Beer-like beverage and method for reducing grainy taste in beer-like beverage

Abstract

To provide a technology capable of reducing grain incense that is returning incense in a beer-like beverage containing a certain amount of ATHP.SOLUTION: A method for reducing grain feeling of a beer-like beverage whose ATHP (2-acetyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine) concentration is 2.0 ppb or more. The method includes controlling a gas volume to 3.3 or more.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a beer-like beverage and a method for reducing the grainy texture of a beer-like beverage. [Background technology]

[0002] A variety of beer-like beverages, such as beer and low-malt beer, are known. For example, Patent Document 1 (JP 2020-36552 A) describes a gas pressure of 2.7 kg / cm 2 The invention describes a beer-flavored beverage having the above characteristics and an ethyl acetate content of 30.0 ppm or more. Patent Document 2 (JP 2020-36553 A) describes a gas pressure of 2.7 kg / cm 2 The invention also describes a beer-flavored beverage having a linalool content of 25.0 ppb or more. Patent Document 3 (JP 2019-122289 A) describes a beer-like sparkling beverage characterized by a bitterness value of 10 BU or more and a carbon dioxide content at 20°C of 3.5 GV or more. Patent Document 4 (Japanese Patent No. 6811352) describes a flavor improver for beer-like beverages, which contains at least one 2-acetyltetrahydropyridine compound selected from the group consisting of 2-acetyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine and its tautomer, 2-acetyl-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine. Patent Document 4 also describes that 2-acetyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine enhances the grain aroma, which is an aftertaste. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-36552 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-36553 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-122289 [Patent Document 4] Patent No. 6811352 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Consumer tastes are diverse. The present inventors believed that there is a certain demand for beverages that are refreshing to drink, i.e., light beverages, and conducted research. In their research, the present inventors believed that a light beverage could be obtained by reducing the cereal aroma, which is an aftertaste. The present inventors focused on 2-acetyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine (hereinafter referred to as ATHP), which imparts the grain aroma of aftertaste. Analysis of the ATHP concentration in various beer-like beverages revealed that while some beer-like beverages do not contain ATHP, others contain a certain amount of ATHP. Therefore, we wondered whether it would be possible to reduce the grain aroma, which is an aftertaste, in a beer-like beverage containing a certain concentration of ATHP, and create a lighter beverage.

[0005] That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a technology capable of reducing the grain aroma, which is an aftertaste aroma, in a beer-like beverage containing a certain amount of ATHP. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present inventors have found that the above problems can be solved by increasing the carbon dioxide gas pressure, and have arrived at the present invention. That is, the present invention provides the following. [1] A method for reducing graininess in a beer-like beverage having an ATHP (2-acetyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine) concentration of 2.0 ppb or more, the method comprising the step of adjusting the gas volume to 3.3 or more. [2] A beer-like beverage with an ATHP (2-acetyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine) concentration of 2.0 ppb or more and a gas volume of 3.3 or more. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, a technique is provided that can reduce the grain aroma, which is an aftertaste aroma, in a beer-like beverage containing a certain amount of ATHP. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The beverage according to this embodiment is a beer-like beverage with an ATHP concentration of 2.0 ppb or more and a gas volume of 3.3 or more. Beer-like beverages with an ATHP concentration of 2.0 ppb or more generally have a strong grain aroma in the retronasal aroma (the aftertaste felt after drinking beer, the aroma that passes from the mouth to the nose). By setting the gas volume to 3.3 or more in such a beer-like beverage, the retronasal aroma is less noticeable, resulting in a light and pleasant drinking experience.

[0009] In this embodiment, the term "beer-like beverage" refers to a beverage that has a flavor, taste, and texture equivalent to or similar to beer, and has high thirst quenching properties and drinkability. The term "beer-like beverage" also includes beer itself.

[0010] The beer-like beverage according to this embodiment contains ATHP at a concentration of 2.0 ppb or more. The ATHP concentration is, for example, 2.0 to 15.0 ppb, preferably 2.0 to 10.0 ppb, and more preferably 2.0 to 4.5 ppb. The ATHP concentration can be measured by the method described in the Examples below. ATHP may be added from the outside as an additive, or may be derived from raw materials such as malt.

[0011] The beer-like beverage preferably contains a grain-derived component. Examples of grains from which the grain-derived component is derived include barley (including malt), rice, corn, soybeans, and peas. Preferably, a raw material containing malt is used, and more preferably, a raw material containing malt and corn (cornstarch) is used. The malt usage ratio in beer-like beverages is preferably 30% or more, more preferably 40% or more, and even more preferably 50 to 80%. The malt usage ratio is the proportion (% by weight) of malt to all ingredients excluding water.

[0012] The beer-like beverage may be a fermented beverage or a non-fermented beverage, and is preferably a fermented beverage. The beer-like beverage may be an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage, preferably an alcoholic beverage.

[0013] As mentioned above, beer-like beverages have a gas volume of 3.3 or more. The gas volume is, for example, 3.3 to 5.5, preferably 3.6 to 4.2, and more preferably 4.0 to 5.0. A gas volume of 3.3 or higher will reduce the grainy retronasal aroma and create a lighter drink, while a gas volume of 5.5 or lower will prevent the drink from becoming too watery. The term "gas volume" refers to a unit of measurement for the amount of carbon dioxide in a beverage, and refers to the ratio of the volume of carbon dioxide dissolved in the beverage to the volume of the beverage under standard conditions (1 atmosphere, 20°C). This carbon dioxide volume can be measured, for example, using a gas volume measuring device GVA-500B manufactured by Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd. More specifically, the sample temperature is set to 20°C, and the carbon dioxide volume can be measured using the gas volume measuring device after the air in the container is degassed (sniffed) and shaken.

[0014] Next, a method for producing a beer-like beverage will be described using an example of a fermented beverage.

[0015] First, a sugar solution containing grain-derived components is prepared. For example, an aqueous solution of a grain raw material is prepared and saccharified using a saccharifying enzyme or the like derived from the grain raw material. This results in a saccharified solution. Alternatively, an aqueous solution containing a grain-derived extract such as malt extract and sugars may be prepared and used as the saccharified solution.

[0016] The saccharified liquid is then boiled to prepare wort. After boiling, filtration or the like is carried out as needed. Before or after boiling, herbs such as hops may be added as needed. If necessary, after boiling the wort, the sediment formed by boiling is removed. For example, the sediment can be removed by performing solid-liquid separation using a vessel called a whirlpool or the like. The wort is then cooled to a temperature suitable for fermentation, and yeast is added to the wort and fermentation is carried out. If necessary, the resulting fermented liquid is further aged in a storage tank and stored at low temperatures of around 0°C for stabilization. The fermented liquid is then filtered to remove yeast and other unwanted substances, thereby obtaining a beer-like beverage. The resulting beer-like beverage is then filled into containers such as bottles and cans. Pressure-resistant cans such as bottle cans are preferably used as containers.

[0017] When malt is used as a raw material, ATHP derived from the malt is contained in the beer-like beverage. The gas volume of the beer-like beverage may be adjusted, for example, by utilizing carbon dioxide gas produced during fermentation, or by adding carbon dioxide gas before filling into a container.

[0018] As described above, according to this embodiment, in a beer-like beverage with an ATHP concentration of 2.0 ppb or more, the grainy flavor can be reduced by adjusting the gas volume to 3.3 or more, thereby producing a light and refreshing beverage. [Example]

[0019] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the following examples.

[0020] (ATHP analysis) 20 g of the beer-like beverage was mixed with 50 μL of an internal standard solution (4 μg / mL of ATHP stable isotope), 200 μL of formic acid, and 10 mL of distilled water, and the mixture was loaded onto OASIS MCX 500 mg / 6 ml (Waters). After washing the column with 5 mL of 1% formic acid water, elution was carried out with 5 mL of 2% ammonia-methanol, and the eluate was diluted two-fold with distilled water and then analyzed by LC / MS / MS. LC / MS / MS (AB-SCIEX 5500QTRAP) was used, and the column was an ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 1.7 μm, 2.1 x 100 mm (water). The mobile phase conditions were: Solution A: 10 mM ammonium bicarbonate, Solution B: acetonitrile, with (B%, t): (10%, 1 min), (50%, 6 min), and the ATHP transition was 126 → 84 (collision energy: 23 V). Quantitation was performed using a calibration curve prepared by adding standards.

[0021] [Test Example 1] Beer-like beverages with different ATHP concentrations were prepared as Samples 1-1 to 5-6, as shown in Tables 1 to 5. Specifically, the beer-like beverages were prepared in the following manner. (Sample 1-1) 3 kg of malt extract, 0.5 kg of soy protein hydrolysate, 140 g of amino acids, 8 kg of dietary fiber, and 26 kg of a mixed solution of sugars (equivalent to 19.5 kg of solids) were mixed, and water was added to prepare a total volume of 200 L of sugar solution. 0.17 kg of hops was added to this sugar solution, and the mixture was boiled at 100°C for 80 minutes. After boiling, yeast was inoculated into the filtered sugar solution, and the mixture was fermented at 12°C for 8 days. After fermentation, the fermented liquid was filtered through diatomaceous earth and filled into containers to obtain a beer-like beverage according to Sample 1-1. Prior to filling, carbon dioxide gas was added to adjust the gas volume to 2.9. When the ATHP concentration in the beer-like beverage of Sample 1-1 was measured, no ATHP was detected.

[0022] (Samples 1-2 to 1-6) ATHP was added to sample 1 to give beverages of different concentrations, samples 1-2 to 1-6, each with a different ATHP concentration. (Samples 2-1 to 2-6) Samples 2-1 to 2-6 with different ATHP concentrations were obtained in the same manner as Samples 1-1 to 1-6, except that the gas volume was changed to 3.3. (Samples 3-1 to 3-6) In addition, Samples 3-1 to 3-6 with different ATHP concentrations were obtained in the same manner as Samples 1-1 to 1-6, except that the gas volume was changed to 4.0. (Samples 4-1 to 4-6) In addition, samples 4-1 to 4-6 with different ATHP concentrations were obtained in the same manner as samples 1-1 to 1-6, except that the gas volume was changed to 4.5. (Samples 5-1 to 5-6) In addition, samples 4-1 to 4-6 with different ATHP concentrations were obtained in the same manner as samples 1-1 to 1-6, except that the gas volume was changed to 5.0.

[0023] (sensory evaluation) The resulting beer-like beverages of Test Examples 1-1 to 5-6 were evaluated by sensory evaluation for "grain aroma of retronasal aroma," "richness and astringency," "acidity," and "fermented flavor derived from brewing." The sensory evaluation was carried out by a panel of six people, and the average of the scores was used as the result. The evaluation was conducted on a 5-point scale, with Sample 1-1 used as a control (score 3). Specifically, the evaluation was conducted according to the following criteria. 5: Feels strong 4: Feels somewhat strong 3: Equivalent to control (sample 1-1) 2: Feels a little weak 1: Feeling weak

[0024] Additionally, the "overall evaluation" was evaluated according to the following criteria. First, for "retronasal arma cereal aroma," the difference in results was calculated for samples with the same ATHP concentration but different gas volumes. Specifically, the degree to which the results for samples 2-1 to 5-6 were lower than the standard gas volume of 2.9 (samples 1-1 to 1-6) was used. Results lower than the standard by 0.5 were evaluated as "Good," and results lower than 1.0 were evaluated as "Excellent." The same evaluation was also performed for "richness and astringency" and "fermented flavor derived from brewing." Furthermore, the degree to which each of Samples 2-2 to 2-6 was lower than Sample 2-1 in terms of "sourness" was calculated. Values ​​lower than 0.5 were evaluated as "good", and values ​​lower than 1.0 were evaluated as "good". Similarly, the degree to which Samples 3-2 to 3-6 were lower than Sample 3-1 was calculated, and they were evaluated as "good" or "good". Similarly, the difference between Samples 4-2 to 4-6 and Samples 5-2 to 5-6 and Samples 4-1 and 5-2 was calculated, and they were evaluated as "good" or "good". If the retronasal aroma grain aroma was rated as "◎" and the sourness was rated as "◎", the overall rating was given as "◎". If the retronasal aroma grain aroma was rated as "◯" and the sourness was rated as "◎", and if the retronasal aroma grain aroma was rated as "◎" and the sourness was rated as "◯", the overall rating was given as "◯". Even if the above criteria were met, if the balance between the taste and aroma was poor and the overall flavor balance of the beer was significantly poor, the rating was given as "△".

[0025] The results of the sensory evaluation are shown in Tables 1 to 5. As shown in Table 1, increasing the ATHP concentration tended to increase the grainy retronasal aroma. The richness and astringency also tended to increase. On the other hand, the sourness tended to decrease. In contrast, when comparing beverages with the same ATHP concentration but different gas volumes in Tables 1 to 5, the higher the gas volume, the more difficult it was to detect the grainy retronasal aroma. Furthermore, when the ATHP concentration was 2.0 ppb or higher, the degree of decrease in the grainy retronasal aroma with increasing gas volume tended to be greater. When the ATHP concentration was within the range of 2.0 to 10 ppb, the degree of decrease in the grainy retronasal aroma with increasing gas volume was particularly large. In other words, it was found that increasing the ATHP concentration strengthened the grain aroma of the retronasal aroma, while increasing the carbon dioxide pressure weakened the grain aroma of the retronasal aroma.

[0026] [Test Example 2] (Sample 6-1) A mash was prepared by mixing 30 kg of malt and 10 kg of cornstarch with 150 L of hot water at 50°C. The mash was subjected to proteolysis at 50°C for 30 minutes. It was then saccharified at 62°C for 30 minutes. The mash was filtered. After filtration, the volume was adjusted to 160 L with hot water and heated. Hops were added, and the wort was boiled for 60 minutes. Nugget hops were used. The hop concentration was adjusted to 10 g / hL of alpha acids. The entire amount of hops was added at the start of boiling. After boiling, the wort was left to stand in a whirlpool for 60 minutes, and the sediment was removed. The wort was then cooled in a plate cooler. After cooling, a predetermined amount of yeast was added to the wort, and fermentation was carried out at 10°C for 10 days. The fermented liquid was then aged at 10°C for 7 days and then stabilized at 0°C. After stabilization, the resulting liquid was filtered through diatomaceous earth and bottled to obtain a beer-like beverage according to Sample 6-1. Prior to bottling, carbon dioxide gas was added to adjust the gas volume to 2.9. The ATHP concentration in Sample 6-1 was 3.5 ppb. (Samples 6-2 to 6-6) Beer-like beverages according to Samples 6-2 to 6-6 were obtained in the same manner as Sample 6-1, except that the gas volume was changed.

[0027] The resulting beverage was evaluated for "grain aroma of retronasal aroma," "richness and astringency," "acidity," and "fermentation sensation derived from brewing" by sensory evaluation in the same manner as in Test Example 1. However, Sample 6-1 was used as a control.

[0028] For the "overall evaluation," the degree to which Samples 6-2 to 6-6 were lower than Sample 6-1 in terms of the "grain aroma of retronasal aroma" was determined. Using Sample 6-1 as the standard, if the evaluation was lower than 0.5, the overall evaluation was given a "good" rating, and if the evaluation was lower than 1.0, the overall evaluation was given a "great" rating.

[0029] The results, along with any comments, are shown in Table 6. As shown in Table 6, as the gas volume increased, the retronasal aroma of grain, richness, astringency, and fermented notes derived from brewing decreased, and the sourness tended to increase. Additionally, as the gas volume increased, the aroma of hops and esters decreased, resulting in a lighter beverage. [Table 1] [Table 2] [Table 3] [Table 4] [Table 5] [Table 6]

Claims

1. A method for reducing graininess in a beer-like beverage having an ATHP (2-acetyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine) concentration of 2.0 ppb to 15.0 ppb, the method comprising the step of adjusting the gas volume at 20°C to 3.3 to 5.

0.

2. The method described in claim 1, wherein the ATHP concentration is 2.0 ppb to 10.0 ppb and the gas volume at 20°C is 3.3 to 4.

5.

3. ATHP (2-acetyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine) concentration is 2.0 ppb to 15.0 ppb, A beer-like beverage having a gas volume at 20°C of 3.3 to 5.

0.

4. A beer-like beverage as described in claim 3, having an ATHP concentration of 2.0 ppb to 10.0 ppb and a gas volume at 20°C of 3.3 to 4.5.

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