Beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage and method for producing same

Abstract

The present invention aims to provide a novel beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage that has a rich flavor and a well-balanced aftertaste. The present invention provides a beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage having a γ-nonalactone concentration of 0.001 ppm or more. By incorporating γ-nonalactone within a predetermined concentration range, the present invention provides a beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage that has a rich flavor and a well-balanced aftertaste, which is advantageous in that it can meet the diverse tastes and needs of consumers.

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] In addition to the growing health consciousness in recent years, the demand for non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages is increasing year by year due to the diversification of drinking occasions and consumer preferences. In the field of non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages, various technologies have been developed to allow non-alcoholic beverages to have the distinctive taste and aroma of beer (Patent Documents 1 and 2). However, in light of the increasing level of consumer preferences, it can be said that there is still a need for improved flavor in non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6786699 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-154317 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages have had problems such as insufficient flavor depth and harmonious aftertaste due to the fact that they are non-alcoholic and the special methods used to prepare them to be non-alcoholic, etc. In order to solve these problems, the present invention aims to provide a novel non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage that has a favorable flavor depth and harmonious aftertaste. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present inventors have found that by adding γ-nonalactone within a specific concentration range to a beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage, the flavor depth and aftertaste are well balanced. The present invention is based on these findings.

[0006] According to the present invention, the following inventions are provided. [1] A beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage having a gamma-nonalactone concentration of 0.01 ppm or more. [2] The non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage according to [1] above, wherein the phenethyl alcohol concentration is 1 ppm or more. [3] A non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage according to [1] or [2] above, having a malic acid concentration of 10 ppm or more. [4] A non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage according to any one of [1] to [3] above, in which the gamma-nonalactone concentration is 0.1 ppm or more and 0.7 ppm or less. [5] A non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage according to any one of [1] to [4] above, in which the malt content is 50% or more. [6] A non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage according to any one of [1] to [5] above, which is a dealcoholic beverage. [7] A method for producing a beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage, comprising a step of incorporating gamma-nonalactone at a concentration of 0.01 ppm or more. [8] A method for improving the flavor of a beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage, comprising the step of adding γ-nonalactone to the beverage at a concentration of 0.01 ppm or more during the production of the beverage.

[0007] According to the present invention, by incorporating γ-nonalactone within a predetermined concentration range in a beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage, it is possible to provide a beverage with a rich flavor and a well-balanced aftertaste, which is advantageous in that it can meet the diverse tastes and needs of consumers.

[0008] In the present invention, the term "beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage" refers to a beverage with a beer-like flavor, and is used to include both beverages that contain no alcohol at all, i.e., beverages with an ethanol concentration of 0.00 v / v%, and beverages with an ethanol concentration of more than 0.00 v / v% and less than 1 v / v%. Beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverages include fermented beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverages and non-fermented beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverages. Fermented beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverages refer to beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverages that have undergone a fermentation process using yeast, and include beverages produced by removing the alcoholic components generated during the fermentation process after the fermentation process (sometimes referred to as "de-alcoholized beverages" in this specification), as well as beverages produced by terminating the fermentation process when the ethanol concentration is less than 1 v / v%. Non-fermented beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverages refer to beverages produced without undergoing a fermentation process.

[0009] In the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention, the upper limit value (less than or equal to hereinafter) of the alcohol (ethanol) concentration is 0.99% (v / v), 0.98% (v / v), 0.97% (v / v), 0.96% (v / v), 0.95% (v / v), 0.94% (v / v), 0.93% (v / v), 0.92% (v / v), 0.91% (v / v), 0.90% (v / v), 0.89% (v / v), 0.88% (v / v), 0.87% (v / v), 0.86% (v / v), 0.85% (v / v), 0.84% (v / v), 0.83% (v / v), 0.82% (v / v), 0.81% (v / v), 0.80% (v / v), 0.79% (v / v), 0.78% (v / v), 0.77% (v / v), 0.76% (v / v), 0.75% (v / v), 0.74% (v / v), 0.14%(v / v), 0.13%(v / v), 0.12%(v / v), 0.11%(v / v), 0.10%(v / v), 0.09%(v / v), 0.08%(v / v), 0.07%(v / v), 0.06 %(v / v), 0.05%(v / v), 0.04%(v / v), 0.03%(v / v), 0.02%(v / v), 0.01%(v / v), 0.009%(v / v), 0.008%(v / v), 0.007 The upper and lower limits may be 0.001% (v / v), 0.002% (v / v), 0.003% (v / v), or 0.004% (v / v), and the lower limit (not less than or exceeding) may be 0.001% (v / v), 0.002% (v / v), 0.003% (v / v), or 0.004% (v / v), and these upper and lower limits may be combined in any manner.

[0010] In the present invention, the alcohol concentration (ethanol concentration) of a beverage can be measured by gas chromatography (GC) with an FID detector. To achieve more accurate concentration measurements, it is desirable to use a calibration curve prepared based on the measured values ​​of several control samples with known concentrations. It is preferable that these control samples with known concentrations are in the same range as the concentration to be measured. It is also preferable to use an internal standard, such as 2-propanol.

[0011] The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention uses malt as at least a portion of its raw material, and preferably uses at least one or both of barley malt and wheat malt as the barley-derived raw material. In the present invention, the proportion of barley malt (by mass) in the raw material malt (by mass) can be, for example, 40% or more, 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 90% or more, or 100%, and the proportion of wheat malt (by mass) in the raw material malt (by mass) can be, for example, 40% or more, 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 90% or more, or 100%. Extracted malt (i.e., malt extract) can also be used in the present invention. In the above, "or more" can be interpreted as "exceeding."

[0012] The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can achieve a rich flavor and a harmonious aftertaste regardless of the malt usage ratio. The malt usage ratio can be, for example, 10% or less, 10% or more, 15% or less, 15% or more, 20% or less, 20% or more, 21% or less, 21% or more, 22% or less, 22% or more, 23% or less, 23% or more, 24% or less, 24% or more, 25% or less, 25% or more, 30% or less, 30% or more, 31% or less, 31% or more, 32% or less, 32% or more, 33% or less, 33% or more, 34% or less, 34% or more, 35% or less, 35% or more, The malt content can be 40% or less, 40% or more, 45% or less, 45% or more, 50% or less, 50% or more, 55% or less, 55% or more, 60% or less, 60% or more, 65% or less, 65% or more, 66% or less, 66% or more, 67% or less, 67% or more, 68% or less, 68% or more, 69% or less, 69% or more, 70% or less, 70% or more, 75% or less, 75% or more, 80% or less, 80% or more, 85% or less, 85% or more, 90% or less, 90% or more, 95% or less, 95% or more, or 100%. "Less than" can mean "less than," and "greater than" can mean "greater than." These upper and lower limits can be combined arbitrarily. In the present invention, "malt usage ratio" refers to the ratio of the mass of malt to the mass of all ingredients excluding hops and water.

[0013] In the beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, in addition to malt, ungerminated wheat species such as ungerminated barley (including extracts) and ungerminated wheat (including extracts) can also be used as raw materials.

[0014] The beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is characterized in that the concentration of γ-nonalactone (CAS RN: 104-61-0) is within a specified range. In the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the lower limit of the γ-nonalactone concentration (not less than or exceeding) is 0.010 ppm, but may be any of the following: 0.020 ppm, 0.025 ppm, 0.030 ppm, 0.035 ppm, 0.040 ppm, 0.045 ppm, 0.050 ppm, 0.055 ppm, 0.060 ppm, 0.065 ppm, 0.070 ppm, 0.075 ppm, 0.080 ppm, 0.085 ppm, 0.090 ppm, 0.095 ppm, 0.10 ppm, 0.11 ppm, 0.12 ppm, 0.13 ppm, 0.14 ppm, 0.15 ppm, 0.16 ppm, 0.17 ppm, 0.18 ppm, 0.19 ppm, 0.20 ppm, 0.21 ppm, 0.22 ppm, 0.23 ppm, 0.24 ppm, 0.25 ppm, 0.26 ppm, 0.27 ppm, 0.28 ppm, 0.29 ppm, 0.30 ppm, 0.31 ppm, 0.32 ppm, 0.33 ppm, 0.34 ppm, 0.35 ppm, 0.36 ppm, 0.37 ppm, 0.38 ppm, 0.39 ppm, 0.40 ppm, 0.41 ppm, 0.42 ppm, 0.43 ppm, 0.44 ppm, 0.45 ppm, 0.46 ppm, 0.47 ppm, 0.48 ppm, 0.49 ppm, 0.50 ppm, 0.51 ppm, 0.52 ppm, 0.53 ppm, 0.54 ppm, 0.55 ppm, 0.5 The concentration may also be 0.18 ppm, 0.19 ppm, 0.20 ppm, 0.21 ppm, 0.22 ppm, 0.23 ppm, 0.24 ppm, 0.25 ppm, 0.26 ppm, 0.27 ppm, 0.28 ppm, 0.29 ppm, 0.30 ppm, 0.31 ppm, 0.32 ppm, 0.33 ppm, 0.34 ppm, 0.35 ppm, 0.36 ppm, 0.37 ppm, 0.38 ppm, 0.39 ppm, 0.40 ppm, 0.41 ppm, 0.42 ppm, 0.43 ppm, 0.44 ppm, 0.45 ppm, 0.46 ppm, 0.47 ppm, 0.48 ppm, 0.49 ppm or 0.50 ppm. Furthermore, the upper limit (or less than) of the γ-nonalactone concentration in the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved. Examples of the upper limit include 1.0 ppm, 0.99 ppm, 0.98 ppm, 0.97 ppm, 0.96 ppm, 0.95 ppm, 0.94 ppm, 0.93 ppm, 0.92 ppm, 0.91 ppm, 0.90 ppm, 0.95 ppm, 0.96 ppm, 0.95 ppm, 0.94 ppm, 0.93 ppm, 0.92 ppm, 0.91 ppm, 0.90 ppm, 0.95 ppm, 0.95 ppm, 0.96 ... The concentration can be 0.89 ppm, 0.88 ppm, 0.87 ppm, 0.86 ppm, 0.85 ppm, 0.84 ppm, 0.83 ppm, 0.82 ppm, 0.81 ppm, 0.80 ppm, 0.79 ppm, 0.78 ppm, 0.77 ppm, 0.76 ppm, 0.75 ppm, 0.74 ppm, 0.73 ppm, 0.72 ppm, 0.71 ppm or 0.70 ppm.These lower and upper limits can be combined in any desired manner, for example, 0.010 ppm or more and 1.0 ppm or less, 0.050 ppm or more and 1.0 ppm or less, 0.10 ppm or more and 1.0 ppm or less, 0.15 ppm or more and 1.0 ppm or less, 0.20 ppm or more and 1.0 ppm or less, 0.25 ppm or more and 1.0 ppm or less, 0.30 ppm or more and 1.0 ppm or less, 0.35 ppm or more and 1.0 ppm or less, 0.40 ppm or more and 1.0 ppm or less, 0.45 ppm or more and 1.0 ppm or less, 0.50 ppm or more and 1.0 ppm or less, 0.010 ppm or more and 0.90 ppm or less, 0.050 ppm or more and 0.90 ppm or less, 0.10 ppm or more and 0.90 ppm or less, 0.15 ppm or more and 0.90 ppm or less, 0.20 ppm or more and 0.90 ppm or less, 0.25 ppm or more and 0.90 ppm or less, 0.30 ppm or more and 0.90 ppm or less, 0.35 ppm or more and 0.90 ppm or less, 0.40 ppm or more and 0.90 ppm or less, 0.45 ppm or more and 0.90 ppm or less, 0.50 ppm or more and 0. 90ppm or less, 0.010ppm or more and 0.80ppm or less, 0.050ppm or more and 0.80ppm or less, 0.10ppm or more and 0.80ppm or less, 0.15ppm or more and 0.80ppm or less, 0.20ppm or more and 0.80ppm or less, 0.25ppm or more and 0.80ppm or less, 0.30ppm or more and 0.80ppm or less, 0.35ppm or more and 0.80ppm or less, 0.40ppm or more and 0.80ppm or less, 0.45ppm or more and 0.80ppm or less, 0.50ppm or more and 0.80ppm or less, 0 The concentration can be 0.010 ppm or more and 0.70 ppm or less, 0.050 ppm or more and 0.70 ppm or less, 0.10 ppm or more and 0.70 ppm or less, 0.15 ppm or more and 0.70 ppm or less, 0.20 ppm or more and 0.70 ppm or less, 0.25 ppm or more and 0.70 ppm or less, 0.30 ppm or more and 0.70 ppm or less, 0.35 ppm or more and 0.70 ppm or less, 0.40 ppm or more and 0.70 ppm or less, 0.45 ppm or more and 0.70 ppm or less, or 0.50 ppm or more and 0.70 ppm or less. In the present invention, the unit "ppm" is synonymous with "mg / L".

[0015] The γ-nonalactone concentration of the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can also be, for example, 0.01 ppm or more and 0.5 ppm or less, 0.05 ppm or more and 0.5 ppm or less, 0.1 ppm or more and 0.5 ppm or less, 0.01 ppm or more and 0.4 ppm or less, 0.05 ppm or more and 0.4 ppm or less, 0.1 ppm or more and 0.4 ppm or less, 0.01 ppm or more and 0.3 ppm or less, 0.05 ppm or more and 0.3 ppm or less, 0.1 ppm or more and 0.3 ppm or less, 0.01 ppm or more and 0.2 ppm or less, 0.05 ppm or more and 0.2 ppm or less, 0.01 ppm or more and 0.1 ppm or less, 0.05 ppm or more and 0.1 ppm or less, 0.7 ppm or more and 1.0 ppm or less, or 0.8 ppm or more and 1.0 ppm or less.

[0016] In the present invention, the concentration of γ-nonalactone in a beverage can be measured by GC / MS analysis, for example, by separating aroma components in a beverage using a C18 solid-phase column and subjecting the resulting analytical sample to GC / MS, as shown in the Examples below.

[0017] The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is characterized by having a well-balanced flavor and aftertaste despite being a non-alcoholic beverage. Beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverages have had problems with insufficient flavor and aftertaste balance due to the fact that they are non-alcoholic and the unique methods used to prepare them to be non-alcoholic. In particular, in dealcoholized beverages in which alcohol is removed after the fermentation process, components that contribute to flavor and aftertaste balance may be lost during the production process. The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention has a well-balanced flavor and aftertaste balance, thereby solving the above-mentioned problems of beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverages. Here, "flavor" refers to the flavor sensation perceived as a broad flavor, complexity, full-bodiedness, etc. Furthermore, "aftertaste balance" refers to the flavor sensations of sourness, astringency, and astringency that are perceived as sour when sipped.

[0018] There are no limitations on the method for producing the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, so long as the γ-nonalactone is contained in a concentration within the specified range.

[0019] When the production of the fermented beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention includes a step of removing alcoholic components produced during the fermentation process, the concentration of γ-nonalactone can be adjusted within a predetermined concentration range by adding γ-nonalactone after alcohol removal (dealcoholization). In the present invention, methods for removing alcohol after the fermentation process include, for example, (i) a method of removing alcohol by distillation under reduced pressure or normal pressure, (ii) a method of removing alcohol by adsorbing volatile components into steam using centrifugal force, and (iii) a method of removing alcohol using a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane, and the method can be selected from any of the above (i), (ii), and (iii), or any of the above (i) and (ii).

[0020] Furthermore, when the fermentation process of the fermented beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is stopped at a stage where the ethanol concentration is less than 1 v / v%, the concentration can be adjusted by adding γ-nonalactone at any stage in the production process so that the concentration falls within a predetermined concentration range, as long as the γ-nonalactone concentration is after a step in which γ-nonalactone may volatilize (e.g., a boiling step).

[0021] The fermented, beer-flavored, non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be produced according to a typical production procedure for a fermented, beer-flavored, non-alcoholic beverage, except for adjusting the γ-nonalactone concentration as described above. The fermented, beer-flavored, non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be produced, for example, by preparing a brewing liquid from malt, hops, water, and other ingredients, removing solids from the brewing liquid by leaving it to stand, and then fermenting and filtering the brewing liquid. The other ingredients may be used as ingredients for the brewing liquid, or may be blended with the prepared brewing liquid.

[0022] The preparation of the brewing liquid can be carried out according to a conventional method, for example, by sequentially carrying out the following steps: (a) saccharifying a mixture of water and raw materials containing malt, followed by filtering to obtain wort; (b) adding hops to the obtained wort and then boiling it; and (c) cooling the boiled wort.

[0023] In the present invention, degradation treatment can be carried out by adding protease, carbohydrate-degrading enzyme, or cellulolytic enzyme individually or in combination at any time before the completion of the fermentation process (for example, during mashing, fermentation, or both mashing and fermentation). Examples of protease include protease preparations, examples of carbohydrate-degrading enzymes include enzymes derived from brewing raw materials such as malt, and commercially available enzyme preparations (α-amylase, β-amylase, glucoamylase, α-glucosidase, pullulanase, isoamylase, etc.), and examples of cellulolytic enzymes include commercially available enzyme preparations (β-glucanase, xylanase, hemicellulase, etc.).

[0024] In the present invention, in the saccharification process, malt with high endoprotease activity and / or an enzyme preparation possessing endoprotease activity can be used to promote proteolysis, and malt with low endoprotease activity can be used to inhibit proteolysis.

[0025] In the present invention, the saccharification temperature can be, for example, 30° C. to 100° C., 35° C. to 100° C., 40° C. to 100° C., or 60° C. to 80° C. The saccharification time can be appropriately set taking into account the saccharification temperature, and can be, for example, 30 to 180 minutes, 50 to 150 minutes, 60 to 140 minutes, or 30 to 100 minutes.

[0026] In the present invention, the boiling temperature can be, for example, 100° C. to 150° C., 100° C. to 140° C., 100° C. to 130° C., or 90° C. to 100° C. The boiling time can be appropriately set in consideration of the boiling temperature, and can be, for example, 10 to 180 minutes, 20 to 150 minutes, 30 to 120 minutes, or 30 to 90 minutes.

[0027] In the present invention, the fermentation conditions are not particularly limited, and the fermentation can be carried out according to a conventional method.

[0028] In the non-fermented, beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the concentration of γ-nonalactone can be adjusted to a predetermined concentration range by adding γ-nonalactone at any stage in the production process, as long as the adjustment is after a step in which γ-nonalactone may be volatilized and lost (e.g., a boiling step).

[0029] The non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention may further contain phenethyl alcohol (CAS RN: 60-12-8) and / or malic acid (CAS RN: 6915-15-7).

[0030] In the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the concentration can be adjusted to within a predetermined phenethyl alcohol concentration range by adding phenethyl alcohol at any stage in the production process, as long as it is after a step in which phenethyl alcohol may volatilize and disappear (e.g., a boiling step). Phenethyl alcohol may be in any form as long as it is easily soluble in an aqueous solvent, and examples of such forms include liquid, powder, and solid.

[0031] In the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention, the concentration can be adjusted by blending or adding malic acid at any stage of the production process. The form of malic acid may be any form that is readily soluble in an aqueous solvent, such as liquid, powder, or solid. The concentration can also be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the amount of raw materials containing or producing malic acid.

[0032] In the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the lower limit of the phenethyl alcohol concentration (not less than or exceeding) is not limited, and may be, for example, 0.1 ppm, 0.2 ppm, 0.3 ppm, 0.4 ppm, 0.5 ppm, 0.6 ppm, 0.7 ppm, 0.8 ppm, 0.9 ppm, 1.0 ppm, 1.1 ppm, 1.2 ppm, 1.3 ppm, 1.4 ppm, 1.5 ppm, 1.6 ppm, 1.7 ppm, 1.8ppm, 1.9ppm, 2.0ppm, 2.1ppm, 2.2ppm, 2.3ppm, 2.4ppm, 2.5ppm, 2.6ppm, 2.7ppm, 2.8ppm, 2.9ppm, 3.0ppm, 3.1p pm, 3.2ppm, 3.3ppm, 3.4ppm, 3.5ppm, 3.6ppm, 3.7ppm, 3.8ppm, 3.9ppm, 4.0ppm, 4.1ppm, 4.2ppm, 4.3ppm, 4.4ppm, 4 .5ppm, 4.6ppm, 4.7ppm, 4.8ppm, 4.9ppm, 5.0ppm, 5.1ppm, 5.2ppm, 5.3ppm, 5.4ppm, 5.5ppm, 5.6ppm, 5.7ppm, 5.8p pm, 5.9ppm, 6.0ppm, 6.1ppm, 6.2ppm, 6.3ppm, 6.4ppm, 6.5ppm, 6.6ppm, 6.7ppm, 6.8ppm, 6.9ppm, 7.0ppm, 7.1ppm, 7 .2ppm, 7.3ppm, 7.4ppm, 7.5ppm, 7.6ppm, 7.7ppm, 7.8ppm, 7.9ppm, 8.0ppm, 8.1ppm, 8.2ppm, 8.3ppm, 8.4ppm, 8.5pp m, 8.6ppm, 8.7ppm, 8.8ppm, 8.9ppm, 9.0ppm, 9.1ppm, 9.2ppm, 9.3ppm, 9.4ppm, 9.5ppm, 9.6ppm, 9.7ppm, 9.8ppm, 9.The upper limit of the phenethyl alcohol concentration in the non-alcoholic, beer-taste beverage of the present invention (less than or equal to) is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but may be, for example, 50 ppm, 49 ppm, 48 ppm, 47 ppm, 46 ppm, 45 ppm, 44 ppm, 43 ppm, 42 ppm, 41 ppm, 40 ppm, 39 ppm, 38 ppm, 37 ppm, 36 ppm, 35 ppm, 34 ppm, 33 ppm, 32 ppm, 31 ppm, or 30 ppm. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any desired manner, for example, 0.1 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 0.5 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 1.0 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 1.5 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 2.0 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 2.5 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 3.0 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 3.5 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 4.0 ppm or more and 4.5 ppm or less. Above 50ppm or less, 5.0ppm to 50ppm or less, 5.5ppm to 50ppm or less, 6.0ppm to 50ppm or less, 6.5ppm to 50ppm or less, 7.0ppm to 50ppm or less, 7.5ppm to 50ppm or less, 8.0ppm to 50ppm or less, 8.5ppm to 50ppm or less, 9.0ppm to 50ppm or less, 9.5ppm to 50ppm or less, 5.0ppm to 50ppm or less, 10ppm or less than 50 ppm, 0.1 ppm or less than 45 ppm, 0.5 ppm or less than 45 ppm, 1.0 ppm or less than 45 ppm, 1.5 ppm or less than 45 ppm, 2.0 ppm or less than 45 ppm, 2.5 ppm or less than 45 ppm, 3.0 ppm or less than 45 ppm, 3.5 ppm or less than 45 ppm, 4.0 ppm or less than 45 ppm, 4.5 ppm or less than 45 ppm, 5.0 ppm or less than 45 ppm, 5.5 ppm or more and up to 45 ppm, 6.0 ppm or more and up to 45 ppm, 6.5 ppm or more and up to 45 ppm, 7.0 ppm or more and up to 45 ppm, 7.5 ppm or more and up to 45 ppm, 8.0 ppm or more and up to 45 ppm, 8.5 ppm or more and up to 45 ppm, 9.0 ppm or more and up to 45 ppm, 9.5 ppm or more and up to 45 ppm, 10 ppm or more and up to 45 ppm, 0.1 ppm or more and up to 40 ppm, 0.5 ppm or more and up to 40 ppm, 1.0ppm to 40ppm, 1.5ppm to 40ppm, 2.0ppm to 40ppm, 2.5ppm to 40ppm, 3.0ppm to 40ppm, 3.5ppm to 40ppm, 4.0ppm to 40ppm, 4.5ppm to 40ppm m or less, 5.0 to 40 ppm, 5.5 to 40 ppm, 6.0 to 40 ppm, 6.5 to 40 ppm, 7.0 to 40 ppm, 7.5 to 40 ppm, 8.0 to 40 ppm, 8.5 ppm or less Above 40ppm, 9.0ppm to 40ppm, 9.5ppm to 40ppm, 10ppm to 40ppm, 0.1ppm to 35ppm, 0.5ppm to 35ppm, 1.0ppm to 35ppm, 1.5ppm to 35ppm, 2.0 ppm to 35ppm, 2.5ppm to 35ppm, 3.0ppm to 35ppm, 3.5ppm to 35ppm, 4.0ppm to 35ppm, 4.5ppm to 35ppm, 5.0ppm to 35ppm, 5.5ppm to 35ppm below, 6.0 ppm to 35 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 35 ppm, 7.0 ppm to 35 ppm, 7.5 ppm to 35 ppm, 8.0 ppm to 35 ppm, 8.5 ppm to 35 ppm, 9.0 ppm to 35 ppm, 9.5 ppm to 35 ppm, 10 ppm to 35 ppm, 0.1 ppm to 30 ppm, 0.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 1.0 ppm to 30 ppm, 1.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 2.0 ppm to 30 ppm, 2.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 3.0 ppm The concentration can be between pm and 30 ppm, 3.5 ppm and 30 ppm, 4.0 ppm and 30 ppm, 4.5 ppm and 30 ppm, 5.0 ppm and 30 ppm, 5.5 ppm and 30 ppm, 6.0 ppm and 30 ppm, 6.5 ppm and 30 ppm, 7.0 ppm and 30 ppm, 7.5 ppm and 30 ppm, 8.0 ppm and 30 ppm, 8.5 ppm and 30 ppm, 9.0 ppm and 30 ppm, 9.5 ppm and 30 ppm, or 10 ppm and 30 ppm.

[0033] The phenethyl alcohol concentration of the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can also be, for example, 0.1 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.5 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 1 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 2 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 3 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 4 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 5 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 30 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 35 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, or 40 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less.

[0034] In the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the lower limit of the malic acid concentration (above or above) is not limited, but may be, for example, 1.0 ppm, 1.5 ppm, 2.0 ppm, 2.5 ppm, 3.0 ppm, 3.5 ppm, 4.0 ppm, 4.5 ppm, 5.0 ppm, 5.5 ppm, 6.0 ppm, 6.5 ppm, 7.0 ppm, 7.5 ppm, 8.0 ppm, 8.5 ppm, 9.0 ppm, 9.5 ppm, 10 ppm, 11 ppm, 12 ppm, 13 ppm, 14 ppm, 15 ppm, 16 ppm, 17 ppm, 18 ppm, 19 ppm, 20 ppm, 21 ppm, 22 ppm, 23 ppm, 24 ppm, 25 ppm, 26 ppm, 27 ppm, 28 ppm, 29 ppm, 30 ppm, 31 ppm, 32 ppm, 33 ppm, 34 ppm, 35 ppm, 36 ppm, 37 ppm, 38 ppm, 39 ppm, 40 ppm, 41 ppm, 42 ppm, 43 ppm, 44 ppm, 45 ppm, 46 ppm, 47 ppm, 48 ppm, 49 ppm, 50 ppm, 51 ppm, 52 ppm, 53 ppm, 54 ppm, 55 ppm, 56 ppm, 57 ppm, 58 ppm, 59 ppm, 60 ppm, 61 ppm, 62 ppm, 63 ppm, 64 ppm, 65 ppm, 66 ppm, 67 ppm, 68 ppm, 69 ppm, 70 ppm, 71 ppm, 72 ppm, 73 ppm, 74 ppm, 75 ppm, 76 ppm, 77 ppm, 78 ppm, 79 ppm, 80 ppm, 8 pm, 16 ppm, 17 ppm, 18 ppm, 19 ppm, 20 ppm, 21 ppm, 22 ppm, 23 ppm, 24 ppm, 25 ppm, 26 ppm, 27 ppm, 28 ppm, 29 ppm, 30 ppm, 31 ppm, 32 ppm, 33 ppm, 34 ppm, 35 ppm, 36 ppm, 37 ppm, 38 ppm, 39 ppm, 40 ppm, 41 ppm, 42 ppm, 43 ppm, 44 ppm, 45 ppm, 46 ppm, 47 ppm, 48 ppm, 49 ppm or 50 ppm. Furthermore, the upper limit (or less than) of the malic acid concentration in the beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but can be, for example, 100 ppm, 99 ppm, 98 ppm, 97 ppm, 96 ppm, 95 ppm, 94 ppm, 93 ppm, 92 ppm, 91 ppm, 90 ppm, 89 ppm, 88 ppm, 87 ppm, 86 ppm, or 85 ppm.These lower and upper limits can be combined in any desired manner, for example, 1.0 ppm or more and 100 ppm or less, 5.0 ppm or more and 100 ppm or less, 10 ppm or more and 100 ppm or less, 15 ppm or more and 100 ppm or less, 20 ppm or more and 100 ppm or less, 25 ppm or more and 100 ppm or less, 30 ppm or more and 100 ppm or less, 35 ppm or more and 100 ppm or less, 40 ppm or more and 100 ppm or less ... below, 45 ppm to 100 ppm, 50 ppm to 100 ppm, 1.0 ppm to 95 ppm, 5.0 ppm to 95 ppm, 10 ppm to 95 ppm, 15 ppm to 95 ppm, 20 ppm to 95 ppm, 25 ppm to 95 ppm, 30 ppm to 95 ppm, 35 ppm to 95 ppm, 40 ppm to 95 ppm, 45 ppm to 95 ppm m or less, 50 ppm to 95 ppm, 1.0 ppm to 90 ppm, 5.0 ppm to 90 ppm, 10 ppm to 90 ppm, 15 ppm to 90 ppm, 20 ppm to 90 ppm, 25 ppm to 90 ppm, 30 ppm to 90 ppm, 35 ppm to 90 ppm, 40 ppm to 90 ppm, 45 ppm to 90 ppm, 50 ppm to 90 ppm m or less, 1.0 ppm to 85 ppm, 5.0 ppm to 85 ppm, 10 ppm to 85 ppm, 15 ppm to 85 ppm, 20 ppm to 85 ppm, 25 ppm to 85 ppm, 30 ppm to 85 ppm, 35 ppm to 85 ppm, 40 ppm to 85 ppm, 45 ppm to 85 ppm, or 50 ppm to 85 ppm.

[0035] The malic acid concentration of the beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can also be, for example, 1 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 5 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 10 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 15 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 20 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 25 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 85 ppm or more and 100 ppm or less, or 90 ppm or more and 100 ppm or less.

[0036] In the production of the beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, in addition to malt and ungerminated wheat and barley, rice, corn, soybeans, koryang, potatoes, starch, sugars (e.g., liquid sugar), fruits (e.g., fruit juice, concentrated fruit juice), coriander or its seeds, spices or ingredients thereof (e.g., pepper, cinnamon, cloves, Japanese pepper), herbs (e.g., chamomile, sage, basil, lemongrass), vegetables (e.g., sweet potato, pumpkin), buckwheat or sesame, carbohydrate-containing substances (e.g., honey, brown sugar), salt, miso, flowers, tea, coffee, cocoa (tea, coffee, and cocoa including preparations thereof), seafood (e.g., , oysters, kelp, wakame seaweed, dried bonito flakes), nitrogen sources such as protein hydrolysates and yeast extract, hops or hop processed products (e.g., hop extract), flavorings (e.g., commercially available beer flavors containing ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, isoamyl alcohol, etc., which are typical aroma components of beer), coloring ingredients (e.g., colorings such as caramel color), foaming / foam retention improvers, sweeteners (e.g., high-intensity sweeteners), seasoning ingredients (e.g., amino acids), acidulants (e.g., gluconic acid), bittering ingredients (e.g., naringin), dietary fiber, herbs, antioxidants, water quality conditioners, and other additives can be used as raw materials.

[0037] When producing the fermented beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, for example, one or more of the above-mentioned ingredients can be used as raw materials for producing the fermented malt beverage in addition to malt and hops. In producing the fermented beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, one or more of the above-mentioned ingredients can be blended during the production process of the fermented malt beverage, or one or more of the above-mentioned ingredients can be blended before or after removal of alcohol after production of the fermented malt beverage.

[0038] When producing the non-fermented, beer-taste, non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, for example, one or more of the above-mentioned ingredients can be used in addition to malt and hops as raw materials for producing wort. In producing the non-fermented, beer-taste, non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, one or more of the above-mentioned ingredients can be blended during the wort production process, or one or more of the above-mentioned ingredients can be blended after wort production.

[0039] The pH (measured at 25°C) of the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention is not limited, but the lower limit (above or above) can be 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, or 3.8, and the upper limit (below or below) can be 4.6, 4.5, 4.4, 4.35, or 4.3. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily, for example, 3.5 to 4.6, 3.5 to 4.5, 3.5 to 4.4, or 3.5 to less than 4.4. The pH of the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention can be adjusted using a pH adjuster. The pH of the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage can be measured using a commercially available pH meter (e.g., a benchtop pH meter, manufactured by Horiba, Ltd.).

[0040] The EBC color index of the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not limited, but its lower limit (not less than or exceeding) can be 4.0EBC, 4.5EBC, 5.0EBC, 5.5EBC, or 6.0EBC, and its upper limit (not more than or less than) can be 10.0EBC, 9.9EBC, 9.8EBC, 9.7EBC, 9.6EBC, 9.5EBC, 9.4EBC, 9.3EBC, or 10.0EBC. The EBC color score of the beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be 8.8EBC, 8.2EBC, 9.1EBC, 9.0EBC, 8.9EBC, 8.8EBC, 8.7EBC, 8.6EBC, 8.5EBC, 8.4EBC, 8.3EBC, 8.2EBC, 8.1EBC, 8.0EBC, 7.9EBC, 7.8EBC, 7.7EBC, 7.6EBC, 7.5EBC, 7.4EBC, 7.3EBC, 7.2EBC, 7.1EBC, or 7.0EBC. These lower and upper limits can be combined as desired. The EBC color score of the beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be measured using the "Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method 4.3.8, compiled by the International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee) of the Brewers Association of Japan."

[0041] The bitterness value (BU) of the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not limited, but the lower limit (not less than or exceeding) can be 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, or 6.0, and the upper limit (not more than or less than) can be 23.0, 22.9, 22.8, 22.7, 22.6, 22.5, 22.4, 22.3, 22.2, 22.1, 22.0, 21.9, 21.8, 21.7, 21.8, 21.9 ... 0.6, 21.5, 21.4, 21.3, 21.2, 21.1, 21.0, 20.9, 20.8, 20.7, 20.6, 20.5, 20.4, 20.3, 20.2, 20.1, 20.0, 19.9, 19.8, 19.7, 19.6, 19.5, 19.4, 19.3, 19.2, 19.1, 19.0, 18.9, 18.8, 18.7, 18.6, 18.5, 18.4, 18.3, 18.2, 18.1 or 18.0. These lower and upper limits can be arbitrarily combined, for example, 2.0 to 23.0, 3.0 to 23.0, 3.5 to 22.0, 4.0 to 22.0, or 5.0 to 21.0. In the present invention, "bitterness value (BU)" refers to a value measured according to the bitterness value method described in "8.15" of the BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods (revised and expanded in 2013). Specifically, the bitterness value can be determined by adding an acid to a sample beverage, extracting it with isooctane, measuring the absorbance (275 nm) of the isooctane layer, and multiplying this measured value by 50.

[0042] The beverage provided by the present invention can be provided as a bottled beverage after optionally being subjected to a step of adding carbon dioxide gas, and further undergoing steps such as a filling step and a sterilization step. Sterilization may be carried out either before or after filling into a container.

[0043] The beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be provided as a carbonated beverage. The carbon dioxide pressure (gas pressure at 20°C) of the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not limited, but the lower limit (greater than or equal to) can be 0.05 MPa, 0.06 MPa, 0.07 MPa, 0.08 MPa, 0.09 MPa, or 0.1 MPa, and the upper limit (less than or equal to) can be 0.4 MPa, 0.39 MPa, 0.38 MPa, 0.37 MPa, 0.36 MPa, or 0.35 MPa. These upper and lower limits can be combined in any manner, e.g., 0.05 MPa to 0.4 MPa, 0.07 MPa to 0.38 MPa, or 0.1 MPa to 0.35 MPa.

[0044] The container used for the beverage of the present invention may be any container normally used for filling beverages, such as a metal can, a barrel, a plastic bottle (e.g., a PET bottle or cup), a paper container, a bottle, or a pouch container, but metal cans, barrels, plastic bottles (e.g., a PET bottle), and bottles are preferred.

[0045] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage with improved flavor, which includes a step of incorporating γ-nonalactone at a concentration of 0.001 ppm or more. In the present invention, "improved flavor" or "improved flavor" of a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage means achieving a well-balanced beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage with a rich flavor and a well-balanced aftertaste. The above-mentioned production method of the present invention is a method for producing a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage with a rich flavor and a well-balanced aftertaste. The above-mentioned production method of the present invention can be carried out according to the description of the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention.

[0046] Another aspect of the present invention provides a flavor improver for a beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage, which comprises γ-nonalactone as an active ingredient. The flavor improver of the present invention can be produced according to the description of the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage and the method for producing the same of the present invention.

[0047] Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for improving the flavor of a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage. The flavor improving method of the present invention can be carried out by adding γ-nonalactone to a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage at a concentration of 0.001 ppm or more during the production of the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage. The flavor improving method of the present invention can be carried out according to the description of the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage and its production method of the present invention. [Example]

[0048] The present invention will be described in more detail based on the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0049] Measuring alcohol concentration The alcohol concentration (ethanol concentration) was measured using a gas chromatograph (GC) equipped with an FID detector (Agilent). A calibration curve was prepared based on the concentrations of the target samples ranging from 0.000 to 0.05 v / v%.

[0050] Measurement of γ-nonalactone concentration The concentration of γ-nonalactone was measured by GC / MS analysis under the following conditions. Specifically, the aroma components in the beverage sample were separated using a C18 solid-phase column, and the resulting analytical sample was subjected to GC / MS. Quantitation was performed using the internal standard method, with borneol added as the internal standard to the analytical sample to a concentration of 50 ppb. The GC / MS analysis conditions are shown in Table 1.

[0051] [Table 1]

[0052] Measurement of phenethyl alcohol concentration The phenethyl alcohol concentration was measured using gas chromatography (GC) with an FID detector. Specifically, the aroma components in the beverage samples were extracted using a hydroxylated polystyrene-divinylbenzene copolymer solid-phase column, and the resulting extract was subjected to GC / FID. Trans-2-hexanoic acid and methyl caprylate were used as internal standards. The GC analysis conditions are shown in Table 2.

[0053] [Table 2]

[0054] Measurement of malic acid concentration The malic acid concentration was measured using a CE7100 (Agilent) according to the BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (Beer Brewers Association, 8.24.2 Capillary Electrophoresis).

[0055] Example 1: Production and evaluation of beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverages (1) In Example 1, each test sample of a beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage (test area) 1-6, 8-16 and 18-25 ) was evaluated.

[0056] (1) Method Manufacture of Abeer-flavored non-alcoholic beverages Barley malt, enzymes, and warm water were placed in a mash tank and saccharified at a temperature of 67-78°C. The saccharified liquid was filtered and transferred to a boiling kiln, where hops were added and boiled. Subsequently, the malt residue was removed by filtration to obtain wort. Hops were added to the resulting wort and boiled, followed by solid-liquid separation and cooling to obtain a clear wort. Yeast was added, and the fermentation temperature and fermentation time were adjusted. The resulting fermented liquid was filtered to produce a fermented malt beverage. Next, the fermented liquid was sprayed into a degassing tank to remove carbon dioxide, and then heated to around 50°C. The alcohol was then removed by contacting the liquid with steam heated to around 50°C in a vacuum column at around 60 mbar, and carbon dioxide was added to obtain a beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage (100% malt content) with an alcohol concentration of less than 0.005 v / v% (Test Group 1). Test Group 2 2-6, 8-16 and 18-25 was obtained by adding γ-nonalactone, phenethyl alcohol and / or malic acid to this beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage to adjust the concentrations shown in Table 3.

[0057] Test area 1-6, 8-16 and 18-25 An evaluation test was conducted by five trained panelists. Specifically, the two evaluation items, "depth of flavor" and "harmony of aftertaste," were rated on a scale of 1 to 4 in increments of 0.5, and the average evaluation scores of the five panelists were calculated. Here, "depth of flavor" refers to the flavor sensation recognized by the breadth of flavor, complexity, and body. "Harmony of aftertaste" refers to the flavor sensation of sourness, astringency, and astringency that are recognized as sour when held in the mouth. The specific evaluation criteria are as shown below, and the evaluation of test group 1 is used as the standard. 2-6, 8-16 and 18-25 was evaluated. <Criteria for each rating> 1: Equivalent to test area 1 2: A slight improvement can be recognized by continuous comparison with Test Area 1. 3: Improvements can be recognized by continuous comparison with Test Area 1. 4: Improvement can be recognized without comparing with Test Area 1

[0058] (2) Results The results are shown in Table 3. The results of Test Plots 2 to 6 show that when γ-nonalactone was added (single addition), the flavor depth and aftertaste were well balanced. 18The results of Tests 1 to 20 showed that when γ-nonalactone and phenethyl alcohol were added in combination (two-component addition), the flavor depth and aftertaste harmony were better than when γ-nonalactone was added alone. Furthermore, the results of Tests 21 to 24 showed that when γ-nonalactone and malic acid were added in combination (two-component addition), the flavor depth and aftertaste harmony were better than when γ-nonalactone was added alone. Furthermore, the results of Test 25 showed that when γ-nonalactone, phenethyl alcohol, and malic acid were added in combination (three-component addition), the flavor depth and aftertaste harmony were better.

[0059] [Table 3]

Claims

1. A beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage having a γ-nonalactone concentration of 0.01 ppm to 0.7 ppm, a phenethyl alcohol concentration of 1 ppm or more, a malic acid concentration of 10 ppm or more, and being a de-alcoholized beverage.

2. The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, wherein the γ-nonalactone concentration is 0.1 ppm or more and 0.7 ppm or less.

3. A beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the malt usage ratio is 50% or more.

4. A method for producing a beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage, comprising the steps of: adding γ-nonalactone at a concentration of 0.01 ppm to 0.7 ppm, phenethyl alcohol at a concentration of 1 ppm or more, and malic acid at a concentration of 10 ppm or more; and removing alcohol components produced during the fermentation process.

5. A method for improving the flavor of a beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage, comprising the steps of: adding γ-nonalactone at a concentration of 0.01 ppm to 0.7 ppm, phenethyl alcohol at a concentration of 1 ppm or more, and malic acid at a concentration of 10 ppm or more in the production of the beverage; and removing alcohol components produced in the fermentation process.