Beer-flavored fermented malt beverage

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a fermented malt beverage having a beer taste, which exhibits excellent richness and excellent sweetness harmonized with sourness, has a beer-like flavor, and has an alcohol concentration of less than 1% (v / v). A means for solving the problem is this fermented malt beverage having a beer taste, which contains a wort fermentation liquid, has a real extract content of 3.5% (w / w) or more, and has an alcohol concentration of less than 1% (v / v).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a beer-flavored fermented malt beverage, and in particular to a beer-flavored fermented malt beverage having an alcohol concentration of less than 1% (v / v). In this specification, the phrase "an alcohol concentration of less than 1% (v / v)" refers to both the presence of alcohol in an amount of less than 1% (v / v) and the absence of alcohol. Furthermore, the term "alcohol" refers to ethanol.

[0002] "Fermented malt beverage" refers to a beverage obtained by fermenting malt as an ingredient. "Beer taste" refers to the taste and aroma that are reminiscent of beer. "Beer" refers to a beverage obtained by fermenting ingredients such as malt, hops, and water with yeast. [Background technology]

[0003] Non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages are sometimes produced without going through an alcoholic fermentation process in order to achieve a non-alcoholic flavor. The flavor of beer, a fermented product, is complex, and it is generally difficult to recreate this flavor by blending flavorings and other ingredients. Therefore, there is still room for improvement in non-fermented, non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages with regard to the texture felt in the throat, the balance of sweetness and sourness, and the beer-like flavor.

[0004] On the other hand, low-alcohol beer is known, which is made by removing the alcohol from regular beer. When removing the alcohol from beer, which is a fermented product, the flavor components produced during the alcoholic fermentation process are left in, resulting in a beer-flavored beverage.

[0005] Patent Document 1 describes a beer-flavored beverage in which fermented beer is dealcoholized to remove the alcohol content. Paragraph 0003 of the same document points out that such non-alcoholic beer-like beverages have problems in that the removal of the alcohol content removes the aroma and sweetness inherent to alcohol, resulting in a sensory lack of a beer-like aroma, little sweetness, and insufficient body and crispness.

[0006] Patent Document 1 attempts to solve this problem by adding a predetermined amount of malt extract and sugars (Claim 1). However, malt extract has an unpleasant odor known as wort flavor. Therefore, non-alcoholic beer-like beverages containing malt extract have an unpleasant odor in addition to the beer-like flavor, making them less palatable.

[0007] Patent Document 2 describes a method for producing a low-alcohol fermented malt beverage, characterized in that in the brewing process, transglucosidase is added to a mash containing malt to saccharify the wort so that the proportion of non-fermentable sugars in the total sugars in the wort before the fermentation process is 30 to 70 mass%, and an organic acid is added at any point in the production process so that the pH of the final product is 3.5 to 4.4 (Claim 1). The obtained low-alcohol fermented malt beverage has a well-balanced taste and flavor that is comparable to that of regular beers.

[0008] However, the low-alcohol fermented malt beverage of Patent Document 2 still has a relatively high alcohol concentration of 4% by volume or less (claim 7), and the aroma and sweetness of the alcoholic content contribute to its sensory sensation. The method of Patent Document 2 does not involve dealcoholization treatment, nor does it particularly provide a beer-flavored fermented malt beverage with an alcohol concentration of less than 1% (v / v). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-250503 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-239460 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by providing a beer-flavored fermented malt beverage with an alcohol concentration of less than 1% (v / v), which has excellent drinking response, an excellent sweetness balanced with sourness, and a beer-like flavor. In this specification, "drinking response" refers to the tactile sensation or feeling of stickiness in the throat when swallowing the liquid. Furthermore, "sweetness balanced with sourness" refers to a sweetness that is not too strong for a beer taste, while mitigating the sourness. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The present invention provides a beer-flavored fermented malt beverage that contains a fermented wort broth, has a true extract content of 3.5% (w / w) or more, and an alcohol concentration of less than 1% (v / v).

[0012] In one embodiment, the beer-taste fermented malt beverage has a sum of the concentrations of isomaltose, isomaltotriose, and panose of 4.0 mg / ml or more.

[0013] In one embodiment, the beer-taste fermented malt beverage contains a dealcoholized wort fermentation liquid.

[0014] In one embodiment, the final apparent degree of fermentation of the fermented wort is 80% or less.

[0015] The present invention also provides a method for producing a fermented wort liquor having an apparent final attenuation of 80% or less by subjecting transglucosidase-treated wort containing 20% ​​by weight or more of non-assimilable sugars based on the total sugar amount to yeast fermentation; removing alcohol from the fermented wort liquor to reduce the alcohol concentration to less than 1% (v / v); The present invention provides a method for producing a beer-flavored fermented malt beverage having an alcohol concentration of less than 1% (v / v), comprising:

[0016] In one embodiment, the beer-taste fermented malt beverage has a true extract content of 3.5% (w / w) or more.

[0017] In one embodiment, the sum of the concentrations of isomaltose, isomaltotriose, and panose in the beer-taste fermented malt beverage is 4.0 mg / ml or more. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] The beer-flavored fermented malt beverage of the present invention, which has an alcohol concentration of less than 1% (v / v), is satisfying to drink, has an excellent sweetness balanced with sourness, and has a beer-like flavor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The beer-flavored fermented malt beverage of the present invention can be produced by adding transglucosidase to a mash containing malt and saccharifying it in a method for producing a beer-flavored fermented malt beverage having an alcohol concentration of less than 1% (v / v) using malt as a raw material.

[0020] The transglucosidase used in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is an enzyme that has catalytic activity for transglycosylation, and transglucosidases derived from various organisms can be used. For example, any commercially available transglucosidase may be used, and these enzymes can also be used in combination.

[0021] The addition of transglucosidase to the mash is not particularly limited, as long as the enzymatic reaction caused by the added transglucosidase is sufficiently carried out by the end of the mashing process. For example, the transglucosidase may be added together with the fermentation raw material such as malt at the time of preparing the mash, or may be added during the saccharification reaction. In the present invention, in order to allow the enzymatic reaction caused by the transglucosidase to proceed sufficiently, it is preferable to add the transglucosidase at the time of preparing the mash or at an early stage of the mashing process, and it is more preferable to add it at the time of preparing the mash.

[0022] For example, crushed malt, secondary ingredients such as barley, and warm water are first mixed in a mash tank to prepare the mash. The preparation of the mash can be carried out by conventional methods, for example, by first holding the mixture at 35-60°C for 20-90 minutes to decompose the proteins derived from the raw materials into amino acids, etc., and then proceeding to the saccharification process. In this process, enzymes such as transglucosidase, and flavoring ingredients such as spices and herbs are added as needed in addition to the main and secondary ingredients.

[0023] The mash is then gradually heated and maintained at a predetermined temperature for a certain period of time, whereby the starch is saccharified using enzymes derived from malt or enzymes added to the mash. The temperature and time during saccharification can be determined appropriately taking into consideration the type of enzyme used, the amount of mash, the desired quality of the fermented wort, etc. For example, saccharification can be performed by maintaining the mash at 60-72°C for 30-90 minutes. After saccharification, the mash is maintained at 76-78°C for approximately 10 minutes, and then filtered in a wort filtration tank to obtain a clear sugar solution. Furthermore, during saccharification, an appropriate amount of enzymes may be added as needed.

[0024] The raw materials subjected to saccharification include malt. The malt content in the raw materials subjected to saccharification is not particularly limited, but is 25% or more, preferably 50% or more, and more preferably 67% or more. The raw materials subjected to saccharification may have a 100% malt usage ratio. The percentage (%) of malt relative to all raw materials excluding water is referred to as the malt usage ratio. Generally, the higher the malt usage ratio, the stronger the malt-derived umami, richness, and drinkability of the resulting wort.

[0025] "Secondary ingredients" refers to ingredients other than malt and hops. Examples of such secondary ingredients include starch ingredients such as barley, wheat, cornstarch, corn grits, rice, and koryan, as well as carbohydrate ingredients such as liquid sugar and sugar. Here, liquid sugar is produced by decomposing and saccharifying starch with acid or a saccharifying enzyme, and primarily contains glucose, maltose, maltotriose, and the like. Other secondary ingredients include spices, herbs, and fruits used to impart or improve flavor.

[0026] A saccharifying enzyme is an enzyme that breaks down starch to produce sugar, and examples of such an enzyme include α-amylase, glucoamylase, and pullulanase.

[0027] The wort boiling operation may be carried out according to the method and conditions normally used in beer production. For example, the pH-adjusted sugar solution is transferred to a boiling kettle and boiled. Hops are added from the start of boiling the sugar solution until the sugar solution is left to stand in the whirlpool. Hop extract or components extracted from hops may be used as the hops. The sugar solution is then transferred to a settling tank called a whirlpool, where hop dregs and coagulated proteins resulting from boiling are removed, and the wort is then cooled to an appropriate temperature using a plate cooler. The above operations up to the wort boiling result in the production of transglucosidase-treated wort.

[0028] Non-assimilable carbohydrates refer to carbohydrates that brewer's yeast does not use as a nutrient source for alcoholic fermentation, etc. The brewer's yeast used in the present invention assimilates glucose, fructose, maltose, and maltotriose. Therefore, carbohydrates other than these are collectively referred to as non-assimilable carbohydrates. Specific examples of non-assimilable carbohydrates contained in transglucosidase-treated wort include isomaltose, isomaltotriose, panose, oligosaccharides of tetrasaccharide or more, and non-assimilable polysaccharides. Non-assimilable carbohydrates remain even after the fermentation process and alcohol removal process described below.

[0029] The amount of transglucosidase used when preparing mash is adjusted appropriately, taking into consideration the type of transglucosidase and reaction conditions, so that the amount of non-assimilable carbohydrates in the wort falls within the above-mentioned range, generally 0.05 to 20 g / kg, preferably 0.1 to 7 g / kg, and more preferably 0.25 to 5 g / kg, based on the solid content of the mash.

[0030] The resulting transglucosidase-treated wort is fermented with yeast. Fermentation of the wort can be carried out according to a conventional method. For example, cooled wort is inoculated with brewer's yeast and transferred to a fermentation tank for alcoholic fermentation.

[0031] The final apparent degree of attenuation of the fermented wort is preferably 80% or less. If the final apparent degree of attenuation of the fermented wort exceeds 80%, the resulting beer-taste beverage tends to lack sufficient flavor and have a strong sour taste. The final apparent degree of attenuation of the fermented wort of the present invention is preferably 45 to 80%, more preferably 50 to 75%.

[0032] The degree of fermentation is an important indicator of how much fermentation has progressed in beer after fermentation and how the fermentation is progressing. Furthermore, the final degree of fermentation refers to the ratio of the extract that can be assimilated by brewer's yeast to the original wort extract. Here, the extract that can be assimilated by brewer's yeast is the original wort extract minus the extract contained in the finished beer (i.e., the extract that remains after all the extract that can be used by brewer's yeast has been fermented (referred to as the final extract)). The apparent final degree of fermentation refers to the final degree of fermentation calculated using the value of the final extract and the extract concentration (% (w / w)) determined from the specific gravity of the apparent extract, i.e., the beer still containing alcohol.

[0033] The term "extract" refers to the non-volatile solids. Depending on the context, the term "extract" may refer to the non-volatile solids themselves, the amount of non-volatile solids, or the concentration of non-volatile solids.

[0034] The final apparent degree of fermentation Vend of the fermented wort can be calculated, for example, by the following formula (1).

[0035] Vend(%)={(P-Eend) / P}×100 (1) [Where P is the original wort extract and Eend is the apparent final extract.]

[0036] Original wort extract (P) is theoretically calculated from the wort extract value before alcoholic fermentation according to Balling's equation using the alcohol concentration and extract value of the finished beer. Specifically, it can be determined by the method shown in Analytica-EBC (9.4) (2007). Furthermore, apparent final extract (Eend) can be determined by placing beer in a flask, adding a large amount of fresh compressed yeast, and fermenting with stirring at 25°C until the extract value no longer decreases (24 hours), and then measuring the apparent extract value of the remaining beer.

[0037] The apparent final extract (Eend) is calculated from the specific gravity of the final extract, including alcohol, and may therefore be a negative value. As a result, the apparent final attenuation may exceed 100%.

[0038] The apparent final degree of fermentation can be controlled, for example, by adjusting the saccharification conditions, whether or not enzymes are used when saccharifying the raw materials, and the types and amounts of raw materials used, etc. For example, the apparent final degree of fermentation can be reduced by reducing the amount of assimilable carbohydrates contained in the mashed milk.

[0039] After fermentation, the resulting fermented wort is further aged in a storage tank as an aging process, and then stored and stabilized under low-temperature conditions of about 0° C. Next, as a filtration process, the fermented wort after aging is filtered to remove yeast, proteins, etc.

[0040] If necessary, carbon dioxide gas contained in the wort fermentation liquid from which yeast, proteins, etc. have been removed is removed. The wort fermentation liquid is then subjected to a dealcoholization step to remove the alcohol contained therein. The dealcoholization step is carried out until the alcohol concentration of the wort fermentation liquid is, for example, less than 1% (v / v), preferably less than 0.5% (v / v), and more preferably less than 0.1% (v / v). The dealcoholization step is carried out using a conventionally known method. For example, reduced pressure distillation can be used. In this case, it is preferable to use a method that allows flavor components produced during the alcoholic fermentation process to remain.

[0041] The dealcoholized wort fermentation liquor preferably has a true extract concentration of 3.5% (w / w) or more. If the true extract concentration of the dealcoholized wort fermentation liquor is less than 3.5% (w / w), it becomes difficult to appropriately adjust the extract concentration of the resulting beer-taste beverage, resulting in an insufficient drinkability and a strong sour taste. The true extract concentration of the dealcoholized wort fermentation liquor is preferably 3.5 to 10.0% (w / w), more preferably 4.0 to 7.5% (w / w).

[0042] The true extract concentration refers to the concentration of non-volatile solids in % (w / w). The true extract concentration of a beer-flavored fermented malt beverage can be measured, for example, by the EBC method (BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods, 7.2 (2004), edited by the Brewers Association of Japan).

[0043] The dealcoholized wort fermentation liquor contains isomaltose, isomaltotriose, and panose at a total concentration of 4.0 mg / ml or more. If the concentration is less than 4.0 mg / ml, the beer-flavored fermented malt beverage tends to lack sufficient flavor and have a strong sour taste. The concentration of the dealcoholized wort fermentation liquor is preferably 6.0 to 25.0 mg / ml, more preferably 10.0 to 23.0 mg / ml.

[0044] The concentrations of isomaltose, isomaltotriose, and panose contained in the dealcoholized wort fermentation liquor can be measured using, for example, a high performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) or a high performance liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer (UHPLC-MS / MS).

[0045] The pH of the dealcoholized wort fermentation liquor is lowered by adding a pH adjuster as needed. By sufficiently lowering the pH, the bacteriostasis required for commercial sale of the beverage is imparted, resulting in the beer-flavored fermented malt beverage of the present invention. The beer-flavored fermented malt beverage of the present invention only needs to have a pH low enough to provide a spoilage prevention effect. Specifically, the upper limit of the pH is less than 4.2, preferably less than 4.1, and more preferably less than 4.0. Meanwhile, the lower limit of the pH is specifically 3.0 or higher, preferably 3.3 or higher, and more preferably 3.6 or higher.

[0046] The type of pH adjuster is not limited. It is not limited to food additives. For example, any acid, salt thereof, or beer ingredient capable of lowering pH that can be used in beverages and foods or their production processes can be used as a pH adjuster. Examples of beer ingredients capable of lowering pH include sour malt and dark malt. Preferred pH adjusters are phytic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, lactic acid bacteria, phosphoric acid, malic acid, sulfurous anhydride, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, acetic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, itaconic acid, fumaric acid, and combinations thereof. More preferred pH adjusters are phytic acid, lactic acid, lactic acid bacteria, phosphoric acid, malic acid, sulfurous anhydride, tartaric acid, and combinations thereof. Considering the effect on the flavor and taste of beer-flavored beverages, phytic acid, which has a low sourness, is the most preferred.

[0047] A bitter substance is added to the dealcoholized wort fermentation liquid as needed to adjust the bitterness value. Isolated iso-α acids can be used as the bitter substance. Iso-α acids are also contained in hops and can be used as hops or hop extracts. Hops or hop extracts refer to hop leaves, their ground product, extracts obtained by extracting these with water or hot water, and concentrates and dried products of the extracts.

[0048] The bitterness value of a beer-taste beverage is adjusted to have a bitterness equivalent to that of beer. Specifically, the bitterness value of a beer-taste beverage is adjusted to 5 to 100 BU, preferably 10 to 35 BU, and more preferably 15 to 27 BU. The bitterness value of a beer-taste beverage can be measured by the method described in BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods, 8.15 (2004), edited by the Brewers Association of Japan.

[0049] Carbon dioxide gas is added to the dealcoholized wort fermentation liquid in a carbonation step, thereby obtaining a beer-flavored fermented malt beverage of the present invention. The amount of carbon dioxide gas added is adjusted to provide a foaming property similar to that of beer. Specifically, the amount of carbon dioxide gas added is adjusted to 1.2 to 5.0 gas volumes, preferably 2.4 to 3.5 gas volumes, and more preferably 2.6 to 3.2 gas volumes.

[0050] The beer-taste fermented malt beverage of the present invention contains an extract derived from fermented wort at a concentration of 3.5% (w / w) or more. If the concentration of the extract derived from fermented wort is less than 3.5% (w / w), the beer-taste fermented malt beverage tends to lack sufficient flavor and have a strong sour taste. The concentration of the extract derived from fermented wort in the beer-taste fermented malt beverage is preferably 3.5 to 10.0% (w / w), more preferably 4.0 to 7.5% (w / w).

[0051] The beer-taste fermented malt beverage of the present invention contains isomaltose, isomaltotriose, and panose at a total concentration of 4.0 mg / ml or more. If the concentration is less than 4.0 mg / ml, the beer-taste fermented malt beverage tends to lack sufficient flavor and have a strong sour taste. The concentration of isomaltose, isomaltotriose, and panose in the beer-taste fermented malt beverage is preferably 6.0 to 25.0 mg / ml, more preferably 10.0 to 23.0 mg / ml.

[0052] The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following examples, but is not limited thereto. In the examples, concentrations and contents are expressed by weight unless otherwise specified. [Example]

[0053] Example 1 [Production method for beer-flavored fermented malt beverage] Ground malt, warm water, and transglucosidase (Amano Enzyme Inc., "Transglucosidase L") were added to the mash tank. After protein resting at approximately 55°C, the mash was transferred from the mash kettle to the mash tank and saccharified at temperatures ranging from 60°C to 76°C. The saccharified liquid was filtered through a reuter filtration tank and then transferred to a boiling kettle. Hops were added and the mash was boiled for 60 minutes. After boiling, hot water was added to replace the evaporated liquid. After removing the heat trough in a whirlpool tank, the mash was cooled to 8°C using a plate cooler to obtain transglucosidase-treated wort. The amount of transglucosidase added relative to the amount of malt used was 0.5% (w / w) for test solution A, 0.15% (w / w) for test solution B, and 0.025% (w / w) for test solution C. No transglucosidase was added to test solution D.

[0054] Beer yeast was added to this transglucosidase-treated wort and fermented at around 10°C for 7 days, after which the beer yeast was removed. The mixture was transferred to a tank and aged for 7 days, then cooled to around -1°C and stabilized for 14 days. Degassed water was then added to dilute the mixture to a 10% (w / w) original wort extract, and the mixture was filtered through diatomaceous earth to obtain a fermented wort liquor.

[0055] The final appearance fermentation degree of the resulting wort fermentation liquid was measured according to a conventional method, and the results were 52% for test liquid A, 60% for test liquid B, 80% for test liquid C, and 86% for test liquid D.

[0056] Next, the obtained wort fermentation liquid was sprayed into a degassing tank under reduced pressure of around 90 mbar to remove carbon dioxide, and then heated to around 50°C using a plate cooler. Thereafter, the liquid was brought into contact with steam heated to around 50°C in a reduced pressure column at around 90 mbar, causing the volatile components to be adsorbed by the steam, and the alcohol and volatile components were removed, thereby obtaining a dealcoholized wort fermentation liquid with an alcohol concentration of 0.02% (v / v).

[0057] Carbon dioxide was dissolved in the resulting dealcoholized wort fermentation liquid to a concentration of 2.9 gas volumes to obtain a beer-flavored fermented malt beverage.

[0058] The true extract (%(w / w)) of beer-flavored fermented malt beverages was measured using the EBC method.

[0059] The concentrations of isomaltose, isomaltotriose, and panose in a beer-flavored fermented malt beverage were measured using the following method. First, the decarbonated beer-flavored fermented malt beverage was diluted appropriately with distilled water, filtered, and subjected to UHPLC analysis. The UHPLC measurement conditions were as follows:

[0060] [Table 1]

[0061] [Sensory evaluation method] A sensory evaluation was conducted on these test liquids A to D. The evaluation items were set as three categories: drinkability, balance of sweetness and sourness, and beer-like flavor, and 10 trained panelists who are beer experts rated them according to the criteria described below. The average of the panelists' ratings was used as the score for each evaluation item. The liquid temperature of the samples used for evaluation was around 4°C.

[0062] [Evaluation items and criteria] Drinkability: The texture or stickiness felt in the throat when drinking was evaluated as "drinkability." Asahi Super Dry (trade name) beer manufactured by Asahi Breweries, Ltd. was given 5 points, and water was given 1 point, and the beer was rated on a 5-point scale.

[0063] Sweet and sour harmony: The beer was evaluated as having a "harmony of sweetness and sourness" that mitigated the sourness and was not too strong for a beer taste. Asahi Breweries Ltd.'s "Asahi Super Dry" (product name) was given 5 points, and water was given 1 point, and the beer was rated on a 5-point scale.

[0064] Beer-like flavor: For "beer-like flavor," the beers were scored on a 5-point scale, with Asahi Super Dry (product name) made by Asahi Breweries Ltd. being given 5 points and water being given 1 point.

[0065] Palatability: If the "drinkability," "harmony of sweetness and sourness," and "beer-like flavor" were all rated 3.0 or higher, the "palatability" was given a "good" rating, otherwise it was given a "bad" rating.

[0066] [Table 2]

Claims

1. A beer-flavored fermented malt beverage containing a fermented wort broth and having an alcohol concentration of less than 1% (v / v), The wort fermentation liquid is a reduced-pressure distilled dealcoholized wort fermentation liquid, The final apparent fermentation degree of the fermented wort liquid is 45 to 60%; the concentration of the extract derived from the wort fermentation liquor is 7.5 to 10.0% (w / w); the sum of the concentrations of isomaltose, isomaltotriose, and panose is 4.0 mg / ml or more and 25.0 mg / ml or less; A beer-flavored fermented malt beverage.

2. 2. The beer-taste fermented malt beverage according to claim 1, wherein the carbon dioxide content is 1.2 to 5.0 gas volumes.

3. 3. The beer-taste fermented malt beverage according to claim 1, which has a pH of less than 4.

2.

4. a step of yeast fermenting the transglucosidase-treated wort to obtain a fermented wort liquid having an apparent final attenuation of 45 to 60%; removing alcohol from the fermented wort liquor using a vacuum distillation method to reduce the alcohol concentration to less than 1% (v / v); A method for producing a beer-taste fermented malt beverage having an alcohol concentration of less than 1% (v / v), comprising: the concentration of the extract derived from the fermented wort liquor in the beer-taste fermented malt beverage is 7.5 to 10.0% (w / w); The method for producing a beer-taste fermented malt beverage is characterized in that the sum of the concentrations of isomaltose, isomaltotriose and panose in the beer-taste fermented malt beverage is 4.0 mg / ml or more and 25.0 mg / ml or less.

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