Beer-taste beverage

Abstract

Provided is a beer-flavoured beverage which has a total nitrogen amount of 5-85mg / 100mL or less, a bitterness of 5-35BUs, includes 150-900mg / L of citric acid, and uses corn grits as a raw material.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a beer-taste beverage.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in response to the diverse preferences of recent consumers, various beer-taste beverages have been developed and distributed in the market. For example, Patent Document 1 describes an invention related to a beer-taste beverage containing 0.3 to 5 ppm of quassin and / or 0.5 to 5 ppm of quinine for the purpose of providing a beer-taste beverage having a beer-like bitterness and aftertaste without using hops.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Under such circumstances, there is a demand for a novel beer-taste beverage having various characteristics typical of a beer-taste beverage (for example, taste, aftertaste sharpness, suppression of inappropriate sourness and bitterness, etc.).

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The present invention provides the following aspects [1] to

[26] . [1] The total nitrogen content is 5 to 85 mg / 100 mL or less, The bitterness value is 5 to 35 BUs, The content of citric acid is 150 to 900 mg / L, A beer-taste beverage using corn grits as a raw material. [2] The beer - flavored beverage according to [1] above, wherein the ratio of the content of citric acid (unit: mg / L) to the total nitrogen content (unit: mg / 100mL) [citric acid / total nitrogen content] is 2.5 to 20.0. [3] The beer - flavored beverage according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the usage ratio (X) of corn grits is 1 to 28% by mass based on the total amount of raw materials excluding water and hops. [4] The beer - flavored beverage according to any one of [1] to [3] above, which is a beverage using malt as a raw material. [5] The beer - flavored beverage according to [4] above, wherein the usage ratio (Y) of malt is 80% by mass or less based on the total amount of raw materials excluding water and hops. [6] The beer - flavored beverage according to [4] or [5] above, wherein the ratio [(Y) / (X)] of the usage ratio (Y) of malt to the usage ratio (X) of corn grits is 0.9 to 80.0. [7] The beer - flavored beverage according to any one of [4] to [6] above, wherein the total usage ratio of the usage ratio (X) of corn grits and the usage ratio (Y) of malt is 20 to 100% by mass based on the total amount of raw materials excluding water and hops. [8] The beer - flavored beverage according to any one of [1] to [7] above, wherein the content of saccharides selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and tetrasaccharides is 0.10 g / 100mL or more. [9] The beer - flavored beverage according to [8] above, wherein the ratio of the content of citric acid (unit: mg / L) to the content of saccharides (unit: g / 100mL) [citric acid / saccharides] is 100 to 6000.

[10] The beer - flavored beverage according to any one of [1] to [9] above, wherein the original extract concentration is 5.0 to 20.0% by mass.

[11] The beer - flavored beverage according to any one of [1] to

[10] above, wherein the free amino - nitrogen concentration is 3.0 to 16.0 mg / 100mL.

[12] A beer - flavored beverage which is a fermented beer - flavored beverage and is the beer - flavored beverage according to any one of [1] to

[11] above.

[13] The total nitrogen content is 5 to 85 mg / 100 mL or less, The bitterness value is 5 to 35 BUs, The content of citric acid is 150 to 900 mg / L, A beer - flavored beverage with an original extract concentration of 5.0 to 20.0 mass%.

[14] The total nitrogen content is 5 to 85 mg / 100 mL or less, The bitterness value is 5 to 35 BUs, The content of citric acid is 150 to 900 mg / L, A beer - flavored beverage with a free amino - nitrogen concentration of 3.0 to 16.0 mg / 100 mL.

[15] The total nitrogen content is 5 to 85 mg / 100 mL or less, The bitterness value is 5 to 35 BUs, The content of citric acid is 150 to 900 mg / L, A beer - flavored beverage in which the ratio of the original extract concentration (unit: mass%) to the total nitrogen content (unit: mg / 100 mL) [original extract concentration / total nitrogen content] is 0.050 to 0.900.

[16] The total nitrogen content is 5 to 85 mg / 100 mL or less, The bitterness value is 5 to 35 BUs, The content of citric acid is 150 to 900 mg / L, A beer - flavored beverage in which the ratio of the free amino - nitrogen concentration (unit: mg / 100 mL) to the total nitrogen content (unit: mg / 100 mL) [free amino - nitrogen concentration / total nitrogen content] is 0.010 to 0.800.

[17] A beer - flavored beverage according to any one of

[13] to

[16] above, in which the ratio of the content of citric acid (unit: mg / L) to the total nitrogen content (unit: mg / 100 mL) [citric acid / total nitrogen content] is 2.5 to 20.0.

[18] A beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above items

[13] to

[17] , which uses malt as a raw material.

[19] A beer-taste beverage according to the above item

[18] , wherein the usage ratio (Y) of malt is 80% by mass or less based on the total amount of raw materials excluding water and hops.

[20] A beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above items

[13] to

[19] , wherein the content of saccharides selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and tetrasaccharides is 0.10 g / 100 mL or more.

[21] A beer-taste beverage according to the above item

[20] , wherein the ratio [citric acid / saccharides] of the content of citric acid (unit: mg / L) to the content of saccharides (unit: g / 100 mL) is 100 to 6000.

[22] A beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above items

[14] to

[21] , wherein the original extract concentration is 5.0 to 20.0% by mass.

[23] A beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above items

[13] and

[15] to

[22] , wherein the free amino nitrogen concentration is 3.0 to 16.0 mg / 100 mL.

[24] A beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above items

[13] to

[23] , which is a fermented beer-taste beverage.

[25] A method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above items [1] to

[24] , which has the following steps (1) to (2). · Step (1): A step of obtaining a pre-fermentation liquid by performing at least one of saccharification treatment, boiling treatment, and solid content removal treatment on raw materials including water, malt, and corn grits. · Step (2): A step of adding yeast to the pre-fermentation liquid obtained in step (1) and performing alcohol fermentation.

[26] The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the above item

[25] , which further has the following step (3). · Step (3): A step of checking and / or adjusting at least one of the total nitrogen content, bitterness value, and citric acid content.

Advantages of the Invention

[0006] A beer-taste beverage according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention can be a beverage with improved various characteristics typical of a beer-taste beverage (e.g., taste, sharpness of aftertaste, suppression of inappropriate sourness and bitterness, etc.). Furthermore, a beer-taste beverage according to a more preferred embodiment can, in addition to these characteristics, be a beverage that can suppress the watery feeling inappropriate for a beer-taste beverage while reducing the sense of fullness when drunk.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0007] Regarding the numerical ranges described in this specification, the upper limit value and the lower limit value can be arbitrarily combined. For example, when the numerical range is described as "preferably 30 to 100, more preferably 40 to 80", ranges such as "30 to 80" and "40 to 100" are also included in the numerical ranges described in this specification. Also, for example, when the numerical range is described as "preferably 30 or more, more preferably 40 or more, and preferably 100 or less, more preferably 80 or less", ranges such as "30 to 80" and "40 to 100" are also included in the numerical ranges described in this specification. Also, as the numerical range described in this specification, for example, the description "60 to 100" means a range of "60 or more and 100 or less". Furthermore, in the provisions of the upper limit value and the lower limit value described in this specification, it is possible to appropriately select from each of the options and arbitrarily combine them to define a numerical range from the lower limit value to the upper limit value. In addition, the various requirements described as preferred embodiments in this specification can be combined in multiple ways.

[0008] 1. Beer - flavored beverage As used herein, the term "beer-flavored beverage" refers to an alcoholic or non-alcoholic carbonated beverage having a beer-like flavor. That is, unless otherwise specified, the beer-flavored beverages described herein include any carbonated beverage having a beer flavor. Therefore, the "beer-flavored beverage" includes, for example, not only beer, which is a malt-fermented beverage obtained by fermenting malt, hops, and water as raw materials using yeast, and fermented beer-flavored beverages, but also carbonated beverages having a beer flavor to which a beer flavoring containing esters, higher alcohols, lactones, etc. is added.

[0009] Examples of beer flavorings include isoamyl acetate, ethyl acetate, n-propanol, isobutanol, acetaldehyde, ethyl caproate, ethyl caprylate, isoamyl propionate, linalool, geraniol, citral, 4-vinylguaiacol (4-VG), 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid, 2-methyl-2-pentenoic acid, 1,4-cineole, 1,8-cineole, 2,3-diethyl-5-methylpyrazine, γ-decalactone, γ-undecalactone, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl n-butyrate, myrcene, citral, limonene, maltol, ethyl maltol, phenylacetic acid, furaneol, furfural, methional, 3-methyl-2-buten-1-thiol, 3-methyl-2-butanethiol, diacetyl, ferulic acid, geranic acid, geranyl acetate, ethyl butyrate, octanoic acid, decanoic acid, 9-decenoic acid, nonanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, propanoic acid, 2-methylpropanoic acid, γ-butyrolactone, 2-aminoacetophenone, ethyl 3-phenylpropionate, 2-ethyl-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone, dimethyl sulfone, 3-methylcyclopentane-1,2-dione, 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran-3-one, 2-acetylfuran, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran-3-one, hexanal, hexanol, cis-3-hexenal, 1-octen-3-ol, β-eudesmol, 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one, β-caryophyllene, β-myrcene, furfuryl alcohol, 2-ethylpyrazine, 2,3-dimethylpyrazine, 2-methylbutyl acetate, isoamyl alcohol, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, phenylacetaldehyde, 1-phenyl-3-buten-1-one, trans-2-hexenal, nonanal, phenethyl alcohol, etc.

[0010] Moreover, the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may be a fermented beer-taste beverage that has undergone a fermentation process using yeast, or it may be a non-fermented beer-taste beverage that has not undergone a fermentation process, but it is preferably a fermented beer-taste beverage. As a fermented beer - flavored beverage, it may be an ale - beer - flavored beverage brewed through a fermentation process using top - fermenting yeast (such as Saccharomyces), or a lager - beer - flavored beverage or pilsner - beer - flavored beverage brewed through a fermentation process using bottom - fermenting yeast (such as Saccharomyces). Also, the "fermentation" referred to in this specification may be alcoholic fermentation that produces alcohol, or non - alcoholic fermentation that does not produce alcohol.

[0011] Furthermore, the beer - flavored beverage of one aspect of the present invention may be an alcohol - containing beer - flavored beverage with an alcohol content of 1 (v / v)% or more, or a non - alcoholic beer - flavored beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1 (v / v)%. Note that the non - alcoholic beer - flavored beverage may be a non - alcoholic fermented beer - flavored beverage produced by removing the alcohol generated in the fermentation process after the fermentation process, or a beverage produced by stopping the fermentation process using yeast at a stage where the alcohol content is less than 1 (v / v)%, or a non - alcoholic non - fermented beer - flavored beverage prepared to have a beer - like flavor without going through the fermentation process. In addition, the beer - flavored beverage of one aspect of the present invention may be a malt - used beer - flavored beverage using malt as a raw material, or a malt - not - used beer - flavored beverage without using malt. However, a malt - used beer - flavored beverage is preferred, and a barley - malt - used beer - flavored beverage is more preferred. Also, the top - fermented beer - flavored beverage of one aspect of the present invention may be a cereal - used beer - flavored beverage using cereals as a raw material, or a cereal - not - used top - fermented beer - flavored beverage without using malt. However, a cereal - used top - fermented beer - flavored beverage is preferred, and a barley - used top - fermented beer - flavored beverage is more preferred. And the fermented beer - flavored beverage of one aspect of the present invention may be a distilled - liquor - containing beer - flavored beverage containing distilled liquors such as spirits, whiskey, and shochu. Among them, a spirits - containing beer - flavored beverage is preferred.

[0012] Among these, the beer - flavored beverage of one aspect of the present invention is preferably a fermented beer - flavored beverage, more preferably an alcohol - containing fermented beer - flavored beverage, and even more preferably a fermented beer - flavored beverage using malt.

[0013] The beer - flavored beverage of one aspect of the present invention has a total nitrogen content of 5 to 85 mg / 100 mL or less, a bitterness value of 5 to 35 BUs, a citric acid content of 150 to 900 mg / L, and is a beer - flavored beverage using corn grits as a raw material.

[0014] Common beer - flavored beverages contain nitrogen compounds such as proteins and amino acids. Beer - flavored beverages containing a large amount of these nitrogen compounds tend to give a feeling of fullness when consumed and can also be a factor causing a decrease in drinkability. Here, by reducing the content of nitrogen compounds in the beer - flavored beverage, it is possible to reduce the feeling of fullness when consumed. However, at the same time, new problems arise, such as a decrease in taste and the sharpness of the aftertaste, and a strong and inappropriate sour taste may be easily felt in the beer - flavored beverage. To solve such problems, the inventors have conducted various studies and found that in a beer - flavored beverage with a reduced total nitrogen content derived from nitrogen compounds, by adjusting the bitterness value and the content of citric acid within a predetermined range, it is possible to reduce the feeling of fullness when consumed, suppress the inappropriate sour taste in the beer - flavored beverage, and obtain a beer - flavored beverage with excellent taste and sharpness of the aftertaste. The present invention has been completed based on this finding.

[0015] The total nitrogen content of the beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention is 85 mg / 100 mL or less. From the perspective of further reducing the sense of fullness when drinking and making a beer - flavored beverage with better drinkability, and from the perspective of making a beer - flavored beverage that can further enhance the effect of improving the sharpness of the aftertaste with the adjustment of the bitterness value and the content of citric acid, it is preferably 80 mg / 100 mL or less, more preferably 77 mg / 100 mL or less, still more preferably 75 mg / 100 mL or less, even more preferably 70 mg / 100 mL or less, particularly preferably 65 mg / 100 mL or less, and further, it may be 60 mg / 100 mL or less, 55 mg / 100 mL or less, or 50 mg / 100 mL or less. Also, from the perspective of making a beer - flavored beverage that can further enhance the effect of improving the taste with the adjustment of the bitterness value, the content of citric acid, and the content of monosaccharides to tetrasaccharides, and from the perspective of making a beverage that suppresses the sour taste unsuitable for beer - flavored beverages, the total nitrogen content of the beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention is 5 mg / 100 mL or more, preferably 10 mg / 100 mL or more, more preferably 15 mg / 100 mL or more, still more preferably 20 mg / 100 mL or more, even more preferably 25 mg / 100 mL or more, particularly preferably 30 mg / 100 mL or more, and further, it may be 35 mg / 100 mL or more, 37 mg / 100 mL or more, or 40 mg / 100 mL or more.

[0016] In the present invention, the "total nitrogen content" refers to the total amount of all nitrogen compounds such as proteins and amino acids. The total nitrogen content of the beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention can be controlled by adjusting the usage amount of raw materials that yeast can assimilate. Specifically, the total nitrogen content can be decreased by reducing the usage amount of malt and the like with a high nitrogen content. Examples of raw materials with a high nitrogen content include malt, soybeans, yeast extract, peas, and ungerminated grains. Examples of ungerminated grains include ungerminated barley, wheat, rye, oats, buckwheat, adzuki beans, soybeans, and peas. In addition to matters related to raw materials, the total nitrogen content can also be adjusted by appropriately setting the type of enzyme, the addition amount of the enzyme (including proteolytic enzymes), the timing of enzyme addition, the proteolysis time in the charging tank, the pH in the charging tank, the set temperature and holding time of each temperature range when preparing wort, the boiling time and pH in the boiling process, the original extract concentration of the pre-fermentation liquid, the original extract concentration in the fermentation process, fermentation conditions (yeast strain, yeast addition amount, yeast growth number, yeast removal timing, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, etc.). In this specification, the total nitrogen content of the beer-like beverage can be measured, for example, by the method described in the Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (published by the Japan Brewing Association, edited by the International Technical Committee of the Beer Brewing Federation [Analysis Committee], 2013 Supplement and Revision).

[0017] From the perspective of making a beer-like beverage with the total nitrogen content adjusted within the above range, the beer-like beverage according to one aspect of the present invention is preferably a beverage using malt as a raw material. From the above perspective, in the beer-like beverage according to one aspect of the present invention, the usage ratio (Y) of malt may be 80% by mass or less, 75% by mass or less, 70% by mass or less, 65% by mass or less, 60% by mass or less, 55% by mass or less, or 50% by mass or less based on the total amount (100% by mass) of raw materials excluding water and hops. Also, it may be 0% by mass or more, 1% by mass or more, 5% by mass or more, 10% by mass or more, 15% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more. In this specification, the usage ratio (Y) of malt can be calculated in accordance with the Liquor Tax Law with an enforcement date of April 1, 2018 and the interpretation guidelines of liquor administration-related laws and regulations. In addition, when suppressing the malt ratio, it is preferable to increase the amount of raw materials (carbon source, nitrogen source) other than malt that can be assimilated by yeast. Examples of the carbon source of raw materials that can be assimilated by yeast include monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and their sugar solutions. Examples of the nitrogen source include yeast extract, soy protein, malt, soybeans, yeast extract, peas, wheat malt, ungerminated grains, and their decomposition products. Examples of ungerminated grains include ungerminated barley, wheat, rye, crow wheat, oats, adzuki beans, broad beans, rice (white rice, brown rice, etc.), corn, kidney beans, potatoes, beans (soybeans, pea beans, etc.), buckwheat, sorghum, millet, and foxtail millet. In addition, starch obtained from these grains or their extracts (extracts) may be used.

[0018] From the perspective of making a beer-taste beverage with a more improved sharpness in the aftertaste, the bitterness value of the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention is 5 BUs or more, preferably 7 BUs or more, more preferably 10 BUs or more, still more preferably 12 BUs or more, even more preferably 15 BUs or more, and particularly preferably 17 BUs or more. Also, from the perspective of making a beer-taste beverage that suppresses bitterness inappropriate for the beer-taste beverage, it is 35 BUs or less, preferably 32 BUs or less, more preferably 30 BUs or less, still more preferably 28 BUs or less, even more preferably 27 BUs or less, and particularly preferably 25 BUs or less.

[0019] The bitterness value of the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention is an index of bitterness provided by hop-derived components mainly composed of isohumulone, and can be controlled, for example, by appropriately adjusting the type, addition amount, and addition timing of hops. In addition, in this specification, the "bitterness value" of a beverage can be measured by the measurement method described in "8.15 Bitterness Value" of the Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (published by the Japan Brewing Association, edited by the International Technical Committee of the Beer Brewing Association [Analysis Committee], 2013 Supplement and Revision).

[0020] The content of citric acid in the beer - flavored beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention is 150 mg / L or more from the viewpoint of making the beverage have a more improved sharpness in the aftertaste in a beer - flavored beverage with a reduced total nitrogen content. Preferably, it is 180 mg / L or more, more preferably 200 mg / L or more, still more preferably 220 mg / L or more, even more preferably 250 mg / L or more, particularly preferably 270 mg / L or more. Further, it may be 300 mg / L or more, 320 mg / L or more, 340 mg / L or more, 350 mg / L or more, 360 mg / L or more, 370 mg / L or more, 380 mg / L or more, 390 mg / L or more, or 400 mg / L or more. Also, the content of citric acid in the beer - flavored beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention is 900 mg / L or less from the viewpoint of making the beverage suppress an inappropriate sour taste in the beer - flavored beverage. Preferably, it is 870 mg / L or less, more preferably 850 mg / L or less, still more preferably 830 mg / L or less, even more preferably 800 mg / L or less, particularly preferably 750 mg / L or less. Further, it may be 700 mg / L or less, 650 mg / L or less, 600 mg / L or less, 550 mg / L or less, or 500 mg / L or less.

[0021] The beer - flavored beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention may contain organic acids other than citric acid. In addition, the content of citric acid in the beer - flavored beverage of the present invention can be controlled by a method of directly adding citric acid or diluting it with extract - adjusted water, or by selecting raw materials with a high citric acid content and adjusting the usage amount of the raw materials. Also, in this specification, the content of citric acid can be measured, for example, by high - performance liquid chromatography.

[0022] In the beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention, the ratio of the content of citric acid (unit: mg / L) to the total nitrogen content (unit: mg / 100 mL) [citric acid / total nitrogen content] is preferably 2.5 or more, more preferably 2.8 or more, more preferably 3.0 or more, still more preferably 3.2 or more, still more preferably 3.5 or more, even more preferably 3.8 or more, even more preferably 4.0 or more, particularly preferably 4.2 or more, and further, it may be 4.5 or more, 4.8 or more, 5.0 or more, 5.2 or more, 5.5 or more, 5.8 or more, 6.0 or more, 6.2 or more, 6.5 or more, 6.8 or more, 7.0 or more, 7.2 or more, 7.5 or more, 7.8 or more, 8.0 or more, 8.2 or more, 8.5 or more, or 8.8 or more from the viewpoint of making the beer - flavored beverage with reduced total nitrogen content have a sharper aftertaste. Also, from the viewpoint of making the beer - flavored beverage suppress the sour taste unsuitable for the beer - flavored beverage while further improving the sharpness of the aftertaste in the beer - flavored beverage with reduced total nitrogen content, in the beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention, the ratio of the content of citric acid (unit: mg / L) to the total nitrogen content (unit: mg / 100 mL) [citric acid / total nitrogen content] is preferably 20.0 or less, more preferably 19.0 or less, more preferably 18.0 or less, still more preferably 17.0 or less, still more preferably 16.0 or less, even more preferably 15.0 or less, even more preferably 14.0 or less, particularly preferably 13.0 or less, and further, it may be 12.5 or less, 12.0 or less, 11.5 or less, 11.0 or less, 10.5 or less, 10.0 or less, 9.8 or less, or 9.5 or less.

[0023] From the viewpoint of making the beer - flavored beverage suppress the watery taste unsuitable for the beer - flavored beverage while reducing the sense of fullness when drinking and improving the taste, it is preferable to use corn grits as a raw material in the beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention. In the beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention, the usage ratio (X) of corn grits, based on the total amount of raw materials (100% by mass) excluding water and hops, from the above viewpoints, is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 3% by mass or more, still more preferably 5% by mass or more, further preferably 7% by mass or more, even more preferably 9% by mass or more, particularly preferably 10% by mass or more. Also, from the viewpoint of obtaining a beer - flavored beverage with suppressed cereal - like aroma, it is preferably 28% by mass or less, more preferably 26% by mass or less, still more preferably 25% by mass or less, even more preferably 23% by mass or less, particularly preferably 20% by mass or less. Further, it may be 18% by mass or less, 17% by mass or less, 16% by mass or less, or 15% by mass or less. In this specification, the usage ratio (X) of corn grits can be calculated in accordance with the Liquor Tax Law with an enforcement date of April 1, 2018 and the interpretation guidelines of liquor - related administrative laws and regulations.

[0024] Also, from the viewpoint of obtaining a beverage with improved taste in a beer - flavored beverage with reduced total nitrogen content, it is preferable to use corn grits and malt as raw materials in the beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention. From the above viewpoints, the ratio [(Y) / (X)] of the usage ratio (Y) of malt to the usage ratio (X) of corn grits is preferably 0.9 or more, more preferably 1.0 or more, still more preferably 1.5 or more, further preferably 1.7 or more, even more preferably 2.0 or more, particularly preferably 2.3 or more. Further, it may be 2.5 or more, 2.7 or more, 3.0 or more, 3.2 or more, 3.5 or more, 3.7 or more, or 3.9 or more. Also, it is preferably 80.0 or less, more preferably 70.0 or less, still more preferably 60.0 or less, further preferably 50.0 or less, even more preferably 40.0 or less, particularly preferably 30.0 or less. Further, it may be 27.0 or less, 25.0 or less, 22.0 or less, 20.0 or less, 18.0 or less, 15.0 or less, 12.0 or less, or 10.0 or less.

[0025] Also, in the beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention, from the viewpoint of making the beverage with a reduced total nitrogen content have an improved taste, the total usage ratio of the corn grits usage ratio (X) and the malt usage ratio (Y) is preferably 20% by mass or more, more preferably 23% by mass or more, still more preferably 25% by mass or more, further preferably 27% by mass or more, even more preferably 30% by mass or more, particularly preferably 35% by mass or more, based on the total amount of raw materials excluding water and hops. Further, it may be 40% by mass or more, 42% by mass or more, 45% by mass or more, 47% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 52% by mass or more, 55% by mass or more, or 57% by mass or more. Also, it may be 100% by mass or less, 98% by mass or less, 95% by mass or less, 93% by mass or less, 90% by mass or less, 88% by mass or less, 85% by mass or less, 83% by mass or less, 80% by mass or less, 78% by mass or less, 75% by mass or less, 73% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less.

[0026] The beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may adjust the original extract concentration from the viewpoint of making the beverage that reduces the feeling of fullness when drunk, suppresses the watery taste unsuitable for beer - flavored beverages, and improves the taste. The original extract concentration of the beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention is preferably 5.0% by mass or more, more preferably 6.0% by mass or more, still more preferably 7.0% by mass or more, further preferably 8.0% by mass or more, still further preferably 9.0% by mass or more, even more preferably 10.0% by mass or more, particularly preferably 11.0% by mass or more, based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer - flavored beverage, from the viewpoint of suppressing the watery taste unsuitable for beer - flavored beverages and improving the taste. Also, from the viewpoint of further reducing the feeling of fullness when drunk and making the beer - flavored beverage more excellent in drinkability, it is preferably 20.0% by mass or less, more preferably 18.0% by mass or less, still more preferably 17.0% by mass or less, further preferably 16.0% by mass or less, still further preferably 15.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 14.0% by mass or less, particularly preferably 13.0% by mass or less.

[0027] Also, in the beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention, the ratio of the original extract concentration (unit: mass%) to the total nitrogen content (unit: mg / 100 mL) [original extract concentration / total nitrogen content] is preferably 0.050 or more, more preferably 0.070 or more, still more preferably 0.100 or more, further preferably 0.120 or more, even more preferably 0.150 or more, particularly preferably 0.160 or more, from the viewpoint of suppressing the watery taste unsuitable for beer - flavored beverages and improving the taste. Further, it may be 0.170 or more, 0.200 or more, 0.210 or more, 0.220 or more, 0.230 or more, 0.240 or more, or 0.250 or more. Also, from the viewpoint of further reducing the feeling of fullness when drinking and making a beer - flavored beverage with better drinkability, it is preferably 0.900 or less, more preferably 0.800 or less, still more preferably 0.700 or less, further preferably 0.600 or less, even more preferably 0.500 or less, particularly preferably 0.450 or less. Further, it may be 0.420 or less, 0.400 or less, 0.370 or less, 0.360 or less, 0.350 or less, 0.340 or less, 0.330 or less, 0.320 or less, 0.310 or less, or 0.300 or less.

[0028] In this specification, the "original extract concentration" in an alcoholic beverage with an alcohol content of 1 (v / v)% or more is the extract content in the Liquor Tax Law of Japan, that is, the number of grams of non - volatile components contained in 100 cm 3 of the original volume at a temperature of 15°C. In a non - alcoholic beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1 (v / v)%, it refers to the extract value (mass%) measured according to the analysis method defined by the Beer Brewing Industry International Technical Committee (BCOJ) (BOCJ Beer Analysis Method (Fermentation of the Japan Brewing Association, edited by the Beer Brewing Industry Association, 2013 supplementary revised edition)) for a degassed sample.

[0029] The beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may adjust the free amino - type nitrogen concentration from the viewpoint of reducing the feeling of fullness when drinking, suppressing the watery taste unsuitable for beer - flavored beverages, and improving the taste. The free amino nitrogen concentration of the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention is preferably 3.0 mg / 100 mL or more, more preferably 3.2 mg / 100 mL or more, still more preferably 3.5 mg / 100 mL or more, even more preferably 3.7 mg / 100 mL or more, particularly preferably 4.0 mg / 100 mL or more, from the viewpoint of suppressing the watery taste unsuitable for the beer-taste beverage and improving the taste. Further, it may be 4.5 mg / 100 mL or more, 5.0 mg / 100 mL or more, 5.5 mg / 100 mL or more, 6.0 mg / 100 mL or more, 6.5 mg / 100 mL or more, or 7.0 mg / 100 mL or more. Also, from the viewpoint of making the beer-taste beverage that more reduces the sense of fullness when drunk and is more excellent in drinkability, and from the viewpoint of making the beer-taste beverage that can further enhance the effect of improving the sharpness of the aftertaste accompanying the adjustment of the bitterness value and the content of citric acid, it is preferably 16.0 mg / 100 mL or less, more preferably 15.0 mg / 100 mL or less, still more preferably 14.0 mg / 100 mL or less, even more preferably 13.5 mg / 100 mL or less, particularly preferably 13.0 mg / 100 mL or less. Further, it may be 12.5 mg / 100 mL or less, 12.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 11.5 mg / 100 mL or less, 11.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 10.5 mg / 100 mL or less, 10.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 9.5 mg / 100 mL or less, 9.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 8.5 mg / 100 mL or less, or 8.0 mg / 100 mL or less.

[0030] In the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention, the ratio of the free amino nitrogen concentration (unit: mg / 100 mL) to the total nitrogen amount (unit: mg / 100 mL) [free amino nitrogen concentration / total nitrogen amount] suppresses the watery taste unsuitable for beer-taste beverages and improves the taste. From the viewpoint of making a beverage, it is preferably 0.010 or more, more preferably 0.030 or more, still more preferably 0.050 or more, further preferably 0.070 or more, even more preferably 0.100 or more, particularly preferably 0.120 or more. Furthermore, it may be 0.130 or more, 0.140 or more, 0.150 or more, or 0.160 or more. Also, from the viewpoint of further reducing the sense of fullness when drinking and making a beer-taste beverage with better drinkability, it is preferably 0.800 or less, more preferably 0.700 or less, still more preferably 0.600 or less, further preferably 0.500 or less, even more preferably 0.400 or less, particularly preferably 0.350 or less. Furthermore, it may be 0.300 or less, 0.270 or less, 0.250 or less, 0.230 or less, 0.220 or less, 0.210 or less, 0.200 or less, 0.190 or less, or 0.180 or less.

[0031] In this specification, the free amino nitrogen concentration can be measured by the method described in "8.18 Free Amino Acid Nitrogen (IM) Ninhydrin Colorimetric Method" of the Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (edited by the International Technical Committee of the Beer Brewing Association, 2013). In addition, the concentration of free amino nitrogen can be appropriately set and adjusted by, for example, the type of raw materials (such as malt, corn grits, etc.), the type of enzyme, the addition amount of the enzyme (including proteolytic enzymes), the timing of enzyme addition, the protein decomposition time in the charging tank, the pH in the charging tank, the set temperature and holding time of each temperature region when preparing wort, the boiling time and pH in the boiling process, the original extract concentration of the pre-fermentation liquid, the original extract concentration in the fermentation process, fermentation conditions (yeast variety, yeast addition amount, yeast growth number, yeast removal timing, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, etc.). For example, in the raw material charging process, if the decomposition time of the protein contained in raw materials such as malt is prolonged, the decomposition of the protein is promoted, and the concentration of free amino nitrogen can be increased. On the other hand, in the fermentation process, by increasing the yeast concentration or raising the fermentation temperature, the consumption amount of amino acids by yeast increases, and the concentration of free amino nitrogen can be decreased.

[0032] In the beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention, from the viewpoint of making a beverage that further improves the taste while more effectively suppressing inappropriate sourness in a beer - flavored beverage with a reduced total nitrogen content, the content of saccharides selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and tetrasaccharides (hereinafter, also referred to as "1 - 4 saccharide content") is preferably 0.10 g / 100 mL or more, more preferably 0.15 g / 100 mL or more, still more preferably 0.20 g / 100 mL or more, further preferably 0.25 g / 100 mL or more, even more preferably 0.30 g / 100 mL or more, particularly preferably 0.35 g / 100 mL or more. Further, it may be 0.40 g / 100 mL or more, 0.45 g / 100 mL or more, 0.50 g / 100 mL or more, 0.55 g / 100 mL or more, 0.60 g / 100 mL or more, 0.70 g / 100 mL or more, 0.80 g / 100 mL or more, 0.90 g / 100 mL or more, 1.00 g / 100 mL or more, 1.10 g / 100 mL or more, 1.20 g / 100 mL or more, 1.30 g / 100 mL or more, 1.40 g / 100 mL or more, or 1.50 g / 100 mL or more. Also, it may be 5.0 g / 100 mL or less, 4.5 g / 100 mL or less, 4.0 g / 100 mL or less, 3.5 g / 100 mL or less, 3.0 g / 100 mL or less, 2.5 g / 100 mL or less, 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, 1.8 g / 100 mL or less, 1.7 g / 100 mL or less, 1.6 g / 100 mL or less, 1.5 g / 100 mL or less, 1.4 g / 100 mL or less, 1.3 g / 100 mL or less, 1.2 g / 100 mL or less, 1.1 g / 100 mL or less, 1.0 g / 100 mL or less, 0.9 g / 100 mL or less, or 0.8 g / 100 mL or less.

[0033] In a beer-taste beverage with a reduced total nitrogen content, from the perspective of making the taste more appealing while more effectively suppressing inappropriate sourness, the ratio of the citric acid content (unit: mg / L) to the content of 1 to 4 saccharides (unit: g / 100 mL) [citric acid / 1 to 4 saccharides] is preferably 100 or more, more preferably 120 or more, still more preferably 140 or more, even more preferably 150 or more, still even more preferably 170 or more, particularly preferably 200 or more, and further, it may be 220 or more, 240 or more, 250 or more, 260 or more, 280 or more, 300 or more, 350 or more, 400 or more, 450 or more, 500 or more, 550 or more, or 600 or more. Also, it is preferably 6000 or less, more preferably 5000 or less, still more preferably 4000 or less, even more preferably 3000 or less, even still more preferably 2000 or less, particularly preferably 1500 or less, and further, it may be 1300 or less, 1200 or less, 1100 or less, 1000 or less, 900 or less, 800 or less, or 700 or less.

[0034] In this specification, the content of 1 to 4 saccharides means the total content of saccharides such as glucose, sucrose, maltose, isomaltose, maltotriose, isomaltotriose, fructose, maltotetraose, and isomaltotetraose contained in the beverage, and the content of these saccharides can be measured, for example, by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Also, the content of 1 to 4 saccharides in the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention can be adjusted to a desired content by adjusting the usage amount and usage ratio of sweeteners such as liquid sugar containing 1 to 4 saccharides and grains as raw materials, the type of enzyme (type of raw material containing the enzyme, etc.), the addition amount of the enzyme, and the timing of enzyme addition, adjusting the set temperature and holding time in each temperature region when preparing the saccharified liquid, and adjusting various conditions in the fermentation process (yeast strain, addition amount of yeast, timing of yeast addition, timing of yeast removal, timing of reducing the amount of yeast, number of yeast growth, yeast growth time, yeast activity, size of yeast (cell size), oxygen concentration, carbon dioxide concentration, nitrogen concentration, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, etc.).

[0035] As described above, the beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may be an alcohol - containing beer - flavored beverage or a non - alcohol beer - flavored beverage. When it is an alcohol - containing beer - flavored beverage, the alcohol content of the beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention can be 1.0 (v / v)% or more, 1.5 (v / v)% or more, 2.0 (v / v)% or more, 2.5 (v / v)% or more, 3.0 (v / v)% or more, 3.5 (v / v)% or more, 4.0 (v / v)% or more, 4.5 (v / v)% or more, 5.0 (v / v)% or more, 5.5 (v / v)% or more, or 6.0 (v / v)% or more, and can also be 20.0 (v / v)% or less, 17.0 (v / v)% or less, 15.0 (v / v)% or less, 13.0 (v / v)% or less, 12.0 (v / v)% or less, 11.0 (v / v)% or less, 10.0 (v / v)% or less, 9.0 (v / v)% or less, or 8.0 (v / v)% or less. In this specification, the alcohol content is indicated as a percentage on a volume / volume basis ((v / v)%). Also, the alcohol content of the beverage can be measured by any known method, for example, it can be measured by a vibrating densitometer.

[0036] The alcohol content of the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention can be adjusted to a desired range by appropriately setting the addition of dilution water or carbonated water and the addition amount in the case of addition, the types of raw materials (such as wheat, malt, corn grits, sugar solution, etc.), the amounts of raw materials, the types of enzymes, the addition amounts of enzymes, the timing of enzyme addition, the saccharification time in the charging tank, the protein decomposition time in the charging tank, the pH in the charging tank, the pH in the charging process (wort production process from wheat input to before yeast addition), the addition amount of acid used for pH adjustment, the timing of pH adjustment (such as at the time of charging, during fermentation, at the end of fermentation, before beer filtration, after beer filtration, etc.), the set temperature and holding time of each temperature region when preparing wort (including during saccharification), the original extract concentration of the pre-fermentation liquid, the original extract concentration in the fermentation process, fermentation conditions (oxygen concentration, aeration conditions, yeast variety, yeast addition amount, yeast growth number, yeast removal timing, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, carbon dioxide concentration, etc.), and the presence or absence of addition of spirits, brewing alcohol, etc. and the addition amount in the case of addition.

[0037] In addition, the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may further contain spirits derived from grains as an alcohol component in order to adjust the alcohol content to be within the above range. Here, spirits means liquors obtained by using grains such as wheat, rice, buckwheat, corn, potatoes, sugarcane, etc. as raw materials, saccharifying them using malt or, if necessary, an enzyme agent, fermenting them using yeast, and then further distilling them. As the grains that are the raw materials of spirits, plants belonging to the Gramineae family are preferred, and wheat is more preferred. However, the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may be a beverage that does not contain spirits from the viewpoint of having a good taste and being a beer-taste beverage with a beer-like taste.

[0038] Also, from the same viewpoint as above, the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention is preferably beer. In this specification, "beer" refers to a beverage obtained by fermenting malt, hops, and water as raw materials using yeast. Specifically, it means the one defined in the Liquor Tax Law with an enforcement date of April 1, 2018 and the Interpretation Circular of Laws and Regulations Related to Alcohol Administration, etc. That is, when the beer - flavored beverage of one aspect of the present invention is beer, the above - mentioned alcohol content is adjusted by a fermentation process using yeast.

[0039] The color of the top - fermented beer - flavored beverage of one aspect of the present invention is not particularly limited. It may be amber - colored or golden - colored like ordinary beer, black like black beer, or colorless and transparent, or a desired color may be added by adding a coloring agent, etc. The color of the top - fermented beer - flavored beverage can be discriminated by the naked eye, or it may be defined by the total light transmittance, chromaticity, etc.

[0040] The pH of the beer - flavored beverage of one aspect of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 2.0 to 5.0, more preferably 3.0 to 4.6, and still more preferably 4.0 to 4.55. If the pH of the beer - flavored beverage is 5.0 or less, the generation of microorganisms can be suppressed, and if the pH is 2.0 or more, the flavor of the beverage is likely to be improved. Also, the pH of the beer - flavored beverage of one aspect of the present invention may be 2.0 or more, 2.2 or more, 2.4 or more, 2.6 or more, 2.8 or more, 3.0 or more, 3.1 or more, 3.2 or more, 3.3 or more, 3.4 or more, 3.5 or more, 3.6 or more, 3.7 or more, 3.8 or more, 3.9 or more, or 4.0 or more, and may be 5.4 or less, 5.2 or less, 5.0 or less, 4.9 or less, 4.8 or less, 4.7 or less, 4.6 or less, or 4.5 or less.

[0041] The beer - flavored beverage of one aspect of the present invention may be in a form where the beverage is filled in a container. Examples of the container include, for example, bottles, PET bottles, cans, or barrels. From the viewpoint of being particularly easy to carry, cans, bottles, and PET bottles are preferred.

[0042] 1.1 Raw materials As the main raw materials of the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention, malt may be used together with water and corn grits, or malt may not be used. Further, the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may be a beverage using hops as a raw material, or may be a beverage not using hops, but it is preferably a beverage using hops. In addition, preservatives, sweeteners, water-soluble dietary fibers, bitter agents or bitterness imparting agents, antioxidants, flavors, acidulants, salts, etc. may be used.

[0043] 1.1.1 Malt, grains other than malt When using malt as a raw material, the malt refers to the seeds of cereals such as barley, wheat, rye, crow wheat, oats, millet, and sorghum that have been germinated, dried, and root-removed, and the place of origin and variety can be any. As the malt used in one aspect of the present invention, barley malt is preferred. Barley malt is one of the most commonly used malts as a raw material for Japanese beer-taste beverages. There are types of barley such as two-row barley and six-row barley, and any of them may be used. Further, in addition to normal malt, colored malt etc. can also be used. When using colored malt, different types of colored malt may be appropriately combined and used, or one type of colored malt may be used. The malt used in one aspect of the present invention preferably has a modification of 80% or more. If the modification is less than 80%, the viscosity and turbidity of the wort increase, deteriorating production efficiency such as wort filterability and beer filterability. Therefore, it is preferable to use malt with a modification of 80% or more. In the examples and comparative examples described later, malt with a modification of 80% or more was used. The modification can be measured by the method described in 3.1.3.8 Modification and Homogeneity (Calcofluor Carlsberg Method - EBC) of MEBAK Raw Materials Barley Adjuncts Malt Hops And Hop Products Published by the Chairman Dr.Fritz Jacob Self-published by MEBAK 85350 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany 2011. In addition, in the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the malt to be used is preferably appropriately selected according to the color intensity of the desired beer-taste beverage, and the malt to be selected may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0044] Moreover, grains other than malt may be used together with or in place of malt. Examples of such grains include cereals not applicable to malt (barley, wheat, rye, spelt, oats, millet, Job's tears, etc.), rice (white rice, brown rice, etc.), corn, sorghum, potato, beans (soybeans, peas, etc.), buckwheat, sorghum, millet, and starch obtained from them, extracts (extracts) of these, etc.

[0045] In addition, when suppressing the malt ratio or when not using malt, it is preferable to increase the amount of raw materials (carbon source, nitrogen source) other than malt that can be assimilated by yeast. Examples of carbon sources of raw materials that can be assimilated by yeast include monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, their sugar solutions, liquid sugars containing a carbon source, and the like. Examples of nitrogen sources include amino acid-containing materials such as the above-mentioned grains other than malt (for example, soybean protein, soybeans, yeast extract, peas, wheat malt, the above-mentioned ungerminated grains, their decompositions, etc.).

[0046] Fruits, peels, barks, leaves, flowers, stems, roots, and seeds of plants other than Gramineae plants such as wheat that can be used as raw materials can be appropriately selected. Specific plants other than Gramineae plants include, for example, citrus fruits, soft fruits, herbs, spices, etc. Examples of citrus fruits include oranges, yuzu, lemons, limes, mandarins, grapefruits, iyo oranges, kumquats, kabosu, daidai, sudachi, etc. Examples of soft fruits include peaches, grapes, bananas, apples, grapes, pineapples, strawberries, pears, muscats, currants, etc. Examples of herbs and spices include coriander, pepper, fennel, Chinese prickly ash, sansho pepper, cardamom, caraway, nutmeg, mace, juniper berries, allspice, vanilla, elderberries, grains of paradise, anise, star anise, etc. These may be used as they are, used after being crushed, used in the form of an extract extracted with an extraction solvent such as water or ethanol, or used in the form of squeezed juice (such as fruit juice). These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. The above can be appropriately used according to the preferences of consumers. However, in order to enjoy a refreshing and crisp taste characteristic of beer, it is preferable not to use any of the above-mentioned citrus fruits, soft fruits, herbs, and spices as raw materials, or to minimize the amount used. In particular, since currants produce a milky aroma inappropriate for beer, it is preferable not to use currants or currant juice as raw materials, or to minimize the amount used.

[0047] In one aspect of the present invention, from the perspective of obtaining a beer-taste beverage with excellent taste, it is preferable that the amount of barley used before malting is as small as possible. The above-mentioned "malting" means a process of germinating barley to produce malt. For example, barley becomes barley malt through the malting process. By subjecting barley to the malting process to obtain malt, umami can be imparted, and by using malt, a beer-taste beverage with a rich taste can be obtained. On the other hand, a beer-taste beverage using barley before malting has a poor taste. In particular, a beverage using barley before malting may have a prominent cereal-like aroma that is unsuitable for a beer-taste beverage. From the above perspective, the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention is preferably a beer-taste beverage that does not substantially use barley before malting, and more preferably a beer-taste beverage that does not substantially use barley before malting, at least.

[0048] In this specification, the provision of "substantially not using barley (barley) before production" is a provision that negates the mode of using barley (barley) before production for a predetermined purpose, and does not negate the mode in which barley (barley) before production is unavoidably mixed or present in the raw materials unintentionally. However, in the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the smaller the usage ratio of barley (barley) before malting, the more preferable. Specifically, the usage ratio of barley (barley) before malting is usually less than 20 parts by mass, considering the case where it is unavoidably mixed or present unintentionally, based on 100 parts by mass of the amount of malt used as a raw material, but it may be less than 10 parts by mass, less than 5 parts by mass, less than 1 part by mass, less than 0.1 part by mass, less than 0.01 part by mass, less than 0.001 part by mass, or less than 0.0001 part by mass.

[0049] 1.1.2 Hops When using hops in one aspect of the present invention, examples of the form of the hops include pellet hops, powder hops, hop extracts, etc. Further, as the hops to be used, processed hop products such as isomerized hops and reduced hops may be used. When using hops in one aspect of the present invention, the addition amount of hops is preferably adjusted as appropriate so that the bitterness value falls within the above-mentioned range.

[0050] In addition, a beer-taste beverage using hops as a raw material becomes a beverage containing iso-α acids, which are components derived from hops. The content of iso-α acids in the beer-taste beverage using hops may exceed 0.1 mass ppm or may exceed 1.0 mass ppm based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage. On the other hand, the content of iso-α acids in a beer-taste beverage that does not use hops may be 0.1 mass ppm or less based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage. In this specification, the content of iso-α acids means the value measured by the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis method described in the Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (published by the Japan Brewing Association, edited by the International Technical Committee of the Beer Brewing Federation [Analysis Committee], 2013 Supplement and Revision).

[0051] 1.1.3 Preservatives A beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may be a beverage containing a preservative. Examples of the preservative used in one aspect of the present invention include benzoic acid; benzoates such as sodium benzoate; benzoic acid esters such as propyl paraoxybenzoate and butyl paraoxybenzoate; dimethyl dicarbonate; etc. Also, commercially available preparations such as Strong Sampler (manufactured by Sanyo Foods Co., Ltd., a mixture of sodium benzoate and butyl benzoate) may be used as the preservative. These preservatives may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0052] When a preservative is added to a beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention, the addition amount of the preservative is preferably 5 to 1200 mass ppm, more preferably 10 to 1100 mass ppm, still more preferably 15 to 1000 mass ppm, and even more preferably 20 to 900 mass ppm.

[0053] 1.1.4 Sweeteners The beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may further be a beverage formulated with a sweetener. Examples of the sweetener used in one aspect of the present invention include commercially available saccharified liquids obtained by decomposing starch derived from grains with an acid or an enzyme, etc., saccharides such as commercially available maltose, sugars having three or more saccharides, sugar alcohols, natural sweeteners such as stevia, and artificial sweeteners. These sweeteners may be used alone or in combination of two or more. The form of these saccharides may be a liquid such as a solution or a solid such as a powder. In addition, there are no particular restrictions on the type of raw material grains of starch, the method for purifying starch, and the treatment conditions such as hydrolysis with an enzyme or an acid. For example, by appropriately setting the conditions for hydrolysis with an enzyme or an acid, saccharides with a high ratio of maltose may be used. In addition, sucrose, fructose, glucose, maltose, trehalose, maltotriose, maltotetraose, isomaltose, isomaltotriose, isomaltotetraose, and solutions (syrups) thereof, etc. can also be used. Examples of the artificial sweetener include, for example, aspartame, acesulfame potassium (acesulfame K), sucralose, neotame, etc.

[0054] Examples of the water-soluble dietary fiber include, for example, resistant dextrin, polydextrose, degraded guar gum, pectin, glucomannan, alginic acid, laminarin, fucoidin, carrageenan, etc. From the viewpoint of versatility such as stability and safety, resistant dextrin or polydextrose is preferred. Note that for dietary fiber, the content may be adjusted by adding commercially available products to fall within the above range, or the dietary fiber derived from raw materials such as malt may be adjusted in the manufacturing process to fall within the above range. When adding commercially available products, by setting the dietary fiber content within the above range, it is possible to suppress the powdery feeling that is unsuitable for beer-taste beverages. When adjusting the dietary fiber content in the manufacturing process, by setting the dietary fiber content within the above range, for example, the filterability in wort filtration and beer filtration can be improved, and the production efficiency can be increased. When adjusting the dietary fiber content in the manufacturing process, for the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention, the dietary fiber content can be adjusted by adjusting the addition of dilution water or carbonated water, the types of raw materials (such as wheat, malt, corn, sugar solution, etc.), the amounts of raw materials, the types of enzymes, the addition amounts of enzymes, and the timing of enzyme addition (during the saccharification process, before yeast addition, after yeast addition, during aging, etc.), the set temperature, pH, and holding time in each temperature region when preparing the saccharified liquid, and the like.

[0055] 1.1.5 Bittering agents, bitterness - imparting agents The beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may also be a beverage containing at least one selected from bittering agents and bitterness-imparting agents. In the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention, the bitterness may be imparted by hops, or a bittering agent or bitterness-imparting agent shown below may be used together with hops. The bittering agent or bitterness-imparting agent is not particularly limited, and those commonly used as bitterness-imparting agents in ordinary beer and sparkling sake can be used. For example, mannen wax, raisins, star anise, juniper berries, sage, rosemary, mannen mushroom, laurel tree, quassin, caffeine, absinthin, naringin, citrus extract, nigaaki extract, coffee extract, tea extract, bitter melon extract, hass avocado extract, aloe vera extract, mannen wax extract, raisin extract, laurel extract, sage extract, caraway extract, mugwort extract, absinthin, alginic acid, and the like can be mentioned. These bittering agents and bitterness-imparting agents may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0056] 1.1.6 Antioxidants The beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may be a beverage further blended with an antioxidant. The antioxidant is not particularly limited, and those usually used as antioxidants in ordinary beer and sparkling sake can be used. For example, ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, catechin, etc. can be mentioned. These antioxidants may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0057] 1.1.7 Flavors The beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may be a beverage further blended with a flavoring agent. The flavoring agent is not particularly limited, and a general beer flavoring agent can be used. The beer flavoring agent is used for imparting a beer - like flavor. Beer flavorings include esters, higher alcohols, etc. Specifically, isoamyl acetate, ethyl acetate, n-propanol, isobutanol, acetaldehyde, ethyl caproate, ethyl caprylate, isoamyl propionate, linalool, geraniol, citral, 4-vinylguaiacol (4-VG), 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid, 2-methyl-2-pentenoic acid, 1,4-cineole, 1,8-cineole, 2,3-diethyl-5-methylpyrazine, γ-decalactone, γ-undecalactone, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl n-butyrate, myrcene, citral, limonene, maltol, ethyl maltol, phenylacetic acid, furaneol, furfural, methional, 3-methyl-2-buten-1-thiol, 3-methyl-2-butanethiol, diacetyl, ferulic acid, geranic acid, geranyl acetate, ethyl butyrate, octanoic acid, decanoic acid, 9-decenoic acid, nonanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, propanoic acid, 2-methylpropanoic acid, γ-butyrolactone, 2-aminoacetophenone, ethyl 3-phenylpropionate, 2-ethyl-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone, dimethyl sulfone, 3-methylcyclopentane-1,2-dione, 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran-3-one, 2-acetylfuran, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran-3-one, hexanal, hexanol, cis-3-hexenal, 1-octen-3-ol, β-eudesmol, 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one, β-caryophyllene, β-myrcene, furfuryl alcohol, 2-ethylpyrazine, 2,3-dimethylpyrazine, 2-methylbutyl acetate, isoamyl alcohol, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, phenylacetaldehyde, 1-phenyl-3-buten-1-one, trans-2-hexenal, nonanal, phenethyl alcohol, etc. can be mentioned. These flavorings may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0058] The content of flavorings such as esters and higher alcohols can be adjusted by separately adding them, or can also be adjusted by alcoholic fermentation. The content of flavorings such as esters and higher alcohols can be adjusted by appropriately setting the sugar composition, amino acid composition, sugar concentration, amino acid concentration, original extract concentration of the pre-fermentation liquid before adding yeast, yeast variety, fermentation conditions (oxygen concentration, aeration conditions, yeast variety, yeast addition amount, yeast growth number, yeast removal timing, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, carbon dioxide concentration, etc.), cooling timing, etc., in addition to directly adding them or adjusting by adding dilution water or carbonated water.

[0059] 1.1.8 Acidulants The beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may be a beverage further blended with an acidulant other than citric acid. The acidulant is not particularly limited as long as it is a substance having acidity. For example, tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, gluconic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, phytic acid, acetic acid, succinic acid, glucono-delta-lactone or their salts can be mentioned. Among these, at least one selected from tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, gluconic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, phytic acid, acetic acid, succinic acid and their salts is preferable, at least one selected from tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, acetic acid and their salts is more preferable, and at least one selected from tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, and lactic acid is even more preferable. These acidulants may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0060] In addition, in the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention, the content of the acidulant may be 5000 mg / L or less, 4500 mg / L or less, 4000 mg / L or less, 3500 mg / L or less, 3000 mg / L or less, 2500 mg / L or less, or 2000 mg / L or less. Also, in the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, from the viewpoint of imparting a refreshing feeling characteristic of a beer-taste beverage, it is preferably contained with phosphoric acid. The content of phosphoric acid is preferably 50 mg / L or more, more preferably 100 mg / L or more, still more preferably 150 mg / L or more, and even more preferably 200 mg / L or more. Also, from the viewpoint of suppressing an inappropriate sour taste in the beer-taste beverage, it is preferably 750 mg / L or less, more preferably 700 mg / L or less, still more preferably 650 mg / L or less, and even more preferably 600 mg / L or less. Furthermore, in the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, from the viewpoint of imparting a taste characteristic of a beer-taste beverage, it is preferably contained with lactic acid. The content of lactic acid is preferably 20 mg / L or more, more preferably 50 mg / L or more, still more preferably 80 mg / L or more, and even more preferably 100 mg / L or more. From the viewpoint of suppressing an inappropriate sour taste in the beer-taste beverage, it is preferably 800 mg / L or less, more preferably 750 mg / L or less, and still more preferably 700 mg / L or less.

[0061] 1.1.9 Salts The beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention may further be a beverage formulated with salts. Examples of the salts include sodium chloride, potassium acid phosphate, calcium acid phosphate, ammonium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, calcium sulfate, potassium metabisulfite, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, potassium chloride, sodium citrate, disodium citrate, trisodium citrate, and the like. These salts may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0062] 1.2 Carbon dioxide gas The carbon dioxide gas contained in the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention may utilize the carbon dioxide gas contained in the raw materials, or may be dissolved by mixing with carbonated water or adding carbon dioxide gas. Note that the carbon dioxide gas generated in the fermentation process of the beer - flavored beverage can be used as it is, but carbonated water may be added as appropriate to adjust the amount of carbon dioxide gas.

[0063] The carbon dioxide gas concentration of the beer - flavored beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention is preferably 0.30 (w / w)% or more, more preferably 0.35 (w / w)% or more, still more preferably 0.40 (w / w)% or more, even more preferably 0.42 (w / w)% or more, particularly preferably 0.45 (w / w)% or more, and is preferably 0.80 (w / w)% or less, more preferably 0.70 (w / w)% or less, still more preferably 0.60 (w / w)% or less, even more preferably 0.57 (w / w) or less, particularly preferably 0.55 (w / w)% or less. Note that in this specification, the carbon dioxide gas concentration can be measured using a gas volume measuring device (for example, GVA - 500 (manufactured by Kyoto Electronics Industry Co., Ltd.) etc.) after immersing the container containing the target beverage in a water tank at 20°C for 30 minutes or more while shaking the container from time to time so that the beverage reaches 20°C.

[0064] When the beer - flavored beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention is a container - filled beverage, the carbon dioxide gas pressure of the container - filled beverage may be appropriately adjusted within the range that gives the above - mentioned carbon dioxide gas concentration, but it is 5.0 kg / cm 2 Hereinafter, 4.5 kg / cm 2 Hereinafter, or 4.0 kg / cm 2 Hereinafter, and may also be 0.20 kg / cm 2 Above, 0.50 kg / cm 2 Above, or 1.0 kg / cm 2 Above. Note that any combination of these upper and lower limits may be used. For example, the carbon dioxide gas pressure of the beverage may be 0.20 kg / cm 2 Above and 5.0 kg / cm 2 Below, 0.50 kg / cm 2 Above and 4.5 kg / cm 2 Below, or 1.0 kg / cm 2 Above and 4.0 kg / cm 2 Below. In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the gas pressure refers to the gas pressure inside the container. The pressure can be measured by methods well known to those skilled in the art. For example, after fixing a sample at 20°C to an internal gas pressure gauge, once the valve of the internal gas pressure gauge is opened to release the gas, the valve is closed again, and the internal gas pressure gauge is shaken until the pointer reaches a constant position, and the value at that time is read. Or it can be measured using a commercially available gas pressure measuring device.

[0065] 1.3 Other additives The beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may be added with various additives as necessary, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of such additives include coloring agents, foaming agents, fermentation promoters, yeast extracts, proteinaceous substances such as peptide-containing substances, and seasonings such as amino acids. The coloring agent is used to give the beverage a beer-like color, and caramel dyes and the like can be used. The foaming agent is used to form beer-like bubbles in the beverage or to retain the bubbles in the beverage, and plant extract saponin-based substances such as soybean saponin and quillaja saponin, plant proteins such as corn and soybean, peptide-containing substances such as collagen peptides, and yeast extracts can be appropriately used. The fermentation promoter is used to promote the fermentation by yeast. For example, yeast extract, bran components such as rice and wheat, vitamins, mineral agents, etc. can be used alone or in combination.

[0066] 1.4 Bottled or canned beverages The beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may be a container-packed beverage packed in a container. Any form and material of container may be used for the container-packed beverage. Examples of the container include bottles, cans, barrels, or PET bottles. From the viewpoint of being particularly easy to carry, cans, bottles, and PET bottles are preferred.

[0067] 2. Manufacturing method of beer - flavored beverage The method for producing a beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention is not particularly limited, and it may be a method of production through a fermentation process or a method of production without going through a fermentation process. However, a method having a step of adding yeast to the raw materials and performing alcoholic fermentation is preferred. As a specific method for producing a beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention, for example, a method having the following steps (1) to (2) can be mentioned. · Step (1): A step of obtaining a pre - fermentation liquid by performing at least one of saccharification treatment, boiling treatment, and solid - content removal treatment on raw materials containing water, malt, and corn grits. · Step (2): A step of adding yeast to the pre - fermentation liquid obtained in step (1) and performing alcoholic fermentation.

[0068] In addition, it is preferably further provided with the following step (3). · Step (3): A step of checking and / or adjusting at least one of the total nitrogen content, bitterness value, and citric acid content. Hereinafter, each step in the method for producing a beer - flavored beverage according to one aspect of the present invention will be described.

[0069] 2.1 Step (1) Step (1) is a step of obtaining a pre - fermentation liquid by performing at least one of saccharification treatment, boiling treatment, and solid - content removal treatment on raw materials containing water, malt, and corn grits. The malt used as a raw material is as described above, and barley malt is preferred. In this step, the raw materials are put into a charging kettle or a charging tank, and enzymes such as amylase and protease are added as necessary. As various raw materials other than malt and corn grits, various additives such as liquid sugar, hops, preservatives, sweeteners, water - soluble dietary fiber, bitter agents or bitterness - imparting agents, antioxidants, flavors, acidulants, salts, and pigments may be added. These may be added before performing the saccharification treatment, during the saccharification treatment, or after the completion of the saccharification treatment. Also, these may be added after the alcoholic fermentation in the next step.

[0070] The mixture of raw materials is heated to saccharify the starch in the raw materials and perform the saccharification process. The temperature and time of the saccharification process are preferably adjusted as appropriate considering factors such as the type of malt used, the malt ratio, raw materials other than water and malt, the type and amount of enzymes used, and the original extract concentration of the finally obtained beverage. For example, the temperature of the saccharification process is preferably 55 to 75 °C, and the time of the saccharification process is preferably 30 to 240 minutes.

[0071] Note that it is preferable to perform a boiling process on this saccharified liquid. When performing this boiling process, if using hops, bittering agents, etc. as raw materials, it is preferable to add them. Hops, bittering agents, etc. may be added during the period from the start of boiling of the saccharified liquid to before the end of boiling. At this time, it is preferable to appropriately adjust various conditions (boiling temperature, boiling time, etc.) of the boiling process according to the value of the bitterness unit of the desired beer-taste beverage.

[0072] After the boiling process is completed, it is preferably transferred to a whirlpool and a solid content removal process such as removing coagulated proteins and hop residues is performed. After the removal process in the whirlpool, it is cooled to 0 to 25 °C to obtain a pre-fermentation liquid.

[0073] Instead of the above saccharified liquid, warm water may be added to malt extract, and then hops, bittering agents, etc. may be added to perform a boiling process to prepare a pre-fermentation liquid. Also, as various raw materials, liquid sugar containing a carbon source, a nitrogen source as an amino acid-containing raw material other than wheat or malt, hops, dietary fiber, preservatives, sweeteners, antioxidants, bitterness-providing agents, flavors, acidulants, pigments, etc. are mixed with warm water to prepare a liquid sugar solution, and a boiling process is performed on the liquid sugar solution to prepare a pre-fermentation liquid. When using hops, it may be added before the boiling process or during the period from the start of boiling to before the end of boiling of the liquid sugar solution, and it is preferably adjusted as appropriate according to the value of the bitterness unit of the desired beer-taste beverage.

[0074] 2.2 Step (2) Step (2) is a step of adding yeast to the pre-fermentation liquid obtained in step (1) and performing alcoholic fermentation. The yeast used in this process can be appropriately selected considering the type of fermented beverage to be produced, the desired flavor and aroma, fermentation conditions, etc. It may be top-fermenting yeast or bottom-fermenting yeast.

[0075] The yeast may be added to the raw material liquid as a yeast suspension, or a slurry in which the yeast has been concentrated by centrifugation or sedimentation may be added to the stock solution. Also, after centrifugation, the supernatant may be completely removed and added. The amount of yeast added to the stock solution can be set appropriately. For example, it is about 5×10 6 cells / ml to 1×10 8 cells / ml.

[0076] The fermentation conditions during alcohol fermentation can be set appropriately. For example, the fermentation temperature can be 5 to 25°C, and fermentation can be carried out under conditions of 5 to 10 days. Also, if necessary, the temperature (heating or cooling) or pressure of the fermentation broth may be changed during the fermentation process. Also, after the completion of this process, the yeast can be removed with a filter or the like, and additives such as water, flavoring agents, acidulants, and pigments may be added as necessary.

[0077] In one aspect of the present invention, when producing a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage, without performing the subsequent steps (4) and (5), in step (2), the alcohol fermentation is stopped at a stage where the alcohol content is less than 1 (v / v)%, thereby producing a non-alcoholic fermented beer-taste beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1 (v / v)%.

[0078] 2.3 Step (3) Step (3) is a step of confirming and / or adjusting at least one of the total nitrogen content, bitterness value, and citric acid content. The total nitrogen content, bitterness value, and citric acid content can also be adjusted by appropriately setting the variety of raw materials, their blending amounts, charging conditions (such as the timing of adding raw materials), yeast type, fermentation conditions, etc. in steps (1) and (2). Therefore, in step (3), it is preferable to measure these physical property values and confirm whether they are within the above-mentioned ranges. And if these physical property values are outside the range, it is preferable to perform adjustment by adding components capable of adjusting each physical property value or by dilution adjustment.

[0079] In addition, the adjustment of each physical property value in this step may be carried out in parallel with step (1) and / or step (2), may be carried out between step (1) and step (2), or may be carried out after step (2). Also, regarding the confirmation of each physical property value in this step, it may be carried out at any of the above timings, but it is preferable to confirm each physical property value after step (2), and as a result, if there are components that need adjustment, adjust the physical property value.

[0080] 2.4 Steps (4) and (5) In one aspect of the present invention, when manufacturing a non-alcohol fermented beer-taste beverage, it is preferable to further perform steps (4) and (5). · Step (4): A step of removing the alcohol content from the fermented liquid after step (3). · Step (5): A step of adjusting the amount of carbon dioxide gas after step (4).

[0081] In step (4), as a method for removing the alcohol content generated by the fermentation step of step (2), a method of removing it by heat treatment is preferable. As the conditions for heat treatment, the same conditions as those for a general method of manufacturing a non-alcohol beer-taste beverage can be applied. Also, after step (4), the alcohol content is removed from the solution, and at the same time, the carbon dioxide gas is also removed. Therefore, it is preferable to adjust the amount of carbon dioxide gas by step (5). As a method for adjusting the amount of carbon dioxide gas, it may be added by mixing the solution after step (4) with carbonated water, or carbon dioxide gas may be directly added to the solution after step (4).

[0082] The beer - flavored beverage of one embodiment of the present invention thus obtained is filled into a predetermined container and distributed in the market as a product. The method of container - filling the beer - flavored beverage is not particularly limited, and a container - filling method well - known to those skilled in the art can be used. By the container - filling process, the beer - flavored beverage of the present invention is filled and sealed in a container. In the container - filling process, containers of any form and material may be used. Examples of the container include the containers described in "1.4 Container - filled Beverages".

Examples

[0083] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited by these examples.

[0084] Examples 1 - 17, Comparative Examples 1 - 7 <Preparation of Beverage> After putting crushed barley malt, corn grits, and an enzyme containing a protease into a charging tank containing 120 L of warm water, the temperature was raised step - by - step and maintained, then filtered to remove malt dregs, and wort was obtained. Thereafter, the wort was put into a boiling kettle, and liquid sugar and hops were further added for boiling treatment. The addition amounts of barley malt, corn grits, liquid sugar, and hops were adjusted so as to obtain the usage ratios and bitterness values of each raw material described in Tables 1 - 6. After the boiling treatment, solid - liquid separation treatment was performed. After cooling the obtained clear wort, aeration with oxygen was carried out to obtain a pre - fermentation liquid before yeast addition. Beer yeast (bottom - fermenting yeast) was added to the pre - fermentation liquid thus obtained, fermented at a predetermined fermentation temperature and fermentation time, and after passing through a ripening period of about one week, the yeast was removed by filtration to obtain beer - flavored beverages respectively. In each of the examples and comparative examples, the total nitrogen content, bitterness value, citric acid content, free amino - type nitrogen concentration, and the total content of monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and tetrasaccharides, which is the "1 - 4 saccharide content", were adjusted to the values shown in Tables 1 - 6 as follows. · Total nitrogen content: Appropriately set and adjusted based on the types of raw materials (such as malt, corn grits, etc.), types of enzymes, addition amount of enzymes (including proteolytic enzymes), timing of enzyme addition, protein decomposition time in the charge tank, pH in the charge tank, set temperature and holding time of each temperature region when preparing wort, boiling time and pH in the boiling process, original extract concentration of the pre-fermentation liquid, original extract concentration in the fermentation process, fermentation conditions (yeast strain, addition amount of yeast, yeast growth number, timing of yeast removal, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, etc.). · Bitterness value: Appropriately set and adjusted based on the types and addition amounts of hops, timing of addition, and various conditions of the boiling treatment (such as boiling temperature and boiling time). · Citric acid content: After appropriately setting the types of malt and corn grits, yeast strain, and fermentation conditions, adjusted by adding extract-adjusted water and citric acid as necessary. · Free amino nitrogen concentration: Appropriately set and adjusted based on the types of raw materials (such as malt, corn grits, etc.), types of enzymes, addition amount of enzymes (including proteolytic enzymes), timing of enzyme addition, protein decomposition time in the charge tank, pH in the charge tank, set temperature and holding time of each temperature region when preparing wort, boiling time and pH in the boiling process, original extract concentration of the pre-fermentation liquid, original extract concentration in the fermentation process, fermentation conditions (yeast strain, addition amount of yeast, yeast growth number, timing of yeast removal, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, etc.). · Content of monosaccharides to tetrasaccharides: Appropriately set and adjusted based on the usage ratio of liquid sugar, types of enzymes, addition amount of enzymes, timing of enzyme addition, set temperature and holding time of each temperature region when preparing the saccharified liquid, and various conditions of the fermentation process (yeast strain, addition amount of yeast, timing of yeast addition, timing of yeast removal, timing of reducing yeast amount, yeast growth number, yeast growth time, yeast activity, yeast size (cell size), oxygen concentration, carbon dioxide concentration, nitrogen concentration, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, etc.).

[0085] <Sensory evaluation> For the beverages obtained in the Examples and Comparative Examples cooled to about 4°C, five panelists who had been trained regularly evaluated the "taste characteristic of a beer - flavored beverage", "sharpness of the aftertaste characteristic of a beer - flavored beverage", and "presence or absence of an inappropriate sour taste for a beer - flavored beverage" of each beverage. For Examples 1, 14, 15 and Comparative Example 7, they also evaluated the "presence or absence of an inappropriate bitter taste for a beer - flavored beverage". Based on the following score criteria, on a scale of 3 (maximum) to 1 (minimum) in 0.1 increments, the score was evaluated, and the average value of the scores of the five panelists was calculated. The results are shown in Tables 1 - 6. In the evaluation, samples conforming to the following criteria "3.0", "2.5", "2.0", "1.5" and "1.0" were prepared in advance to standardize the criteria among the panelists. Also, in any of the sensory evaluations in Table 1, for the same beverage, no difference in the score value of 1.0 or more was confirmed among the panelists. [Score criteria for the taste characteristic of a beer - flavored beverage] · "3.0": The taste characteristic of a beer - flavored beverage is felt very strongly. · "2.5": The taste characteristic of a beer - flavored beverage is felt strongly. · "2.0": The taste characteristic of a beer - flavored beverage is felt. · "1.5": The taste characteristic of a beer - flavored beverage is not felt very much. · "1.0": The taste characteristic of a beer - flavored beverage is hardly felt. [Score criteria for the sharpness of the aftertaste characteristic of a beer - flavored beverage] · "3.0": The sharpness of the aftertaste characteristic of a beer - flavored beverage is felt very strongly. · "2.5": The sharpness of the aftertaste characteristic of a beer - flavored beverage is felt strongly. · "2.0": The sharpness of the aftertaste characteristic of a beer - flavored beverage is felt. · "1.5": The sharpness of the aftertaste characteristic of a beer - flavored beverage is not felt very much. · "1.0": The sharpness of the aftertaste characteristic of a beer - flavored beverage is hardly felt. [Score criteria for the presence or absence of an inappropriate sour taste for a beer - flavored beverage] · "3.0": No inappropriate sour taste is felt in the beer - flavored beverage. · "2.5": Almost no inappropriate sour taste is felt in the beer - flavored beverage. · "2.0": Hardly any inappropriate sour taste is felt in the beer - flavored beverage. · "1.5": A little inappropriate sour taste is felt in the beer - flavored beverage. · "1.0": A strong inappropriate sour taste is felt in the beer - flavored beverage. [Score criteria for the presence or absence of inappropriate bitter taste in beer - flavored beverages] · "3.0": No inappropriate bitter taste is felt in the beer - flavored beverage. · "2.5": Almost no inappropriate bitter taste is felt in the beer - flavored beverage. · "2.0": Hardly any inappropriate bitter taste is felt in the beer - flavored beverage. · "1.5": A little inappropriate bitter taste is felt in the beer - flavored beverage. · "1.0": A strong inappropriate bitter taste is felt in the beer - flavored beverage.

[0086] Also, based on the average score of each of the above sensory evaluation items, as a comprehensive evaluation, it was evaluated in three levels according to the following criteria. [Comprehensive evaluation of beer - flavored beverages] · "A": The average score of all verified sensory evaluation items is 2.5 or more. · "B": Does not fall under "A" and "C". · "C": The average score of any one or more of the verified sensory evaluation items is less than 2.0.

[0087]

Table 1

[0088]

Table 2

[0089]

Table 3

[0090]

Table 4

[0091]

Table 5

[0092]

Table 6

[0093] From Tables 1 to 6, the beer - flavored beverages of Examples 1 to 17 had a flavor characteristic of beer - flavored beverages and excellent sharpness in aftertaste, and were beverages with suppressed inappropriate sourness. On the other hand, the beer - flavored beverages of Comparative Examples 1 to 6 had a problem of inferior sharpness in aftertaste. The beer - flavored beverages of Comparative Examples 2, 4, and 6, in addition to the problem of inferior sharpness in aftertaste, were beverages with a felt inappropriate sourness. Also, the beer - flavored beverage of Comparative Example 7 was a beverage with a felt inappropriate bitterness.

[0094] Comparative Examples 8, 9 In Comparative Example 8, a beer - flavored beverage was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that corn grits and liquid sugar were not used. In Comparative Example 9, a beer - flavored beverage was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that corn grits were not used, the usage ratio of liquid sugar was changed to 51% by mass, and the original extract concentration and free amino - nitrogen concentration were set to the values shown in Table 7.

[0095] Then, regarding the beer - flavored beverage of Example 1 and the beer - flavored beverages of Comparative Examples 8 and 9 cooled to about 4°C, eight panelists who had been trained regularly evaluated the "presence or absence of satiety" and the "presence or absence of a watery feeling inappropriate for beer - flavored beverages" of each beverage based on the following score criteria in the range of 3 (maximum value) to 1 (minimum value) with a score increment of 0.5, and the average value of the scores of five panelists was calculated. The results are shown in Table 7. In the evaluation, samples conforming to the following criteria "3.0", "2.5", "2.0", "1.5", and "1.0" were prepared in advance to unify the criteria among the panelists. Also, in any of the sensory evaluations in Table 1, no difference in the score values of 1.0 or more among the panelists was confirmed for the same beverage. [Score Criteria for the Presence or Absence of Satiety] · "3.0": No satiety is felt after drinking. · "2.5": Almost no satiety is felt after drinking. · "2.0": Hardly any satiety is felt after drinking. · "1.5": A little satiety is felt after drinking. · "1.0": Strong satiety is felt after drinking. [Score Criteria for the Presence or Absence of Watery Taste Unsuitable for Beer-Taste Beverages] · "3.0": No watery taste unsuitable for beer-taste beverages is felt. · "2.5": Almost no watery taste unsuitable for beer-taste beverages is felt. · "2.0": Hardly any watery taste unsuitable for beer-taste beverages is felt. · "1.5": A little watery taste unsuitable for beer-taste beverages is felt. · "1.0": Strong watery taste unsuitable for beer-taste beverages is felt.

[0096]

Table 7

[0097] From Table 7, the beer-taste beverage of Comparative Example 8 had a large total nitrogen content, so it was a beverage with remaining satiety. Also, the beer-taste beverage of Comparative Example 9 had improved satiety, but since corn grits were not used, an unsuitable watery taste was felt. On the other hand, the beer-taste beverage of Example 1 had improved satiety and unsuitable watery taste compared to Comparative Examples 8 and 9.

Claims

1. having a total nitrogen content of 5 to 85 mg / 100 mL or less, a bitterness value of 5 to 35 BUS, a citric acid content of 150 to 900 mg / L, a beer - flavored beverage using corn grits as a raw material (excluding alcoholic beverages produced by adding Xanthophyllomyces dendroascus and performing fermentation).

2. having a total nitrogen content of 5 to 85 mg / 100 mL or less, a bitterness value of 5 to 35 BUS, a citric acid content of 150 to 900 mg / L, a free amino - state nitrogen concentration of 3.0 to 16.0 mg / 100 mL, a beer - flavored beverage using corn grits as a raw material

3. The beer - flavored beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ratio of the citric acid content (unit: mg / L) to the total nitrogen content (unit: mg / 100 mL) [citric acid / total nitrogen content] is 2.5 to 20.

0.

4. The beer - flavored beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the usage ratio (X) of corn grits is 1 to 28% by mass based on the total amount of raw materials excluding water and hops.

5. The beer - flavored beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is a beverage using malt as a raw material.

6. The beer - flavored beverage according to claim 5, wherein the usage ratio (Y) of malt is 80% by mass or less based on the total amount of raw materials excluding water and hops.

7. The beer - flavored beverage according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the ratio [(Y) / (X)] of the usage ratio (Y) of malt to the usage ratio (X) of corn grits is 0.9 to 80.

0.

8. The total usage ratio of the usage ratio (X) of corn grits and the usage ratio (Y) of malt is 20 to 100% by mass based on the total amount of raw materials excluding water and hops, the beer - flavored beverage according to any one of claims 5 to 7.

9. The beer - flavored beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the content of saccharides selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and tetrasaccharides is 0.10 g / 100 mL or more.

10. The beer - flavored beverage according to claim 9, wherein the ratio [citric acid / saccharides] of the content of citric acid (unit: mg / L) to the content of saccharides (unit: mg / 100 mL) is 100 to 6000.

11. The beer - flavored beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the original extract concentration is 5.0 to 20.0% by mass.

12. The beer - flavored beverage according to any one of claims 1 and 3 to 11, wherein the free amino - nitrogen concentration is 3.0 to 16.0 mg / 100 mL.

13. The beer - flavored beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 12, which is a fermented beer - flavored beverage.

14. A method for producing a beer - flavored beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 13, the method for producing a beer - flavored beverage having the following steps (1) to (2). ・Step (1): A step of obtaining a pre - fermentation liquid by performing at least one of saccharification treatment, boiling treatment, and solid - content removal treatment on raw materials including water, malt, and corn grits. ・Step (2): A step of adding yeast to the pre - fermentation liquid obtained in step (1) and performing alcohol fermentation.

15. The method for producing a beer - flavored beverage according to claim 14, further having the following step (3). ・Step (3): A step of checking and / or adjusting at least one of the total nitrogen amount, bitterness value, and content of citric acid.

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