Beer-flavored fermented beverage and method for producing same

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a new beer-flavored fermented beverage which has a low purine concentration and in which the deterioration of flavor due to having a low purine concentration is improved. The present invention provides a beer-flavored fermented beverage that has a purine concentration of not more than 35,000 ppb, an adenosine concentration of not more than 15,000 ppb, or a guanosine concentration of not more than 56,000 ppb. The beer-flavored fermented beverage has a γ-nonalactone concentration of not less than 10 ppb.

Description

Beer-flavored fermented beverage and its manufacturing method REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application benefits from the priority of an earlier Japanese application, Patent Application No. 2024-128068 (filing date: August 2, 2024), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a beer-taste fermented beverage and a method for producing the same, and more particularly to a beer-taste fermented beverage with a reduced purine concentration and a method for producing the same.

[0003] It is said that purine compounds are present in beer, a fermented malt beverage, at approximately 4 to 10 mg / 100 mL (40,000 to 100,000 ppb). When ingested as part of the diet, purine compounds are broken down into uric acid, which is said to contribute to an increase in uric acid levels. For this reason, there is a demand for fermented malt beverages such as beer that contain reduced amounts of purine compounds in response to health-conscious consumers.

[0004] Techniques for reducing the concentration of purine compounds in fermented malt beverages such as beer have been developed (e.g., Patent Documents 1 and 2).On the other hand, a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage that has a reduced purine concentration but still has a rich flavor is known (Patent Document 3).

[0005] International Publication No. 96 / 25483 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-290071 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-97414

[0006] The present inventors have found that in a beer-flavored fermented beverage with a reduced purine concentration, the reduced purine concentration weakens the flavor of the beverage as a whole, resulting in a pronounced negative aroma. An object of the present invention is to provide a novel beer-flavored fermented beverage in which the purine concentration has been reduced while the deterioration in flavor due to the reduced purine concentration has been alleviated.

[0007] The present invention provides the following: [1] A beer-taste fermented beverage having a purine concentration of 35,000 ppb or less, an adenosine concentration of 15,000 ppb or less, or a guanosine concentration of 56,000 ppb or less, and a gamma-nonalactone concentration of 10 ppb or more. [2] The beer-taste fermented beverage according to [1] above, wherein the malt usage ratio is 25% or more and 100% or less. [3] The beer-taste fermented beverage according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the purine concentration is less than 5,000 ppb. [4] The beer-taste fermented beverage according to any of [1] to [3] above, wherein the gamma-nonalactone concentration is 500 ppb or less. [5] The beer-taste fermented beverage according to any of [1] to [4] above, wherein the alcohol concentration is 10.0 v / v% or less. [6] A method for producing a fermented beer-taste beverage having a purine concentration of 35,000 ppb or less, an adenosine concentration of 15,000 ppb or less, or a guanosine concentration of 56,000 ppb or less, the method comprising a step of adding γ-nonalactone so that the γ-nonalactone concentration in the produced beverage is 10 ppb or more. [7] A method for improving the flavor of a fermented beer-taste beverage having a purine concentration of 35,000 ppb or less, an adenosine concentration of 15,000 ppb or less, or a guanosine concentration of 56,000 ppb or less, the method comprising a step of adding γ-nonalactone so that the γ-nonalactone concentration in the produced beverage is 10 ppb or more.

[0008] According to the present invention, by adjusting the gamma-nonalactone concentration to a predetermined level in a beer-taste fermented beverage with a reduced purine concentration, it is possible to provide a beer-taste fermented beverage with a reduced purine concentration but still having a good flavor.

[0009] In the present invention, "beer-taste beverage" refers to a beverage with a beer-like flavor. In the present invention, "beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage" refers to a beverage fermented with yeast using ingredients such as a carbon source, a nitrogen source, and water, and includes beer and happoshu. A preferred embodiment of a beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage is a beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage made at least in part from malt and / or ungerminated barley, and more preferably a beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage made at least in part from malt. In the present invention, "beer-taste fermented non-alcoholic beverage" refers to a beverage produced by removing alcoholic components generated during a beer-taste fermentation process using yeast, and a beverage produced by terminating the fermentation process at an ethanol concentration of less than 1 v / v%. In the present invention, "beer-taste fermented non-alcoholic beverage" includes beverages that contain no alcohol, 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%. In the present invention, the term "fermented beer-flavored beverage" includes "fermented alcoholic beer-flavored beverage" and "fermented non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage."

[0010] In the present invention, "happoshu" includes those containing distilled alcohol as an ingredient and those that do not contain malt or hops. In the present invention, "beer" can mean a product obtained by fermenting malt, hops, and water, or a product obtained by fermenting malt, hops, and water with the addition of certain auxiliary ingredients, and that meets the following two conditions (limited to those with an alcohol content of less than 20%: - the malt ratio is 50 / 100 or more - the weight of the used fruit (including dried, boiled, or concentrated fruit juice) and certain flavorings does not exceed 5 / 100 of the weight of the malt (including those that do not use any fruit) (see the Liquor Tax Act (Act No. 6 of 1953), which came into effect on October 1, 2024).

[0011] When malt is used as at least a part of an ingredient in the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention, the malt usage ratio may be, for example, 0%, 0% or more, 5% or less, 5% or more, 10% or more, 10% or more, 12.5% ​​or less, 12.5% ​​or more, 15% or less, 15% or more, 17.5% or less, 17.5% or more, 20% or less, 20% or more, 22.5% or less, 22.5% or more, 25% or less, 25% or more, 27.5% or less, 27.5% or more, 30% or less, 30% or more, 32.5% or less, 32.5% or more, 35% or less, 35% or more, 37.5% or less, 37.5% or more, 40% or less, 40% or more Above, 42.5% or less, 42.5% or more, 45% or less, 45% or more, 47.5% or less, 47.5% or more, 50% or less, 50% or more, 52.5% or less, 52.5% or more, 55% or less, 55% or more, 57.5% or less, 57.5% or more, 60% or less, 60% or more, 62.5% or less, 62.5% or more, 65% or less, 65% or more, 67.5% or less, 67.5% or more, 70% or less, 7 0% or more, 72.5% or less, 72.5% or more, 75% or less, 75% or more, 77.5% or less, 77.5% or more, 80% or less, 80% or more, 82.5% or less, 82.5% or more, 85% or less, The malt content can be 85% or more, 87.5% or less, 87.5% or more, 90% or less, 90% or more, 92.5% or less, 92.5% or more, 95% or less, 95% or more, 97.5% or less, 97.5% or more, 100% or less, or 100%, and preferably 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 100% or less, or 100%. These upper and lower limits can be arbitrarily combined, and "or less" can mean "less than," and "or more" can mean "greater than." In the present invention, the "malt usage ratio" refers to the ratio of the mass of malt to the mass of all raw materials excluding hops and brewing water.

[0012] The beer-taste fermented malt beverage of the present invention can use, for example, barley malt or wheat malt as the malt, and may use one type of malt or a combination of multiple types of malt. In the beer-taste fermented malt beverage of the present invention, the proportion of barley malt (by mass) in the raw material malt (by mass) is, for example, 0%, 0% or more and 5% or less, 5% or more, 10% or more and 10% or less, 12.5% ​​or more and 12.5% ​​or less, 15% or more and 15% or less, 17.5% or more and 17.5% or less, 20% or more and 20% or less, 22.5% or more and 22.5% or less, 25% or more and 25% or less, 27.5% or more and 27.5% or less, 30% or more and 30% or less, 32.5% or more and 32.5% or less, 35% or more and 35% or less, 37.5% or more and 37.5% or less, 40% or more and 40% or less, 42.5% or more and 42.5% or less, 45% or more and 45% or less, 47.5% or more and 47.5% or less, 50% or more , 50% or less, 52.5% or more, 52.5% or less, 55% or more, 55% or less, 57.5% or more, 57.5% or less, 60% or more, 60% or less, 62.5% or more, 62. 5% or less, 65% or more, 65% or less, 67.5% or more, 67.5% or less, 70% or more, 70% or less, 72.5% or more, 72.5% or less, 75% or more, 75% or less, 77 5% or more, 77.5% or less, 80% or more, 80% or less, 82.5% or more, 82.5% or more, 85% or more, 85% or less, 87.5% or more, 87.5% or less, 90% or more, 90% or less, 92.5% or more, 92.5% or more, 95% or more, 95% or less, 97.5% or more, 97.5% or less, 100% or less, or 100% or less. These upper and lower limits can be arbitrarily combined, and "or less" can be interpreted as "less than," and "or greater than" can be interpreted as "greater than."In the beer-taste fermented malt beverage of the present invention, the proportion of wheat malt (by mass) in the raw material malt (by mass) may be, for example, 0%, 0% or more and 5% or less, 5% or more, 10% or more and 10% or less, 12.5% ​​or more and 12.5% ​​or less, 15% or more and 15% or less, 17.5% or more and 17.5% or less, 20% or more and 20% or less, 22.5% or more and 22.5% or less, 25% or more and 25% or less, 27.5% or more and 27.5% or less, 30% or more and 30% or less, 32.5% or more and 32.5% or less, 35% or more and 35% or less, 37.5% or more and 37.5% or less, 40% or more and 40% or less, 42.5% or more and 42.5% or less, 45% or more and 45% or less, 47.5% or more and 47.5% or less, 50% 50% or more, 52.5% or more, 52.5% or less, 55% or more, 55% or less, 57.5% or more, 57.5% or less, 60% or more, 60% or less, 62.5% or more, 62 .5% or more, 65% or more, 65% or less, 67.5% or more, 67.5% or less, 70% or more, 70% or less, 72.5% or more, 72.5% or less, 75% or more, 75% or less, 7 It can be 7.5% or more, 77.5% or less, 80% or more, 80% or less, 82.5% or more, 82.5% or more, 85% or more, 85% or less, 87.5% or more, 87.5% or less, 90% or more, 90% or less, 92.5% or more, 92.5% or less, 95% or more, 95% or less, 97.5% or more, 97.5% or less, 100% or less, or 100% or less. In the above, "or more" can be replaced with "exceeding." These upper and lower limits can be arbitrarily combined, and "or less" can be replaced with "less than," and "or more" can be replaced with "exceeding."

[0013] The beer-taste fermented malt beverage of the present invention can use dark malt as part of the malt raw material. As used herein, "dark malt" refers to malt that has been roasted at a relatively high temperature (e.g., about 120°C or higher) during the production of malt from barley, resulting in a deep brown scorched color. Non-limiting examples of dark malt include caramel malt and black malt. In general, dark malt roasted at a higher temperature tends to have a darker color.

[0014] The beer-taste fermented malt beverage of the present invention may also contain malt other than dark malt, including light malt (base malt), non-limiting examples of which include pale malt (barley malt), pilsner malt (barley malt), and wheat malt (wheat malt).

[0015] The beer-taste fermented malt beverage of the present invention can preferably contain dark malt as part of the malt raw materials, and in this case, the malt other than the dark malt may contain light malt.

[0016] In the beer-taste fermented malt beverage of the present invention, the ratio of dark malt (by mass) to the total malt raw materials (by mass) is, for example, 0%, 0% or more, 1% or more, 1% or less, 2% or more, 2% or less, 3% or more, 3% or more, 4% or more, 4% or less, 5% or more, 5% or less, 6% or more, 6% or more, 7% or more, 7% or less, 8% or more, 8% or less, 9% or more, 9% or less, 10% or more, 10% or less, or 12.5% ​​or more. , 12.5% ​​or less, 15% or more, 15% or less, 17.5% or more, 17.5% or less, 20% or more, 20% or less, 22.5% or more, 22.5% or less, 25% or more, 25% or less, 27.5% or more , 27.5% or less, 30% or more, 30% or less, 32.5% or more, 32.5% or less, 35% or more, 35% or less, 37.5% or more, 37.5% or less, 40% or more, 40% or less, 42.5% or more, 42.5% or less, 45% or more, 45% or less, 47.5% or more, 47.5% or less, 50% or more, 50% or less, 52.5% or more, 52.5% or less, 55% or more, 55% or less, 57.5% or more, 57.5% or less, 60% or more, 60% or less, 62.5% or more, 62.5% or less, 65% or more, 65% or less, 67.5% or more, 67.5% or less, 70% or more, 70% or less, 72.5% or more, 7 The upper and lower limits can be 2.5% or less, 75% or more, 75% or less, 77.5% or more, 77.5% or more, 80% or more, 80% or less, 82.5% or more, 82.5% or less, 85% or more, 85% or less, 87.5% or more, 87.5% or more, 90% or more, 90% or less, 92.5% or more, 92.5% or less, 95% or more, 95% or less, 97.5% or more, 97.5% or less, 100% or less, or 100%. These upper and lower limits can be arbitrarily combined, and "or less" can be interpreted as "less than," and "or greater than" can be interpreted as "greater than."

[0017] In the beer-taste fermented malt beverage of the present invention, the ratio of light-colored malt (by mass) to the total malt raw materials (by mass) is, for example, 0%, 0% or more, 1% or more, 1% or less, 2% or more, 2% or less, 3% or more, 3% or more, 4% or more, 4% or less, 5% or more, 5% or less, 6% or more, 6% or more, 7% or more, 7% or less, 8% or more, 8% or less, 9% or more, 9% or less, 10% or more, 10% or less, 12.5% ​​or more , 12.5% ​​or less, 15% or more, 15% or less, 17.5% or more, 17.5% or less, 20% or more, 20% or less, 22.5% or more, 22.5% or less, 25% or more, 25% or less, 27.5% or more , 27.5% or less, 30% or more, 30% or less, 32.5% or more, 32.5% or less, 35% or more, 35% or less, 37.5% or more, 37.5% or less, 40% or more, 40% or less, 42.5% or more, 42.5% or less, 45% or more, 45% or less, 47.5% or more, 47.5% or less, 50% or more, 50% or less, 52.5% or more, 52.5% or less, 55% or more, 55% or less, 57.5% or more, 57.5% or less, 60% or more, 60% or less, 62.5% or more, 62.5% or less, 65% or more, 65% or less, 67.5% or more, 67.5% or less, 70% or more, 70% or less, 72.5% or more, 7 The upper and lower limits can be 2.5% or less, 75% or more, 75% or less, 77.5% or more, 77.5% or more, 80% or more, 80% or less, 82.5% or more, 82.5% or less, 85% or more, 85% or less, 87.5% or more, 87.5% or more, 90% or more, 90% or less, 92.5% or more, 92.5% or less, 95% or more, 95% or less, 97.5% or more, 97.5% or less, 100% or less, or 100%. These upper and lower limits can be arbitrarily combined, and "or less" can be interpreted as "less than," and "or greater than" can be interpreted as "greater than."

[0018] The alcohol concentration of the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention can be set at any desired value, but the lower limit of the alcohol concentration (not less than or exceeding) can be, for example, 0.001 v / v%, 0.002 v / v%, 0.003 v / v%, 0.004 v / v%, 0.005 v / v%, 0.01 v / v%, 0.05 v / v%, 0.1 v / v%, 0.2 v / v%, 0.3 v / v%, 0.4 v / v%, 0.5 v / v%, 0.6 v / v%, 0.7 v / v%, 0.8 v / v%, 0.9 v / v%, 1.0 v / v%, 1.2 v / v%, 1.4 v / v%, 1.6 v / v%, 1.8 v / v%, 1.9 v / v%, 1.1 v / v%, 1.2 v / v%, 1.3 v / v%, 1.4 v / v%, 1.5 v / v%, 1.6 v / v%, 1.7 v / v%, 1.8 v / v%, 1.9 v / v%, 1.1 v / v%, 1.2 ...3 v / v%, 1.4 v / v%, 1.5 v / v%, 1.6 v / v%, 1.7 v / v%, 1.8 v / v%, 1.9 v / v%, 1 0 v / v%, 1.1 v / v%, 1.2 v / v%, 1.3 v / v%, 1.4 v / v%, 1.5 v / v%, 1.6 v / v%, 1.7 v / v%, 1.8 v / v%, 1.9 v / v%, 2.0 v / v%, 2.1 v / v%, 2.2 v / v%, 2.3 v / v%, 2.4 v / v%, 2.5 v / v%, 2.6 v / v%, 2.7 v / v%, 2.8 v / v%, 2.9 v / v% or 3.0 v / v%, and the upper limit (equal to or less than) can be, for example, 11.0 v / v%, 10. 9v / v%, 10.8v / v%, 10.7v / v%, 10.6v / v%, 10.5v / v%, 10.4v / v%, 10.3v / v%, 10.2v / v%, 10.1v / v%, 10.0v / v%, 9.9v / v%, 9.8v / v%, 9 7v / v%, 9.6v / v%, 9.5v / v%, 9.4v / v%, 9.3v / v%, 9.2v / v%, 9.1v / v%, 9.0v / v%, 8.9v / v%, 8.8v / v%, 8.7v / v%, 8.6v / v%, 8.5v / v%, 8. 4v / v%, 8.3v / v%, 8.2v / v%, 8.1v / v%, 8.0v / v%, 7.9v / v%, 7.8v / v%, 7.7v / v%, 7.6v / v%, 7.5v / v%, 7.4v / v%, 7.3v / v%, 7.2v / v%, 7. It can be 1v / v%, 7.0v / v%, 6.9v / v%, 6.8v / v%, 6.7v / v%, 6.6v / v%, 6.5v / v%, 6.4v / v%, 6.3v / v%, 6.2v / v%, 6.1v / v% or 6.0v / v%. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any desired manner, and the alcohol concentration of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 1.0 v / v% or more and 10.0 v / v% or less, preferably 2.0 v / v% or more and 8.0 v / v% or less, and more preferably 3.0 v / v% or more and 6.0 v / v% or less.The alcohol concentration of the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 0.001 v / v% or more and less than 1 v / v%, 0.001 v / v% or more and 0.5 v / v% or less, or 0.001 v / v% or more and 0.1 v / v% or less.

[0019] Methods for measuring the alcohol concentration (ethanol concentration) in beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages are widely known to those skilled in the art. For example, the alcohol concentration can be measured by the method described in the "National Tax Agency Prescribed Analysis Method." The alcohol concentration (ethanol concentration) of a beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic 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 measurements 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. In addition, it is preferable to use an internal standard substance, and an example of an internal standard substance is 2-propanol.

[0020] The beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention has reduced concentrations of any one or a combination of some or all of purines, adenosine, and guanosine. The upper limit of the purine concentration of the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention (less than or equal to) is 35,000 ppb, 34,000 ppb, 33,000 ppb, 32,000 ppb, 31,000 ppb, 30,000 ppb, 29,000 ppb, 28,000 ppb, 27,000 ppb, 26,000 ppb, 25,000 ppb, 24,000 ppb, 23,000 ppb, 22,000 ppb, and 21,000 ppb. The purine concentration can be 20,000 ppb, 19,000 ppb, 18,000 ppb, 17,000 ppb, 16,000 ppb, 15,000 ppb, 14,000 ppb, 13,000 ppb, 12,000 ppb, 11,000 ppb, 10,000 ppb, 9,000 ppb, 8,000 ppb, 7,000 ppb, 6,000 ppb, 5,000 ppb, 4,000 ppb, or 3,000 ppb. A beverage with a purine concentration of less than 5,0000 ppb corresponds to a "zero-purine beverage." In the present invention, "ppb" is synonymous with "μg / L."

[0021] The purine concentration can be measured by known methods, for example, by a method in which the purine concentration is detected using LC-MS / MS (liquid chromatography mass spectrometry) after hydrolysis with perchloric acid (see Food Hygiene Journal 55(2): 110-116 (2014)). In this specification, the term "purine concentration" refers to the total amount of four purine bases, i.e., adenine, xanthine, guanine, and hypoxanthine.

[0022] The upper limit of the adenosine concentration in the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention (not more than or less than) can be 15,000 ppb, 14,000 ppb, 13,000 ppb, 12,000 ppb, 11,000 ppb, 10,000 ppb, 9,000 ppb, 8,000 ppb, 7,000 ppb, 6,000 ppb, 5,000 ppb, 4,000 ppb, 3,000 ppb, 2,000 ppb, 1,000 ppb, 500 ppb, 100 ppb, 50 ppb, 40 ppb, 30 ppb, or 20 ppb.

[0023] The upper limit of the guanosine concentration in the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention (less than or equal to) is 56,000 ppb, 50,000 ppb, 40,000 ppb, 30,000 ppb, 29,000 ppb, 28,000 ppb, 27,000 ppb, 26,000 ppb, 25,000 ppb, 24,000 ppb, 23,000 ppb, 22,000 ppb, 21,000 ppb, 20,000 ppb, 19,000 ppb, 18,000 ppb, pb, 17,000 ppb, 16,000 ppb, 15,000 ppb, 14,000 ppb, 13,000 ppb, 12,000 ppb, 11,000 ppb, 10,000 ppb, 9,000 ppb, 8,000 ppb, 7,000 ppb, 6,000 ppb, 5,000 ppb, 4,000 ppb, 3,000 ppb, 2,000 ppb, 1,000 ppb, 500 ppb, 100 ppb or 50 ppb.

[0024] The adenosine and guanosine concentrations can be measured by known methods. For example, the concentrations can be measured by a liquid chromatography mass spectrometer without decomposition treatment using perchloric acid, with reference to the BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (Beer Brewers Association, 8.30 Purines; total purine determination in beer, happoshu, and new genres by HPLC-UV method).

[0025] The beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention may have a reduced carbohydrate concentration. Specifically, the upper limit of the carbohydrate concentration of the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention (not more than or less than) can be 2.0 g / 100 mL, 1.9 g / 100 mL, 1.8 g / 100 mL, 1.7 g / 100 mL, 1.6 g / 100 mL, 1.5 g / 100 mL, 1.4 g / 100 mL, 1.3 g / 100 mL, 1.2 g / 100 mL, 1.1 g / 100 mL, 1.0 g / 100 mL, 0.9 g / 100 mL, 0.8 g / 100 mL, 0.7 g / 100 mL, 0.6 g / 100 mL, 0.5 g / 100 mL, 0.4 g / 100 mL, 0.3 g / 100 mL, or 0.2 g / 100 mL. In addition, beverages with a carbohydrate concentration of less than 0.5 g / 100 mL correspond to "zero carbohydrate beverages."

[0026] The carbohydrate concentration can be measured by known methods, and can be calculated by subtracting the amounts of water, protein, lipids, ash, and dietary fiber from the mass of the sample to be measured (see Nutrition Labeling Standards (Partially Revised Consumer Affairs Agency Notification No. 9 of December 16, 2009)).

[0027] The beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention is characterized in that the γ-nonalactone concentration is at a predetermined value. Specifically, the lower limit of the γ-nonalactone concentration in the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention (not less than or exceeding) can be 10 ppb, and can be 11 ppb, 12 ppb, 13 ppb, 14 ppb, 15 ppb, 16 ppb, 17 ppb, 18 ppb, 19 ppb, 20 ppb, 21 ppb, 22 ppb, 23 ppb, 24 ppb, 25 ppb, 26 ppb, 27 ppb, 28 ppb, 29 ppb, 30 ppb, or 31 ppb. ppb, 32 ppb, 33 ppb, 34 ppb, 35 ppb, 36 ppb, 37 ppb, 38 ppb, 39 ppb, 40 ppb, 41 ppb, 42 ppb, 43 ppb, 44 ppb, 45 ppb, 46 ppb, 47 ppb, 48 ppb, 49 ppb, 50 ppb, 55 ppb, 60 ppb, 65 ppb, 70 ppb, 75 ppb, 80 ppb, 85 ppb, 90 ppb, 95 ppb or 100 ppb. Furthermore, the upper limit of the γ-nonalactone concentration in the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention (less than or equal to 500 ppb) is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved. b, 455ppb, 450ppb, 445ppb, 440ppb, 435ppb, 430ppb, 425ppb, 420ppb, 415ppb, 410ppb, 405ppb, 400ppb, 395ppb, 390ppb, 385ppb, 380ppb, 375ppb, 370ppb, 365ppb, 360ppb, 355 ppb, 350ppb, 345ppb, 340ppb, 335ppb, 330ppb, 325ppb, 320ppb, 315ppb, 310ppb, 305pp b, 300ppb, 295ppb, 290ppb, 285ppb, 280ppb, 275ppb, 270ppb, 265ppb, 260ppb, 255ppb, 2 50ppb, 245ppb, 240ppb, 235ppb, 230ppb, 225ppb, 220ppb, 215ppb, 210ppb, 205ppb, 200p pb, 195ppb, 190ppb, 185ppb, 180ppb, 175ppb, 170ppb, 165ppb, 160ppb, 155ppb, 150ppb,It can also be 145 ppb, 140 ppb, 135 ppb, 130 ppb, 125 ppb, 120 ppb, 115 ppb, 110 ppb, 105 ppb, 100 ppb, 95 ppb, 90 ppb, 85 ppb, 80 ppb, 75 ppb, 70 ppb, 65 ppb, 60 ppb, 55 ppb or 50 ppb. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any desired manner, and the γ-nonalactone concentration in the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 10 to 500 ppb, 20 to 500 ppb, 30 to 500 ppb, 40 to 500 ppb, 50 to 500 ppb, 60 to 500 ppb, 70 to 500 ppb, 80 to 500 ppb, 90 to 500 ppb, 100 to 500 ppb, 10 to 475 ppb, 20 to 475 ppb, 30 to 475 ppb, 40 to 475 ppb, 50 to 475 ppb, pb, 60-475ppb, 70-475ppb, 80-475ppb, 90-475ppb, 100-475ppb, 10-450ppb, 20-450ppb, 30-450ppb, 40-450ppb, 50-450ppb, 60 ~450ppb, 70-450ppb, 80-450ppb, 90-450ppb, 100-450ppb, 10-425ppb, 20-425ppb, 30-425ppb, 40-425ppb, 50-425ppb, 60-425ppb b, 70-425ppb, 80-425ppb, 90-425ppb, 100-425ppb, 10-400ppb, 20-400ppb, 30-400ppb, 40-400ppb, 50-400ppb, 60-400ppb, 70- 400ppb, 80-400ppb, 90-400ppb, 100-400ppb, 10-375ppb, 20-375ppb, 30-375ppb, 40-375ppb, 50-375ppb, 60-375ppb, 70-375ppb , 80-375ppb, 90-375ppb, 100-375ppb, 10-350ppb, 20-350ppb, 30-350ppb, 40-350ppb, 50-350ppb, 60-350ppb, 70-350ppb, 80-3 50ppb, 90-350ppb, 100-350ppb, 10-325ppb, 20-325ppb, 30-325ppb, 40-325ppb, 50-325ppb, 60-325ppb, 70-325ppb, 80-325ppb,90~325ppb、100~325ppb、10~300ppb、20~300ppb、30~300ppb、40~300ppb、50~300ppb、60~300ppb、70~300ppb、80~300ppb、90~300ppb、100~300ppb、10~275ppb、20~275ppb、30~275ppb、40~275ppb、50~275ppb、60~275ppb、70~275ppb、80~275ppb、90~275ppb、100~275ppb、10~250ppb、20~250ppb、30~250ppb、40~250ppb、50~250ppb、60~250ppb、70~250ppb、80~250ppb、90~250ppb、100~250ppb、10~225ppb、20~225ppb、30~225ppb、40~225ppb、50~225ppb、60~225ppb、70~225ppb、80~225ppb、90~225ppb、100~225ppb、10~200ppb、20~200ppb、30~200ppb、40~200ppb、50~200ppb、60~200ppb、70~200ppb、80~200ppb、90~200ppb、100~200ppb、10~175ppb、20~175ppb、30~175ppb、40~175ppb、50~175ppb、60~175ppb、70~175ppb、80~175ppb、90~175ppb、100~175ppb、10~150ppb、20~150ppb、30~150ppb、40~150ppb、50~150ppb、60~150ppb、70~150ppb、80~150ppb、90~150ppb、100~150ppb、10~125ppb、20~125ppb、30~125ppb、40~125ppb、50~125ppb、60~125ppb、70~125ppb、80~125ppb、90~125ppb、100~125ppb、10~100ppb、20~100ppb、30~100ppb、40~100ppb、50~100ppb、60~100ppb、70~100ppb、80~100ppb、90~100ppb、10~75ppb、20~75ppb、30~75ppb、40~75ppb、50~75ppb、60~75ppb、70~75ppb、10~50ppb、20~50ppb、It can be 30 to 50 ppb or 40 to 50 ppb.

[0028] In the present invention, in addition to adding γ-nonalactone during the beverage production process, γ-nonalactone can be contained in a beer-taste fermented beverage by adjusting production conditions. Non-limiting examples of such production conditions include adjusting brewing conditions, increasing the amount of raw materials containing the substance, increasing the amount of raw materials that produce the substance in the final product, and adjusting the concentration of substances that are converted into the substance by fermentation with yeast. In addition to adding γ-nonalactone during the beverage production process, γ-nonalactone can also be contained in a beer-taste fermented beverage by selecting raw materials. Non-limiting examples of raw materials that contain γ-nonalactone and raw materials that produce γ-nonalactone in the final product include malt (especially roasted grains including dark malt), and fruits such as apricots and peaches.

[0029] When γ-nonalactone is added in the production of the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention, the γ-nonalactone may be of any form suitable for food production, and its form is not particularly limited as long as it is easily soluble in an aqueous solvent.

[0030] In the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention, the γ-nonalactone concentration can be quantified by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC / MS).

[0031] The beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention is characterized by an improvement in the deterioration of flavor due to the reduction in purine concentration, despite its reduced purine concentration. Beer-taste fermented beverages with reduced purine concentrations (particularly beer and happoshu) have a flavor problem of an emphasized sourness due to the reduced purine concentration. The beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention has an improved sourness due to the reduced purine concentration, thereby solving the above-mentioned problem of beer-taste fermented beverages with reduced purine concentrations. Beer-taste fermented beverages with reduced purine concentrations (particularly beer and happoshu) also have a flavor problem of a weakened beer-like mellowness due to the reduced purine concentration. The beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention has an improved weakened beer-like mellowness due to the reduced purine concentration, thereby solving the above-mentioned problem of beer-taste fermented beverages with reduced purine concentrations. Here, "sourness" refers to the sourness perceived when drinking. Furthermore, "beer-like mellowness" refers to the overall aroma, breadth, and depth of flavor of the beer.

[0032] The beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be produced without any particular procedure, as long as the purine concentration is reduced to a predetermined level and the γ-nonalactone is contained at a predetermined concentration. For example, the beverage can be produced as follows. Specifically, a beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage can be produced by adding fermentation yeast to wort prepared from brewing raw materials such as malt, hops, auxiliary materials, and brewing water, fermenting the resulting fermented liquid, storing it at low temperature, removing the yeast through a filtration process, and optionally further diluting it. The purine concentration in a beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage can be reduced according to known methods described below. Furthermore, a predetermined concentration of γ-nonalactone can be contained in a beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage by adding γ-nonalactone during the beverage production process or by appropriately selecting raw materials or production conditions, as described above. In this manner, a beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage can be produced that has a reduced purine concentration and a predetermined γ-nonalactone concentration.

[0033] The beer-taste fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can also be produced by, for example, producing a beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage and then removing alcohol from the resulting beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage, or by terminating fermentation at a stage in the fermentation process of producing a beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage when the ethanol concentration is less than 1 v / v %. In this method, the γ-nonalactone concentration can be adjusted at any stage in the production process, and can also be adjusted by adding γ-nonalactone.

[0034] Methods for removing alcohol from beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages include, for example, (i) a method of removing alcohol and low-boiling-point components by distillation under reduced pressure or normal pressure, (ii) a method of removing alcohol and low-molecular-weight components using a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane, and (iii) a method of removing volatile components by adsorbing them into steam using centrifugal force.

[0035] The purine concentration in a beer-taste fermented beverage can be reduced by known methods. Non-limiting examples of methods for reducing the purine concentration in a beer-taste fermented beverage include methods for reducing the purine content in the beverage by contacting a pre-fermentation solution or a fermentation solution with an adsorbent such as activated carbon or zeolite (see, for example, JP 2003-169658 A, JP 2004-290071 A, JP 2004-290072 A, and JP 2015-112090 A), methods for reducing the purine content in the beverage by using raw materials other than malt that contain less purine (for example, soybean malt), and methods for reducing the purine content in the beverage by contacting a pre-fermentation solution or a fermentation solution with an adsorbent such as activated carbon or zeolite (see, for example, JP 2003-169658 A, JP 2004-290071 A, JP 2004-290072 A, and JP 2015-112090 A). Examples of such methods include a method of reducing the purine content in a beverage using malt-derived enzymes (such as malt, corn grits, etc.) (see, for example, JP 2014-117204 A and JP 2014-117205 A), and a method of reducing yeast-unassimilable purines in wort by performing an enzyme inactivation treatment to inactivate at least a portion of the malt-derived enzymes, and then treating the brewing liquid with purine nucleosidase (see, for example, JP 2018-64502 A).

[0036] The carbohydrate concentration in a beer-taste fermented beverage can be reduced by known methods, including, but not limited to, adding glucoamylase during the saccharification process, adding glucoamylase during the fermentation process (see, for example, Enzyme Utilization Technology Encyclopedia: From Basics and Analysis to Modification, Advanced Functionalization, and Industrial Use (edited by Makoto Komiyama, NTS Co., Ltd., 2010)), reducing carbohydrates by increasing the assimilation rate of yeast using liquid sugar containing a large amount of carbohydrates that can be assimilated by yeast (see JP 2009-131202 A), and filtering wort during the saccharification process (see JP 2012-147780 A).

[0037] In the above production procedure, wort can be produced by a conventional method. For example, a mixture of brewing raw materials and brewing water is saccharified, filtered to obtain wort, and then hops are added to the wort, followed by boiling and cooling the boiled wort to prepare the wort. Hops may be added during boiling. Wort can also be prepared by adding a commercially available enzyme preparation during the saccharification step. For example, a protease preparation can be used for protein degradation, an α-amylase preparation, a glucoamylase preparation, a pullulanase preparation, or the like, can be used for carbohydrate degradation, and a β-glucanase preparation, a cellulase-degrading enzyme preparation, or the like, can be used for cellulolysis, or a mixture of these preparations can also be used.

[0038] In the production of the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention, in addition to malt, other ingredients may be used, such as ungerminated wheat and barley (for example, ungerminated barley (including extracts), ungerminated wheat (including extracts)); rice, corn, koryang (sorghum), potato, starch, sugars (for example, liquid sugar), dietary fiber (including dietary fiber contained in liquid sugar), fruit (for example, fruit juice, concentrated fruit juice), coriander or its seeds, spices or ingredients thereof (for example, pepper, cinnamon, Japanese pepper), herbs (for example, chamomile, sage, basil), vegetables (for example, sweet potato, pumpkin), buckwheat, etc. Alternatively, secondary ingredients such as sesame, carbohydrate-containing substances (e.g., honey, brown sugar), salt, miso, flowers, tea, coffee, cocoa (including preparations of tea, coffee, and cocoa), and seafood (e.g., oysters, kelp, wakame seaweed, and bonito flakes); nitrogen sources such as protein hydrolysates and yeast extract; grains other than those mentioned above (e.g., soybeans); and other additives such as flavorings, colorants, foaming / foam retention improvers, water quality conditioners, and fermentation aids can be used as brewing ingredients, but the above are merely examples, and ingredients other than those mentioned above can also be used in the production of the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention.

[0039] In the production of the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention, a raw material containing γ-nonalactone (for example, malt (particularly roasted grains including dark malt), or fruits such as apricots or peaches) is used as a brewing raw material, thereby allowing the beer-taste fermented beverage to contain γ-nonalactone at a predetermined concentration. When the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention is beer, γ-nonalactone itself cannot be blended as a brewing raw material for beer. However, according to the present invention, by selecting the brewing raw materials, it is possible to include γ-nonalactone in beer at a predetermined concentration, which is advantageous in that the flavor of the beer can be improved.

[0040] The raw materials used in the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention, other than brewing water, can be at least malt and hops, and in some cases can further include sugars, rice, corn, starch, etc. Of the beer-taste fermented beverages, it goes without saying that all-malt beer can be produced from malt, hops, and water.

[0041] In the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention, the ethyl acetate concentration can be, for example, 100 ppm or less, and from the viewpoint of achieving a better taste intensity, refreshment, and balance between aroma and taste, it can be preferably 50 ppm or less, more preferably 40 ppm or less, and even more preferably 30 ppm or less. Furthermore, in the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention, the ethyl acetate concentration can be, for example, 1 ppm or more, 2 ppm or more, or 3 ppm or more. The ethyl acetate concentration of the beer-taste fermented beverage can be adjusted by known methods (e.g., using yeast with low ethyl acetate production ability, adjusting brewing conditions such as fermentation temperature, etc.).

[0042] The ethyl acetate concentration in the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention can be measured using a headspace gas chromatograph equipped with an FID as described in Section 8.22 of the BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (revised and expanded in 2013). For example, the ethyl acetate concentration can be measured by introducing the gas phase of a beer sample heated in a vial into a gas chromatograph equipped with an FID detector, reading the area of ​​ethyl acetate on the gas chromatogram, and calculating the amount of each component from the ratio to the area of ​​the internal standard (n-butanol). For more accurate concentration measurements, it is desirable to use a calibration curve prepared based on the measurements of several control samples with known concentrations.

[0043] The malic acid concentration in the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 20 to 120 ppm, preferably 30 to 100 ppm. The malic acid concentration in the beer-taste fermented beverage can be measured by capillary electrophoresis as described in "8.24.2" of the BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods (revised and expanded in 2013).

[0044] In the present invention, the term "bitterness value (BU)" refers to a value measured according to the method described in Section 8.15 of the BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods (revised and expanded in 2013). Specifically, the bitterness value can be determined by adding an acid to a sample beverage, extracting it with isooctane, measuring the absorbance (275 nm) of the isooctane layer, and multiplying this measured value by 50.

[0045] The upper limit of the bitterness value (BU) of the beverage of the present invention can be (not more than or less than) 60, 50, 40, 30, 25, 22, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, or 10, and the lower limit (not less than or greater than) can be 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, or 2. The bitterness value (BU) of the beverage of the present invention can be in the range of, for example, 2 to 60, and from the viewpoint of obtaining a beer-taste fermented beverage with a more favorable flavor, can be, for example, 3 to 30, preferably 4 to 25, 5 to 22, or 5 to 20.

[0046] In the present invention, the method for adjusting the bitterness value (BU) is not particularly limited, but a preferred example is a method of adjusting the amount of hops and / or hop processed products used in the production of a beer-flavored fermented beverage and / or the boiling time. Generally, increasing the amount of hops and / or hop processed products used and / or the boiling time increases the concentration of iso-α acids and other components in the resulting beer-flavored fermented beverage, thereby increasing the BU of the resulting beer-flavored fermented beverage. Decreasing the amount of hops and / or hop processed products used and / or the boiling time decreases the concentration of iso-α acids and other components in the resulting beer-flavored fermented beverage, thereby decreasing the BU of the resulting beer-flavored fermented beverage. Examples of hops that can be used include fresh hops, hop pellets that have been crushed and processed into pellets, hop pellets that have been sieved to increase the lupulin content during processing, and hop extracts from which lupulin's bitterness, essential oils, and the like have been extracted. Examples of hop processed products that can be used include low hops, hexahops, tetrahops, and isomerized hop extracts (isomerized hop extracts).

[0047] The pH of the fermented beer-taste beverage of the present invention can be adjusted to 2.0 or higher and 7.0 or lower, preferably 2.3 or higher and 5.0 or lower, more preferably 3.0 or higher and 4.7 or lower, and most preferably 3.5 or higher and 4.5 or lower. The pH of the fermented beer-taste beverage of the present invention can be adjusted using a pH adjuster. The pH of the fermented beer-taste beverage can be measured using a commercially available pH meter (e.g., a HORIBA Scientific benchtop pH meter, manufactured by HORIBA Advanced Techno Co., Ltd.).

[0048] The beverage provided by the present invention can be provided as a bottled beverage after being subjected to a step of adding carbon dioxide gas as needed, and further subjected to steps such as a filling step and a sterilization step. Sterilization may be carried out before or after filling into the container. Furthermore, if the pH of the beverage is adjusted to less than 4, the beverage can be filled directly without going through the sterilization step to produce a bottled beverage.

[0049] 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.

[0050] Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for producing a beer-taste fermented beverage having a purine concentration of 35,000 ppb or less, an adenosine concentration of 15,000 ppb or less, or a guanosine concentration of 56,000 ppb or less, the method comprising the step of adding γ-nonalactone so that the γ-nonalactone concentration in the produced beverage is 10 ppb or more. The production method of the present invention improves the flavor of the produced fermented beer-taste beverage. Here, "improved flavor" or "flavor improvement" of a fermented beer-taste beverage refers to the improvement of the deterioration in flavor (e.g., increased sourness, reduced beer-like richness) caused by a reduction in the purine concentration in the fermented beer-taste beverage. The production method of the present invention can be carried out in accordance with the above and other descriptions of the fermented beer-taste beverage of the present invention.

[0051] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for improving the flavor of a beer-taste fermented beverage having a purine concentration of 35,000 ppb or less, an adenosine concentration of 15,000 ppb or less, or a guanosine concentration of 56,000 ppb or less, the method comprising the step of adding γ-nonalactone to the beverage so that the γ-nonalactone concentration in the produced beverage is 10 ppb or more. This flavor improvement method can improve the flavor of a beer-taste fermented beverage with a reduced purine concentration. The flavor improvement method of the present invention can be carried out in accordance with the above-described and other descriptions of the beer-taste fermented beverage and its production method of the present invention.

[0052] The present invention will be described in more detail based on the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0053] Measurement of Alcohol Concentration The alcohol concentration (ethanol concentration) was measured according to the method described in the "National Tax Agency Prescribed Analysis Method."

[0054] Measurement of purine concentration The purine concentration was measured by a method in which purine was detected using LC-MS / MS (liquid chromatography mass spectrometry) after hydrolysis with perchloric acid (see Food Hygiene Journal 55(2): 110-116 (2014)).

[0055] Measurement of Adenosine and Guanosine Concentrations The concentrations of adenosine and guanosine were measured using a liquid chromatography mass spectrometer without decomposition by perchloric acid treatment, based on the BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (Beer Brewers Association, 8.30 Purines; total purine quantification in beer, happoshu, and new genre beers using HPLC-UV).

[0056] Analysis of Carbohydrate Concentration Based on the Nutrition Labeling Standards, the carbohydrate concentration was measured according to the method described in the well-known 5th Edition Analysis Manual of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, by calculating the mass of the sample beverage minus the amounts of water, protein, lipid, ash and dietary fiber.

[0057] Measurement of γ-nonalactone concentration The concentration of γ-nonalactone (CAS RN: 104-61-0) was measured as follows. First, the aroma components in the beverage were separated using a C18 solid-phase extraction column, and the resulting analytical sample was subjected to GC / MS. In addition, borneol was used as an internal standard substance and added to the sample so that the concentration in the analytical sample became 50 ppb. The GC / MS analysis conditions were as shown in Table 1 below.

[0058]

[0059] Example 1: Production and evaluation of beer-taste fermented beverages In Example 1, test samples of beer-taste fermented beverages were prepared and evaluation tests were carried out on each sample.

[0060] (1) Method A: Preparation of Test Samples (1) Barley malt and dark malt were used as the main raw materials (malt usage ratio: 59%). An enzyme preparation was used for saccharification, and wort was obtained by adjusting the saccharification temperature and time and filtering. Specifically, 10 parts by mass of barley malt, a β-glucanase enzyme preparation, and an enzyme preparation mainly composed of glucoamylase were added to 100 parts by mass of hot water at 50°C. The mixture was then held for 30 minutes, heated to 64°C, and held for 70 minutes. The mixture was then heated to 78°C and held for 5 minutes, after which it was filtered to obtain wort. Following the wort preparation process described above, 9.5 parts by mass of liquid sugar mainly composed of hops and assimilable sugars was added to the resulting wort and boiled at 100°C for 90 minutes. The wort was then allowed to stand, the trub was separated, and the mixture was cooled to obtain a pre-fermentation solution. Bottom-fermenting yeast was then added to the pre-fermentation solution, and primary and secondary fermentations were carried out according to conventional methods. Subsequently, the fermented liquor after post-fermentation was stored at a lower temperature and filtered to produce a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage. A trace amount of γ-nonalactone was added to this beverage to prepare base beverage A1 (test group 1 shown in Table 3). Furthermore, brewing ethanol (95%) was added to base beverage A1 to prepare base beverage A2 (test group 12 shown in Table 3). Furthermore, base beverage A1 was diluted with water to prepare base beverage A3 (test group 16 shown in Table 3). Furthermore, test sample beverages for test groups 2, 13, and 17 shown in Table 3 were prepared by adding γ-nonalactone to base beverages A1, A2, and A3, respectively.

[0061] (2) Preparation of Test Samples Barley malt and dark malt were used as raw materials (malt ratio: 15%). Wort was obtained by enzymatic saccharification of the malt and filtration. Hops and liquid sugar primarily containing assimilable sugars were added to the resulting wort and boiled at 100°C. The wort was then allowed to stand to separate the coagulated protein (trube), followed by cooling to obtain a pre-fermentation solution. Bottom-fermenting yeast was added to the resulting pre-fermentation solution, and primary and secondary fermentations were carried out to obtain a fermented liquor. The resulting fermented liquor was stored at low temperature to terminate fermentation and filtered to produce a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage. A trace amount of γ-nonalactone was added to this beverage to prepare base beverage B1 (Test Group 3 shown in Table 3). Brewing ethanol (95%) was added to base beverage B1 to prepare base beverage B2 (Test Group 14 shown in Table 3). Base beverage B1 was also diluted with water to prepare base beverage B3 (Test Group 18 shown in Table 3). Furthermore, by adding γ-nonalactone to base beverage B1, test sample beverages of test plots 4 to 7 shown in Table 3 were prepared. Furthermore, by adding γ-nonalactone to base beverages B2 and B3, test sample beverages of test plots 15 and 19 shown in Table 3 were prepared.

[0062] C. Preparation of Test Samples (3) Barley malt and dark malt were used as the main raw materials (100% malt). Wort was obtained by enzymatic saccharification of the malt and filtration. Hops were added to the resulting wort and boiled at 100°C. The wort was then allowed to stand to separate the coagulated protein (trube), and then cooled to obtain a pre-fermentation solution. Bottom-fermenting yeast was added to the resulting pre-fermentation solution, and primary and secondary fermentations were carried out to obtain a fermented liquor. The resulting fermented liquor was stored at low temperature to terminate the fermentation, and then filtered to produce a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage. This beverage was diluted 3-fold with water and γ-nonalactone was added to prepare base beverage C1 (test group 8 shown in Table 3). Furthermore, the beverage was diluted 6.5-fold with water and γ-nonalactone was added to prepare base beverage C2 (test group 10 shown in Table 3). Furthermore, test sample beverages of test plots 9 and 11 shown in Table 3 were prepared by adding γ-nonalactone to base beverages C1 and C2, respectively.

[0063] E. Evaluation Test: The sensory evaluation test was conducted by five trained panelists. The evaluation criteria for sourness intensity, beer richness, and beer-like complexity are shown in Table 2. These evaluation items were evaluated using scores in increments of 0.5 within a range of 1.0 (minimum) to 5.0 (maximum) based on the evaluation criteria in Table 2, and the average scores of the five panelists was calculated. In addition, the scores for each evaluation item in Test Groups 1, 3, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 were set to either 2.0 or 1.5 to standardize the evaluation criteria among the panelists, and sensory evaluation was conducted while comparing samples with the same base beverage. Samples with a score of 3.0 or higher were judged to have a favorable effect on the evaluation item, and samples with a score of 3.5 or higher were judged to have a more favorable effect on the evaluation item.

[0064]

[0065] The strength of acidity refers to the strength of the acidity felt when drinking. The mellowness of beer refers to the brilliance, breadth, and depth of the overall aroma of the beer. Furthermore, the complexity of beer refers to the aroma sensation of multiple flavors and aromas spreading in the mouth without any sense of incongruity.

[0066] (2) Results The results are shown in Table 3. Although a tendency was observed for the base beverage to taste slightly more sour when the purine concentration was reduced (Test Plots 1, 3, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18), it was confirmed that a tendency was observed for the sourness to be reduced when the γ-nonalactone concentration was increased (Test Plots 2, 4 to 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19). Furthermore, although a tendency was observed for the base beverage to taste slightly less mellow as a beer when the purine concentration was reduced (Test Plots 1, 3, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18), it was confirmed that a tendency was observed for the mellowness to be enhanced as a beer when the γ-nonalactone concentration was increased (Test Plots 2, 4 to 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19). Increasing the concentration of γ-nonalactone imparted a fruity flavor to the beverage, but it was confirmed that in test plots 4 to 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19 (test plots with a beer mellowness rating of 3 or higher), not only was the fruity flavor imparted to the beverage, but the overall aroma of the beer also became more vibrant, the aroma broader, and the flavor richer. Furthermore, while a reduction in the purine concentration tended to slightly weaken the beer-like complexity of the base beverage (test plots 1, 3, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18), it was confirmed that increasing the concentration of γ-nonalactone enhanced the beer-like complexity (test plots 2, 4 to 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19).

[0067]

Claims

A beer-flavored fermented beverage having a purine concentration of 35,000 ppb or less, an adenosine concentration of 15,000 ppb or less, or a guanosine concentration of 56,000 ppb or less, and a gamma-nonalactone concentration of 10 ppb or more.

2. The beer-taste fermented beverage according to claim 1, wherein the malt content is 25% or more and 100% or less.

3. The beer-taste fermented beverage according to claim 1, wherein the purine concentration is less than 5,000 ppb.

3. The beer-taste fermented beverage according to claim 1, wherein the γ-nonalactone concentration is 500 ppb or less.

3. The beer-taste fermented beverage according to claim 1, having an alcohol concentration of 10.0 v / v % or less. 　 A method for producing a beer-taste fermented beverage having a purine concentration of 35,000 ppb or less, an adenosine concentration of 15,000 ppb or less, or a guanosine concentration of 56,000 ppb or less, the method comprising a step of incorporating γ-nonalactone so that the γ-nonalactone concentration in the produced beverage is 10 ppb or more. 　 A method for improving the flavor of a beer-taste fermented beverage having a purine concentration of 35,000 ppb or less, an adenosine concentration of 15,000 ppb or less, or a guanosine concentration of 56,000 ppb or less, the method comprising the step of adding γ-nonalactone so that the γ-nonalactone concentration in the produced beverage is 10 ppb or more.

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