Beer-flavored fermented beverage and method for producing same

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a novel beer-flavored fermented beverage in which the purine concentration is reduced and the deteriorated flavor resulting from the reduction in the purine concentration is improved. The present invention provides a beer-flavored fermented beverage having a purine concentration of 5,000 ppb or less, wherein the γ-aminobutyric acid concentration is 5 ppm or more. By setting the γ-aminobutyric acid concentration to a predetermined value in a beer-flavored fermented beverage having a reduced purine concentration, the present invention makes it possible to provide a beer-flavored fermented beverage having excellent flavor while reducing the purine concentration.

Description

Beer-taste fermented beverage and method for producing the same CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-232431 (filing date: December 27, 2024), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

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

[0003] It is said that in beer, which is a fermented malt beverage, purine compounds are present at about 4 to 10 mg / 100 mL (40,000 to 100,000 ppb). When purine compounds are ingested as food, they are decomposed into uric acid, which is said to contribute to an increase in uric acid levels. Therefore, for fermented malt beverages such as beer, products with reduced purine compounds that meet the health-consciousness of consumers are desired.

[0004] So far, technologies for reducing the concentration of purine compounds in fermented malt beverages such as beer have been developed (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). On the other hand, a beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage with a reduced purine concentration and a rich taste is known (Patent Document 3).

[0005] International Publication No. 96 / 25483 JP-A No. 2004-290071 JP-A No. 2019-97414

[0006] The inventors of the present invention found that in a beer-taste fermented beverage with a reduced purine concentration, the flavor of the entire beverage became weak due to the reduction in the purine concentration, resulting in a decrease in the drinking experience and room for improvement. The object of the present invention is to provide a novel beer-taste fermented beverage in which the decrease in the drinking experience due to the reduction in the purine concentration is improved while the purine concentration is reduced.

[0007] The present invention provides the following: [1] A beer-flavored fermented beverage having a purine concentration of 5,000 ppb or less and a γ-aminobutyric acid concentration of 5 ppm or more. [2] The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to [1], wherein the ethyl acetate concentration is 1.5 ppm or more. [3] The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to [1] or [2], wherein the total concentration of γ-aminobutyric acid and ethyl acetate is 6.5 ppm or more. [4] The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the alcohol concentration is 3.0 v / v% or more and 7.0 v / v% or less. [5] The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the malt usage ratio is 50% or more and 100% or less. [6] A method for producing a beer-flavored fermented beverage having a purine concentration of 5,000 ppb or less, comprising the step of containing γ-aminobutyric acid at a concentration of 5 ppm or more. [7] A method for improving the flavor of a beer-flavored fermented beverage having a purine concentration of 5,000 ppb or less, the method comprising a step of adding γ-aminobutyric acid to the beverage in a concentration of 5 ppm or more during its production.

[0008] According to the present invention, in a beer-flavored fermented beverage with reduced purine concentration, by setting the γ-aminobutyric acid concentration to a predetermined value, it is possible to provide a beer-flavored fermented beverage with good flavor while reducing the purine concentration.

[0009] In this invention, "beer-flavored beverage" means a beverage having a beer-like flavor. In this invention, "beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage" means a beverage fermented with yeast using a carbon source, a nitrogen source, and water as raw materials, and includes beer and sparkling alcoholic beverages. A preferred embodiment of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage is a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage in which malt and / or ungerminated grains are used as at least part of the raw materials, and more preferably a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage in which malt is used as at least part of the raw materials. In this invention, "beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage" means a beverage produced by removing the alcohol component produced in a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage that has undergone a fermentation process using yeast, and a beverage produced by stopping the fermentation process at a stage where the ethanol concentration is less than 1 v / v%. In this invention, "beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage" includes beverages that contain no alcohol at all, i.e., beverages with an ethanol concentration of 0.00 v / v%, and beverages with an ethanol concentration greater than 0.00 v / v% and less than 1 v / v%. In this invention, the term "beer-flavored fermented beverage" includes both "beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages" and "beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverages."

[0010] In this invention, "low-malt beer" includes beverages containing distilled alcohol as an ingredient, as well as those that do not contain malt or hops. In this invention, "beer" can be defined as a beverage made by fermenting malt, hops, and water, or a beverage made by fermenting malt, hops, water, and certain auxiliary ingredients, and that satisfies the following two conditions (limited to those with an alcohol content of less than 20%) (see the Liquor Tax Act (Law No. 6 of 1953), which came into effect on October 1, 2024): • The malt ratio is 50% or more. • The weight of the fruit used (including dried, boiled, or concentrated fruit juice) and certain flavorings does not exceed 5% of the weight of the malt (including those not used).

[0011] When the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention uses malt as at least part of its raw materials, the malt usage ratio is, for example, more than 0%, 5% or less, 5% or more, 10% or less, 10% or more, 12.5% ​​or less, 12.5% ​​or more, 15% or less, 15% or more, 17.5% or less, 17.5% or more, 20% or less, 20% or more, 22.5% or less, 22.5% or more, 25% or less, 25% or more, 27%. 5% or less, 27.5% or more, 30% or less, 30% or more, 32.5% or less, 32.5% or more, 35% or less, 35% or more, 37.5% or less, 37.5% or more, 40% or less, 40% or more, 4 2.5% or less, 42.5% or more, 45% or less, 45% or more, 47.5% or less, 47.5% or more, 50% or less, 50% or more, 52.5% or less, 52.5% or more, 55% or less, 55% or more , 57.5% or less, 57.5% or more, 60% or less, 60% or more, 62.5% or less, 62.5% or more, 65% or less, 65% or more, 67.5% or less, 67.5% or more, 70% or less, 70% or more, 72.5% or less, 72.5% or more, 75% or less, 75% or more, 77.5% or less, 77.5% or more, 80% or less, 80% or more, 82.5% or less, 82.5% or more, 85% or less, 8 The malt content can be 5% or more, 87.5% or less, 87.5% or more, 90% or less, 90% or more, 92.5% or less, 92.5% or more, 95% or less, 95% or more, 97.5% or more, 100% or less, or 100%, preferably 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 100% or less, or 100%. These upper and lower limits can be combined arbitrarily, "or less" can be changed to "less than", and "or more" can be changed to "greater than". In this invention, "malt usage ratio" refers to the ratio of the mass of malt to the mass of all raw materials excluding hops and brewing water.

[0012] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention can use, for example, barley malt or wheat malt as malt, and may use one type of malt or a combination of multiple types of malt. In the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention, the ratio of barley malt (mass) to raw malt (mass) is, for example, 0%, 0% or more, 10% or more, 10% or less, 12.5% ​​or more, 12.5% ​​or less, 15% or more, 15% or less, 17.5% or more, 17.5% or less, 20% or more, 20% or less, 22.5% or more, 22.5% or less, 25% or more, 25% or less, 27.5% or more, 27.5% or less, 30% or more, 30% or less, 32.5% or more, 32.5% or less, 35% or more, 35% or less, 37.5% or more, 37.5% or less, 40% or more, 40% or less, 42.5% or more, 42.5% or less, 45% or more, 45% or less, 47.5% or more, 47.5% or less, 50% or more, 50% or less. It can be 52.5% or more, 52.5% or less, 55% or more, 55% or less, 57.5% or more, 57.5% or less, 60% or more, 62.5% or more, 62.5% or less, 65% or more, 65% or less, 67.5% or more, 67.5% or less, 70% or more, 70% or less, 72.5% or more, 72.5% or less, 75% or more, 75% or less, 77.5% or more, 77.5% or less, 80% or more, 80% or less, 82.5% or more, 82.5% or less, 85% or more, 85% or less, 87.5% or more, 87.5% or less, 90% or more, 90% or less, 92.5% or more, 92.5% or less, 95% or more, 95% or less, 97.5% or more, 97.5% or less, 100% or less, or 100%. These upper and lower limits can be combined in any way; "less than or equal to" can be changed to "less than," and "greater than or equal to" can be changed to "greater than."In the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention, the proportion of wheat malt (mass) to the total mass of raw malt is, for example, 0%, 0% or more, 10% or more, 10% or less, 12.5% ​​or more, 12.5% ​​or less, 15% or more, 15% or less, 17.5% or more, 17.5% or less, 20% or more, 20% or less, 22.5% or more, 22.5% or less, 25% or more, 25% or less, 27.5% or more, 27.5% or less, 30% or more, 30% or less, 32.5% or more, 32.5% or less, 35% or more, 35% or less, 37.5% or more, 37.5% or less, 40% or more, 40% or less, 42.5% or more, 42.5% or less, 45% or more, 45% or less, 47.5% or more, 47.5% or less, 50% or more, 50% The following percentages may be 52.5% or more, 52.5% or less, 55% or more, 55% or less, 57.5% or more, 57.5% or less, 60% or more, 62.5% or more, 62.5% or less, 65% or more, 65% or less, 67.5% or more, 67.5% or less, 70% or more, 70% or less, 72.5% or more, 72.5% or less, 75% or more, 75% or less, 77.5% or more, 77.5% or less, 80% or more, 80% or less, 82.5% or more, 82.5% or less, 85% or more, 85% or less, 87.5% or more, 87.5% or less, 90% or more, 92.5% or more, 92.5% or less, 95% or more, 95% or less, 97.5% or more, 97.5% or less, 100% or less, or 100%. In the above, "greater than or equal to" can be written as "greater than or equal to". These upper and lower limits can be combined in any way, "less than or equal to" can be written as "less than", and "greater than or equal to" can be written as "greater than or equal to".

[0013] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention can use dark malt as part of the malt raw material. In this specification, "dark malt" refers to malt that has been roasted at a relatively high temperature (for example, about 120°C or higher) during the production of malt from barley, resulting in a dark brown color. Non-limiting examples of dark malt include caramel malt and black malt. Generally, dark malt tends to be darker in color the higher the roasting temperature.

[0014] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention may also contain malts other than dark malt, such as pale malt (base malt). Non-limiting examples of pale malt include pale malt (barley malt), pilsner malt (barley malt), and wheat malt (wheat malt).

[0015] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention may preferably use dark malt as part of the malt ingredients, in which case the malt other than dark malt may include light malt.

[0016] In the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention, the ratio of dark malt (mass) to total malt raw materials (mass) is, for example, 0%, 0% or more, 1% or more, 1% or less, 2% or more, 2% or less, 3% or more, 3% or less, 4% or more, 4% or less, 5% or more, 5% or less, 6% or more, 6% or less, 7% or more, 7% or less, 8% or more, 8% or less, 9% or more, 9% or less, 10% or more, 10% or less, 12.5% ​​or more. 12.5% ​​or less, 15% or more, 15% or less, 17.5% or more, 17.5% or less, 20% or more, 20% or less, 22.5% or more, 22.5% or less, 25% or more, 25% or less, 27.5% or more, 27.5% or less, 30% or more, 30% or less, 32.5% or more, 32.5% or less, 35% or more, 35% or less, 37.5% or more, 37.5% or less, 40% or more, 40% or less, 42.5% or more, 4 2.5% or less, 45% or more, 45% or less, 47.5% or more, 47.5% or less, 50% or more, 50% or less, 52.5% or more, 52.5% or less, 55% or more, 55% or less, 57.5% or more, 5 7.5% or less, 60% or more, 60% or less, 62.5% or more, 62.5% or less, 65% or more, 65% or less, 67.5% or more, 67.5% or less, 70% or more, 70% or less, 72.5% or more, 72 The upper and lower limits can be any combination of these values, "less than or equal to" can be changed to "less than", and "greater than or equal to" can be changed to "greater than".

[0017] In the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention, the ratio of pale malt (mass) to total malt raw materials (mass) is, for example, 0%, 0% or more, 10% or more, 10% or less, 12.5% ​​or more, 12.5% ​​or less, 15% or more, 15% or less, 17.5% or more, 17.5% or less, 20% or more, 20% or less, 22.5% or more, 22.5% or less, 25% or more, 25% or less, 27.5% or more, 27.5% or less, 30% or more, 30% or less, 32.5% or more, 32.5% or less, 35% or more, 35% or less, 37.5% or more, 37.5% or less, 40% or more, 40% or less, 42.5% or more, 42.5% or less, 45% or more, 45% or less, 47.5% or more, 47.5% or less, 50% or more, 50% or less Lower, 52.5% or more, 52.5% or less, 55% or more, 55% or less, 57.5% or more, 57.5% or less, 60% or more, 60% or less, 62.5% or more, 62.5% or less , 65% or more, 65% or less, 67.5% or more, 67.5% or less, 70% or more, 70% or less, 72.5% or more, 72.5% or less, 75% or more, 75% or less, 77.5 The upper and lower limits can be any combination of these values, "less than or equal to" can be "less than", and "greater than or equal to" can be "greater than".

[0018] The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention may also be made without using malt as an ingredient, in which case the malt usage ratio is 0%.

[0019] The alcohol concentration of the beer of the present invention can be set arbitrarily. %、0.05v / v%、0.1v / v%、0.2v / v%、0.3v / v%、0.4v / v%、0.5v / v%、0. v / v%、0.8v / v%、0.9v / v%、1.0v / v%、1.1v / v%、1.2v / v%、1.3v / v%、1.1v / v%、1.2v / v% . 、2.3v / v%、2.4v / v%、2.5v / v%、2.6v / v%、2.7v / v%、2.8v / v%、2.9v / v%、2.9 / / v% v%、3.1v / v%、32v / v%、3.3v / v%、3.4v / v%、3.5v / v%、3.5v / v%、3.7v / v%、3.8v / v% or 4.0v / v%. .9v / v%, 10.8v / v%, 10.7v / v%, 10.6v / v%, 10.5v / v%, 10.4v / v%, 10.3v / v%, 10.2v / v%, 10.1v / v%, 10.0v / v%, 9.9v / v%, 9.8v / v%, 9.7v / v%, 9.6v / v%, 9.5v / v%, 9.4v / v%, 9.3v / v%, 9.2v / v%, 9.1v / v%, 9.0v / v%, 8.9v / v%, 8.8v / v%, 8.7v / v%, 8.6v / v%, 8.5v / v%, 8.4v / v%, 8.3v / v%, 8.2v / v%, 8.1v / v%, 8.0v / v%, 7.9v / v%, 7.8v / v%, 7.7v / v%, 7.6v / v%, 7.5v / v%, 7.4v / v%, 7.3v / v%, 7.2v / v%, 7.1v / v%, 7.0v / v%, 6.9v / v%, 6.8v / v%, 6.7v / v%, 6.6v / v%, 6.5v / v%, 6.4v / v%,6.3v / v%,6.2v / v%,6.1v / v%,6.0v / v%,5.9v / v%,5.8v / v%,5.7v / v%,5.6v / v%,5.5v / v%,5.4v / v%,5.3v / v%,5.2v / v%,5.1v / v%,5.0v / v%,4.9v / v%,The alcohol content can be 4.8 v / v%, 4.7 v / v%, 4.6 v / v%, 4.5 v / v%, 4.4 v / v%, 4.3 v / v%, 4.2 v / v%, 4.1 v / v%, or 4.0 v / v%. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any way, and the alcohol concentration of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 1.0 v / v% or more and 10.0 v / v% or less, preferably 2.0 v / v% or more and 8.0 v / v% or less, and more preferably 3.0 v / v% or more and 7.0 v / v% or less. The alcohol concentration of the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is less than 1.00 v / v%, and can be, for example, 0.001 v / v% or more and less than 1 v / v%, 0.001 v / v% or more and 0.5 v / v% or less, 0.001 v / v% or more and 0.1 v / v% or less, or 0.001 v / v% or less. "Or less" can be written as "less than".

[0020] Methods for measuring the alcohol concentration (ethanol concentration) in beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages are widely known to those skilled in the art, and for example, the alcohol concentration can be measured by the method described in the "National Tax Agency's prescribed analytical method." The alcohol concentration (ethanol concentration) of beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverages can be measured by gas chromatography (GC) with an FID (flame ionization detector) (hereinafter also referred to as "GC / FID"). In this case, for more accurate concentration measurement, it is desirable to use a calibration curve created based on the measurement values ​​of several control samples with known concentrations. It is preferable that these control samples with known concentrations are within the same range as the concentration being measured. It is also preferable to use an internal standard substance, and an example of an internal standard substance is 2-propanol.

[0021] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention has a reduced purine concentration, or a reduced concentration of any one of adenine, guanine, xanthine, and hypoxanthine, or a combination of some or all of these (in this specification, "purine concentration" refers to the total concentration of the four purine bases: adenine, guanine, xanthine, and hypoxanthine). The purine concentration of the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 10,000 ppb or more, 10,000 ppb or less, 9,000 ppb or more, 9,000 ppb or less, 8,000 ppb or more, 8,000 ppb or less, 7,000 ppb or more, 7,000 ppb or less, 6,000 ppb or more, 6,000 ppb or less, 5,000 ppb or more, 5,000 ppb or less, 4,000 ppb or more, 4,000 ppb or less, 3,000 ppb or more, or 3,000 ppb or less. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily, "or less" can be changed to "less than", and "or more" can be changed to "greater than". Beverages with a purine concentration of less than 5,000 ppb correspond to "purine-free beverages". Furthermore, in this invention, "ppb" is synonymous with "μg / L".

[0022] The adenine concentration of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is, for example, 1,000 ppb or less, 900 ppb or more, 900 ppb or less, 800 ppb or more, 800 ppb or less, 700 ppb or more, 700 ppb or less, 600 ppb or more, 600 ppb or less, 500 ppb or more, 500 ppb or less, 450 ppb or more, 450 ppb or less, 400 ppb or more, 400 ppb or less, and 350 ppb. The upper and lower limits can be any combination of these values, and "less than or equal to" can be changed to "less than," and "greater than or equal to."

[0023] The guanine concentration of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is, for example, 4,000 ppb or less, 3,500 ppb or less, 3,500 ppb or more, 3,000 ppb or more, 3,000 ppb or less, 2,500 ppb or more, 2,000 ppb or more, 2,000 ppb or less, 1,900 ppb or more, 1,900 ppb or less, 1,800 ppb or more, 1,800 ppb or less, 1,700 ppb or more, 1,700 ppb or less, and 1,600 ppb or less. The upper limit can be 1,600 ppb or less, 1,500 ppb or more, 1,500 ppb or less, 1,400 ppb or more, 1,400 ppb or less, 1,300 ppb or more, 1,300 ppb or less, 1,200 ppb or more, 1,200 ppb or less, 1,100 ppb or more, 1,100 ppb or less, 1,000 ppb or more, 1,000 ppb or less, 500 ppb or more, 500 ppb or less, 100 ppb or more, 100 ppb or less, 50 ppb or more, or 50 ppb or less. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any way, "or less" can be changed to "less than", and "or greater than" can be changed to "greater than".

[0024] The xanthine concentration of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is, for example, 2,000 ppb or less, 1,900 ppb or more, 1,900 ppb or less, 1,800 ppb or more, 1,800 ppb or less, 1,700 ppb or more, 1,700 ppb or less, 1,600 ppb or more, 1,600 ppb or less, 1,500 ppb or more, 1,500 ppb or less, 1,400 ppb or more, 1,400 ppb or less, 1,300 ppb or more, 1,300 ppb or less, 1,200 ppb or more, 1,200 ppb or less, and 1,100 ppb. The lower and upper limits can be any combination of these values, "less than or equal to" can be changed to "less than", and "greater than or equal to" can be changed to "greater than".

[0025] The hypoxanthine concentration of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is, for example, 1,500 ppb or less, 1,400 ppb or more, 1,400 ppb or less, 1,300 ppb or more, 1,300 ppb or less, 1,200 ppb or more, 1,200 ppb or less, 1,100 ppb or more, 1,100 ppb or less, 1,000 ppb or more, 1,000 ppb or less, 900 ppb or more, 900 ppb or less, 800 ppb or more, 800 ppb or less. The lower limit can be 750 ppb or more, 750 ppb or less, 700 ppb or more, 700 ppb or less, 600 ppb or more, 600 ppb or less, 500 ppb or more, 500 ppb or less, 400 ppb or more, 400 ppb or less, 300 ppb or more, 300 ppb or less, 200 ppb or more, 200 ppb or less, 150 ppb or more, 150 ppb or less, 100 ppb or more, 100 ppb or less, 50 ppb or more, or 50 ppb or less. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any way, "or less" can be changed to "less than", and "or more" can be changed to "greater than".

[0026] The concentrations of adenine, guanine, xanthine, and hypoxanthine can be measured by known methods, for example, by detecting them using LC-MS / MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) after hydrolysis with perchloric acid (see Journal of Food Hygiene 55(2):110-116 (2014)). Furthermore, the purine concentration can be calculated as the total concentration of the four purine bases: adenine, xanthine, guanine, and hypoxanthine.

[0027] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention may have a reduced carbohydrate concentration. Specifically, the carbohydrate concentration of the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention may be 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, 1.9 g / 100 mL or less, 1.8 g / 100 mL or less, 1.7 g / 100 mL or less, 1.6 g / 100 mL or less, 1.5 g / 100 mL or less, 1.4 g / 100 mL or less, 1.3 g / 100 mL or less, 1.2 g / 100 mL or less, 1.1 g / 100 mL or less, 1.0 g / 100 mL or more, 1.0 g / 100 mL or less, 0 The lower and upper limits can be any combination of these values, "less than or equal to" can be changed to "less than", and "greater than or equal to" can be changed to "greater than". Beverages with a carbohydrate concentration of less than 0.5 g / 100 mL are classified as "zero carbohydrate beverages".

[0028] The carbohydrate concentration can be measured by known methods, and can be calculated by subtracting the amounts of water, protein, lipids, ash, and dietary fiber from the mass of the sample to be measured (see the Nutritional Labeling Standards (Partial Amendment of Consumer Affairs Agency Notification No. 9, December 16, 2009)).

[0029] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is characterized by having a predetermined concentration of γ-aminobutyric acid (CAS RN: 56-12-2). The lower limit (or greater than or equal to) of the γ-aminobutyric acid concentration in the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention can be 5.0 ppm, and other limits can be 5.1 ppm, 5.2 ppm, 5.3 ppm, 5.4 ppm, 5.5 ppm, 5.6 ppm, 5.7 ppm, 5.8 ppm, 5.9 ppm, 6.0 ppm, 6.1 ppm, 6.2 ppm, 6.3 ppm, 6.4 ppm, 6.5 ppm, 6.6 ppm, 6.7 ppm, 6.8 ppm, 6.9 ppm, 7.0 ppm, 7.1 ppm, 7.2 ppm, 7.3 ppm, 7.4 ppm, 7.5 ppm, 7.6 ppm, 7.7 ppm, 7.8 ppm, 7.9 ppm, 8.0 ppm, 8. 1ppm, 8.2ppm, 8.3ppm, 8.4ppm, 8.5ppm, 8.6ppm, 8.7ppm, 8.8ppm, 8.9ppm, 9.0ppm , 9.1ppm, 9.2ppm, 9.3ppm, 9.4ppm, 9.5ppm, 9.6ppm, 9.7ppm, 9.8ppm, 9.9ppm, 10p It can also be 11 ppm, 12 ppm, 13 ppm, 14 ppm, 15 ppm, 16 ppm, 17 ppm, 18 ppm, 19 ppm, 20 ppm, 21 ppm, 22 ppm, 23 ppm, 24 ppm, 25 ppm, 26 ppm, 27 ppm, 28 ppm, 29 ppm, or 30 ppm. Furthermore, the upper limit (or less than or equal to) of the γ-aminobutyric acid concentration in the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but for example, 250 ppm, 245 ppm, 240 ppm, 235 ppm, 230 ppm, 225 ppm, 220 ppm, 215 ppm, 210 ppm, 205 ppm, 200 ppm, 195 ppm, 190 ppm, 185 ppm, 180 ppm, 175 ppm, 170 ppm, 165 ppm. , 160ppm, 155ppm, 150ppm, 145ppm, 140ppm, 135ppm, 130ppm, 125ppm, 120ppm, 115ppm, 110ppm, 105ppm, 100ppm, 95ppm, 90 ppm, 85ppm, 80ppm, 79ppm, 78ppm, 77ppm, 76ppm, 75ppm, 74ppm, 73ppm, 72ppm, 71ppm, 70ppm, 69ppm, 68ppm, 67ppm, 66ppm,The concentration can be 65 ppm, 64 ppm, 63 ppm, 62 ppm, 61 ppm, 60 ppm, 59 ppm, 58 ppm, 57 ppm, 56 ppm, 55 ppm, 54 ppm, 53 ppm, 52 ppm, 51 ppm, or 50 ppm. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any way, for example: 5 ppm to 250 ppm, 10 ppm to 250 ppm, 15 ppm to 250 ppm, 20 ppm to 250 ppm, 25 ppm to 250 ppm, 30 ppm to 250 ppm, 5 ppm to 225 ppm, 10 ppm to 225 ppm, 15 ppm to 225 ppm, 20 ppm to 225 ppm, 25 ppm to 225 ppm, 30 ppm to 2 25 ppm or less, 5 ppm to 200 ppm, 10 ppm to 200 ppm, 15 ppm to 200 ppm, 20 ppm to 200 ppm, 25 ppm to 200 ppm, 30 ppm to 200 ppm, 5 ppm to 175 ppm, 10 ppm to 175 ppm, 15 ppm to 175 ppm, 20 ppm to 175 ppm, 25 ppm to 175 ppm, 30 ppm to 175 ppm, 5 ppm to 150 ppm, 10 ppm or more 150 ppm or less, 15 ppm to 150 ppm, 20 ppm to 150 ppm, 25 ppm to 150 ppm, 30 ppm to 150 ppm, 5 ppm to 125 ppm, 10 ppm to 125 ppm, 15 ppm to 125 ppm, 20 ppm to 125 ppm, 25 ppm to 125 ppm, 30 ppm to 125 ppm, 5 ppm to 100 ppm, 10 ppm to 100 ppm, 15 ppm to 100 ppm, 20 ppm Above 100 ppm or less, 25 ppm to 100 ppm, 30 ppm to 100 ppm, 5 ppm to 90 ppm, 10 ppm to 90 ppm, 15 ppm to 90 ppm, 20 ppm to 90 ppm, 25 ppm to 90 ppm, 30 ppm to 90 ppm, 5 ppm to 80 ppm, 10 ppm to 80 ppm, 15 ppm to 80 ppm, 20 ppm to 80 ppm, 25 ppm to 80 ppm, 30 ppm to 80 ppm,It can be 5 ppm to 70 ppm, 10 ppm to 70 ppm, 15 ppm to 70 ppm, 20 ppm to 70 ppm, 25 ppm to 70 ppm, 30 ppm to 70 ppm, 5 ppm to 60 ppm, 10 ppm to 60 ppm, 15 ppm to 60 ppm, 20 ppm to 60 ppm, 25 ppm to 60 ppm, 30 ppm to 60 ppm, 5 ppm to 50 ppm, 10 ppm to 50 ppm, 15 ppm to 50 ppm, 20 ppm to 50 ppm, 25 ppm to 50 ppm, or 30 ppm to 50 ppm. In this invention, "ppm" is synonymous with "mg / L".

[0030] The γ-aminobutyric acid concentration of the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is also, when the malt usage ratio is 70% or less (preferably 60% or less), for example, 3 ppm to 40 ppm, 3 ppm to 35 ppm, 3 ppm to 30 ppm, 3 ppm to 25 ppm, 3 ppm to 20 ppm, 3 ppm to 15 ppm, 3 ppm to 10 ppm, 4 ppm to 40 ppm, 4 ppm to 35 ppm, 4 ppm to 30 ppm, 4 ppm to 25 ppm, and 4 ppm or more. 20 ppm or less, 4 ppm to 15 ppm, 4 ppm to 10 ppm, 5 ppm to 40 ppm, 5 ppm to 35 ppm, 5 ppm to 30 ppm, 5 ppm to 25 ppm, 5 ppm to 20 ppm, 5 ppm to 15 ppm, 5 ppm to 10 ppm, 6 ppm to 40 ppm, 6 ppm to 35 ppm, 6 ppm to 30 ppm, 6 ppm to 25 ppm, 6 ppm to 20 ppm, 6 ppm to 15 ppm, 6 ppm to 10 ppm ppm or less, 7 ppm to 40 ppm, 7 ppm to 35 ppm, 7 ppm to 30 ppm, 7 ppm to 25 ppm, 7 ppm to 20 ppm, 7 ppm to 15 ppm, 7 ppm to 10 ppm, 8 ppm to 40 ppm, 8 ppm to 35 ppm, 8 ppm to 30 ppm, 8 ppm to 25 ppm, 8 ppm to 20 ppm, 8 ppm to 15 ppm, 8 ppm to 10 ppm, 9 ppm to 40 ppm, 9 ppm to 35 ppm It can also be written as m or less, 9 ppm to 30 ppm, 9 ppm to 25 ppm, 9 ppm to 20 ppm, 9 ppm to 15 ppm, 9 ppm to 10 ppm, 10 ppm to 40 ppm, 10 ppm to 35 ppm, 10 ppm to 30 ppm, 10 ppm to 25 ppm, 10 ppm to 20 ppm, 10 ppm to 15 ppm, or 10 ppm to 10 ppm. "Greater than or equal to" can be written as "greater than", and "less than or equal to" can be written as "less than".

[0031] In the present invention, the γ-aminobutyric acid concentration of the beverage can be quantified using commercially available equipment such as a high-speed amino acid analyzer (for example, the L-8900 (Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation)).

[0032] In the present invention, the γ-aminobutyric acid (γ-aminobutyric acid) concentration can be adjusted by selecting the raw materials. Non-limiting examples of raw materials containing γ-aminobutyric acid and raw materials that generate γ-aminobutyric acid in the final product include barley malt, wheat malt, rice germ, and germinated brown rice. Extracts obtained by enzymatically treating these materials to increase their γ-aminobutyric acid content can also be used. In the present invention, the γ-aminobutyric acid concentration can also be adjusted by appropriately setting the manufacturing conditions. Non-limiting examples of such manufacturing conditions include the mashing conditions, the selection of yeast (including strains), the adjustment of the amount of yeast used, the adjustment of fermentation conditions, and the selection and adjustment of the amount of filtration aids used. Furthermore, the concentration can also be adjusted by adding γ-aminobutyric acid at any stage of the manufacturing process.

[0033] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention may contain ethyl acetate. Ethyl acetate is known to have a fruity and sweet aroma, generally resembling apples or pears. The lower limit (greater than or equal to) of the ethyl acetate concentration in the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is not limited, but for example, it may be 1.5 ppm, 1.6 ppm, 1.7 ppm, 1.8 ppm, 1.9 ppm, 2.0 ppm, 2.1 ppm, 2.2 ppm, 2.3 ppm, 2.4 ppm, 2.5 ppm, 2.6 ppm, 2.7 ppm, 2.8 ppm, 2.9 ppm, 3.0 ppm, 3.1 ppm, 3.2 ppm, 3.3 ppm, 3.4 ppm, 3.5 ppm, 3.6 ppm, 3.7 ppm, 3.8 ppm, 3.9ppm, 4.0ppm, 4.1ppm, 4.2ppm, 4.3ppm, 4.4ppm, 4.5ppm, 4.6ppm, 4.7ppm, 4.8ppm, 4.9ppm, 5.0ppm, 5.1ppm, 5.2ppm, 5.3ppm, 5.4ppm, 5.5ppm, 5.6ppm, 5.7ppm, 5.8ppm, 5.9ppm, 6.0ppm, 6.1ppm, 6.2ppm, 6.3ppm, 6.4ppm, 6.5ppm, 6.6ppm, 6.7ppm, 6.8ppm, 6.9ppm, 7.0ppm, 7 .. 1ppm, 7.2ppm, 7.3ppm, 7.4ppm, 7.5ppm, 7.6ppm, 7.7ppm, 7.8ppm, 7.9ppm, 8.0ppm, 8.1ppm, 8.2ppm, 8.3ppm, 8.4ppm, 8.5ppm, 8.6ppm, 8. 7ppm, 8.8ppm, 8.9ppm, 9.0ppm, 9.1ppm, 9.2ppm, 9.3ppm, 9.4ppm, 9.5ppm, 9.6ppm, 9.7ppm, 9.8ppm, 9.9ppm, 10.0ppm, 10.1ppm, 10.2ppm , 10.3ppm, 10.4ppm, 10.5ppm, 10.6ppm, 10.7ppm, 10.8ppm, 10.9ppm, 11.0ppm, 11.1ppm, 11.2ppm, 11.3ppm, 11.4ppm, 11.5ppm, 11.6ppm , 11.7ppm, 11.8ppm, 11.9ppm, 12.0ppm, 12.1ppm, 12.2ppm, 12.3ppm, 12.4ppm, 12.5ppm, 12.6ppm, 12.7ppm, 12.8ppm, 12.9ppm, 13.0ppm,It can be 13.1 ppm, 13.2 ppm, 13.3 ppm, 13.4 ppm, 13.5 ppm, 13.6 ppm, 13.7 ppm, 13.8 ppm, 13.9 ppm, 14.0 ppm, 14.1 ppm, 14.2 ppm, 14.3 ppm, 14.4 ppm, 14.5 ppm, 14.6 ppm, 14.7 ppm, 14.8 ppm, 14.9 ppm, or 15.0 ppm. The upper limit (less than or equal to) is not limited to, but could be, for example, 50 ppm, 49 ppm, 48 ppm, 47 ppm, 46 ppm, 45 ppm, 44 ppm, 43 ppm, 42 ppm, 41 ppm, 40 ppm, 39 ppm, 38 ppm, 37 ppm, 36 ppm, 35 ppm, 34 ppm, 33 ppm, 32 ppm, 31 ppm, 30 ppm, 29 ppm, 28 ppm, 27 ppm, 26 ppm, 25 ppm, 24 ppm, 23 ppm, 22 ppm, 21 ppm, or 20 ppm. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any way, for example: 1.5 ppm or more, 50 ppm or less, 2 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 2.5 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 3 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 3.5 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 4 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 4.5 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 5 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 5.5 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 6 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 6.5 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 7 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 7.5 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 8 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 8.5 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 9 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 9.5 ppm or more and 50 ppm or less, 10 ppm to 50 ppm, 10.5 ppm to 50 ppm, 11 ppm to 50 ppm, 11.5 ppm to 50 ppm, 12 ppm to 50 ppm, 12.5 ppm to 50 ppm, 13 ppm to 50 ppm, 13.5 ppm to 50 ppm, 14 ppm to 50 ppm, 14.5 ppm to 50 ppm, 15 ppm to 50 ppm, 1.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 2 ppm to 40 ppm, 2.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 3 ppm to 40 ppm, 3.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 4 ppm to 40 ppm, 4.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 5 ppm to 40 ppm,5.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 6 ppm to 40 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 7 ppm to 40 ppm, 7.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 8 ppm to 40 ppm, 8.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 9 ppm to 40 ppm, 9.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 10 ppm to 40 ppm, 10.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 11 ppm to 40 ppm, 11.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 12 ppm to 40 ppm, 12.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 13 ppm to 40 ppm, 13 5 ppm to 40 ppm, 14 ppm to 40 ppm, 14.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 15 ppm to 40 ppm, 1.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 2 ppm to 30 ppm, 2.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 3 ppm to 30 ppm, 3.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 4 ppm to 30 ppm, 4.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 5 ppm to 30 ppm, 5.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 6 ppm to 30 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 7 ppm to 30 ppm, 7.5 ppm or more 30 ppm or more, 8 ppm to 30 ppm, 8.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 9 ppm to 30 ppm, 9.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 10 ppm to 30 ppm, 10.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 11 ppm to 30 ppm, 11.5 ppm or more 30 ppm or more, 12 ppm to 30 ppm, 12.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 13 ppm to 30 ppm, 13.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 14 ppm to 30 ppm, 14.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 15 ppm to 30 ppm, 1.5 ppm 25ppm or more, 25ppm or less, 2.5ppm or more and 25ppm or less, 3ppm or more and 25ppm or less, 3.5ppm or more and 25ppm or less, 4ppm or more and 25ppm or less, 4.5ppm or more and 25ppm or less, 5ppm or more and 25ppm or less, 5.5ppm or more and 25p pm or less, 6 ppm to 25 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 25 ppm, 7 ppm to 25 ppm, 7.5 ppm to 25 ppm, 8 ppm to 25 ppm, 8.5 ppm to 25 ppm, 9 ppm to 25 ppm, 9.5 ppm to 25 ppm,10ppm to 25ppm, 10.5ppm to 25ppm, 11ppm to 25ppm, 11.5ppm to 25ppm, 12ppm to 25ppm Bottom, 12.5ppm or more and 25ppm or less, 13ppm or more and 25ppm or less, 13.5ppm or more and 25ppm or less, 14ppm or more and 25ppm or less, 14.5ppm or more and 25 ppm or less, 15 ppm to 25 ppm, 1.5 ppm to 20 ppm, 2 ppm to 20 ppm, 2.5 ppm to 20 ppm, 3 ppm to 20 ppm, 3.5 ppm to 20 ppm, 4 ppm to 20 ppm, 4.5 ppm to 20 ppm, 5 ppm to 20 ppm, 5.5 ppm to 20 ppm The following ranges are available: 6 ppm to 20 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 20 ppm, 7 ppm to 20 ppm, 7.5 ppm to 20 ppm, 8 ppm to 20 ppm, 8.5 ppm to 20 ppm, 9 ppm to 20 ppm, 9.5 ppm to 20 ppm, 10 ppm to 20 ppm, and 10.5 ppm to 20 ppm. The levels can be 11 ppm to 20 ppm, 11.5 ppm to 20 ppm, 12 ppm to 20 ppm, 12.5 ppm to 20 ppm, 13 ppm to 20 ppm, 13.5 ppm to 20 ppm, 14 ppm to 20 ppm, 14.5 ppm to 20 ppm, or 15 ppm to 20 ppm.

[0034] In the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention, the ethyl acetate concentration can be measured using GC / FID in accordance with the description in the BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (2013 Supplementary and Revised Edition) (8.22). For example, the concentration of ethyl acetate can be determined by introducing the gas phase of a beer sample heated in a vial into the GC / FID, reading the area of ​​ethyl acetate from the gas chromatogram, and calculating the amount of each component from the ratio to the area of ​​the internal standard substance (n-butanol). In this case, for more accurate concentration measurement, it is desirable to use a calibration curve created based on the measured values ​​of several control samples with known concentrations.

[0035] In the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention, the ethyl acetate concentration can be adjusted to a predetermined value by adding ethyl acetate at any stage in the beverage's manufacturing process or after the preparation of the mash. Ethyl acetate may be added as a flavoring agent, or fruits such as bananas or apples may be used as the ethyl acetate-containing material.

[0036] The lower limit (greater than or greater than) of the total concentration of γ-aminobutyric acid and ethyl acetate in the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is not limited to, but for example, 6.5 ppm, 7 ppm, 8 ppm, 9 ppm, 10 ppm, 11 ppm, 12 ppm, 13 ppm, 14 ppm, 15 ppm, 16 ppm, 17 ppm, 18 ppm, 19 ppm, 20 ppm, 21 ppm, 22 ppm, 23 ppm. It can be 24 ppm, 25 ppm, 26 ppm, 27 ppm, 28 ppm, 29 ppm, 30 ppm, 31 ppm, 32 ppm, 33 ppm, 34 ppm, 35 ppm, 36 ppm, 37 ppm, 38 ppm, 39 ppm, 40 ppm, 41 ppm, 42 ppm, 43 ppm, 44 ppm, 45 ppm, 46 ppm, 47 ppm, 48 ppm, 49 ppm, or 50 ppm. The upper limit (less than or equal to) is not limited, but for example, 300 ppm, 290 ppm, 280 ppm, 270 ppm, 260 ppm, 250 ppm, 240 ppm, 230 ppm, 220 ppm, 210 ppm, 200 ppm, 195 ppm, 190 ppm, 185 ppm, 180 ppm, 175 ppm, 170 It can be ppm, 165 ppm, 160 ppm, 155 ppm, 150 ppm, 145 ppm, 140 ppm, 135 ppm, 130 ppm, 125 ppm, 120 ppm, 115 ppm, 110 ppm, 105 ppm, 100 ppm, 95 ppm, 90 ppm, 85 ppm, 80 ppm, 75 ppm, or 70 ppm. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any way, for example: 6.5 ppm to 300 ppm, 7 ppm to 300 ppm, 10 ppm to 300 ppm, 15 ppm to 300 ppm, 20 ppm to 300 ppm, 25 ppm to 300 ppm, 30 ppm to 300 ppm, 35 ppm to 300 ppm, 40 ppm. 300ppm or more, 45ppm or more and 300ppm or less, 50ppm or more and 300ppm or less, 6.5ppm or more and 275ppm or less, 7ppm or more and 275ppm or less, 10ppm or more and 275 ppm or less, 15 ppm or more and 275 ppm or less, 20 ppm or more and 275 ppm or less, 25 ppm or more and 275 ppm or less, 30 ppm or more and 275 ppm or less, 35 ppm or more and 275 ppm or less,40ppm to 275ppm, 45ppm to 275ppm, 50ppm to 275ppm, 6.5ppm to 250ppm, 7ppm to 250ppm, 10ppm to 250ppm, 15ppm to 250ppm, 20ppm to 250ppm m or less, 25 ppm to 250 ppm, 30 ppm to 250 ppm, 35 ppm to 250 ppm, 40 ppm to 250 ppm, 45 ppm to 250 ppm, 50 ppm to 250 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 200 ppm, 7 ppm to 2 00 ppm or less, 10 ppm to 200 ppm, 15 ppm to 200 ppm, 20 ppm to 200 ppm, 25 ppm to 200 ppm, 30 ppm to 200 ppm, 35 ppm to 200 ppm, 40 ppm to 200 ppm, 45 ppm to 200 ppm, 50 ppm to 200 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 175 ppm, 7 ppm to 175 ppm, 10 ppm to 175 ppm, 15 ppm to 175 ppm, 20 ppm to 175 ppm, 25 ppm to 175 ppm, 30 ppm to 175 ppm, 35 ppm to 175 ppm, 40 ppm to 175 ppm, 45 ppm to 175 ppm, 50 ppm to 175 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 150 ppm, 7 ppm to 150 ppm, 10 ppm to 150 ppm, 15 ppm to 150 ppm, 20 ppm to 150 ppm, 25 ppm to 150 ppm, 30 ppm to 150 ppm, 35 ppm to 150 ppm, 40 ppm to 150 ppm, 45 ppm to 150 ppm, 50 ppm and above 50 ppm or less, 6.5 ppm to 125 ppm, 7 ppm to 125 ppm, 10 ppm to 125 ppm, 15 ppm to 125 ppm, 20 ppm to 125 ppm, 25 ppm to 125 ppm, 30 ppm to 125 ppm, 35 ppm to 125 ppm, 40 ppm to 125 ppm, 45 ppm to 125 ppm, 50 ppm to 125 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 100 ppm, 7 ppm to 100 ppm, 10 ppm to 100 ppm, 15 ppm to 100 ppm,20 ppm to 100 ppm, 25 ppm to 100 ppm, 30 ppm to 100 ppm, 35 ppm to 100 ppm, 40 ppm to 100 ppm, 45 ppm to 100 ppm, 50 ppm to 100 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 90 ppm, 7 ppm to 90 ppm, 10 ppm to 90 ppm The following ranges apply: 15 ppm to 90 ppm, 20 ppm to 90 ppm, 25 ppm to 90 ppm, 30 ppm to 90 ppm, 35 ppm to 90 ppm, 40 ppm to 90 ppm, 45 ppm to 90 ppm, 50 ppm to 90 ppm, 6.5 ppm to 80 ppm, 7 ppm to 80 ppm, 10 ppm to 80ppm, 15ppm to 80ppm, 20ppm to 80ppm, 25ppm to 80ppm, 30ppm to 80ppm, 35ppm m or more and 80ppm or less, 40ppm or more and 80ppm or less, 45ppm or more and 80ppm or less, 50ppm or more and 80ppm or less, 6.5ppm or more and 70ppm or less, and 7ppm or more The levels can be set to 70 ppm or less, 10 ppm to 70 ppm, 15 ppm to 70 ppm, 20 ppm to 70 ppm, 25 ppm to 70 ppm, 30 ppm to 70 ppm, 35 ppm to 70 ppm, 40 ppm to 70 ppm, 45 ppm to 70 ppm, or 50 ppm to 70 ppm.

[0037] The total concentration of γ-aminobutyric acid and ethyl acetate in the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is, for example, 4.5 ppm to 55 ppm, 4.5 ppm to 50 ppm, 4.5 ppm to 45 ppm, 4.5 ppm to 40 ppm, 4.5 ppm to 35 ppm, 4.5 ppm to 30 ppm, 8 ppm to 55 ppm, and 8 ppm. ppm to 50 ppm, 8 ppm to 45 ppm, 8 ppm to 40 ppm, 8 ppm to 35 ppm, 8 ppm to 30 ppm, 10 ppm to 55 ppm, 10 ppm to 50 ppm, 10 ppm to 45 ppm, 10 ppm to 40 ppm, 10 ppm to 35 ppm, 10 ppm to 30 ppm, 12 ppm to 55 ppm, 12 ppm to 50 ppm, 12 ppm to 45 ppm, 12 ppm to 40 ppm, 12 ppm to 35 ppm, 12 ppm to 30 ppm, 15 ppm to 55 ppm, 15 ppm to 50 ppm, 15 ppm to 45 ppm, 15 ppm to 40 ppm, 15 ppm to 35 ppm, 15 ppm to 30 ppm, 18 ppm to 55 ppm, 18 ppm to 50 ppm, 18 ppm to 45 ppm It can be set to ppm or less, 18 ppm to 40 ppm, 18 ppm to 35 ppm, 18 ppm to 30 ppm, 20 ppm to 55 ppm, 20 ppm to 50 ppm, 20 ppm to 45 ppm, 20 ppm to 40 ppm, 20 ppm to 35 ppm, or 20 ppm to 30 ppm. "or less" can be changed to "less than", and "or more" can be changed to "greater than".

[0038] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is characterized by improved flavor and aroma despite reduced purine concentration. Beer-flavored fermented beverages with reduced purine concentration (particularly beer and low-malt beer) have suffered from the problem of perceived weaker flavor due to the reduced purine concentration. The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention improves the lack of body and aroma caused by reduced purine concentration, thereby solving the above-mentioned problems of beer-flavored fermented beverages with reduced purine concentration. Here, "body" refers to the flavor sensation perceived as richness and fullness of taste. "Aroma" refers to the flavor sensation of elegance perceived as fruity and floral.

[0039] The beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not limited in its manufacturing procedure, as long as the purine concentration is reduced to a predetermined level and γ-aminobutyric acid is contained at a predetermined level. For example, it can be manufactured as follows: Fermentation yeast is added to wort prepared from brewing raw materials such as malt, hops, adjuncts, and brewing water, and fermentation is carried out. The resulting fermented liquid is stored at a low temperature, the yeast is removed by a filtration process, and if necessary, it is further diluted to produce a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage. The purine concentration in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage can be reduced according to the known methods described below. Furthermore, to include a predetermined concentration of γ-aminobutyric acid in the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage, as described above, γ-aminobutyric acid can be added during the beverage manufacturing process, or the raw materials or manufacturing conditions can be appropriately set. In this way, a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage with a reduced purine concentration and a predetermined γ-aminobutyric acid concentration can be manufactured.

[0040] The beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can also be produced, for example, by removing alcohol from a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage after its production, or by stopping fermentation at a stage where the ethanol concentration is less than 1 v / v% during the fermentation process in the production of a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage. In this method, the γ-aminobutyric acid concentration can be adjusted at any stage of the production process, and can also be further adjusted by adding γ-aminobutyric acid.

[0041] Methods for removing alcohol from beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages include, for example, (i) a method of removing alcohol and low-boiling point components by distillation under reduced pressure or atmospheric pressure, (ii) a method of removing alcohol and low-molecular-weight components using a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane, and (iii) a method of removing volatile components by adsorption onto vapor using centrifugal force. In this specification, a beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage produced by removing alcohol from a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage may be called a "de-alcoholic beverage," and a de-alcoholic beverage can be rephrased as a "beverage made from de-alcoholic wort ferment."

[0042] The purine concentration in beer-flavored fermented beverages can be reduced according to known methods. Non-limiting examples of methods for reducing the purine concentration in beer-flavored fermented beverages include methods of reducing the purine content in the beverage by contacting the pre-fermentation liquid or fermentation liquid with an adsorbent such as activated carbon or zeolite (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-169658, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-290071, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-290072, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-112090, etc.), and using raw materials other than malt that have a low purine content (for example, soybeans). Examples include a method for reducing the purine content in a beverage using corn grits (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-117204, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-117205, etc.), and a method for reducing yeast-non-assimilable purines in the wort by performing an enzyme inactivation treatment to inactivate at least a portion of the enzyme group derived from malt, and then performing a purine nucleosidase treatment on the brewing liquid (for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-64502).

[0043] Reduction of the carbohydrate concentration in a beer-taste fermented beverage can be carried out according to known methods. Non-limiting examples of methods for reducing the carbohydrate concentration in a beer-taste fermented beverage include a method of adding glucoamylase during the saccharification process, a method of adding glucoamylase during the fermentation process (see, for example, "Enzyme Utilization Technology Series - From Basics and Analysis to Modification, High Functionality, and Industrial Application" (supervised by Shin Kominami, NTT Science and Technology Corporation, 2010)), a method of reducing carbohydrates by enhancing the assimilability by yeast using liquid sugar containing a large amount of carbohydrates assimilable by yeast (see JP-A-2009-131202), and a method of performing wort filtration during the saccharification process (see JP-A-2012-147780).

[0044] In the above production procedure, the wort can be prepared according to a conventional method. For example, a mixture of brewing raw materials and brewing water is saccharified, filtered to obtain wort, hops are added to the wort, then boiled, and the boiled wort is cooled to prepare wort. Note that the addition of hops may be carried out during boiling. Also, the wort can be prepared by adding a commercially available enzyme preparation during the saccharification process. For example, a protease preparation can be used for protein decomposition, an α-amylase preparation, a glucoamylase preparation, a pullulanase preparation, etc. can be used for carbohydrate decomposition, a β-glucanase preparation, a cellulase preparation, etc. can be used for cellulose decomposition, or a mixed preparation of these can also be used.

[0045] In the production of the beer - flavored fermented beverage of the present invention, in addition to malt, unmalted cereals (e.g., unmalted barley (including those in extract form), unmalted wheat (including those in extract form)); rice, corn, adzuki beans, potatoes, starch, saccharides (e.g., liquid sugar), dietary fiber (including dietary fiber contained in liquid sugar), fruits (e.g., fruit juice, concentrated fruit juice), coriander or its seeds, spices or their raw materials (e.g., pepper, cinnamon, Japanese pepper), herbs (e.g., chamomile, sage, basil), vegetables (e.g., sweet potato, pumpkin), buckwheat or sesame, saccharide - containing substances (e.g., honey, brown sugar), salt, miso, flowers, tea, coffee, cocoa (tea, coffee and cocoa include their prepared products), marine products (e.g., oysters, kelp, wakame, bonito flakes), etc. as auxiliary raw materials; protein hydrolysates, yeast extracts, etc. as nitrogen sources; other cereals (e.g., soybeans) other than those mentioned above; spices, pigments, foaming and foam - holding improvers, water conditioners, fermentation aids, etc. as other additives can be used as brewing raw materials. However, the above are examples, and in the production of the beer - flavored fermented beverage of the present invention, raw materials other than those mentioned above can be used.

[0046] In the production of the beer - flavored fermented beverage of the present invention, by using a raw material containing γ - aminobutyric acid as a brewing raw material, γ - aminobutyric acid can be contained in the beer - flavored fermented beverage at a predetermined concentration. When the beer - flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is beer, γ - aminobutyric acid cannot be blended as a brewing raw material for beer. However, according to the present invention, by selecting brewing raw materials, γ - aminobutyric acid can be contained in beer at a predetermined concentration, which is advantageous in that it can improve the flavor of beer.

[0047] The beer - flavored fermented beverage of the present invention can use at least malt and hops as raw materials other than brewing water. In some cases, saccharides, rice, corn, starch, etc. can also be used as raw materials. Needless to say, all - malt beer among beer - flavored fermented beverages can be produced from malt, hops, and water.

[0048] In this invention, "bitterness value (BU)" refers to the value measured according to the method described in section 8.15 of the BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (2013 revised and augmented edition). Specifically, it can be determined by adding acid to a sample beverage, extracting with isooctane, measuring the absorbance of the isooctane layer (275 nm), and multiplying this measurement by 50.

[0049] The upper limit of the bitterness value (BU) of the beverage of the present invention can be 60, 50, 40, 30, 25, 22, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, or 10, and the lower limit can be 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, or 2. The range of the bitterness value (BU) of the beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 2 to 60, and from the viewpoint of obtaining a beer-tasting fermented beverage with a more preferable flavor, it can be, for example, 3 to 30, preferably 4 to 25, 5 to 22, or 5 to 20.

[0050] In the present invention, there are no particular limitations on the method for adjusting the bitterness value (BU), but a preferred method is to adjust the amount of hops and / or hop products used and / or the boiling time in the production of a beer-flavored fermented beverage. Generally, increasing the amount of hops and / or hop products used and / or the boiling time increases the concentration of iso-α acids, etc., in the beer-flavored fermented beverage produced, resulting in a higher BU of the beer-flavored fermented beverage. Conversely, decreasing the amount of hops and / or hop products used and / or the boiling time decreases the concentration of iso-α acids, etc., in the beer-flavored fermented beverage produced, resulting in a lower BU of the beer-flavored fermented beverage. Examples of hops used include fresh hops, hop pellets that have been pre-crushed and processed into pellets, hop pellets that contain a large amount of lupulin by sieving lupulin particles during processing, and hop extract obtained by extracting the bitter substances and essential oils of lupulin. Examples of hop products used include raw hops, hexahops, tetrahops, isomerized hop extract (isotope extract), etc.

[0051] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention can have a pH of 2.0 to 7.0, preferably 2.3 to 5.0, more preferably 3.0 to 4.7, and most preferably 3.5 to 4.5. The pH of the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention can be adjusted using a pH adjusting agent. The pH of the beer-flavored fermented beverage can be measured using a commercially available pH meter (for example, HORIBA Scientific Benchtop pH Meter, HORIBA Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.).

[0052] The beverage provided by the present invention may be subjected to a carbon dioxide addition process, and further, after processes such as filling and sterilization, it can be provided as a packaged beverage. Sterilization may be performed before or after filling. In addition, if the pH of the beverage is adjusted to less than 4, the filling process can be performed directly without the sterilization process to produce a packaged beverage.

[0053] The container used for the beverage according to the present invention may be any container that is normally used for filling beverages, such as metal cans, barrels, plastic bottles (e.g., PET bottles, cups), paper containers, bottles, pouches, etc., but preferably metal cans / barrels, plastic bottles (e.g., PET bottles), or bottles.

[0054] In another aspect of the present invention, a method for producing a beer-flavored fermented beverage having a purine concentration of 5,000 ppb or less is provided, the method comprising the step of containing γ-aminobutyric acid at a concentration of 5 ppm or more. According to the production method of the present invention, the flavor of the produced beer-flavored fermented beverage is improved. Here, "improved flavor" or "flavor enhancement" of the beer-flavored fermented beverage means that the deterioration of flavor (e.g., a decrease in drinkability and aroma) due to the reduction of purine concentration in the beer-flavored fermented beverage is improved. The production method of the present invention can be carried out in accordance with the description of the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention in addition to the above.

[0055] In another aspect of the present invention, a method for improving the flavor of a beer-flavored fermented beverage having a purine concentration of 5,000 ppb or less is provided, the method comprising the step of incorporating γ-aminobutyric acid at a concentration of 5 ppm or more during the production of the beverage. According to the flavor improvement method, the flavor of a beer-flavored fermented beverage with reduced purine concentration can be improved. In addition to the above, the flavor improvement method of the present invention can be carried out in accordance with the description of the beer-flavored fermented beverage and its production method of the present invention.

[0056] The present invention will be described more specifically based on the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0057] Alcohol Concentration Measurement: The alcohol concentration (ethanol concentration) was measured using the method described in the "National Tax Agency's prescribed analytical method."

[0058] Purine concentration was measured using a method that detects adenine, guanine, xanthine, and hypoxanthine concentrations after hydrolysis with perchloric acid using LC-MS / MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) (see Journal of Food Hygiene 55(2):110-116 (2014)). Purine concentration was calculated as the total concentration of the four purine bases: adenine, xanthine, guanine, and hypoxanthine.

[0059] The carbohydrate concentration, based on the nutritional labeling standards, was measured by subtracting the amounts of water, protein, lipids, ash, and dietary fiber from the mass of the sample beverage, in accordance with the method described in the known Fifth Revised Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan Analysis Manual.

[0060] Measurement of γ-aminobutyric acid concentration: The γ-aminobutyric acid concentration was measured using a high-speed amino acid analyzer L-8900 (Hitachi High-Tech Science Co., Ltd.) with the filtrate obtained by filtering the sample through a 0.45 μm filter as the analytical sample solution. A calibration curve was created using standards for the measurement.

[0061] Measurement of ethyl acetate concentration: The ethyl acetate concentration was measured using GC / FID according to the BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (8.22).

[0062] Example 1: Production and Evaluation of Beer-Flavored Fermented Beverages In Example 1, test samples of beer-flavored fermented beverages were prepared, and evaluation tests were conducted on each sample.

[0063] (1) Method A. Preparation of test samples (i) Test plots 1 to 15 Barley malt and dark malt were used as the main raw materials (malt usage ratio 90%). Enzyme preparations were used for saccharification, and the temperature and time of saccharification were adjusted, and the mixture was filtered to obtain wort. Specifically, 90 parts by mass of barley malt, a β-glucanase enzyme preparation, and an enzyme preparation mainly composed of glucoamylase were added to 100 parts by mass of 50°C water and held for 30 minutes, then the temperature was raised to 64°C and held for 70 minutes. After that, the temperature was raised to 78°C and held for 5 minutes, and then filtered to obtain wort. Following the above wort preparation process, 10 parts by mass of hops and liquid sugar mainly composed of assimilated sugars were added to the obtained wort and boiled at 100°C for 90 minutes, then the wort was allowed to stand, the trebe was separated, and then it was cooled to obtain pre-fermentation liquid. Then, bottom-fermenting yeast was added to the pre-fermentation liquid, and primary fermentation and secondary fermentation were carried out according to the conventional method. Next, the fermented liquid after post-fermentation was stored at a lower temperature and filtered to produce a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage. Water and raw material alcohol (95%) were added to this beverage as appropriate to prepare base beverage A1 (test section 1 in Table 1-1), base beverage A2 (test section 12 in Table 1-2), and base beverage A3 (test section 14 in Table 1-2). Test samples for test sections 2 to 11 were prepared by adding γ-aminobutyric acid or γ-aminobutyric acid and ethyl acetate as appropriate to base beverage A1. Test section 13 was prepared by adding γ-aminobutyric acid to base beverage A2. Test section 15 was prepared by adding γ-aminobutyric acid to base beverage A3.

[0064] (ii) Test plots 16-21 Barley malt and dark malt were used as the main raw materials (malt usage ratio 60%). Enzyme preparations were used for saccharification, and the temperature and time of saccharification were adjusted, and the mixture was filtered to obtain wort. Specifically, 60 parts by mass of barley malt, a β-glucanase enzyme preparation, and an enzyme preparation mainly composed of glucoamylase were added to 100 parts by mass of 50°C water and held for 30 minutes, then the temperature was raised to 64°C and held for 70 minutes. After that, the temperature was raised to 78°C and held for 5 minutes, and then filtered to obtain wort. Following the above wort preparation process, 40 parts by mass of hops and liquid sugar mainly composed of assimilated sugars were added to the obtained wort and boiled at 100°C for 90 minutes, then the wort was allowed to stand, the trebe was separated, and then it was cooled to obtain pre-fermentation liquid. Then, bottom-fermenting yeast was added to the pre-fermentation liquid, and primary and secondary fermentation were carried out according to the conventional method. Next, the fermented liquid after post-fermentation was stored at a lower temperature and filtered to produce a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage. Water and raw material alcohol (95%) were added to this beverage as appropriate to prepare base beverage B (test section 16 in Table 1-2). Test samples for test sections 17 to 21 were prepared by adding γ-aminobutyric acid or γ-aminobutyric acid and ethyl acetate as appropriate to base beverage B.

[0065] (iii) Test plots 22-30 Barley malt and dark malt were used as the main raw materials (malt usage ratio 80%). Enzyme preparations were used for saccharification, and the temperature and time of saccharification were adjusted, and the mixture was filtered to obtain wort. Specifically, 80 parts by mass of barley malt, a β-glucanase enzyme preparation, and an enzyme preparation mainly composed of glucoamylase were added to 100 parts by mass of 50°C water and held for 30 minutes, then the temperature was raised to 64°C and held for 70 minutes. After that, the temperature was raised to 78°C and held for 5 minutes, and then filtered to obtain wort. Following the above wort preparation process, 20 parts by mass of hops and liquid sugar mainly composed of assimilated sugars were added to the obtained wort and boiled at 100°C for 90 minutes, then the wort was allowed to stand, the trebe was separated, and then it was cooled to obtain pre-fermentation liquid. Then, bottom-fermenting yeast was added to the pre-fermentation liquid, and primary and secondary fermentation were carried out according to the conventional method. Next, the fermented liquid after post-fermentation was stored at a lower temperature and filtered to produce a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage. Water and raw material alcohol (95%) were added to this beverage as appropriate to prepare base beverage C (test section 22 in Table 1-3). Test samples for test sections 23 to 30 were prepared by adding γ-aminobutyric acid or γ-aminobutyric acid and ethyl acetate as appropriate to base beverage C. Note that the total concentration in Table 1 indicates the total concentration (ppm) of γ-aminobutyric acid and ethyl acetate.

[0066] Evaluation tests were conducted for test sections 1-30 by five trained panelists. Specifically, three evaluation items—"drinkability," "aroma," and "balance"—were evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5 points in 0.5 increments, and the average of the five panelists' evaluation scores was calculated. Here, "drinkability" refers to the flavor sensation perceived as depth and body of taste. "Aroma" refers to the flavor sensation perceived as fruity and floral in the top notes. "Balance" refers to a flavor where the depth of taste and the floral aroma are in harmony, and each element that constitutes the natural flavor of beer does not stand out, resulting in a well-balanced beer. Furthermore, the specific scoring criteria are as shown below. As a comparative example of test samples with a common base beverage, the scores for each evaluation item in test sections 1, 16, and 22 were set to 1.0 to unify the evaluation criteria among the panelists, and evaluations were conducted while comparing samples with the same base beverage. Samples with a score of 2.5 or higher were judged to have a favorable effect on the evaluation item, and samples with a score of 3.5 or higher were judged to have a more favorable effect on the evaluation item. <Criteria for each score> 1: Equivalent to the comparative example 2: Slightly improved when compared with the comparative example 3: Improved when compared with the comparative example 4: Improved without comparison to the comparative example 5: Significantly improved without comparison to the comparative example

[0067] (2) Results The results are shown in Table 1. The taste and aroma of the base beverage were perceived as weaker when the purine concentration was reduced (test groups 1, 16, and 22), but it was shown that the taste and aroma tended to improve when the concentrations of γ-aminobutyric acid and ethyl acetate were increased (test groups 2-15, 17-21, and 23-30).

[0068]

Claims

1. A beer-flavored fermented beverage having a purine concentration of 5,000 ppb or less, and a gamma-aminobutyric acid concentration of 5 ppm or more.

2. The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to claim 1, wherein the ethyl acetate concentration is 1.5 ppm or higher.

3. The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the total concentration of γ-aminobutyric acid and ethyl acetate is 6.5 ppm or more.

4. The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the alcohol concentration is 3.0 v / v% or more and 7.0 v / v% or less.

5. The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the malt usage ratio is 50% or more and 100% or less.

6. A method for producing a beer-flavored fermented beverage having a purine concentration of 5,000 ppb or less, comprising the step of containing γ-aminobutyric acid at a concentration of 5 ppm or more.

7. A method for improving the flavor of a beer-flavored fermented beverage having a purine concentration of 5,000 ppb or less, the method comprising a step in the production of the beverage to include γ-aminobutyric acid at a concentration of 5 ppm or more.

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