JP7015345B2 - Beer-taste beverages and methods for manufacturing beer-taste beverages - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a beer-taste beverage and a method for producing a beer-taste beverage.

In a situation of increasing health consciousness, non-sweet beverages tend to be preferred as beverages for meals. For example, in a beer-taste beverage including an alcoholic beer-taste beverage and a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage, which is one of the non-sweetening beverages, grains such as malt and hops are generally used as main raw materials. By using hops as a raw material, it is possible to produce beer-taste beverages to which the bitterness and aroma peculiar to hops are imparted.
However, the bitterness derived from hops is said to be one of the causes of young people's departure from beer, and beer-taste beverages that limit the amount of hops used are required. On the other hand, if the amount of hops used is limited to a certain amount or less in order to suppress the bitterness derived from hops, the bitterness peculiar to hops disappears, the flavor becomes less harsh, and the sweetness becomes easier to feel. (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2017-6077 (Patent Document 1)).

JP-A-2017-6077

Therefore, there is a demand for a beer-taste beverage having a taste like a beer-taste beverage and having an excellent flavor without using hops as a raw material.

In the present invention, the content of iso-alpha acid is 0.1% by mass or less, the content of sugar is 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, and 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid is 480 μg / 100 mL or less. Provide beer-taste beverages containing.

The present invention includes the following aspects of the invention.
[1]
Beer taste containing iso-alpha acid content of 0.1 mass ppm or less, sugar content of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, and 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid of 480 μg / 100 mL or less. Beverage.
[2]
The beer-taste beverage according to the above [1], wherein the sugar content is 1.0 g / 100 mL or less.
[3]
The beer-taste beverage according to the above [1] or [2], wherein the sugar content is 0.5 g / 100 mL or less.
[4]
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above [1] to [3], which has a bitterness value of 5.0 BU or less.
[5]
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above [1] to [4], wherein the content of 4-methyl-3-pentene acid is 0.01 to 480 μg / 100 mL.
[6]
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above [1] to [5], wherein the original extract is 5.0 to 20.0 (w / w)%.
[7]
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above [1] to [6], which uses a sugar solution as a raw material.
[8]
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above [1] to [7], which is a fermented beer-taste beverage.
[9]
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above [1] to [8], wherein the total amount of polyphenols is 10 to 160 mass ppm.
[10]
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above [1] to [9], wherein the malt ratio is 15 to 100% by mass.
[11]
The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above [1] to [10].
A method for producing a beer-taste beverage, which comprises a step of adding yeast to a raw material containing water and malt to perform alcoholic fermentation.
[12]
The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to the above [11], which does not include a step of blending hops.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a low-carbohydrate beer-taste beverage having a taste like a beer-taste beverage and having an excellent flavor is provided without using hops as a raw material.

1. 1. Beer-taste beverage The beer-taste beverage of the present invention has an iso-alpha acid content of 0.1% by mass or less and a sugar content of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, and 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid. Is a beer-taste beverage containing 480 μg / 100 mL or less.

In the present specification, the "beer-taste beverage" is not particularly limited as long as it is a beverage exhibiting the flavor of beer. Examples of the type of beer-taste beverage include alcohol-containing beer-taste beverages and non-alcoholic beer-taste beverages having an alcohol content of less than 1 (v / v)%. That is, the beer-taste beverage of the present specification includes any carbonated beverage having a beer flavor, unless otherwise specified. Therefore, it is not limited to beverages produced by adding yeast to wheat juice and fermenting, but is not limited to esters, higher alcohols (for example, isoamyl acetate, ethyl acetate, n-propanol, isobutanol, acetaldehyde, ethyl caproate), 4 -Includes carbonated beverages to which beer fragrances including vinyl guayacol, linalol, etc. have been added.
The beer-taste beverage of the present invention may be a malt-based beer-taste beverage that uses malt as a raw material, or a malt-free beer-taste beverage that does not use malt, but a malt-based beer-taste beverage is preferable. Beer-taste beverages using barley malt are more preferred.
The beer-taste beverage of the present invention may be a fermented beer-taste beverage obtained through a fermentation step, or may be a non-fermented beer-taste beverage obtained without a fermentation step, but may be a fermented beer-taste beverage. Is preferable, fermented malt beer-taste beverages are more preferable, and fermented barley malt beer-taste beverages are even more preferable.
Further, the beer-taste beverage of the present invention may be a distilled liquor-containing beer-taste beverage containing distilled liquor such as spirits, whiskey, and shochu, and among them, the spirits-containing beer-taste beverage is preferable.

The beer-taste beverage of the present invention has an iso-alpha acid content of 0.1% by mass or less, may be 0.01% by mass or less, or may be 0% by mass. By setting the content of iso-alpha acid to 0.1% by mass or less, it is possible to provide a beverage preferred by consumers who do not like bitterness.
A beer-taste beverage having an iso-alpha acid content of 0.1% by mass or less can be said to be a beverage that does not substantially contain components derived from hops as a raw material. That is, a beer-taste beverage having an iso-alpha acid content of 0.1% by mass or less can be produced by positively adding neither hops nor components derived from hops as raw materials during production.

Whether or not hops and hop-derived ingredients are actively added as raw materials for beer-taste beverages depends on the Liquor Tax Law, Food Labeling Law, Food Sanitation Law, JAS Law, Freebie Labeling Law, Health Promotion Law, or It can also be confirmed from the raw material labeling set by the rules and voluntary standards set by industry groups. For example, when a beer-taste beverage contains hops and ingredients derived from hops, it is described as "hop" in the raw material name of the raw material display. On the other hand, beer-taste beverages that "substantially contain no ingredients derived from hops" do not have "hops" in the raw material name on the raw material label.

The beer-taste beverage of the present invention has an iso-alpha acid content of 0.1 mass ppm or less, and the bitterness is suppressed. In general, when the content of iso-alpha acid is low, the sweetness tends to be felt easily and the feeling of harshness tends to disappear.
Therefore, by reducing the sugar content of the beverage, the sweetness can be suppressed, but the taste of the beverage is deteriorated. Therefore, for beer-taste beverages having an iso-alpha acid content of 0.1% by mass or less and a sugar content of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, a beverage containing 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid. By doing so, it is possible to provide a beer-taste beverage having a good taste while suppressing the sweetness.

The bitterness value of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5.0 BU or less, more preferably 3.0 BU or less, still more preferably 2.0 BU or less, and particularly preferably 1.0 BU or less. It can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of hop-derived components such as hops or hop extracts.
Here, the "bitter taste value" is an index of bitterness given by a hop-derived component containing isohumulone as a main component. The bitterness value is described in "8.15 Bitterness Value" of "Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method 1998 Revised (Edit: Beer Brewing Association International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee), Publisher: Brewing Society of Japan)". It can be measured by the measurement method.

The sugar content of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, but 1.8 g / 100 mL or less, 1.5 g / 100 mL or less, 1.2 g / 100 mL or less, 1.0 g / 100 mL or less. Hereinafter, it may be 0.7 g / 100 mL or less, or 0.5 g / 100 mL or less. The sugar content of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited to the lower limit, but may be, for example, 0.1 g / 100 mL or more, 0.2 g / 100 mL or more, or 0.3 g / 100 mL or more. ..
The sugar content in a beer-taste beverage can be adjusted by adjusting the composition of raw materials or adjusting known production conditions. For example, by adding an external enzyme during the saccharification process or activating the action of the enzyme contained in the grain, the carbon source extracted from the grain raw material such as malt is decomposed into sugar that can be assimilated by yeast and is being fermented. A method of reducing carbohydrates by assimilating into yeast, a method of reducing carbohydrates by increasing the assimilation by yeast using liquid sugar containing a large amount of carbohydrates assimilated by yeast, and a method of reducing carbohydrates by dilution. The sugar concentration can be adjusted by a method of lowering the concentration or the like.
In the present specification, the measurement of the sugar content is calculated by excluding the amount of water, protein, lipid, ash and dietary fiber from the mass of the beer-taste beverage as a sample (Nutrition Labeling Standard (December 2009). It can be measured according to the Consumer Agency Notification No. 9 Partial Amendment) on May 16).

The beer-taste beverage of the present invention contains 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid in an amount of 480 μg / 100 mL or less. For beverages with an iso-alpha acid content of 0.1% by mass or less and a sugar content of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, sweetness is achieved by containing 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid. It is possible to obtain a beer-taste beverage having a good taste while suppressing the above. Further, by setting the content of 4-methyl-3-pentene acid to 480 μg / 100 mL or less, it is possible to suppress an acid odor unsuitable for a beer-taste beverage and to obtain a beer-taste beverage having an excellent flavor.

The content of 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid is 480 μg / 100 mL or less, preferably 450 μg / 100 mL, from the viewpoint of suppressing an unsuitable acid odor as a beer-taste beverage and making it a beer-taste beverage having an excellent flavor. Below, it is more preferably 400 μg / 100 mL or less, more preferably 350 μg / 100 mL or less, still more preferably 310 μg / 100 mL or less, still more preferably 200 μg / 100 mL or less, and particularly preferably 100 μg / 100 mL or less.
The content of 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid is not particularly limited at the lower limit, but is 0.01 μg / 100 mL or more, 0.05 μg / 100 mL or more, 0.1 μg / 100 mL or more, 0.2 μg / 100 mL or more. , 0.3 μg / 100 mL or more, 0.5 μg / 100 mL or more, 0.7 μg / 100 mL or more, or 1.0 μg / 100 mL or more.

The content of 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid in the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention can be adjusted by adding 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid in a desired amount. In addition, it can be adjusted by the type and blending amount of raw materials and the preparation conditions, and when the beer-taste beverage is a fermented beverage, it can also be adjusted by appropriately setting the yeast species, fermentation conditions and the like.
As used herein, the measurement of the content of 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid can be measured by gas chromatography.

From the viewpoint of suppressing the aroma for grains to obtain a beer-taste beverage having a good taste, the original extract of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is preferably 20.0 (w / w)% or less, preferably 19.0 (w / w /). W)% or less is more preferable, 18.0 (w / w)% or less is further preferable, 17.0 (w / w)% or less is further preferable, and 16.0 (w / w)% or less is particularly preferable. ..
Further, from the viewpoint of suppressing wateriness and making a beer-taste beverage having a good taste like a beer-taste beverage, the original extract of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is preferably 5.0 (w / w)% or more. , 6.0 (w / w)% or more is more preferable, 7.0 (w / w)% or more is further preferable, 7.5 (w / w)% or more is further preferable, and 8.0 (w / w / w / w / w / w)% or more is particularly preferable.

In the present specification, the original extract is synonymous with the raw wort extract. The original extract is the revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method 2013 supplementary revision (edited by: Beer Brewing Association International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee), publisher: Japan Brewing Society) "8.5 Extract-related calculation method" Can be calculated by. The alcohol required for the calculation is the "8.3.6 alcoholizer method" of the same book, the authentic (sex) extract is the method described in 0014, and the appearance (pseudo) extract is the "8.1.4 alcoholizer method" of the same book. , And can be calculated from the extract table described in "7.2 Extract". The appearance (pseudo) extract is synonymous with the extract in the above-mentioned extract table.

In the case of a fermented beverage, the original extract of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention can be adjusted by changing the composition of raw materials, charging conditions, yeast species, fermentation conditions and the like. Further, the original extract of the beer-taste beverage, which is a non-fermented beverage, can be adjusted by changing the raw material composition.

From the viewpoint of making a beer-taste beverage with improved drinkability, thickness of taste, and taste, the total amount of polyphenols in the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 20% by mass or more, and 25. Mass ppm or more is more preferable, 30 mass ppm or more is more preferable, 35 mass ppm or more is further preferable, 40 mass ppm or more is further preferable, and 45 mass ppm or more is particularly preferable.
On the other hand, from the viewpoint of improving the turbidity stability of the beverage and making it an easy-to-drink beer-taste beverage, the total polyphenol amount of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is preferably 160 mass ppm or less, more preferably 150 mass ppm or less, and 140 mass by mass. It is more preferably ppm or less, further preferably 130 mass ppm or less, further preferably 120 mass ppm or less, and particularly preferably 110 mass ppm or less.
The total amount of polyphenols in the beer-taste beverage of the present invention can be controlled by adjusting the amount of raw materials having a high polyphenol content, such as barley malt and malt husk (grain bark). Specifically, the total amount of polyphenols can be increased by increasing the amount of raw materials such as malt having a high polyphenol content.

The total amount of polyphenols in the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is described in, for example, the revised BCOJ beer analysis method (published by the Brewing Society of Japan, edited by the International Technical Committee of the Brewing Society of Japan [Analysis Committee], revised in 2013). It can be measured by the method used.

The beer-taste beverage of the present invention may be an alcohol-containing beer-taste beverage or a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage.
When the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is an alcohol-containing beer-taste beverage, the alcohol content of the beverage is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 to 20 (v / v)%, more preferably 1 to 15 (v / v /). It is v)%, more preferably 2 to 12 (v / v)%, still more preferably 3 to 10 (v / v)%, and particularly preferably 4 to 9 (v / v)%.
When the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage, the alcohol content of the beverage may be less than 1 (v / v)%, 0.9 (v / v)% or less, 0. It may be .5 (v / v)% or less, 0.3 (v / v)% or less, or 0.1 (v / v)% or less.
In addition, in this specification, the alcohol content of a beverage is expressed as a volume / volume-based percentage (v / v%). In addition, the alcohol content of the beverage can be measured by a vibrating densitometer.

Further, the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may contain spirits derived from grains, for example, may contain spirits as an alcohol component.
In the present specification, spirits are obtained by using grains such as wheat, rice, buckwheat, and corn as raw materials, saccharifying them with malt or, if necessary, using an enzyme agent, fermenting them with yeast, and then further distilling them. Means liquor. As the grain that is the raw material of spirits, wheat is preferable.

The color of the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention is not particularly limited, but may be amber or golden like ordinary beer, black like black beer, or colorless and transparent, or a coloring agent. Etc. may be added to give a desired color. The color of the beer-taste beverage can be discriminated with the naked eye, but it may be defined by the total light transmittance, the chromaticity, or the like.

The pH of the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 2.0 to 4.6, more preferably 2.5 to 4.5, and even more preferably 3.0 to 3.0. It is 4.2, and particularly preferably 3.2 to 4.0. Since the beer-taste beverage of the present invention contains 0.1% by mass or less of iso-alpha acid having a bacteriostatic effect, there is a risk that microorganisms are generated and proliferate. Therefore, in order to suppress the generation and growth of microorganisms, the pH of the beer-taste beverage is preferably 4.5 or less, more preferably 4.0 or less. Further, if the pH of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is 2.0 or more, the flavor of the beverage is likely to be improved.
The pH of the alcohol-containing beer-taste beverage is preferably 3.0 to 4.5, more preferably 3.0 to 4.0, and particularly preferably 3.2 to 3.8. The pH of the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage is preferably less than 4.0, more preferably 3.8 or less.

The beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention is suitable for the container-packing aspect. Examples of the container include bottles, PET bottles, cans, or barrels, but cans, bottles, and PET bottles are preferable from the viewpoint of being particularly easy to carry.
When using colorless and transparent bottles and PET bottles, they are exposed to sunlight and fluorescent light, unlike the case of ordinary cans and colored bottles. However, since the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention does not substantially contain a component derived from hops, the generation of sunlight odor due to sunlight irradiation is suppressed. Therefore, the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention can also be filled in such a colorless and transparent bottle or a PET bottle.

For any added raw materials such as grains and sweeteners that can be used in the production of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, refer to "1.1. Details will be given in "Raw Materials".

1.1 Raw materials The raw materials for the beer-taste beverage according to the present invention are not particularly limited, but the main raw materials for the beer-taste beverage according to the preferred embodiment are malt-derived components such as malt containing nitrogen, polyphenols and the like, and water. .. In order to reduce the content of iso-alpha acid to 0.1% by mass or less, it is preferable to use substantially no hops. In addition, sweeteners, water-soluble dietary fibers, bitterness agents or bitterness-imparting agents, antioxidants, flavors, acidulants and the like may be used.

Malt refers to seeds of barley, wheat, rye, oats, oats, adlay, pearl barley, etc. that are germinated, dried, and rooted. May be. In the present invention, barley malt is preferably used. Barley malt is one of the most commonly used malts as a raw material for beer-taste beverages. There are various types of barley such as two-row barley and six-row barley, but any of them may be used. Further, in addition to normal malt, colored malt and the like can also be used. When using colored malt, different types of colored malt may be used in appropriate combinations, or one type of colored malt may be used.

Further, grains other than malt, protein, yeast extract, sugar solution and the like may be used together with malt. Such grains include, for example, wheat that does not correspond to malt (barley, wheat, rye, crow wheat, oat, adlay, starch, etc.), rice (white rice, brown rice, etc.), corn, corn, potatoes, etc. , Beans (soybeans, oats, etc.), buckwheat, sorghum, oats, hie, starch obtained from them, extracts (extracts) thereof and the like. Examples of the protein include soybean protein, pea protein, yeast extract, and decomposition products thereof.

In the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, a sweetener can be used within the range of sugar content of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less. Examples of sweeteners include commercially available saccharified liquids obtained by decomposing starch derived from grains with acid or enzyme, commercially available sugars such as starch syrup, sugars of trisaccharides or higher, sugar alcohols, natural sweeteners such as stevia, and artificial sweeteners. Can be mentioned.
The form of these saccharides may be a liquid such as a solution or a solid such as a powder.
Further, there are no particular restrictions on the type of starch raw material grain, the method for purifying starch, and the treatment conditions such as hydrolysis with enzymes or acids. For example, a saccharide having an increased proportion of maltose may be used by appropriately setting the conditions for hydrolysis with an enzyme or acid. In addition, sucrose (sucrose), fructose, glucose, maltose, trehalose, maltotriose and the like may be used. In the present invention, it is preferable to use a sugar solution containing these sugars as a raw material.
Examples of the artificial sweetener include aspartame, acesulfame potassium (acesulfame K), sucralose, neotame and the like.

Examples of the water-soluble dietary fiber include indigestible dextrin, polydextrose, guar gum decomposition product, pectin, glucomannan, alginic acid, laminarin, fucoidin, carrageenan and the like, from the viewpoint of versatility such as stability and safety. , Indigestible dextrin or polydextrose is preferred.

As bitterness agents or bitterness-imparting agents, rosemary, reishi, hime scent, sage, sage, maze scent, mannentake, laurel, quasin, citrus extract, nigaki extract, coffee extract, tea extract, bitter gourd extract. Examples thereof include rosemary extract, kidachi aloe extract, mannen wax extract, reishi extract, laurel extract, sage extract, caraway extract, naringin, caffeine, absintin, nigayomogi and nigayomogi extract.

The antioxidant is not particularly limited, and those used as antioxidants in ordinary beer and low-malt beer can be used, and examples thereof include ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, and catechin.

The fragrance is not particularly limited, and a general fragrance can be used. The flavoring is used for flavoring and contains brewing components and the like generated by fermentation. Specific examples of fragrances suitable for beer-taste beverages include esters, higher alcohols (for example, isoamyl acetate, ethyl acetate, n-propanol, isobutanol, acetaldehyde, ethyl caproate), 4-vinylguanol, isoamyl propionate, linalol and the like. Can be mentioned.

The acidulant is not particularly limited as long as it is a substance having an acidity, and is, for example, tartrate acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, phytic acid, acetic acid, succinic acid, gluconodeltalactone or theirs. Salt is mentioned. Among these acidulants, phosphoric acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, phytic acid, acetic acid, succinic acid or salts thereof are preferable, and phosphoric acid, citric acid, lactic acid, acetic acid or salts thereof are more preferable. preferable.
These acidulants may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

1.2 Carbon dioxide gas The non-sweet beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may be a carbonated beverage. As the carbon dioxide gas contained in the beer-taste beverage of the carbonated drink, the carbon dioxide gas contained in the raw material may be used, or may be dissolved by mixing with carbonated water or adding carbon dioxide gas.
Since the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention undergoes alcoholic fermentation, carbon dioxide gas generated in this fermentation step can be used as it is, but carbon dioxide or carbonated water is appropriately added to adjust the amount of carbon dioxide gas. May be good.

The amount of carbon dioxide gas contained in the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention is represented by the carbon dioxide gas pressure of the beverage, but this is not particularly limited as long as the effect of the present invention is not impaired. Typically, the upper limit of the carbon dioxide pressure of the beverage is 5.0 kg / cm ² , 4.5 kg / cm ² , or 4.0 kg / cm ² , and the lower limit is 0.20 kg / cm ² , 0.50 kg /. It is cm ² or 1.0 kg / cm ² , and any of these upper and lower limits may be combined. For example, the carbon dioxide gas pressure of the beverage is 0.20 kg / cm ² or more and 5.0 kg / cm ² or less, 0.50 kg / cm ² or more and 4.5 kg / cm ² or less, or 1.0 kg / cm ² or more. It may be 0 kg / cm ² or less.
As used herein, the gas pressure means the gas pressure in the container, except for special cases.
The pressure is measured by a method well known to those skilled in the art. It can be measured by using a method of swinging and reading the value when the pointer reaches a certain position, or by using a commercially available gas pressure measuring device.

1.3 Other Additives In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, various additives may be added, if necessary, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired.
Examples of such additives include preservatives, colorants, foam-forming agents, fermentation accelerators, yeast extracts, protein-based substances such as peptide-containing substances, and seasonings such as amino acids.
The compound used as a preservative is not particularly limited, but at least one compound selected from the group consisting of benzoic acid, benzoates, benzoic acid esters and dimethyl dicarbonate is preferable. These compounds may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Specific examples of the combination include benzoic acid, benzoates, or a combination of benzoic acid ester and dimethyl dicarbonate. Examples of benzoates include sodium benzoate and the like, and examples of benzoic acid esters include propyl paraoxybenzoate and butyl paraoxybenzoate. In addition, as a commercially available preservative, strong sample leather (manufactured by Saneigen Co., Ltd .; a mixture of sodium benzoate and butyl benzoate) is also often used.

1.4 Packaged Beverage The beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may be a packaged beverage packed in a container. A container of any form and material may be used for the packaged beverage, and examples of the container include bottles, cans, barrels, and PET bottles, but from the viewpoint of being particularly easy to carry, cans and cans. Bottles and PET bottles are preferred.

2. 2. How to make beer-taste beverages
2.1 Method for producing fermented beer-taste beverage The method for producing a fermented beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention is not particularly limited, but a step (1) of adding yeast to a raw material containing water and malt to perform alcohol fermentation is performed. It may have a step (2) of blending one or more raw materials that can be assimilated by yeast and a step (3) of adjusting the content of 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid.
-Step (1): A step of adding yeast to raw materials including water and malt to perform alcoholic fermentation.
-Step (2): A step of blending one or more raw materials that can be assimilated by yeast.
-Step (3): A step of adjusting the content of 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid.

The order of the above steps (1) to (3) is not particularly limited, but as step (2), a raw material that can be assimilated by yeast is blended with water and malt to prepare a raw material before fermentation, and then the raw material is prepared. As the step (1), it is preferable to carry out alcoholic fermentation on the raw materials including the raw materials that can be assimilated by yeast. This makes it possible to suppress the generation of a large amount of bubbles during alcoholic fermentation.
Similarly, in the step (3), the order in which each step is performed is not particularly limited, and for example, the adjustment of the content of 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid performed in the step (3) is performed in the step (1). It may be carried out on the raw material after the later fermentation, but it may be carried out after the step (1) or the step (2) and finally as the step (3). Specifically, a non-sweetening base beverage is produced based on a step other than the step (3) (for example, steps (1) and (2)), and the base beverage is made into 4-methyl based on the step (3). The content of -3-pentenoic acid may be adjusted.
Since the beer-taste beverage of the present invention contains an iso-alpha acid of 0.1% by mass or less, if a certain amount or more of yeast is contained, the flavor is likely to be adversely affected. Therefore, in the production method of the present invention, it is preferable to remove yeast by a filtration step. The order of the filtration steps is not particularly limited, but it is preferably performed after the step (3).
Further, the production method of the present invention preferably does not include a step of blending hops, but a beverage obtained without using hops having a bacteriostatic effect has a risk of developing and multiplying microorganisms. Therefore, the production method of the present invention preferably has a sterilization step in order to suppress the generation and proliferation of microorganisms. The order of the sterilization steps is not particularly limited, but it is preferably performed after the step (3). The sterilization step is preferably carried out by heating.

It is preferable that the method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention does not include a step of blending hops. Even if the production method of the present invention does not include the step of blending hops, it does not exclude the aspect of unavoidably mixing.

The malt ratio of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, and may be 15% or more, 20% or more, 30% or more, or 40% or more, and 100% or less, 95% or less, 85% or less, It may be 75% or less, or 65% or less.
By setting the malt ratio within the above range, a beer-taste beverage having a better flavor can be produced.
In the present specification, the "malt ratio" means the ratio of the malt mass to the mass of all raw materials excluding brewing water. In this specification, the malt ratio means a value calculated in accordance with the Liquor Tax Law and the Circular on Interpretation of Liquor Administration Related Laws, etc. on April 1, 2018.

When suppressing the ratio of malt, it is preferable to increase the amount of raw materials (carbon source, nitrogen source) other than malt that can be assimilated by yeast. Examples of carbon sources of raw materials that yeast can assimilate include monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and their sugar solutions, and as nitrogen sources, yeast extract, soybean protein, corn protein, soybean, yeast extract, pea, etc. Examples include wheat malt, ungerminated grains, and decomposition products thereof. Examples of ungerminated grains include ungerminated barley, wheat, rye, oats, oats, adlay, enwheat, soybeans, corn, and pea. In the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, it is preferable to use a sugar solution as a raw material other than malt in order to suppress the generation of a large amount of foam in the fermentation step.

<Process (1)>
Step (1) is a step of adding yeast to a raw material containing water and malt to perform alcoholic fermentation.
As a method for preparing raw materials, the raw materials are put into a charging kettle or a charging tank, enzymes such as amylase are added as necessary, gelatinization and saccharification are performed, the mixture is filtered and boiled, and coagulated protein is used in a clarification tank. Remove solids such as. After that, yeast can be further added and fermented, the yeast can be removed by a filter or the like, and if necessary, additives such as water, a fragrance, an acidulant, and a pigment can be added to prepare a raw material.
The antioxidant, bitterness-imparting agent, flavor, acidulant, pigment and the like may be added in a predetermined amount after the fermentation step, but may be added at any time during the manufacturing process including the gelatinization / saccharification step. Also, the timing of addition is not limited.

The yeast used in this step can be appropriately selected in consideration of the type of fermented beverage to be produced, the desired flavor, fermentation conditions, etc., and in the production of the beverage of the present invention, the top-fermented yeast is also the bottom-fermented yeast. Also, commercially available yeast such as Weihenstephan-34 strain (bottom fermenting yeast) can be used.
Yeast may be added to the raw material as a yeast suspension, or a slurry obtained by concentrating yeast by centrifugation or sedimentation may be added to the raw material. Further, after centrifugation, a substance from which the supernatant has been completely removed may be added. The amount of yeast added to the stock solution can be appropriately set, but is, for example, about 5 × 10 ⁶ cells / mL to 1 × 10 ⁸ cells / mL.

Various conditions such as the fermentation temperature and the fermentation period when performing alcoholic fermentation can be appropriately set. For example, the fermentation conditions for the production of ordinary beer and low-malt beer, 8 to 25 ° C., 5 to It may be fermented for 10 days. The temperature (increasing or decreasing temperature) or pressure of the fermentation broth may be changed during the fermentation process.

After the fermentation step, a step performed in the production of a beer-taste beverage known to those skilled in the art, such as a liquor storage step and a filtration step, may be performed.

<Process (2)>
Step (2) is a step of blending one or more raw materials that can be assimilated by yeast. The raw material that can be assimilated by yeast in the step (2) is a raw material other than malt as a nitrogen source and a carbon source, and for example, pea, corn, rice, soybean, yeast extract and the like can be used. It is also possible to use raw materials other than these. In addition, it is preferable to appropriately select these raw materials according to the taste of the drinker.
The components to be blended in the step (2) may be blended with the raw material before fermentation or with the raw material after fermentation. Further, it may be added at one time or may be added in a plurality of times.
Further, other additives may be added at the same time when the steps (1) and (2) are performed.

<Process (3)>
Step (3) is a step of adjusting the content of 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid.
The beer-taste beverage of the present invention is a beverage adjusted so that the content of 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid is within the above range. The content of 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid can also be adjusted by appropriately setting the type and blending amount of raw materials, charging conditions, yeast species, fermentation conditions and the like in steps (1) and (2). Therefore, in step (3), it is preferable to measure the content of 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid to confirm whether it is within the above range. If it is out of the range, it is preferable to adjust by adding 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid or by diluting.

Further, steps other than steps (1) to (3) may be included. For example, the step (4) of adding spirits derived from grains may be further included. The order in which the step (4) is performed is not particularly limited, and for example, the compounding of each component performed in the step (4) may be performed on the raw material before fermentation before the step (1), and the step (1) may be performed. It may be done for the raw material after fermentation afterwards.

2.2 Method for producing a non-fermented beer-taste beverage The method for producing a non-fermented beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention is not particularly limited, but the content of iso-alpha acid, the content of sugar, and 4-methyl-3-. Except for controlling the content of pentenic acid, it is the same as the general method for producing a non-fermented beer-taste beverage. As a specific production method, when producing a non-fermented beer-taste beverage, the content of iso-alpha acid is 0.1% by mass or less and the content of sugar is 2.0 g / g / by a usual method. A method of producing a stock solution of a non-fermented beer-taste beverage of 100 mL or less and adding or diluting 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid so that the content of 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid is 480 μg / 100 mL or less is mentioned. Will be.

As an example of a method for producing a stock solution of a non-fermented beer-taste beverage, first, a predetermined amount of wort, a sweet substance, a flavor, and other ingredients are mixed to prepare a formulation. Next, a predetermined amount of drinking water is added to the formulation to prepare a primary raw material solution. After boiling the primary raw material liquid, alcoholic beverages are added, and carbonated water is added by the carbonation step.
The liquor to be added is not particularly limited, but for example, spirits such as raw material alcohol, shochu, awamori, whiskey, brandy, vodka, rum, tequila, and gin can be used.

If necessary, the precipitate can be separated and removed by filtration, centrifugation or the like at each stage. Further, carbonated water may be added after the raw material liquid is prepared in a concentrated state. By using a normal soft drink manufacturing process, it is possible to easily prepare non-fermented beverages without having a fermentation facility.

It is more desirable to remove the precipitate before the carbonation step or the carbonated water addition step because the causative substances of sediment and unpleasant taste can be removed.

The beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention thus obtained is filled in a predetermined container and distributed as a product on the market.
The method for bottling beer-taste beverages is not particularly limited, and a bottling method well known to those skilled in the art can be used. By the containerging step, the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is filled and sealed in a container. A container of any form and material may be used in the container packing step, and examples of the container include the container described in "1.4 Containerized Beverage".

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples of beer-taste beverages as beer-taste beverages, but the present invention is not limited by these examples.

Sensory evaluation of beer-taste beverages (Examples 1 to 10, Comparative Examples 1 to 4)
After putting the crushed barley malt into a charging tank containing 120 L of warm water, the temperature was gradually raised and maintained, and the malt cake was removed by filtration. Then, the raw material liquid was put into a boiling kettle, a sugar liquid was added so that the malt ratio became the ratio shown in Table 1, and the mixture was adjusted to 100 L with warm water to obtain hot wort. The hot wort was cooled and aerated with oxygen to obtain 60 L of the pre-fermentation liquid before the addition of yeast.

The pre-fermentation liquid thus obtained is boiled and then cooled, and then brewer's yeast (bottom-fermented yeast) is added to the obtained fermentation mash and fermented for about 1 week, and then aged for another 1 week. After a period of time, the yeast was removed by filtration and the extract was adjusted so that the total polyphenol content, sugar content, original extract, and 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid content were as shown in Table 1. Water and 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid were added to prepare a beer-taste beverage.
In the manufacturing processes of Examples 1 to 10 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4, no hops were used as raw materials, these beverages did not contain hop-derived components, and the content of iso-alpha acid was 0 mass ppm. The bitterness value was 1.0 BU or less.

The evaluation of the obtained beer-taste beverages was carried out by six trained panelists who sampled each beverage as follows.

[Taste like beer-taste beverage]
Each panelist tastes a beer-taste beverage cooled to about 4 ° C, and the "taste like a beer-taste beverage" is in the range of 3 (maximum value) to 1 (minimum value) in 0.1 increments according to the following criteria. Evaluated by score. Prior to the evaluation of "taste like beer-taste beverage", samples with scores of "3", "2", and "1" were prepared in advance, and the standards were unified among the panelists.
(Taste like beer-taste beverage)
・ "3": The taste of beer-taste beverage is very good.
・ "2": Good taste like beer-taste beverage.
・ "1": I can't feel the taste of beer-taste beverages.
Then, the calculated average value of the scores of the six panelists was used as the evaluation of "taste like beer-taste beverage" and is shown in Table 1. Beverages with a rating of 2.0 or higher were considered acceptable.

[Presence or absence of acid odor unsuitable for beer-taste beverages]
Each panelist tastes a beer-taste beverage cooled to about 4 ° C, and "presence or absence of an unsuitable acid odor as a beer-taste beverage" is determined in the range of 3 (maximum value) to 1 (minimum value) according to the following criteria. It was evaluated with a score in increments of 0.1. Prior to the evaluation of "presence or absence of unsuitable acid odor as a beer-taste beverage", samples with scores of "3", "2", and "1" were prepared in advance, and the standards were unified among the panelists. I tried.
(Presence or absence of acid odor unsuitable for beer-taste beverages)
-"3": Do not feel an unsuitable acid odor as a beer-taste beverage.
-"2": Almost no acid odor unsuitable for beer-taste beverages is felt.
-"1": Feels an unsuitable acid odor as a beer-taste beverage.
Then, the calculated average value of the scores of the six panelists was used as the evaluation of "presence or absence of acid odor unsuitable as a beer-taste beverage" and is shown in Table 1. The evaluation was 2.0 or higher.

[Comprehensive evaluation of beer-taste beverages]
In addition, the comprehensive evaluation was evaluated on a three-point scale based on the "taste like a beer-taste beverage" and "presence or absence of an unsuitable acid odor as a beer-taste beverage" when each panelist tasted it.
-"○": Both "taste like beer-taste beverage" and "presence or absence of unsuitable acid odor as beer-taste beverage" are 2.5 or higher.
-"△": Not applicable to "○" and "×".
-"X": Evaluation of at least one of "taste like beer-taste beverage" and "presence or absence of acid odor unsuitable for beer-taste beverage" is less than 2.0.

Table 1 shows the evaluation results of each beer-taste beverage. In any of the sensory evaluations in Table 1, no difference in evaluation of 2.0 or more was confirmed among the panelists.

According to the beer-taste beverages of Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 having an iso-alpha acid content of 0% by mass and a sugar content of 2.0 g / 100 mL, 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid was used. The beverage of Comparative Example 1 not containing the beer-taste beverage has a low evaluation of the taste like a beer-taste beverage, and the beverage of Comparative Example 2 containing 500 μg / 100 mL of 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid has a strong acid odor unsuitable as a beer-taste beverage. I have. On the other hand, the beverages of Examples 1 to 5 having a content of 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid of 480 μg / 100 mL or less have a good taste like a beer-taste beverage, and an inappropriate acid odor is suppressed and a flavor is suppressed. It was an excellent beverage.
Further, according to the beer-taste beverages of Examples 6 to 10 having an iso-alpha acid content of 0% by mass and a sugar content of 0.4 g / 100 mL and Comparative Examples 3 and 4, 4-methyl-3-pentene. The beverage of Comparative Example 3 containing no acid has a low evaluation of the taste like a beer-taste beverage, and the beverage of Comparative Example 4 containing 500 μg / 100 mL of 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid has an unsuitable acid odor as a beer-taste beverage. I'm getting stronger. On the other hand, the beverages of Examples 6 to 10 having a content of 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid of 480 μg / 100 mL or less have a good taste like a beer-taste beverage, and an inappropriate acid odor is suppressed and a flavor is suppressed. It was an excellent beverage.

Claims (12)

Beer taste containing iso-alpha acid content of 0.1 mass ppm or less, sugar content of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, and 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid of 480 μg / 100 mL or less. Beverage. The beer-taste beverage according to claim 1, wherein the sugar content is 1.0 g / 100 mL or less. The beer-taste beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sugar content is 0.5 g / 100 mL or less. The beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the bitterness value is 5.0 BU or less. The beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the content of 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid is 0.01 to 480 μg / 100 mL. The beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the original extract is 5.0 to 20.0 (w / w)%. The beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which uses a sugar solution as a raw material. The beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which is a fermented beer-taste beverage. The beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the total amount of polyphenols is 10 to 160 mass ppm. The beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the malt ratio is 15 to 100% by mass. The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 10.
A method for producing a beer-taste beverage, which comprises a step of adding yeast to a raw material containing water and malt to perform alcoholic fermentation. The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to claim 11, which does not include a step of blending hops.