting sample of test plot 1, and in particular, the balance between the aroma and the taste was particularly good in each of the test samples of test plots 4 to 5 and 8 to 9.

[0046] Therefore, in order to reduce the harshness in the mouth and unpleasant aftertaste in a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage, it has been shown that the nerol concentration is adjusted to 1.2 ppb or more, preferably 1.2 to 80 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 60 ppb, and even more preferably 1.5 to 15 ppb.

Claims

1. A beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage (excluding Brut IPA), having a malt usage ratio of 50 to 100 mass%, a carbohydrate concentration of less than 0.5 g / 100 mL, an alcohol concentration of more than 3 vol% and not more than 6 vol%, and a nerol concentration of 1.2 ppb or more and not more than 100 ppb.

2. 2. The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, having a nerol concentration of 1.5 to 60 ppb.

3. The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which is a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage excluding a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage having a malt usage ratio of 100% by mass.

4. The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the raw materials include a secondary raw material selected from the group consisting of rice, corn, corn, potato, starch, sugar, fruit, and coriander, and the malt usage ratio is 50% by mass or more.

5. The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage according to claim 4 , wherein the sugar is liquid sugar.

6. A beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage containing 50 to 100% by mass of malt (excluding Brut IPA). ), the method comprising the steps of adjusting the nerol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage to 1.2 ppb or more and 100 ppb or less, adjusting the carbohydrate concentration to less than 0.5 g / 100 mL, and adjusting the alcohol concentration to more than 3 vol.% and 6 vol.% or less.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the concentration of nerol is adjusted to 1.5 to 60 ppb.

8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage other than a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage having a malt usage ratio of 100% by mass.

9. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage contains as a raw material a secondary raw material selected from the group consisting of rice, corn, sorghum, potato, starch, sugar, fruit, and coriander, and has a malt usage ratio of 50% by mass or more.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the sugar is a liquid sugar.

11. A method for reducing harshness in the mouth or disharmony in the aftertaste in a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage (excluding Brut IPA) having a malt usage ratio of 50 to 100 mass%, a carbohydrate concentration of less than 0.5 g / 100 mL, and an alcohol concentration of more than 3 volume % and not more than 6 volume %, the method comprising a step of adjusting the nerol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage to 1.2 ppb or more and 100 ppb or less.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the concentration of nerol is adjusted to 1.5 to 60 ppb.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage other than a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage having a malt usage ratio of 100% by mass.

14. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage contains as a raw material a secondary raw material selected from the group consisting of rice, corn, sorghum, potato, starch, sugar, fruit, and coriander, and the malt usage ratio is 50% by mass or more.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the sugar is a liquid sugar.

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