JP7043535B2 - Beer taste beverage - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a beer-taste beverage.

Traditionally, various beer-taste beverages have been studied and provided according to the diversified tastes of consumers in recent years. Among them, from the viewpoint of health, the demand for low-carbohydrate beer-taste beverages is increasing.
For example, Patent Document 1 describes a low-sugar beer in which malt and / or ungerminated wheat is used as a part of a raw material and a peptide concentration having a predetermined molecular weight is prepared for the purpose of providing a beer-taste beverage having an improved flavor. Inventions relating to taste fermented alcoholic beverages are described.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-149975

Under these circumstances, a new high-malt ratio, low-carbohydrate beer-taste beverage (for example, a high-malt ratio, low-carbohydrate beer-taste beverage that is easy to drink and suppresses the astringency of the aftertaste) is required. Has been done.

The present invention provides a beer-taste beverage in which the malt ratio, the sugar concentration, and the content of a specific component are adjusted within a predetermined range.
That is, the present invention includes the following aspects of the invention.
[1] The malt ratio is 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less.
The sugar concentration is 0.5 g / 100 mL or less, and
A beer-taste beverage containing at least one component (X) selected from terpenes, ketones, and thiols.
[2] The beer-taste beverage according to claim 1, which satisfies at least one of the following requirements (I) and (II).
-Requirement (I): Contains at least one component (A) selected from geraniol and citronellol, and the content of the component (A) is 2 mass ppb or more.
-Requirement (II): The total content of the component (X) is 20 mass ppb or more.
[3] The beer-taste beverage according to the above [1] or [2], wherein the beer-taste beverage is beer.
[4] The beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above [1] to [3], wherein the raw wort extract concentration is 6.0% by mass or more.
[5] The beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above [1] to [4], wherein the total polyphenol content is 60% by mass or more based on the total amount of the beer-taste beverage.
[6] The beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above [1] to [5], which has an alcohol content of 3.0 (v / v)% or more.
[7] The terpenes include pinene, myrcene, limonene, β-caryophyllene, α-caryophyllene (α-caryophyllene), farnesen, selinene, linalol, geraniol, citronellol, terpineol, humrenol, humroll, eudesmol, casinol, humlen. At least one selected from epoxide and caryophyllene epoxide,
The ketones are at least one selected from nonanone, decanone, undecanone, hexenal, trans-4,5-epoxy- (E) -2-decenal, and (Z) -1,5-octadien-3-one. can be,
The thiols are at least one selected from 3-mercapto-4-methylpentane-1-ol, 3-mercapto-4-methylpentane acetate, and 4-mercapto-4-methylpentane-2-one.
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above [1] to [6].
[8] The component (X) is α-pinene, β-pinene, myrcene, β-limonene, β-cariophyllene, α-humulene, β-farnesene, geraniol, citronellol, 2-nonanonone, 2-decanone, and 2-. The beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above [1] to [7], which is at least one ingredient (X1) selected from undecanone.
[9] The beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above [2] to [8], which satisfies the requirement (I).
[10] The beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above [2] to [9], which satisfies the requirement (II).
[11] The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above [1] to [10], which comprises the following steps (1) and (2).
-Step (1): A step of preparing a fermentation raw material liquid by saccharifying a mixture containing water and malt.
-Step (2): A step of adding yeast to the fermentation raw material solution 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 adding spirits derived from grains.

The beer-taste beverage of one preferred embodiment of the present invention can be a beverage having a high malt ratio and a low sugar content, which is easy to drink and has a suppressed aftertaste.

1. 1. Beer-taste beverage The beer-taste beverage of the present invention is a beverage having a high malt ratio and a low sugar content, having a malt ratio of 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less and a sugar concentration of 0.5 g / 100 mL or less. It contains at least one component (X) selected from terpenes, ketones, and thiols.

As used herein, the term "beer-taste beverage" refers to an alcohol-containing or non-alcoholic carbonated beverage having a beer-like flavor. Therefore, "beer-taste beer" includes not only beer, which is a fermented malt beverage obtained by fermenting malt, hops, and water as raw materials with yeast, but also beer containing esters, higher alcohols, and the like. It also includes carbonated beverages to which fragrances are added and have a beer flavor.
Further, the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may be a fermented beer-taste beverage that has undergone a fermentation step using yeast, or may be a non-fermented beer-taste beverage that has not undergone a fermentation step.
Further, the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may be an alcohol-containing beer-taste beverage having an alcohol content of 1 (v / v)% or more, and is a non-alcoholic beverage having an alcohol content of less than 1 (v / v)%. It may be a beer-taste beverage.
The above-mentioned non-alcoholic beer-taste beer may be a non-alcoholic fermented beer-taste beverage produced by removing the alcohol generated in the fermentation step after the fermentation step, and beer without going through the fermentation step. It may be a non-alcoholic non-fermented beer-taste beverage prepared to have a similar flavor.

Among these, the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention is preferably a fermented beer-taste beverage, more preferably an alcohol-containing fermented beer-taste beverage, and even more preferably beer.

As described above, the malt ratio of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, but 55% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 65% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more. It may be 95% by mass or less, 90% by mass or less, 80% by mass or less, or less than 70% by mass.
That is, the malt ratio of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is, for example, 55% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, 60% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, 65% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or more and 100% by mass. It may be 50% by mass or more and 95% by mass or less, 50% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less, 50% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less, and 50% by mass or more and less than 70% by mass.
In the present specification, the "malt ratio" means a value calculated on April 1, 2018 in accordance with the Liquor Tax Law on the construction date and the notification of interpretation of liquor administration-related laws and regulations.

The sugar concentration of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is 0.5 g / 100 mL or less, but less than 0.5 g / 100 mL, 0.4 g / 100 mL or less, 0.3 g / 100 mL or less, or 0.2 g / 100 mL or less. May be.

In addition, in this specification, "carbohydrate" is based on the nutrition labeling standard for foods (Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare Notification No. 176, 2003, Partially Revised September 27, 2013, Consumer Agency Notification No. 8). Carbohydrate, specifically, means food obtained by removing proteins, lipids, dietary fiber, ash, alcohol and water from the target food. Therefore, the amount of sugar in a food can be calculated by subtracting the amount of protein, lipid, dietary fiber, ash and water from the weight of the food.
Here, the amounts of protein, lipid, dietary fiber, ash and water can be measured by the methods listed in the nutrition labeling standards. Specifically, the amount of protein is measured by the nitrogen quantitative conversion method, the amount of lipid is measured by the ether extraction method, the amount of dietary fiber is measured by the Proski method, and the amount of ash is measured by the direct ashing method. However, the amount of water can be measured by the vacuum heating and drying method.

Beer-taste beverages with a high malt ratio and high sugar content are beverages that have a strong malt-derived taste and are beer-like, but on the other hand, many consumers find it difficult to drink. In recent years, from the viewpoint of health, the demand for low-carbohydrate beer-taste beverages has been increasing.
In response to such demand, beverages with low sugar content by lowering the malt ratio and reducing the amount of sugar derived from malt are generally widely distributed. However, this low-malt and low-sugar beer-taste beverage tends to be difficult to drink as a result of the fact that the malt-derived taste is hard to feel because the malt ratio is lowered and the beer-likeness is impaired. On the other hand, in low-carbohydrate beer-taste beverages, increasing the malt ratio can improve the malt-derived taste and make the beverage easier to drink, but it feels like tightening the mouth when the beverage is contained in the mouth. It becomes a beverage with a strong astringent taste.

Therefore, there is a demand for a beer-taste beverage having a high malt ratio and a low sugar content, which is easy to drink and has a suppressed aftertaste. In response to this problem, in the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, the malt ratio is 50% or more and 100% by mass or less, and the sugar concentration is 0.5 g / 100 mL or less, and the beer taste has a high malt ratio and a low sugar content. The beverage was prepared so as to contain at least one component (X) selected from terpenes, ketones, and thiols. As a result, the beer-taste beverage prepared in this way can be a beer-taste beverage having a high malt ratio and low sugar content, which is easy to drink and has suppressed aftertaste, and the above problem is solved. I found out. That is, it is considered that the component (X) has an effect of suppressing the astringent taste of the aftertaste.

Here, the terpenes that can constitute the component (X) include pinene (α-pinene, β-pinene, etc.), milsen, limonene (β-limonene, etc.), β-caryophyllene, α-caryophyllene (α-caryophyllene, etc.). ), Farnesen (β-farnesen, etc.), Serinen (α-Selinen, β-Selinen, etc.), Limonene, Geraniol, Citronellol, Terpineol (α-Terpineol, etc.), Humlenol, Humlol, Eudesmol, Casinol, Humlene Epoxide (Hum) It is preferably at least one selected from lene epoxide I, limonene epoxide II, limonene epoxide III, etc.), and caryophyllene epoxide.

The ketones that can constitute component (X) include nonanone (2-nonanone, etc.), decanone (2-decanone, etc.), undecanone (2-undecanone, etc.), hexenal (Z-3-hexenal, etc.), and trans-. It is preferably at least one selected from 4,5-epoxy- (E) -2-decenal and (Z) -1,5-octadien-3-one.

The thiols that may constitute component (X) are 3-mercapto-4-methylpentane-1-ol, 3-mercapto-4-methylpentane acetate, and 4-mercapto-4-methylpentane-2-one. It is preferable that it is at least one selected from.

In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the component (X) is α-pinene, β-pinene, myrcene, β-limonene, β-cariophyllene, α-humulene, β-farnesene, geraniol, citronellol, 2-nonanone. , 2-Decanone, and 2-Undecanone, preferably at least one component (X1).

In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the content of each component constituting the component (X) is independently, preferably 0.01 to 150 mass ppb, more preferably 0.05 to 100 mass. It is ppb, more preferably 0.1 to 80 mass ppb.

Further, the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention is preferably a beverage that satisfies at least one of the following requirements (I) and (II).
-Requirement (I): Contains at least one component (A) selected from geraniol and citronellol, and the content of the component (A) is 2 mass ppb or more.
-Requirement (II): The total content of the component (X) is 20 mass ppb or more.
Adjusting the content of component (A), which is a specific component of component (X), as in requirement (I), and adjusting the content of component (X), as in requirement (II). This makes it possible to obtain a beer-taste beverage having a high malt ratio and a low sugar content, which is easier to drink and has a more suppressed aftertaste.

Requirement (I) stipulates that at least one component (A) selected from geraniol and citronellol is contained, and the content of the component (A) is 2 mass ppb or more. The above-mentioned problem of strong aftertaste is a low-carbohydrate beer-taste beverage having a high malt ratio of 50% by mass or more and a sugar concentration of 0.5 g / 100 mL or less as in the present invention. On the other hand, it tends to be a particularly conspicuous problem.
In response to this problem of strong aftertaste, in one aspect of the present invention, a beer-taste beverage having a malt ratio of 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less and a sugar concentration of 0.5 g / 100 mL or less. In the above requirement (I), by adjusting the content of at least one component (A) selected from geraniol and citronellol, the beverage can be made easier to drink and the astringency of the aftertaste is further suppressed. It is adjusted to.

From the above viewpoint, in the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the content of the component (A) specified in the requirement (I) is 2% by mass or more based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage. However, it is preferably 4 mass ppb or more, more preferably 8 mass ppb or more, further preferably 12 mass ppb or more, still more preferably 16 mass ppb or more, and particularly preferably 20 mass ppb or more.
Further, from the viewpoint of making the beverage easier to drink, the content of the component (A) specified in the requirement (I) is preferably 500% by mass or less, more preferably 500% by mass, based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage. Is 400 mass ppb or less, more preferably 300 mass ppb or less, still more preferably 200 mass ppb or less, still more preferably 100 mass ppb or less, and particularly preferably 70 mass ppb or less.
That is, the content of the component (A) specified in the requirement (I) is preferably 2 to 500 mass ppb, more preferably 4 to 400 mass ppb, based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage. It is preferably 8 to 300 mass ppb, more preferably 12 to 200 mass ppb, even more preferably 16 to 100 mass ppb, and particularly preferably 20 to 70 mass ppb.

In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, as the component (A), only one of geraniol or citronellol may be contained, or both geraniol and citronellol may be contained together. In any case, as specified in the requirement (I), the content of the component (A) may be 2 mass ppb or more, and may be within the above-mentioned suitable range.

When the component (A) contains only one of geraniol or citronellol, the content of the component (A) which is geraniol or citronellol is a viewpoint of making a beer-taste beverage in which the astringency of the aftertaste is further suppressed. Therefore, based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage, in addition to the above-mentioned preferable range, preferably 22% by mass or more, more preferably 24% by mass or more, still more preferably 30% by mass or more, still more preferable. Is 35 mass ppb or more, particularly preferably 40 mass ppb or more.

When the component (A) contains both geraniol and citronellol, the content of the component (A) is the beer taste from the viewpoint of making a beer-taste beverage in which the astringent taste of the aftertaste is further suppressed. Based on the total amount of beer (100% by mass), in addition to the above-mentioned preferable range, it is preferably 22% by mass or more, more preferably 24% by mass or more.
Further, when the component (A) contains both geraniol and citronellol, the content ratio of geraniol and citronellol [geraniol / citronellol] is obtained from the viewpoint of making a beer-taste beverage in which the astringency of the aftertaste is further suppressed. ] Is a mass ratio, preferably 1/99 to 99/1, more preferably 10/90 to 90/10, more preferably 20/80 to 85/15, still more preferably 30/70 to 80/20, It is even more preferably 40/60 to 75/25, and particularly preferably 51/49 to 70/30.

Requirement (II) stipulates that the total content of component (X) is 20 mass ppb or more.
Even if the requirement (I) is not met, that is, if the content of the component (A) is less than 2 mass ppb, the component (X) containing geraniol and citronellol, as specified in the above requirement (II). ) Is 20% by mass or more, it is easier to drink, the astringency of the aftertaste is further suppressed, and a beer-taste beverage having a high malt ratio and a low sugar content can be obtained.

From the viewpoint of making a beer-taste beverage having a high malt ratio and a low sugar content, which is easier to drink and has a more suppressed aftertaste, the beer-taste beverage according to the above requirement (I) and It is preferable that the beer-taste beverage satisfies both (II).

Further, in the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the component (X) defined in the above requirement (II) is α-pinene, β-pinene, myrcene, β-limonene, β-cariophyllene, α-humulene, and the like. It is preferably at least one component (X1) selected from β-farnesene, geraniol, citronellol, 2-nonanone, 2-decanone, and 2-undecanone.
That is, when the component (X) defined in the above requirement (II) is the above-mentioned component (X1), the above requirement (II) can be paraphrased as the following requirement (II-a).
-Requirements (II-a): α-pinene, β-pinene, myrcene, β-limonene, β-cariophyllene, α-humulene, β-farnesene, geraniol, citronellol, 2-nonanonone, 2-decanone, and 2-undecanone. It contains at least one component (X1) selected from the above, and the total content of the component (X1) is 20 mass ppb or more.
The beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention preferably satisfies the above requirement (II-a).
The component (X1) specified in the requirement (II-a) is a further limitation of the component (X) specified in the requirement (II). Therefore, it can be said that the beverage satisfying the requirement (II-a) is inevitably a beverage satisfying the requirement (II).

From the viewpoint of making a beer-taste beverage with a high malt ratio and low sugar content, which is easier to drink and suppresses the astringency of the aftertaste, a beverage satisfying the above requirement (II-a) is further required (II-). Α-Pinene, β-Pinene, myrcene, β-limonene, β-cariophyllene, α-humulene, β-farnesen, geraniol, citronellol, 2-nonanone, 2-decanone, and It is preferable to contain 2 or more kinds selected from 2-Undecanone, more preferably 3 or more of these, further preferably 4 or more of these, further preferably 5 or more of these, and these. It is particularly preferable to include all of them.

From the above viewpoint, in the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the content of the component (X) specified in the requirement (II) and the content of the component (X1) specified in the requirement (II-a) are determined. Based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage, it is 20 mass ppb or more, preferably 30 mass ppb or more, more preferably 35 mass ppb or more, still more preferably 40 mass ppb or more, still more preferably 45. The mass is ppb or more, particularly preferably 50 mass ppb or more, and usually 1000 mass ppb or less, but may be 800 mass ppb or less, 600 mass ppb or less, 400 mass ppb or less, or 300 mass ppb or less.

In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the content of α-pinene is preferably 0.01 to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 0.05 based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage. It is 7.0 mass ppb, more preferably 0.1 to 5.0 mass ppb, even more preferably 0.3 to 3.0 mass ppb, and particularly preferably 0.5 to 2.0 mass ppb.

In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the content of β-pinene is preferably 0.01 to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.05 to, based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage. It is 7.0 mass ppb, more preferably 0.07 to 5.0 mass ppb, still more preferably 0.1 to 2.5 mass ppb, and particularly preferably 0.2 to 1.5 mass ppb.

In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the content of Milsen is preferably 0.1 to 20% by mass, more preferably 0.5 to 15% by mass, based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage. It is ppb, more preferably 1.0 to 10 mass ppb, even more preferably 1.5 to 8.0 mass ppb, and particularly preferably 2.0 to 6.0 mass ppb.

In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the content of β-limonen is preferably 0.01 to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.05 to, based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage. It is 7.0 mass ppb, more preferably 0.1 to 5.0 mass ppb, even more preferably 0.3 to 3.0 mass ppb, and particularly preferably 0.5 to 2.0 mass ppb.

In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the content of β-cariophyllene is preferably 0.01 to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 0.05 based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage. It is 7.0 mass ppb, more preferably 0.1 to 5.0 mass ppb, even more preferably 0.2 to 3.0 mass ppb, and particularly preferably 0.3 to 2.0 mass ppb.

In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the content of α-humulene is preferably 0.01 to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.05 to, based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage. It is 7.0 mass ppb, more preferably 0.1 to 5.0 mass ppb, even more preferably 0.3 to 4.0 mass ppb, and particularly preferably 0.5 to 2.5 mass ppb.

In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the content of β-farnesene is preferably 0.1 to 50% by mass, more preferably 0.5 to 0.5, based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage. It is 40 mass ppb, more preferably 1.0 to 30 mass ppb, even more preferably 2.0 to 25 mass ppb, and particularly preferably 3.5 to 20 mass ppb.

In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the content of 2-nonanone is preferably 0.01 to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.05 to, based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage. It is 7.0 mass ppb, more preferably 0.07 to 5.0 mass ppb, still more preferably 0.1 to 2.5 mass ppb, and particularly preferably 0.2 to 1.5 mass ppb.

In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the content of 2-decanone is preferably 0.01 to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.05 to, based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage. It is 7.0 mass ppb, more preferably 0.07 to 5.0 mass ppb, still more preferably 0.1 to 2.5 mass ppb, and particularly preferably 0.2 to 1.5 mass ppb.

In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the content of 2-undecanone is preferably 1 to 100% by mass ppb, more preferably 3 to 70% by mass, based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage. It is more preferably 5 to 50 mass ppb, still more preferably 7 to 40 mass ppb, and particularly preferably 10 to 30 mass ppb.

The content of the component (A) specified in the requirement (I), the content of the component (X) specified in the requirement (II), and the content of the component (X1) specified in the requirement (II-a) are For example, not only adjusting the addition amount of each component, but also varieties of raw materials (for example, hops, etc.) having a high content of each component constituting the component (A), the component (X) and the component (X1) and their use. It can be controlled by adjusting the amount, the timing of addition of the raw material, and the like.

In addition, the content of each of the terpenes, ketones, and thiols constituting the component (X) including the component (A) contained in the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is J. Agric. Food Chem., 2013. , 61 (47), pp 11303-1131 (characterization of the Key Aroma Compounds in Two Bavarian Wheat Beers by Means of the Sensomics Approach). ..

In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the concentration of the raw wort extract (O-Ex) is preferably 6.0 to that from the viewpoint of imparting a light taste to the beverage and making it easier to drink. 20.0% by mass, more preferably 7.0 to 18.0% by mass, still more preferably 8.0 to 16.0% by mass, still more preferably 8.2 to 15.0% by mass, and particularly preferably 8. It is 5.5 to 13.5% by mass.
The "raw wort extract concentration" in the present specification refers to the extract content under the Japanese Liquor Tax Law, that is, when the temperature is 15 ° C., in the case of alcohol-containing beverages having an alcohol content of 1 (v / v)% or more. The number of grams of non-volatile components contained in 100 cm ³ of the original volume. For non-alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content of less than 1 (v / v)%, the degassed sample is analyzed by the International Technical Committee of the Brewing Society of Japan (BCOJ) (BOCJ Beer Analysis Method (brewing society of Japan fermentation, It refers to the extract value (mass%) measured according to the Brewing Society of Japan (edited by the Brewing Society of Japan, 2013 Augmented and Revised Edition)).

In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the total polyphenol content is based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage, and has a high-quality taste, from the viewpoint of making the beer-taste beverage more like beer. It is preferably 60% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more, further preferably 80% by mass or more, still more preferably 90% by mass or more, and it has good turbidity stability of the beverage and has a light drinking mouth. From the viewpoint of making a drink easy to drink, it is preferably 200% by mass or less, more preferably 170% by mass or less, still more preferably 150% by mass or less, still more preferably 130% by mass or less.

As used herein, the "content of total polyphenols" means the total amount of polyphenols contained in the total amount (100% by mass) of beer-taste beverages.
The polyphenol means a compound in which two or more hydrogens of an aromatic hydrocarbon are substituted with a hydroxyl group, and specific examples thereof include flavonols, isoflavones, tannins, catechins, quercetin, and anthocyanins.

In this specification, the total polyphenol content 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 methods used.

The total polyphenol content can be controlled by adjusting the amount of raw materials having a high polyphenol content, such as barley malt and malt husk (grain bark).
Generally, malt with husk (grain bark) has a high content of polyphenols, and soybean, yeast extract, wheat, wheat malt and the like have a low content of polyphenols. By appropriately selecting such raw materials and adjusting the amount used, it is possible to adjust the content of polyphenols to a desired range.

As described above, the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may be an alcohol-containing beer-taste beverage or a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage.
In the case of an alcohol-containing beer-taste beverage, the alcohol content of the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention is preferably 3.0 (v / v)% from the viewpoint of making a beverage that can feel a refreshing stimulus. As described above, more preferably 4.0 (v / v)% or more, more preferably 4.6 (v / v)% or more, still more preferably 5.1 (v / v)% or more, still more preferably 5. It is 4 (v / v)% or more, particularly preferably 5.7 (v / v)% or more.
Further, from the viewpoint of making a beer-taste beverage that is easy to drink, the alcohol content is preferably 20.0 (v / v)% or less, more preferably 15.0 (v / v)% or less, still more preferably 10.0 ( It is v / v)% or less.
In this specification, the alcohol content is expressed as a volume / volume-based percentage ((v / v)%). Further, the alcohol content of the beverage can be measured by any known method, and can be measured by, for example, a vibration type densitometer.

In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, in order to adjust the alcohol content, it is conceivable to further contain and adjust the spirits derived from grains as the alcohol component.
Here, spirits are alcoholic beverages 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.
However, the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention preferably has a high-quality taste and does not contain spirits from the viewpoint of making a beer-like beer-taste beverage.

Further, from the same viewpoint as above, the beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention is preferably beer.
In the present specification, "beer" refers to a beverage obtained by fermenting malt, hops, and water as raw materials with yeast, specifically, April 1, 2018. It means what is defined in the liquor tax law on the construction date and the notification of interpretation of liquor administration related laws and regulations.
That is, when the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention is beer, the alcohol content described above is adjusted by a fermentation step using yeast.

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 4.5, more preferably 2.5 to 4.2, and even more preferably 3.0 to 4.0. be. When the pH of the beer-taste beverage is 4.5 or less, the generation of microorganisms can be suppressed, and when the pH is 2.0 or more, the flavor of the beverage is likely to be improved.

The beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention may be a beverage packed in a container, and examples of the container include, for example, bottles, PET bottles, cans, or barrels, but it is particularly easy to carry. From the viewpoint of the above, cans, bottles and PET bottles are preferable.

2.1 Raw materials The main raw materials for the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention are water and malt, but it is preferable to use hops, and in addition, sweeteners, water-soluble dietary fibers, bitterness agents or bitterness-imparting agents. , Antioxidants, fragrances, 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 one aspect of the invention, it is preferable to use barley malt. Barley malt is one of the most commonly used malts as a raw material for Japanese 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.

Moreover, you may use a grain other than malt together with malt.
Such grains include, for example, wheat that does not correspond to malt (barley, wheat, rye, crow wheat, oat, pigeon wheat, 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 hop form used in one aspect of the present invention include pellet hops, powdered hops, hop extracts and the like. Further, as the hop to be used, a processed hop product such as an isodized hop or a reduced hop may be used.
The amount of hops added is appropriately adjusted, but is preferably 0.0001 to 1% by mass with respect to the total amount of the beverage.
Further, a beer-taste beverage using hops as a raw material is a beverage containing iso-alpha acid, which is a component derived from hops. The content of iso-alpha acid in the beer-taste beverage using hops may be more than 0.1% by mass, or more than 1.0% by mass, based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage. There may be.
In this specification, the content of iso-alpha acid is described in 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 means a value measured by a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis method.

Examples of sweeteners include commercially available saccharified liquids obtained by decomposing grain-derived starch 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, fructose, glucose, maltose, trehalose, maltotriose, and solutions thereof (sugar solution) can also be used.
Examples of the artificial sweetener include aspartame, acesulfame potassium (acesulfame K), sucralose 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, etc. from the viewpoint of versatility such as stability and safety. , Indigestible dextrin or polydextrose is preferred.

In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the bitterness is preferably imparted by hops or the like, but a bitterness agent or a bitterness-imparting agent may be further used.
The bitterness agent or bitterness-imparting agent is not particularly limited, and those used as a bitterness-imparting agent in ordinary beer and sparkling liquor can be used. , Mannentake, Laurel, Quassin, Citrus extract, Caraway extract, Coffee extract, Tea extract, Bitter gourd extract, Hass germ extract, Kidachi aloe extract, Mannen wax extract, Reishi extract, Laurel extract, Sage extract Things, caraway extracts, etc. may be mentioned.

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 beer fragrance can be used. The beer flavor is used for beer-like flavoring, and contains brewing components and the like generated by fermentation.
The beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention contains ethyl acetate produced by alcoholic fermentation in the fermentation step, and the ethyl acetate has a function as a flavor. Therefore, since the beer-taste beverage undergoes a fermentation step, it is not particularly necessary to add the beer flavor separately, but the beer flavor may be added if desired.
Examples of beer flavors other than ethyl acetate include esters, higher alcohols and the like, and specific examples thereof include isoamyl acetate, n-propanol, isobutanol, acetaldehyde and the like.

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

2.2 Carbon dioxide gas The carbon dioxide gas contained in the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention may be carbon dioxide gas contained in the raw material, or may be dissolved by mixing with carbonated water or adding carbon dioxide gas. May be.
The carbon dioxide gas generated in the fermentation step of the beer-taste beverage can be used as it is, but the amount of carbon dioxide gas may be adjusted by appropriately adding carbonated water.

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 either the upper limit or the lower limit of these may be combined. For example, the carbon dioxide 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, for example, after fixing a sample at 20 ° C to a gas internal pressure gauge, the stopcock of the gas internal pressure gauge is opened once to release the gas, the stopper is closed again, and the gas internal pressure gauge is measured. 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.

2.3 Other Additives In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, various additives may be added as needed, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired.
Examples of such additives include colorants, foam-forming agents, fermentation accelerators, yeast extracts, protein-based substances such as peptide-containing substances, and seasonings such as amino acids.
The colorant is used to give a beer-like color to a beverage, and a caramel color or the like can be used. Foam-forming agents are used to form beer-like foam in beverages or to retain foam in beverages, and are plant-extracted saponin-based substances such as soybean saponin and kiraya saponin, and plants such as corn and soybean. Proteins, peptide-containing substances, protein-based substances such as bovine serum albumin, yeast extract and the like can be appropriately used.
The fermentation accelerator is used to promote fermentation by yeast, and for example, yeast extract, bran components such as rice and wheat, vitamins, mineral agents and the like can be used alone or in combination.

2.4 Method for producing beer-taste beverage The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may be any method as long as it has a step of adding yeast to a raw material containing water and malt and performing alcoholic fermentation. Specifically, a method having the following steps (1) and (2) can be mentioned.
-Step (1): A step of preparing a fermentation raw material liquid by saccharifying a mixture containing water and malt.
-Step (2): A step of adding yeast to the fermentation raw material solution to perform alcoholic fermentation.

In one aspect of the present invention, it is preferable not to have a step of adding spirits derived from grains from the viewpoint of producing a beer-like beverage having a good taste.

Further, in the production method of one aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to include an operation of adjusting the beverage to be a beverage containing the component (X), and further, to satisfy at least one of the above requirements (I) and (II). It is more preferable to include an operation for adjusting to. The timing of performing these operations may be performed together with the step (1) or the step (2), may be performed between the steps (1) and the step (2), or may be performed after the step (2). good. Alternatively, these timings may be divided into two or more times.

Specific methods for performing these operations include, for example, a beverage containing the component (X), and further, the content of the components (A) and (X) is within a desired range. A method of adding and adjusting each component constituting the component (X) including the component (A) may be used. Further, the variety and amount of the raw material (for example, hops, etc.) containing a large amount of each component constituting the component (X) including the component (A), the timing of addition of the raw material, and the like are appropriately set, and the component (X) is set. ) May be contained in the beverage, and the contents of the components (A) and (X) may be adjusted to be in a desired range. In this case, it is preferable to perform the process together with the step (1).
Further, the contents of the components (A) and (X) may be adjusted by performing filtration, filtering, or the like during the production of the beer-taste beverage.

<Process (1)>
Step (1) is a step of preparing a fermentation raw material liquid by saccharifying a mixture containing water and malt.
The mixture is adjusted so that the malt ratio is 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less.
As a method for preparing the fermentation raw material liquid, a method is obtained in which raw materials such as water and malt are put into a charging kettle or a charging tank, and if necessary, an enzyme such as amylase is added to prepare a mixture, and then saccharification treatment is performed. Can be mentioned. After that, it is preferable that the obtained fermentation raw material liquid is filtered and boiled to remove solids such as coagulated protein in a clarification tank.

In addition to water and malt, hops, dietary fiber, sweeteners, antioxidants, bitterness-imparting agents, flavors, acidulants, pigments and the like may be added to the mixture to be saccharified.
These may be added before the saccharification treatment, may be added during the saccharification treatment, or may be added after the completion of the saccharification treatment. In addition, these may be added after the alcoholic fermentation of the next step.

In this step, the mixture to which the raw material is added is heated to saccharify the starch of the raw material.
The temperature and time of the saccharification treatment are appropriately adjusted depending on the type of malt used, the malt ratio, raw materials other than water and malt, the type and amount of enzyme used, and the like. For example, in one aspect of the present invention, from the viewpoint of adjusting the sugar concentration and alcohol content of the beer-taste beverage to the above ranges, the saccharification treatment temperature is 55 to 75 ° C., and the saccharification treatment time is 30 to 240 minutes. Is preferable.

Further, in this step, even if the contents of the components (A) and (X) are adjusted by using a raw material containing a large amount of each component constituting the component (X) including the component (A) such as hops. good. Hops are preferred as such raw materials.
Then, by appropriately setting the variety and amount of the raw material containing a large amount of each component including the component (A), the timing of addition of the raw material, and the like, the components (A) and (X) are set. ) Can be adjusted to a desired range. As a specific method, for example, if the timing of adding the raw material containing a large amount of each component (X) including the component (A) is early, these aromas extracted from the raw material in the process of preparing the wort. The components tend to transpire and the content of the components (A) and (X) in the resulting beverage tends to decrease. Therefore, the content of the components (A) and (X) in the beverage can be adjusted to be large by setting the timing of adding the raw material as later as possible.

<Process (2)>
The step (2) is a step of adding yeast to the fermentation raw material liquid obtained by the saccharification treatment in the step (1) to perform alcoholic fermentation.
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 may be top-fermented yeast or bottom-fermented yeast. good.

Yeast may be added to the raw material solution as it is in a yeast suspension, or a slurry in which yeast is concentrated by centrifugation or sedimentation may be added to the undiluted solution. Further, after centrifugation, the supernatant may be completely removed before addition. The amount of yeast added to the stock solution can be appropriately set, and is, for example, about 5 × 10 ⁶ cells / ml to 1 × 10 ⁸ cells / ml.

Fermentation conditions for alcoholic fermentation can be set as appropriate, but the fermentation temperature is preferably 5 to 25 ° C. from the viewpoint of adjusting the sugar concentration and alcohol content of the beer-taste beverage within the above ranges. .. In addition, the sugar concentration and alcohol content of beer-taste beverages can be adjusted by appropriately setting the type, amount and timing of addition of polysaccharide-degrading enzymes such as transglucosidase, and if necessary, the fermentation step. The temperature (increasing or decreasing temperature) or pressure of the fermented liquid may be changed in the middle of the process.

After alcoholic fermentation, yeast may be removed with a filter or the like, and additives such as water, fragrances, acidulants, and pigments may be added as needed.

The beer-taste beverage 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 process, the beer-taste beverage is filled and sealed in the container. A container of any form and material may be used in the container packing step, and examples of the container are as described above.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Examples, but the present invention is not limited to these Examples.

Examples 1 to 6, Comparative Examples 1 to 3
<Beverage preparation>
After putting the crushed barley malt and the polysaccharide-degrading enzyme into a charging tank containing 40 L of warm water held at 40 to 55 ° C, a low temperature region of 40 to 55 ° C, a medium temperature region of 55 to 70 ° C, and 70 to 85 A saccharified solution was prepared by raising the temperature stepwise while maintaining the temperature in each temperature range of the high temperature range of ° C. for a predetermined time (range of 1 minute to 60 minutes). For example, in Example 1, warm water kept at 52 ° C. was used, and the temperature was kept at 52 ° C. for 30 minutes, followed by a stepwise temperature increase of 65 ° C. for 40 minutes and then 76 ° C. for 5 minutes. Then, the malt meal was removed by filtration to obtain wort. Sucrose was added to the obtained wort so as to have the malt ratio shown in Table 1, and hops were further added and boiled. The boiled wort is solid-liquid separated, the obtained clear wort is cooled, and yeast is added to determine the fermentation temperature and fermentation time, the amount and timing of addition of polysaccharide-degrading enzymes such as transglucosidase. The fermented broth was prepared by adjustment, and the fermented broth was filtered to prepare test beverages, which are beers, so that the contents of geraniol and citronellol were the values shown in Table 1.
In each Example and Comparative Example, the type of enzyme, the amount and timing of addition, the set temperature and holding time of each temperature range when preparing the saccharified solution, etc. were appropriately set, and the sugars shown in Table 1 were set. The concentration, total polyphenol content and alcohol content were adjusted respectively. Further, geraniol and / or citronellol were appropriately added to adjust the contents so as to have the contents of geraniol and citronellol shown in Table 1, respectively.

<Sensory evaluation>
Five panelists who were trained on a daily basis for the obtained beverages gave 5 (maximum value) for the "ease of drinking" and "inhibitory of aftertaste astringency" of each beverage based on the following score criteria. In the range of ~ 1 (minimum value), evaluation was performed with scores in increments of 0.1, and the average value of the scores of the five panelists was calculated. The results are shown in Table 1.
At the time of evaluation, samples conforming to the following criteria "5", "4", "3", "2" and "1" were prepared in advance, and the criteria were unified among the panelists. In addition, in any of the sensory evaluations in Table 1, no difference in score values of 2.0 or more was confirmed among the panelists for the same beverage.
[Easy to drink]
-"5": It has very excellent ease of drinking.
-"4": Has excellent ease of drinking.
-"3": Has sufficient ease of drinking.
・ "2": It feels a little difficult to drink.
・ "1": It is quite difficult to drink.
[Inhibitory of aftertaste convergence]
-"5": The astringent taste of the aftertaste is not felt at all, and the astringent taste is considerably suppressed.
-"4": The astringent taste of the aftertaste is hardly felt, and the astringent taste is sufficiently suppressed.
-"3": It can be seen that the astringent taste is suppressed, although the astringent taste of the aftertaste is slightly felt.
-"2": The astringent taste of the aftertaste is felt to some extent, and the astringent taste is not suppressed so much.
-"1": The aftertaste has a strong astringent taste, and the astringent taste is hardly suppressed.

From Table 1, the beers prepared in Examples 1 to 11 were drinks having a high malt ratio and a low sugar content, but were easy to drink and had a suppressed aftertaste.
On the other hand, the beers prepared in Comparative Examples 1 and 3 had a high malt ratio and a high sugar content, so that the beer was difficult to drink. Further, the beer prepared in Comparative Example 2 was a beverage having a high malt ratio and a low sugar content, but the astringent taste of the aftertaste was felt, and the result was that the suppression of the astringent taste was insufficient.

Examples 12 to 13
<Beverage preparation>
The crushed barley malt and polysaccharide-degrading enzyme are placed in a charging tank containing 40 L of warm water held at 52 ° C, then held at 52 ° C for 30 minutes, then at 65 ° C for 40 minutes, and further at 76 ° C for 5 minutes. The temperature was gradually increased and maintained to prepare a saccharified solution. Then, the malt meal was removed by filtration to obtain wort. To the obtained wort, sucrose was added so as to have the malt ratio shown in Table 2, and hops were further added and boiled. The boiled wort is solid-liquid separated, the obtained clear wort is cooled, and yeast is added to determine the fermentation temperature and fermentation time, the amount and timing of addition of polysaccharide-degrading enzymes such as transglucosidase. A test wort is prepared by adjusting and preparing a fermented liquid, and the fermented liquid is filtered so that the content of each component constituting the component (X1) shown in Table 2 becomes the value shown in Table 2. Each beverage was prepared.
The type of enzyme, the amount and timing of addition, the reaction conditions such as temperature and time were appropriately set, and the sugar concentration and alcohol content shown in Table 2 were adjusted respectively. Further, hop addition conditions such as hop type and addition amount are appropriately set, and further, if necessary, each component constituting the component (X1) is appropriately added to form the component (X1) shown in Table 2. The content of each component was adjusted to be the value shown in Table 2.

<Sensory evaluation>
Based on the above-mentioned sensory evaluation similar to Example 1 and the like, the obtained beverages were evaluated for "presence or absence of taste difference", "freshness after drinking" and "comprehensive evaluation". Table 2 The result is shown in.

From Table 2, the beers prepared in Examples 12 to 13 were drinks having a high malt ratio and a low sugar content, but were easy to drink and had a suppressed aftertaste.

Claims (8)

The malt ratio is 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less.
The sugar concentration is 0.5 g / 100 mL or less, and
Contains at least one component (X) selected from terpenes, ketones, and thiols.
A beer-taste beverage that meets the following requirement (I) .
-Requirement (I): Contains at least one component (A) selected from geraniol and citronellol, and the content of the component (A) is 2 mass ppb or more and 100 mass ppb or less . The beer-taste beverage according to claim 1, wherein the beer-taste beverage is beer. The beer-taste beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the raw wort extract concentration is 6.0% by mass or more. The beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the total polyphenol content is 60% by mass or more based on the total amount of the beer-taste beverage. The beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the alcohol content is 3.0 (v / v)% or more. The terpenes include pinene, myrcene, limonene, β-caryophyllene, α-humulene (α-caryophyllene), farnesen, selinene, linalol, geraniol, citronellol, terpineol, humrenol, humroll, eudesmol, casinol, humlen epoxide, and At least one selected from caryophyllene epoxides,
The ketone is at least one selected from nonanone, decanone, undecanone, hexenal, trans-4,5-epoxy- (E) -2-decenal, and (Z) -1,5-octadien-3-one. can be,
The thiols are at least one selected from 3-mercapto-4-methylpentane-1-ol, 3-mercapto-4-methylpentane acetate, and 4-mercapto-4-methylpentane-2-one.
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 6 .
A method for producing a beer-taste beverage, which comprises the following steps (1) and (2).
-Step (1): A step of preparing a fermentation raw material liquid by saccharifying a mixture containing water and malt.
-Step (2): A step of adding yeast to the fermentation raw material solution to perform alcoholic fermentation. The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to claim 7 , which does not include a step of adding spirits derived from grains.