Beer-taste alcohol-free beverage method for producing same

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a novel beer-taste alcohol-free beverage having robust feeling and good sharpness of aftertaste. The present invention provides a beer-taste alcohol-free beverage which contains caprylic acid and / or capric acid, wherein the concentration of caprylic acid is 1.5 ppm to 70 ppm inclusive, the concentration of capric acid is 0.15 ppm to 10 ppm inclusive, and the real extract is 2.0 mass% or more. According to the present invention, caprylic acid and / or capric acid is contained so as to be within a specified concentration range in a beer-taste alcohol-free beverage. As a result, it is possible to provide a beer-taste alcohol-free beverage having robust feeling and good sharpness of aftertaste and it is advantageously possible to satisfy 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 being insufficiently satisfying to drink and having a crisp 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 is satisfying to drink and has a crisp aftertaste.

[0005] The present inventors have found that adding caprylic acid and / or capric acid within a specific concentration range to a beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage results in a satisfying drinking experience and a crisp aftertaste. The present invention is based on these findings.

[0006] The present invention provides the following: [1] A beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage containing caprylic acid and / or capric acid, wherein the caprylic acid concentration is from 1.5 ppm to 70 ppm, the capric acid concentration is from 0.15 ppm to 10 ppm, and the true extract content is 2.0 mass% or more. [2] The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage according to [1] above, wherein the caprylic acid concentration is from 2 ppm to 10 ppm. [3] The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the capric acid concentration is from 0.2 ppm to 10 ppm. [4] The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [3] above, wherein the malt usage ratio is 50% or more. [5] The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [4] above, wherein the beer is a dealcoholized beverage. [6] A method for producing a beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage, which includes a step of incorporating caprylic acid and / or capric acid, wherein the caprylic acid concentration is 1.5 ppm to 70 ppm and the capric acid concentration is 0.15 ppm to 10 ppm. [7] A method for improving the flavor of a beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage, which includes a step of incorporating caprylic acid and / or capric acid in the production of the beverage, wherein the caprylic acid concentration is 1.5 ppm to 70 ppm and the capric acid concentration is 0.15 ppm to 10 ppm.

[0007] According to the present invention, by incorporating caprylic acid and / or capric acid within a predetermined concentration range in a beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage, it is possible to provide a beverage that is satisfying to drink and has a crisp aftertaste, which is advantageous in that it can meet the diverse tastes 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 (hereinafter 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 satisfactory drinking experience and a crisp 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 may 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% or less. "Less than" can mean "less than," and "more than" can mean "greater than." These upper and lower limits can be combined arbitrarily. 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 water.

[0013] In the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention, in addition to malt, ungerminated barley (including extracts) and ungerminated wheat (including extracts) can be used as raw materials. The non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention can use malt and ungerminated barley as at least a portion of the raw materials, and preferably barley malt and ungerminated barley as at least a portion of the raw materials.

[0014] The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is characterized in that the caprylic acid (CAS RN: 124-07-2) and / or capric acid (CAS RN: 334-48-5) concentrations are within a predetermined range.

[0015] In the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the lower limit of the caprylic acid concentration (not less than or exceeding) is 1.5 ppm, but other limits may be set as follows: 1.6 ppm, 1.7 ppm, 1.8 ppm, 1.9 ppm, 2.0 ppm, 2.1 ppm, 2.2 ppm, 2.3 ppm, 2.4 ppm, 2.5 ppm, 2.6 ppm, 2.7 ppm, 2.8 ppm, 2.9 ppm, It can also be 3.0 ppm, 3.1 ppm, 3.2 ppm, 3.3 ppm, 3.4 ppm, 3.5 ppm, 3.6 ppm, 3.7 ppm, 3.8 ppm, 3.9 ppm, 4.0 ppm, 4.1 ppm, 4.2 ppm, 4.3 ppm, 4.4 ppm, 4.5 ppm, 4.6 ppm, 4.7 ppm, 4.8 ppm, 4.9 ppm or 5.0 ppm. Furthermore, the upper limit (or less than) of the caprylic 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 may be, for example, 70 ppm, 69 ppm, 68 ppm, 67 ppm, 66 ppm, 65 ppm, 64 ppm, 63 ppm, 62 ppm, 61 ppm, 60 ppm, 59 ppm, 58 ppm, 57 ppm, 56 ppm, 55 ppm, 54 ppm, 53 ppm, 52 ppm, 51 ppm, 50 ppm, 49 ppm, 48 ppm, 47 ppm, or 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, 30 ppm, 29 ppm, 28 ppm, 27 ppm, 26 ppm, 25 ppm, 24 ppm, 23 ppm, 22 ppm, 21 ppm, 20 ppm, 19 ppm, 18 ppm, 17 ppm, 16 ppm, 15 ppm, 14 ppm, 13 ppm, 12 ppm, 11 ppm or 10 ppm.These lower and upper limits can be combined in any desired manner, for example, 1.5 ppm to 70 ppm, 1.5 ppm to 60 ppm, 1.5 ppm to 50 ppm, 1.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 1.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 1.5 ppm to 20 ppm, 1.5 ppm to 10 ppm, 2 ppm to 70 ppm, 2 ppm to 60 ppm, 2 ppm to 50 ppm, 2 ppm to 40 ppm, 2 ppm to 30 ppm, 2 ppm to 50 ppm, 2 ppm to 40 ppm, 2 ppm to 30 ppm, 2 ppm to 50 ppm, 2 ppm to 40 ppm, 2 ppm to 30 ppm, 2 ppm to 50 ppm, 2 ppm to 50 ppm, 2 ppm to 40 ppm, 2 ppm to 30 ppm, 2 ppm to 50 ppm, 2 ppm to 50 ppm, 2 ppm to 50 ppm, 2 ppm to 40 ppm, 2 ppm to 30 ppm, 2 ppm to 50 ppm, 2 ppm to 50 ppm, 2 ppm to 50 ppm, 2 ppm to 3 ...50 ppm, 2 ppm to 50 ppm, 2 ppm to 30 ppm, 2 ppm to 30 ppm, 2 ppm to ppm or more and 20 ppm or less, 2 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 2.5 ppm or more and 70 ppm or less, 2.5 ppm or more and 60 ppm or less, 2.5 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 2.5 ppm or more and 40 ppm or less, 2.5 ppm or more and 30 ppm or less, 2.5 ppm or more and 20 ppm or less, 2.5 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, 3 ppm or more and 70 ppm or less, 3 ppm or more and 60 ppm or less, 3 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 3 ppm or more and 40 ppm or less, 3 ppm or more and 30 ppm or less, 3 ppm or more and 20 ppm or less, 3ppm to 10ppm, 3.5ppm to 70ppm, 3.5ppm to 60ppm, 3.5ppm to 50ppm, 3.5ppm to 40ppm, 3.5ppm to 30ppm, 3.5ppm to 20ppm, 3 .5ppm to 10ppm, 4ppm to 70ppm, 4ppm to 60ppm, 4ppm to 50ppm, 4ppm to 30ppm, 4ppm to 20ppm, 4ppm to 10ppm In the present invention, the unit "ppm" is synonymous with "mg / L".

[0016] The caprylic acid concentration of the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention may be, for example, 1.5 ppm or more and 9 ppm or less, 1.5 ppm or more and 8 ppm or less, 1.5 ppm or more and 7 ppm or less, 1.5 ppm or more and 6 ppm or less, 1.5 ppm or more and 5 ppm or less, 1.5 ppm or more and 4 ppm or less, 1.5 ppm or more and 3 ppm or less, 2 ppm or more and 9 ppm or less, 2 ppm or more and 8 ppm or less, or 2 ppm or more and 7 ppm or less. ppm or less, 2 ppm to 6 ppm, 2 ppm to 5 ppm, 2 ppm to 4 ppm, 2.5 ppm to 9 ppm, 2.5 ppm to 8 ppm, 2.5 ppm to 7 ppm, 2.5 ppm to 6 ppm, 2.5 ppm to 5 ppm, 2.5 ppm to 4 ppm, 3 ppm to 9 ppm, 3 ppm to 8 ppm, 3 ppm to 7 ppm, 3 ppm ppm or more and 6 ppm or less, 3 ppm or more and 5 ppm or less, 3.5 ppm or more and 9 ppm or less, 3.5 ppm or more and 8 ppm or less, 3.5 ppm or more and 7 ppm or less, 3.5 ppm or more and 6 ppm or less, 3.5 ppm or more and 5 ppm or less, 4 ppm or more and 9 ppm or less, 4 ppm or more and 8 ppm or less, 4 ppm or more and 7 ppm or less, 4 ppm or more and 6 ppm or less, 4.5 ppm or more and 9 ppm or less, 4.5 ppm or more and 8 ppm or less, 4.5 ppm to 7 ppm, 4.5 ppm to 6 ppm, 5 ppm to 9 ppm, 5 ppm to 8 ppm, 5 ppm to 7 ppm, 10 ppm to 70 ppm, 10 ppm to 60 ppm, 10 ppm to 50 ppm, 10 ppm to 40 ppm, 10 ppm to 30 ppm, or 10 ppm to 20 ppm. In the above, "or more" can be "greater than" and "or less" can be "less than."

[0017] In the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the lower limit of the capric acid concentration (not less than or exceeding) is 0.15 ppm, but may also be 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, or 0.30 ppm. Furthermore, the upper limit (or less than) of the capric 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. Examples of such upper limit values ​​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, and 8.6 ppm. , 8.5ppm, 8.4ppm, 8.3ppm, 8.2ppm, 8.1ppm, 8.0ppm, 7.9ppm, 7.8ppm, 7.7ppm, 7.6ppm, 7.5ppm, 7.4ppm, 7.3pp m, 7.2ppm, 7.1ppm, 7.0ppm, 6.9ppm, 6.8ppm, 6.7ppm, 6.6ppm, 6.5ppm, 6.4ppm, 6.3ppm, 6.2ppm, 6.1ppm, 6.0pp m, 5.9ppm, 5.8ppm, 5.7ppm, 5.6ppm, 5.5ppm, 5.4ppm, 5.3ppm, 5.2ppm, 5.1ppm, 5.0ppm, 4.9ppm, 4.8ppm, 4.7p pm, 4.6ppm, 4.5ppm, 4.4ppm, 4.3ppm, 4.2ppm, 4.1ppm, 4.0ppm, 3.9ppm, 3.8ppm, 3.7ppm, 3.6ppm, 3.5ppm, 3.4p ppm, 3.3 ppm, 3.2 ppm, 3.1 ppm, 3.0 ppm, 2.9 ppm, 2.8 ppm, 2.7 ppm, 2.6 ppm, 2.5 ppm, 2.4 ppm, 2.3 ppm, 2.2 ppm, 2.1 ppm, 2.0 ppm, 1.9 ppm, 1.8 ppm, 1.7 ppm, 1.6 ppm, 1.5 ppm, 1.4 ppm, 1.3 ppm, 1.2 ppm, 1.1 ppm or 1.0 ppm.These lower and upper limits can be combined in any desired manner, for example, from 0.15 ppm to 10 ppm, from 0.2 ppm to 10 ppm, from 0.25 ppm to 10 ppm, from 0.3 ppm to 10 ppm, from 0.15 ppm to 9 ppm, from 0.2 ppm to 9 ppm, from 0.25 ppm to 9 ppm, from 0.3 ppm to 9 ppm, and from 0. 15 ppm to 8 ppm, 0.2 ppm to 8 ppm, 0.25 ppm to 8 ppm, 0.3 ppm to 8 ppm, 0.15 ppm to 7 ppm, 0.2 ppm to 7 ppm, 0.25 ppm to 7 ppm, 0.3 ppm to 7 ppm, 0.15 ppm to 6 ppm, 0.2 ppm to 6 ppm, 0.25 ppm to 6 ppm , 0.3 ppm or more and 6 ppm or less, 0.15 ppm or more and 5 ppm or less, 0.2 ppm or more and 5 ppm or less, 0.25 ppm or more and 5 ppm or less, 0.3 ppm or more and 5 ppm or less, 0.15 ppm or more and 4 ppm or less, 0.2 ppm or more and 4 ppm or less, 0.25 ppm or more and 4 ppm or less, 0.3 ppm or more and 4 ppm or less, 0.15 ppm or more and 3 ppm or less, 0.2 ppm or more and 3 ppm or less, 0.25 ppm to 3 ppm, 0.3 ppm to 3 ppm, 0.15 ppm to 2 ppm, 0.2 ppm to 2 ppm, 0.25 ppm to 2 ppm, 0.3 ppm to 2 ppm, 0.15 ppm to 1 ppm, 0.2 ppm to 1 ppm, 0.25 ppm to 1 ppm, or 0.3 ppm to 1 ppm.

[0018] The capric acid concentration of the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention may be, for example, from 0.15 ppm to 0.2 ppm, from 0.15 ppm to 0.9 ppm, from 0.2 ppm to 0.9 ppm, from 0.25 ppm to 0.9 ppm, from 0.3 ppm to 0.9 ppm, from 0.35 ppm to 0.9 ppm, from 0.4 ppm to 0.9 ppm, from 0.45 ppm to 0.9 ppm, from 0.5 ppm to 0.9 ppm, from 0.15 ppm to 0.8 ppm, from 0.2 ppm to 0.8 ppm, from 0.25 ppm to 0.8 ppm, or from 0. 3ppm to 0.8ppm, 0.35ppm to 0.8ppm, 0.4ppm to 0.8ppm, 0.45ppm to 0.8ppm, 0.5ppm to 0.8ppm, 0.15ppm to 0.7ppm, 0.2ppm to 0.7ppm, 0.25p pm to 0.7ppm, 0.3ppm to 0.7ppm, 0.35ppm to 0.7ppm, 0.4ppm to 0.7ppm, 0.45ppm to 0.7ppm, 0.5ppm to 0.7ppm, 0.15ppm to 0.6ppm, 0.2ppm 0.6ppm or less, 0.25ppm or more and 0.6ppm or less, 0.3ppm or more and 0.6ppm or less, 0.35ppm or more and 0.6ppm or less, 0.4ppm or more and 0.6ppm or less, 0.15ppm or more and 0.5ppm or less, 0.2ppm or more and 0.5ppm or less, 0.25ppm or more and 0. 5ppm or less, 0.3ppm or more and 0.5ppm or less, 0.15ppm or more and 0.4ppm or less, 1ppm or more and 10ppm or less, 1.5ppm or more and 10ppm or less, 2ppm or more and 10ppm or less, 2.5ppm or more and 10ppm or less, and 3ppm or less. 10 ppm or less, 3.5 ppm to 10 ppm, 4 ppm to 10 ppm, 4.5 ppm to 10 ppm, 5 ppm to 10 ppm, 1 ppm to 9 ppm, 1.5 ppm to 9 ppm, 2 ppm to 9 ppm, 2.5 ppm to 9 ppm, 3 ppm to 9 ppm, 3.5 ppm to 9 ppm, 4 ppm to 9 ppm, 4.5 ppm to 9 ppm, 5 ppm to 9 ppm, 1 ppm to 8 ppm, 1.5 ppm to 8 ppm, 2 ppm to 8 ppm, 2.5 ppm to 8 ppm,3ppm to 8ppm, 3.5ppm to 8ppm, 4ppm to 8ppm, 4.5ppm to 8ppm, 5ppm to 8ppm, 1ppm to 7ppm, 1.5ppm to 7ppm, 2ppm to 7ppm Below, 2.5ppm to 7ppm, 3ppm to 7ppm, 3.5ppm to 7ppm, 4ppm to 7ppm, 4.5ppm to 7ppm, 5ppm to 7ppm, 1ppm to 6ppm, 1.5ppm and below. It can also be 6 ppm or less, 2 ppm to 6 ppm, 2.5 ppm to 6 ppm, 3 ppm to 6 ppm, 3.5 ppm to 6 ppm, 4 ppm to 6 ppm, 4.5 ppm to 6 ppm, 5 ppm to 6 ppm, 1 ppm to 5 ppm, 1.5 ppm to 5 ppm, 2 ppm to 5 ppm, 2.5 ppm to 5 ppm, 3 ppm to 5 ppm, 3.5 ppm to 5 ppm, or 4 ppm to 5 ppm. In the above, "more than" can be interpreted as "more than" and "less than" can be interpreted as "less than".

[0019] In the present invention, the caprylic acid concentration and capric acid concentration can be measured using gas chromatography (GC) equipped with an FID detector. For example, as shown in the Examples below, the concentrations can be measured by extracting the aroma components in a beverage using a hydroxylated polystyrene divinylbenzene copolymer solid-phase column and subjecting the resulting extract to GC / FID.

[0020] In the present invention, the caprylic acid and capric acid concentrations can be adjusted by selecting the raw materials. Non-limiting examples of raw materials containing caprylic acid and capric acid and raw materials that produce them in the final product include milk fat, coconut, fermented extracts, and fermented flavorings. In the present invention, the caprylic acid and capric acid concentrations can also be adjusted by appropriately setting the production conditions. Non-limiting examples of such production conditions include brewing conditions, selection of yeast (including strain), adjustment of the amount of yeast used, adjustment of fermentation conditions, and selection and amount of filter aid used. Furthermore, the concentrations of caprylic acid and / or capric acid can be adjusted by adding them during any of the production processes.

[0021] The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is characterized by having a satisfactory drinking experience and a crisp aftertaste despite being a non-alcoholic beverage. Non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages have had the problem of insufficient drinking experience and a crisp aftertaste due to the fact that they are non-alcoholic and the special methods used to prepare them to be non-alcoholic. In particular, in dealcoholized beverages in which the alcohol is removed after the fermentation process, components that contribute to drinking experience and a crisp aftertaste may be lost during the production process. The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention has a satisfactory drinking experience and a crisp aftertaste, thereby solving the above-mentioned problems of non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages. Here, "drinking experience" refers to the flavor sensation recognized by the volume of the taste and aroma felt in the mouth. Furthermore, "crisp aftertaste" refers to a refreshing flavor sensation in the mouth, with no lingering taste or aroma.

[0022] There are no limitations on the method for producing the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, so long as the caprylic acid and / or capric acid is contained within a predetermined concentration range.

[0023] The beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can also be produced, for example, by a method in which a fermented malt beverage is produced and then alcohol is removed from the resulting fermented malt beverage, or by a method in which fermentation is stopped at a stage in the fermentation process of producing the fermented malt beverage when the ethanol concentration is less than 1 v / v %. In this method, the caprylic acid and / or capric acid concentrations can be adjusted at any stage in the production process, and can also be adjusted by adding caprylic acid and / or capric acid.

[0024] In the present invention, examples of methods for removing alcohol after the fermentation step include (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 can be selected from any of the above (i), (ii), and (iii), or any of the above (i) and (ii). In the present invention, the step of removing alcohol after the fermentation step (de-alcoholization step) can be carried out once or multiple times (e.g., two, three, or four times), and is preferably carried out once from the viewpoints of reducing the impact of heat load on quality (e.g., an increase in components unfavorable to the flavor, such as off-flavors) and suppressing cost increases due to the use of electricity and steam.

[0025] 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 caprylic acid concentration and / or capric acid 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.

[0026] The preparation of the mash can be carried out according to a conventional method, for example, by sequentially carrying out the following steps: (a) saccharifying a mixture of water and raw materials containing malt, followed by filtering to obtain wort, (b) adding hops to the obtained wort and then boiling it, and (c) cooling the boiled wort. In the saccharification step, 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.

[0027] 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.).

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] In the present invention, the fermentation conditions are not particularly limited, and the fermentation can be carried out according to a conventional method.

[0031] The non-fermented, beer-flavored, non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be produced by removing solids from a brewing liquid by allowing it to stand, followed by filtration. In this method, the caprylic acid and / or capric acid concentrations can be adjusted during the brewing liquid preparation stage, and caprylic acid and / or capric acid may be blended or added at any stage in the production process. The non-fermented, beer-flavored, non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can also be produced by simply blending or mixing raw materials, without blending raw materials. In this method, caprylic acid and / or capric acid can be blended or added at any stage in the production process to adjust their concentrations.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] The true extract content 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, for example, 2.0 mass%, 2.1 mass%, 2.2 mass%, 2.3 mass%, 2.4 mass%, 2.5 mass%, 2.6 mass%, 2.7 mass%, 2.8 mass%, 2.9 mass%, or 3.0 mass%, and the upper limit (not more than or less than) can be 8.0 mass%, 7.9 mass%, 7.8 mass%, 7.7 mass%, 7.6 mass%, or 8.7 mass%. mass%, 7.5 mass%, 7.4 mass%, 7.3 mass%, 7.2 mass%, 7.1 mass%, 7.0 mass%, 6.9 mass%, 6.8 mass%, 6.7 mass%, 6.6 mass%, 6.5 mass%, 6.4 mass%, 6.3 mass%, 6.2 mass% %, 6.1% by weight, 6.0% by weight, 5.9% by weight, 5.8% by weight, 5.7% by weight, 5.6% by weight, 5.5% by weight, 5.4% by weight, 5.3% by weight, 5.2% by weight, 5.1% by weight or 5.0% by weight. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily, and examples thereof include 2.0% by mass or more and 8.0% by mass or less, 2.0% by mass or more and 7.5% by mass or less, 2.0% by mass or more and 7.0% by mass or less, 2.0% by mass or more and 6.5% by mass or less, 2.0% by mass or more and 6.0% by mass or less, 2.0% by mass or more and 5.5% by mass or less, 2.0% by mass or more and 5.0% by mass or less, 2.5% by mass or more and 8.0% by mass or less, 2.5% by mass or more and 7.5% by mass or less, and 2.5% by mass or more and 7.0% by mass or less. The true extract of the beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be measured, for example, by the "BCOJ Beer Analysis Method 8.4.3 Alcolyzer Method."

[0036] 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.).

[0037] 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."

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage with improved flavor, which includes a step of incorporating caprylic acid and / or capric acid, wherein the caprylic acid concentration is 1.5 ppm to 70 ppm and the capric acid concentration is 0.15 ppm to 10 ppm. In the present invention, "improved flavor" or "flavor improvement" of a beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage means achieving a beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage with a satisfying drinking experience and a crisp aftertaste. The above-mentioned production method of the present invention is a method for producing a beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage with a satisfying drinking experience and a crisp aftertaste. The above-mentioned production method of the present invention can be carried out according to the description of the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention.

[0043] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flavor improving agent for a beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage, which comprises caprylic acid and / or capric acid as an active ingredient. The flavor improving agent of the present invention can be produced in accordance with the description of the beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage and the production method thereof of the present invention.

[0044] 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 comprises a step of adding caprylic acid and / or capric acid during the production of a beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage, and is characterized in that the caprylic acid concentration is 1.5 ppm or more and 70 ppm or less, and the capric acid concentration is 0.15 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less. 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.

[0045] The present invention will be described in more detail based on the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0046] 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.

[0047] Measurement of caprylic acid and capric acid concentrations: Caprylic acid and capric acid concentrations were measured using gas chromatography (GC) with an FID detector. Specifically, aroma components in beverage samples were extracted using a hydroxylated polystyrene divinylbenzene copolymer solid-phase column, and the resulting extract was subjected to GC / FID. Trans-2-hexanoic acid and methyl caprylate were used as internal standards. The GC analysis conditions are shown in Table 1.

[0048]

[0049] Example 1: Production and evaluation of beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverages In Example 1, evaluation tests were carried out on each test sample of the beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage (test plots 1 to 15).

[0050] (1) Method for producing a beer-flavored 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 resulting wort, and the resulting wort was boiled, followed by solid-liquid separation and cooling to obtain a clear wort. Yeast was added, and the fermentation temperature and fermentation time were adjusted. The resulting fermented liquid was filtered to produce a fermented malt beverage. Next, the fermented malt beverage was sprayed into a degassing tank to remove carbon dioxide, and then heated to approximately 50°C. The alcohol was then removed by contact with steam heated to approximately 50°C in a vacuum column at approximately 60 mbar, and carbon dioxide was added to obtain a beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage with an alcohol concentration of less than 0.005 v / v% (malt usage ratio 100%, authentic extract 2.0% by mass) (Test Group 1). Test plots 2 to 15 were obtained by adding caprylic acid and / or capric acid to the beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of Test plot 1 to adjust the concentrations shown in Table 2.

[0051] B. Evaluation Test Six trained panelists conducted an evaluation test on test plots 1 to 15. Specifically, the two evaluation items, "drinkability" and "crisp aftertaste," were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 in increments of 0.5, and the average evaluation scores of the six panelists were calculated. Here, "drinkability" refers to the flavor sensation recognized by the volume of the taste and aroma felt in the mouth. "Crisp aftertaste" refers to a clean flavor sensation with no lingering taste or aroma in the mouth. The specific rating criteria are as shown below, and test plots 2 to 15 were evaluated based on the rating of test plot 1. <Criteria for each rating> 1: Approximately the same as test plot 1 2: Recognizable as slightly improved by consecutive comparisons with test plot 1 3: Recognizable as improved by consecutive comparisons with test plot 1 4: Recognizable as improved without comparing with test plot 1 5: Recognizable as significantly improved without comparing with test plot 1

[0052] (2) Results The results are shown in Table 2. The results of Test Plots 2 to 4 showed that the addition of caprylic acid (single addition) improved the drinkability and crispness of the aftertaste. The results of Test Plots 6 to 8 showed that the addition of capric acid (single addition) improved the drinkability and crispness of the aftertaste. Furthermore, the results of Test Plots 10 to 15 showed that the addition of caprylic acid and capric acid in combination (dual addition) also improved the drinkability and crispness of the aftertaste.

[0053]

Claims

A beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage containing caprylic acid and / or capric acid, wherein the caprylic acid concentration is 1.5 ppm or more and 70 ppm or less, the capric acid concentration is 0.15 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less, and the true extract is 2.0 mass% or more.

2. The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, wherein the caprylic acid concentration is 2 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less.

3. The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, wherein the capric acid concentration is from 0.2 ppm to 10 ppm.

3. The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, wherein the malt content is 50% or more.

3. The beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, which is a dealcoholized beverage. 　 A method for producing a beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage, comprising a step of incorporating caprylic acid and / or capric acid, wherein the caprylic acid concentration is 1.5 ppm or more and 70 ppm or less, and the capric acid concentration is 0.15 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less. 　 A method for improving the flavor of a beer-taste non-alcoholic beverage, comprising a step of adding caprylic acid and / or capric acid to the beverage during production thereof, wherein the caprylic acid concentration is 1.5 ppm or more and 70 ppm or less, and the capric acid concentration is 0.15 ppm or more and 10 ppm or less.

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