JP2015154777A - Malt steeping method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a new malt steeping method for producing beer, by controlling the KI value as indicator of the degree of decomposition of protein of malt after steeping and the Calcofluor modification value as indicator of the degree of decomposition of cell walls within prescribed ranges, respectively, while maintaining the water content of the malt (malt steeping degree) after malt steeping within a prescribed range.

SOLUTION: The malt steeping method for controlling the water content of the malt (malt steeping degree) within a prescribed range by repeating steeping (soaking in water) and dewatering (water cutting off) in order to impart moisture and oxygen required for the germination of barley in beer production includes the steps of: performing a primary steeping for 0.5 to 1.5 hours; and then performing a primary water cutting off for 16 to 19 hours, while maintaining the germination temperature at 13 to 20°C, and the malt steeping degree at 40% or more after the malt steeping.

COPYRIGHT: (C)2015,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a soaking method in beer production. More specifically, the present invention controls barley varieties supplied by grain majors by optimizing the soaking conditions to control the rate of proteolysis and cell wall degradation within a predetermined range while maintaining a predetermined degree of soaking. The present invention relates to a soaking method characterized by:

Generally, beer is manufactured through the following steps.
Production of malt (hereinafter also referred to as a soaking step or a soaking method): In this step, barley is easily melted and processed into malt in a state of being easily decomposed. First, dust and debris are removed from raw barley cleanly, water is added in a soaking tank, and the germination chamber is appropriately germinated, followed by drying with hot air in a drying chamber. At this time, it comes to have the necessary ingredients, unique color and fragrance of beer.

  Preparation process: A mixture of finely crushed malt and, in some cases, auxiliary ingredients such as rice, with warm water. When held at an appropriate temperature for an appropriate period of time, the starch is converted into sugar by the action of the malt enzyme and becomes a saccharified solution. Filter this, add hops and boil. Hops give the bitterness and aroma peculiar to beer, and at the same time, coagulate and separate proteins in wort and play an important role in clarifying the liquid. The hot wort thus produced is transferred to the fermentation process.

  Fermentation process: Hot wort is cooled to about 5 ° C., yeast is added to this, and it is placed in a fermentation tank. During the 7 to 8 days, most of the sugar in the wort is decomposed into alcohol and carbon dioxide by the action of the yeast. The resulting beer is called young beer, and the beer's original taste and aroma are not yet sufficient.

  Storage process: Young beer is transferred to a storage tank and stored at a low temperature of about 0 ° C for several tens of days. During this time, the beer matures slowly and a harmonious beer taste and aroma is born. The aged beer is filtered and a clear amber beer is produced.

  Container filling process: It takes about 2 to 3 months to complete in this way. The beer is finally packed in bottles, cans or barrels and shipped to the market. The majority of bottled and canned beer is draft beer, but some beer is treated with heat (pastration).

  By the way, malt used in beer production is the world's favorite, because cell wall decomposition has progressed so that malt components can be efficiently eluted as a result of shortening the manufacturing process time and reducing energy costs such as boiling. Tend to be used. Moreover, in order for fermentation using the wort obtained by the mashing in a preparation process to advance efficiently, the thing which the protein decomposition of malt advanced also tends to be liked. For this reason, barley varieties having malt of such specifications (for example, typically European varieties (hereinafter also referred to as EU varieties) supplied from grain majors are actively cultivated and occupy most of the distribution. Beer made using malt with such specifications is characterized by a refreshing taste, with a reduced taste and taste that are peculiar to beer in terms of taste. It has become.

Technology Brewing and Malting 3rd international edition, WOLFGANG KUNZE Use of X-ray Microanalysis to study Hydration patterns in Barley, BRI 1991, Journal of Cereal Science The structure of barley endosperm-An important determination of malt modification, BRI 1999, Journal of Food and Agriculture 50 Years of Progress in Quality of Malting Barley Grown in the Czech Republic, RIBM 2009, The Institute of Brewing & Distilling

For the reasons described above, at present, the variety of raw malt is limited, and the distribution of beer with a refreshing taste occupies the majority, and the options for consumers are also limited. In other words, in order to expand consumers' choice of beer quality, even if they try to produce beer that has a strong beer, umami, and drinking response, you can obtain malt varieties that differ from the currently widely cultivated specs. It is actually difficult to do.
Under such circumstances, the problem to be solved by the present invention is that a new barley that can produce beer with different tastes such as richness and drinking response even if the same malt variety currently widely distributed is used as a raw material. Is to provide a method.

  In order to solve the above problems, the inventors repeated sensory evaluation of pilot brewed products and analysis of various malt specs, and the malt specs for producing beer that feels rich and responsive to drinking are, It was suggested that the proteolysis is lower (index: KI value of 38% or less) than malt currently in circulation such as malt of EU variety. In addition, the corresponding KI value of the current mainstream malt specifications is 40% or more.

  Usually, with regard to component decomposition (melting) in the malting process, since protein decomposition and cell wall decomposition proceed in parallel, malt (eg, malt of EU varieties) currently in circulation as raw material malt is used for richness and umami. In order to achieve the target malt specifications for producing a beer, it is necessary to change and control the balance of protein and cell wall degradation. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a technique for controlling the protein degradation rate and cell wall degradation rate, focusing on the soaking and germination conditions that have a large effect on melting.

  The inventors of the present application have proceeded with verification by trial brewing evaluation, and when malt having a low protein degradation rate (index: KI value) is used in the above-described malting process, the richness and taste unique to beer are obtained. This suggests the possibility of further extraction. Therefore, based on the sensory evaluation of the pilot brewed product and the analysis of various malts, the target malt spec was determined as “Proteolysis rate (KI value): 38 (%) or less, and cell wall degradation rate (Calcofluor modification value): 80-100% ". This target malt spec is a spec that has a low proteolysis but a comparable cell wall degradation rate compared to malt of EU varieties that are usually used in Japanese beer production.

  As described above, the inventors of the present application have conducted intensive studies and experiments to solve such problems, and by specifying the soaking conditions in the soaking process (flooding time, water shutoff time, degree of soaking, etc.) It has been found that malt can be produced by controlling the rate of proteolysis and cell wall degradation and suppressing the rate of proteolysis which is different from the conventional one, and has completed the present invention.

That is, the present invention is as follows.
[1] In beer production for preparing water content (soaking degree) in a predetermined range by repeatedly dipping (watering) and draining (water breaking) to give water and oxygen necessary for barley to start germination In the soaking method, the following steps:
The primary soaking time is 0.5 to 1.5 hours, the subsequent primary water shutoff time is 16 to 19 hours, the germination temperature is 13 to 20 ° C., and the malt degree of malt after soaking is 40 % Or more,
The said soaking method containing.

  [2] The soaking method according to [1], wherein the barley is Nijo barley for brewing.

  [3] When the barley is soaked with a program in which the primary flooding time is approximately 5 hours, the primary flooding time is approximately 19 hours, and the secondary flooding is approximately 4 hours, its proteolysis is indicated. The soaking method according to the above [1] or [2], wherein the KI value is 40% or more and the Calcofluor modification value indicating the cell wall degradation rate is 80 to 100%.

  [4] Malt soaked by the method according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the KI value indicating its protein degradation is 38% or less, and its cell wall degradation rate is an index. The malt having a Calcofluor modification value of 80-100%.

By using the soaking method according to the present invention, when using Nijo barley for brewing as raw barley, for example, Prestige seed supplied by Cargill Malt, the primary soaking time is 0.5 to 1.5 hours, and Proteolysis of malt after soaking while maintaining a germination temperature of 13 to 20 ° C. and a malting degree of malt after soaking at 40% or more with a primary water shutoff time of 16 to 19 hours thereafter. KI value) can be controlled to 32 to 38%, and the cell wall degradation rate (Calcofluor modification value) can be controlled to 80 to 100%. Therefore, for example, even if EU varieties such as Prestige are used, it is possible to produce beer with richness and taste.
In addition, the present invention contributes to the establishment of a control technology for the protein degradation rate and cell wall degradation rate in the soaking process, and a technique for eliminating malt quality variation derived from barley quality variation, which is a long-standing theme in the use of domestic barley. Expansion is expected.

It is a graph which shows the relationship between a primary flooding time and the degree of soaking. It is a graph which shows the relationship between a primary water stop time and the degree of soaking. It is a graph which shows the relationship between secondary flooding time and the degree of soaking. It is a graph which shows the relationship between the degree of soaking and the cell wall degradation rate (Calcofluor modification value). It is a graph which shows the relationship between a degree of soaking and a protein degradation rate (KI value). It is a graph which shows the relationship between a cell wall degradation rate (Calcofluor modification value) and a protein degradation rate (KI value). It is a graph which shows the relationship between a primary flooding time and the degree of soaking. It is a graph which shows the relationship between a primary water stop time and the degree of soaking. It is a graph which shows the relationship between the degree of soaking and the cell wall degradation rate (Calcofluor modification value). It is a graph which shows the relationship between a degree of soaking and a protein degradation rate (KI value).

It is a graph which shows the relationship between a cell wall degradation rate (Calcofluor modification value) and a protein degradation rate (KI value). It is explanatory drawing of "water absorption" and "diffusion" in the phenomenon that water penetrates into barley (cited from Non-Patent Document 1). It is a figure which shows the water part distribution in the endosperm of barley (cited from nonpatent literature 2). It is a graph which shows the spreading | diffusion of the water | moisture content in water immersion and a water break (citation from nonpatent literature 2). It is a figure which shows distribution of (beta) glucan in the endosperm of barley (cited from nonpatent literature 3). It is a figure which shows distribution of the protein in the endosperm of barley (cited from nonpatent literature 3).

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.
The main role of the above-mentioned soaking process is to give water and oxygen necessary for barley to start germination. Repeat soaking (water soaking) and draining (water breaking) to adjust to the target moisture content (soaking degree). The degree of soaking (water content (% by weight) in barley) is said to be affected by the time of soaking and water outage, water temperature, grain size, nitrogen content, variety, and harvest year. Barley swells when water is absorbed (water enters the cells), and metabolism toward germination is started. Water absorption is thought to proceed by capillarity, and it is possible to efficiently increase the degree of soaking (water content in barley) by inserting a water break for a certain period of time rather than continuing to soak. it is conceivable that. Thus, conventionally, primary flooding, primary water breakage, secondary water flooding, secondary water breakage, etc. have been repeated. However, in the conventional soaking method, the operation management was limited to the fact that the barley should have a certain water content or more with the target of the degree of soaking, that is, the water content in the barley.

  As described in Non-Patent Document 1, the phenomenon that water penetrates into barley in the soaking process is divided into “absorption” and “diffusion”. As shown in FIG. 12, it is considered that water is taken into barley embryos and husks, mainly embryos during water immersion, and water diffuses from the embryos into endosperm during water breakage. Water taken into the embryo by water absorption promotes hormone secretion from the scutellum, which induces enzyme expression in the aleurone layer, and the enzyme diffuses using the water diffused in the endosperm as a medium, causing decomposition of each component It is thought to go.

  From the results of micro-malting (hereinafter abbreviated as MM) carried out so far, both cell wall degradation rate (index: Calcofluor modification value) and protein degradation rate (index: KI value) progress in proportion to the degree of soaking. It has been confirmed that. The cell wall is mainly composed of β-glucan, and as shown in FIG. 15, β-glucan is present in the center of barley endosperm, so that water can be diffused into the endosperm for effective degradation. It is thought that it is important to proceed the enzyme reaction uniformly. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 16, it is known that the protein is distributed outside the endosperm.

  When obtaining malt with a different balance between cell wall degradation rate and protein degradation, for example, in order to obtain malt with low protein degradation rate, it is effective to relatively promote cell wall degradation rate (index: Calcofluor modification value) From the difference in the location of β-glucan and protein, in order to decompose β-glucan more effectively, even if the degree of malting is the same, it creates a state where water is more diffused throughout the endosperm Is considered desirable. Therefore, the inventors of the present application, as a means for promoting the cell wall degradation rate (index: Calcofluor modification value) while suppressing the protein degradation rate (index: KI value) in the following examples, Experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of (combination of water immersion and water shutoff time) on “degree of soaking” and “melting”.

  From the MM results shown in the following examples (see FIGS. 9, 10, and 11), cell wall decomposition is further promoted by prolonging the primary water-blowing time rather than prolonging the primary water-immersion time, while proteolysis is suppressed. It turns out that you can.

The inventors of the present application do not want to be bound by a specific theory, but consider that the cause is as follows.
If the primary water outage time is extended, the diffusion of water into the endosperm proceeds, i.e. cell wall degradation is promoted, whereas if the primary water immersion time is extended, the endosperm close to the embryo or husk It is considered that the difference in water localization that the water content of the outer part of the cell increases, that is, proteolysis is accelerated, affects the relative difference between cell wall degradation and protein degradation.
That is, after soaking, in the state where there is water outside the endosperm and the water is not sufficiently diffused (when the soaking time is extended), the water that is the medium for the enzyme reaction is still sufficiently distributed in the endosperm. The cell wall localized in the endosperm center is difficult to be decomposed, whereas the protein distributed outside the endosperm is considered to be easily decomposed. On the other hand, if the water shutoff time is extended to promote the diffusion of water into the endosperm, the water spreads to the endosperm center and cell wall decomposition is promoted, but there is no water outside the endosperm. It is thought that the efficiency of proteolysis decreases and KI decreases.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 13, it is known that the penetration of water during the breakwater proceeds from the ventral portion of barley close to the husk, and as shown in FIG. It is known that the diffusion of water mainly occurs in the water breakage (in FIG. 14, black bar: after 6 hours of flooding, hatched bar: 6 hours of flooding, 18 hours after water breakage). However, if the primary water immersion time and the primary water break time are specifically set to any values, it is possible to control the proteolysis rate and cell wall decomposition rate within a predetermined range while maintaining a predetermined degree of soaking at a predetermined germination temperature. It was unpredictable even with these conventional techniques to predict whether or not. As a result of repeated experiments according to the following examples, the inventors of the present application, for the first time, maintain a predetermined degree of soaking at a predetermined germination temperature, and control a soaking method for controlling a proteolysis rate and a cell wall degradation rate within a predetermined range. We were able to provide it.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described specifically by way of examples.
<Example 1: Barley experiment 1>
As barley, we used 07crop from Prestige, a variety widely distributed as Nijo barley for brewing. As the soaking conditions, a micro malting (MM) program defined below was used as a basic program. The effect on the degree of malting and malt melting when each process time was varied was evaluated. The degree of soaking was measured 20 hours after the end of the final water immersion process. The germination temperature was maintained at 13-20 ° C.
<MM program>
・ Basic program <Primary flooding: 5 hours, Primary flooding: 19 hours, Secondary flooding: 4 hours>
Test program <(primary flooding: 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 hour) + (primary flooding: 27, 19, 10, and 1 hour) + (secondary flooding: 4, 3, 2, 1, and 0 hours)>
For the evaluation of dissolution, the protein degradation rate (index: KI value) (%) and the cell wall degradation rate (index: Calcofluor modification value) (%) were used.

  The analytical values of barley used in the experiment are shown in Table 1 below:

  The analysis results of the degree of soaking, KI value, and Calcofluor modification value for each level are shown in Table 2 below:

  In Table 2, the basic program is the level (circle 1), the fluctuation of the primary flooding time is the level (circle 2 to circle 5), the fluctuation of the primary flooding time is the level (circle 6 to circle 8), And the fluctuation | variation of secondary inundation time is a level (circle 9-circle 12).

  The relationship between the soaking conditions shown in Table 2 (each process time, that is, the primary soaking time, the primary water-blowing time, and the secondary soaking time) and the soaking degree are shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The horizontal axis represents each process time (hours) varied, and the vertical axis represents the degree of soaking (%). A positive correlation was found between each process time and degree of soaking.

  Next, FIGS. 4 and 5 show the relationship between the degree of soaking, the Calcofluor modification value, and the KI value, respectively. 4 and 5, the basic program (black diamond mark), primary flooding time fluctuation (white square mark)), primary flooding time fluctuation (black square mark), and secondary flooding time fluctuation (white circle mark)) are plotted. . The Calcofluor modification and KI values increased in proportion to the degree of soaking. The target specifications (80-100%) of Calcofluormodification can be adjusted in any of the above-mentioned processes, but the KI value is almost completely increased from the beginning in the secondary flooding process. Therefore, it was difficult to keep it within the KI target specification (38% or less).

  FIG. 6 shows the results of FIGS. 4 and 5 in a scatter diagram of Calcofluor modification values and KI values. In the primary inundation time fluctuation (white square mark) and the primary water break time fluctuation (black square mark), a high correlation was found between the Calcofluor modification value and the KI value. For the KI value target specification (suppressing only proteolysis), the result within the target specification was obtained at a level (circle 5) where the primary water immersion time was 1 hour (flooding degree 41.8%). Although the KI slightly increased in the primary water interruption time fluctuation (level circle 1, circles 6 to 8), it is considered that such a result was obtained because the primary water immersion time was fixed at 5 hours. From this result, it was suggested that the primary inundation time can be shortened to effectively build the KI value target specification. In order to verify the conditions that can be reflected in the specific process design, in Example 2 below, MM was performed by changing the condition settings in more detail with respect to the primary inundation time and the primary water outage time.

<Example 2: Barley experiment 2>
Based on the results of the soaking experiment 1, the primary flooding time was set to 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0, and the primary flooding time was 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18; By doing so, it was verified whether or not the KI value and Calcofluor modification value target specifications could be built.
As barley, the same Prestige used in the barley experiment 1 was used. Based on the results of the soaking experiment 1, a shaded portion was selected as an experimental condition from a matrix of primary flooding time and primary flooding time shown in Table 3 below. The secondary flooding time was 4 hours (basic program). The other conditions were the same as in the barley experiment 1, and the evaluation was performed in the same manner as the barley experiment 1. The results are shown in Table 4 below.

Horizontal direction: primary flooding time is variable, primary flooding time is 12 hours, secondary flooding time is fixed at 4 hours Vertical direction: primary flooding time is variable, primary flooding time is 1.5 hours, secondary flooding time is 4 hours Fixed to

7 and 8 show the relationship between each process time and the degree of soaking, respectively. The horizontal axis represents the changed process time (hours), and the vertical axis represents the degree of soaking (%). A positive correlation was found between each process time and the degree of soaking.
FIGS. 9 and 10 show the relationship between the degree of soaking (%), the Calcofluor modification value, and the KI value, respectively. FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are plots showing the primary flooding time fluctuation (white square mark) and the primary water cutoff time fluctuation (black square mark). From FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, in order to achieve a Calcofluor modification value of 80% or more, primary water immersion time fluctuation: 41.6% or more and primary water interruption time fluctuation: 40.9% or more are required. In order to achieve a KI value of 38% or less, it was found that the primary flooding time fluctuation: 40.6% or less and the primary flooding time fluctuation: 41.2% or less are necessary. From these results, it was found that it is difficult to achieve both the target specifications of the Calcofluor modification value and the KI value only by controlling the degree of soaking by changing the primary soaking time.

  FIG. 11 shows the relationship between the Calcofluor modification value and the KI value. From FIG. 11, a result suggesting that by setting the primary water shut-off time to about 18 hours and the water immersion time to 1.5 hours or less, it is possible to build within the target specifications of both the Calcofluor modification value and the KI value. . From the results of this experiment, in barley Prestige, by performing soaking under the conditions of a primary water immersion time of 0.5 to 1.5 hours, a primary water interruption time of 16 to 19 hours, and a secondary water immersion time of 4 hours, the Calcofluor modification value and KI We think that it is possible to build both values into the target specifications.

  In the beer production, the soaking method according to the present invention can control the proteolysis rate and cell wall degradation rate within a predetermined range while maintaining a predetermined degree of soaking by optimizing the soaking conditions. It can be suitably used.

Claims (4)

A method of soaking in beer for producing a moisture content (degree of soaking) in a predetermined range by repeating soaking (water soaking) and draining (water shut-off) to give water and oxygen necessary for barley to start germination In the following steps:
The primary soaking time is 0.5 to 1.5 hours, the subsequent primary water shutoff time is 16 to 19 hours, the germination temperature is 13 to 20 ° C., and the malt degree of malt after soaking is 40 % Or more,
The said soaking method containing.   The soaking method according to claim 1, wherein the barley is Nijo barley for brewing.   The barley has a KI value indicative of its proteolysis when it is soaked in a program in which the primary water immersion time is approximately 5 hours, the primary water interruption time is approximately 19 hours, and the secondary water immersion is approximately 4 hours. The soaking method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the value is 40% or more and the Calcofluor modification value indicating the cell wall degradation rate is 80 to 100%.   A malt soaked by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a KI value indicating its protein degradation is 38% or less, and a Calcofluor modification value indicating its cell wall degradation rate The malt is 80-100%.

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