JP5301404B2 - Unfermented beer-flavored malt beverage with reduced and relaxed acidity and method for producing the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an unfermented beer-flavored malt beverage with reduced or moderate acidity and a method for producing the same.

  With the recent increase in health orientation, the number of consumers who self-control alcohol intake is increasing. In addition, due to the revision of the Road Traffic Law, such as stricter penalties for drunk driving, people engaged in driving automobiles are increasingly interested in alcohol consumption. Under such circumstances, the demand for low-alcohol or alcohol-free beer-flavored malt beverages is increasing.

  Conventional low-alcohol beer-flavored malt beverages, like ordinary beer beverages, ferment with yeast to impart beer flavors to beverages and to reduce alcohol. This is because it has been considered difficult to produce a low-alcohol malt beverage by completely eliminating alcoholic fermentation because consumers expect the same taste and aroma as beer. Therefore, on the premise that conventional low-alcohol beer-flavored malt beverages are fermented by yeast, improvement of metabolic processes by yeast and methods for effectively removing alcohol from fermentation products have been studied.

  However, all of the conventional techniques are premised on fermentation by yeast, and it was practically impossible to completely remove alcohol from the product. Therefore, the conventional low-alcohol beer-flavored malt beverage is not suitable for drinking by those who do not want to consume alcohol or who drive automobiles.

  On the other hand, if the fermentation by yeast is simply eliminated and the wort produced by the malt is used as the final product, it will be handled as a beverage. Therefore, based on the Food Sanitation Law (Ministry of Health and Welfare Notification No. 213), pH less than 4.0 Wort needs to be sterilized at 65 ° C for 10 minutes or more, and if it is pH 4.0 to 4.6, it needs to be sterilized at 85 ° C for 30 minutes or more. From the viewpoint of equipment restrictions or the energy cost for sterilization, when a design with a product pH of less than 4.0 is selected, intense acidity becomes a problem.

  A method of lowering pH by adding food additives and the like is common, but when compared with fermented beverages such as beer that have been lowered in pH by fermentation by microorganisms such as yeast, the pH is less than 4.0 by additives. The sour taste of the malted beverage is sharp and very uncomfortable due to lack of balance with other tastes. Soft drinks using fruit juice and general carbonated drinks intended for stimulation allow some acidity for the purpose of refreshing, while beer-flavored malt drinks have a noticeable acidity. The quality and strength of sourness that is lethal and harmonized with other tastes such as sweetness, bitterness, astringency, and umami is required.

  JP-A-61-271969 (Patent Document 1) discloses a beverage quality improving agent containing cyclodextrin and 5′-ribonucleotides, which suppresses acidity, bitterness and astringency of coffee, tea and the like. Is disclosed. However, Patent Document 1 discloses that the beer-flavored malt beverage comprising wort and a pH adjuster not only reduces or alleviates the acidity, but also the nucleic acid-based seasoning component maintains the harmony of the taste as a beer-flavored beverage. However, it is not disclosed that the acidity caused by the pH adjusting agent can be reduced or alleviated.

JP-A 61-271969

  It is an object of the present invention to provide an unfermented beer-flavored malt beverage and a method for producing the same, in which the acidity due to the pH adjuster is reduced or alleviated, and the harmony of the inferior taste is achieved as a beer-flavored beverage. .

  The present inventors can reduce or alleviate the acidity of the pH adjusting agent by making nucleic acid-based seasoning components present in the wort whose pH is adjusted to less than 4.0 with a pH adjusting agent, and also have an amber color as a beer-flavored beverage. Found no harmony of taste. The presence of the nucleic acid-based seasoning component in the wort can reduce or alleviate the strong acidity of the pH adjuster, and the harmony of the taste as a beer-flavored beverage can be realized with unfermented wort, in particular, the nucleic acid-based seasoning component It is surprising to the present inventors that only the acidity of the pH adjusting agent can be effectively reduced / reduced by the presence of sucrose in the wort, and the bitterness and astringency required as a beer-flavored beverage are not affected. Met.

That is, according to the present invention, the following inventions are provided.
(1) An unfermented beer-flavored malt beverage having a pH of less than 4.0, comprising wort, a pH adjuster, and a nucleic acid-based seasoning component. A beer-flavored malt beverage with reduced and moderate acidity.
(2) The beverage according to (1), wherein the pH adjuster is an organic acid and / or an inorganic acid having 1 or 2 or more pKa of 2 to 4.
(3) The beverage according to (1), wherein the wort is obtained by saccharifying a mixture comprising a malt pulverized product and water.
(4) The beverage according to (1), wherein the nucleic acid-based seasoning component is selected from guanylic acid, inosinic acid, and a mixture thereof.
(5) The beverage according to (1), wherein the concentration of the nucleic acid-based seasoning component in the beverage is 0.8 to 18 mg / L.
(6) The beverage according to (1), wherein the bitterness value (BU) is 3 to 30.
(7) A pH adjuster and a nucleic acid-based seasoning component or a salt thereof are added to wort, and the acidity of the pH adjuster is reduced or alleviated by the nucleic acid-based seasoning component. The manufacturing method of the unfermented beer flavor malt drink which is less than 0.

  According to the present invention, there are provided an unfermented malt beverage and a method for producing the same, in which the sourness due to the pH adjusting agent is reduced and alleviated and the taste of the beer-flavored beverage is harmonized. The malt beverage according to the present invention is an unfermented malt beverage that meets the sterilization standards required by the Food Sanitation Law, while the strong acidity of the pH adjuster is reduced and alleviated, and the taste is inferior as a beer-flavored beverage. This is advantageous in that it can meet the needs of consumers who have never been able to achieve both alcohol-free and beer-flavored drinks.

Detailed description of the invention

Definitions In the present invention, “malt beverage” means a beverage mainly composed of wort and includes a malt soft drink to which a refreshing feeling is imparted by carbon dioxide gas or the like.

  In the present invention, “beer flavor” refers to a taste and aroma peculiar to beer obtained when beer is normally produced, that is, when beer is produced based on fermentation by yeast or the like.

  In the present invention, “fully alcohol-free” means that no alcohol is contained, that is, the alcohol content is 0% by weight.

  In the present invention, “acidity” is one of basic tastes composed of five kinds of tastes (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami), and refers to a sour taste exhibited by acid. In addition, “reduction / relaxation” of acidity means that the degree (intensity) of acidity felt by the ingested person is weakened.

  In the present invention, “bitter taste” is one of basic tastes composed of five kinds of tastes (sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami) and refers to a taste exhibited by a bitter substance.

  In the present invention, “astringency” refers to the taste caused by the convergence of the tongue mucosa.

  In the present invention, “harmonizing taste as a beer-flavored beverage” means that when evaluated as a beer-flavored beverage, the acidity and other tastes (such as umami, sweetness, bitterness, astringency) are balanced. Say.

  In the present invention, “the umami is prominent” means that umami is strongly felt to the extent that the ingested person feels that the taste of the beer-flavored beverage is unbalanced.

Malt beverage The malt beverage according to the present invention is characterized in that the acidity of the pH adjuster is reduced or alleviated by the nucleic acid-based seasoning component in the wort to which the pH adjuster is added. Since the malt beverage according to the present invention uses unfermented wort, it does not contain any alcohol component derived from fermentation. Hereinafter, wort, a pH adjuster, and a nucleic acid-based seasoning component will be described.

[Wort]
As the wort constituting the malt beverage according to the present invention, one obtained by saccharifying a mixture of a malt pulverized product and water can be used.

  An auxiliary material may be added to the mixture of the malt and water. Examples of the auxiliary material include rice, corn starch, corn grits, saccharides (for example, liquid sugar such as fructose glucose liquid sugar), dietary fiber, and the like. When the auxiliary material is a saccharide, the wort may be added after saccharification or filtration. Further, the total amount of water may be mixed with the malt pulverized product, or a part thereof may be mixed with the malt pulverized product, and the remainder may be added to the saccharified wort in whole or in part. Moreover, the hop flavor and aroma can be provided to wort by adding a hop to what was obtained by saccharifying the mixture of a malt ground material and water so that it may mention later.

  Although the ratio of the malt pulverized product, the auxiliary material and the water constituting the wort can be determined as appropriate, the malt is crushed so that the final sugar content of the wort is 3 to 20%, preferably 7 to 14%. The proportion of product, auxiliary material and water may be determined. The ratio of the malt pulverized product, the auxiliary material and water is, for example, 0 to 100 parts by weight of the auxiliary material, 400 to 2000 parts by weight of water, preferably 0 to 30 parts by weight of the auxiliary material, with respect to 100 parts by weight of the pulverized malt. It can be 600 to 1300 parts by weight of water. When the auxiliary material is fructose glucose liquid sugar and dietary fiber, the ratio of the malt pulverized product, the auxiliary material and water is, for example, 10 to 40 parts by weight of the auxiliary material and 800 to 800 parts of water with respect to 100 parts by weight of the malt pulverized product. The amount can be 1500 parts by weight, preferably 20 to 30 parts by weight of auxiliary materials and 1000 to 1200 parts by weight of water. In this case, the weight ratio (solid content) of fructose-glucose liquid sugar and dietary fiber can be 1: 0.1-10.

[PH adjuster]
The pH adjuster constituting the malt beverage according to the present invention means a component that adjusts the pH to the acidic side, that is, the low pH side, and such a pH adjuster has a pKa (acid dissociation constant) of 2 to 2. 1 or 2 or more types of acids selected from the group consisting of organic acids (for example, lactic acid, gluconic acid, citric acid, and malic acid) and inorganic acids (for example, phosphoric acid) that are acceptable in 4 foods. It is done. The content, type, and combination of the pH adjusting agent in the malt beverage are not particularly limited as long as the pH of the malt beverage according to the present invention can be adjusted to less than 4.0 and the beer flavor is not impaired.

  In the present invention, the acidity of the pH adjuster is reduced or alleviated by adding a nucleic acid-based seasoning component described later, but the beer-flavored malt beverage according to the present invention has an acidity that is acceptable as a beer-flavored beverage, From the viewpoint, it goes without saying that the pH adjuster has an aspect as a sour agent.

[Nucleic acid-based seasoning ingredients]
The nucleic acid-based seasoning component constituting the malt beverage according to the present invention means a seasoning component using nucleic acid as a raw material. Examples of such nucleic acid-based seasoning components include nucleic acid-based umami components (for example, guanylic acid, inosinic acid, uridylic acid, cytidylic acid, and a mixture of some or all of these), preferably guanylic acid, Inosinic acid, and mixtures thereof are selected. The nucleic acid-based seasoning component may be used as a single component or in combination of two or more.

  The nucleic acid-based seasoning component may be added in the form of a salt, as long as the acidity of the unfermented wort whose pH is adjusted to the acidic side can be reduced / moderated and the taste as a beer-flavored beverage can be harmonized The kind of salt is not particularly limited. Examples of the salt of the nucleic acid-based seasoning component that can be used in the present invention include well-known salts that are acceptable in foods. For example, alkali metal salts such as sodium salts and potassium salts, and alkaline earth salts such as calcium salts and magnesium salts Metal salts can be used. Preferably, a sodium salt can be used.

  The concentration of nucleic acid-based seasoning ingredients in the malt beverage (total concentration in the case of a mixture) reduces or alleviates the acidity of unfermented wort whose pH is adjusted to the acidic side, and also has a bitter taste and astringency as a beer-flavored beverage. From the viewpoint of better achieving harmony of taste as a beer flavored beverage without affecting the taste, the concentration of the nucleic acid-based seasoning component in the beverage can be 0.8 to 18 mg / L. It can be 8-13.5 mg / L, More preferably, it can be 0.8-9 mg / L.

  When using multiple nucleic acid-based seasoning ingredients as nucleic acid-based seasoning ingredients in malt beverages, the component ratio of the multiple nucleic acid-based seasoning ingredients reduces or alleviates the acidity of unfermented wort whose pH is adjusted to the acidic side Although it is not particularly limited as long as it can achieve harmony of the taste as a beer flavored beverage, for example, when using guanylic acid and inosinic acid, the component ratio is 1:10 to 10: 1 can do.

  In the malt beverage according to the present invention, the acidity of the wort can be reduced or alleviated by the presence of the nucleic acid-based seasoning component in the wort whose pH is adjusted to the acidic side, and the harmony of the taste as a beer-flavored beverage is realized. be able to. Specifically, the presence of a nucleic acid-based seasoning component in the wort whose pH is adjusted to the acidic side reduces or alleviates sourness to an appropriate level as a beer-flavored beverage, but without protruding the umami, In addition, it can maintain an appropriate bitterness and astringency as a beer-flavored beverage.

  About the bitterness of the malt drink by this invention, it can evaluate using a bitterness value (Bitterness Unit: BU), for example. The bitterness value can be calculated based on the bitterness substance concentration in the malt beverage mainly composed of hop-derived isoalpha acid (Brenner et al., Amer. Soc. Brew. Chem. Proc., (1956 ), p48, Analytica-EBC, Section 9, Beer Method 9.8 (1997)).

  The malt beverage according to the present invention can have a bitterness (BU) of 3-30, preferably 3-20, more preferably 10-20, and even more preferably 12-18.

According to the production method the present invention malt beverage, adding a pH adjusting agent and a nucleic acid-based seasoning ingredients wort, characterized in that the acidity of pH adjusting agent is reduced or alleviated by a nucleic acid-based seasoning ingredients, pH A process for producing an unfermented beer-flavored malt beverage having a pH less than 4.0 is provided.

  The wort used in the malt beverage according to the present invention can be prepared according to a conventional method. For example, (a) saccharifying a mixture of malt and water and filtering to obtain wort, (b) adding hops to the obtained wort and then boiling, (c) boiling The wort can be prepared by performing the process of cooling the wort.

  In the step (a), the pulverized malt may be any barley, for example, Nijo barley, germinated by a conventional method, dried, and then pulverized to a predetermined particle size. Saccharification and filtration of the mixture of the malt pulverized product and water and optionally the auxiliary materials can be carried out according to a conventional method.

  In step (b), after adding hops to the wort obtained in (a), the flavor and aroma of hops can be boiled by boiling. After boiling, soot such as protein produced by precipitation may be removed.

  In step (c), the boiled wort is cooled. This cooling is desirably performed at a temperature as low as possible so that the wort is not frozen, usually 1 to 5 ° C.

  The obtained wort can be filtered to remove unwanted proteins. Although filtration can be performed according to a conventional method, it can be preferably performed using a diatomaceous earth filter. In filtration, degassed water may be added to wort and filtered after dilution to adjust the sugar content of the final product to 3 to 8%.

  After filtration, the processes performed in the production of normal beer or sparkling liquor, for example, adjustment of the final concentration with degassed water, carbon dioxide sealing, pasteurization, containers (eg barrels, bottles, cans) ) Filling (packaging), container labeling, and the like can be appropriately performed.

  The pH adjusting agent and the nucleic acid-based seasoning component may be added before saccharification of wort or after saccharification or filtration of wort. The pH adjusting agent and the nucleic acid-based seasoning component may be added together or separately, and when added separately, either may be added first. When adding multiple nucleic acid-based seasoning ingredients, when adding multiple pH adjusters, each component may be added together or separately, and when added separately, May be added first.

  Nucleic acid-based seasoning ingredients reduce and alleviate the acidity of unfermented wort whose pH is adjusted to the acidic side, and harmonize the taste as a beer-flavored beverage without affecting the bitterness or astringency as a beer-flavored beverage Can be added to the wort, for example, in the form of a salt, for example, 0.5 to 25 mg / L, preferably 1 to 20 mg / L, more preferably 1 to 15 mg / L, Even more preferably, 1 to 10 mg / L can be added.

  You may add additives, such as a fragrance | flavor, a pigment | dye, and a foam / foam retention improver, to wort. These additives may be added before saccharification of wort or after saccharification or filtration of wort.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an unfermented product having a pH of less than 4.0, comprising wort having a sugar content of 3 to 20%, a pH adjuster, and a nucleic acid-based umami component as a nucleic acid-based seasoning component. Provided are a beer-flavored malt beverage, a beer-flavored malt beverage and a method for producing the same, wherein the acidity of the pH adjuster is reduced or alleviated by a nucleic acid-based seasoning component. In this case, the concentration of the nucleic acid seasoning component in the beverage can be 0.8 to 18 mg / L. In this case, the bitterness (BU) of the beverage may be in the range of 10-20.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pH is less than 4.0, comprising wort having a sugar content of 3 to 20%, a pH adjusting agent, and guanylic acid and / or inosinic acid as a nucleic acid-based seasoning component. Provided are an unfermented beer-flavored malt beverage, and a beer-flavored malt beverage and a method for producing the same, wherein the acidity of the pH adjuster is reduced or alleviated by a nucleic acid-based seasoning component. In this case, the concentration of the nucleic acid seasoning component in the beverage can be 0.8 to 18 mg / L. In this case, the bitterness (BU) of the beverage may be in the range of 10-20.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a pH adjuster and a nucleic acid-based umami component or a salt thereof as a nucleic acid-based seasoning component are added to wort having a sugar content of 3 to 20%. There is provided a method for producing an unfermented beer-flavored malt beverage having a pH of less than 4.0, characterized in that the sourness of the beer is reduced or alleviated. In this case, the nucleic acid-based seasoning component can be added so that the concentration of the nucleic acid-based seasoning component in the beverage is 0.8 to 18 mg / L. In this case, the bitterness value (BU) of the manufactured beverage may be in the range of 10-20.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a pH adjuster and guanylic acid and / or inosinic acid or a salt thereof as a nucleic acid-based seasoning component are added to wort having a sugar content of 3 to 20%, Provided is a method for producing an unfermented beer-flavored malt beverage having a pH of less than 4.0, wherein the acidity of the pH adjuster is reduced or alleviated. In this case, the nucleic acid-based seasoning component can be added so that the concentration of the nucleic acid-based seasoning component in the beverage is 0.8 to 18 mg / L. Furthermore, in this case, the bitterness value (BU) of the manufactured beverage may be in the range of 10-20.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a pH adjuster and a nucleic acid-based umami component or a salt thereof as a nucleic acid-based seasoning component are added to wort having a sugar content of 3 to 20%. There is provided a method for producing an unfermented beer-flavored malt beverage having a pH of less than 4.0, characterized in that the sourness of the beer is reduced or alleviated. In this case, the addition amount of the nucleic acid-based seasoning component can be 1 to 20 mg / L in the form of a disodium salt, for example, with respect to the final amount. Furthermore, in this case, the bitterness value (BU) of the manufactured beverage may be in the range of 10-20.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a pH adjuster and a salt of guanylic acid and / or inosinic acid as a nucleic acid-based seasoning component are added to wort having a sugar content of 3 to 20%, and the pH is adjusted by the nucleic acid-based seasoning component. Provided is a method for producing an unfermented beer-flavored malt beverage having a pH of less than 4.0, wherein the acidity of the regulator is reduced or alleviated. In this case, the addition amount of the nucleic acid-based seasoning component can be 1 to 20 mg / L in the form of a disodium salt, for example, with respect to the final amount. Furthermore, in this case, the bitterness value (BU) of the manufactured beverage may be in the range of 10-20.

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

Example 1: Production of alcohol-free beer-flavored beverage and its evaluation (1) Preparation of wort 200 kg of malt pulverized product and 700 L of warm water were added and mixed in a charging tank, and saccharification was performed at 50 to 76 ° C. After completion of the saccharification step, this was filtered in a wort filtration tank to obtain transparent wort as the filtrate.

  The obtained wort was transferred to a boiling kettle, and 80 kg (converted to solid content) of an auxiliary material mainly composed of liquid sugar was added thereto, and 1 kg of hop was further added, followed by boiling at 100 ° C. The boiled wort was placed in a whirlpool tank and lactic acid was added to a pH of 3.8. Subsequently, wrinkles such as proteins generated by precipitation were removed. At this time, warm water was added to the wort after boiling to adjust the sugar content to 7%. The obtained wort (1,800 L) is cooled to 4 ° C. with a plate cooler, degassed water is added, the mixture is filtered through a diatomaceous earth filter, and used for the sensory evaluation test and component analysis described later (sugar content 4%, pH 3.8, BU14.3) was obtained. In addition, the density in 20 degreeC measured with the vibration-type density meter was made into sugar content (%). Further, the degassed and defoamed sample was shaken and extracted with isooctane under acidic conditions, the absorbance (A275) at a wavelength of 275 nm was measured, and the value of A275 × 50 was defined as the bitterness value (BU).

(2) Evaluation of acidity I
In the wort prepared in (1), 5′-ribonucleotide sodium (trade name: Ribotide (manufactured by Kirin Kyowa Foods)); disodium 5′-inosinate in an amount as shown in Table 1 per liter of wort And 5′-guanylate disodium were mixed at a molar ratio of 1: 1 and consisted of two component single crystals (mixed crystals), and subjected to a sensory evaluation test. Specifically, sensory evaluation was performed on sourness strength and sourness quality by the following criteria by eight panelists who were well trained and skilled in evaluating beer-based beverages.

[Strength of acidity]
0: The acidity is remarkably reduced / relieved, and the strength is such that the acidity is not a concern.
1: Although there is sourness, the sourness is clearly reduced or alleviated from the control group without addition.
2: Compared to the non-added control group, or enhance sourness (opposite effect)
(In the evaluation, each panel gave an independent score, and the averaged result was taken as the evaluation result. An average score of 1.25 or less is judged to have a sourness reducing / relaxing effect.)

[Evaluation of sour quality]
X: As a beer-flavored beverage, the acidity and other tastes (umami, sweetness, bitterness, etc.) are not harmonized. Although the sourness is reduced / relieved, it also includes the case where other tastes are prominent.
Δ: Neither between x and ○.
○: As a beer-flavored beverage, there is a harmony between sourness and other tastes (such as umami, sweetness, and bitterness), and the sourness required as a beer-flavored beverage is obtained.
(Each panel decided through discussions.)

The results of the sensory evaluation test were as follows.

It was confirmed that 5'-ribonucleotide sodium exhibits a sour taste reducing / relaxing effect even at a very low concentration. Here, at a concentration of 1 to 10 mg / L, the sour corner was clearly obtained, the umami was not noticeable, and the taste was harmonized. At a concentration of 20 mg / L, the umami was felt slightly stronger, but the harmony of the taste as a beer-flavored beverage was maintained. On the other hand, at a concentration of 30 mg / L, the sense of harmony as a beer-flavored beverage was lost.
From the above, it has been found that 5′-ribonucleotide sodium can reduce or alleviate the acidity of the pH adjuster while maintaining the harmony of the taste as a beer-flavored beverage in the range of 1 to 20 mg / L.

(3) Evaluation of acidity II
To the wort prepared in (1), disodium inosinate (trade name: Imp (manufactured by Kirin Kyowa Foods)) in an amount as shown in Table 2 per liter of wort is added to the wort, and a sensory evaluation test It was used for. The sensory evaluation test was performed in the same manner as (2). The results of the sensory evaluation test were as follows.

  It was confirmed that disodium inosinate also showed a sour taste reducing / relaxing effect even at a very low concentration, like 5'-ribonucleotide sodium. Here, at a concentration of 1 to 10 mg / L, a sense of harmony between sourness and umami was maintained. At a concentration of 20 mg / L, the umami was felt slightly stronger, but the harmony of the taste as a beer-flavored beverage was maintained. On the other hand, at a concentration of 30 mg / L, the acidity is hardly felt, but the taste is biased toward umami, and the harmony of the taste as a beer-flavored beverage is lost.

  From the above, disodium inosinate is also in the range of 1 to 20 mg / L, like 5'-ribonucleotide sodium, while maintaining the harmony of the taste as a beer-flavored beverage, and reducing the acidity due to the pH adjusting agent. It turns out that it can be relaxed.

(4) Evaluation of acidity III
To the wort prepared in (1), 5′-ribonucleotide sodium and disodium inosinate were added to the wort in an amount as shown in Table 3 per liter of wort and subjected to a sensory evaluation test. The sensory evaluation test was performed in the same manner as (2). The results of the sensory evaluation test were as follows.

  When 5'-ribonucleotide sodium was mixed with guanylic acid and inosinic acid at various ratios, no significant difference was observed. Although there is a slight difference, inosinic acid has a relatively sharp taste quality, and as the guanylic acid ratio increases, the taste quality becomes milder.

  From the above, in the range of the concentration of the nucleic acid-based seasoning component that can reduce or alleviate the sourness of the pH adjuster while maintaining the harmony of the taste as a beer flavored beverage, the concentration ratio of guanylic acid and inosinic acid is sour. It has been found that there is no significant influence on the reduction / relaxation effect of the food and the harmony of the taste as a beer flavored beverage.

(5) Evaluation of bitterness and astringency To the wort prepared in (1), 5′-ribonucleotide sodium and disodium inosinate are added to the wort in an amount as shown in Table 4 per liter of wort. Then, it was subjected to a sensory evaluation test. Specifically, sensory evaluation was performed on the intensity of bitterness and astringency according to the following criteria by eight panelists who were well trained and skilled in evaluating beer-based beverages.

[Intensity of bitterness / astringency]
0: Astringency / bitterness is remarkably reduced or alleviated, and there is no astringency / bitterness necessary for beer beverages.
1: Astringency / bitterness is clearly reduced or alleviated from the non-added control group.
2: Compared to the non-additive control group, it is astringent / bitter taste suitable as a beer beverage.
3: Astringency / bitterness is clearly enhanced as compared with the non-added control group.
(In the evaluation, each panel gave an independent score, and the average was used as an evaluation result. An average score of 1.25 or more and 2.50 or less is judged to be astringency / bitterness suitable as a beer beverage.)

The results of the sensory evaluation test were as follows.

  When the influence on the bitterness and astringency by addition of 5'-ribonucleotide sodium and disodium inosinate was examined, it was confirmed that the preferable bitterness and astringency were maintained as a beer-flavored beverage.

  From the above, within the range of the concentration of the nucleic acid-based seasoning component that can reduce or alleviate the acidity caused by the pH adjuster, appropriate bitterness and astringency are maintained as beer-flavored beverages, and guanylic acid and inosinic acid It was found that the concentration ratio did not have a significant effect on maintaining the appropriate bitterness and astringency as a beer-flavored beverage.

Claims (6)

An unfermented beer-flavored malt beverage having a pH of less than 4.0, comprising wort, a pH adjuster, and a nucleic acid-based seasoning component, wherein the concentration of the nucleic acid-based seasoning component in the beverage is 0.00. A beer-flavored malt beverage having a pH of 8 to 18 mg / L, wherein the acidity of the pH adjuster has been reduced or alleviated by a nucleic acid-based seasoning component.   The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the pH adjuster is an organic acid and / or an inorganic acid having one or more pKa of 2 to 4.   The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the wort is obtained by saccharifying a mixture comprising a malt pulverized product and water.   The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the nucleic acid-based seasoning component is selected from guanylic acid, inosinic acid, and a mixture thereof.   The drink of Claim 1 whose bitterness value (BU) is 3-30. A pH adjuster and a nucleic acid-based seasoning component or a salt thereof are added to wort, and the acidity of the pH adjuster is reduced or alleviated by the nucleic acid-based seasoning component, and the pH is less than 4.0 A method for producing a certain unfermented beer-flavored malt beverage, wherein a nucleic acid-based seasoning component or a salt thereof is added so that the concentration of the nucleic acid-based seasoning component in the beverage is 0.8 to 18 mg / L.