Beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage and production method therefor

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a new beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage having a good balance of rich flavor and aftertaste. The present invention provides a beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage having a γ-butyrolactone concentration of 0.01 ppm or more. With the present invention, it is possible to provide a beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage containing γ-butyrolactone within a prescribed concentration range, whereby said beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage has a good balance of rich flavor and aftertaste and has the advantage of making it possible to meet various preferences and needs of consumers.

Description

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

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

[0002] In addition to the recent rise in health consciousness, the demand for beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverages has been increasing year by year due to the diversification of drinking occasions and consumer preferences. In the field of beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverages, various technologies have been developed to enable 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 beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverages.

[0003] Japanese Patent No. 6786699 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-154317

[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.

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

[0006] The present invention provides the following: [1] A beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage having a gamma-butyrolactone concentration of 0.01 ppm or more. [2] The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage according to [1] above, having a succinic acid concentration of 10 ppm or more. [3] The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage according to [1] or [2] above, having a caproic acid concentration of 0.3 ppm or more. [4] The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [3] above, having a gamma-butyrolactone concentration of 0.1 ppm or more and 5 ppm or less. [5] The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [4] above, having a malt usage ratio of 50% or more. [6] The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [5] above, which is a dealcoholized beverage. [7] A method for producing a beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage, comprising a step of incorporating gamma-butyrolactone to a concentration of 0.01 ppm or more. [8] A method for improving the flavor of a beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage, comprising the step of adding γ-butyrolactone to the beverage at a concentration of 0.01 ppm or more during production of the beverage.

[0007] According to the present invention, by incorporating γ-butyrolactone 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 preferences and needs of consumers. Specific Description of the Invention

[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 (or less) 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), 0.73% (v / v), 0.72% (v / v), 0.71% (v / v), 0.70% (v / v), 0.69% (v / v), 0.68% (v / v), 0.67% (v / v), 0.66% (v / v), 0.65% (v / v), 0.64% (v / v), 0.63% (v / v), 0.62% (v / v), 0.61% (v / v), 0.60% (v / v), 0.59% (v / v), 0.58% (v / v), 0.57% (v / v), 0.56% (v / v), 0.55% (v / v), 0.54% (v / v), 0.53% (v / v), 0.52% (v / v), 0.51% (v / v), 0.50% (v / v), 0.49% (v / v), 0.48% (v / v), 0.47% (v / v), 0.46% (v / v), 0.45% (v / v), 0.44% (v / v), 0.43% (v / v), 0.42% (v / v), 0.41% (v / v), 0.40% (v / v), 0.39% (v / v), 0.38% (v / v), 0.37% (v / v), 0.36% (v / v), 0.35% (v / v), 0.34% (v / v), 0.33% (v / v), 0.32% (v / v), 0.31% (v / v), 0.30% (v / v), 0.29% (v / v), 0.28% (v / v), 0.27% (v / v), 0.26% (v / v), 0.25% (v / v), 0.24% (v / v), 0.23% (v / v), 0.22% (v / v), 0.21% (v / v), 0.20% (v / v), 0.19% (v / v), 0.18% (v / v), 0.17% (v / v), 0.16% (v / v), 0.15% (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), 0.0 6% (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), 0.00 The upper limit 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). These upper and lower limits may also 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. In this case, for more accurate concentration measurement, it is desirable to use a calibration curve created 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-taste 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%. It should be noted that the present invention can also use extracted malt (i.e., malt extract). 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. However, the malt usage ratio may 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 raw materials excluding hops and water.

[0013] In the beer-taste 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 gamma-butyrolactone (CAS RN: 96-48-0) concentration is within a predetermined range. In the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the lower limit of the gamma-butyrolactone concentration (not less than or exceeding) is 0.01 ppm, but the following ranges are also possible: 0.02 ppm, 0.03 ppm, 0.04 ppm, 0.05 ppm, 0.06 ppm, 0.07 ppm, 0.08 ppm, 0.09 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, 0.21ppm, 0.22ppm, 0.23ppm, 0.24ppm, 0.25ppm, 0.26ppm, 0.27ppm, 0.28ppm, 0.29ppm, 0.30ppm, 0.31ppm, 0.32ppm, 0.33ppm, 0.34 ppm, 0.35ppm, 0.36ppm, 0.37ppm, 0.38ppm, 0.39ppm, 0.40ppm, 0.41ppm, 0.42ppm, 0.43ppm, 0.44ppm, 0.45ppm, 0.46ppm, 0.47ppm, 0 .. 48ppm, 0.49ppm, 0.50ppm, 0.51ppm, 0.52ppm, 0.53ppm, 0.54ppm, 0.55ppm, 0.56ppm, 0.57ppm, 0.58ppm, 0.59ppm, 0.60ppm, 0.61p pm, 0.62ppm, 0.63ppm, 0.64ppm, 0.65ppm, 0.66ppm, 0.67ppm, 0.68ppm, 0.69ppm, 0.70ppm, 0.71ppm, 0.72ppm, 0.73ppm, 0.74ppm, 0 The upper limit of the γ-butyrolactone concentration in the beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention (less than or equal to 1.0 ppm) can also be set to 0.75 ppm, 0.76 ppm, 0.77 ppm, 0.78 ppm, 0.79 ppm, 0.80 ppm, 0.81 ppm, 0.82 ppm, 0.83 ppm, 0.84 ppm, 0.85 ppm, 0.86 ppm, 0.87 ppm, 0.88 ppm, 0.89 ppm, 0.90 ppm, 0.91 ppm, 0.92 ppm, 0.93 ppm, 0.94 ppm, 0.95 ppm, 0.96 ppm, 0.97 ppm, 0.98 ppm, 0.99 ppm, or 1.0 ppm.As long as the effects of the present invention are exhibited, the concentration is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include 10 ppm, 9.9 ppm, 9.8 ppm, 9.7 ppm, 9.6 ppm, 9.5 ppm, 9.4 ppm, 9.3 ppm, 9.2 ppm, 9.1 ppm, 9.0 ppm, 8.9 ppm, 8.8 ppm, 8.7 ppm, 8.6 ppm, 8.5 ppm, 8.4 ppm, 8.3 ppm, 8.2 ppm, 8.1 ppm, 8.0 ppm, 7.9 ppm, 7.8 ppm, 7.7 ppm, It can be 7.6 ppm, 7.5 ppm, 7.4 ppm, 7.3 ppm, 7.2 ppm, 7.1 ppm, 7.0 ppm, 6.9 ppm, 6.8 ppm, 6.7 ppm, 6.6 ppm, 6.5 ppm, 6.4 ppm, 6.3 ppm, 6.2 ppm, 6.1 ppm, 6.0 ppm, 5.9 ppm, 5.8 ppm, 5.7 ppm, 5.6 ppm, 5.5 ppm, 5.4 ppm, 5.3 ppm, 5.2 ppm, 5.1 ppm or 5.0 ppm. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any desired manner, for example, 0.01 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.05 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.10 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.15 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.20 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.25 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.30 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.35 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.40 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.45 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.50 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.55 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.60 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.65 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.70 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.7 5 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.80 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.85 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.90 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.95 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 1.0 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 0.01 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less, 0.05 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less, 0.10 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm m or less, 0.15 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less, 0.20 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less, 0.25 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less, 0.30 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less, 0.35 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less, 0.40 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less, 0.45 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less, 0.50 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less,0.55 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less, 0.60 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less, 0.65 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less, 0.70 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less, 0.75 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less, 0.80 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less, 0.85 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less, 0.90 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less, 0.95 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less, 1.0 ppm or more and 9.0 ppm or less, 0.01 ppm or more and 8.0 ppm or less, 0.05 ppm or more and 8.0 ppm or less, 0.10 ppm or more and 8.0 ppm or less, 0.15 ppm or more and 8.0 ppm or less pm or less, 0.20 ppm to 8.0 ppm, 0.25 ppm to 8.0 ppm, 0.30 ppm to 8.0 ppm, 0.35 ppm to 8.0 ppm, 0.40 ppm to 8.0 ppm, 0.45 ppm to 8.0 ppm, 0.50 ppm to 8 .0ppm or more, 0.55ppm or more and 8.0ppm or less, 0.60ppm or more and 8.0ppm or less, 0.70ppm or more and 8.0ppm or less, 0.75ppm or more and 8.0ppm or less, 0.80ppm or more and 8.0ppm or less, and 0.85ppm or more 8.0 ppm or less, 0.90 ppm or more and 8.0 ppm or less, 0.95 ppm or more and 8.0 ppm or less, 1.0 ppm or more and 8.0 ppm or less, 0.01 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.05 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.10 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.15 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.20 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.25 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.30 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.35 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.40 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.45 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.50 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.55 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.60 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.65 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.70 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.75 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.80 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.85 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.90 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.95 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 1.0 ppm or more and 7.0 ppm or less, 0.01 ppm or more and 6.0 ppm or less, 0.05 ppm or more and 6.0 ppm or less, 0.10 ppm or more and 6.0 ppm or less,0.15 ppm or more and 6.0 ppm or less, 0.20 ppm or more and 6.0 ppm or less, 0.25 ppm or more and 6.0 ppm or less, 0.30 ppm or more and 6.0 ppm or less, 0.35 ppm or more and 6.0 ppm or less, 0.40 ppm or more and 6.0 ppm or less, 0.45 ppm or more and 6.0 ppm or less, 0.50 ppm or more and 6.0 ppm or less, 0.55 ppm or more and 6.0 ppm or less, 0.60 ppm or more and 6.0 ppm or less, 0.65 ppm to 6.0 ppm, 0.70 ppm to 6.0 ppm, 0.75 ppm to 6.0 ppm, 0.80 ppm to 6.0 ppm, 0.85 ppm to 6.0 ppm, 0.90 ppm to 6.0 ppm, 0.95 ppm to 6.0 ppm, 1.0 ppm to 6.0 ppm, 0.01 ppm to 5.0 ppm, 0.05 ppm to 5.0 ppm m or less, 0.10 ppm or more and 5.0 ppm or less, 0.15 ppm or more and 5.0 ppm or less, 0.20 ppm or more and 5.0 ppm or less, 0.25 ppm or more and 5.0 ppm or less, 0.30 ppm or more and 5.0 ppm or less, 0.35 ppm or more and 5.0 ppm or less, 0.40 ppm or more and 5.0 ppm or less, 0.45 ppm or more and 5.0 ppm or less, 0.50 ppm or more and 5.0 ppm or less, 0.55 ppm or more and 5.0 The concentration can be 0.80 ppm or more and 0.85 ppm or more and 0.90 ppm or more and 0.95 ppm or more and 0.95 ppm or more and 1.0 ppm or more and 1.0 ppm or more and 1.0 ppm or less. In the present invention, the unit "ppm" is synonymous with "mg / L".

[0015] The γ-butyrolactone concentration in the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention may be from 0.01 ppm to 1.0 ppm, from 0.05 ppm to 1.0 ppm, from 0.1 ppm to 1.0 ppm, from 0.3 ppm to 1.0 ppm, from 0.5 ppm to 1.0 ppm, from 0.01 ppm to 0.9 ppm, from 0.05 ppm to 0.9 ppm, from 0.1 ppm to 0.9 ppm, from 0.3 ppm to 0.9 ppm, from 0.5 ppm to 0.9 ppm, from 0.01 ppm to 0.8 ppm, from 0.05 ppm to 0.8 ppm, from 0.1 ppm to 0.8 ppm, from 0.3 ppm to 0.8 ppm, ppm or less, 0.5 ppm to 0.8 ppm, 0.01 ppm to 0.7 ppm, 0.05 ppm to 0.7 ppm, 0.1 ppm to 0.7 ppm, 0.3 ppm to 0.7 ppm, 0.5 ppm to 0.7 ppm, 0.01 ppm to 0.6 ppm, 0.05 ppm to 0.6 ppm, 0.1 ppm to 0.6 ppm, 0.3 ppm to 0.6 ppm, 0.01 ppm to 0.5 ppm, 0.05 ppm to 0.5 ppm, 0.1 ppm to 0.5 ppm, 0.3 ppm to 0.5 ppm, or 5 ppm to 10 ppm.

[0016] In the present invention, the γ-butyrolactone concentration 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] The method for producing the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not limited, so long as the γ-butyrolactone is contained in a concentration within a predetermined 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 can be adjusted to within a predetermined range by adding γ-butyrolactone 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-taste 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-butyrolactone at any stage in the production process so that the concentration falls within a predetermined concentration range, as long as the γ-butyrolactone concentration is after a step in which γ-butyrolactone 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-butyrolactone 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 the wort; and (c) cooling the boiled wort.

[0023] In the present invention, degradation treatment can be performed 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 having 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 minutes to 180 minutes, 50 minutes to 150 minutes, 60 minutes to 140 minutes, or 30 minutes to 100 minutes. In the present invention, the boiling conditions can be set according to conventional methods.

[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 minutes to 180 minutes, 20 minutes to 150 minutes, 30 minutes to 120 minutes, or 30 minutes 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-butyrolactone can be adjusted to a predetermined concentration range by adding γ-butyrolactone at any stage in the production process, as long as the adjustment is after a step in which γ-butyrolactone may be lost through volatilization (e.g., a boiling step).

[0029] The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention may further contain succinic acid (CAS RN: 110-15-6) and / or caproic acid (CAS RN: 142-62-1). In the present invention, the concentrations of succinic acid and caproic acid can be adjusted by adjusting the raw materials or production conditions. Non-limiting examples of such raw materials and production conditions include brewing conditions, selection of yeast (including strains), adjustment of the amount of yeast used, adjustment of fermentation conditions, and selection and adjustment of the amount of filter aid used. Furthermore, the concentrations of succinic acid and caproic acid can be adjusted by blending or adding them during any of the production processes. In this case, the succinic acid and caproic acid may be in any form that is easily soluble in an aqueous solvent, such as liquid, powder, or solid. Furthermore, the concentrations can also be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the amount of raw materials containing succinic acid and / or caproic acid, or raw materials that produce succinic acid and / or caproic acid.

[0030] In the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the lower limit of the succinic acid concentration (above or above) is not limited, but may be, for example, 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, 81 ppm, 82 ppm, 83 ppm, 84 ppm, 85 ppm, 86 ppm, 87 ppm, 88 ppm, 89 ppm, 90 ppm, 91 ppm, 92 ppm, 93 ppm, 94 ppm, 95 ppm, 96 ppm, 97 ppm, 98 ppm, 99 ppm, 100 ppm, 101 ppm, 1 5ppm, 26ppm, 27ppm, 28ppm, 29ppm, 30ppm, 31ppm, 32ppm, 33ppm, 34ppm, 35ppm, 36ppm, 37ppm, 3 8ppm, 39ppm, 40ppm, 41ppm, 42ppm, 43ppm, 44ppm, 45ppm, 46ppm, 47ppm, 48ppm, 49ppm, 50ppm, 5 1ppm, 52ppm, 53ppm, 54ppm, 55ppm, 56ppm, 57ppm, 58ppm, 59ppm, 60ppm, 61ppm, 62ppm, 63ppm, 64ppm, 65ppm, 66ppm, 67ppm, 68ppm, 69ppm, 70ppm, 71ppm, 72ppm, 73ppm, 74ppm, 75ppm, 76ppm, It can be 77 ppm, 78 ppm, 79 ppm, 80 ppm, 81 ppm, 82 ppm, 83 ppm, 84 ppm, 85 ppm, 86 ppm, 87 ppm, 88 ppm, 89 ppm, 90 ppm, 91 ppm, 92 ppm, 93 ppm, 94 ppm, 95 ppm, 96 ppm, 97 ppm, 98 ppm, 99 ppm or 100 ppm. Furthermore, the upper limit (or less than) of the succinic acid 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, but examples thereof include 500 ppm, 495 ppm, 490 ppm, 485 ppm, 480 ppm, 475 ppm, 470 ppm, 465 ppm, 460 ppm, 455 ppm, 450 ppm, 445 ppm, 440 ppm, 435 ppm, 430 ppm, and 425 ppm. 420 ppm, 415 ppm, 410 ppm, 405 ppm, 400 ppm, 395 ppm, 390 ppm, 385 ppm, 380 ppm, 375 ppm, 370 ppm, 365 ppm, 360 ppm, 355 ppm, 350 ppm, 345 ppm, 340 ppm, 335 ppm, 330 ppm, 325 ppm, 320 ppm, 315 ppm, 310 ppm, 305 ppm or 300 ppm.These lower and upper limits can be combined in any desired manner, for example, 10 ppm or more and 500 ppm or less, 20 ppm or more and 500 ppm or less, 30 ppm or more and 500 ppm or less, 40 ppm or more and 500 ppm or less, 50 ppm or more and 500 ppm or less, 60 ppm or more and 500 ppm or less, 70 ppm or more and 500 ppm or less, 80 ppm or more and 500 ppm or less, 90 ppm or more and 500 ppm or less, 100 ppm or more and 500 ppm or less, 10 ppm or more and 450 ppm or less. 20 ppm to 450 ppm, 30 ppm to 450 ppm, 40 ppm to 450 ppm, 50 ppm to 450 ppm, 60 ppm to 450 ppm, 70 ppm to 450 ppm, 80 ppm to 450 ppm, 90 ppm to 450 ppm, 100 ppm to 450 ppm, 10 ppm to 400 ppm, 20 ppm to 400 ppm, 30 ppm to 400 ppm, 40 ppm to 400 ppm, 50 ppm pm to 400ppm, 60ppm to 400ppm, 70ppm to 400ppm, 80ppm to 400ppm, 90ppm to 400ppm, 100ppm to 400ppm, 10ppm to 350ppm m or less, 20 ppm to 350 ppm, 30 ppm to 350 ppm, 40 ppm to 350 ppm, 50 ppm to 350 ppm, 60 ppm to 350 ppm, 70 ppm to 350 ppm, 80 ppm or more It can be 350 ppm or less, 90 ppm to 350 ppm, 100 ppm to 350 ppm, 10 ppm to 300 ppm, 20 ppm to 300 ppm, 30 ppm to 300 ppm, 40 ppm to 300 ppm, 50 ppm to 300 ppm, 60 ppm to 300 ppm, 70 ppm to 300 ppm, 80 ppm to 300 ppm, 90 ppm to 300 ppm, or 100 ppm to 300 ppm.

[0031] The succinic acid concentration of the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can also be, for example, 10 ppm or more and 100 ppm or less, 20 ppm or more and 100 ppm or less, 30 ppm or more and 100 ppm or less, 40 ppm or more and 100 ppm or less, 50 ppm or more and 100 ppm or less, 300 ppm or more and 500 ppm or less, 350 ppm or more and 500 ppm or less, or 400 ppm or more and 500 ppm or less.

[0032] In the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the lower limit of the caproic acid concentration (not less than or exceeding) is not limited, but may be, for example, 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, or 0.32 ppm. , 0.33ppm, 0.34ppm, 0.35ppm, 0.36ppm, 0.37ppm, 0.38ppm, 0.39ppm, 0.40p pm, 0.41ppm, 0.42ppm, 0.43ppm, 0.44ppm, 0.45ppm, 0.46ppm, 0.47ppm, 0.4 8ppm, 0.49ppm, 0.50ppm, 0.51ppm, 0.52ppm, 0.53ppm, 0.54ppm, 0.55ppm, 0 56ppm, 0.57ppm, 0.58ppm, 0.59ppm, 0.60ppm, 0.61ppm, 0.62ppm, 0.63ppm, 0.64ppm, 0.65ppm, 0.66ppm, 0.67ppm, 0.68ppm, 0.69ppm, 0.70ppm, 0.71ppm m, 0.72ppm, 0.73ppm, 0.74ppm, 0.75ppm, 0.76ppm, 0.77ppm, 0.78ppm, 0.79 ppm, 0.80ppm, 0.81ppm, 0.82ppm, 0.83ppm, 0.84ppm, 0.85ppm, 0.86ppm, 0. 87ppm, 0.88ppm, 0.89ppm, 0.90ppm, 0.91ppm, 0.92ppm, 0.93ppm, 0.94ppm, 0 .. 95ppm, 0.96ppm, 0.97ppm, 0.98ppm, 0.99ppm, 1.0ppm, 1.1ppm, 1.2ppm, 1. 3ppm, 1.4ppm, 1.5ppm, 1.6ppm, 1.7ppm, 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 .1ppm, 3.2ppm, 3.3ppm, 3.4ppm, 3.5ppm, 3.6ppm, 3.7ppm, 3.8ppm, 3.9ppm,The upper limit of the caproic acid concentration in the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention (not more than or less than) is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but may be, for example, 50 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, and examples thereof include 0.10 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 0.20 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 0.30 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 0.40 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 0.50 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 0.60 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 0.70 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 0.80 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, and 0.90 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less. .. 90ppm or more and 50ppm or less, 1.0ppm or more and 50ppm or less, 1.5ppm or more and 50ppm or less, 2.0ppm or more and 50ppm or less, 2.5ppm or more and 50ppm or less, 3.0ppm or more 50ppm or less, 3.5ppm or more and 50ppm or less, 4.0ppm or more and 50ppm or less, 4.5ppm or more and 50ppm or less, 5.0ppm or more and 50ppm or less, 0.10ppm or more and 45ppm or less below, 0.20 ppm to 45 ppm, 0.30 ppm to 45 ppm, 0.40 ppm to 45 ppm, 0.50 ppm to 45 ppm, 0.60 ppm to 45 ppm, 0.70 ppm to 45 ppm, 0.80 ppm to 45 ppm, 0.90 ppm to 45 ppm, 1.0 ppm to 45 ppm, 1.5 ppm to 45 ppm, 2.0 ppm 0.10 ppm to 40 ppm, 0.20 ppm to 40 ppm, 0.30 ppm to 40 ppm, 0.40 ppm to 40 ppm,0.50 ppm or more and 40 ppm or less, 0.60 ppm or more and 40 ppm or less, 0.70 ppm or more and 40 ppm or less, 0.80 ppm or more and 40 ppm or less, 0.90 ppm or more and 40 ppm or less, 1.0 ppm or more and 40 ppm or less, 1.5 ppm or more and 40 ppm or less, 2.0 ppm or more and 40 ppm or less, 2.5 ppm or more and 40 ppm or less, 3.0 ppm or more and 40 ppm or less, 3.5 ppm or more and 40 ppm or less, 4.0 ppm or more and 40 ppm or less, 4.5 ppm or more and 40 ppm pm or less, 5.0 to 40 ppm, 0.10 to 35 ppm, 0.20 to 35 ppm, 0.30 to 35 ppm, 0.40 to 35 ppm, 0.50 to 35 ppm Bottom, 0.60ppm to 35ppm, 0.70ppm to 35ppm, 0.80ppm to 35ppm, 0.90ppm 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 35p pm or less, 0.10 to 30 ppm, 0.20 to 30 ppm, 0.30 to 30 ppm, 0.40 to 30 ppm, 0.50 to 30 ppm, 0.60 to 30 ppm or less, 0.70 ppm to 30 ppm, 0.80 ppm to 30 ppm, 0.90 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 to 30 ppm, 3.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 4.0 ppm to 30 ppm, 4.5 ppm to 30 ppm, or 5.0 ppm to 30 ppm.

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

[0034] 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 (Japanese radish), potatoes, starch, sugars (e.g., liquid sugar), fruits (e.g., fruit juice, concentrated fruit juice), coriander or its seeds, spices or raw materials 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 include preparations thereof), seafood (e.g., , oysters, kelp, wakame seaweed, 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 components (e.g., colorings such as caramel color), foaming / foam retention improvers, sweeteners (e.g., high-intensity sweeteners), seasoning components (e.g., amino acids), acidulants (e.g., gluconic acid), bitter components (e.g., naringin), dietary fiber, herbs, antioxidants, water quality conditioners, and other additives can be used as raw materials.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] The pH (measured at 25°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 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, or 3.8, and the upper limit (less than or equal to) 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 beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be adjusted using a pH adjuster. The pH of the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage can be measured using a commercially available pH meter (e.g., a benchtop pH meter, manufactured by Horiba, Ltd.).

[0038] The EBC color score 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 4.0 EBC, 4.5 EBC, 5.0 EBC, 5.5 EBC, or 6.0 EBC, and the upper limit (not more than or less than) can be 10.0 EBC, 9.9 EBC, 9.8 EBC, 9.7 EBC, 9.6 EBC, 9.5 EBC, 9.4 EBC, 9.3 EBC, or 10.0 EBC. The EBC color index can be 8.9 EBC, 8.8 EBC, 8.7 EBC, 8.6 EBC, 8.5 EBC, 8.4 EBC, 8.3 EBC, 8.2 EBC, 8.1 EBC, 8.0 EBC, 7.9 EBC, 7.8 EBC, 7.7 EBC, 7.6 EBC, 7.5 EBC, 7.4 EBC, 7.3 EBC, 7.2 EBC, 7.1 EBC, or 7.0 EBC. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily. The EBC color index of the beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be measured using "Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method 4.3.8, compiled by the International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee) of the Brewers Association of Japan, Brewery Society of Japan."

[0039] 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 ... .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 Method (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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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, and can be, for example, 0.05 MPa to 0.4 MPa, 0.07 MPa to 0.38 MPa, or 0.1 MPa to 0.35 MPa.

[0042] The container used for the beverage of the present invention may be any container that is 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), or a bottle are preferred.

[0043] 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-butyrolactone 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.

[0044] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flavor improver for a beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage, which comprises γ-butyrolactone as an active ingredient. The flavor improver of the present invention can be produced in accordance with the description of the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage and the method for producing the same of the present invention.

[0045] Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for improving the flavor of a beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage. The flavor improving method of the present invention can be carried out by adding γ-butyrolactone to a concentration of 0.001 ppm or more during the production of a beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage. The flavor improving method of the present invention can be carried out according to the description of the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage and its production method of the present invention.

[0046] The present invention will be described in more detail based on the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0047] Measurement of 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.

[0048] Measurement of γ-butyrolactone concentration The γ-butyrolactone concentration was measured by GC / MS analysis. Specifically, the aroma components in the beverage sample were separated using a C18 solid-phase column, and the effluent was subjected to solvent liquid-liquid extraction to obtain an analytical sample, which was then subjected to GC / MS. Quantitation was performed by the internal standard method, using borneol as the internal standard, which was added to the analytical sample to a concentration of 500 ppb. The GC / MS analysis conditions are as shown in Table 1.

[0049]

[0050] Measurement of succinic acid concentration The succinic acid concentration was measured using a CE7100 (Agilent) according to the BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (Beer Brewers Association, 8.24.2 Capillary Electrophoresis).

[0051] Measurement of Caproic Acid Concentration: Caprylic acid concentration was measured using gas chromatography (GC) with an FID detector. Specifically, aroma components in the beverage sample 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.

[0052]

[0053] Example 1: Production and evaluation of beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverages (1) In Example 1, evaluation tests were carried out on each test sample of the beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage (Test Plots 1 to 32).

[0054] (1) Method A. Production of a Beer-Taste Non-Alcoholic Beverage Barley malt, enzymes, and warm water were placed in a mash tank and saccharified at a temperature of 67°C to 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 obtained 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, carbon dioxide was removed by spraying it into a degassing tank, and the fermented liquid was heated to around 50°C. The alcohol was then removed by contact with steam heated to around 50°C in a vacuum column at around 60 mbar, and carbon dioxide was added to obtain a beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage (malt usage ratio 100%) with an alcohol concentration of less than 0.005 v / v% (Test Group 1). Test plots 2 to 32 were obtained by adding γ-butyrolactone, succinic acid and / or caproic acid to the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of Test plot 1 to adjust the concentrations shown in Table 3.

[0055] B. Evaluation Test An evaluation test was conducted on test plots 1 to 32 by five trained panelists. Specifically, 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 imparted, etc. "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 rating criteria are as shown below, and test plots 2 to 32 were evaluated based on the rating of test plot 1. <Criteria for each rating> 1: Approximately the same as test plot 1 2: A slight improvement can be recognized by consecutive comparisons with test plot 1 3: An improvement can be recognized by consecutive comparisons with test plot 1 4: An improvement can be recognized even without comparing with test plot 1

[0056] (2) Results The results are shown in Table 3. The results of Test Plots 2 to 6 indicated that the addition of γ-butyrolactone (single addition) resulted in a more balanced taste and a more harmonious aftertaste. Furthermore, the results of Test Plots 18 to 20 and 22 to 24 indicated that the addition of γ-butyrolactone and succinic acid in combination (two-type addition) resulted in a more harmonious aftertaste than the addition of γ-butyrolactone alone (Test Plots 3 and 4). Furthermore, the results of Test Plots 26, 27, 28, 30, and 31 indicated that the addition of γ-butyrolactone and caproic acid in combination (two-type addition) resulted in a more harmonious taste and a more harmonious aftertaste than the addition of γ-butyrolactone alone. Furthermore, the results of Test Plot 32 indicated that the addition of γ-butyrolactone, succinic acid, and caproic acid in combination (three-type addition) also resulted in a more harmonious taste and a more harmonious aftertaste.

[0057]

Claims

1. A beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage having a gamma-butyrolactone concentration of 0.01 ppm or more.

2. A beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, wherein the succinic acid concentration is 10 ppm or more.

3. A beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the caproic acid concentration is 0.3 ppm or more.

4. A beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the gamma-butyrolactone concentration is 0.1 ppm or more and 5 ppm or less.

5. A beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, in which the malt content is 50% or more.

6. A non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which is a dealcoholized beverage.

7. A method for producing a beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage, comprising a step of incorporating gamma-butyrolactone at a concentration of 0.01 ppm or more.

8. A method for improving the flavor of a beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage, comprising the step of adding γ-butyrolactone to the beverage at a concentration of 0.01 ppm or more during the production of the beverage.

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