Low-Alcohol Beverage Fermentation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Low alcohol beer often lacks a beer-like fermentation feel and clean aftertaste due to its lighter taste and absence of fermentation processes, making it monotonous and unappealing to health-conscious consumers.
Innovation Solution
A beer-taste beverage with 0.40 to 1.5% ethanol and 5.8% or less maltose, pH value between 2.6 and 4.3, incorporating mugi-derived and hop-derived ingredients, and a method involving yeast fermentation with pH adjustment to terminate fermentation at 0.2% maltose remaining, ensuring a balanced flavor and aftertaste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If low alcohol beer is produced with reduced alcohol concentration, then health-conscious consumers can enjoy beer, but the taste becomes lighter and more monotonous
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling multiple parameters: alcohol concentration (0.01-1.5% v/v), maltose content (5.8% w/w or less), and pH value (2.6 or more and less than 4.3). By optimizing these parameters within specific ranges, the beverage achieves both low alcohol content and improved taste quality with fermentation feel and clean aftertaste.
2Quantity of substance
If non-alcoholic beer is produced without fermentation step, then alcohol content is reduced, but fermentation feel cannot be reproduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing fermentation process first to generate esters and higher alcohols, then subsequently removing most alcohol through distillation or other separation methods. This sequence allows the beverage to retain fermentation-derived flavor compounds while achieving low alcohol content, thereby maintaining fermentation feel without excessive alcohol.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies extraction by selectively removing alcohol from the fermented beverage while retaining other fermentation products. Through distillation or separation processes, alcohol is extracted and removed to reduce alcohol content to 0.01-1.5% v/v, while esters and higher alcohols that provide fermentation feel remain in the beverage.
3Manufacturing precision
If additives are added to improve flavor thickness, then taste is enhanced, but extract portions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies copying by using naturally occurring fermentation products (esters and higher alcohols produced during fermentation) to replicate the complex flavor profile of traditional beer. Instead of adding artificial flavor additives, the beverage copies authentic beer flavors through controlled fermentation, achieving flavor thickness without increasing extract portions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The beverage achieves a satisfying fermentation feel and clean aftertaste, enhancing the beer-like experience while maintaining low alcohol content, suitable for health-conscious consumers.
Implementation Method 1
In a fermentation step in general beer manufacturing, sugars, amino acids and the like are metabolized by yeasts, and ethanol, esters, higher alcohols and the like are produced by such yeasts
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a beer-taste beverage, comprising 0.40 to 1.5 (v/v) % of ethanol and 5.8 (w/w) % or less of maltose, and having a pH value of 2.6 or more and less than 4.3.