Beer-flavored alcoholic beverage and its manufacturing method

Abstract

A low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage is disclosed, in which the total content of free carboxymethyllysine (CML), free carboxyethyllysine (CEL), and free methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 (MG-H1) in the beverage is 434 ppb or more. This low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage has an enhanced richness.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a beer-taste alcoholic beverage and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the demand for beer-flavored beverages with reduced sugar content has been expanding due to the growing health consciousness. In beer-flavored alcoholic beverages with reduced sugar content, the effect of adjusting the flavor balance is reduced due to the reduction in sugar content, which causes problems such as a loss of fullness and an unpleasant sourness, which impairs the flavor balance.

[0003] On the other hand, it has been reported that, among the products obtained by the Maillard reaction, peptides with a molecular weight of 1,000 to 5,000 Da contribute to enhancing richness (Non-Patent Document 1), but the specific contributing components have not been identified, and their effect on the flavor balance in beers is unknown. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0004] [Non-Patent Document 1] Food Chemistry, 99, 600-604 Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present inventors have found that some of the Maillard reaction products (MRPs) produced during the heating and aging process of a low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage can enhance the body of the beer-flavored alcoholic beverage within a specific concentration range. The present invention is based on this finding.

[0006] Thus, the present invention provides a low-sugar, beer-taste alcoholic beverage with enhanced richness and a method for producing the same.

[0007] The present invention includes the following inventions. (1) A low-sugar, beer-flavored alcoholic beverage with a total content of free carboxymethyllysine (CML), free carboxyethyllysine (CEL), and free methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 (MG-H1) of 434 ppb or more. (2) The total content of bound CML, bound CEL, and bound MG-H1 in the beverage is 65 ppb or more; The low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to (1) above, wherein the bound CML, bound CEL, and bound MG-H1 are contained in a peptide fraction having a molecular weight of 400 to 3,000 Da. (3) A low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to (2) above, in which the total content of bound CML, bound CEL and bound MG-H1 in the beverage is 72 ppb or more. (4) The total content of free CML, free CEL, free MG-H1, bound CML, bound CEL, and bound MG-H1 in the beverage is 499 ppb or more, The low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to (1) above, wherein the bound CML, bound CEL, and bound MG-H1 are contained in a peptide fraction having a molecular weight of 400 to 3,000 Da. (5) A low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to (4) above, in which the total content of free CML, free CEL, free MG-H1, bound CML, bound CEL and bound MG-H1 in the beverage is 510 ppb or more. (6) A low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to (4) above, in which the total content of free CML, free CEL, free MG-H1, bound CML, bound CEL and bound MG-H1 in the beverage is 1042 ppb or more. (7) The ratio (F / B) of the total content of free CML, free CEL, and free MG-H1 (F ppb) to the total content of bound CML, bound CEL, and bound MG-H1 (B ppb) in the beverage is 0.53 or more; The low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to (1) above, wherein the bound CML, bound CEL, and bound MG-H1 are contained in a peptide fraction having a molecular weight of 400 to 3,000 Da. (8) The low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to (7) above, having an F / B ratio of 0.53 to 3.63. (9) A low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to (7) above, having an F / B ratio of 6.66 or higher. (10) A low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to any one of (1) to (9) above, having a purine concentration of 5.0 mg / 100 mL or less. (11) A method for producing a low-sugar beer-taste alcoholic beverage, comprising the steps of: A method for adjusting the total content of free carboxymethyllysine (CML), free carboxyethyllysine (CEL) and free methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 (MG-H1) in a beverage to 434 ppb or more. (12) A method for enhancing richness in a low-sugar beer-taste alcoholic beverage, comprising: A method for adjusting the total content of free carboxymethyllysine (CML), free carboxyethyllysine (CEL) and free methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 (MG-H1) in a beverage to 434 ppb or more. (13) A method for reducing unpleasant sourness in a low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage, comprising: A method for adjusting the total content of free carboxymethyllysine (CML), free carboxyethyllysine (CEL) and free methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 (MG-H1) in a beverage to 434 ppb or more. (14) A method for reducing alcohol bitterness in a low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage, comprising: A method for adjusting the total content of free carboxymethyllysine (CML), free carboxyethyllysine (CEL) and free methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 (MG-H1) in a beverage to 434 ppb or more.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to enhance the richness of a low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage. Also, according to the present invention, it is possible to reduce unpleasant sourness in a low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the harshness of alcohol in a low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plot diagram showing the relationship between MRP concentration and the results of the "full body" evaluation (vertical axis: bound MRP concentration, horizontal axis: free MRP concentration, bubble size: full body). [Diagram 2] Figure 2 is a plot showing the relationship between MRP concentration and the results of the "full body" evaluation (vertical axis: bound MRP concentration, horizontal axis: free MRP concentration, bubble size: full body, diagonal auxiliary line: boundary line between the total amount of F-MRP and B-MRP). [Diagram 3] Figure 3 is a plot showing the relationship between MRP concentration and the evaluation results of "full body" (vertical axis: bound MRP concentration, horizontal axis: free MRP concentration, bubble size: full body, diagonal auxiliary line: boundary line of F-MRP / B-MRP ratio). Description of the Invention

[0010] The three substances considered to be active ingredients in the present invention, carboxymethyllysine (CML), carboxyethyllysine (CEL) and methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 (MG-H1), have the following chemical structures: [ka]

[0011] The above three free substances are present in the beverage as the above structures themselves or in a partially ionized state. The above three bound substances are present in the beverage as residues in which the side chains of lysine or arginine are glycosylated and contained in a peptide fraction having a molecular weight of 400 to 3,000 Da. The amounts and concentrations of the above substances shown in the present invention are the masses and concentrations of the compounds having the above structures for both the free and bound forms. In this specification, the above three free substances are sometimes referred to as "free active three components" and the above bound substances are sometimes referred to as "bound active three components".

[0012] In the present invention, the term "beer-taste alcoholic beverage" refers to beer (an alcoholic beverage obtained by fermenting malt and hops as raw materials with brewer's yeast) or an alcoholic beverage having a flavor similar to that of beer. In the present invention, the term "alcoholic beverage" refers to a beverage having an alcohol (ethanol) concentration of 1 v / v% or more. The beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention is preferably a fermented beverage to which a hop aroma is imparted by using hops as a raw material. The beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention is preferably a fermented malt beverage, that is, a beverage using at least malt as a raw material. Examples of such fermented malt beverages include beer and happoshu. The beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention is preferably a fermented malt beverage having a malt usage ratio (also referred to as malt ratio) of 0% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, more preferably 25% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, and even more preferably 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less. The "malt usage ratio" refers to a value calculated in accordance with the Liquor Tax Act and the Interpretation Notice of Liquor Administration-related Laws and Regulations, etc., which came into force on April 1, 2018.

[0013] The beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention is a low-sugar beer-taste alcoholic beverage, i.e., a beer-taste alcoholic beverage with a lower sugar content than usual. "Lower sugar content than usual" means that efforts have been made to reduce the sugar content when producing the beer-taste alcoholic beverage. The specific value of the carbohydrate concentration in such a low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 1.5 g / 100 mL or less, preferably less than 1.5 g / 100 mL, more preferably 1.4 g / 100 mL or less, even more preferably 1.3 g / 100 mL or less, even more preferably 1.2 g / 100 mL or less, even more preferably 1.1 g / 100 mL or less, even more preferably 1.0 g / 100 mL or less, even more preferably less than 1.0 g / 100 mL, even more preferably 0.9 g / 100 mL or less, even more preferably 0.8 g / 100 mL or less, even more preferably 0.7 g / 100 mL or less, even more preferably 0.6 g / 100 mL or less, even more preferably 0.5 g / 100 mL or less, even more preferably less than 0.5 g / 100 mL. In one embodiment, the carbohydrate concentration in the low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage is 0.4 g / 100 mL or less.

[0014] The carbohydrate concentration can be measured by known methods, and can be calculated by subtracting the amounts of moisture, protein, lipids, ash and dietary fiber from the mass of the sample (see Food Labeling Standards (March 30, 2015, Food and Nutrition Table No. 139), Appendix, Analytical Methods for Nutritional Components, etc.).

[0015] In the present invention, the term "body" refers to a flavor determined by a comprehensive evaluation of the strength, complexity, and persistence of the flavor.

[0016] In the present invention, the term "unpleasant sourness" refers to an unpleasant sourness felt as an aftertaste or the like.

[0017] In the present invention, the term "alcohol hotness" refers to a hotness accompanied by a tingling sensation felt when drinking an alcoholic beverage.

[0018] In the present invention, the unit "ppm" is synonymous with "mg / L", and the unit "ppb" is synonymous with "μg / L".

[0019] The beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention has a total content of three free active ingredients in the beverage within a predetermined range. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention also contains three bound active ingredients, and the total content of the three bound active ingredients is within a predetermined range. Such a beer-taste alcoholic beverage can be obtained by adjusting the total content of the three free active ingredients and the total content of the three bound active ingredients during production. There are no particular limitations on the specific means for adjusting the concentrations of the three free active ingredients and the three bound active ingredients, and examples of such means include adding the three free active ingredients or the bound active ingredients, increasing or decreasing the amount of raw materials containing the three free active ingredients or the bound active ingredients, increasing or decreasing the amount of raw materials that generate the three free active ingredients or the bound active ingredients in the final product, and adjusting the concentration of a substance that is converted into the three free active ingredients or the bound active ingredients by fermentation with yeast.

[0020] The total content of the three free active ingredients in the beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention is, for example, 434 ppb or more, preferably 438 ppb or more, and more preferably 700 ppb or more. Since beer-taste alcoholic beverages with a high total content of the three free active ingredients have a high effect of enhancing richness, reducing unpleasant sourness, and reducing alcohol harshness, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but if it is set, it can be, for example, 3000 ppb, preferably 2000 ppb, more preferably 1800 ppb, even more preferably 1300 ppb, and even more preferably 1100 ppb. The three free active ingredients may be derived from the raw material, may be added separately from the plant raw material, or may be produced by fermentation. The concentration of the three free active ingredients can be controlled, for example, by controlling the composition of the raw material, the processing conditions of the raw material, the preparation conditions, and the fermentation conditions.

[0021] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the total content of the three bound active ingredients in the beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention is 0 ppb or more, more preferably 65 ppb or more, even more preferably 72 ppb or more, even more preferably 100 ppb or more, and even more preferably 117 ppb or more. Since beer-taste alcoholic beverages with a high total content of the three bound active ingredients have a high effect of enhancing richness, reducing unpleasant sourness, and reducing alcohol harshness, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but if it is set, it can be, for example, 2000 ppb, preferably 1600 ppb, more preferably 1000 ppb, and even more preferably 832 ppb. The three bound active ingredients may be derived from the raw material, may be added separately from the plant raw material, or may be produced by fermentation. The concentration of the three bound active ingredients can be controlled, for example, by controlling the composition of the raw material, the processing conditions of the raw material, the brewing conditions, and the fermentation conditions. According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the total content of the three bound active ingredients in the beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention is preferably 65 ppb or more, from the viewpoint of reducing the harshness of alcohol.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the total content of the three free active ingredients in the beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention is, for example, 434 ppb or more, preferably 438 ppb or more, and more preferably 700 ppb or more, and the total content of the three bound active ingredients is 0 ppb or more, preferably 65 ppb or more, more preferably 72 ppb or more, even more preferably 100 ppb or more, and even more preferably 117 ppb or more. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the total content of the three free active ingredients in the beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention is 1003 ppb or more, and the total content of the three bound active ingredients is 0 ppb or more, preferably 65 ppb or more, more preferably 72 ppb or more, and even more preferably 117 ppb or more.

[0023] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the total content of the three free active ingredients in the beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention is 434 to 1800 ppb, and preferably 438 to 1100 ppb, and the total content of the three bound active ingredients is 0 to 832 ppb, preferably 65 to 832 ppb, more preferably 72 to 832 ppb, and even more preferably 117 to 832 ppb.

[0024] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the total content of the six components, the three free active ingredients and the three bound active ingredients, in the beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention is 499 ppb or more, more preferably 510 ppb or more, even more preferably 550 ppb or more, even more preferably 672 ppb or more, even more preferably 1042 ppb or more, and even more preferably 1203 ppb or more. Since beer-taste alcoholic beverages with a high total content of these six components have a high effect of enhancing richness, reducing unpleasant sourness, and reducing alcohol harshness, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but if one were to be set, it could be, for example, 5000 ppb, preferably 4000 ppb, more preferably 2500 ppb, even more preferably 2350 ppb, and even more preferably 1932 ppb. The preferred numerical ranges for the total content of the three free active ingredients and the total content of the three bound active ingredients in this embodiment are as described in the above paragraphs.

[0025] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the ratio (F / B) of the total content of the three free active ingredients (F ppb) to the total content of the three bound active ingredients (B ppb) is 0.53 or more. According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, F / B is 0.53 to 5.05, more preferably 0.53 to 3.62. According to another further preferred embodiment of the present invention, F / B is 6.66 or more, more preferably 8.38 or more. Since beer-taste alcoholic beverages with a high total content of the three free active ingredients have a high effect of enhancing richness and reducing unpleasant sourness, there is no particular upper limit to F / B, but if one is to be set, it can be, for example, 50, preferably 30, more preferably 20, even more preferably 18, and even more preferably 15.34. The preferred numerical ranges of the total content of the three free active ingredients and the total content of the three bound active ingredients in this embodiment are as described in the above paragraphs.

[0026] The amounts of the three free and bound active ingredients in a beer-taste alcoholic beverage can be determined by LC-MS / MS analysis as described in the Examples below. For more accurate concentration measurements, it is desirable to use a calibration curve prepared based on the measured values ​​of several samples to which standards of known concentrations have been added.

[0027] The purine concentration in the beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but it is preferably reduced compared to that of typical pale beers. Specifically, the purine concentration of the beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 5.0 mg / 100 mL or less, and is preferably set to a lower concentration (e.g., 4.5 mg / 100 mL or less, 4.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 3.5 mg / 100 mL or less, 3.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 2.5 mg / 100 mL or less, 2.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 1.5 mg / 100 mL or less, 1.4 mg / 100 mL or less, 1.3 mg / 100 mL or less, 1.2 mg / 100 mL or less, 1.1 mg / 100 mL or less, 1.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 0.9 mg / 100 mL or less, 0.8 mg / 100 mL or less, 0.7 mg / 100 mL or less, 0.6 mg / 100 mL or less, 0.5 mg / 100 mL or less, less than 0.5 mg / 100 mL). It should be noted that beverages with a purine concentration of less than 0.5 mg / 100 mL correspond to “zero purine beverages.” There is no particular lower limit to the purine concentration of the beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention, but if one were to be set, it could be, for example, 0.001 mg / 100 mL or more, preferably 0.01 mg / 100 mL or more.

[0028] Purines can be measured by known methods, for example, by a method of hydrolysis with perchloric acid followed by detection using LC-MS / MS (liquid chromatography mass spectrometry) (see Food Hygiene Journal 55(2):110-116(2014)). In this specification, the term "purine concentration" refers to the total amount of four purine bases, adenine, xanthine, guanine, and hypoxanthine.

[0029] The reduction of the purine concentration in the beer-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be carried out according to a known method. Non-limiting examples of methods for reducing the purine concentration in a beer-flavored alcoholic beverage include a method in which the pre-fermentation liquid or fermentation liquid is contacted with an adsorbent such as activated carbon or zeolite to reduce the purine concentration in the beverage (see JP 2003-169658 A, JP 2004-290071 A, JP 2004-290072 A, JP 2015-112090 A, etc.), and a method in which the purine concentration in the beverage is reduced using raw materials other than barley malt that have low purine content (e.g., wheat malt, soy protein, corn grits) (see JP 2014-117204 A, JP 2014-117205 A, JP 2022-140798 A, etc.).

[0030] The alcohol concentration in the beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably more than 1% by volume (v / v%), more preferably 2% by volume (v / v%) or more, even more preferably 3% by volume (v / v%) or more, even more preferably 3.5% by volume or more, and even more preferably 4% by volume or more. The upper limit of the alcohol concentration of the beer-taste alcoholic beverage is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but is, for example, 20% by volume, preferably 10% by volume, and more preferably 8% by volume. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the alcohol concentration in the beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention is preferably 2 to 10% by volume or less, more preferably 3 to 10% by volume or less, and even more preferably 3 to 8% by volume.

[0031] The beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention may be a carbonated beverage. The carbon dioxide pressure may be adjusted as desired, for example, within the range of 0.05 to 0.4 MPa (gas pressure at 20° C.).

[0032] The pH of the beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be adjusted to, for example, 2.0 to 5.0, preferably 2.3 to 4.9, and more preferably 2.9 to 4.9. The pH of the beverage can be easily measured using a commercially available pH meter (for example, a tabletop pH meter, Horiba, Ltd.).

[0033] The beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention is preferably provided as a packaged beverage. The container used for the beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention may be any container normally used for filling beverages, such as a metal can, a barrel container, a plastic bottle (e.g., a PET bottle, a cup), a paper container, a bottle, a pouch container, etc., with metal cans, barrel containers, plastic bottles (e.g., a PET bottle), or bottles being preferred.

[0034] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be produced according to a conventional method for producing a low-sugar beer-taste alcoholic beverage, except for adjusting the concentrations of the three free active ingredients and the three bound active ingredients in the beverage. A conventional production method includes, for example, a method of fermenting a pre-fermentation liquid containing at least water and malt, that is, a method of adding fermentation yeast to a wort (pre-fermentation liquid) prepared from brewing raw materials such as malt, fermenting the wort, and optionally storing the fermented liquid at a low temperature and then removing the yeast by a filtration process. In addition, a decomposition treatment using a carbohydrate-decomposing enzyme, a cellulase-decomposing enzyme, or the like may be performed at any time before the completion of the fermentation process (for example, during brewing, fermentation, or both during brewing and fermentation). Examples of the carbohydrate-decomposing enzyme include enzymes derived from brewing raw materials such as malt, commercially available enzyme preparations (α-amylase, β-amylase, glucoamylase, α-glucosidase, pullulase, isoamylase, etc.). Examples of the cellulase include commercially available enzyme preparations (β-glucanase, xylanase, hemicellulase, etc.).

[0035] Hops (including processed hop products) can be added at any step in the process of producing the beer-taste alcoholic beverage of the present invention. The amount of hops added can typically be adjusted to 0.1 to 5 g / L, preferably 0.1 to 2 g / L, more preferably 0.2 to 1.5 g / L, calculated as dried hops relative to the volume of the pre-fermentation liquid in the fermentation step.

[0036] In the present invention, in addition to malt, hops, and water, other brewing raw materials can be used, such as rice, corn, sorghum, potato, starch, sugars (e.g., liquid sugar), fruit, coriander, and other auxiliary raw materials specified by the Liquor Tax Law, as well as other additives such as protein hydrolysates, nitrogen sources such as yeast extract, colorants, foaming and foam retention improvers, water quality regulators, and fermentation aids. In addition, ungerminated wheat and barley (e.g., ungerminated barley (including extract-formed barley), ungerminated wheat (including extract-formed barley)) can also be used as a brewing raw material.

[0037] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for enhancing richness in a low-sugar beer-taste alcoholic beverage, in which the total content of free carboxymethyllysine (CML), free carboxyethyllysine (CEL) and free methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 (MG-H1) in the beverage is adjusted to 434 ppb or more, preferably 438 ppb or more.

[0038] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for reducing unpleasant sourness in a low-sugar, beer-taste alcoholic beverage, in which the total content of free carboxymethyllysine (CML), free carboxyethyllysine (CEL) and free methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 (MG-H1) in the beverage is adjusted to 434 ppb or more, preferably 438 ppb or more.

[0039] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for reducing the alcohol harshness in a low-sugar beer-taste alcoholic beverage, in which the total content of free carboxymethyllysine (CML), free carboxyethyllysine (CEL) and free methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 (MG-H1) in the beverage is adjusted to 434 ppb or more, preferably 438 ppb or more. EXAMPLES

[0040] The present invention will be specifically described based on the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0041] In the following examples, the concentration of free Maillard reaction products (F-MRP) is the sum of the concentrations of free CML, free CEL, and free MG-H1. The concentration of bound Maillard reaction products (B-MRP) is the sum of the concentrations of bound CML, bound CEL, and bound MG-H1.

[0042] Example 1: Test brewing of beer-flavored beverages As described below, low-sugar (including zero-sugar) beer-flavored beverages were prepared (also called manufactured) by test brewing. Crushed barley malt was used in a blending ratio of 50% by mass or more of malt, and saccharification was performed using carbohydrate-degrading enzymes and cellulose-degrading enzymes. After being charged into a brewing tank containing warm water maintained at 50-60°C, the temperature was raised stepwise, and the temperature and time conditions were adjusted to obtain a saccharified liquid. The mixture was then filtered to remove malt residue and obtain wort. Hops were added to the obtained wort, which was then boiled and subjected to solid-liquid separation and cooled to obtain clear wort. Yeast was added, and the fermentation temperature and fermentation time were adjusted, and the obtained fermented liquid was filtered to prepare test products A to K (sample numbers 1 to 3, 9 to 11, 16, 19, 23 to 24, and 27), as well as test products L to O, P to R, and T to X (sample numbers 30 to 33, 34, 49, 50, and 52 to 56). Sample S (sample number 51) was prepared in the same manner as samples A to R and T to X, except that part of the barley malt was replaced with wheat malt. All of the obtained samples had an alcohol concentration of 4.6% and a pH of 3.8 to 4.1. Samples A to K and P to V had sugar content of 0.3 to 0.4 g / 100 mL, and samples L to O, W and X had sugar content of 0.6 to 0.9 g / 100 mL.

[0043] Example 2: Quantification of free and bound Maillard reaction products (MRPs) (1) Quantitation of free Maillard reaction products (F-MRPs) The free Maillard reaction product fraction was quantified by LC-MS / MS. The liquid sample or lyophilized product was redissolved by adding ultrapure water. An equal volume of 6N sulfosalicylic acid was added and stirred, and the supernatant obtained by centrifuging at 13,000 rpm for 5 minutes was taken and mixed with 1 / 3 volume of 20% (v / v) methanol. The analysis sample was loaded onto a solid-phase extraction column (Bond Elut C18, Agilent Technologies), followed by loading an equal volume of 10% methanol, and the resulting eluate was combined and stirred. Then, it was mixed 1:1 with a separately prepared standard solution (CEL, CML: 0, 50, 100, 200 ppb / MG-H1: 0, 100, 200, 400 ppb) and subjected to LC-MS / MS under the following conditions. The concentration of Maillard reaction products in the sample was calculated by the standard addition method using the peak areas of the obtained two ions.

[0044] [Table 1]

[0045] [Table 2]

[0046] (2) Gel filtration fractionation The sample was filtered through a 0.45 μm filter, and the filtered fermentation liquid was weighed and freeze-dried. The dried product was dissolved in 100 mM NaCl solution to prepare a 5-fold concentrated solution. The resulting concentrated solution was subjected to gel filtration fractionation under the following conditions, and the fraction from 0.66 CV (column volume) to 0.86 CV was collected and subjected to molecular weight analysis and quantification of bound Maillard reaction products.

[0047] [Table 3]

[0048] (3) Molecular weight analysis by HPLC gel filtration method The fraction separated in (2) was dissolved in 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0 containing 150 mM NaCl) and used as a sample for molecular weight analysis, which was subjected to HPLC gel filtration by the following method.

[0049] [Table 4]

[0050] In order to calculate the molecular weight from the obtained chromatogram, 50 μL of peptides with known molecular weights dissolved in ultrapure water at 0.1 to 5 mg / mL were injected and HPLC gel filtration analysis was performed under the same conditions to confirm the retention time (Table 5). A calibration curve was created from the retention time and molecular weight, and the molecular weight range was calculated based on the retention time from the start point to the end point of the main peak in the chromatogram shown by the fraction collected in (2). As a result, the molecular weight of the fraction was found to be 400 to 3,000 Da.

[0051] [Table 5]

[0052] (4) Quantification of bound Maillard reaction products (B-MRP) The amount of bound Maillard reaction products was quantified by enzymatically hydrolyzing peptides and proteins in the samples, analyzing the free Maillard reaction products in the enzyme blank by LC-MS / MS, and calculating the difference from the enzyme blank to determine the amount of bound Maillard reaction products. Sample treatment was performed as follows.

[0053] The fractions collected in (2) were dialyzed with a 1 kDa dialysis membrane for 24 hours, and the internal solution was freeze-dried. Then, they were dissolved in 0.02 M hydrochloric acid containing pepsin, and reacted at 37°C for 24 hours. Next, Tris buffer (pH 8.2) containing pronase E was added and mixed, and reacted at 37°C for 24 hours. Furthermore, aminopeptidase M and prolidase were added and mixed, and reacted at 37°C for 24 hours to cleave the peptide bonds. A blank was used to add a buffer containing no enzyme during this enzyme reaction, and the reaction was carried out three times at 37°C for 24 hours. The sample was freeze-dried and redissolved by adding ultrapure water. An equal amount of 6N sulfosalicylic acid was added thereto, stirred, and centrifuged at 13,000 rpm for 5 minutes. The resulting supernatant was collected and mixed with 1 / 3 of the amount of 20% (v / v) methanol. The analytical sample was loaded onto a solid-phase extraction column (Bond Elut C18), followed by loading an equal volume of 10% methanol, and the resulting eluates were combined and stirred.Then, the sample was mixed 1:1 with a separately prepared standard solution (CEL, CML: 0, 50, 100, 200 ppb / MG-H1: 0, 100, 200, 400 ppb) and subjected to LC-MS / MS under the same conditions as in (1), and the concentration of bound Maillard reaction products in the sample was calculated by the standard addition method.

[0054] Example 3: Tasting with added purified MRP fraction (1) Purification of the Maillard reaction product fraction From the samples with a sensory evaluation score of 4.2 or more (score when evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria) of "richness" described in Example 1, the fraction obtained by the method of Example 2 (2) was adsorbed onto a C18 solid-phase extraction column (Bond Elut C18). After washing with pure water, the obtained pass-through fraction and washing solution were further adsorbed onto a Diaion HP20 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical) column, and washed with pure water. The adsorbate of the C18 solid-phase extraction column was eluted with a 50% (v / v) aqueous ethanol solution. The eluate of the C18 solid-phase extraction column was concentrated to dryness, and then rehydrated with pure water to obtain a purified product of bound Maillard reaction products.

[0055] The fraction that passed through the Diaion HP20 column was freeze-dried and concentrated, and then dialyzed with a dialysis membrane with a molecular weight of 100 to 500 Da for about 10 hours until the electrical conductivity of NaCl decreased. The dialysis external solution was replaced and dialysis was continued for 20 hours. The dialysis external solution after removing NaCl was freeze-dried, and then rehydrated with pure water to obtain a concentrated solution. This was used as a purified product of free Maillard reaction products.

[0056] The bound Maillard reaction products (B-MRPs) and free Maillard reaction products (F-MRPs) contained in each purified product were quantified by the method described in Example 2, and used in an additive tasting.

[0057] (2) Tasting with purified MRP fraction To the sample B prepared in Example 1 and the sample C to K (sample numbers 3, 11, 16, 19, 24, and 27), purified MRP was added to the concentrations shown in the table below to obtain each sample (sample numbers 4 to 8, 12 to 15, 17 to 18, 20 to 22, 25 to 26, and 28 to 29). The obtained tasting samples were subjected to a sensory evaluation by a trained panel of five members, using the sample A (sample number 1) as a control. The evaluation items and evaluation criteria were as follows:

[0058] As evaluation item 1, the strength of body (an overall evaluation consisting of the strength of flavor, complexity, and duration) was evaluated on a nine-point scale from 1 point (weak) to 9 points (strong). As evaluation item 2, "unpleasant sourness" (unpleasant sourness felt in the aftertaste, etc.) was evaluated on a nine-point scale from 1 point (weak) to 9 points (strong). For the sensory evaluation, the sample A prepared in Example 1 was used as the control (defined as body strength: 2.4, unpleasant sourness: 5.0).

[0059] The evaluation results are shown in the table below. [Table 6]

[0060] The control samples A and B had a score of less than 3 for "full body" and a score of 5.0 or more for "unpleasant sourness", which indicated a very weak full body and an unpleasant sourness. Samples with a score of 4.2 or more for "full body" and a score of 4.8 or less for "unpleasant sourness" had a full body and a weak unpleasant sourness. Furthermore, samples with a score of 5.4 or more for "full body" and a score of 4.0 or less for "unpleasant sourness" had a strong full body and a weak unpleasant sourness. These samples were considered to have a good flavor as a beer-taste beverage. Therefore, a score of 4.2 or more for "full body" was evaluated as being preferable for the flavor of a beer-taste beverage, and a score of 5.4 or more was more preferable.

[0061] A plot showing the relationship between MRP concentration and the results of the "full body" evaluation (vertical axis: bound MRP concentration, horizontal axis: free MRP concentration, bubble size: full body) is shown in Figure 1. From this figure, it was found that the total free MRP content in a beer-taste alcoholic beverage is preferably 438 ppb or more. In addition, although there is no need to limit the total bound MRP content, it was found that it is preferable that it be 72 ppb or more, and more preferably 117 ppb or more.

[0062] Next, the above evaluation results are sorted and expressed by the total amount of F-MRP and B-MRP, as shown in the table below. [Table 7]

[0063] A plot diagram showing the relationship between MRP concentration and the results of the "body strength" evaluation (vertical axis: bound MRP concentration, horizontal axis: free MRP concentration, bubble size: body strength, diagonal auxiliary line: boundary line of the total amount of F-MRP and B-MRP) is shown in Figure 2. From this diagram, when the total amount of F-MRP and B-MRP in the beer-taste alcoholic beverage is 510 ppb or more in the range of F-MRP 438 ppb or more, the score of "body strength" is 4.2 or more and the score of "unpleasant sourness" is 4.8 or less, which indicates that the beverage has a body and a weak unpleasant sourness, and is considered to have a good flavor as a beer-taste beverage. In addition, when the total amount of F-MRP and B-MRP is 550 ppb or more, the score of "body strength" is 4.2 or more and the score of "unpleasant sourness" is 4.6 or less, which indicates that the beverage has a body and a weak unpleasant sourness, and is considered to have a good flavor as a beer-taste beverage. Furthermore, when the total amount of F-MRP and B-MRP was 672 ppb or more, the score for "full body" was 4.4 or more and the score for "unpleasant sourness" was 4.2 or less, which indicates that the full body was felt and the unpleasant sourness was weak, and this was considered to be even more preferable. Furthermore, when the total amount of F-MRP and B-MRP was 1,042 ppb or more, the score for "full body" was 5.2 or more and the score for "unpleasant sourness" was 3.6 or less, which indicates that the full body was felt and the unpleasant sourness was weak, and this was considered to be even more preferable. Furthermore, when the total amount of F-MRP and B-MRP was 1,203 ppb or more, the score for "full body" was 6.4 or more and the score for "unpleasant sourness" was 3.6 or less, which indicates that the full body was felt and the unpleasant sourness was weak, and this was considered to be even more preferable.

[0064] Next, the above evaluation results were sorted and expressed according to the ratio of F-MRP to B-MRP (F-MRP / B-MRP), as shown in the table below. [Table 8]

[0065] A plot diagram showing the relationship between MRP concentration and the results of the "full body" evaluation (vertical axis: bound MRP concentration, horizontal axis: free MRP concentration, bubble size: full body, diagonal auxiliary line: boundary of F-MRP / B-MRP ratio) is shown in FIG. 3. From this diagram, when the F-MRP / B-MRP ratio in the beer-flavored alcoholic beverage is 5.06-6.65 in the range of F-MRP 438 ppb or more, the score of "full body" was 4.2-4.8 and the score of "unpleasant sourness" was 4.8-4.0, which indicates that the full body is felt and the unpleasant sourness is weak, and that the flavor is considered to be good as a beer-flavored beverage. Furthermore, when the F-MRP / B-MRP ratio is 6.66-8.37, the score of "full body" was 4.2-5.8 and the score of "unpleasant sourness" was 4.6-3.6, which indicates that the full body is felt and the unpleasant sourness is weak, and that the flavor is considered to be even more preferable. Furthermore, when the F-MRP / B-MRP ratio was 3.63-5.05, the score for "richness" was 6.0-6.4 and the score for "unpleasant sourness" was 3.6-3.2, which indicated that the richness was felt and the unpleasant sourness was weak, and this was considered to be even more preferable. Furthermore, when the F-MRP / B-MRP ratio was 0.53-3.62, the score for "richness" was 5.4-8.2 and the score for "unpleasant sourness" was 4.0-2.6, which indicated that the richness was felt strongly and the unpleasant sourness was weak, and this was considered to be even more preferable. Furthermore, when the F-MRP / B-MRP ratio was 8.38 or more, the score for "richness" was 5.0-6.4 and the score for "unpleasant sourness" was 3.8-3.0, which indicated that the richness was felt strongly and the unpleasant sourness was weak, and this was considered to be even more preferable.

[0066] (3) Sensory evaluation of beer-flavored beverages with sugar content of 1g / 100mL or less A trained panel of five members conducted a sensory evaluation of the brewed beer-taste beverage samples L to O (sample numbers 30 to 33) with sugar contents of 1 g / 100 mL or less, using the brewed sample A prepared in Example 1 as a control. The evaluation items and evaluation criteria were as described above.

[0067] The evaluation results are shown in the table below. [Table 9]

[0068] Since the same enhancement of richness and suppression of unpleasant sourness as the above-mentioned evaluation results were confirmed within the same numerical range as (2) above, it is believed that a similar effect can be expected for beer-flavored beverages with a carbohydrate content of 1 g / 100 mL or less.

[0069] (4) Evaluation of samples with different compositions of individual components with the same sum of B-MRP concentrations The following table shows the combinations of samples with approximately the same sum of F-MRP or B-MRP concentrations but different compositions of individual components, and the results of the sensory evaluation.

[0070] [Table 10]

[0071] Compared to sample 10, sample 9 contained less bound CEL and MG-H1 and more CML, but the total amount of the three components, the richness of the flavor, and the unpleasant sourness were all at the same level.

[0072] From the above results, it was considered that the three active ingredients have the same flavor effect as long as the total amount is the same, regardless of the composition of the individual components.

[0073] (5) Measurement of purine concentration The purine concentrations of the test products E and J prepared in Example 1 were measured. Specifically, the samples were decomposed with perchloric acid and the purine concentrations (mg / 100mL) were measured by LC-MS / MS, with reference to Food Hygiene Journal 55(2):110-116(2014). The LC-MS / MS was performed with reference to the measurement method II in the above literature. The measurement results are shown in the table below.

[0074] [Table 11]

[0075] The purine concentrations of Sample 10 and Sample 24 were similar.

[0076] Example 4: Tasting with purified MRP fraction (2) (1) Purification of the Maillard reaction product fraction As the purified product of bound Maillard reaction products and the purified product of free Maillard reaction products, the purified products described in Example 3(1) were used.

[0077] (2) Tasting with purified MRP fraction To the brewed product P (sample 34) prepared in Example 1, purified MRP was added to the concentrations shown in the table below to obtain each sample (samples 35 to 48). For sample 39 and sample 40, free MRP with different compositions of individual components was added to obtain the same free MRP concentration. A trained panel of six members conducted a sensory evaluation of the obtained tasting samples, using brewed product P (sample 34) as a control. The evaluation items and evaluation criteria were as follows:

[0078] As evaluation item 1, similar to Example 3(2), the strength of body (an overall evaluation consisting of the strength of flavor, complexity, and duration) was evaluated on a nine-point scale from 1 point (weak) to 9 points (strong). As evaluation item 2, similar to Example 3(2), the "unpleasant sourness" (unpleasant sourness felt in the aftertaste, etc.) was evaluated on a nine-point scale from 1 point (weak) to 9 points (strong). As evaluation item 3, the "alcohol hotness" (hotness accompanied by a tingling sensation) was evaluated on a nine-point scale from 1 point (almost no alcohol hotness) to 9 points (strong alcohol hotness). In the sensory evaluation, the brewed product P (Sample 34) prepared in Example 1 was used as a control (defined as body strength: 2.5, unpleasant sourness: 5.2, and alcohol hotness: 5.2).

[0079] The evaluation results are shown in the table below.

[0080] [Table 12]

[0081] The control brewed product P (Sample 34) had a score of less than 3 for "full body", a score of 5.0 or more for "unpleasant sourness", and a score of 5.0 or more for "alcohol harshness", indicating a very weak full body, an unpleasant sourness, and an alcohol harshness. Samples with a score of 4.0 or more for "full body" and a score of 4.8 or less for "unpleasant sourness" had a full body and a weak unpleasant sourness. Additionally, samples with a score of 4.0 or less for "alcohol harshness" had a weak alcohol harshness. These samples were considered to have a good flavor as a beer-taste beverage. Therefore, a sample with a score of 4.0 or more for "full body" can also be evaluated as having a favorable flavor as a beer-taste beverage.

[0082] (3) Evaluation of samples with equal free MRP (F-MRP) concentrations but different compositions of individual components Samples 39 and 40 in Example 4(2) have the same F-MRP concentration but different compositions of individual components, the compositions of which are shown in the table below.

[0083] [Table 13]

[0084] Sample 39 had less free CEL and CML and more MG-H1 than Sample 40. On the other hand, as shown in Table 12, the total amount of the three components, the full-bodiedness, unpleasant sourness, and alcoholic bitterness were all at the same level.

[0085] From the above results, it was considered that the three active ingredients have the same flavor effect as long as the total amount is the same, regardless of the composition of the individual components.

[0086] Example 5: Tasting of beer-flavored beverage sample Q with different MRP concentrations (1) Beer-flavored beverage tasting The brewed product Q prepared in Example 1 was used as a tasting sample and subjected to a sensory evaluation in the same manner as in Example 4. The evaluation items and evaluation criteria were the same as in Example 4.

[0087] The evaluation results are shown in the table below. [Table 14]

[0088] Since the same enhancement of richness, suppression of unpleasant sourness, and suppression of alcohol harshness were confirmed as in the evaluation results described above, within the same numerical range as in Example 4(2) above, it was considered that similar effects could be expected for the tasting samples of brews with different MRP concentrations.

[0089] Example 6: Tasting of beer-flavored beverage samples R to Y with different purine concentrations (1) Measurement of purine concentration The purine concentrations of the test products R to X prepared in Example 1 were measured in the same manner as in the measurement of the purine concentrations described in (5) of Example 3. The measurement results are shown in the following table.

[0090] (2) Sampling of beer-flavored beverages with a purine concentration of 1.5 mg / 100 mL or less A sensory evaluation was carried out in the same manner as in Example 4, using the brewed sample P (sample 34) prepared in Example 1 as a control and the brewed beer-taste beverage samples R to X (sample numbers 50 to 56) with purine concentrations of 1.5 mg / 100 mL or less as tasting samples. The evaluation items and evaluation criteria were the same as in Example 4. The evaluation results are shown in the table below. [Table 15]

[0091] As described in Example 4(2), the control brewed product P (Sample 34) had a score of less than 3 for "full body", a score of 5.0 or more for "unpleasant sourness", and a score of 5.0 or more for "alcohol bitterness", which indicated a very weak full body, an unpleasant sourness, and an alcohol bitterness. On the other hand, Samples 50 to 56 had a score of 5.3 or more for "full body", and a score of 4.0 or less for "unpleasant sourness", which indicated a strong full body and a weak unpleasant sourness. In addition, samples with a score of 4.0 or less for "alcohol bitterness" indicated a weak alcohol bitterness. Therefore, it was considered to have a good flavor as a beer-flavored beverage, and it was considered that the same effect could be expected for beer-flavored beverages with a purine concentration of 1.5 mg / 100 mL or less. Furthermore, the above samples 50 to 56 had F-MRP of 438 ppb or more in the beer-taste alcoholic beverage, an F-MRP / B-MRP ratio of 1.95 to 2.07, a "full body" score of 5.3 to 5.7, and an "unpleasant sourness" score of 3.3 to 3.9, giving a strong full body and a weak unpleasant sourness, and similar to Example 3(2), these were considered to be even more preferable as beer-taste beverages. Therefore, in terms of the flavor of a beer-taste beverage, a "full body" score of 5.3 or more can also be evaluated as even more preferable.

Claims

1. the total content of free carboxymethyllysine (CML), free carboxyethyllysine (CEL) and free methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 (MG-H1) in the beverage is 434 ppb or more; the total content of bound CML, bound CEL and bound MG-H1 in the beverage is 65 ppb or more; the bound CML, bound CEL and bound MG-H1 are contained in a peptide fraction having a molecular weight of 400 to 3,000 Da; The carbohydrate concentration in the beverage is 1.5 g / 100 mL or less. A low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage.

2. 2. The low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, wherein the total content of bound CML, bound CEL, and bound MG-H1 in the beverage is 72 ppb or more.

3. the total content of free CML, free CEL, free MG-H1, bound CML, bound CEL and bound MG-H1 in the beverage is 499 ppb or more; 2. The low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, wherein the bound CML, bound CEL, and bound MG-H1 are contained in a peptide fraction having a molecular weight of 400 to 3,000 Da.

4. 4. The low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 3, wherein the total content of free CML, free CEL, free MG-H1, bound CML, bound CEL and bound MG-H1 in the beverage is 510 ppb or more.

5. 4. The low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 3, wherein the total content of free CML, free CEL, free MG-H1, bound CML, bound CEL and bound MG-H1 in the beverage is 1042 ppb or more.

6. the ratio (F / B) of the total content of free CML, free CEL, and free MG-H1 (F ppb) to the total content of bound CML, bound CEL, and bound MG-H1 (B ppb) in the beverage is 0.53 or more; 2. The low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, wherein the bound CML, bound CEL, and bound MG-H1 are contained in a peptide fraction having a molecular weight of 400 to 3,000 Da.

7. The low-sugar beer-taste alcoholic beverage according to claim 6, wherein F / B is 0.53 to 3.

63.

8. The low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 6, wherein F / B is 6.66 or more.

9. 3. The low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage has a sugar concentration of 1.0 g / 100 mL or less.

10. 3. The low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage has a sugar concentration of 0.5 g / 100 mL or less.

11. 3. The low-sugar, beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the low-sugar, beer-flavored alcoholic beverage has a purine concentration of 5.0 mg / 100 mL or less.

12. 3. The low-sugar, beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the purine concentration in the low-sugar, beer-flavored alcoholic beverage is 3.5 mg / 100 mL or less.

13. 3. The low-sugar, beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the purine concentration in the low-sugar, beer-flavored alcoholic beverage is 0.5 mg / 100 mL or less.

14. 3. The low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage has a sugar concentration of 0.5 g / 100 mL or less and a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / 100 mL or less.

15. 3. The low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the proportion of malt used is 50 to 100% by mass.

16. 3. The low-sugar, beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the alcohol concentration in the low-sugar, beer-flavored alcoholic beverage is 3 to 8 volume %.

17. 3. The low-sugar, beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the low-sugar, beer-flavored alcoholic beverage has a carbon dioxide pressure of 0.05 to 0.4 MPa at 20°C.

18. 3. The low-sugar, beer-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pH of the low-sugar, beer-flavored alcoholic beverage is 2.0 to 5.

0.

19. A method for producing a low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage, comprising adjusting the total content of free carboxymethyllysine (CML), free carboxyethyllysine (CEL) and free methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 (MG-H1) in the beverage to 434 ppb or more; The total content of bound CML, bound CEL and bound MG-H1 in the beverage is adjusted to 65 ppb or more, the bound CML, bound CEL and bound MG-H1 are contained in a peptide fraction having a molecular weight of 400 to 3,000 Da; The method, wherein the carbohydrate concentration in the beverage is 1.5 g / 100 mL or less.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the amount of hops added is adjusted to 0.1 to 5 g / L in terms of dried hops relative to the volume of the pre-fermentation liquid in the fermentation step in the production of the low-sugar beer-taste alcoholic beverage.

21. The method according to claim 19 or 20, wherein the brewing raw materials for the low-sugar beer-taste alcoholic beverage comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of malt, hops, water, rice, corn, koryan, potato, starch, sugar, fruit, coriander, protein hydrolysates, yeast extract, colorants, foaming or foam retention enhancers, water quality conditioners, fermentation aids, and ungerminated wheat and barley.

22. A method for enhancing richness in a low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage, the method comprising adjusting the total content of free carboxymethyllysine (CML), free carboxyethyllysine (CEL) and free methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 (MG-H1) in the beverage to 434 ppb or more; The total content of bound CML, bound CEL and bound MG-H1 in the beverage is adjusted to 65 ppb or more, the bound CML, bound CEL and bound MG-H1 are contained in a peptide fraction having a molecular weight of 400 to 3,000 Da; The method, wherein the carbohydrate concentration in the beverage is 1.5 g / 100 mL or less.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the amount of hops added is adjusted to 0.1 to 5 g / L in terms of dried hops relative to the volume of the pre-fermentation liquid in the fermentation step in the production of the low-sugar beer-taste alcoholic beverage.

24. The method according to claim 22 or 23, wherein the brewing raw materials for the low-sugar beer-taste alcoholic beverage comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of malt, hops, water, rice, corn, koryan, potato, starch, sugar, fruit, coriander, protein hydrolysates, yeast extract, colorants, foaming or foam retention enhancers, water quality conditioners, fermentation aids, and ungerminated wheat and barley.

25. A method for reducing unpleasant sourness in a low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage, the method comprising adjusting the total content of free carboxymethyllysine (CML), free carboxyethyllysine (CEL) and free methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 (MG-H1) in the beverage to 434 ppb or more; The total content of bound CML, bound CEL and bound MG-H1 in the beverage is adjusted to 65 ppb or more, the bound CML, bound CEL and bound MG-H1 are contained in a peptide fraction having a molecular weight of 400 to 3,000 Da; The method, wherein the carbohydrate concentration in the beverage is 1.5 g / 100 mL or less.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the amount of hops added is adjusted to 0.1 to 5 g / L in terms of dried hops relative to the volume of the pre-fermentation liquid in the fermentation step in the production of the low-sugar beer-taste alcoholic beverage.

27. The method according to claim 25 or 26, wherein the brewing raw materials for the low-sugar beer-taste alcoholic beverage comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of malt, hops, water, rice, corn, koryan, potato, starch, sugar, fruit, coriander, protein hydrolysates, yeast extract, colorants, foaming or foam retention enhancers, water quality conditioners, fermentation aids, and ungerminated wheat and barley.

28. A method for reducing alcohol harshness in a low-sugar beer-flavored alcoholic beverage, the method comprising adjusting the total content of free carboxymethyllysine (CML), free carboxyethyllysine (CEL) and free methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 (MG-H1) in the beverage to 434 ppb or more; The total content of bound CML, bound CEL and bound MG-H1 in the beverage is adjusted to 65 ppb or more, the bound CML, bound CEL and bound MG-H1 are contained in a peptide fraction having a molecular weight of 400 to 3,000 Da; The method, wherein the carbohydrate concentration in the beverage is 1.5 g / 100 mL or less.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the amount of hops added is adjusted to 0.1 to 5 g / L in terms of dried flowers relative to the volume of the pre-fermentation liquid in the fermentation step in the production of the low-sugar beer-taste alcoholic beverage.

30. The method according to claim 28 or 29, wherein the brewing raw materials for the low-sugar beer-taste alcoholic beverage comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of malt, hops, water, rice, corn, koryan, potato, starch, sugar, fruit, coriander, protein hydrolysates, yeast extract, colorants, foaming or foam retention enhancers, water quality conditioners, fermentation aids, and ungerminated wheat and barley.