Fermented beer taste beverage and method for producing same

Abstract

The present invention provides: a fermented beer taste beverage in which an apparent degree of fermentation is 100.0% or more, and when the value of the rate of a proline concentration (mg / 100 mL) to original wort extract (%Plato) is denoted by X, and the value of an ethyl acetate concentration (mg / L) is denoted by Y, X is 1.5 or more, and Y / X is 4.0-7.0; and a method for producing the fermented beer taste beverage, the method involving a preparation step for subjecting a mixture containing malt and water to a saccharification treatment, and subjecting the obtained saccharified liquid to a boiling treatment to prepare a fermentation raw material liquid, and a fermentation step for inoculating yeast into the obtained fermentation raw material liquid and fermenting same, wherein no step for adding or removing ethanol or a component (excluding water) contributing to an extracted component is carried out after the fermentation step.

Description

Fermented beer-flavored beverage and method for producing the same

[0001] This invention relates to a highly fermented beer-flavored beverage and a method for producing the same. This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-186101, filed in Japan on October 22, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Beer and other beer-flavored beverages are popular alcoholic drinks enjoyed worldwide, with a typical alcohol concentration of 4-6% by volume. However, due to the diversification of consumer preferences in recent years, low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages with an alcohol concentration lower than 4% by volume, lightly alcoholic beer-flavored beverages with less than 1.0% by volume, and non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages (alcohol concentration of less than 0.05% by volume) are also widely available on the market.

[0003] On the other hand, ethyl acetate is one of the representative aroma components of beer, possessing fruity and solvent-like aromas. To improve the flavor of beer, the concentration of ethyl acetate in the beverage is adjusted as appropriate. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a fermented beer-flavored beverage in which the concentration of acetic acid in the beverage is adjusted to 20 to 120 mg / L, and the total concentration of ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate is adjusted to 7 to 30 mg / L, thereby achieving sufficient depth of flavor while reducing disharmony in flavor due to prominent acidity.

[0004] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-040388

[0005] Highly fermented beer-flavored beverages tend to have a cleaner, less bitter taste compared to less fermented beer-flavored beverages, but they also tend to lack body and richness.

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a fermented beer-flavored beverage with improved richness despite a high degree of fermentation, and a method for producing the same.

[0007] The inventors diligently conducted research to solve the above problems and expected that increasing the ethyl acetate content would improve the flavor and richness. However, they discovered that in highly fermented beer-flavored beverages, when the proline concentration per wort extract was relatively high, simply increasing the ethyl acetate concentration would actually decrease the richness. They found that by adjusting the ratio of proline concentration (mg / 100ml) to ethyl acetate concentration per wort extract (% Plato) to a specific range, the richness of highly fermented beer-flavored beverages could be improved, thus completing the present invention.

[0008] The present invention is as follows: [1] A fermented beer-flavored beverage having an external fermentation degree of 100.0% or more, where X is the ratio of proline concentration (mg / 100 mL) to raw wort extract (% Plato) and Y is the ethyl acetate concentration (mg / L), with X being 1.5 or more and Y / X being 4.0 or more and 7.0 or less. [2] The fermented beer-flavored beverage according to [1] above, with an alcohol concentration of 4.0% by volume or less. [3] The fermented beer-flavored beverage according to [1] or [2] above, with a pH of 4.10 or less. [4] Any of the fermented beer-flavored beverages according to [1] to [3] above, where Z is the linalool concentration (μg / L), with Z / X being 12.0 or less. [5] Any of the fermented beer-flavored beverages according to [1] to [4] above, with a malt usage ratio of 50% by mass or more. [6] A fermented beer-flavored beverage according to any of [1] to [5] above, wherein 80% by mass or more of the proline in the beverage is derived from malt. [7] A method for producing a fermented beer-flavored beverage having an appearance fermentation degree of 100.0% or more, comprising: a mashing step of saccharifying a mixture containing malt and water, boiling the resulting saccharified liquid to prepare a fermentation raw material liquid; and a fermentation step of inoculating the resulting fermentation raw material liquid with yeast and fermenting it, wherein the method does not include a step of adding or removing ethanol or components contributing to the extract (except water) after the fermentation step, and the produced fermented beer-flavored beverage has a ratio of X to the proline concentration (mg / 100 mL) relative to the raw wort extract (% Plato), and a ratio of Y to the ethyl acetate concentration (mg / L), where X is 1.5 or more and Y / X is 4.0 or more and 7.0 or less. [8] A method for producing the fermented beer-flavored beverage according to [7], wherein the malt usage ratio is 50% by mass or more.

[0009] This invention makes it possible to provide a fermented beer-flavored beverage with improved richness despite a high degree of fermentation.

[0010] In the present invention and this specification, "N １ ~N ２ (N １ and N ２ is, N １ <N ２ The real numbers that satisfy the condition are "N１ More than N ２ This refers to the numerical range "below" or "inclusive".

[0011] In the present invention and this specification, a beer-flavored beverage is a beverage that has the characteristics of beer. In the present invention and this specification, "beer-likeness" means a taste that evokes beer in terms of aroma and flavor, regardless of the product name or labeling. In other words, a beer-flavored beverage is a sparkling beverage that has a flavor, taste, and texture equivalent to or similar to beer, regardless of whether or not it contains alcohol, the amount of alcohol, whether or not malt is used, whether or not hops are used, whether or not fermentation is performed, etc., and has a high thirst-quenching effect and drinkability (the property of being able to drink many glasses without getting tired of it).

[0012] In the present invention and this specification, beer-flavored beverages include both alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beverages (beverages with an alcohol concentration of less than 0.05% by volume). Specifically, beer-flavored beverages according to the present invention include beer, sparkling alcoholic beverages, low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages, non-alcoholic beer, and the like.

[0013] In the present invention and this specification, a fermented beer-flavored beverage is a beer-flavored beverage produced through a fermentation process. The fermentation method is not particularly limited and may be single fermentation, single-stage multiple fermentation, or parallel multiple fermentation. However, it is preferable to use single-stage multiple fermentation, which is produced by separately carrying out a saccharification process in which starch contained in raw materials such as malt is broken down into 1 to 3 sugars, and a fermentation process in which yeast produces alcohol from the sugars. In addition, liqueurs obtained by mixing a beverage produced through a fermentation process with an alcohol-containing distillate are also included in fermented beer-flavored beverages. In the present invention and this specification, a non-fermented beer-flavored beverage is a beer-flavored beverage produced without a fermentation process.

[0014] Incidentally, the alcohol-containing distillate is a solution containing alcohol obtained by a distillation operation, and generally, those classified as distilled liquors can be used. For example, it may be alcohol for raw materials, and distilled liquors such as spirits, whisky, brandy, vodka, rum, tequila, gin, and shochu can be used.

[0015] The fermented beer-taste beverage according to the present invention has an apparent degree of fermentation of 100.0% or more, preferably 100.0% or more and 115.0% or less, more preferably 100.0% or more and 110.0% or less. Since the fermented beer-taste beverage according to the present invention has a high apparent degree of fermentation, it has a clean taste with less off-flavor. Further, the true degree of fermentation of the fermented beer-taste beverage according to the present invention is preferably 80.0% or more and 100.0% or less, more preferably 80.0% or more and 95.0% or less.

[0016] The apparent degree of fermentation (V Ａ ) of the fermented beer-taste beverage can be measured according to the method defined in "8.5 Extract-related calculation method" of "BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (2013 Revised Edition) (edited by the International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee) of the Beer Brewing Association)". Specifically, the apparent degree of fermentation (V Ａ ) of the fermented beer-taste beverage can be determined based on the following formula from the concentration (P) of the original wort extract and the apparent extract concentration (E Ａ ). The apparent extract is the concentration (mass%) of the extract (non-volatile solids) determined from the specific gravity of the fermented beer-taste beverage containing alcohol.

[0017] V Ａ = (P - E Ａ ) / P

[0018] The concentration of the apparent extract of the fermented beer-taste beverage is measured for specific gravity and converted to apparent extract according to the method defined in "8.1.4 Alcoholizer method" of "BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (2013 Revised Edition) (edited by the International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee) of the Beer Brewing Association)".

[0019] The wort extract concentration of fermented beer-flavored beverages can be measured according to the method specified in the analytical method published by the Brewing Society of Japan ("8.5 Extract-Related Measurement Methods" in "BCOJ Beer Analytical Methods (2013 Revised Edition) (Edited by the International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee) of the Beer Brewers Association)"). Specifically, it can be measured from the alcohol concentration and true extract concentration of the fermented beer-flavored beverage.

[0020] The true extract concentration of fermented beer-flavored beverages can be measured according to the method specified in "8.4.1 Distillation - Pycnometer Method" of the "BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods (2013 Revised Edition) (edited by the International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee) of the Beer Brewers Association)".

[0021] The alcohol concentration of fermented beer-flavored beverages can be measured according to the method specified in "8.3.1 Distillation - Hydrometer Method" of the "BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods (2013 Revised Edition) (edited by the International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee) of the Beer Brewers Association)".

[0022] The degree of fermentation is an indicator of how far fermentation is progressing, and the higher the degree of fermentation, the easier it is to produce fermented beer-flavored beverages with a higher alcohol content. In fermented beer-flavored beverages, for example, by adding enzymes such as α-amylase, glucoamylase, and pullulanase, which break down starch, during the saccharification process at the start of brewing, the proportion of sugars that yeast can utilize can be increased, thereby achieving an external fermentation degree of 100% or more.

[0023] In the fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention, when the ratio of the proline concentration (mg / 100 mL) to the original wort extract (% Plato) ([proline concentration (mg / 100 mL)] / [original wort extract (% Plato)]) is denoted as X, X is 1.5 or higher, preferably 1.8 to 4.0, and more preferably 2.0 to 3.0. The proline contained in the fermented beer-flavored beverage is usually derived from malt. For this reason, the higher the malt usage ratio (the ratio of the amount (mass) of malt in the raw materials to the total amount (mass) of raw materials other than hops and water) (%), the larger X tends to be. Thus, X correlates with the malt usage ratio, and the larger X is, the greater the amount of components that contribute to the grain-like aroma contained in the fermented beer-flavored beverage tends to be.

[0024] The proline concentration in fermented beer-flavored beverages can be measured using various methods commonly used to measure amino acid concentrations in beverages. Specifically, the proline concentration in beer-flavored beverages according to the present invention can be measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis.

[0025] The fermented beer-flavored beverage X according to the present invention can be adjusted to a desired range by appropriately adjusting the type and amount of proline-containing raw materials used. For example, malt is a raw material that contains a relatively large amount of proline, and therefore, by appropriately adjusting the type and amount of malt used, a fermented beer-flavored beverage in which X is within the desired range can be obtained.

[0026] In the fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention, the malt usage ratio is not particularly limited as long as X is within the above range. The malt usage ratio of the fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention is preferably 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, more preferably 60% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, even more preferably 65% ​​by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, and even more preferably 70% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less.

[0027] In the fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention, the proportion (mass ratio) of malt-derived proline to the total amount of proline in the beverage is preferably 80% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, more preferably 90% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, even more preferably 95% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 100% by mass. A fermented beer-flavored beverage in which the amount of malt-derived proline to the total amount of proline in the beverage is 100% by mass can be obtained, for example, by manufacturing without using any raw materials containing proline other than malt.

[0028] The proline concentration (mg / L) of the fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention is not particularly limited as long as X is within the above range. For example, the proline concentration (mg / L) of the fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention is preferably 6.0 mg / L or more, more preferably 8.0 mg / L or more, and even more preferably 10.0 mg / L or more. The upper limit of the proline concentration (mg / L) of the fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention is not particularly limited, but for example, it is preferably 35.0 mg / L or less, more preferably 32.5 mg / L or less, and even more preferably 30.0 mg / L or less.

[0029] Ethyl acetate is a major characteristic aroma component of beer, and it is expected that increasing the concentration of ethyl acetate will improve the flavor. However, in fermented beer-flavored beverages with a high degree of fermentation and a relatively high proportion of malt, a high concentration of ethyl acetate tends to decrease the richness of the beverage. The reason for this tendency is not clear, but it is presumed that in highly fermented beer-flavored beverages, a high concentration of ethyl acetate makes it difficult to perceive the grain-like aroma due to the aroma of ethyl acetate, thereby reducing the richness of the beverage.

[0030] In the fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention, when the ethyl acetate concentration (mg / L) is Y, the Y / X ratio is 4.0 or more and 7.0 or less, preferably 5.0 or more and 7.0 or less. By adjusting the ethyl acetate concentration so that Y / X is within the above range, the masking of grain-like aromas by ethyl acetate is suppressed, and the richness is improved (enhanced).

[0031] The ethyl acetate concentration in fermented beer-flavored beverages can be measured according to the method specified in the analytical method published by the Brewing Society of Japan ("8.22 Low Boiling Point Aroma Components" in "BCOJ Beer Analytical Method (2013 Revised Edition) (Edited by the International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee) of the Beer Brewers Association)").

[0032] The ethyl acetate concentration in fermented beer-flavored beverages can be controlled by adding ethyl acetate as an ingredient to the beverage. Furthermore, the ethyl acetate concentration can also be controlled during the manufacturing process by adjusting factors such as the wort extract concentration, wort aeration, fermentation temperature, and tank pressure during fermentation. It is generally believed that lowering the wort extract concentration, increasing wort aeration, lowering the fermentation temperature, or increasing the tank pressure during fermentation tends to lower the ethyl acetate concentration.

[0033] The ethyl acetate concentration (mg / L) of the fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention is not particularly limited as long as Y / X is within the above range. The ethyl acetate concentration (mg / L) of the fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention is preferably 3.0 mg / L or more, more preferably 5.0 mg / L or more, and even more preferably 7.0 mg / L or more. The ethyl acetate concentration (mg / L) of the fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention is preferably 26.0 mg / L or less, more preferably 24.0 mg / L or less, and even more preferably 22.0 mg / L or less.

[0034] The alcohol concentration of the fermented beer - flavored beverage according to the present invention is not particularly limited. The fermented beer - flavored beverage according to the present invention may be a beverage containing alcohol (a beverage with an alcohol concentration of 0.05% by volume or more), or may be a non - alcoholic beverage (a beverage with an alcohol concentration of less than 0.05% by volume). As the alcohol concentration of the fermented beer - flavored beverage according to the present invention, it is preferably 5.5% by volume or less, more preferably 5.0% by volume or less, even more preferably 4.5% by volume or less, still more preferably 4.0% by volume or less, and particularly preferably 0.05% by volume or more and 4.0% by volume or less. Among high - fermentation - degree beer - flavored beverages, those with a low ethanol concentration lack the richness derived from ethanol, and there is a greater need to improve the richness. In this case, the effects of the present invention can be more significantly recognized.

[0035] The pH of the fermented beer - flavored beverage according to the present invention is not particularly limited and can be appropriately adjusted according to the required product quality. The pH of the fermented beer - flavored beverage according to the present invention can be 4.50 or less, and preferably 4.40 or less. Generally, the microbial durability of a beverage decreases as the ethanol concentration decreases and as the pH approaches neutral. In beverages with a low ethanol concentration, the pH is often adjusted low to enhance microbial durability. However, in beer - flavored beverages, a decrease in pH contributes to a loss of richness. In the fermented beer - flavored beverage according to the present invention, since the richness - enhancing effect is obtained by adjusting Y / X, even when the pH is 4.10 or less, it has sufficient richness. The lower limit of the pH of the fermented beer - flavored beverage according to the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, it can be 1.5 or more, and preferably 2.0 or more.

[0036] The pH of the fermented beer - flavored beverage can be adjusted downward, for example, by adding organic acids such as lactic acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, acetic acid, adipic acid, and fumaric acid, or acids such as phosphoric acid. Such acids may be added as acidulants or pH adjusters used in the production of ordinary beer - flavored beverages. In the production process, these acids can be added at any timing, but in order to avoid a decrease in the bitterness utilization rate of hops, it is preferably added after the boiling treatment of the wort.

[0037] The bitterness value of the fermented beer - flavored beverage according to the present invention is not particularly limited and can be appropriately adjusted according to the required product quality. As the bitterness value of the fermented beer - flavored beverage according to the present invention, for example, it can be 5 BU or more, preferably 8 BU or more and 30 BU or less, and more preferably 12 BU or more and 24 BU or less. Also, as the bitterness value of the beer - like foaming beverage according to the present invention, it can be less than 5 BU.

[0038] In the present invention and this specification, the bitterness value is an index of the bitterness given by the group of hop - derived substances mainly composed of isohumulone. The bitterness value of the fermented beer - flavored beverage can be measured by the method described in "8.15 Bitterness value (IM)" of the "BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (2013 Revised Edition) (edited by the International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee) of the Beer Brewing Association)".

[0039] The bitterness value of the fermented beer - flavored beverage can be adjusted, for example, by appropriately setting the variety and amount of hops used as raw materials, the timing of adding hops in the production process, etc. In the present invention and this specification, unless otherwise specified, "hops" includes hop processed products in addition to fresh hops, dried hops, hop pellets, etc. Examples of hop processed products include hop extracts obtained by extracting bitter components from hops, hop processed products containing components obtained by isomerizing bitter components in hops such as isomerized hop extracts, tetrahydroisohumulone, and hexahydroisohumulone.

[0040] Similar to ethyl acetate, hop aromas such as linalool become less noticeable as their concentration increases. For this reason, in the beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention, when the linalool concentration (μg / L) is Z, it is preferable that Z / X be 12.0 or less, more preferably 2.0 to 10.0, and even more preferably 2.0 to 8.0. By adjusting the linalool concentration so that Z / X is within the above range, the masking of grain-like aromas by linalool is suppressed, and the richness is improved more effectively.

[0041] The linalool in the beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention is usually derived from hops, but may also be derived from fruits, fruit juices, herbs, or other raw materials when they are used. If 80% to 100%, preferably 90% to 100%, and more preferably 95% to 100%, of the linalool contained in the fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention is derived from hops, the linalool concentration can serve as an indicator of hop aroma intensity. It is preferable that the beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention does not use any raw materials containing linalool other than hops.

[0042] The linalool concentration of a fermented beer-flavored beverage can be measured using various methods commonly used to measure the concentration of aroma components in beverages. Specifically, the linalool concentration of the fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention can be measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

[0043] The linalool concentration (μg / L) of the beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention is not particularly limited and can be adjusted as appropriate according to the desired product quality. The linalool concentration of the beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention is preferably 1.0 μg / L or more, more preferably 2.0 μg / L to 50.0 μg / L, and even more preferably 4.0 μg / L to 30.0 μg / L.

[0044] The carbon dioxide gas volume of the fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention is not particularly limited and can be adjusted as appropriate according to the desired product quality. For example, the gas volume of the fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention is preferably 1.5 gas volume (GV) or less at 20°C, and it may not contain carbon dioxide at all. Even if the fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention does not contain carbon dioxide, a fermented beer-flavored beverage with a beer-like carbonation can be prepared by diluting it with carbonated water or by injecting carbon dioxide after dilution with water.

[0045] The fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention can be manufactured in the same manner as a general fermented beer-flavored beverage, except that the degree of fermentation in appearance is 100.0% or more, X is 1.5 or more, and Y / X is adjusted to be between 4.0 and 7.0.

[0046] Fermented beer-flavored beverages can be manufactured through the processes of mashing (preparation of fermentation raw material liquid), fermentation, storage, and filtration.

[0047] In the present invention, malt is used as at least a part of the fermentation raw material. The malt used as the fermentation raw material may be barley malt, wheat malt, or both may be used in combination. In the method for producing a fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention, only malt may be used as the fermentation raw material, or malt may be used in combination with other raw materials, that is, the malt usage ratio may be less than 100% by mass. From the viewpoint of having a more beer-like aroma and flavor, the malt usage ratio is preferably 50 to 100% by mass, more preferably 70 to 100% by mass, and even more preferably 90 to 100% by mass.

[0048] The grain raw materials used other than malt may be a single type of grain raw material or a mixture of multiple types of grain raw materials. The fermentation raw materials other than malt may be grain raw materials only, carbohydrate raw materials only, or a mixture of both. Examples of grain raw materials include grains other than malt, rice, corn, soybeans and other legumes, potatoes, etc. Examples of carbohydrate raw materials include sugars such as liquid sugar and sucrose.

[0049] While malt and other grain raw materials can be used as grain syrup, grain extract, etc., it is preferable to use them as grain pulverized products obtained by grinding. The grinding of grains can be carried out by conventional methods. The grain pulverized products may be those that have undergone processing before and after grinding, such as crushed malt, corn starch, and corn grits.

[0050] As part of the preparation process (fermentation raw material liquid preparation process), a fermentation raw material liquid is prepared from the fermentation raw materials. Specifically, first, a mixture containing the fermentation raw materials and raw water is prepared and heated to saccharify the starch in the fermentation raw materials. Other auxiliary ingredients besides the fermentation raw materials and water may be added to this mixture. Examples of such auxiliary ingredients include hops, yeast extract, protein hydrolysates, water-soluble dietary fiber, sweeteners, bittering agents, fruit juice, coloring agents, herbs, and flavorings.

[0051] By using hops as a raw material, a fermented beer-flavored beverage containing iso-alpha acids can be produced. Hops contain alpha acids, which are precursors to iso-alpha acids. The hops used as a raw material may be fresh hops, dried hops, hop pellets, or processed hop products. The processed hop products used as a raw material may include hop extract obtained by extracting the bitter components from hops. Alternatively, processed hop products containing isopropyl hop extract, tetrahydroisohumulone, hexahydroisohumulone, or other components in which the bitter components of hops have been isodulated may also be used.

[0052] Water-soluble dietary fiber refers to carbohydrates that dissolve in water and are not digested or are difficult to digest by human digestive enzymes. Examples of water-soluble dietary fiber used in this invention include indigestible dextrin, polydextrose, soy dietary fiber, galactomannan, inulin, guar gum hydrolysate, pectin, and acacia gum. These water-soluble dietary fibers may be used individually or in combination of two or more types.

[0053] The sweetener may be sugar, a relatively low-sweetness sweetener, or a high-sweetness sweetener. Examples of relatively low-sweetness sweeteners include polysaccharides and sweet-tasting amino acids. Polysaccharides refer to carbohydrates formed by the polymerization of three or more monosaccharides. Polysaccharides are broadly classified into starch, dextrin, and oligosaccharides, mainly based on their size. Oligosaccharides are carbohydrates formed by the polymerization of 3 to 10 monosaccharides, while dextrin is a carbohydrate obtained by hydrolyzing starch and is larger than oligosaccharides. Examples of sweet-tasting amino acids include alanine and glycine, with alanine being preferred. Examples of high-sweetness sweeteners include acesulfame potassium, neotame, aspartame, sucralose, stevia, and enzyme-treated stevia. These sweeteners may be used individually or in combination of two or more.

[0054] The bittering agent is not particularly limited as long as it exhibits a bitterness of the same quality or similarity as beer in the fermented beer-flavored beverage product. It may be a bittering component contained in hops, or a bittering component not contained in hops. Specifically, examples of such bittering agents include bittering components such as magnesium salts, calcium salts, tributyl citrate, triethyl citrate, naringin, kwashin, iso-alpha acids, tetraiso-alpha acids, β-acid oxides, quinine, momordicin, quercitrin, theobromine, and caffeine, as well as bittering materials such as bitter melon, gentian tea, bitter tea, wormwood extract, gentian extract, and cinchona extract. These bittering agents may be used individually or in combination of two or more.

[0055] Examples of protein hydrolysates include soy protein hydrolysates. Examples of colorants include caramel coloring. Examples of flavorings include beer flavor, beer flavoring, and hop flavoring.

[0056] To produce a highly fermented beer-flavored beverage, it is preferable to add enzyme preparations such as saccharifying enzymes like α-amylase, glucoamylase, and pullulanase, as well as proteases, during the brewing process. These enzymes promote the breakdown of non-assimilable sugars in the fermentation raw materials into assimilated sugars, allowing for the preparation of a fermentation raw material liquid with a low non-assimilable sugar content. By fermenting this fermentation raw material liquid with a low non-assimilable sugar content, a fermented beer-flavored beverage with an apparent fermentation degree of 100.0% or higher can be produced.

[0057] Saccharification is carried out using enzymes derived from grain raw materials or enzymes added separately. The temperature and time during saccharification are adjusted as appropriate, taking into account the type of grain raw materials used, the proportion of grain raw materials in the total fermentation materials, the type and amount of enzymes added and the desired quality of the fermented beer-flavored beverage. For example, saccharification can be carried out by conventional methods, such as holding the mixture containing grain raw materials at 35 to 70°C for 20 to 90 minutes. By adjusting the saccharification time, the saccharification efficiency can be controlled, and the sugar content of the final fermented beer-flavored beverage can be adjusted to a desired range.

[0058] The boiled liquid (the boiled saccharified liquid) obtained after the saccharification treatment can be prepared by boiling the saccharified liquid. It is preferable to filter the saccharified liquid before boiling and boil the resulting filtrate. Alternatively, instead of the filtrate of the saccharified liquid, a mixture of malt extract and warm water may be used and boiled. The boiling method and conditions can be determined as appropriate.

[0059] By adding herbs and other ingredients as appropriate before or during boiling, a fermented beer-flavored beverage with a desired aroma can be produced. Hops, in particular, are preferably added before or during boiling. Boiling in the presence of hops allows for efficient extraction of the hop's flavor and aroma components. The amount of hops added, the method of addition (e.g., adding in several stages), and the boiling conditions can be determined as appropriate.

[0060] After the preparation process and before the fermentation process, it is preferable to remove the residue, such as proteins, that has settled from the prepared broth. The residue can be removed by any solid-liquid separation process, but generally, a tank called a whirlpool is used to remove the precipitate. The temperature of the broth at this time should be 15°C or higher, and is generally carried out at around 50-100°C. The broth (filtrate) after the residue has been removed is cooled to an appropriate fermentation temperature using a plate cooler or the like. This broth after the residue has been removed becomes the raw material liquid for fermentation.

[0061] Next, as a fermentation step, yeast is inoculated into the cooled fermentation raw material liquid and fermentation is carried out. The cooled fermentation raw material liquid may be used as is in the fermentation step, or it may be used after being adjusted to the desired extract concentration. The yeast used for fermentation is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected from yeasts commonly used in the production of alcoholic beverages. It may be a top-fermenting yeast or a bottom-fermenting yeast, but a bottom-fermenting yeast is preferred because it is easier to apply to large-scale brewing equipment.

[0062] Furthermore, in the storage process, the obtained fermented liquid is matured in a storage tank and stabilized under low temperature conditions of about 0°C. Then, in the filtration process, the matured fermented liquid is filtered to remove yeast and proteins insoluble at that temperature range, thereby obtaining the desired fermented beer-flavored beverage. The filtration process can be any method that can filter out the yeast, such as diatomaceous earth filtration or filter filtration using a filter with an average pore size of about 0.4 to 1.0 μm. In addition, an appropriate amount of water may be added before or after filtration to dilute the product to the desired alcohol concentration.

[0063] Before or after the filtration process, a membrane filtration treatment may be performed to remove water. The membrane filtration treatment can be a known membrane treatment used in concentration processes, such as RO membrane treatment or FO membrane treatment.

[0064] Adding and removing ethanol, and increasing and decreasing the extract content, leads to fluctuations in the original wort extract and degree of fermentation, thus undermining the technical significance of the richness-enhancing effect achieved by adjusting the Y / X ratio in this invention. For this reason, it is preferable that the production of a fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention does not include a step of adding or removing ethanol or components that contribute to the extract content (excluding water) after the fermentation process. Components that contribute to the extract content are those other than water, whose addition or removal increases or decreases the extract content of the beverage.

[0065] A packaged fermented beer-flavored beverage can be manufactured by filling the produced fermented beer-flavored beverage into a container and sealing it. Filling and sealing the container can be done by conventional methods. In addition, the empty space in the packaged fermented beer-flavored beverage may be filled with an inert gas such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide. These inert gases can reduce the amount of oxygen present in the container.

[0066] The containers used to fill the bottled fermented beer-flavored beverage are not particularly limited. Specifically, examples include glass bottles, cans, and flexible containers. Examples of cans include two-piece beverage cans, three-piece beverage cans, and bottle cans. Examples of flexible containers include those made by molding flexible resins such as PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), EVOH (ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer), and PET (polyethylene terephthalate). Flexible containers may be made of a single layer of resin or a multi-layer resin.

[0067] The fermented beer-flavored beverage according to the present invention undergoes heat sterilization treatment as necessary during its manufacturing process. Heat sterilization treatment may be performed before or after filling into containers. Sterilization can be carried out by conventional methods such as UHT (ultra-high temperature) sterilization, pasteurization, or retort sterilization.

[0068] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0069] Unless otherwise specified, the various components in fermented beer-flavored beverages were measured by the following methods. Alcohol concentration was measured by the method described in "8.3.1 Distillation-Hydrophenic Method" of the "BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (2013 Revised Edition)". True extract concentration was measured by the method described in "8.4.1 Pycnometer Method" of the "BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (2013 Revised Edition)". Original wort extract concentration was calculated from the measured alcohol concentration and true extract concentration (see Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method 8.5). True fermentation degree was calculated from the measured alcohol concentration and true extract concentration (see Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method 8.5). Appearance fermentation degree was calculated from the calculated original wort extract concentration (P) and appearance extract concentration (E). Ａ The bitterness value was calculated from (see Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method 8.5). The bitterness value was measured by the method described in "8.15 Bitterness Value (IM)" of the "BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (2013 Revised Edition)". The ethyl acetate concentration was measured by the method described in "8.22 Low Boiling Point Aroma Components" of the "BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (2013 Revised Edition)".

[0070] <Measurement of Proline Concentration> The proline concentration in the beverages was analyzed using the Waters ACQUITY UPLC system. First, 100 mL of each beverage was subjected to sonication to remove carbon dioxide. If turbidity or precipitate was observed, the solution was filtered through a hydrophilic filter (0.45 μm). Next, 200 μL of each beverage was mixed with 160 μL of water and 40 μL of Norvaline (1000 pmol / μL). 10 μL of the resulting solution was then mixed with 70 μL of borate buffer and 20 μL of AQC derivatization reagent and reacted.

[0071] (Analysis Conditions) Instrument: ACQUITY UPLC / TUV + Empower2 software Column: ACQUITY UPLC AccQ-Tag Ultra (2.1 × 100 mm) Column temperature: 60°C Flow rate: 0.7 mL / min Measurement wavelength: 260 nm Mobile phase conditions: Cell culture medium method used (Mobile phase A: AccQ-Tag Ultra eluent A (concentrated) 100 mL + water 900 mL, Mobile phase B: AccQ-Tag Ultra eluent B)

[0072]

[0073] <Measurement of Linalool Concentration> The linalool concentration in the beverage was determined by collecting linalool contained in the sample by stirring the sample liquid with a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coated stirring bar (Twister), then desorbing it by heating and introducing it into a GC-MS instrument for analysis (SBSE (Starbar Extraction) method). Compound identification and quantification were performed based on the retention time and fragment ion intensity specific to the compound. Linalool had M / Z = 136 (T.I), RT = 9.372. The GC conditions and calibration curve range are as follows.

[0074] (GC conditions) Instrument: HP 6890 GC HP 5973 MSD (Agilent Technologies) Column: DB-WAX (Agilent 121-7022) (20m x 0.18mm (ID) x 0.18μm (FT)) D (Agilent Technologies) Column temperature: 35°C (2 mins) → 13.5°C / min → 240°C (4.5 mins) Transfer line temperature: 240°C Inlet (CIS): Solvent vent (Vent time: 0.01 min, Vent flow rate: 50.0 mL / min, Vent pressure: 99.25 kPa, Purge flow rate: 50 mL / min, Purge time: 2.0 min, Total flow: 53.72 mL / min) Gas: Helium gas (Constant flow mode, Carrier gas flow rate: 0.72 mL / min) MSD: SIM mode (quadrupole: 150°C, ion source: 240°C) Configuration: Switching valve set to Lowsplit.

[0075]

[0076] <Sensory Evaluation Test> The sensory evaluation test was conducted based on "Revised 2nd Edition BCOJ Sensory Evaluation Method (published by the Japan Brewing Association, edited by the International Technical Committee [Analysis Committee] of the Beer Brewers Association, 2018), 11. Ranking Method." Specifically, the test was conducted by eight trained panelists, who evaluated according to the following procedure. The panelists conducted preliminary discussions and preliminary tests to confirm the definition of richness. The samples were poured into odorless colored glasses (250 mL capacity) at 70 mL and presented at 4°C. Five samples were presented simultaneously in a random order, and the panelists swallowed the samples to evaluate them. The panelists ranked the sample with the strongest richness as 1, the next strongest as 2, and so on for 3rd place and below. It was prohibited to assign the same rank to multiple samples. Based on the panelists' responses, the rank sum for each sample was calculated, and the results were analyzed using Friedman's test and multiple comparison methods (Friedman).

[0077] [Example 1] A fermented beer-flavored beverage with a malt content of 70% and an external fermentation degree of 100.0% or higher was treated with the addition of various amounts of ethyl acetate to investigate its effect on the intensity of richness.

[0078] <Test Section 1-1> 28 kg of crushed malt and 12 kg of corn starch liquefied using a portion of the malt were mixed with 50 g of pullulanase and hot water, saccharified, and filtered to prepare 160 L of wort. Sediment was removed from the wort, hops were added, and after boiling, the extract was adjusted to 10% and cooled. An appropriate amount of yeast was added to the cooled wort while aerating. Main fermentation was carried out under pressurized conditions at 8°C for 7 days, and maturation was carried out at 8°C for 10 days. After cooling, water was added and the mixture was filtered to obtain a fermented beer-flavored beverage. The results of the analysis are shown in Table 3. The obtained fermented beer-flavored beverage had a proline concentration of 16.0 mg / mL and an ethyl acetate concentration of 9.0 mg / L.

[0079] <Test Section 1-2> to <Test Section 1-5> Ethyl acetate was added to the fermented beer-flavored beverage of Test Section 1-1 to the concentrations shown in Table 3, and fermented beer-flavored beverages of Test Sections 1-2 to 1-5 were produced. The results of the analysis are shown in Table 3.

[0080]

[0081] <Sensory Evaluation Test> A sensory evaluation test using the ranking method was conducted to compare the richness intensity of the fermented beer-flavored beverages in test groups 1-1 to 1-5. The sum of the rankings for each fermented beer-flavored beverage is shown in Table 3. From the results of the sum of rankings, the richness intensity of each beverage was as follows: Test group 1-1 < Test group 1-5 < Test group 1-2 < Test group 1-4 < Test group 1-3, with R = 24 and F = 21.7. Since the value of Friedman's F is greater than the value of χ² with 5 degrees of freedom 5-1=4 (significance level 0.01) of 13.28, it could be estimated that there is a difference between test groups 1-1 to 1-5 at a significance level of 1%.

[0082] Furthermore, the least significant difference (LSD) between rank sum sets was calculated and compared with the difference between two rank sums to confirm the presence or absence of a significant difference. The results of the significant differences for test group 1-1 or test group 1-5 are shown in Table 3. Fermented beer-flavored beverages from test groups 1-2 to 1-4, to which ethyl acetate was added so that Y / X was between 4.0 and 7.0, were confirmed to have significantly enhanced richness compared to the fermented beer-flavored beverage from test group 1-1. In addition, fermented beer-flavored beverages from test groups 1-3 and 1-4, to which Y / X was between 5.0 and 7.0, had significantly enhanced richness compared to the fermented beer-flavored beverage from test group 1-5, to which Y / X was greater than 7.0.

[0083] [Example 2] For a fermented beer-flavored beverage with a malt usage ratio of 100% and an external fermentation degree of 100.0% or higher, various amounts of ethyl acetate were added, and the effect on the intensity of richness was investigated.

[0084] <Test Section 2-1> 40 kg of crushed malt was mixed with 50 g of pullulanase and hot water, saccharified, and filtered to prepare 160 L of wort. From the obtained wort, a fermented beer-flavored beverage was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1. The results of the analysis are shown in Table 4. The obtained fermented beer-flavored beverage had a proline concentration of 27.0 mg / mL and an ethyl acetate concentration of 10.9 mg / L.

[0085] <Test Section 2-2> to <Test Section 2-5> Ethyl acetate was added to the fermented beer-flavored beverage of Test Section 2-1 to the concentrations shown in Table 4, and fermented beer-flavored beverages of Test Sections 2-2 to 2-5 were produced. The results of the analysis are shown in Table 4.

[0086]

[0087] <Sensory Evaluation Test> To compare the richness intensity of the fermented beer-flavored beverages in test groups 2-1 to 2-5, a sensory evaluation test using the ranking method was conducted in the same manner as in Example 1. The sum of the rankings for each fermented beer-flavored beverage is shown in Table 4. From the results of the sum of rankings, the richness intensity of each beverage was as follows: Test group 2-1 < Test group 2-5 < Test group 2-2 < Test group 2-4 < Test group 2-3, with R = 24 and F = 10.1. The value of Friedman's F corresponds to a χ with 5 - 1 = 4 degrees of freedom. ２ Since the value (significance level 0.05) is greater than 9.49, it could be estimated that there is a difference between test groups 2-1 to 2-5 at a significance level of 5%.

[0088] Furthermore, the minimum significant difference (LSD) between rank sum sets was calculated and compared with the difference between the two rank sums to confirm the presence or absence of a significant difference. The results of the significant differences for test group 2-1 or test group 2-5 are shown in Table 4. It was confirmed that the fermented beer-flavored beverages of test groups 2-3 and 2-4, to which ethyl acetate was added so that Y / X was between 5.0 and 7.0, had a significantly enhanced richness compared to the fermented beer-flavored beverages of test groups 2-1 and 2-5.

[0089] [Example 3] For a fermented beer-flavored beverage with a malt content of 30% and an external fermentation degree of 100.0% or higher, various amounts of ethyl acetate were added, and the effect on the intensity of the richness was investigated.

[0090] <Test Section 3-1> 30 kg of crushed malt and 10 kg of corn starch liquefied using a portion of the malt were mixed with 70 g of pullulanase and hot water, saccharified, and filtered to prepare 160 L of wort. Sediment was removed from the wort, hops were added, and after boiling, the extract was adjusted to 9% and cooled. From the resulting cooled wort, a fermented beer-flavored beverage was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1. The results of the analysis are shown in Table 5. The obtained fermented beer-flavored beverage had a proline concentration of 20.0 mg / mL and an ethyl acetate concentration of 9.2 mg / L.

[0091] <Test Section 3-2> to <Test Section 3-5> Ethyl acetate was added to the fermented beer-flavored beverage of Test Section 3-1 to the concentrations shown in Table 5, and fermented beer-flavored beverages of Test Sections 3-2 to 3-5 were produced. The results of the analysis are shown in Table 5.

[0092]

[0093] <Sensory Evaluation Test> To compare the richness intensity of the fermented beer-flavored beverages in test groups 3-1 to 3-5, a sensory evaluation test using the ranking method was conducted in the same manner as in Example 1. The sum of the rankings for each fermented beer-flavored beverage is shown in Table 5. From the results of the sum of rankings, the richness intensity of each beverage was as follows: Test group 3-1 < Test group 3-5 < Test group 3-2 < Test group 3-4 < Test group 3-3, with R = 24 and F = 12.7. The value of Friedman's F corresponds to a χ with 5 - 1 = 4 degrees of freedom. ２ Since the value (significance level 0.05) is greater than 9.49, it could be estimated that there is a difference between test groups 3-1 to 3-5 at a significance level of 5%.

[0094] Furthermore, the least significant difference (LSD) between rank sum sets was calculated and compared with the difference between the two rank sums to confirm the presence or absence of a significant difference. The results of the significant differences for test group 3-1 or test group 3-5 are shown in Table 5. Fermented beer-flavored beverages from test groups 3-2 to 3-4, to which ethyl acetate was added so that Y / X was between 4.0 and 7.0, were confirmed to have significantly enhanced richness compared to the fermented beer-flavored beverage from test group 3-1. In addition, fermented beer-flavored beverages from test groups 3-3 and 3-4, to which Y / X was between 5.0 and 7.0, had significantly enhanced richness compared to the fermented beer-flavored beverage from test group 3-5, to which Y / X was greater than 7.0.

[0095] [Example 4] For a fermented beer-flavored beverage with a malt content of 50% and an external fermentation degree of 100.0% or higher, various amounts of ethyl acetate were added, and the effect on the intensity of the richness was investigated.

[0096] <Test Section 4-1> 20 kg of crushed malt and 20 kg of corn starch liquefied using a portion of the malt were mixed with 30 g of pullulanase and hot water, saccharified, and filtered to prepare 160 L of wort. The sediment was removed from the wort, hops were added, and after boiling, the extract was adjusted to 7% and cooled. From the resulting cooled wort, a fermented beer-flavored beverage was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1. The results of the analysis are shown in Table 6. The obtained fermented beer-flavored beverage had a proline concentration of 12.6 mg / mL and an ethyl acetate concentration of 7.0 mg / L.

[0097] <Test Section 4-2> to <Test Section 4-5> Ethyl acetate was added to the fermented beer-flavored beverage of Test Section 4-1 to the concentrations shown in Table 6, and fermented beer-flavored beverages of Test Sections 4-2 to 4-5 were produced. The results of the analysis are shown in Table 6.

[0098]

[0099] <Sensory Evaluation Test> To compare the richness intensity of the fermented beer-flavored beverages in test groups 4-1 to 4-5, a sensory evaluation test using the ranking method was conducted in the same manner as in Example 1. The sum of the rankings for each fermented beer-flavored beverage is shown in Table 6. From the results of the sum of rankings, the richness intensity of each beverage was as follows: Test group 4-1 < Test group 4-5 < Test group 4-2 < Test group 4-4 < Test group 4-3, with R = 24 and F = 9.5. The value of Friedman's F corresponds to a χ with 5 - 1 = 4 degrees of freedom. ２ Since the value (significance level 0.05) is greater than 9.49, it could be estimated that there is a difference between test groups 4-1 and 4-5 at a significance level of 5%.

[0100] Furthermore, the least significant difference (LSD) between rank sum sets was calculated and compared with the difference between the two rank sums to confirm the presence or absence of a significant difference. The results of the significant difference for test group 4-1 or test group 4-5 are shown in Table 6. It was confirmed that the fermented beer-flavored beverages of test groups 4-2 to 4-4, to which ethyl acetate was added so that Y / X was between 4.0 and 7.0, had a significantly enhanced richness compared to the fermented beer-flavored beverage of test group 4-1.

[0101] The results from Examples 1-4 revealed that in fermented beer-flavored beverages with an external fermentation degree of 100.0% or higher, increasing the concentration of ethyl acetate enhances the richness, but if the ethyl acetate concentration is too high, the richness-enhancing effect decreases. This is presumed to be because, when the ethyl acetate concentration is too high, the aroma of ethyl acetate makes it difficult to perceive the grain aroma.

[0102] Furthermore, comparing Example 1 and Example 3, which used fermented beer-flavored beverages with similar X values ​​but different ethanol concentrations, it was found that the effect of enhancing richness was more clearly discernible in Example 1, which used a fermented beer-flavored beverage with a lower ethanol concentration. In addition, comparing Example 3 and Example 4, which used fermented beer-flavored beverages with similar ethanol concentrations but different X values, it was found that the reduction in richness due to the masking of grain aroma was more pronounced in Example 4, which used a fermented beer-flavored beverage with a higher proline / wort extract value.

[0103] [Example 5] A fermented beer-flavored beverage with a malt content of 70%, a visible fermentation level of 100.0% or higher, and a pH of 4.0 was treated by adding various amounts of ethyl acetate to investigate its effect on the intensity of body flavor.

[0104] <Test Section 5-1> to <Test Section 5-5> Test Section 5-1 was prepared by adding phosphoric acid to the fermented beer-flavored beverage of Test Section 1-1 in Example 1 and adjusting the pH to 4.0. Ethyl acetate was added to the fermented beer-flavored beverage of Test Section 5-1 to the concentrations shown in Table 7 to produce the fermented beer-flavored beverages of Test Sections 5-2 to 4-5. The results of the analysis are shown in Table 7.

[0105]

[0106] <Sensory Evaluation Test> To compare the richness intensity of the fermented beer-flavored beverages in test groups 5-1 to 5-5, a sensory evaluation test using the ranking method was conducted in the same manner as in Example 1. The sum of the rankings for each fermented beer-flavored beverage is shown in Table 7. From the results of the sum of rankings, the richness intensity of each beverage was as follows: Test group 5-1 < Test group 5-5 < Test group 5-2 < Test group 5-4 < Test group 5-3, with R = 24 and F = 24.3. The value of Friedman's F corresponds to the χ with degrees of freedom 5-1 = 4. ２ Since the value (significance level 0.01) is greater than 13.28, it could be estimated that there is a difference between test groups 5-1 and 5-5 at a significance level of 5%.

[0107] Furthermore, the minimum significant difference (LSD) between rank sum sets was calculated and compared with the difference between the two rank sums to confirm the presence or absence of a significant difference. The results of the significant difference for test group 5-1 or test group 5-5 are shown in Table 7. It was confirmed that the fermented beer-flavored beverages of test groups 5-2 to 5-4, to which ethyl acetate was added so that Y / X was between 4.0 and 7.0, had a significantly enhanced richness compared to the fermented beer-flavored beverages of test groups 5-1 and 5-5. In addition, when compared with the results of Example 1, the difference between test group 5-2 and test group 5-5 was also significant at the significance level of 5%, indicating that the richness enhancement effect was more clearly discernible in Example 5, which used a fermented beer-flavored beverage with a pH of 4.00, than in Example 1, which used a fermented beer-flavored beverage with a pH of 4.20.

[0108] [Example 6] A fermented beer-flavored beverage with a malt content of 70%, a visible fermentation level of 100.0% or higher, and a pH of 4.0 was treated with the addition of various amounts of linalool, and the effect on the intensity of the richness was investigated.

[0109] <Test Section 6-1> to <Test Section 6-5> In Example 5, fermented beer-flavored beverages of Test Section 6-1 to Test Section 6-5 were produced by adding linalool to the fermented beer-flavored beverage of Test Section 5-3 to the concentration shown in Table 8. The results of the analysis are shown in Table 8.

[0110]

[0111] <Sensory Evaluation Test> For the fermented beer-flavored beverages in test groups 6-1 to 6-5, a sensory evaluation test using the ranking method was conducted in the same manner as in Example 1 to compare the intensity of richness. The sum of the rankings for each fermented beer-flavored beverage is shown in Table 8. From the results of the sum of rankings, the intensity of richness for each beverage was as follows: Test group 6-5 < Test group 6-4 < Test group 6-3 < Test group 6-1 < Test group 6-2, with R = 24 and F = 12.7. The value of Friedman's F corresponds to a χ with 5 - 1 = 4 degrees of freedom. ２ Since the value (significance level 0.05) is greater than 9.49, it could be estimated that there is a difference between test groups 6-1 to 6-5 at a significance level of 5%.

[0112] Furthermore, the least significant difference (LSD) between rank sum sets was calculated and compared with the difference between the two rank sums to confirm the presence or absence of a significant difference. The results of the significant difference for test group 6-1 or test group 6-5 are shown in Table 8. From these results, it was found that when the Z / X value falls below 12.0, the richness is reduced. This is presumed to be because if the linalool concentration is too high, the aroma of linalool makes it difficult to perceive the grain-like aroma.

Claims

1. A fermented beer-flavored beverage in which the external fermentation level is 100.0% or higher, and where X is the ratio of proline concentration (mg / 100mL) to raw wort extract (% Plato) and Y is the ethyl acetate concentration (mg / L), X is 1.5 or higher and Y / X is between 4.0 and 7.

0.

2. The fermented beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein the alcohol concentration is 4.5% by volume or less.

3. The fermented beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein the pH is 4.10 or less.

4. The fermented beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein Z is the value of the linalool concentration (μg / L), and Z / X is 12.0 or less.

5. The fermented beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein the malt usage ratio is 50% by mass or more.

6. The fermented beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein 80% or more of the proline in the beverage is derived from malt.

7. A method for producing a fermented beer-flavored beverage having an external fermentation degree of 100.0% or more, comprising: a mashing step of saccharifying a mixture containing malt and water, boiling the resulting saccharified liquid to prepare a fermentation raw material liquid; and a fermentation step of inoculating the resulting fermentation raw material liquid with yeast and fermenting it, wherein the method does not include a step of adding or removing ethanol or components contributing to the extract (except water) after the fermentation step, and the produced fermented beer-flavored beverage has a ratio of X to 1.5 and Y / X of 4.0 or more and 7.0 or less, where X is the ratio of the proline concentration (mg / 100 mL) to the original wort extract (% Plato) and Y is the ratio of the ethyl acetate concentration (mg / L).

8. A method for producing a fermented beer-flavored beverage according to claim 7, wherein the malt usage ratio is 50% by mass or more.

Images