JP7312674B2 - NON-SWEET BEVERAGE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING NON-SWEET BEVERAGE - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to non-sweetened beverages and methods of making non-sweetened beverages.

Under the circumstances where health consciousness is increasing, non-sweetened beverages tend to be preferred as beverages for meals.

For example, beer-taste beverages including alcoholic beer-taste beverages and non-alcoholic beer-taste beverages, which are one type of non-sweetened beverages, generally use grains such as malt and hops as main raw materials. By using hops as a raw material, it is possible to produce a beer-taste beverage imparted with the bitterness and aroma peculiar to hops.
However, the bitterness derived from hops is said to be one of the reasons why young people do not drink beer, and there is a demand for beer-taste beverages that limit the amount of hops used. 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 is eliminated, and the flavor is not sharp, resulting in a rich flavored beverage (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2017-6077 (Patent Document 1)).

JP 2017-6077 A

Therefore, there is a demand for a non-sweetened beverage having a bitterness value of a certain value or less and having an excellent flavor.

The present invention provides a non-sweetened beverage having a bitterness value of 5 BU or less, a true extract value of 7% or less, and containing nonanal.

The present invention includes inventions of the following aspects.
[1]
A non-sweetened beverage having a bitterness value of 5 BU or less, a true extract value of 7% or less, and containing nonanal in an amount of 120 mass ppb or less.
[2]
The non-sweetened beverage according to [1], which contains a wheat-derived component.
[3]
The non-sweetened beverage according to [1] or [2], which is substantially free of hop-derived components.
[4]
The non-sweetened beverage according to any one of [1] to [3], which is a fermented beverage.
[5]
The non-sweetened beverage according to any one of [1] to [4], containing distilled liquor.
[6]
The non-sweetening beverage according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the non-sweetening beverage is a beer-taste beverage.
[7]
A method for producing a non-sweetened beverage according to any one of [1] to [6],
A method for producing a non-sweetened beverage, comprising a step of adding yeast to raw materials containing water and malt and carrying out alcoholic fermentation.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, there is provided a non-sweetened beverage having a bitterness value of a certain value or less and having an excellent flavor.

1. Non-Sweet Beverage The non-sweetened beverage of the present invention is a non-sweetened beverage having a bitterness value of 5 BU or less, a true extract value of 7% or less, and containing Nonanal in an amount of 120 mass ppb or less.

In the present specification, the “non-sweetening beverage” is not particularly limited as long as it is a beverage that does not exhibit sweetness, but specific examples include alcoholic beer-taste beverages such as beer, low-malt beer, new genre, distilled liquor, shochu highball, alcoholic beverages such as highballs and gin and tonics, non-alcoholic beverages such as non-alcoholic beer-taste beverages such as non-alcoholic beer, tea beverages such as green tea, sugar-free black tea, low-sugar black tea, sugar-free coffee, coffee drinks such as low-sugar coffee. Among these beverages, the non-sweetened beverage of the present invention is preferably a beer-taste beverage such as an alcoholic beer-taste beverage or a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage.
In addition, when the non-sweetening beverage of one aspect of the present invention is a beer-taste beverage, the types of the beer-taste beverage include, for example, alcohol-containing beer-taste beverages and beer-taste beverages with an alcohol content of less than 1 (v/v)%. That is, the beer-taste beverages herein include any carbonated beverages having a beer flavor, unless otherwise specified. Therefore, it is not limited to beverages produced by adding yeast to wort and fermenting it, and includes esters, higher alcohols (e.g., isoamyl acetate, ethyl acetate, n-propanol, isobutanol, acetaldehyde, ethyl caproate), 4-vinylguaiacol, carbonated beverages to which beer flavors such as linalool have been added.
The beer-taste beverage, which is a non-sweetened beverage according to one aspect of the present invention, is preferably a fermented beer-taste beverage obtained through a fermentation process, preferably a fermented malt beer-taste beverage, a fermented barley malt beer-taste beverage, a beer-taste beverage using malt, and a beer-taste beverage using malt barley. In addition, the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is preferably a distilled liquor-containing beer-taste beverage containing spirits, whiskey, distilled liquor such as shochu, and more preferably a spirits-containing beer-taste beverage.

The unsweetened beverages of the present invention have a bitterness value of 5 BU or less. The beverage of the present invention may have a bitterness value of 0 BU. By setting the bitterness value to 5 BU or less, it is possible to provide beverages that are preferred by consumers who do not like bitterness.
Here, the “bitterness value” is an indicator of the bitterness given by the hop-derived component containing isohumulone as the main component. The bitterness value can be measured by the measurement method described in "8.15 Bitterness Value" of "Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method 1998 Revision (Edited by Beer Brewers Association International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee), Publisher: Brewing Association of Japan)".

The bitterness value of the beverage can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of hops or hop-derived components such as hop extract. The non-sweetened beverage of the present invention may contain hop-derived components as long as the bitterness value is 5 BU or less, and may be substantially free of hop-derived components. The bitterness value of the non-sweetened beverage of the present invention is preferably 3 BU or less, more preferably 2 BU or less, and particularly preferably 1 BU or less.
As used herein, “substantially free of hop-derived components” means that neither hops nor hop-derived components are actively added as raw materials when producing a non-sweetened beverage, and includes aspects in which hop-derived components are inevitably mixed during the production of a non-sweetened beverage.

In addition, whether or not hops and hop-derived components are actively added as raw materials for non-sweetened beverages can be confirmed from the labeling of raw materials stipulated by the Liquor Tax Law, the Food Labeling Law, the Food Sanitation Law, the JAS Law, the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations, the Health Promotion Law, regulations established by industry groups, voluntary standards, etc. For example, when a beer-taste beverage contains hops and components derived from hops, the name of the ingredient in the ingredients label is written as "hops." On the other hand, for beer-taste beverages that "substantially contain no components derived from hops", "hop" is not indicated as the ingredient name on the ingredient label.

The unsweetened beverages of the present invention have a true extract value of 7% or less. If the true extract value exceeds 7%, the person who drinks it becomes sensitive to sweetness, which may adversely affect appetite when taken with food during meals. The true extract value of the beverage of the present invention is preferably 0.1-6.7%, more preferably 0.5-6%, even more preferably 1-5.5%, particularly preferably 1.5-5.0%, more preferably 2.0-4.5%.

The true extract is dissolved particularly in fermented beverages, and when the beverage is gently heated (after filtering out any insoluble matter such as yeast or protein coagulate) to evaporate all the moisture, alcohol, carbon dioxide, and other volatile components, the solid matter itself (soluble evaporation residue) or its content (% by weight) that remains after drying without evaporation.

If the alcohol content of the unsweetened beverage is 0.5% by volume or more and 10.0% by volume or less, and the intrinsic extract value is 10.0 g/100 mL or less, the intrinsic extract value of the non-sweetened beverage is "8.4.3 Al Collizer method".

In addition, when the alcohol content of the non-sweetening beverage is 0.005% by volume or more and less than 0.5% by volume, the intrinsic extract value (w / v%) of the non-sweetening beverage is the extract content specified by the Japanese Liquor Tax Law, that is, measured as the number of grams of non-volatile components contained in the original volume of 100 cm ³ at a temperature of 15 ° C.

In addition, when the alcohol content of the non-sweetening beverage is less than 0.005% by volume, the intrinsic extract value (w / v%) of the non-sweetening beverage is measured according to the method described in "7.2 Extract" of the document "Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method 2013 Supplementary Revision (Edit: Beer Brewers Association International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee), Publisher: Brewing Association of Japan)".

In the case of a fermented beverage, the true extract value of the non-sweetened beverage of the present invention can be adjusted by changing the composition of raw materials, preparation conditions, yeast species, fermentation conditions, and the like. In addition, the true extract value of non-sweetened beverages, which are non-fermented beverages, can be adjusted by changing the composition of raw materials.

The non-sweetened beverage of the present invention has a bitterness value of 5 BU or less, which means that the bitterness is suppressed. In general, beverages with reduced bitterness tend to lack sharp flavor and have a rich flavor.
In contrast, the non-sweetened beverage of the present invention contains nonanal in a predetermined amount to improve the flavor of the beverage with reduced bitterness.
Nonanal is a chain organic compound represented by _the chemical formula _C9H18O . Nonanal is contained in essential oils of many plants and fruits, and is generally known as an aromatic component contained in these essential oils. Nonanal can enhance the refreshing aftertaste of non-sweetened beverages, but when it is contained excessively, the flower-like floral aroma unsuitable for non-sweetened beverages is emphasized.

The non-sweetened beverage of the present invention contains nonanal, and the content of nonanal is 120 mass ppb or less, preferably 100 mass ppb or less, more preferably 90 mass ppb or less, particularly preferably 80 mass ppb or less, further preferably 70 mass ppb or less, further preferably 60 mass ppb or less, further preferably 55 mass ppb or less, further preferably 45 mass ppb or less, further preferably 40 mass ppb or less. More preferred.
Since the non-sweetened beverage of the present invention only needs to contain nonanal, the lower limit of the content of nonanal is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.001 mass ppb or more, more preferably 0.01 mass ppb or more, further preferably 0.1 mass ppb or more, particularly preferably 0.2 mass ppb or more, and further preferably 0.3 mass ppb or more.
By making a beverage containing a certain amount of nonanal in this way, the non-sweetened beverage of the present invention can realize a flavor with a refreshing aftertaste without feeling heavy even though the bitterness value is 5 BU or less.

Nonanal can be measured by gas chromatography. Specifically, the beverage to be measured is diluted 5-fold with water, the headspace components are collected from the resulting diluted solution with SPME Arrow fiber (Carbon WR/PDMS), and the diluted solution is analyzed by gas chromatography using GC Orbitrap and DB-WaxUI columns.

The content of nonanal in the non-sweetened beverage according to one aspect of the present invention can be adjusted by adding nonanal to a desired amount. In addition, it can also be adjusted according to the type and blending amount of raw materials and preparation conditions, and when the non-sweetened beverage is a fermented beverage, it can also be adjusted by appropriately setting the yeast species, fermentation conditions, and the like.

The non-sweetened beverages of the present invention include non-alcoholic non-sweetened beverages. The alcohol content of the non-sweetened beverage of the present invention is not limited, preferably 0 to 20 (v/v)%, more preferably 1 to 15 (v/v)%, still more preferably 2 to 12 (v/v)%, more preferably 3 to 10 (v/v)%, particularly preferably 4 to 9 (v/v)%.
In addition, in this specification, alcohol content shall be shown by the percentage (v/v%) of a volume/volume basis. Also, the alcohol content of the beverage can be measured by any known method, and for example, it can be measured by a vibrating density meter.

In addition, the non-sweetened beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may contain distilled liquor, for example, grain-derived spirits, as the alcohol component.
As used herein, spirits are alcoholic beverages obtained by saccharifying grains such as wheat, rice, buckwheat, and corn using malt or, if necessary, using an enzyme agent, fermenting with yeast, and then further distilling. Wheat is preferred as a grain that is a raw material for spirits.

The color of the non-sweetened beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is not particularly limited, but it may be amber or golden like regular beer, black like dark beer, or colorless and transparent, or a desired color may be given by adding a coloring agent or the like. The color of the non-sweetened beverage can be determined with the naked eye, but may be defined by total light transmittance, chromaticity, or the like.

The pH of the non-sweetened beverage of 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, even more preferably 3.0 to 4.2, and particularly preferably 3.2 to 4.0. Since the non-sweetened beverage of the present invention has a bitterness value of 5 BU or less, the content of iso-α acids having a bacteriostatic effect tends to be extremely low, and there is a risk of the generation and proliferation of microorganisms. Therefore, in order to suppress the generation and growth of microorganisms, the pH of the non-sweetened beverage is preferably 4.5 or less, more preferably 4.0 or less. Moreover, if the pH of the non-sweetened beverage of the present invention is 2.0 or higher, the flavor of the beverage is likely to be improved.
The pH of the alcohol-containing non-sweetened beverage is preferably 3.0 to 4.5, more preferably 3.0 to 4.0, and particularly preferably 3.2 to 3.8. Also, the pH of the non-alcoholic non-sweetened beverage is preferably less than 4.0, more preferably 3.8 or less.

The non-sweetened beverage of one aspect of the present invention is suitable for container packaging. Examples of the container include bottles, PET bottles, cans, and barrels, and cans, bottles, and PET bottles are preferable from the viewpoint of being particularly easy to carry.
When using colorless and transparent bottles or PET bottles, they are exposed to the light of sunlight or fluorescent lamps, unlike the case of ordinary cans or colored bottles. However, since the non-sweetened beverage of one embodiment of the present invention does not substantially contain components derived from hops, generation of sunlight odor due to exposure to sunlight is suppressed. Therefore, the non-sweetened beverage of one embodiment of the present invention can be filled in such colorless and transparent bottles and PET bottles.

Optional additive ingredients such as grains, sweeteners, etc. that can be used in the production of the non-sweetened beverages of the present invention are detailed in "1.1 Ingredients."

1.1 Raw Materials The raw materials of the non-sweetened beverage of one embodiment of the present invention are not particularly limited, but the main raw materials of the beer-taste beverage of the preferred embodiment are wheat-derived ingredients such as malt containing nitrogen, polyphenols, etc. and water. In order to achieve a bitterness value of 5 BU or less, it is preferred that substantially no hops are used. In addition, sweeteners, water-soluble dietary fibers, bittering agents or bitterness-imparting agents, antioxidants, flavoring agents, acidulants, and the like may also be used.

Malt refers to germinated seeds of barley, wheat, rye, oats, oats, pigeons, oats, and the like, which are dried and root removed. In the present invention, barley malt is preferably used. Malted barley is one of the most commonly used malts as a raw material for beer-taste beverages. There are two kinds of barley, such as two-rowed barley and six-rowed barley, and any of them may be used. In addition to normal malt, colored malt can also be used. When using colored malt, different types of colored malt may be appropriately combined and used, or one type of colored malt may be used.

In addition to malt, grains other than malt, protein, yeast extract, sugar solution, and the like may also be used. Examples of such grains include barley (barley, wheat, rye, oats, oats, pigeons, oats, etc.) that do not fall under malt, rice (polished rice, brown rice, etc.), corn, korian, potato, beans (soybeans, peas, etc.), buckwheat, sorghum, millet, barley, and starches obtained therefrom, extracts thereof, and the like. Examples of proteins include soybean protein, pea protein, yeast extract, decomposition products thereof, and the like.

Sweeteners can be used as long as they do not correct the sweetness. Examples of sweeteners include commercially available saccharified solutions obtained by decomposing grain-derived starch with acids or enzymes, commercially available sugars such as starch syrup, sugars of trisaccharides or higher, sugar alcohols, natural sweeteners such as stevia, and artificial sweeteners.
The form of these saccharides may be liquid such as solution, or solid such as powder.
In addition, there are no particular restrictions on the type of starch raw material grains, the method of purifying starch, and the treatment conditions such as hydrolysis with enzymes or acids. For example, sugars with a higher proportion of maltose may be used by appropriately setting conditions for hydrolysis with an enzyme or acid. In addition, sucrose, fructose, glucose, maltose, trehalose, maltotriose, solutions of these (sugar solutions), and the like can also be used.
Examples of artificial sweeteners include aspartame, acesulfame potassium (acesulfame K), sucralose, and neotame.

Examples of water-soluble dietary fiber include indigestible dextrin, polydextrose, guar gum hydrolyzate, pectin, glucomannan, alginic acid, laminarin, fucoidin, carrageenan, etc. From the viewpoint of versatility such as stability and safety, indigestible dextrin or polydextrose are preferred.

The bittering agent or bittering agent used is not particularly limited as long as the bitterness value is 5 BU or less. , laurel extract, sage extract, caraway extract, naringin, wormwood and wormwood extract, and the like.

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

The perfume is not particularly limited, and general perfumes can be used. Flavors are used for flavoring, and include brewing components generated by fermentation. Specific examples of flavorings suitable for non-sweetened beverages include esters and higher alcohols (e.g., isoamyl acetate, ethyl acetate, n-propanol, isobutanol, acetaldehyde, ethyl caproate), 4-vinylguaiacol, isoamyl propionate, linalool and the like.

The acidulant is not particularly limited as long as it has a sour taste, and examples thereof include tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, phytic acid, acetic acid, succinic acid, gluconodeltalactone, and salts thereof. Among these acidulants, phosphoric acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, phytic acid, acetic acid, succinic acid or salts thereof are preferred, and phosphoric acid, citric acid, lactic acid, acetic acid or salts thereof are more preferred.
These acidulants may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

1.2 Carbonated Beverage The unsweetened beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may be a carbonated beverage. The carbon dioxide contained in the non-sweetened carbonated beverage may be carbon dioxide contained in the raw material, or may be dissolved by mixing with carbonated water or adding carbon dioxide.
Since the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention undergoes alcoholic fermentation, the carbon dioxide gas produced in this fermentation process can be used as is, but the amount of carbon dioxide gas may be adjusted by adding carbonated water as appropriate.

The amount of carbon dioxide gas contained in the non-sweetened beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is represented by the carbon dioxide pressure of the beverage, but this is not particularly limited as long as it does not interfere with the effects of the present invention. Typically, the upper 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/cm ² or 1.0 kg/cm ² , any combination of these upper and lower limits. For example, the carbon dioxide pressure of the beverage may be 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 and 4.0 kg/cm ^{2 or} less.
In this specification, the gas pressure refers to the gas pressure within the container, except in special cases.
The pressure can be measured by a method well known to those skilled in the art, for example, after fixing a sample heated to 20° C. to a gas pressure gauge, once opening the stopcock of the gas pressure gauge to release the gas, closing the stopcock again, shaking the gas pressure gauge and reading the value when the pointer reaches a certain position, or using a commercially available gas pressure measuring device.

1.3 Other Additives Various additives may be added to the non-sweetened beverage of one embodiment of the present invention, as necessary, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired.
Examples of such additives include coloring agents, foaming agents, fermentation accelerators, yeast extracts, protein substances such as peptide-containing substances, and seasonings such as amino acids.

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

2. Method for producing non-sweetened beverage
2.1 Method for producing a non-sweetened fermented beverage The method for producing a non-sweetened fermented beverage according to one aspect of the present invention is not particularly limited, but when producing a fermented beer-taste beverage, it is preferable to include the step (1) of adding yeast to raw materials containing water and malt and performing alcoholic fermentation, and may further include the step (2) of blending one or more raw materials that can be assimilated by yeast, the step (3) of adding grain-derived spirits, and the step (4) of adjusting the content of nonanal.
- Process (1): The process of adding yeast to the raw material containing water and malt, and performing alcoholic fermentation.
- Step (2): A step of blending one or more raw materials that can be assimilated by yeast.
- Process (3): The process of adding the spirits derived from a grain.
- Process (4): The process of adjusting content of nonanal.

The order of the above steps (1) to (4) is not particularly limited, but in step (2), raw materials that can be assimilated by yeast are mixed with water and malt to prepare raw materials before fermentation, and then in step (1), it is preferable to perform alcoholic fermentation on the raw materials containing raw materials that can be assimilated by yeast. This makes it possible to suppress the generation of a large amount of foam during alcoholic fermentation.
Similarly, in step (3), the order in which the respective steps are performed is not particularly limited. For example, the blending of each component performed in step (3) may be performed on the raw material before fermentation before step (1), or may be performed on the raw material after fermentation after step (1).
Similarly, in step (4), the order in which each step is performed is not particularly limited. For example, the adjustment of the nonanal content in step (4) may be performed on the fermented raw material after step (1), but step (4) is preferably performed last. Specifically, it is preferable to produce a non-sweet base beverage based on steps (for example, steps (1) to (3)) other than step (4), and adjust the content of nonanal in the base beverage based on step (4).
Since the non-sweetened beverage of the present invention has a bitterness value of 5 BU or less, the presence of a certain amount or more of yeast tends to adversely affect the flavor. Therefore, in the production method of the present invention, the yeast is preferably removed by a filtration step. Although the order of the filtration steps is not particularly limited, it is preferably performed between steps (2) and (3).
In addition, the production method of the present invention preferably does not include a step of adding hops, but a beverage obtained without using hops that have a bacteriostatic effect has the risk of generating and multiplying microorganisms. Therefore, the production method of the present invention preferably has a sterilization step in order to suppress the generation and growth of microorganisms. Although the order of the sterilization step is not particularly limited, it is preferably performed after step (4). The sterilization step is preferably performed by heating.

The method for producing a non-sweetened beverage according to one aspect of the present invention preferably does not include the step of blending hops. Even if the production method of the present invention does not have a step of blending hops, it does not mean that hops are inevitably mixed. In addition, the malt ratio in the production method of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 2 to 60% by mass or less, particularly preferably 5 to 55% by mass, more preferably 10 to 50% by mass, more preferably 15 to 49.5% by mass, more preferably 20 to 49.2% by mass, further preferably 30 to 49.0% by mass.
In the present specification, the malt ratio means a value calculated in accordance with the Liquor Tax Act and liquor administration-related laws and regulations, which are enforced on April 1, 2018.

<Step (1)>
Step (1) is a step of adding yeast to raw materials containing water and malt and performing alcoholic fermentation.
As a method of preparing the raw materials, the raw materials are put into a brewing pot or a brewing tank, an enzyme such as amylase is added as necessary, gelatinized and saccharified, filtered and boiled, and solids such as coagulated proteins are removed in a clarification tank. After that, yeast is further added and fermented, the yeast is removed with a filter or the like, and additives such as water, flavor, acidulant, and pigment are added as necessary to prepare raw materials.
In addition, antioxidants, bitterness-imparting agents, flavors, acidulants, pigments, etc. may be added in predetermined amounts after the fermentation process, but may be added at any timing during the manufacturing process including the gelatinization / saccharification process, and 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 and fermentation conditions, etc. For the production of the beverage of the present invention, both top-fermenting yeast and bottom-fermenting yeast can be used, and commercially available yeast such as Weihenstephan-34 strain (bottom-fermenting yeast) can be used.
The yeast may be added to the raw material as a yeast suspension, or may be added to the raw material as a slurry in which the yeast is concentrated by centrifugation or sedimentation. Alternatively, after centrifugation, the supernatant may be completely removed and added. The amount of yeast to be added to the stock solution can be set as appropriate, and is, for example, about 5×10 ⁶ cells/mL to 1×10 ⁸ cells/mL.

Various conditions such as fermentation temperature and fermentation period when alcohol fermentation is performed can be set as appropriate. For example, fermentation may be performed under the conditions of 8 to 25° C. and 5 to 10 days, which are fermentation conditions for the production of ordinary beer and low-malt beer. The temperature (increase or decrease) or pressure of the fermented liquid may be changed during the fermentation process.

The fermentation step may be followed by steps known to those skilled in the art in the manufacture of non-sweetened beverages, such as storage and filtration.

<Steps (2), (3)>
Step (2) is a step of blending one or more raw materials that can be assimilated by yeast. Raw materials that can be assimilated by yeast in step (2) are raw materials other than malt that serve as nitrogen sources and carbon sources. For example, peas, corn, rice, soybeans, yeast extract, etc. can be used. Since these raw materials also affect the taste and aroma of the non-sweetened beverage, it is preferable to select them appropriately according to the taste of the drinker.
Step (3) is a step of adding grain-derived spirits.

<Step (4)>
Step (4) is a step of adjusting the content of nonanal.
The non-sweetened beverage of the present invention is preferably adjusted so that the content of nonanal is within the range described above, and such a beverage can be produced by carrying out the steps including step (4). Here, when the content of nonanal derived from the raw materials is suitable, it is not necessary to add nonanal further. On the other hand, in step (4), an additive containing nonanal may be added to adjust the content of nonanal in the non-sweetened beverage.

In steps (2) to (4), the ingredients to be blended in each step may be blended into the raw material before fermentation or may be blended into the raw material after fermentation. Moreover, it may be added at once, or may be added in multiple portions.
Also, the raw materials and spirits that can be assimilated by yeast may be blended at the same time, and steps (2) to (4) may be carried out at the same time.
Furthermore, other additives may be blended at the same time when performing steps (2) to (4).

2.2 Method for producing non-sweetened non-fermented beverage The method for producing the non-sweetened non-fermented beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is the same as a general method for producing non-sweetened non-fermented beverage except for controlling the bitterness value, the true extract value, and the content of nonanal. As a specific production method, when producing a non-fermented beer-taste beverage, a conventional method is used to produce a stock solution of a non-fermented beer-taste beverage having a bitterness value of 5 BU or less and an intrinsic extract value of 7% or less, and nonanal is added so that the nonanal content is within the range of 120 mass ppb or less.

As an example of a method for producing a stock solution of a non-fermented beer-taste beverage, first, predetermined amounts of wort, sweeteners, flavors, 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 liquid. After boiling the primary raw material liquid, alcoholic beverages are added, and carbonated water is added by a carbonation process.
Alcoholic beverages to be added are not particularly limited, but raw material alcohol, shochu, awamori, whiskey, brandy, vodka, rum, tequila, spirits such as gin, and the like can be used, for example.

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

It is more preferable to remove the sediment before the carbonation step or the step of adding carbonated water, because the causative substances of sediments and off-taste can be removed.

The non-sweetened beverage of one aspect of the present invention obtained in this manner is filled in a predetermined container and marketed as a product.
The method for packaging the non-sweetened beverage is not particularly limited, and a packaging method well known to those skilled in the art can be used. The unsweetened beverage of the present invention is filled and sealed in a container by the container filling step. A container of any shape and material may be used in the container-packing step, and examples of the container include the container described in "1.4 Container-packed Beverage".

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples of beer-taste beverages as non-sweetened beverages, but the present invention is not limited by these examples.
The bitterness value and true extract value of the beverages of Examples, etc., were measured based on the method described in the revised BCOJ beer analysis method, as described above.
Moreover, the content of nonanal in Examples etc. was analyzed by preparing a 5-fold diluted solution as described above and using gas chromatography. Specifically, using the standard addition method, one dilution was measured three times (n=3), and the standard addition sample was measured twice (n=2). A calibration curve was obtained using two standard addition amounts that were approximately 1.5 to 2 times the sample content or more. The repeatability (RSD, CV) was good at 0.4-9.3%. Also, the linearity of the calibration curve was good at 0.99621 to 0.99999.

Sensory evaluation of beer-taste beverages (Examples 1-9, Comparative Examples 1-3)
After the pulverized barley malt was put into a preparation tank containing 120 L of warm water, the temperature was raised stepwise and held, and the malt cake was removed by filtration. After that, the raw material liquid was put into a boiling kettle, sugar liquid was added so that the malt ratio was 55% by mass, and the liquid 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 pre-fermentation liquid before addition of yeast.

After the pre-fermentation liquid thus obtained was boiled and then cooled, beer yeast (bottom-fermenting yeast) was added to the obtained fermented moromi and fermented for about 1 week. After about 1 week of maturation period, the yeast was removed by filtration, and extract-adjusted water and nonanal were added so that the true extract value and the concentration of nonanal were as shown in Table 1 to prepare a beer-taste beverage. The beverage thus obtained was heat sterilized after being packed in a container.
Tables 1 to 3 show the bitterness value, the true extract value and the concentration of nonanal in the beer-taste beverages obtained. In addition, all beverages had a pH of less than 4.0.
In the production processes of Examples 1 to 9 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3, no hops were used as raw materials, and these beverages did not contain hop-derived components.

The obtained beer-taste beverages were evaluated by the same 6 panelists who tasted each beverage as follows.

[Refreshing aftertaste typical of beer-taste beverages]
The beer-taste beverages cooled to about 4° C. were tasted by each panelist, and the "refreshing aftertaste of beer-taste beverages" was evaluated on a scale of 3 according to the following criteria. Prior to the evaluation of "refreshing aftertaste like a beer-taste beverage", samples with each evaluation of "2" were prepared in advance to unify the criteria among the panelists.
(Evaluation of refreshing aftertaste typical of beer-taste beverages)
・“3”: Very good.
・"2": Good.
・“1”: Bad.
And based on the average value of six panelists, it evaluated by the following references|standards, and 2.0 or more was set as the pass.

[Flower-like floral scent unsuitable for beer-taste beverages]
The beer-taste beverages cooled to about 4° C. were tasted by each panelist, and "flower-like floral aroma unsuitable for beer-taste beverages" was evaluated in three grades according to the following criteria. Prior to the evaluation of "flower-like floral aroma unsuitable for beer-taste beverages", samples with each evaluation of "2" were prepared in advance to unify the criteria among panelists.
(Evaluation of flower-like floral aroma unsuitable for beer-taste beverages)
・"3": Not felt.
・"2": Almost no feeling.
・"1": Feel.
And based on the average value of six panelists, it evaluated by the following references|standards, and 2.0 or more was set as the pass.

[Comprehensive evaluation of beer-taste beverages]
In addition, when each panelist tasted the beverages, a comprehensive evaluation was made in three stages according to the following criteria based on "refreshing aftertaste like a beer-taste beverage" and "flower-like floral scent unsuitable for a beer-taste beverage".
- "O": Both evaluations of "clear aftertaste like beer-taste beverage" and "flower-like floral fragrance unsuitable for beer-taste beverage" are 2.5 or more.
・“△”: Not applicable to “○” and “×”.
- "X": Either one of the evaluations of "refreshing aftertaste like a beer-taste beverage" and "flower-like floral fragrance unsuitable for a beer-taste beverage" is less than 2.

Tables 1 to 3 show the evaluation results of each beer-taste beverage. In addition, in any of the sensory evaluations in Tables 1 to 3, no differences in the evaluation of two or more grades among the panelists were observed.

The beer-taste beverages of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Example 1 all have a bitterness value of 1 BU and an intrinsic extract value of 6.55% (Table 1). When these beer-taste beverages were compared, the beverages with a nonanal content of 1.0, 20.0, 100.0, and 200.0 mass ppb had a refreshing aftertaste typical of beer-taste beverages and a floral floral aroma unsuitable for beer-taste beverages, both exceeding a certain level of evaluation. In particular, the beverage of Example 2 with a nonanal content of 20.0 mass ppb had an excellent flavor as a beer-taste beverage.
The beer-taste beverages of Examples 4 to 6 and Comparative Example 2 all have a bitterness value of 1 BU and an intrinsic extract value of 3.22% (Table 2). When these beer-taste beverages were compared, the beverages with a nonanal content of 1.0, 20.0, 100.0, and 200.0 mass ppb had a refreshing aftertaste typical of beer-taste beverages and a floral floral aroma unsuitable for beer-taste beverages, both exceeding a certain level of evaluation.
The beer-taste beverages of Examples 7 to 9 and Comparative Example 3 all have a bitterness value of 1 BU and an intrinsic extract value of 1.38% (Table 2). When these beer-taste beverages were compared, the beverages with a nonanal content of 1.0, 20.0, 100.0, and 200.0 mass ppb had a refreshing aftertaste typical of beer-taste beverages and a floral floral aroma unsuitable for beer-taste beverages, both exceeding a certain level of evaluation. In particular, the beverage of Example 8 with a nonanal content of 1.0 mass ppb was excellent in flavor as a beer-taste beverage.

Claims (6)

A beer-taste beverage having a bitterness value of 5 BU or less, a true extract value of 7% or less, and containing nonanal in an amount of 0.3 mass ppb or more and 120 mass ppb or less. The beer-taste beverage according to claim 1, comprising a wheat-derived component. The beer-taste beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which is substantially free of hop-derived components. The beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is a fermented beverage. The beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which contains distilled liquor. A method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
A method for producing a beer-taste beverage, comprising a step of adding yeast to raw materials containing water and malt and performing alcoholic fermentation.