MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF A PACKAGED LIQUID BEER CONCENTRATE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a manufacturing process for a packaged liquid beer concentrate, characterized in that said process comprises: providing an alcoholic beer comprising 3-12% ABV of ethanol; removing at least a portion of the ethanol from the alcoholic beer by means of distillation, thereby producing (i) a low-alcohol beer having an ethanol content of 0-1.5%.5% ABV of alcohol and (ii) an alcoholic liquid containing at least 10% ABV of ethanol; removing at least 70% by weight of the water present in the low-alcohol beer by membrane separation and / or concentration by liquid beer, wherein the membrane separation is selected from nanofiltration, reverse osmosis and forward osmosis; if the alcoholic liquid contains less than 20% ABV of ethanol, concentrating the alcoholic liquid to an ethanol content of at least 30% ABV by distillation, reverse osmosis or forward osmosis; separately packaging the liquid beer concentrate and the alcoholic liquid within a single container or within separate containers which together form a kit of parts.

Description

MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF A PACKAGED LIQUID BEER CONCENTRATE FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to a manufacturing process for a packaged liquid beer concentrate, said process comprising: • provide an alcoholic beer; • removing at least some of the ethanol from alcoholic beer by means of distillation, thereby producing (i) a low-alcohol beer having an ethanol content of 0-1.5% ABV of alcohol and (ii) an alcoholic liquid containing at least 10% ABV of ethanol; - remove at least 70% by weight of the water present in low-alcohol beer by membrane separation and / or freeze concentration to produce a liquid beer concentrate; where the liquid beer concentrate and the alcoholic liquid are packaged separately within a single container or within separate containers that together form a kit of parts. The invention also relates to a packaged liquid beer concentrate obtained by the aforementioned process. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The popularity of home appliances for preparing and dispensing carbonated beverages from concentrated syrup, such as SodaStream®, has grown rapidly. These appliances produce carbonated beverages by carbonating water and mixing the carbonated water with a flavored syrup. Given the flexibility and convenience these appliances offer, it would be desirable to have beer concentrates available from which beer could be brewed using similar appliances. Since beer typically contains over 90% water, it can be significantly concentrated by removing most of the water. The benefits of producing beer from concentrate have been recognized in the brewing world. However, producing a beer concentrate that can be used effectively to make good quality beer is a difficult task. First, water must be selectively removed to avoid the loss of aromatic substances, color, and / or beer components that contribute to the formation and stability of foam heads. Since water removal from beer promotes chemical reactions between beer components (e.g., reactions between ethanol and carboxylic acids) and the precipitation of solutes (e.g., proteins, sugars), which can lead to a loss of quality during storage, it is necessary to find ways to address these stability issues. US patent 4,265,920 describes a process for concentrating aqueous solutions of alcoholic beverages containing, in addition to non-volatile components, alcohol and small amounts of volatile aromatic components by selective removal of water, comprising the following steps: (a) a first stage in which substantially all the alcohol and the most volatile aromatic components are separated from the bulk of the aqueous solution by means of a distillation process under greatly reduced pressure, and in which the vapors containing alcohol and the most volatile aromatic components obtained by said distillation process are condensed in a condenser, (b) a second stage in which the aqueous solution obtained in stage a) is concentrated by removing the water in a freeze-concentration process while retaining in the solution the remaining aromatic components from stage a), and (c) a third stage in which the condensate containing alcohol and the most volatile aromatic components obtained in stage a) is mixed with the concentrate obtained in stage b). Document WO 2016 / 083482 describes a method for preparing beer concentrate, comprising the following steps: a) subjecting the beer or cider (1) to a first concentration stage comprising nanofiltration (A) or reverse osmosis to obtain a retentate (2) and a fraction comprising alcohol and volatile aromatic components (3), wherein the retentate (2) is characterized by a concentration of non-filterable compounds equal to or greater than 20% (w / w), calculated from the measurement of the density corrected by the amount of alcohol; b) subjecting the fraction comprising the alcohol and volatile aromatic components (3) to a further concentration step (B) comprising concentration by freezing, fractionation, preferably distillation, or reverse osmosis, to obtain a concentrated fraction comprising the alcohol and volatile aromatic components (4) and a surplus fraction (5); c) combine (C) the retentate (2) of a) with the concentrated fraction (4) comprising the alcohol and volatile aromatic components of b). Document WO 2018 / 134285 describes a method for preparing a concentrate comprising the steps of A) subjecting the beer or cider (1) to a first concentration stage to obtain a retentate (2) and a permeate (3) comprising alcohol (3a) and volatile aromatic components (3b), B) subjecting the permeate (3) to an adsorption stage in which the permeate containing volatile aromas and alcohol passes over or through an adsorption unit, C) recover the aromatic components (3b) from the adsorption unit in a subsequent recovery process D) combine the retentate (2) with the aromatic components (3b). Document US 2016 / 230133 describes a method for preparing a concentrate of an alcoholic beverage, comprising: • subjecting an alcoholic beverage to a membrane process whereby at least some of the water and alcohol pass through a membrane to become part of a permeate and other components of the alcoholic beverage do not pass through the membrane and become part of a retentate; • Freeze the water in the retentate to form ice; and • Remove the ice from the retentate to reduce the water content and form a beverage concentrate with a solids concentration of at least 30% and an alcohol concentration of 20% or less. Document EP-A 3 330 216 describes an apparatus for the production and supply of carbonated beer, wherein the apparatus comprises a concentrated beverage inlet, a diluent inlet, a pressurized gas inlet, a carbonation unit having a diluent inlet and a pressurized gas inlet, a mixing unit in which the carbonated diluent and the concentrated beverage are mixed, and comprising gas pressure regulating means for varying the gas at the inlet of the carbonation unit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The inventors have developed a process for manufacturing packaged liquid beer concentrates in which the alcohol is removed from alcoholic beer by distillation, and the resulting low-alcohol beer is then subjected to membrane separation or freeze concentration to produce a liquid beer concentrate. The alcoholic liquid obtained as distillate from the distillation stage and the liquid beer concentrate are packaged separately in a single container or in separate containers that together form a kit. Accordingly, the present invention relates to a manufacturing process for a packaged liquid beer concentrate, said process comprising: • provide an alcoholic beer comprising 3 to 12% ABV of ethanol; • removing at least some of the ethanol from alcoholic beer by means of distillation, thereby producing (i) a low-alcohol beer having an ethanol content of 0-1.5% ABV of alcohol and (ii) an alcoholic liquid containing at least 10% ABV of ethanol; • removing at least 70% by weight of the water present in low-alcohol beer by membrane separation and / or freeze concentration to produce a liquid beer concentrate, wherein the membrane separation is selected from nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, and forward osmosis; • If the alcoholic liquid contains less than 20% ABV ethanol, concentrate the alcoholic liquid to an ethanol content of at least 30% ABV by distillation, reverse osmosis, or forward osmosis; • Package the liquid beer concentrate and the alcoholic liquid separately in a single container or in separate containers that together form a kit of parts. The membranes used in nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, and forward osmosis retain virtually all components of low-alcohol beer, except for water and possibly monovalent ions and very small organic molecules. Freeze concentration removes water and virtually nothing else. Thus, both membrane separation and freeze concentration offer the advantage that the components important for beer flavor, mouthfeel, and stability are effectively retained in the liquid beer concentrate. The physicochemical stability of the liquid beer concentrate obtained by this process is very high due to the very low (or nonexistent) ethanol content. Although the inventors do not wish to be limited by theory, it is believed that the presence of appreciable levels of ethanol in a liquid beer concentrate may lead to changes in flavor due to the formation of ethyl esters (e.g., ethyl acetate) and / or the formation of turbidity (e.g., due to the precipitation of proteins and / or saccharides). The liquid beer concentrate used according to the present invention also offers the advantage of having a relatively high surface tension due to the virtual absence of ethanol. High surface tension is advantageous because it reduces the formation of unwanted foam during the filling of the beer concentrate into the capsules. This process offers the significant advantage of utilizing dealcoholization units commonly used in low-alcohol beer production, thus minimizing capital investment. The low-alcohol beer obtained through the dealcoholization stage can be concentrated in a single step to produce liquid beer concentrate. The invention further relates to packaged liquid beer concentrates obtained by the aforementioned process. The packaged liquid beer concentrate can take the form of a single-portion capsule with at least two compartments, including a first compartment and a second compartment; wherein the first compartment comprises the liquid beer concentrate and the second compartment comprises the alcoholic liquid. The packaged liquid beer concentrate can also take the form of a kit comprising a first container holding 10-1,000 mL of the liquid beer concentrate and a second container holding 4-500 mL of the alcoholic liquid. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 provides a schematic representation of a method for preparing a single-portion capsule according to the invention. FIGURE 2 provides a cross-sectional view of a single-portion capsule according to the invention. FIGURE 3 shows a representation of a beverage preparation device containing a single-serve capsule according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Thus, one aspect of the present invention relates to a manufacturing process for a packaged liquid beer concentrate, said process comprising: • provide an alcoholic beer comprising 3 to 12% ABV of ethanol; • removing at least some of the ethanol from alcoholic beer by means of distillation, thereby producing (i) a low-alcohol beer having an ethanol content of 0-1.5% ABV of alcohol and (ii) an alcoholic liquid containing at least 10% ABV of ethanol; • removing at least 70% by weight of the water present in low-alcohol beer by membrane separation and / or freeze concentration to produce a liquid beer concentrate, wherein the membrane separation is selected from nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, and forward osmosis; • If the alcoholic liquid contains less than 20% ABV ethanol, concentrate the alcoholic liquid to an ethanol content of at least 30% ABV by distillation, reverse osmosis, or forward osmosis; • Package the liquid beer concentrate and the alcoholic liquid separately in a single container or in separate containers that together form a kit of parts. The term beer, as used herein, refers to a malted beverage fermented by yeast and optionally hopped. Beer is commonly produced through a process comprising the following basic steps: • mashing a mixture comprising malted barley, optionally supplementary grains and water to produce a mash; pcri? Ln / zznz / e / γΐΛΐ • separate the mash into the wort and the used grains; • boil the wort to produce boiled wort; • ferment the boiled must with live yeast to produce a fermented must; • subject the fermented wort to one or more processing stages (e.g., maturation and filtration) to produce beer; and • package the beer in a sealed container, e.g., a bottle, a can, or a barrel. Hops or hop extract are usually added during the wort boil to impart bitterness and floral and fruity flavor notes to the final beer. The term beer concentrate, as used herein, refers to beer from which water has been removed, for example, by nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, forward osmosis and / or freeze concentration. The term distillation, as used herein, refers to the removal of ethanol by boiling low-alcohol beer and collecting the evaporated components after condensation. The term distillation encompasses both vacuum distillation and osmotic distillation. The term membrane separation, as used herein, refers to a separation method in which molecules are separated by passing a feed stream through a membrane that separates it into two individual streams, known as the permeate and the retentate. Examples of membrane separation include nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, and forward osmosis. The term capsule, as used herein, refers to a compartmentalized container suitable for separately containing the two liquid components according to the invention. The term "single serving," as used herein, is synonymous with single-serving or single-dose and refers to a capsule containing sufficient quantities of beer concentrate and alcoholic liquid to prepare one serving of reconstituted beer. Typically, a serving of reconstituted beer ranges from 120 ml to 1000 ml. The term free amino nitrogen, as used herein, refers to the combined concentration of individual amino acids and small peptides, as determined by method EBC 9.10.1 - Free amino nitrogen in beer by spectrophotometry (IM). The concentrations of acids mentioned herein, unless otherwise stated, also include the dissolved salts of these acids, as well as the dissociated forms of these same acids and salts. rcrt? Ln / zznz / e / YiAi The term iso-alpha acids, as used herein, refers to substances selected from the isohumulone, isoadhumulone, isocohumulone, preisohumulone, post-isohumulone, and combinations thereof. The term iso-alpha acids encompasses different stereoisomers (cis-iso-alpha acids and trans-iso-alpha acids). Iso-alpha acids are normally produced in beer from the addition of hops to the boiling wort. They can also be introduced into beer as pre-isomerized hop extract. Iso-alpha acids are intensely bitter, with an estimated threshold value in water of approximately 6 ppm. The term iso-alpha hydrogenated acids refers to substances selected from dihydro-iso-alpha acids, tetrahydro-iso-alpha acids, hexahydro-iso-alpha acid, and combinations thereof. The term hulupones, as used herein, refers to substances selected from cohulupone, n-hulupone, adhulupone, and combinations thereof. Hulupones are oxidation products of hop beta acids. The alcoholic beer used as starting material in the present process preferably has an ethanol content of 3.5-10% ABV, more preferably an ethanol content of 4-8% ABV. The pH of alcoholic beer, determined after degassing, is preferably in the range of 3.5 to 5.5, more preferably in the range of 3.8 to 5.2 and most preferably in the range of 4.0 to 5.0. In a preferred embodiment, the alcoholic beer has an original extract concentration, determined by the alcolyzer method, of 4–17% (w / w), more preferably 7–15% (w / w), and most preferably 9–14% (w / w). The original extract concentration can be determined using the Alcolyzer beer analysis system from Anton Paar GmbH. The original extract, P (in % (w / w)), is calculated in the Alcolyzer program according to the Balling formula: Original extract = 100 x (2.0665 x A + Er) / (1.0665 x A + 100) where: A = Alcohol content of the beer measured by the Alcolyzer beer analysis system, in % (m / m); Er = Actual beer extract, in % (m / m) The actual extract, Er [in % (m / m)], is calculated from the density of the extract at 20°C determined by the Tabarié formula using the same table as Goldiner, Klemann, and Kámpf (Goldiner et al., Alkohol-, Stammwürze- und Korrektionstafel, Berlin, Institute für Gärungsgewerbe, 1996). The Tabarié formula used in the Alcolyser beer analysis system is as follows: pcri? ιη / ζζηζ / Β / γίΛΐ p extract (20°C) = P sample (20°C) + P water (20°C) - P alcohol (20°C) where: p extract <2o°c) = density of the extract (residue) at 20°C; p sample (20'c) = density of the sample at 20°C; P water (20°C) = density of water at 20°C (= 0.998204 g / cm3); p alcohol (2o°o = density of alcohol (distilled) at 20°C; In addition to ethanol, the alcoholic beer used in the present process usually contains sugars, proteins, peptides, amino acids, riboflavin, free fatty acids and volatile aromatic substances such as ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, phenylethyl acetate and acetaldehyde. The riboflavin content of alcoholic beer is preferably in the range of 40-1,000 pg / L, more preferably 60-800 pg / L and more preferably 100-600 pg / L. Alcoholic beer preferably contains 20-1,500 pg / L, more preferably 40-1,200 pg / L and more preferably 50-800 pg / L of linoleic acid. In addition to linoleic acid, alcoholic beer typically contains other fatty acids, such as oleic acid and / or alpha-linolenic acids. Oleic acid is present in alcoholic beer at a concentration of 60–900 pg / L, more preferably 80–700 pg / L, and more preferably 100–600 pg / L. Alpha-linolenic acid is present in alcoholic beer at a concentration of 20-800 pg / L, more preferably 40-600 pg / L, more preferably 50-500 pg / L. The free amino nitrogen (FAN) content of alcoholic beer is preferably in the range of 8-400 mg / L, more preferably 12-300 mg / L, more preferably 20-250 mg / L. Alcoholic beer preferably contains 0.5-6 g / L, more preferably 1-5.5 g / L, even more preferably 15-60 g / L and most preferably 2-5 g / L of maltotetraose. Preferably, alcoholic beer contains maltose at a concentration of 0-1 g / L, more preferably 0-0.5 g / L, and most preferably 0.05-0.2 g / L. Alcoholic beer preferably contains maltotriose at a concentration of 0.1-4 g / L, more preferably 0.2-3.5 g / L, more preferably 0.4-3 g / L. Preferably, alcoholic beer contains 10-500 mg / L of acetic acid, more preferably 20-300 mg / L of acetic acid, and more preferably 25-200 mg / L of acetic acid. Preferably, at least a fraction of these volatile aromatic substances is recovered in the alcoholic liquid that is packaged separately at the end of the process. Iso-alpha acids, as well as hydrogenated alpha acids and oxidized alpha acids (hulupons), contribute to the pleasant bitterness of beers that consumers appreciate. In the present process, it is preferred to add these hop auxiliaries to the alcoholic liquid, since the solubility of hop acids in liquid beer concentrate is very low. Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment, the low-alcohol beer contains from 0 to 10 mg / L, more preferably less than 3 mg / L, and more preferably less than 1 mg / L of hop acids selected from iso-alpha acids, hydrogenated iso-alpha acids, hulupons, and combinations thereof. Alcoholic beer is preferably decarbonated before the distillation removal of ethanol to prevent excessive foaming during dealcoholization. Preferably, the dissolved carbon dioxide content of the alcoholic beer is reduced by decarbonation to 0-4 g / L, more preferably 0-3.5 g / L, and most preferably 0-3 g / L of dissolved carbon dioxide. The removal of ethanol by distillation is preferably carried out at a temperature in the range of 10-100 °C, more preferably in the range of 20-65 °C, even more preferably in the range of 30-50 °C, and most preferably in the range of 40-46 °C. The removal of ethanol by distillation is preferably carried out at a pressure in the range of 0.01-500 mbar, more preferably in the range of 1-200 mbar, even more preferably in the range of 5-150 mbar and most preferably in the range of 80-110 mbar. The low alcohol beer obtained in the present process after the removal of ethanol preferably has an ethanol content of 0-6% ABV, more preferably 0-1% ABV, even more preferably 0-0.5% ABV and most preferably 0-0.05% ABV. The alcoholic liquid obtained after the distillation removal of ethanol from alcoholic beer preferably has an ethanol content of 13-90% by weight, more preferably 25-85% by weight, and more preferably 40-82% by weight. The water content of the alcoholic liquid is preferably 10-87% by weight, more preferably 15-75% by weight, and more preferably 18-60% by weight. In one embodiment of the present process, the distillation removal of ethanol from alcoholic beer produces an alcoholic liquid with an ethanol content of less than 40% by weight, more preferably from 12 to 35% by weight and more preferably from 15 to 30% by weight. The production of an alcoholic liquid with a low ethanol content can be advantageous from a safety standpoint, especially if the distillation removal takes place in a plant that is not suitable for handling flammable liquids. Preferably, if the ethanol content of the alcoholic liquid is less than 40% by weight, the alcoholic liquid is concentrated to an ethanol content of 40-90% by weight, more preferably from 45-85% by weight and more preferably from 50-82% by weight.The ethanol content of the alcoholic liquid is preferably increased by means of distillation or reverse osmosis, more preferably by means of distillation and more preferably by means of vacuum distillation. In the present process, the removal of water from low alcohol beer is achieved by membrane separation and / or concentration by freezing. Preferably, the membrane separation used in this process is reverse osmosis or nanofiltration. Reverse osmosis is the most preferable method for removing water from the low-alcohol beer. Membrane separation of low alcohol beer is preferably carried out at a temperature between -2°C and 40°C, more preferably between 3-22°C. The pressure used during membrane separation is preferably in the range of 6 to 80 bar, more preferably in the range of 10 to 75 bar, and most preferably in the range of 15 to 70 bar. In a preferred embodiment, the membrane separation is carried out with a membrane having a magnesium sulfate rejection of 80-100%, more preferably 90-100% and more preferably 95-100% when the measurement is carried out using 2,000 mg / L of aqueous magnesium sulfate solution at 0.48 MPa, 25°C and 15% recovery. In another preferred embodiment, membrane separation is carried out using a membrane with a glucose rejection of 80-100%, more preferably 90-100% and more preferably 95-100% when the measurement is carried out using 2,000 mg / L of aqueous glucose solution at 1.6 MPa, 25°C and 15% recovery. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, membrane separation is carried out by reverse osmosis or forward osmosis using a membrane with a sodium chloride rejection of 80-100%, more preferably 90-100% and more preferably 95-100% when the measurement is carried out using a sodium chloride solution of 2000 mg / L at 10.3 bar, 25°C, pH 8 and a recovery of 15%. Water can also be effectively removed from low-alcohol beer through a freeze-concentration process. In this method, water is extracted from the beer by transforming it from a liquid to an ice crystal. This process consists primarily of three stages: water crystallization, water crystal growth, and water crystal separation, all performed using specially designed equipment. Essentially, the temperature of the low-alcohol beer is reduced to a level that freezes at least some of its water without reaching the eutectic point of the mixture. When the ice crystals are sufficiently large, for example, with a diameter of at least 100 µm, they can be separated from the concentrated liquid. Due to the low process temperature, below 0 °C, thermal degradation and aroma loss through evaporation are avoided. According to a preferred embodiment, freeze concentration is carried out in a plant comprising a scraped-surface heat exchanger, a stirred-growth recrystallizer, and a separation unit. The separation unit is preferably a separation wash column or a separation filter (e.g., a vacuum belt filter). A wash column is most preferable. In the present process, the concentration by freezing of low-alcohol beer preferably comprises the following steps: (a) cooling the liquid beer to the freezing point in a scraped surface heat exchanger; (b) introducing the chilled beer into a stirred growth recrystallizer to produce a paste containing ice crystals; (c) returning the paste to step (a) until the ice crystals in the paste have reached a mass-weighted average diameter of 100 pm or more; and (d) removing the ice crystals from the paste in a separation unit to produce a liquid concentrate. Preferably, the paste has a temperature in the range of -1°C to -12°C, more preferably in the range of -2°C to -10°C at the beginning of step (d). The total residence time in the stirred growth recrystallizer preferably exceeds 10 minutes, more preferably is in the range of 15 minutes to 3 hours. When concentrating beer by freezing, ethanol can become a limiting factor for the maximum degree of concentration. Increasing ethanol concentrations during the concentration process result in progressively lower crystallization temperatures and progressively higher viscosities. This problem is eliminated by the present procedure, since the liquid beer concentrate is prepared from low-alcohol beer. The reduction of the water content of low-alcohol beer (Ln / zznz / e / γΐΛΐ) by membrane separation and / or freeze concentration is hampered by the presence of significant amounts of dissolved carbon dioxide. Consequently, it is preferable to use a non-alcoholic beer containing 0-500 mg / L, more preferably 0-100 mg / L, and even more preferably 0-20 mg / L of dissolved carbon dioxide. In a preferred embodiment, the water content of the low-alcohol beer is reduced by membrane filtration and / or freeze concentration by at least 70%, more preferably by at least 75%, and most preferably by at least 80%. The ethanol content of the liquid beer concentrate produced in the present process, preferably does not exceed 1.0% ABV, more preferably does not exceed 0.5% ABV, even more preferably does not exceed 0.3% ABV, most preferably does not exceed 0.1% ABV. The pH of the liquid beer concentrate is preferably in the range of 3.0 to 6.0, more preferably in the range of 3.2 to 5.5 and most preferably in the range of 3.5 to 5.0. Liquid beer concentrate preferably has a water content in the range of 35-80% by weight, more preferably in the range of 40-75% by weight, and most preferably in the range of 45-70% by weight. In a preferred embodiment, the liquid beer concentrate has a density of 20 to 60 °P, more preferably a density of 24 to 50 °P, and more preferably a density of 28 to 42 °P. Riboflavin, free fatty acids (e.g., linoleic acid), amino acids, and small peptides are substances naturally present in malted barley and are often found in significant concentrations in low-alcohol beer. Similarly, maltotetraose is found in significant concentrations in low-alcohol beer, as this oligosaccharide is formed by enzymatic hydrolysis of starch during mashing and is not digested by yeast. Because the liquid beer concentrate in the capsule is obtained from low-alcohol beer using a concentration method that removes only water, or only water and low-molecular-weight substances and ions, the liquid beer concentrate typically contains appreciable levels of riboflavin, linoleic acid, amino acids, peptides, and / or maltotetraose. The riboflavin content of the liquid beer concentrate is preferably in the range of 250-3,000 mg / L, more preferably 300-2,500 pg / L, more preferably 350-2,200 pg / L and more preferably 400-2,000 pg / L. rcrt? ιη / ζζηζ / Β / γίΛΐ The liquid beer concentrate preferably contains 150-5,000 pg / L, more preferably 200-4,000 pg / L, even more preferably 250-3,500 pg / L and most preferably 300-3,000 pg / L of linoleic acid. In addition to linoleic acid, liquid beer concentrate typically also contains other fatty acids, such as oleic acid and / or alpha-linolenic acids. Oleic acid is preferably present in liquid beer concentrate at a concentration of 300–3,000 pg / L, more preferably 400–2,500 pg / L, even more preferably 500–2,000 pg / L, and most preferably 600–1,800 pg / L. Alpha-linolenic acid is preferably present in liquid beer concentrate at a concentration of 100-1,200 pg / L, more preferably 120-1,100 pg / L, even more preferably 150-1,000 pg / L and most preferably 180-900 pg / L. The free amino nitrogen (FAN) content of liquid beer concentrate is preferably in the range of 60-1,000 mg / L, more preferably 80-800 mg / L, even more preferably 90-700 mg / L, and most preferably 100-600 mg / L. The liquid beer concentrate preferably contains 10-100 g / L, more preferably 12-80 g / L, even more preferably 15-60 g / L and most preferably 18-40 g / L of maltotetraose. Preferably, the liquid beer concentrate contains maltose at a concentration of 0-20 g / L, more preferably 0-15 g / L, even more preferably 0.5-10 g / L and most preferably 1-8 g / L. The liquid beer concentrate preferably contains maltotriose at a concentration of 1-30 g / L, more preferably 2-25 g / L, even more preferably 2.5-22 g / L and most preferably 3-20 g / L. Preferably, the liquid beer concentrate contains 100-1,200 mg / L of acetic acid, more preferably 120-1,000 mg / L of acetic acid, even more preferably 150-900 mg / L of acetic acid and most preferably 180-800 mg / L of acetic acid. The liquid beer concentrate obtained by this process offers the advantage of having a relatively high surface tension due to the virtual absence of ethanol. A high surface tension is advantageous because it reduces the formation of unwanted foam during the filling of the beer concentrate into capsules or containers. Preferably, the liquid beer concentrate has a surface tension of at least 42.5 mN / m, more preferably 43.5–55 mN / m, and even more preferably 45–53 mN / m. To accurately measure surface tension, approximately 300 mL of concentrate were transferred to an open container and placed in a water bath at 20.0°C until the sample was completely degassed, releasing the initial gas. The sample was then carefully poured into a large, wide test beaker (500 mL). To ensure homogeneity, a disposable plastic stirrer was used to gently mix the sample. A homogeneous 150 mL subsample was then transferred to a measuring beaker. Surface tension was measured using a Krüss 9 tensiometer equipped with a Wilhelmy plate. The instrument's protocol was followed, beginning with calibration (pure water = 72.6 mN / m), followed by the measurement of the surface tension of the samples.Between measurements, the probe / plate is carefully cleaned and held briefly (with tweezers) in the hot flame of the Bunsen burner, ensuring that no sample residue on the probe affects the result of the next measurement. Liquid beer concentrate can be properly combined with one or more components before packaging. Preferably, water and ethanol together constitute 85-100% by weight, more preferably 90-100% by weight and more preferably 95-100% by weight of the alcoholic liquid. The alcoholic liquid that is packaged together with the liquid beer concentrate in the present method preferably contains appreciable levels of beer flavor volatiles (e.g., ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, phenylethyl acetate, amyl alcohols and phenylethyl alcohol) that originate from the alcoholic beer. Preferably, the alcoholic liquid comprises, per kg of ethanol, 50-2,000 mg, more preferably 70-1,500 mg, even more preferably 90-1,200 mg and most preferably 100-800 mg of ethyl acetate. Preferably, the alcoholic liquid comprises, per kg of ethanol, 5-200 mg, more preferably 7-150 mg, even more preferably 9-120 mg and most preferably 10-80 mg of isoamyl acetate. In a preferred embodiment, the alcoholic liquid contains, per kg of ethanol, 400-5,000 mg, more preferably 600-4,000 mg, even more preferably 700-3,500 mg, and most preferably 800-3,000 mg of amyl alcohols. In this case, the term amyl alcohols refers to alcohols with the formula C5H12O. In another preferred embodiment, the alcoholic liquid contains, per kg of ethanol, 8-240 mg, more preferably 11-170 mg, even more preferably 13-140 mg and most preferably 15-100 mg of phenylethyl alcohol. Preferably, the alcoholic liquid contains, per kg of ethanol, 2-50 mg, more preferably 3-40 mg, even more preferably 3.5-32 mg and most preferably 4-25 mg of phenyl acetate. As previously mentioned, in a preferred embodiment, prior to packaging with the liquid beer concentrate, the alcoholic liquid is combined with hop acids selected from iso-alpha acids, hydrogenated iso-alpha acids, hop acids, and combinations thereof. More preferably, the alcoholic liquid is combined with iso-alpha acids. The iso-alpha acids can be suitablely supplied in the form of pre-isomerized hop extract. Preferably, hop acids are added to the alcoholic liquid to achieve a concentration of 50-2,000 mg / L, more preferably 100-1,500 mg / L, more preferably 200-1,000 mg / L. Flavoring is an example of a component that can be conveniently added to the alcoholic liquid and / or liquid beer concentrate before packaging. In the present process, the liquid beer concentrate and the alcoholic liquid are packed together preferably in a weight ratio of 7:1 to 1:1, more preferably in a weight ratio of 6:1 to 1.2:1, and more preferably in a weight ratio of 5:1 to 1.5:1. Another aspect of the invention relates to a packaged liquid beer concentrate obtained by the present process, wherein the packaged liquid beer concentrate comprises a single-serve capsule with at least two compartments, including a first compartment and a second compartment; wherein the first compartment comprises the liquid beer concentrate, said liquid beer concentrate having an ethanol content not exceeding 1.0% ABV, and wherein the second compartment comprises the alcoholic liquid. The single-portion capsule of the present invention preferably contains two compartments, one with the liquid beer concentrate and the other with the alcoholic liquid. According to a preferred embodiment, the capsule of the present invention comprises a container with at least two compartments separated by a partition wall, including a first compartment containing the liquid beer concentrate and a second compartment containing the alcoholic liquid, and wherein the compartments are closed, for example, by a sealed sheet or a lid. Preferably, the first compartment of the single-serving capsule contains 10-60 mL, more preferably 15-50 mL, more preferably 20-40 mL of the liquid beer concentrate. The second compartment of the single-serving capsule preferably contains 4-25 mL, more preferably 6-20 mL, more preferably 7-15 mL of the alcoholic liquid. The combined internal volume of the first and second compartments preferably does not exceed 75 mL, more preferably is in the range of 15-65 mL, more preferably in the range of 20-60 mL. Another aspect of the invention relates to a packaged liquid beer concentrate obtained by the manufacturing process described above, wherein the packaged liquid beer concentrate is a kit of parts comprising a first container holding between 10 and 1,000 mL of the liquid beer concentrate, said liquid beer concentrate having an ethanol content not exceeding 1.0% ABV, and a second container holding between 4 and 500 mL of the alcoholic liquid. The first container is preferably a capsule or a bottle. A capsule is most preferable. Preferably, the first container has an internal volume of 10–60 mL, more preferably 15–50 mL. The second container is preferably a capsule or a bottle. Ideally, the first container should be a capsule. Preferably, the first container has an internal volume of 4–25 mL, more preferably 6–20 mL. Figure 1 provides a schematic representation of a method for preparing a single-serving capsule according to the invention. Step 1 of the described method comprises brewing an alcoholic beer without hops, for example, a hopless pilsner with an ethanol content of 5% ABV. Step 2 comprises dealcoholizing the alcoholic beer without hops to produce non-alcoholic beer and an alcoholic liquid. Step 3 comprises concentrating the non-alcoholic beer by reverse osmosis or freeze concentration to produce a liquid beer concentrate. Step 4 comprises mixing the pre-isomerized hop extract with the alcoholic liquid produced in step 2. Step 5 comprises filling a two-compartment, single-serving capsule by introducing the liquid beer concentrate into one compartment of the capsule and the alcoholic liquid into the other compartment of the same capsule.Step 6 involves sealing the capsule. FIGURE 2 shows a single-portion capsule (10) comprising a body (20) made of an aluminum sheet, which has the general shape of a truncated cone with a lip (30) at its base. The body (20) terminates at its smaller end with an obtuse cone (21). The rim (30) is formed by constricting the body around a sheet (40) and the capsule (10) is sealed by heat-sealing the body (20) and the sheet (40). The sheet (40) may be made of aluminum. The capsule (10) comprises a first compartment (50) and a second compartment (60), separated by a dividing wall (70). The larger first compartment (50) contains a liquid beer concentrate (51), while the smaller second compartment (60) contains an alcoholic liquid (61). The obtuse cone (21) comprises weakened recesses (22) in the part defining the first compartment (50). The obtuse cone (21) further contains weakened recesses (23) in the part defining the second compartment (60). The sheet (40) comprises a series of weakened sections (41) in the part that defines the first compartment (50) and weakened recesses (42) in the part that defines the second compartment (60). In use, both the weakened recesses (22) and (23) are pierced by tubular inlets, and the weakened sections (41) and (42) in the sheet are penetrated by tubular outlets. Then, carbonated water injected into the first compartment (50) and the second compartment (60) through the tubular inlets washes the liquid beer concentrate (51) from the first compartment (50) and the alcoholic liquid (61) from the second compartment (60) through the outlet channels. FIGURE 3 shows a representation of a device (10) for preparing reconstituted beer. The device includes a housing (11) that contains the mechanical and electronic components of the device (10). The housing (11) may be made of plastic and / or metal. The device (10) comprises a power supply (20) and a control system (30) operable for activating the device and controlling its functions (e.g., the volume, temperature, and / or alcohol content of the dispensed reconstituted beer). An empty glass (40) placed beneath the dispensing unit (50) is also shown. The device (10) also includes a tap-shaped water source (60) and a cooling unit (70). The device (10) further comprises a cylinder (80) containing pressurized carbon dioxide, a carbonation unit (90), a mixing unit (100), and a receptacle (110) for receiving a two-compartment, single-serving capsule (120). The single-portion capsule (120) comprises a first compartment (121) containing a liquid beer concentrate (123) and a second compartment (122) containing an alcoholic liquid (124). The compartments (121, 122) are sealed by a foil (125). The device (10) comprises means (126) for opening the first and second compartments (121,122) of the single-portion capsule (120). In use, a consumer can place the individual capsule (120) into the receptacle (110) of the device (10). The consumer can then activate the device (10) using the control system (30) and wait for the reconstituted beer to be dispensed from the dispensing unit (50) into the glass (40). Upon activation of the device (10), tap water (60) and pressurized carbon dioxide from the cylinder (80) are dispensed into the carbonation unit (90). During its passage through the carbonation unit (90), the water is cooled by the refrigeration unit (70). Once the appropriate quantities of water and carbon dioxide have been mixed in the carbonation unit (90), the carbonate is released from the unit (90) and flows through the single-portion capsule (120) to the mixing unit (100). The carbonated water stream from the carbonation unit (90) follows two different flow paths: one flow path passes through the first compartment (121) of the single-portion capsule (120), while the other flow path passes through the second compartment (123) of the single-portion capsule (120). As it passes through the single-portion capsule (120), the carbonated water carries the liquid beer concentrate (123) and the alcoholic liquid (124) into the mixing unit (100). In the mixing unit (100), the carbonated water, the washed liquid beer concentrate, and the washed alcoholic liquid are thoroughly mixed to produce reconstituted clear beer. Next, the reconstituted light beer is released from the mixing unit (100) through the dispensing unit (50) into the glass (40) under the formation of a foam head. It shall be understood that in the device of FIGURE 1 the single-portion capsule (120) may be replaced by two separate capsules, one containing the liquid beer concentrate and the other containing the alcoholic liquid. The invention is further illustrated by the following non-limiting examples. EXAMPLES Example 1 A hop-free lager beer (5% ABV) was dealcoholized by vacuum distillation (Schmidt-Bretten, Bretten, Germany - feed: 5 hL / h; steam mass flow rate: 100 kg / h; outlet pressure: 3.5 bar; vacuum setting: 90 mbar; outlet temperature: 3°C). The resulting dealcoholized beer had an ethanol content of 0.01% ABV. The distillate produced during dealcoholization was recovered and analyzed. The results are shown in Table 1. Table 1 Ethanol 60% by weight Ethyl acetate 50.2 mg / L Isoamyl acetate 4.56 mg / L Amyl alcohols 206 mg / L Phenyleethyl alcohol 5.09 mg / L Phenyleethyl acetate 2.77 mg / L The dealcoholized, hop-free lager beer was concentrated by nanofiltration using the following setup: rert? Ln / zznz / e / γΐΛΐ Nanofiltration membrane Configuration Type: Spiral wound Membrane Polymer: Composite Polyamide Brine Spacer Material: Polypropylene Specifications Permeate Flow: • MgSO4: 7.6 m3 / d • NaCl: 9.5 m3 / d Stabilized Salt Rejection1: • MgSO4: >97% (2000 ppm, 4.8 bar, 25 °C, 15% recovery, pH 6.5) • NaCl: 89-95% (500 ppm, 4.8 bar, 25 °C, 15% recovery, pH 7.0) Nominal Membrane Area: 7.9 m2 This is equivalent to a cut of approximately 200 MW. Configuration (p) Permeate (F; Feed íCn; Concentrate A (total length) = 1016 mm B (diameter of ATD) = 100.3 mm C (connection diameter) = 19.1 mm Df (core tube extension - feed side) = 26.7 mm Dc(core tube extension - conc side) = 26.7 mm Maximum Operating Limits • Pressure: 80 bar • Temperature: 28 °C • Pressure Drop: 0.7 bar • Feed Flow Rate: 3.6 m³ / h • Chlorine Concentration: <0.1 ppm • Feed Water SDI (15 min.): 5.0 • Feed Water Turbidity: 1.0 NTU • Feed Water pH: 3.0–10.0 • Maximum Concentrate to Permeate Flow Rate Ratio for any element: 5:1 Filtration run The beer was circulated using a piston pump. This pump has a capacity of 1 m³ / h and a maximum discharge pressure of 20–80 bar. The test unit was limited to approximately 30 bar and protected by an overpressure relief valve with a set point of 40 bar. Initial permeate production began at a pressure of about 15 bar (osmotic pressure). A total of 100 liters of beer were filtered, yielding 84.6 liters of permeate and 16.1 liters of liquid concentrate. Consequently, the concentration factor achieved was 100 / 15.4 = 6.5. The composition of the beer concentrate thus obtained is shown in Table 2. Table 2 Acetic acid 310 mg / L Riboflavin 890 pg / L Oleic acid 1040 pg / L Linoleic acid 980 pq / L Alpha-linolenic acid 630 pg / L Free amino nitrogen 310 mg / L Maltose 1.1 g / L Maltotriose 7.0 g / L Maltotetraose 22 g / L The liquid beer concentrate had a surface tension of 46 mN / m. Comparative Example A A commercial hoppy lager beer with an alcohol content of 5.0% ABV and an 19 mg / L α-sodium acid content was concentrated by nanofiltration using the same setup as in Example 1. The initial permeate production began at a pressure of approximately 4 bar (osmotic pressure). A total of 200 liters of beer were filtered, yielding 172.3 liters of permeate and 27.7 liters of concentrate. Consequently, the concentration factor achieved was 200 / 27.7 = 7.2. The resulting hoppy alcoholic beer concentrate was cloudy, had an ethanol content of 4.71% ABV, a specific gravity of 1.8298 (20°P), and a surface tension of 39.7 mN / m. The concentrate contained 78.7 mg / L of iso-alpha acids, meaning that 42.5% of the iso-alpha acids were lost during the nanofiltration stage. rcrt? tn / zznz / e / YiAi Example 2 30 mL of the beer concentrate from example 1 were combined with 170 mL of carbonated water with an ethanol content of 5.9% ABV to produce a reconstituted beer at a temperature of 5°C. The reconstituted beer thus obtained was clear (i.e., not cloudy) and had the typical yellow color of a lager beer, as well as satisfactory foaming properties. An expert panel's evaluation of the reconstituted beer showed that it had a pleasant taste, similar to that of regular lagers. Example 3 30 mL of the beer concentrate from Example 1 are combined with 170 mL of carbonated water with an ethanol content of 5.9% ABV to produce reconstituted beer at a temperature of 5°C. This time the carbonated water with ethanol is prepared by mixing 16.6 parts by weight of the alcoholic distillate from Example 1 with 153.3 parts by weight of carbonated water. Again, the reconstituted beer thus obtained is clear (i.e., not cloudy) and has the typical yellow color of a lager beer, as well as satisfactory foaming properties. The evaluation of the reconstituted beer by a panel of experts shows that this beer had a pleasant taste that is preferred over the taste of the reconstituted beer in Example 2. Example 4 The liquid beer concentrate from comparative example A and the beer concentrate from example 1 were normalized with a concentration factor of 6 (i.e., 6 times more concentrated than the original unhopped blonde beer) by adding a diluent as indicated in Table 3. Table 3 Sample Liquid Beer Concentrate Diluent A Comparative Example A Demineralized Water B Example 1 Demineralized Water C Example 1 Demineralized water and ethanol to produce a concentrate with 5% ABV of ethanol D Example 1 Demineralized water and pre-isomerized hop extract, to produce a concentrate containing 120 mg / L of iso-alpha acids After preparation, the samples were kept at 0°C for 7 days. The turbidity of the samples was then measured at 0°C (in triplicate) at scattering angles of 25° and 90°, using a Sigrist photometer. The mean results are shown in Table 4, in EBC units. rcrt? Ln / zznz / e / γΐΛΐ beer caused the formation of turbidity, probably as a result of the precipitation of α-alpha acids. Aliquots of samples A, B, C and D are stored at 30°C and 40°C for 3 months, during which time the concentration levels of ethyl esters, turbidity and color are monitored. Samples B and D were found to be more stable than the others. Unlike samples B and D, samples A and C showed significant formation of ethyl esters during the storage period. Example 5 A dealcoholized beer without hops and an alcoholic distillate are produced in the same way as in example 1. The dealcoholized, hop-free beer is concentrated by reverse osmosis using a flat-sheet reverse osmosis filtration membrane made of a thin-film composite comprising a polyamide membrane layer on a polyester (PET) support material (RO90, ex Alfa Laval, operating pressure 5-25 bar). This membrane has a rejection of at least 90%, measured at 2000 ppm NaCl, at 9 bar and 25°C. Example 6 A single-serving capsule according to the invention is prepared using a capsule comprising two compartments. One compartment (compartment A) has an internal volume of 20 mL, the other compartment (compartment B) has an internal volume of 35 mL. The alcoholic distillate from example 1 is mixed with a pre-isomerized hop extract to produce a solution containing 210 mg / L of iso-alpha acids. 18 mL of the concentrated alcoholic liquid containing the hop extract are placed in compartment A of the capsule. Additionally, 32 mL of the liquid beer concentrate from Example 1 are placed in compartment B. After filling, the compartments are sealed with a flexible film. Example 7 A dealcoholized, hop-free lager beer was concentrated by nanofiltration as described in Example 1. The beer concentrate thus obtained (concentrate A) was subjected to accelerated storage at 30°C and 40°C. The same storage tests were performed with the same concentrate after adding ethanol at a concentration of 5% by weight (concentrate B). Before the storage test and after 3 months of storage, the concentration levels of several aromatic substances in the beer were determined. The results of these analyses are shown in Table 5. Table 5 Samples Ethyl octanoate Ethyl acetate Microgram / L Ethyl 3-methylbutanoate Ethyl phenylacetate Ethyl propionate Ethyl butanoate A Fresh 0 640 4.7 7.9 0.1 0.0 30 °C 0 400 4.2 6.2 0.1 0.0 40 °C 0 320 4.7 6.0 0.2 0.0 B Fresh 0 720 20 52 1.2 0.0 30 °C 4,600 2,040 74 163 9.7 0.2 40 °C 4,320 4,040 152 230 25 0.5 Example 8 A lager beer with an ethanol content of 5 vol.% was concentrated by nanofiltration as described in comparative example A. Accelerated storage tests were performed with this concentrate (concentrate A) at 30°C and 40°C. Before the storage test and after 3 months, the concentration levels of several aromatic substances in the beer were determined. The results of these analyses are shown in Table 6. Table 6 Samples Microgram / L Ethyl 3-methylbutanoate Ethyl phenylacetate Fresh 30 °C 40 °C 8.5 0.0 23 0.2 47 0.4 Example 9 Two reconstituted beers were prepared by mixing 32 mL of beer concentrate with 11.4 mL of alcoholic liquid and 205 mL of carbonated water (Royal Club™ sparkling water, Holland). The compositions of the beer concentrates and alcoholic liquids used in the preparation of reconstituted beers are shown in Table 7. rcrt? tn / zznz / e / γΐΛΐ Table 7 Reconstituted Beer A Reconstituted Beer B Beer Concentrate Beer Concentrate from Example 1 Beer Concentrate from Example 1, containing 6.56 mg of iso-alpha acids per mL Alcoholic Liquid Ethanol (95%), containing 18.42 mg of iso-alpha acids per mL Ethanol (95%)

Claims

1. A manufacturing process for a packaged liquid beer concentrate, characterized in that said process comprises: • providing an alcoholic beer comprising 3-12% ABV of ethanol; • removing at least some of the ethanol from the alcoholic beer by means of distillation, thereby producing (i) a low-alcohol beer having an ethanol content of 0-1.5% ABV of alcohol and (i) an alcoholic liquid containing at least 10% ABV of ethanol; • removing at least 70% by weight of the water present in the low-alcohol beer by membrane separation and / or freeze concentration to produce a liquid beer concentrate, wherein the membrane separation is selected from nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, and forward osmosis; • if the alcoholic liquid contains less than 20% ABV of ethanol, concentrating the alcoholic liquid to an ethanol content of at least 30% ABV by distillation, reverse osmosis, or forward osmosis; • separately packaging the liquid beer concentrate and the alcoholic liquid within a single container or within separate containers that together form a kit of parts.

2. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the ethanol is removed from the alcoholic beer by vacuum distillation at a temperature of 10-100 °C and a pressure not exceeding 500 mbar.

3. Process according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the membrane separation is carried out using a membrane with a glucose rejection of 80-100%, more preferably 90-100% and more preferably 95-100% when the measurement is carried out using 2,000 mg / L of aqueous glucose solution at 1.6 MPa, 25°C and 15% recovery.

4. A process according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the membrane separation is carried out using a membrane with a sodium chloride rejection of 80-100%, more preferably 90-100% and more preferably 95-100% when the measurement is carried out using a sodium chloride solution of 2000 mg / L at 10.3 bar, 25°C, pH 8 and 15% recovery.

5. Process in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the membrane separation is carried out at a pressure of 6-80 bar.

6. Process in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that water is removed from low alcohol beer by reverse osmosis.

7. Process according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the liquid beer concentrate is obtained by removing water from low alcohol beer by means of freeze concentration.

8. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the alcoholic beer comprising 3-12% ABV of ethanol contains 0-10 mg / L of hop acids selected from 1 / 2-alpha acids, hydrogenated 1 / 2-alpha acids, hulupons and combinations thereof 9. A process according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that hop acids are added to the alcoholic liquid before packaging, said hop acids being selected from 1so-alpha acids, hydrogenated 1so-alpha acids, hulupones and combinations thereof.

10. Process according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the liquid beer concentrate and the alcoholic liquid are packaged together in a weight ratio of 7:1 to 1:

1.

11. Process according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the liquid beer concentrate contains 250-3,000 pg / L of riboflavin.

12. Process according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the alcoholic liquid contains, per kg of ethanol, between 50 and 2,000 mg of ethyl acetate.

13. A packaged liquid beer concentrate obtained by a process according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the packaged liquid beer concentrate comprises a single-portion capsule with at least two compartments, including a first compartment and a second compartment; wherein the first compartment comprises the liquid beer concentrate, said liquid beer concentrate having an ethanol content not exceeding 1.0% ABV, and wherein the second compartment comprises the alcoholic liquid.

14. A packaged liquid beer concentrate obtained by a process according to any of claims 1-12, characterized in that the packaged liquid beer concentrate is a kit of parts comprising a first container containing 10-1,000 mL of the liquid beer concentrate, said liquid beer concentrate having an ethanol content not exceeding 1.0% ABV, and a second container containing 4-500 mL of the alcoholic liquid.