Method for producing concentrated beer-flavored beverage

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage, said method comprising an acid treatment step for obtaining an acidified beer-flavored beverage by adding an acid to a raw material beer-flavored beverage so as to lower the pH and a concentration step for obtaining a concentrated beer-flavored beverage by concentrating the acidified beer-flavored beverage obtained in the acid treatment step. The present invention also provides a method for producing a beer-flavored beverage, said method comprising producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage by the above method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage, diluting the obtained concentrated beer-flavored beverage in accordance with the concentration rate in the concentration step, and adding an alkali so as to increase the pH.

Description

Manufacturing method for concentrated beer-flavored beverages

[0001] This invention relates to a method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage that is intended to be diluted with water, carbonated water, or the like before consumption. This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-230611, filed in Japan on December 26, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Due to growing concern for environmental protection, various efforts are being made to reduce the environmental impact during manufacturing. For example, in the case of beer-flavored beverages, so-called concentrated beer-flavored beverages have been proposed, which have a lower water content compared to typical beer-flavored beverages. Concentrated beer-flavored beverages are intended to be consumed after being diluted with water or carbonated water to the same level as typical beer-flavored beverages. This reduces the weight and volume during manufacturing and transportation, thereby lowering storage and transportation costs and the environmental impact.

[0003] As for the manufacturing method of concentrated beer-flavored beverages, in the case of fermented beer-flavored beverages, for example, there is a high-concentration brewing method in which wort with a higher extract concentration than usual is fermented. In the case of non-fermented beer-flavored beverages, concentrated non-fermented beer-flavored beverages can be manufactured by blending each raw material such as hops, malt extract, and flavorings at a higher concentration than that of typical non-fermented beer-flavored beverages. In addition, concentrated beer-flavored beverages can also be manufactured by performing a concentration treatment that removes some of the water from beer-flavored beverages manufactured by conventional manufacturing methods, such as freeze concentration or membrane separation. Examples of membrane separation methods for dehydration include reverse osmosis (RO) membrane filtration (Patent Document 1) and forward osmosis (FO) membrane filtration (Patent Document 2).

[0004] On the other hand, beer-flavored beverages contain various components, and when concentrated, turbidity and precipitation occur due to the aggregation and crystallization of these components, resulting in appearance problems. In such cases, it is necessary to remove the aggregates and other substances by centrifugal separation or other methods. Therefore, there is a need to develop methods to eliminate turbidity caused by concentration. For example, Patent Document 3 discloses a method for producing liquid beer concentrate by removing the alcohol beforehand by distillation, since high alcohol concentration in liquid beer concentrates are prone to turbidity due to the precipitation of proteins, etc., and then separating the resulting low-alcohol beer by membrane separation or freeze-concentrating it. Patent Document 4 also discloses a method for suppressing the occurrence of turbidity and precipitation by adding ascorbic acid to liquid beer concentrate obtained by membrane separation or freeze-concentration.

[0005] International Publication No. 2018 / 237015, JP 2020-517282, International Publication No. 2021 / 228874, International Publication No. 2024 / 046843

[0006] The method described in Patent Document 3 requires the removal of alcohol by distillation beforehand, which is insufficient from the standpoint of reducing environmental impact. Furthermore, the method described in Patent Document 4 makes it difficult to suppress the turbidity generated during concentration.

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a method for producing concentrated beer-flavored beverages that eliminates the need for energy-intensive pretreatments such as distillation, and suppresses the generation of turbidity and precipitation during the concentration process.

[0008] As a result of diligent research to solve the above problems, the inventors of the present invention discovered that by lowering the pH of the raw beer-flavored beverage to be used in the concentration process beforehand, the occurrence of turbidity and precipitation during the concentration process can be suppressed, and thus completed the present invention.

[0009] The present invention is as follows: [1] A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage, comprising: an acid treatment step of adding an acid to a raw beer-flavored beverage to lower its pH and obtain an acidified beer-flavored beverage; and a concentration step of concentrating the acidified beer-flavored beverage obtained after the acid treatment step to obtain a concentrated beer-flavored beverage. [2] The method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to [1], wherein in the acid treatment step, the pH of the raw beer-flavored beverage is lowered by 0.2 or more. [3] The method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to [1], wherein in the acid treatment step, the pH of the raw beer-flavored beverage is lowered by 0.5 or more. [4] The method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the pH of the raw beer-flavored beverage is 4.0 or higher. [5] The method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the pH of the acidified beer-flavored beverage is 2.0 to 4.0. [6] A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to any of [1] to [5], wherein in the concentration step, the concentration of the acidified beer-flavored beverage is carried out by forward osmosis membrane concentration or reverse osmosis membrane concentration. [7] A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to any of [1] to [6], wherein in the concentration step, the acidified beer-flavored beverage is concentrated by three times or more. [8] A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to any of [1] to [7], wherein the visible extract content of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is 10.0 w / w% or more. [9] A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to any of [1] to [8], wherein the beverage is diluted according to the concentration ratio in the concentration step and the pH is increased by adding alkali before being made drinkable.

[10] A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to any of [1] to [8], wherein the beverage is diluted according to the concentration ratio in the concentration step and the pH is increased by 0.2 or more by adding alkali before being made drinkable.

[11] A method for producing a beer-flavored beverage, comprising: producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage by any of the methods for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage described in [1] to

[10] above; diluting the obtained concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to the concentration ratio in the concentration step; and further adding alkali to raise the pH to produce a beer-flavored beverage.

[12] The method for producing the beer-flavored beverage according to

[11] , wherein the pH of the beverage is increased by 0.2 or more by the addition of the alkali.

[13] The method for producing the beer-flavored beverage according to

[11] or

[12] , wherein the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is subjected to a dilution treatment and an alkali addition treatment, and then carbon dioxide is added.

[14] The method for producing the beer-flavored beverage, wherein a concentrated beer-flavored beverage having an appearance extract content of 10.0% or more and a pH of 4.0 or less is diluted three times or more, and then an alkali is added to increase the pH.

[15] The method for producing the beer-flavored beverage according to

[14] , wherein the pH of the beverage is increased by 0.2 or more by the addition of the alkali.

[16] A concentrated beer-flavored beverage having an appearance extract content of 10.0% or more and a pH of 4.0 or less.

[0010] This invention makes it possible to reduce transportation costs and minimize environmental impact during transportation, while also providing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage with suppressed turbidity.

[0011] This figure shows the results of turbidity measurement of a concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained by concentrating commercially available product A in Example 1. This figure shows the results of turbidity measurement of a beer-flavored beverage obtained by diluting the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained by concentrating commercially available product A in Example 1 with ultrapure water at the same dilution ratio as the concentration ratio. This figure shows the results of sensory evaluation of test product B' in Example 2.

[0012] In the present invention and this specification, "P １ ~P ２ (P １ and P ２ P １ <P ２ The real numbers that satisfy P １ More than P ２ This refers to the numerical range "below" or "inclusive".

[0013] In the present invention and this specification, a "beer-taste beverage" is a beverage having a beer-like flavor. In the present invention and this specification, "beer-like flavor" means a taste that reminds one of beer in terms of flavor, regardless of the product name or label. That is, a beer-taste beverage is a foaming beverage that has a flavor, taste, and texture equivalent to or similar to that of beer, and has a high quenching effect and drinkability (the property of being able to drink several glasses without getting tired), regardless of the presence or absence and content of alcohol, the use of malt, the use of hops, the presence or absence of fermentation, etc.

[0014] In the present invention and this specification, beer-taste beverages include both alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beverages (beverages with an alcohol concentration of less than 0.05 v / v%) that do not contain alcohol. Specific examples of the beer-taste beverage according to the present invention include beer, sparkling wine, low-alcohol beer-taste beverages (beverages with an alcohol concentration of less than 1.00 v / v%), non-alcoholic beer-taste beverages, and the like.

[0015] In the present invention and this specification, a "fermented beer-taste beverage" is a beer-taste beverage produced through a fermentation process. The fermentation method is not particularly limited and may be single fermentation, single or multiple parallel fermentations. However, similar to the production of traditional beer, it is preferably single or multiple parallel fermentations that separately undergo a saccharification process of decomposing starch contained in raw materials such as malt into monosaccharides to trisaccharides, and a fermentation process of producing alcohol from sugar by yeast. In addition, liqueurs obtained by mixing a beverage produced through a fermentation process with an alcohol-containing distillate are also included in fermented beer-taste beverages. In the present invention and this specification, a "non-fermented beer-taste beverage" is a beer-taste beverage produced without going through a fermentation process.

[0016] Note that an alcohol-containing distillate is a solution containing alcohol obtained through a distillation operation, and generally, those classified as distilled spirits can be used. For example, it may be raw material alcohol, or distilled spirits such as spirits, whiskey, brandy, vodka, rum, tequila, gin, shochu, etc. can be used.

[0017] In the present invention and the specification of this application, the "concentrated beer - flavored beverage" is a beer - flavored beverage that is assumed to be consumed in a state diluted with water or carbonated water. The concentrated beer - flavored beverage includes both raw material beer - flavored beverages before concentration, which are fermented beer - flavored beverages and non - fermented beer - flavored beverages.

[0018] In the present invention and the specification of this application, the "concentration ratio" means the value obtained by dividing the extract concentration (%) (E Ｃ２ ) of the solution after concentration by the extract concentration (%) (E Ｃ１ ) of the solution before concentration ([E Ｃ２ ] / [E Ｃ１ ]). In the present invention and the specification of this application, the "dilution ratio" means the value obtained by dividing the extract concentration (%) (E Ｄ１ ) of the solution before dilution by the extract concentration (%) (E Ｄ２ ) of the solution after dilution ([E Ｄ１ ] / [E Ｄ２ ]).

[0019] In the present invention and the specification of this application, unless otherwise specified, "hops" include 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.

[0020] The present invention relates to a method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage, comprising: an acid treatment step of adding acid to a raw beer-flavored beverage to lower its pH and obtain an acidified beer-flavored beverage; and a concentration step of concentrating the acidified beer-flavored beverage obtained after the acid treatment step to obtain a concentrated beer-flavored beverage. By performing the concentration treatment with the pH of the raw beer-flavored beverage lowered before the concentration treatment, a concentrated beer-flavored beverage can be produced in which the occurrence of turbidity and precipitation is effectively suppressed compared to when the raw beer-flavored beverage is concentrated as is. By diluting the obtained concentrated beer-flavored beverage for drinking, a beer-flavored beverage with no turbidity or precipitation and excellent appearance quality can be obtained.

[0021] Various types of beer-flavored beverages can be used as raw material. For example, the raw material beer-flavored beverage may be a fermented beer-flavored beverage or a non-fermented beer-flavored beverage. Furthermore, the raw material beer-flavored beverage may be a beer-flavored beverage of a concentration suitable for direct consumption, or it may be a beer-flavored beverage that is relatively concentrated for direct consumption, such as a beer-flavored beverage produced by high-concentration brewing or a non-fermented beer-flavored beverage in which various ingredients are blended to have a relatively high proportion of true extract (for example, 8.0% Plato or higher).

[0022] The pH of the raw beer-flavored beverage is not particularly limited and can be 2.0 to 5.0, similar to general beer-flavored beverages. However, in order to more effectively suppress turbidity through acid treatment, the pH of the raw beer-flavored beverage used in this invention is preferably 3.0 or higher, more preferably 3.2 or higher, even more preferably 3.8 or higher, and even more preferably 4.0 or higher.

[0023] The method for producing concentrated beer-flavored beverages according to the present invention can effectively suppress the generation of turbidity during the concentration process. To further enhance this turbidity suppression effect, the raw beer-flavored beverage may be one in which the concentration of various components thought to be involved in turbidity generation is relatively high.

[0024] The appearance extract content of the raw beer-flavored beverage used in the present invention is not particularly limited. The appearance extract content of the raw beer-flavored beverage is preferably 3.6 w / w% or more, more preferably 4.0 w / w% or more, even more preferably 4.5 w / w% or more, even more preferably 5.0 w / w% or more, and particularly preferably 5.4 w / w% or more. The appearance extract content of the raw beer-flavored beverage is preferably 9.0 w / w% or less, more preferably 8.5 w / w% or less, and even more preferably 8.0 w / w% or less.

[0025] The visible extract concentration of beer-flavored beverages can be calculated from the specific gravity of beer using the "8.1.4 Alcoholizer Method" in the "BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (2013 Revised Edition) (edited by the International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee) of the Beer Brewers Association)". For example, using the specific gravity at 20°C, the visible extract concentration can be calculated as sucrose-equivalent extract concentration (w / w%) from the Plato table in Anton Paar's alcoholizer-equipped extract meter.

[0026] The β-glucan concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage used in the present invention is not particularly limited. The β-glucan concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage is preferably, for example, 4.0 mg / L or more, more preferably 7.0 mg / L or more, even more preferably 8.0 mg / L or more, even more preferably 9.0 mg / L or more, and particularly preferably 9.9 mg / L or more. The β-glucan concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage is preferably, for example, 30.0 mg / L or less, more preferably 25.0 mg / L or less, and even more preferably 20.0 mg / L or less.

[0027] The β-glucan concentration in beer-flavored beverages can be measured, for example, using the "GlucaTest kit" (manufactured by JK International).

[0028] The calcium concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage used in the present invention is not particularly limited. The calcium concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage is preferably, for example, 5 ppm or more, more preferably 15 ppm or more, even more preferably 35 ppm or more, and even more preferably 40 ppm or more. The calcium concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage is preferably, for example, 100 ppm or less, more preferably 80 ppm or less, and even more preferably 50 ppm or less.

[0029] The calcium concentration in beer-flavored beverages can be measured, for example, by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

[0030] The oxalic acid concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage used in the present invention is not particularly limited. The oxalic acid concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage is preferably, for example, 0.1 ppm or more, more preferably 1 ppm or more, even more preferably 3 ppm or more, and even more preferably 5 ppm or more. The oxalic acid concentration of the raw beer-flavored beverage is preferably, for example, 100 ppm or less, more preferably 50 ppm or less, and even more preferably 30 ppm or less.

[0031] The oxalic acid concentration in beer-flavored beverages can be measured, for example, by ion chromatography analysis.

[0032] The amount of amino nitrogen in the raw beer-flavored beverage used in the present invention is not particularly limited. The amount of amino nitrogen in the raw beer-flavored beverage is preferably, for example, 0.5 mg / 100 mL or more, more preferably 1.0 mg / 100 mL or more, even more preferably 5.0 mg / 100 mL or more, and even more preferably 7.5 mg / 100 mL or more. The amount of amino nitrogen in the raw beer-flavored beverage is preferably, for example, 15.0 mg / 100 mL or less, more preferably 12.0 mg / 100 mL or less, and even more preferably 10.0 mg / 100 mL or less.

[0033] The amount of amino nitrogen in beer-flavored beverages can be measured, for example, by the ninhydrin method (Beer Brewers Association of Japan: BCOJ Beer Analysis Method, 8.18 Free Amino Nitrogen (2013)). For example, the amount of amino nitrogen in beer-flavored beverages can be analyzed using the above method with an automated analyzer ("MiSSion-S", manufactured by BL-TECH).

[0034] The total polyphenol content of the raw beer-flavored beverage used in the present invention is not particularly limited. The total polyphenol content of the raw beer-flavored beverage is preferably 50 ppm or more, more preferably 70 ppm or more, even more preferably 85 ppm or more, even more preferably 89 ppm or more, and particularly preferably 100 ppm or more. The total polyphenol content of the raw beer-flavored beverage is preferably 300 ppm or less, more preferably 200 ppm or less, even more preferably 150 ppm or less, even more preferably 120 ppm or less, and particularly preferably 105 ppm or less.

[0035] The total polyphenol content of beer-flavored beverages can be measured, for example, by a colorimetric method utilizing the reaction with ferric trivalent ions (see "Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method," 2013, 8.19 Total Polyphenols).

[0036] The protein content of the raw beer-flavored beverage used in the present invention is not particularly limited. The protein content of the raw beer-flavored beverage is preferably 50 mg / L or more, more preferably 100 mg / L or more, even more preferably 150 mg / L, and even more preferably 200 mg / L or more. The protein content of the raw beer-flavored beverage is preferably 800 mg / L or less, more preferably 600 mg / L or less, even more preferably 400 mg / L or less, and even more preferably 300 mg / L or less.

[0037] The protein content of beer-flavored beverages can be measured, for example, by the method of Bradford et al. (Bradford, M.M., Anal. Biochem. 72, 248 (1976)).

[0038] The raw material beer-flavored beverage may be an alcoholic beverage or a non-alcoholic beverage (a beverage with an alcohol concentration of less than 0.05 v / v%). If the raw material beer-flavored beverage is an alcoholic beverage, the alcohol concentration of the beverage is not particularly limited and can be 0.5 to 15.0 v / v%, preferably 0.5 to 10.0 v / v%, more preferably 2.5 to 8.0 v / v%, and even more preferably 3.0 to 6.0 v / v%. The raw material beer-flavored beverage may also be a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage (a beverage with an alcohol concentration of less than 1.00 v / v%).

[0039] The alcohol concentration of 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)".

[0040] In the acid treatment process, the acid added to the raw beer-flavored beverage is not particularly limited as long as it is an edible acid; it may be a mineral acid or an organic acid. Specifically, examples of such acids include phosphoric acid, lactic acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, and fumaric acid. Phosphoric acid and lactic acid are preferred as such because they have little effect on the flavor of the beer-flavored beverage.

[0041] In the acid treatment process, a sufficient amount of acid is added to the raw beer-flavored beverage to lower the pH of the beverage. The pH of the acidified beer-flavored beverage obtained by adding acid to the raw beer-flavored beverage should be lower than the pH of the raw beer-flavored beverage before acid addition, preferably 0.2 or more lower, and more preferably 0.5 or more lower. Even more preferably, the pH of the acidified beer-flavored beverage is 0.8 or more lower, more preferably 1.0 or more lower, even more preferably 1.3 or more lower, and even more preferably 1.9 or more lower than the pH of the raw beer-flavored beverage before acid addition.

[0042] The pH of the acidified beer-flavored beverage obtained in the acid treatment process is preferably 2.0 to 4.0, more preferably 2.5 to 4.0, even more preferably 2.6 to 3.8, and still more preferably 2.6 to 3.2.

[0043] Next, as a concentration step, the acidified beer-flavored beverage obtained after the acid treatment step is concentrated to obtain a concentrated beer-flavored beverage. The concentration process is not particularly limited as long as it is a process that can remove some of the water from the acidified beer-flavored beverage. From the viewpoint of energy cost and suppression of flavor deterioration, the concentration process is preferably a membrane concentration process such as microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, forward osmosis membrane treatment, or reverse osmosis membrane treatment, or a freeze concentration process, more preferably a membrane concentration process, even more preferably a forward osmosis membrane concentration process or a reverse osmosis membrane concentration process, and even more preferably a forward osmosis membrane concentration process.

[0044] Forward osmosis (FSO) concentration is a process that concentrates a specific liquid by separating a solution with high osmotic pressure from a solution with low osmotic pressure using a semipermeable membrane, and utilizing the phenomenon that only water permeates from the low-osmotic-pressure solution to the high-osmotic-pressure solution. Reverse osmosis concentration, on the other hand, is a concentration process that separates a solution with high osmotic pressure from a solution with low osmotic pressure using a semipermeable membrane, and applies pressure from the outside that exceeds the osmotic pressure difference to the high-osmotic-pressure side, causing only water molecules to escape from the high-concentration side to the low-concentration side. Both forward osmosis and reverse osmosis concentration can be carried out using commercially available equipment and according to the recommended methods.

[0045] In the concentration process, the degree of concentration of the acidified beer-flavored beverage is not particularly limited and can be appropriately determined considering the desired product quality, etc. For example, from the viewpoint of achieving more sufficient concentration, it is preferable to concentrate the acidified beer-flavored beverage by three times or more, that is, a concentration ratio of 3.0 or higher is preferable, a concentration ratio of 4.0 or higher is more preferable, and a concentration ratio of 5.0 or higher is even more preferable. There is no particular upper limit to the concentration ratio. The degree of concentration of the acidified beer-flavored beverage is preferably such that the concentration ratio is 15.0 or less, and more preferably such that the concentration ratio is 10.0 or less.

[0046] The visible extract content of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process is not particularly limited. The visible extract content of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is preferably, for example, 10.0 w / w% or more, more preferably 15.0 w / w% or more, even more preferably 20.0 w / w% or more, and even more preferably 30.0 w / w% or more. The visible extract content of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is preferably, for example, 50.0 w / w% or less, more preferably 45.0 w / w% or less, and even more preferably 40.0 w / w% or less.

[0047] The β-glucan concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process is not particularly limited. For example, the β-glucan concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is preferably 21.0 mg / L or higher, more preferably 30.0 mg / L or higher, even more preferably 40.0 mg / L or higher, and even more preferably 50.0 mg / L or higher. For example, the β-glucan concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is preferably 150.0 mg / L or lower, more preferably 120.0 mg / L or lower, even more preferably 90.0 mg / L or lower, and even more preferably 60.0 mg / L or lower.

[0048] The calcium concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process is not particularly limited. For example, the calcium concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is preferably 40 ppm or more, more preferably 70 ppm or more, even more preferably 105 ppm or more, and even more preferably 120 ppm or more. For example, the calcium concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is preferably 500 ppm or less, more preferably 250 ppm or less, and even more preferably 150 ppm or less.

[0049] The oxalic acid concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process is not particularly limited. The oxalic acid concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is preferably, for example, 0.5 ppm or more, more preferably 5 ppm or more, even more preferably 15 ppm or more, and even more preferably 25 ppm or more. The oxalic acid concentration of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is preferably, for example, 500 ppm or less, more preferably 250 ppm or less, and even more preferably 150 ppm or less.

[0050] The amount of amino nitrogen in the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process is not particularly limited. The amount of amino nitrogen in the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is preferably, for example, 1.5 mg / 100 mL or more, more preferably 5.0 mg / 100 mL or more, even more preferably 10.0 mg / 100 mL or more, and even more preferably 25.0 mg / 100 mL or more. The amount of amino nitrogen in the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is preferably, for example, 75.0 mg / 100 mL or less, more preferably 50.0 mg / 100 mL or less, and even more preferably 40.0 mg / 100 mL or less.

[0051] The total polyphenol content of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process is not particularly limited. The total polyphenol content of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is preferably 150 ppm or more, more preferably 200 ppm or more, even more preferably 250 ppm or more, even more preferably 270 ppm or more, and particularly preferably 500 ppm or more. The total polyphenol content of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is preferably 1400 ppm or less, more preferably 1000 ppm or less, even more preferably 600 ppm or less, even more preferably 450 ppm or less, and particularly preferably 300 ppm or less.

[0052] The protein content of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process is not particularly limited. The protein content of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is preferably 100 mg / L or more, more preferably 200 mg / L or more, even more preferably 300 mg / L, and even more preferably 400 mg / L or more. The protein content of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is preferably 1500 mg / L or less, more preferably 1000 mg / L or less, even more preferably 850 mg / L or less, and even more preferably 700 mg / L or less.

[0053] The concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process may be an alcoholic beverage, a low-alcohol beverage (a beverage with an alcohol concentration of less than 1.00 v / v%), or a non-alcoholic beverage (a beverage with an alcohol concentration of less than 0.05 v / v%). If the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is an alcoholic beverage, the alcohol concentration of the beverage can be, for example, 1.0 to 45.0 v / v%, preferably 1.5 to 30.0 v / v%, more preferably 5.0 to 30.0 v / v%, and even more preferably 10.0 to 30.0 v / v%.

[0054] The concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process can be filled into containers and sealed to produce bottled concentrated beer-flavored beverages. Filling and sealing the containers can be done by conventional methods. In addition, the empty space in the bottled 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.

[0055] The containers used to fill the bottled concentrated 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.

[0056] The concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process is subjected to heat sterilization as necessary. Heat sterilization 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.

[0057] The concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process is diluted for consumption. The dilution ratio is not particularly limited and is determined appropriately according to the intended product design. From the standpoint of bringing the sensory quality of the raw beer-flavored beverage closer to that of the raw material, the dilution ratio (R) of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is used. Ｄ ) is the concentration ratio (R Ｃ ) 0.3 to 10 times (R Ｃ × 0.3 ≤ R Ｄ ≤R Ｃ It may be within the range of ×10.0, and 0.3 to 8 times (R Ｃ × 0.3 ≤ R Ｄ ≤R Ｃ It may be within the range of ×8.0, and 0.3 to 6 times (R Ｃ × 0.3 ≤ R Ｄ ≤R Ｃ It may be within the range of ×6.0, and 0.3 to 4 times (R Ｃ × 0.3 ≤ R Ｄ ≤R Ｃ It may be within the range of ×4.0, and 0.5 to 2 times (R Ｃ × 0.5 ≤ R Ｄ ≤R Ｃ It may be within the range of ×2.0, and 0.8 to 1.25 times (R Ｃ × 0.8 ≤ R Ｄ ≤R Ｃ It may be within the range of ×1.25, or 0.9 to 1.1 times (R Ｃ × 0.9 ≤ R Ｄ ≤R Ｃ It may also be within the range of ×1.1). Furthermore, for manufacturing suitability, the dilution ratio (R Ｄ ) is the concentration ratio (R Ｃ ) 1.0 to 10 times (R Ｃ ×1.0 ≤ R Ｄ ≤R Ｃ ×10.0), 1.0 to 8 times (R Ｃ ×1.0 ≤ R Ｄ ≤R Ｃ ×8.0), 1.0 to 6 times (R Ｃ ×1.0 ≤ R Ｄ ≤R Ｃ ×6.0), 1.0 to 4 times (R Ｃ ×1.0 ≤ R Ｄ ≤R Ｃ ×4.0), or 1.0 to 2 times (R Ｃ ×1.0 ≤ RＤ ≤R Ｃ It is preferable that it be within the range of ×2.0.

[0058] The concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process is preferably diluted and then served for consumption after alkali has been added to raise its pH. Raising the pH results in a less turbid and more drinkable beer-flavored beverage. The range of pH increase of the diluted beer-flavored beverage due to alkali addition is not particularly limited. Preferably, the pH increase of the diluted beer-flavored beverage is 0.2 or higher, and more preferably 0.5 or higher. Furthermore, in order to more closely resemble the sensory characteristics of the raw beer-flavored beverage, it is preferable to raise the pH of the diluted beer-flavored beverage to approximately the same level as the pH of the raw beer-flavored beverage by adding alkali.

[0059] The alkali added to the diluted beer-flavored beverage is not particularly limited as long as it is edible, and can be appropriately selected from among pH adjusters commonly used in beverages, such as sodium bicarbonate, trisodium phosphate, disodium succinate, trisodium citrate, sodium gluconate, sodium ascorbate, sodium malate, sodium tartrate, and monosodium fumarate. Sodium bicarbonate, trisodium phosphate, and disodium succinate are preferred as the alkali because they have little effect on the flavor of the beer-flavored beverage, with sodium bicarbonate being particularly preferred.

[0060] The concentrated beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration process may be diluted, alkali may be added, and then carbon dioxide may be added as needed. Adding carbon dioxide can provide sufficient freshness. The addition of carbon dioxide can be done by conventional methods. For example, carbonated water may be mixed with the beer-flavored beverage after alkali has been added, and carbon dioxide may be added directly and dissolved.

[0061] After adding carbon dioxide, the resulting beer-flavored beverage may be subjected to further treatments such as filtration to remove insoluble matter. The insoluble matter removal treatment is not particularly limited and can be carried out by methods commonly used in the art.

[0062] A beer-flavored beverage intended for consumption, obtained by diluting a concentrated beer-flavored beverage, can be filled into a container and sealed to produce a bottled beer-flavored beverage. Heat sterilization can also be performed as necessary. Filling and sealing the container, the choice of container, and heat sterilization can be carried out in the same manner as described above.

[0063] The method for producing concentrated beer-flavored beverages according to the present invention can be incorporated into the manufacturing process of general fermented beer-flavored beverages and non-fermented beer-flavored beverages.

[0064] Fermented beer-flavored beverages can be manufactured through the processes of mashing (preparation of fermentation raw material liquid), fermentation, storage, and filtration.

[0065] Malt may be used as at least a part of the fermentation ingredients. The malt used as a fermentation ingredient may be barley malt, wheat malt, or both may be used in combination. Malt alone may be used as a fermentation ingredient, or malt may be used in combination with other ingredients, that is, the malt usage ratio (the proportion of malt used in the total amount of fermentation ingredients) may be less than 100% by mass. From the standpoint of producing a more beer-like aroma and flavor, a malt usage ratio of 50 to 100% by mass is preferable, 70 to 100% by mass is more preferable, and 90 to 100% by mass is even more preferable.

[0066] 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.

[0067] 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.

[0068] 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.

[0069] By using hops or hop products as raw materials, 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 raw materials may be fresh hops, dried hops, or hop pellets. The hop products used as raw materials may include hop extract, which is obtained by extracting the bitter components from hops. Alternatively, 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.

[0070] 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.

[0071] 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.

[0072] 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.

[0073] 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.

[0074] In the brewing process, it is preferable to add enzyme preparations such as saccharifying enzymes like α-amylase, glucoamylase, and pullulanase, as well as proteases. These enzymes promote the decomposition reaction of non-assimilable sugars in the fermentation raw materials into assimilated sugars, making it possible to prepare a fermentation raw material liquid with a low content of non-assimilable sugars, even when using fermentation raw materials with a high proportion of malt.

[0075] 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.

[0076] The boiled sugar solution (the boiled sugar solution) can be prepared by boiling the sugar solution obtained after the saccharification treatment. It is preferable to filter the sugar solution before boiling and boil the resulting filtrate. Alternatively, a mixture of malt extract and warm water may be used instead of the filtrate of the sugar solution, and this mixture may be boiled. The boiling method and conditions can be determined as appropriate.

[0077] 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.

[0078] 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.

[0079] 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.

[0080] When using non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages or low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages as raw materials for beer-flavored beverages, only yeast with low ethanol production capacity may be used for fermentation, or a combination of yeast with normal ethanol production capacity and yeast with low ethanol production capacity may be used. Examples of yeast with low ethanol production capacity include Kluyveromyces Flagilis (Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-094077), Saccharomycodes ludwigii (ellut, et al., Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists, 2019, DOI: 10.1080 / 03610470.2019.1569452), and a phenotype (RAG) in which the yeast cannot grow if respiration is inhibited. －Examples include known yeast strains and their mutants, such as the Kluiveromyces lactis mutant with a specific phenotype (Wesolowski-Louvel, et al., Molecular and General Genetics, 1992, vol.233(1-2), p.89-96.).

[0081] 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.

[0082] 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.

[0083] In addition, in the process following the yeast fermentation, for example, by mixing with an alcohol-containing distillate, a fermented beer-flavored beverage equivalent to a liqueur under the Liquor Tax Law can be produced. The addition of the alcohol-containing distillate may be before or after the addition of water to adjust the alcohol concentration. Barley spirits are preferred as the added alcohol-containing distillate, as they can produce a fermented beer-flavored beverage with a more desirable malty character.

[0084] When using non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages or low-alcohol beer-flavored beverages as raw materials for beer-flavored beverages, de-alcoholization treatment may be performed before or after filtration. Various de-alcoholization treatments capable of removing at least a portion of the alcohol can be used, such as low-temperature distillation (a treatment in which alcohol is removed by distillation under reduced pressure at 50°C or below).

[0085] The beer-flavored beverage thus obtained can be used as the raw material beer-flavored beverage, and by performing the acid treatment step and the concentration step described above, a concentrated beer-flavored beverage can be produced. Before the acid treatment step, the raw material beer-flavored beverage may be subjected to a degassing treatment.

[0086] Non-fermented beer-flavored beverages, which are produced without a fermentation process, can generally be manufactured by mixing the raw materials (formulation method). Specifically, the formulation method includes a mixing step of preparing a mixture by mixing the raw materials, and a gas introduction step of adding carbon dioxide to the resulting mixture. The mixture prepared after the mixing step but before the gas introduction step can be used as the raw beer-flavored beverage in the method for producing concentrated beer-flavored beverages according to the present invention.

[0087] First, in the blending process, a blended liquid is prepared by mixing the raw materials. In the blending process, it is preferable to prepare a blended liquid by mixing all raw materials except carbon dioxide. The order in which the raw materials are mixed is not particularly limited. All raw materials may be added to the raw water at the same time, or they may be added sequentially, such as adding the remaining raw materials after dissolving the raw materials that were added first. Alternatively, for example, solid raw materials (e.g., powder or granular) and alcohol may be mixed with the raw water, or the solid raw materials may be prepared as an aqueous solution beforehand, and these aqueous solutions, alcohol, and raw water as needed may be mixed. Furthermore, heated raw materials may be added to the raw water, or the prepared blended liquid may be heated.

[0088] Ingredients include bittering agents, acidulants, sweeteners, caramel coloring, flavorings, ethanol (raw alcohol), emulsifiers, polysaccharides, water-soluble dietary fiber, proteins or their hydrolysates, etc. The bittering agents listed above can be used.

[0089] Examples of sweeteners include, but are not limited to, sucrose, glucose, fructose, isomerized sugar, and high-intensity sweeteners. These sweeteners may be used individually or in combination of two or more. Examples of high-intensity sweeteners include aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, neotame, stevia, and enzyme-treated stevia.

[0090] Examples of acidulants include organic acids such as lactic acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, phosphoric acid, adipic acid, and fumaric acid. Examples of flavorings include beer extract, beer flavoring, and hop flavoring.

[0091] Examples of emulsifiers include polyglycerin fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, polypropylene glycol fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, and polysorbates.

[0092] Examples of polysaccharides include starch and dextrin. Dextrin is a carbohydrate obtained by hydrolyzing starch, and refers to a carbohydrate that is larger than oligosaccharides (carbohydrates in which 3 to 10 monosaccharides are polymerized).

[0093] 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 include soy fiber (soluble soy polysaccharides), polydextrose, indigestible dextrin, galactomannan, inulin, guar gum hydrolysate, pectin, and gum arabic.

[0094] A concentrated beer-flavored beverage can be produced by using the prepared liquid in the blending process as a raw beer-flavored beverage and then performing the acid treatment process and the concentration process. If insoluble matter is generated in the prepared liquid in the blending process, it is preferable to remove the insoluble matter by filtration or other treatment before the acid treatment process. The insoluble matter removal treatment is not particularly limited and can be carried out by methods commonly used in the art, such as filtration or centrifugal separation. It is preferable to remove the insoluble matter by filtration, and more preferably by diatomaceous earth filtration.

[0095] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to examples and reference examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0096] [Example 1] The effect of pH during the concentration process of commercially available beer-flavored beverages was investigated.

[0097] <Preparation of raw beer-flavored beverage> A commercially available product (commercial product A, pH 4.5) was used as the raw beer-flavored beverage. 9.2 L of the raw beer-flavored beverage was poured into a polyethylene tank, and the pH was adjusted to five levels using phosphoric acid (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries): unadjusted (pH 4.5), pH 4.3 (amount of phosphoric acid used: 0.37 mL), pH 3.8 (amount of phosphoric acid used: 2.0 mL), pH 3.2 (amount of phosphoric acid used: 6.6 mL), and pH 2.6 (amount of phosphoric acid used: 12.6 mL).

[0098] <Forward Osmosis Concentration Treatment> A forward osmosis membrane module (Aquaporin Inside® HFFO® 2, manufactured by Aquaporin) was used for the forward osmosis concentration treatment. In addition, 2 M sodium chloride aqueous solution and 2.5 M sodium chloride aqueous solution were prepared for use in the membrane concentration test. The concentrations of each reagent were adjusted using ultrapure water (Merck Millipore).

[0099] The concentration process was carried out in a room at 18°C ​​and 50% humidity. First, both the draw solution (DS) side (the solution with higher osmotic pressure, which acts as the driving force for liquid movement) and the feed solution (FS) side (the solution with lower osmotic pressure, which is the liquid to be concentrated) were filled with pure water. Next, more than 500 mL of the test solution was flowed into the FS side, and then more than 500 mL of the test solution (raw beer-flavored beverage) was flowed into the FS side, and more than 500 mL of 2M sodium chloride aqueous solution was flowed into the DS side, so that the FS side was filled with the test solution and the DS side was filled with 2M sodium chloride aqueous solution. Next, both the FS and DS were switched to circulation mode, and concentration was started. The weight of the test solution was measured every 5 minutes, and circulation was continued until the target concentration ratio was reached. When the osmotic pressure difference between the FS and DS decreased and the weight loss of the test solution decreased, the liquid circulating in the DS was switched to 2.5M sodium chloride aqueous solution to restore the osmotic pressure difference between the FS and DS. Each time the target concentration was reached by weight calculation, 150 mL of the test solution was sampled. The official concentration ratio was determined by measuring the extract using an extract meter (portable densimeter: DMA35, manufactured by Anton Paar), and the concentration of the extract was taken as the concentration ratio.

[0100] <Turbidity Measurement> Turbidity measurements were performed on samples of each raw material beer-flavored beverage obtained in the concentration test, both in the concentrated state and in the state diluted with ultrapure water by the concentration ratio. The samples used for turbidity measurement were thoroughly degassed by shaking the container at room temperature and then prepared in 50 mL dedicated vials. Turbidity measurements were performed on each sample prepared in the 50 mL dedicated vial using a turbidimeter (HAZE 3001 TURBIDITY METER, manufactured by Anton Paar).

[0101] Table 1 and Figure 1 show the results of turbidity measurements of concentrated beer-flavored beverages obtained by concentrating commercially available product A. Regardless of the pH of the test solution, turbidity increased as the concentration ratio increased.

[0102]

[0103] Table 2 and Figure 2 show the results of turbidity measurements of beer-flavored beverages obtained by diluting a concentrated beer-flavored beverage, obtained by concentrating commercially available product A, with ultrapure water at the same dilution ratio as the concentration ratio. In the test solution with a pH of 4.5, the turbidity of the diluted beer-flavored beverage increased as the concentration ratio increased. On the other hand, in the test solutions in which the pH was lowered to 3.8, 3.2, or 2.6, the turbidity of the diluted beer-flavored beverage hardly increased even at high concentration ratios. In particular, in the test solutions in which the pH was lowered to 3.2 or below, the turbidity of the diluted beer-flavored beverage was kept below 1.0 even at high concentration ratios. Furthermore, in the test solution in which the pH was lowered to 4.3, although the turbidity of the diluted beer-flavored beverage increased, the degree of increase was considerably lower than in the test solution with a pH of 4.5, and in particular, at a concentration ratio of about 3 times, the turbidity hardly increased at all. These results demonstrate that lowering the pH before concentration significantly suppresses the occurrence of turbidity in the beer-flavored beverage obtained after concentration and dilution.

[0104]

[0105] [Example 2] Using a commercially available beer-flavored beverage (commercial product B) different from the commercially available product A used in Example 1, the effect of pH during concentration treatment was investigated in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0106] A commercially available beer-flavored beverage (commercial product B, pH 4.5) was used as the raw material. 9.2 L of the raw material beer-flavored beverage was placed in a polyethylene tank, and the pH was adjusted to two levels, unadjusted (pH 4.5) and pH 2.8, using phosphoric acid (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.). Each raw material beer-flavored beverage (test sample) was subjected to forward osmosis membrane concentration treatment in the same manner as in Example 1, and the turbidity of the collected samples was measured.

[0107] Table 3 shows the results of turbidity measurements of concentrated beer-flavored beverages obtained by concentrating commercially available product B. Similar to commercially available product A, in commercially available product B as well, turbidity increased as the concentration ratio increased, regardless of the pH of the test solution.

[0108]

[0109] Table 4 shows the results of turbidity measurements of beer-flavored beverages obtained by diluting a concentrated beer-flavored beverage, obtained by concentrating commercial product B, with ultrapure water at the same dilution ratio as the concentration ratio. Similar to commercial product A, with commercial product B, the turbidity of the diluted beer-flavored beverage increased as the concentration ratio increased in the test solution with a pH of 4.5. However, in the test solution with a pH reduced to 2.8, the turbidity of the diluted beer-flavored beverage hardly increased even at high concentration ratios.

[0110]

[0111] <Sensory evaluation of diluted beer-flavored beverage> After adjusting the pH of commercially available product B to 2.8, a concentrated beer-flavored beverage (50g) was concentrated 6.61 times. This concentrated beverage was then diluted 6.61 times with ultrapure water. Alkali (sodium bicarbonate, 0.5 mg) was added to the diluted solution to return the pH to 4.5, and then carbon dioxide gas was injected to prepare a beer-flavored beverage (test product B'). The injection of carbon dioxide gas was carried out using a constant temperature bath carbonator test apparatus (UT-CS400AN model, manufactured by Unitech Co., Ltd.) under the following conditions.

[0112] CO2 injection conditions Sample temperature: 10°C CO2 ２ Gas pressure: 2.0 MPa Shaking time: 15 minutes

[0113] <Turbidity Measurement> The turbidity of test sample B' (a beer-flavored beverage with the pH returned to 4.5 and carbon dioxide injected) was measured in the same manner as described above. As a result, the turbidity was 0.85°EBC, which was the same as the diluted solution before the pH was returned to 4.5°EBC. In other words, it was confirmed that turbidity does not occur even when the pH is increased or carbon dioxide is injected after dilution.

[0114] <Sensory Evaluation> The flavor of test product B' was evaluated by a panel of two experts. Ten items were evaluated: grain / roast, hops, esters, fermentation, sweetness, acidity, bitterness, astringency, body, and crispness. Test product B' was evaluated in comparison to the evaluation of commercial product B, according to the following criteria. The average score of the two expert panel members was used as the evaluation score for test product B'.

[0115] Evaluation Criteria 3: Quite different from test sample B, test sample B' is stronger. 2: Different from test sample B, test sample B' is stronger. 1: Slightly different from test sample B, test sample B' is stronger. 0: Same as test sample B. -1: Slightly different from test sample B, test sample B' is weaker. -2: Different from test sample B, test sample B' is weaker. -3: Quite different from test sample B, test sample B' is weaker.

[0116] The sensory evaluation results for test sample B' are shown in Figure 3 and Table 5. The results suggest that there is no significant difference in flavor between test sample B' and test sample B before concentration.

[0117]

Claims

1. A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage, comprising: an acid treatment step of adding acid to a raw beer-flavored beverage to lower the pH and obtain an acidified beer-flavored beverage; and a concentration step of concentrating the acidified beer-flavored beverage obtained after the acid treatment step to obtain a concentrated beer-flavored beverage.

2. The method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein in the acid treatment step, the pH of the raw beer-flavored beverage is reduced by 0.2 or more.

3. The method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein in the acid treatment step, the pH of the raw beer-flavored beverage is reduced by 0.5 or more.

4. The method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein the pH of the raw beer-flavored beverage is 4.0 or higher.

5. The method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein the pH of the acidified beer-flavored beverage is 2.0 to 4.

0.

6. The method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein in the concentration step, the concentration of the acidified beer-flavored beverage is carried out by forward osmosis membrane concentration or reverse osmosis membrane concentration.

7. The method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein in the concentration step, the acidified beer-flavored beverage is concentrated by three times or more.

8. The method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein the apparent extract content of the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is 10.0 w / w% or more.

9. A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein the beverage is diluted according to the concentration ratio in the concentration step, and an alkali is added to raise the pH before serving for consumption.

10. A method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein the beverage is diluted according to the concentration ratio in the concentration step, and an alkali is added to raise the pH to 0.2 or more before serving for consumption.

11. A method for producing a beer-flavored beverage, comprising: producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage by the method for producing a concentrated beer-flavored beverage described in any one of claims 1 to 10; diluting the obtained concentrated beer-flavored beverage according to the concentration ratio in the concentration step; and further adding alkali to raise the pH to produce a beer-flavored beverage.

12. The method for producing a beer-flavored beverage according to claim 11, wherein the pH of the beverage is raised by 0.2 or more by adding the alkali.

13. A method for producing a beer-flavored beverage according to claim 11, wherein the concentrated beer-flavored beverage is subjected to a dilution treatment and an alkali addition treatment, and then carbon dioxide is added to it.

14. A method for producing a beer-flavored beverage, comprising diluting a concentrated beer-flavored beverage having an extract content of 10.0% or more and a pH of 4.0 or less by three times or more, and then adding alkali to raise the pH to produce a beer-flavored beverage.

15. The method for producing a beer-flavored beverage according to claim 14, wherein the pH of the beverage is raised by 0.2 or more by adding the alkali.

16. A concentrated beer-flavored beverage with an appearance extract content of 10.0% or more and a pH of 4.0 or less.

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