Method for enhancing the richness of fermented malt beverages

Abstract

To provide a method for producing a fermented malt beverage that has a sufficiently reduced saccharide content even when the ratio of malt used in the fermentation raw material is increased, and to provide a method for enhancing the richness of a fermented malt beverage having a remarkably low saccharide content regardless of the proportion of malt used in the starchy raw material.SOLUTION: Provided is a method for enhancing richness of fermented malt beverage in which, characterized, malt is used as raw material, glucoamylase is added in at least one of the charge step and the fermentation step, transglucosidase is added in the fermentation step, and the saccharide in the produced fermented malt beverage is less than 0.5 g / 100 mL.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a fermented malt beverage in which the carbohydrate content is sufficiently reduced even when the proportion of malt used in the fermentation raw material is increased, and to a fermented malt beverage produced by said method. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, consumers' health consciousness and changing tastes have led to an increased need for beer-flavored beverages with low sugar content. A beer-flavored beverage is a sparkling beverage that has the same or similar flavor, taste, and texture as beer. In the case of a beer-flavored beverage obtained by fermenting fermentation ingredients, the sugar content in the final product, the beer-flavored beverage, can be reduced by reducing the non-assimilated sugar content in the fermentation liquid. For this reason, the sugar content can be reduced by increasing the ratio of liquid sugar, etc., which has a low non-assimilated sugar content, as a fermentation ingredient. However, when the ratio of grain ingredients used is high, the grain aroma and richness are enhanced, but the sugar content tends to be high.

[0003] Known methods for producing beer-taste beverages with low sugar content include, for example, adding glucoamylase or pullulanase during the brewing or fermentation process. These enzymes can decompose most of the starch that contributes to the sugars contained in the final product into sugars that can be assimilated by yeast. However, non-assimilable branched chain sugars such as isomaltose are not converted into assimilable sugars by these enzymes and remain in the final product. For this reason, this method cannot reduce sugars to the minimum extent.

[0004] Also, a method is known in which α-glucosidase (another name for transglucosidase) is allowed to act in the fermentation process to produce glucose as an assimilable sugar and increase the degree of true fermentation, thereby reducing the content of non-assimilable sugars in the final product (see, for example, Patent Document 1). However, simply adding transglucosidase during fermentation was not enough to sufficiently reduce the content of non-assimilable sugars in the final product.

[0005] Thus, although several methods are known for reducing the carbohydrate content of beer-taste beverages, none of these methods have been able to sufficiently reduce the carbohydrate content when a high proportion of starchy raw materials containing a relatively high content of non-assimilable sugars are used. In particular, because the amount of branched-chain sugars increases during the malting process in which barley is germinated (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1), there have been no beer-taste beverages to date that use a high proportion of malt in which the carbohydrate content has been reduced to less than 0.5 g / 100 mL.

[0006] Transglucosidase produces glucose through hydrolysis, but when the substrate concentration is high, it also undergoes a sugar transfer reaction. For example, in a beer-flavored beverage produced from malt through a fermentation process, adding transglucosidase before the heat treatment in the brewing process allows the product to contain high concentrations of isomaltooligosaccharides such as isomaltose and panose, resulting in enhanced full-bodied flavor (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] JP 2002-253197 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2002-199873 A [Non-patent literature]

[0008] [Non-Patent Document 1] Allosio-Ouarnier, et al., Journal of The Institute of Brewing, 2000, Vol. 106, No. 1, pp. 45-52. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a fermented malt beverage having a significantly low sugar content, regardless of the proportion of malt used in the fermentation raw material, and a method for producing the fermented malt beverage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] As a result of intensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems, the inventors have discovered that in the production of a fermented malt beverage, by adding glucoamylase in at least one of the brewing process and the fermentation process, and adding transglucosidase in the fermentation process, it is possible to produce a fermented malt beverage with a significantly reduced carbohydrate content, even when the proportion of malt used in the fermentation raw material is increased, and have completed the present invention.

[0011] The present invention has the following configuration: (1) A method for enhancing the richness of a fermented malt beverage, comprising using malt as a raw material, the amount of malt used being 65 to 100 mass% of the fermentation raw material, adding transglucosidase and glucoamylase in the fermentation process, and producing a fermented malt beverage having a sugar content of less than 0.5 g / 100 mL; (2) A method for enhancing the richness of a fermented malt beverage according to (1) above, characterized in that 3 U or more of transglucosidase is added per 1 g of the extract to the fermentation liquid; (3) A method for enhancing the richness of a fermented malt beverage according to (1) or (2), characterized in that the fermentation step is carried out at 5 to 15°C; and (4) A fermented malt beverage, characterized in that the amount of malt used is 50 to 100 mass% of the fermentation raw material and the sugar content is less than 0.5 g / 100 mL. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the method for producing a fermented malt beverage of the present invention, a fermented malt beverage having a significantly low sugar content can be produced, regardless of the proportion of malt used in the fermentation raw material. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] In the present invention and the present specification, a fermented malt beverage is a beverage produced by using malt as a raw material and going through a fermentation process. The fermented malt beverage produced by the method for producing a fermented malt beverage according to the present invention (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "production method according to the present invention") may be an alcoholic beverage, or may be a so-called non-alcoholic beverage or low-alcohol beverage having an alcohol content of less than 1% by volume. In addition, it may be a liqueur obtained by mixing a beverage produced by using malt as a raw material and going through a fermentation process with an alcohol-containing distilled liquid. The alcohol-containing distilled liquid is a solution containing alcohol obtained by a distillation operation, and spirits and other beverages generally classified as distilled alcoholic beverages can be used. The fermented malt beverage produced by the production method according to the present invention is preferably a beer-flavored beverage. Specifically, beer, happoshu, and liqueurs obtained by mixing beer or happoshu with an alcohol-containing distilled liquid can be mentioned.

[0014] The production method according to the present invention includes a brewing step and a fermentation step, and is characterized in that malt is used as a raw material, glucoamylase is added in at least one of the brewing step and the fermentation step, and transglucosidase is added in the fermentation step. More specifically, glucoamylase is added to a brewing tank and / or a fermentation tank for saccharifying the raw material, and transglucosidase is added to the fermentation tank to promote the reaction of decomposing carbohydrates in the raw material into carbohydrates that can be assimilated by yeast, thereby producing a fermented malt beverage. As a result, the amount of non-assimilated carbohydrates in the raw material is reduced, and a fermented malt beverage with a low carbohydrate content can be produced. According to the production method according to the present invention, the amount of non-assimilated isomaltooligosaccharides, such as isomaltose and nigerose, remaining in the final product can be significantly reduced. Isomaltooligosaccharides are not normally assimilated by yeast, and therefore remain as carbohydrate components in the final product. In contrast, in the production method of the present invention, glucoamylase and transglucosidase are added at the appropriate time to decompose the sugar into glucose, which is then assimilated by yeast through fermentation, resulting in a reduction in the amount of carbohydrate remaining in the final product.

[0015] The glucoamylase used in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is an enzyme having catalytic activity for cleaving the non-reducing end of starch to produce glucose, and glucoamylases derived from various organisms can be used. For example, any of commercially available glucoamylases may be used, and these may also be used in combination.

[0016] Glucoamylase has the effect of decomposing starch in both the brewing step and the fermentation step, and therefore, in the production method according to the present invention, glucoamylase may be added in at least one of the brewing step and the fermentation step, or may be added in both steps.

[0017] When glucoamylase is added during the brewing process, the time of glucoamylase addition is not particularly limited as long as the enzyme reaction caused by the glucoamylase added by the end of the brewing process is sufficiently carried out. For example, glucoamylase may be added together with fermentation raw materials such as malt at the time of preparation of the mash, or may be added during the saccharification reaction. In the present invention, in order to allow the enzyme reaction caused by glucoamylase to proceed sufficiently, it is preferable to add glucoamylase at the time of preparation of the mash or at an early stage of the brewing process, and it is more preferable to add it at the time of preparation of the mash. Similarly, when glucoamylase is added during the fermentation process, the time of glucoamylase addition is not particularly limited as long as the enzyme reaction caused by the glucoamylase added by the end of the fermentation process is sufficiently carried out, but it is preferable to add it by the start of fermentation, and it is more preferable to add it to the cold wort at the start of fermentation or before the start of fermentation.

[0018] The transglucosidase used in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is an enzyme having catalytic activity for decomposing carbohydrates by hydrolysis, and transglucosidases derived from various organisms can be used. For example, any of commercially available transglucosidases may be used, and these may also be used in combination.

[0019] As mentioned above, whether transglucosidase catalyzes a sugar transfer reaction or a hydrolysis reaction depends on the substrate concentration. In the preparation process, the substrate concentration is high, so the equilibrium is inclined toward the sugar transfer reaction. For this reason, in order to decompose non-assimilated sugars such as isomaltooligosaccharides, transglucosidase must be added in the fermentation process. The timing of adding transglucosidase is not particularly limited as long as the enzyme reaction caused by the added transglucosidase is sufficiently carried out by the end of the fermentation process, and it may be added by the start of fermentation or may be added to the fermentation liquid during the fermentation process. In addition, the entire amount of transglucosidase to be used may be added at one time, or it may be added in several portions.

[0020] When transglucosidase is added at the beginning of fermentation when the substrate concentration is high, isomaltooligosaccharides are produced by a sugar transfer reaction, which tends to cause delays in fermentation and increases the amount of carbohydrate components remaining that are not consumed in fermentation, making it difficult to sufficiently reduce the carbohydrate content remaining in the final product. In contrast, in the production method according to the present invention, glucoamylase is used in combination with transglucosidase, so fermentation delays are less likely to occur than when transglucosidase is used alone, and the amount of carbohydrate components remaining can be significantly reduced more than ever before.

[0021] The amount of glucoamylase and transglucosidase to be added is not particularly limited as long as the enzyme reaction by each of them is sufficiently carried out, and can be appropriately determined in consideration of the type and titer of the enzyme to be used, the reaction temperature, the reaction time, etc. For example, by extending the fermentation time and the subsequent storage period, the amount of enzyme required to reduce the carbohydrate content in the final product to a desired range can be reduced. For example, when the fermentation and storage period is a period normally carried out in the production of beer, happoshu, etc., it is preferable to add 3 U or more of transglucosidase per 1 g of grain-derived extract (soluble evaporation residue), more preferably 30 U or more, and even more preferably 80 U or more. When the fermentation and storage period is carried out for a period longer than normal, it is also possible to add less than 3 U / g of transglucosidase.

[0022] The production method according to the present invention can employ a general method for producing alcoholic fermented malt beverages such as beer and low-malt beer, except that glucoamylase is added in at least one of the brewing step and the fermentation step, and transglucosidase is added in the fermentation step. For example, the production method according to the present invention can be carried out in the steps of brewing, fermentation, storage, filtration, and filling.

[0023] First, in the brewing process, wort is prepared from fermentation raw materials including malt. Specifically, malt or its crushed material, fermentation raw materials other than malt as necessary, and raw material water are added to a brewing tank and mixed to prepare wort. The preparation of wort can be performed by a conventional method, such as holding the wort at 35 to 70°C for 20 to 90 minutes. Thereafter, the wort is gradually heated and held at a predetermined temperature for a certain period of time, whereby starch is saccharified using enzymes derived from malt or enzymes added to the wort. After the saccharification process, the wort is held at 76 to 78°C for about 10 minutes, and then the wort is filtered in a wort filtration tank to obtain a clear wort.

[0024] The malt used in the present invention may be barley or the like germinated by a general malting process. Specifically, malt can be produced by soaking harvested barley, wheat, oats, or the like in water to allow them to germinate appropriately, and then drying them with hot air. The malt may be crushed by a conventional method.

[0025] Fermentation raw materials other than malt include, for example, starchy raw materials such as barley, wheat, corn starch, corn grits, rice, and koryan, and carbohydrate raw materials such as liquid sugar and sugar. Liquid sugar is produced by decomposing and saccharifying starch with an acid or a saccharifying enzyme, and mainly contains glucose, maltose, maltotriose, and the like.

[0026] In the production method according to the present invention, even if the ratio of starchy raw materials to the fermentation raw materials is high, the carbohydrate content in the final product can be significantly reduced. Therefore, by using the production method according to the present invention, the ratio of starchy raw materials, particularly malt, to the fermentation raw materials can be increased without increasing the carbohydrate content. In order to more fully exert the effects of the production method according to the present invention, it is preferable to use only starchy raw materials as the fermentation raw materials, and the ratio of malt to the fermentation raw materials is preferably 50% or more, and more preferably 65 to 100%. In general, the higher the ratio of malt to the fermentation raw materials, the higher the content of non-assimilated sugars remaining in the final product tends to be. However, by using the production method according to the present invention, even if the ratio of malt to the fermentation raw materials is 100%, a fermented malt beverage with a carbohydrate content of less than 0.5 g / 100 mL can be produced.

[0027] In addition to the fermentation raw material and glucoamylase, saccharification enzymes such as α-amylase and pullulanase, and enzymes such as protease can be added to the mashed soybean as necessary. In addition, spices, herbs, fruits, etc. may be added as long as they do not inhibit the effects of the present invention.

[0028] The temperature and time during saccharification can be appropriately determined taking into consideration the type of enzyme added, such as glucoamylase, the amount of mash, the desired quality of the fermented malt beverage, etc. For example, saccharification can be performed by maintaining at 60 to 72°C for 30 to 90 minutes.

[0029] Alternatively, wort may be obtained by adding a portion of the malt, a portion or all of the barley, and warm water to a mash kettle, mixing the prepared mash, subjecting the mash to a saccharification treatment, mixing the resulting mixture with the mash that has been saccharified in the mash tank described above, and filtering the mixture in a wort filtration tank.

[0030] The wort thus obtained is boiled. The boiling method and conditions can be appropriately determined. By appropriately adding herbs, flavorings, etc. before or during the boiling process, a fermented malt beverage having a desired flavor can be produced.

[0031] In the present invention, it is preferred to add hops before or during the boiling treatment. By performing a boiling treatment in the presence of hops, the flavor and aroma of the hops can be extracted. The amount of hops to be added, the manner of addition (for example, adding in several portions), and the boiling conditions can be appropriately determined.

[0032] The boiled wort is preferably transferred to a settling tank called a whirlpool, where hop residue and coagulated proteins resulting from boiling are removed. The wort is then cooled to an appropriate fermentation temperature using a plate cooler. The cooled wort may be subjected to the fermentation process as is, or may be subjected to the fermentation process after being adjusted to a desired extract concentration.

[0033] Next, in the fermentation step, yeast is inoculated into the cold wort, and the cold wort is transferred to a fermentation tank for fermentation. The yeast used for fermentation is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately selected from yeasts usually used in the production of alcoholic beverages. Although top-fermenting yeast or bottom-fermenting yeast may be used, bottom-fermenting yeast is preferable because it is easily applicable to large-scale brewing equipment. When transglucosidase is added before the start of fermentation, the transglucosidase may be added to the cold wort before yeast inoculation, or may be added to the cold wort before yeast inoculation after adjusting the extract concentration, or may be added together with the yeast.

[0034] In addition to isomaltooligosaccharides, glycerol is another carbohydrate component remaining in a fermented malt beverage. Glycerol is produced by yeast during fermentation, and is generally contained in beer-taste beverages at about 1000 to 2000 ppm. As shown in the Reference Examples below, the glycerol content increases in proportion to the fermentation temperature, so from the viewpoints of the glycerol content and flavor, the fermentation temperature is preferably 5 to 15°C, more preferably 5 to 13°C.

[0035] Furthermore, in the storage process, the obtained fermented liquid is aged in a storage tank and stored under low-temperature conditions at about 0°C for stabilization, and then in the filtration process, the aged fermented liquid is filtered to remove yeast, proteins, etc., to obtain the desired fermented malt beverage. In addition, in the process following the yeast fermentation process, liqueurs as defined by the Liquor Tax Act can be produced by blending with spirits, for example. The obtained fermented malt beverage is usually bottled in a filling process and shipped as a product. EXAMPLES

[0036] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to examples and reference examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0037] <Measurement of each sugar content> The sugar content (mg / L) in the wort or fermented malt beverage was calculated based on the peak area obtained by detecting disaccharides, trisaccharides, and tetrasaccharides separated by high performance liquid chromatography using a mass spectrometer. The following instruments were used: Pump L-2100, autosampler L-2200, column oven L-2300 (Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation), and mass spectrometer API3000 (AB SCIEX).

[0038] When measuring disaccharides, high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry was carried out under the following conditions. Detection: Electrospray Ionization (ESI) positive, Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) m / z 360.0 → 163.1, Column: Hypercarb (2.1 mm × 150 mm, 3 μm, ThermoScientific), Column temperature: 60 ° C, Flow rate: 0.2 mL / min, Mobile phase A: 10 mmol / L ammonium acetate water (0.1 vol % acetic acid), Mobile phase B: Methanol, Gradient conditions: 0 to 10 minutes (mobile phase B concentration: 0 vol %) → 10 to 25 minutes (mobile phase B concentration: 3 vol %) → 25 to 40 minutes (mobile phase B concentration: 13 vol %) → 40 to 50 minutes (mobile phase B concentration: 18 vol %) → 50 to 60 minutes (mobile phase B concentration: 40 vol %) → 60 to 70 minutes (mobile phase B concentration: 80 vol %) → 70 to 85 minutes (mobile phase B concentration: 0 vol %).

[0039] When trisaccharides were measured, the analysis conditions were as follows: detection: ESI positive, MRM m / z 522.5→325.1. When tetrasaccharide was measured, the analysis conditions were as follows: detection: ESI positive, MRM m / z 684.5→325.1.

[0040] <Measurement of wort fermentation degree> The degree of fermentation of the wort was measured according to the method (7.3 and 8.11 Final degree of fermentation) described in the revised BCOJ (Brewery Convention of Japan) analysis method (published by the Brewing Society of Japan). That is, yeast was added to the wort to ferment all the fermentable extract, and the extract concentration was measured, and the degree of fermentation was calculated from the measured value and the extract concentration of the original wort (wort before fermentation) that was measured in advance. Final fermentation rate (%) = ([extract concentration of original wort] - [extract concentration after fermentation]) / [extract concentration of original wort] x 100

[0041] [Example 1] A beer-flavored beverage was produced using a 200-liter scale brewing facility. First, 28 kg of malt pulverized material, 196 L of brewing water, and 20 U / g glucoamylase (Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd., product name: Glucozyme NLP) per malt pulverized material were added to the brewing tank, and a saccharified liquid was produced according to a conventional method. The resulting saccharified liquid was filtered using a wort filtration tank, and hops were added to the resulting wort, followed by boiling. Next, the wort was transferred to a settling tank to separate and remove the precipitate, and then cooled to about 10°C. The cold wort was adjusted to an extract content of 9.4% by mass, and then 80 U / mL of transglucosidase (Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd., product name: Transglucosidase L) was added to the cold wort in the test sample, but nothing was added to the control sample. The fermented liquids of both samples were introduced into different fermentation tanks, inoculated with brewer's yeast, and fermented at approximately 10°C for 7 days, after which they were aged in a storage tank for 8 days to obtain a beer-flavored beverage (alcohol content: 3.8% by volume).

[0042] The isomaltose, kojibiose, and nigerose contents of the resulting beer-taste beverage were measured. The measurement results are shown in Table 1. In the test sample in which transglucosidase was added during the fermentation process, the content of all sugars was less than 5 mg / L, and the carbohydrate content was significantly reduced compared to the control sample in which transglucosidase was not added. The carbohydrate content of the test sample was 0.4 g / 100 mL. It is clear from these results that the production method of the present invention can produce a beer-taste beverage with a low carbohydrate content and low calories, even when the malt usage ratio is 100%.

[0043] [Table 1]

[0044] [Example 2] A beer-taste beverage was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the di- to tetrasaccharide contents in the fermented liquid every other day from the start of fermentation to the end of fermentation, and in the beer-taste beverage after maturation were measured. Table 2 shows the measurement results for the control sample, and Table 3 shows the measurement results for the test sample. In Tables 2 and 3, "wort" refers to cold wort adjusted to 9.4% by mass of extract before yeast inoculation. Additionally, trehalose to cellobiose are disaccharides, melezitose to maltotriose are trisaccharides, and maltotetraose is a tetrasaccharide.

[0045] [Table 2]

[0046] [Table 3]

[0047] In the control sample, among the sugars shown in Table 2, only the content of maltose decreased to less than 5 mg / L on the third day of fermentation, but the contents of the other sugars did not change significantly during fermentation and maturation. In contrast, in the test sample, the content of isomaltose increased on the first day of fermentation, but then rapidly decreased, and on the fifth day of fermentation, it had decreased to less than 5 mg / L, similar to the control sample. Furthermore, the contents of maltose, neotrehalose, maltotriose, and maltotetraose had decreased to less than 5 mg / L by the second day of fermentation, and the contents of cellobiose and melezitose had decreased to less than 5 mg / L by the end of maturation. In addition, the content of gentiobiose also began to decrease from the sixth day of fermentation, and the content continued to decrease during the maturation period after the end of fermentation. As a result, the total value of the sugars shown in Table 2 was 100 mg / 100 mL for the control sample, while the test sample was only 7 mg / 100 mL.

[0048] [Example 3] Beer-taste beverages were obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that transglucosidase (Amano Enzyme, product name: Transglucosidase L) was added to the cold wort after adjusting the extract content to 9.4% by mass at 0, 3, or 300 U / mL. The contents of isomaltose, kojibiose, and nigerose were measured for each beer-taste beverage. The measurement results are shown in Table 4. In the beer-taste beverage to which 3 U / mL of transglucosidase was added per cold wort during the fermentation process, the isomaltose content was reduced to less than 5 mg / L. In the beer-taste beverage to which 300 U / mL of transglucosidase was added per cold wort, the contents of all three sugars were reduced to less than 5 mg / L.

[0049] [Table 4]

[0050] [Example 4] A beer-taste beverage was produced using a 200-liter scale brewing facility. First, 40 kg of malt powder and 160 L of brewing water were added to the brewing tank, and a saccharified liquid was produced according to a conventional method. The resulting saccharified liquid was filtered using a wort filtration tank, and hops were added to the resulting wort, followed by boiling. The wort was then transferred to a settling tank to separate and remove the precipitate, and then cooled to approximately 10°C. The cooled wort was adjusted to an extract content of 9.4% by mass, and glucoamylase (manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd., product name: Glucozyme NLP) and transglucosidase (manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd., product name: Transglucosidase L) were added in the amounts shown in Table 5. The fermented liquid of each sample was introduced into a different fermentation tank, inoculated with brewer's yeast, fermented at approximately 10°C for 7 days, and then aged in a sake storage tank for 7 days to obtain a beer-taste beverage.

[0051] The apparent extract (% by mass) of each beer-taste beverage was measured. The measurement results are shown in Table 5. The apparent extract refers to the extract of the beer-taste beverage expressed as the sucrose concentration (usually % by mass) of an aqueous sucrose solution with the same specific gravity at 20°C. Because it contains alcohol, the apparent extract is not an extract in the original sense (soluble evaporation residue = true extract). The apparent extract also contains extract components other than carbohydrates, such as dietary fiber and ash. However, in this example, all conditions were the same except for the enzyme used, so the components other than carbohydrates in each beer-taste beverage are considered to be equivalent.

[0052] [Table 5]

[0053] As a result, it was confirmed that the apparent extract and carbohydrate content were reduced in the test 1 and 2 samples to which enzymes were added, compared to the control sample to which no enzymes were added. The decrease in apparent extract was more significant and the carbohydrate content was lower in the test 2 sample to which transglucosidase was added in combination with glucoamylase, compared to the test 1 sample to which only transglucosidase was added.

[0054] A sensory test was conducted by a panel of four experts on the grain aroma and richness of the test 2 samples. The evaluation was conducted on a 5-point scale from 1 to 5 (1 being the case where the grain aroma and richness were hardly felt, and 5 being the case where they were felt very strongly), with a score of 2 being given to commercially available happoshu with a malt usage rate of less than 25% and a sugar content of less than 0.5 g / 100 mL. As a result, the grain aroma of the test 2 sample was evaluated as 3.75, and the richness was also evaluated as 3.75, both of which were higher than the commercially available happoshu used for comparison. In particular, the flavor of the test 2 sample was free of unpleasant odors due to the addition of enzymes or from raw materials such as auxiliary raw materials, and had a good flavor quality that was like beer. From these results, it is clear that the production method according to the present invention can produce a beer-taste beverage with excellent grain aroma and richness by increasing the malt usage rate without increasing the sugar content.

[0055] [Reference example 1] A 200-liter scale brewing facility was used to produce a beer-taste beverage. First, 40 kg of ground malt and 160 L of brewing water were added to the brewing tank, and a saccharified liquid was produced according to a conventional method. The resulting saccharified liquid was filtered using a wort filtration tank, and hops were added to the resulting wort, followed by boiling. The wort was then transferred to a settling tank to separate and remove the precipitate, and then cooled to approximately 5, 10, or 15°C. These cold worts were adjusted to an extract content of 7.3% by mass, and then introduced into different fermentation tanks, inoculated with brewer's yeast, and fermented at approximately 5, 10, or 15°C for 7 days, followed by aging in a storage tank for 7 days to obtain a beer-taste beverage. The glycerol concentration of each of the resulting beer-taste beverages was quantified using a commercially available glycerol quantification kit (manufactured by Cayman Chemical, product name: Glycerol Colorimetric Assay Kit). In addition, a five-member expert panel conducted a sensory evaluation of each beer-taste beverage. The glycerol quantification results and the sensory evaluation results are shown in Table 6. The numbers at the end of comments during the sensory evaluation indicate the number of panelists who made the comment. A tendency was observed for the glycerol concentration in the beer-taste beverage to increase with increasing fermentation temperature.

[0056] [Table 6] [Industrial Applicability]

[0057] The method for producing a fermented malt beverage according to the present invention makes it possible to produce a fermented malt beverage with a sufficiently reduced sugar content, even when the proportion of malt used in the fermentation raw material is high. The production method and the fermented malt beverage produced thereby can be used in the production of beer and other beer-flavored beverages made from malt.

Claims

1. Using malt as a raw material, Glucoamylase is added during the preparation and fermentation processes, In the fermentation process, transglucosidase is added, A method for producing a fermented malt beverage, characterized in that the content of any one of isomaltose, kojibiose and nigerose in the produced fermented malt beverage is less than 5 mg / L.

2. The method for producing a fermented malt beverage according to claim 1, wherein the sugar content in the produced fermented malt beverage is less than 0.5 g / 100 mL.

3. The method for producing a fermented malt beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the amount of malt used is 50 mass % or more of the fermentation raw material.

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