Alcohol-containing beverages

Abstract

To provide an alcohol-containing beverage that has a pleasant, stickiness-suppressed acidity and an improved drinkability.SOLUTION: Provided is an alcohol-containing beverage that contains maltose and maltotriose, and in which the contained amount of maltose is 9.5 g / L or more and less than 38 g / L, and the contained amount of maltotriose is 1.75 g / L or more and less than 7 g / L.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to alcohol-containing beverages. [Background technology]

[0002] Various technical means for improving the flavor of alcohol-containing beverages have been reported. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a beer-flavored carbonated beverage containing added malt extract and sugars, characterized in that the glucose and maltose concentrations are 0.2 w / v% or less and 2.0 w / v% or less, respectively, and the total concentration of polysaccharides higher than maltotriose is 2.0 to 3.0 w / v%. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-250503 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A pleasant, non-sticky sourness is a flavor that can affect drinkability. However, no method has been known to date for improving sourness (pleasant sourness and stickiness) to improve drinkability.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide an alcohol-containing beverage that has a pleasant, less sticky sour taste and improved drinkability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention relates to an alcohol-containing beverage containing maltose and maltotriose, wherein the maltose content is 9.5 g / L or more and less than 38 g / L, and the maltotriose content is 1.75 g / L or more and less than 7 g / L.

[0007] The alcohol-containing beverage according to the present invention has a maltose content and a maltotriose content within the above ranges, and therefore has a pleasant acidity with reduced stickiness and improved drinkability.

[0008] In the alcohol-containing beverage according to the present invention, the maltose content may be 15.5 g / L or more and 26 g / L or less, which results in a more pleasant sour taste and less stickiness, further improving drinkability.

[0009] In the alcohol-containing beverage according to the present invention, the maltotriose content may be 3.15 g / L or more and 4.2 g / L or less, which results in a more pleasant sour taste and less stickiness, further improving drinkability.

[0010] In the alcohol-containing beverage according to the present invention, the mass ratio of the maltotriose content to the maltose content may be 0.5 or less, which results in a more pleasant sour taste and less stickiness, further improving drinkability.

[0011] In the alcohol-containing beverage according to the present invention, the alcohol content may be 0.4 v / v % or more and 1.0 v / v % or less.

[0012] The alcohol-containing beverage according to the present invention may be a beer-flavored beverage.

[0013] The present invention also relates to a method for imparting a pleasant, less sticky sourness to an alcohol-containing beverage and improving its drinkability, which method comprises adjusting the maltose content to 9.5 g / L or more and less than 38 g / L and adjusting the maltotriose content to 1.75 g / L or more and less than 7 g / L. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an alcohol-containing beverage that has a pleasant acidity with reduced stickiness and improved drinkability. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The following describes in detail the embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0016] [Alcohol-containing beverages] The alcohol-containing beverage according to this embodiment contains maltose and maltotriose, with the maltose content being 9.5 g / L or more and less than 38 g / L, and the maltotriose content being 1.75 g / L or more and less than 7 g / L.

[0017] Maltose is a reducing disaccharide formed by an α-1,4-glucosidic bond between two D-glucose molecules, and is also known as maltose. The maltose content in the alcohol-containing beverage according to this embodiment is 9.5 g / L or more and less than 38 g / L. From the viewpoints of obtaining a more desirable sourness (a pleasant sourness with reduced stickiness), further improving drinkability, and achieving a better balance of taste (bitterness and sweetness), the maltose content in the alcohol-containing beverage is preferably 11.5 g / L or more and 34 g / L or less, 13.5 g / L or more and 30 g / L or less, 15.5 g / L or more and 26 g / L or less, or 17.5 g / L or more and 22 g / L or less. Furthermore, when the maltose content is within the above ranges, it is possible to further reduce the lingering sticky sweetness and the lingering sticky sourness.

[0018] The maltose content can be measured, for example, by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a maltose standard solution. The maltose content can be adjusted, for example, by adding maltose itself or a composition containing maltose at any stage in the production process of an alcoholic beverage. When an alcoholic beverage is produced by a method including a step of fermenting a sugar-containing substance, the maltose content can also be adjusted to within the above range by controlling the degree of fermentation. The degree of fermentation can be controlled mainly by selecting the type of enzyme, but can also be controlled by selecting the type of malt, controlling temperature and time, and selecting yeast with different fermentation properties.

[0019] Maltotriose is a trisaccharide (α-D-Glc-(1→4)-α-D-Glc-(1→4)-D-Glc) formed by the α-1,4-glucosidic bond between three glucose molecules. The maltotriose content in the alcohol-containing beverage according to this embodiment is from 1.75 g / L to less than 7 g / L. From the viewpoints of achieving a more desirable sourness (a pleasant sourness with reduced stickiness), further improving drinkability, and achieving a better balance of taste (bitterness and sweetness), the maltotriose content is preferably from 2.1 g / L to 6.3 g / L, from 2.45 g / L to 5.6 g / L, from 2.8 g / L to 4.9 g / L, from 3.15 g / L to 4.2 g / L, or from 3.3 g / L to 3.7 g / L. Furthermore, when the maltose content is within the above range, it is possible to further reduce the lingering sticky sweetness and lingering sticky sourness.

[0020] The maltotriose content can be measured, for example, by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a maltotriose standard solution. The maltotriose content can be adjusted, for example, by adding maltotriose itself or a composition containing maltotriose at any stage in the production process of an alcoholic beverage. When the production process of an alcoholic beverage includes a step of fermenting a sugar-containing substance, the maltotriose content can also be adjusted to within the above range by controlling the degree of fermentation. The degree of fermentation can be controlled mainly by selecting the type of enzyme, but can also be controlled by selecting the type of malt, controlling the temperature and time, and selecting yeast with different fermentation properties.

[0021] The mass ratio of the maltotriose content (g / L) to the maltose content (g / L) in the alcohol-containing beverage (maltotriose / maltose) is preferably 0.5 or less, 0.4 or less, 0.3 or less, or 0.2 or less, from the viewpoint of achieving the effects of the present invention more significantly. When the contents of maltose and maltotriose are within the above ranges and the maltotriose / maltose ratio is 0.2 or less, the effects of the present invention are particularly significantly achieved. The maltotriose / maltose ratio may be, for example, 0.05 or more, 0.10 or more, or 0.15 or more.

[0022] The alcohol-containing beverage according to this embodiment may further contain components other than maltose and maltotriose (other components) to the extent that the effects of the present invention are not impaired. These other components may include bittering agents, coloring agents, sweeteners, high-intensity sweeteners, antioxidants, acidulants, flavorings, salts, and the like that are typically incorporated into beverages. Examples of bittering agents include hops, iso-α acids, caffeine, gentian extract, peptides, theobromine, naringin, bitter persimmon extract, artemisia absinthium extract, and cinchona extract. Examples of coloring agents include caramel color, gardenia color, fruit juice color, vegetable color, and synthetic color. Examples of sweeteners include high-fructose corn syrup, glucose, galactose, mannose, fructose, lactose, sucrose, glycogen, and starch. Examples of high-intensity sweeteners include neotame, acesulfame K, sucralose, saccharin, saccharin sodium, disodium glycyrrhizinate, cyclamate, dulcin, stevia, glycyrrhizin, thaumatin, monellin, aspartame, and alitame. Examples of antioxidants include vitamin C, vitamin E, and polyphenols. Examples of acidulants include phosphoric acid, lactic acid, DL-malic acid, citric acid, adipic acid, trisodium citrate, glucono-delta-lactone, gluconic acid, potassium gluconate, sodium gluconate, succinic acid, monosodium succinate, disodium succinate, sodium acetate, DL-tartaric acid, L-tartaric acid, sodium DL-tartrate, sodium L-tartrate, sodium lactate, glacial acetic acid, fumaric acid, monosodium fumarate, and sodium DL-malate. Examples of salts include sodium chloride, potassium acid phosphate, calcium acid phosphate, ammonium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, calcium sulfate, potassium metabisulfite, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium nitrate, and ammonium sulfate.

[0023] The alcohol content of the alcohol-containing beverage according to this embodiment may be 0.005 v / v% or more, 0.1 v / v% or more, 0.2 v / v% or more, 0.3 v / v% or more, 0.4 v / v% or more, 0.5 v / v% or more, or 0.6 v / v% or more, and may be 10.0 v / v% or less, 5.0 v / v% or less, 3.0 v / v% or less, 1.0 v / v% or less, less than 1.0 v / v%, 0.9 v / v% or less, or 0.8 v / v% or less. Unless otherwise specified, "alcohol" in this specification refers to ethanol.

[0024] The alcohol content of alcoholic beverages can be measured, for example, by the method described in "8.3.6 Beer, Alcohol (Alcolyzer Method)" and "8.3.7 Headspace GC-FID Method" in the Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods (published by the Brewery Society of Japan, edited by the International Technical Committee of the Brewers Association of Japan (Analysis Committee), revised and expanded in 2013).

[0025] The alcohol content of the alcohol-containing beverage according to this embodiment may be adjusted to fall within the above range by, for example, adding alcohol, by removing alcohol from a fermented liquid obtained by brewing, by fermenting the fermented liquid under conditions that suppress alcohol production during brewing, or by using a combination of these methods. There are no particular limitations on the alcohol added, and it may be, for example, distilled alcohol (e.g., raw material alcohol, spirits, vodka) or a fermented liquid obtained by brewing. There are no particular limitations on the method for removing alcohol from a fermented liquid obtained by brewing, and it may be carried out by conventional methods such as distillation or dialysis.

[0026] The alcohol-containing beverage according to this embodiment may be either non-sparkling or sparkling. Here, non-sparkling refers to a beverage that has a gas pressure of 0.049 MPa (0.5 kg / cm) at 20°C. 2 ) at 20°C, and foaming refers to a state in which the gas pressure is less than 0.049 MPa (0.5 kg / cm 2) or more. In the case of foaming, the upper limit of gas pressure is 0.294 MPa (3.0 kg / cm 2 ) may be sufficient.

[0027] The alcohol-containing beverage according to this embodiment may be a beer-flavored beverage, a chuhai-flavored beverage, an RTD (Ready To Drink) beverage such as a cocktail, a wine-flavored beverage, or the like. In this specification, "beer-flavored beverage" refers to a beverage with a beer-like flavor. Examples of beer-flavored beverages include, but are not limited to, those classified as happoshu (low-malt beer), other brewed alcoholic beverages, and liqueurs under the Liquor Tax Act (Act No. 8 of 2020). The beer-flavored beverage according to this embodiment is not limited to the above-mentioned examples. The beer-flavored beverage according to this embodiment may be a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage with an alcohol content of more than 0 v / v% and less than 3.0 v / v%.

[0028] As used herein, "chuhai-taste beverage" refers to chuhai or a beverage that has a chuhai-like taste and aroma and gives the drinker the sensation of drinking chuhai when ingested. Chuhai-taste beverages may contain, for example, fruit juice, oolong tea, etc., and from the standpoint of flavor, it is preferable for them to contain fruit juice. As used herein, wine-taste beverages refer to beverages that have a wine-like taste, aroma, and color and give the drinker the sensation of drinking wine when ingested. RTD beverages are beverages in the form of RTDs that are consumed as is by opening the lid.

[0029] The alcohol-containing beverage according to this embodiment can be provided in a container. The container may be any container that can be sealed, such as a metal (aluminum, steel, etc.) can or barrel. Alternatively, glass containers, PET bottles, paper containers, pouch containers, etc. may also be used. The container capacity is not particularly limited, and any currently available containers may be used. It is preferable to use a metal container, as it completely blocks gas, moisture, and light and can maintain stable quality at room temperature for a long period of time.

[0030] [Method for producing alcohol-containing beverages] The alcohol-containing beverage according to this embodiment can be produced by a production method that includes, for example, adjusting the maltose content in the alcohol-containing beverage to 9.5 g / L or more and less than 38 g / L, and adjusting the maltotriose content in the alcohol-containing beverage to 1.75 g / L or more and less than 7 g / L. The production method may be, for example, a method of producing an alcohol-containing beverage by mixing ingredients (a blending method), or a method of producing an alcohol-containing beverage through fermentation with yeast or the like (a fermentation method).

[0031] A production method (blending method) according to one embodiment includes, for example, a blending step of blending water, a maltose source, a maltotriose source, alcohol (e.g., raw material alcohol, distilled alcohol such as spirits and vodka, or fermentation liquid obtained by brewing), and, as needed, various additives (e.g., bittering agents, coloring agents, sweeteners, high-intensity sweeteners, antioxidants, acidulants, flavorings, salts, water-soluble dietary fiber, etc.), and other raw materials such as wort in a raw material tank. The blending step can be carried out according to conventional methods, except that the maltose content and maltotriose content are adjusted to fall within the above-mentioned ranges. The maltose source may be maltose itself or a raw material containing maltose. The maltotriose source may be maltotriose itself or a raw material containing maltotriose.

[0032] The production method according to this embodiment may further include a filtration step of filtering the mixed liquid obtained by mixing the components in the blending step, a first sterilization step of sterilizing the filtrate filtered in the filtration step, a filling step of filling a container such as a bottle, a can, or a plastic bottle with the sterilized filtrate sterilized in the first sterilization step, and a second sterilization step of sterilizing the container together with the filtrate filled in the container in the filling step.

[0033] The blending step may involve mixing while stirring using a stirrer or the like so that the components are thoroughly mixed. The filtration step may be carried out using, for example, a general filter or strainer. The first sterilization step may be carried out by plate sterilization from the standpoint of processing speed, etc., and is not limited to this and can be applied as long as a similar process can be performed. The filling step may be carried out in a clean room that maintains a degree of cleanliness that is typically achieved in beverage production. The second sterilization step may be carried out by heating the filtrate together with the container at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time. The first or second sterilization step may be a non-heating sterilization step. Examples of non-heating sterilization steps include ultraviolet (UV) sterilization. It is also possible to carry out non-sterilization filling without performing a sterilization step.

[0034] In another embodiment, the production method (fermentation method) includes, for example, a mashing step and a fermentation step.

[0035] The brewing process is a process for preparing a pre-fermentation liquid to be used in fermentation. The brewing process may be, for example, a process for obtaining a pre-fermentation liquid using raw materials and brewing water (water used in the brewing process). The brewing process may also include, for example, a boiling process for boiling a sugar-containing liquid, a removal process for removing solids from the raw material liquid, and a cooling process for cooling the raw material liquid, in this order.

[0036] In the boiling process, the sugar-containing liquid is boiled to obtain a boiled liquid (a sugar-containing liquid after boiling). A sugar-containing liquid contains components that can be fermented into alcohol by yeast. Examples of sugar-containing liquids include wort and syrup. Wort is an unfermented liquid obtained through the saccharification of barley raw materials. Wort can be obtained, for example, by mixing raw materials such as barley raw materials with water, saccharifying a liquid containing the raw materials and water by a conventional method to obtain a saccharified liquid, and filtering the saccharified liquid. In this specification, the barley raw material refers to barley or a processed barley product. Examples of barley include barley, wheat, rye, oats, oats, and pearl barley. Examples of processed barley products include barley extract, malt, and malt extract. Barley extract is obtained by extracting barley extract components containing sugars and nitrogen from barley. Malt is obtained by germinating barley. Malt extract is obtained by extracting extract components containing sugars and nitrogen from malt.

[0037] In the boiling step, hops may be added to the raw material liquid. Examples of the hops that can be added include dried hops, hop pellets, and hop extract. The hops may also be processed hop products such as low hops, hexahops, tetrahops, and iso-hop extracts.

[0038] In the removing step, solids in the post-boiling liquid are removed to obtain a purified liquid. The removing step can be carried out, for example, by precipitating insoluble solids contained in the post-boiling liquid. Examples of solids include thermal coagulation produced in the boiling step, and hop residues if hops are added in the boiling step. The removing step may be carried out in a whirlpool. In the cooling step, the purified liquid is cooled to a temperature at which fermentation by yeast is possible to obtain a pre-fermentation liquid.

[0039] The fermentation process is a process in which the pre-fermentation liquid is fermented with yeast. The fermentation process results in a post-fermentation liquid obtained by fermenting the pre-fermentation liquid with yeast. In the fermentation process, alcoholic fermentation is carried out with yeast. More specifically, yeast is inoculated into the pre-fermentation liquid and fermented to obtain a post-fermentation liquid containing alcohol produced by the yeast.

[0040] In the production method according to this embodiment, post-fermentation steps following the fermentation step may include a step of maturing and cooling the post-fermentation liquid, a storage step of storing the post-fermentation liquid, and a filtration step of filtering the post-fermentation liquid. By carrying out the filtration step, insoluble solids, yeast, etc. can be removed from the post-fermentation liquid.

[0041] In the production method according to this embodiment, other post-fermentation steps may be performed, such as heating (sterilization) the post-fermentation liquid (or the post-fermentation liquid after the filtration step) or adding various additives (for example, bittering agents, coloring agents, sweeteners, high-intensity sweeteners, antioxidants, acidulants, flavorings, salts, and water-soluble dietary fiber).

[0042] The production method (fermentation method) according to this embodiment can be carried out in a conventional manner, except that the maltose content and the maltotriose content are adjusted to fall within the above-mentioned ranges. The maltose content can be adjusted by controlling the amount of maltose added and / or by controlling the type and amount of raw materials used, the degree of fermentation, etc. The maltotriose content can be adjusted by controlling the amount of maltotriose added and / or by controlling the type and amount of raw materials used, the degree of fermentation, etc.

[0043] [Method for imparting a pleasant, non-sticky sourness to an alcohol-containing beverage and improving its drinkability] The present invention described above can also be understood as a method for imparting a pleasant, less sticky sour taste to an alcohol-containing beverage and improving its drinkability, which comprises adjusting the maltose content to 9.5 g / L or more and less than 38 g / L and adjusting the maltotriose content to 1.75 g / L or more and less than 7 g / L. Specific embodiments of the method can be applied without limitation to the above-mentioned embodiments. [Example]

[0044] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, although the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0045] Test Example 1: Production and Evaluation of Alcohol-Containing Beverages (Production of alcoholic beverages) The alcohol-containing beverages of Test Examples 1-1 to 1-7 were produced by mixing carbonated water, alcohol (distilled alcohol), maltose, and maltotriose to obtain the compositions shown in Table 1. The maltose content and maltotriose content shown in Table 1 are based on the total volume of the alcohol-containing beverage. The alcohol content of the alcohol-containing beverages of Test Examples 1-1 to 1-7 was 0.7 v / v%.

[0046] As a control, a control alcohol-containing beverage was produced in the same manner as in Test Examples 1-1 to 1-7, except that maltose and maltotriose were not mixed.

[0047] (sensory evaluation) The alcohol-containing beverages of Test Examples 1-1 to 1-7 were subjected to a sensory evaluation for the evaluation items of "pleasant sourness, non-sticky sourness," "drinkability," "sticky sweetness (lingering aftertaste)," and "sticky sourness (lingering aftertaste)." The sensory evaluation was carried out by five selected panelists with discriminating abilities. Each evaluation item was rated on a five-point scale from 1 to 5, and the average score was used as the evaluation score.

[0048] "Pleasant sourness, non-sticky sourness" was evaluated as the mellowness of the sourness and the absence of a lingering aftertaste when drinking an alcohol-containing beverage. In other words, the higher the score for "pleasant sourness, non-sticky sourness," the more pleasant the sourness and the less sticky the sourness. "Drinkability" was evaluated as the ease of drinking, i.e., whether or not one would want to drink another glass after drinking one glass. In other words, the higher the score, the more likely one is to want to drink another glass after drinking one glass. For the evaluation items "pleasant sourness, non-sticky sourness" and "drinkability," the higher the score, the more preferable the beverage.

[0049] For "sticky sweetness (lingering feeling)", the higher the score, the stickier the sweetness is and the longer the sweetness is felt to linger. For "sticky sourness (lingering feeling)", the higher the score, the stickier the sourness is and the longer the sourness is felt to linger. For the evaluation items of "sticky sweetness (lingering feeling)" and "sticky sourness (lingering feeling)", the lower the score, the more preferable it is.

[0050] For the evaluation items of "pleasant sourness, non-sticky sourness," "drinkability," "sticky sweetness (lingering feeling)," and "sticky sourness (lingering feeling)," the scores of the control alcohol-containing beverage were fixed at 1 point, 1 point, 1 point, and 5 points, respectively, and other alcohol-containing beverages were evaluated based on this. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0051] [Table 1]

[0052] [Table 2]

[0053] A comparison of the control and Test Examples 1-7 alcohol-containing beverages with the Test Examples 1-1 to 1-6 alcohol-containing beverages shows that adjusting the maltose content and maltotriose content within specific ranges results in a pleasant sour taste, suppresses the sticky sour taste, and improves drinkability. The Test Examples 1-3 to 1-5 alcohol-containing beverages were particularly excellent in pleasant sour taste, non-sticky sour taste, and drinkability, and furthermore, the lingering sweetness and sticky sour taste were sufficiently suppressed.

[0054] Regarding the alcohol-containing beverages of Test Examples 1-4, comments such as "well-balanced" and "good taste balance" were obtained. Regarding the control alcohol-containing beverage, comments such as "strong bitterness" were obtained. Regarding the alcohol-containing beverages of Test Examples 1-7, comments such as "strong sweetness," "heavy," "strong lingering sweetness," "sweetness that doesn't cut through," and "sweetness that is too sweet" were obtained.

[0055] According to the comments of the panel that conducted the sensory evaluation, compared to the alcohol-containing beverages of Test Examples 1-1 to 1-3, the alcohol-containing beverages of the other Test Examples had a reduced bitterness. Compared to the alcohol-containing beverage of Test Example 1-1, the alcohol-containing beverages of the other Test Examples felt stronger. Compared to the alcohol-containing beverages of Test Examples 1-5 to 1-6, the alcohol-containing beverages of the other Test Examples felt more suitable in terms of sweetness. Compared to the alcohol-containing beverage of Test Example 1-6, the alcohol-containing beverages of the other Test Examples felt less heavy. The alcohol-containing beverage of Test Example 1-6 had a well-balanced taste and had a taste similar to umami.

[0056] The alcohol-containing beverages of Test Examples 1-1 to 1-6 had a reduced level of lingering sticky sweetness and lingering sticky sourness compared to the control and the alcohol-containing beverage of Test Example 1-7. The alcohol-containing beverage of Test Example 1-4 had a particularly reduced level of lingering sticky sweetness and lingering sticky sourness.

[0057] Test Example 2: Production and Evaluation of Low-Alcohol Beer-Flavored Beverages (Production of low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages (alcohol content 0.7v / v%)) Wort was prepared in the same manner as for ordinary beer, and non-alcoholic brewer's yeast was added to the prepared wort, followed by fermentation and storage. An acidulant was added to the stored liquid, and the liquid was filtered. The filtered stored liquid was filled into cans to obtain low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages. Maltose and maltotriose were added to the obtained low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages to prepare samples of Test Examples 2-1 to 2-5. The control was the same sample as the control in Test Example 1.

[0058] The maltose and maltotriose contents in the low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a standard solution of maltose or maltotriose, and samples were prepared by adding maltose or maltotriose as necessary to achieve the contents shown in the table below.

[0059] (sensory evaluation) Sensory evaluation was carried out by five selected panelists with discriminating abilities in the same manner as in Test Example 1 for the evaluation items of "pleasant sourness, non-sticky sourness," "drinkability," "sticky sweetness (lingering feeling)," and "sticky sourness (lingering feeling)."

[0060] For the evaluation items of "pleasant sourness, non-sticky sourness," "drinkability," "sticky sweetness (lingering feeling)," and "sticky sourness (lingering feeling)," the scores of the control alcohol-containing beverage were fixed at 1 point, 1 point, 1 point, and 5 points, respectively, and other alcohol-containing beverages were evaluated using this as the standard. [Table 3] [Table 4]

[0061] Even in low-alcohol beer-taste beverages obtained by a method including fermenting wort, when the maltose and maltotriose contents were within the specified ranges, the sourness was pleasant, the sticky sourness was suppressed, and drinkability was excellent. The low-alcohol beer-taste beverages of Test Examples 2-1 to 2-3 had a pleasant sourness, a non-sticky sourness, and excellent drinkability, and furthermore, the lingering sweetness and sticky sourness were sufficiently suppressed.

[0062] The low-alcohol beer-taste beverage of Test Example 2-4 received comments that it was very sweet. The low-alcohol beer-taste beverage of Test Example 2-5 received comments that it was very sweet and heavy.

Claims

1. Contains maltose and maltotriose, The maltose content is 9.5 g / L or more and less than 38 g / L, An alcohol-containing beverage having a maltotriose content of 2.1 g / L or more and 5.3 g / L or less.

2. The alcohol-containing beverage according to claim 1, wherein the maltose content is 15.5 g / L or more and 26 g / L or less.

3. The alcohol-containing beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the maltotriose content is 3.15 g / L or more and 4.2 g / L or less.

4. The alcohol-containing beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the mass ratio of the maltotriose content to the maltose content is 0.5 or less.

5. The alcohol-containing beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, having an alcohol content of 0.4 v / v% or more and 1.0 v / v% or less.

6. The alcohol-containing beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is a beer-taste beverage.

7. A method for imparting a pleasant, less sticky sourness to an alcohol-containing beverage and improving its drinkability, comprising adjusting the maltose content to 9.5 g / L or more and less than 38 g / L, and adjusting the maltotriose content to 2.1 g / L or more and 5.6 g / L or less.

8. An alcohol-containing beverage containing maltose and maltotriose, The maltose content is 9.5 g / L or more and less than 38 g / L, The maltotriose content is 1.75 g / L or more and less than 7 g / L, An alcohol-containing beverage, wherein the mass ratio (maltotriose / maltose) of the maltotriose content (g / L) to the maltose content (g / L) in the alcohol-containing beverage is 0.368 or less.

9. The alcohol-containing beverage according to claim 8, wherein the mass ratio (maltotriose / maltose) of the maltotriose content (g / L) to the maltose content (g / L) in the alcohol-containing beverage is 0.05 or more.

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