RU2778852C1 - Low-alcohol beer with a reduced wort aftertaste - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: beer.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to brewery. Described is beer with an ethanol content of 0 to 1.0% vol., containing 0.001 to 1,000 mcg/l of ethyl-2-methylpentanoate (EMP). Also described is a method for producing such beer and an application of EMP for disguising the wort aftertaste and/or imparting a refreshing flavour.

EFFECT: production of beer with a weak wort aftertaste and a refreshing flavour.

15 cl, 1 dwg, 2 tbl, 3 ex

Description

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY TO WHICH THE INVENTION RELATES

The present invention relates to an ester, in particular with suitable wort taste-masking properties, which has been found to have an important effect on the taste of beer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Beer is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages worldwide. It is prepared by fermenting a sugar-containing water matrix derived from grains using yeast, which converts the sugars into ethanol ("alcohol"). The beer production process is well known. Beer is usually made from cereals such as barley, although other types of cereals such as wheat or sorghum can also be used. Beer is usually produced through a process that includes the following main steps: mashing a mixture of grain and water to produce wort; separation of mash into wort and spent grain; boiling the wort to obtain boiled wort; fermenting the boiled wort using live yeast (such as Saccharomyces pastorianus or Saccharomyces cerevisiae ) to produce a fermented wort; subjecting the fermented wort to one or more additional process steps (eg, maturation and filtration) to produce beer; and packaging beer in a sealed container, such as a bottle, can, or keg.

In a typical beer production process from barley malt, the barley is malted, which means it is germinated and then dried ("roasted") to produce malt. This process is important for the formation of flavoring and coloring substances, as well as the formation of enzymes that are important for the further development of flavor and starch degradation. The malt is then ground and suspended in water ("mashing"). The wort is heated to facilitate starch degradation. Subsequent filtration results in a wort, which is a more or less clarified aqueous solution of fermentable sugars, which also contains various flavors and aromas and many other substances. The wort contains both desirable and undesirable flavors and aromas. Excessive "wort" off-flavors resulting from the presence of excess aldehydes are generally considered undesirable.

The wort is boiled to sterilize it, precipitate proteins and concentrate it. Hops are optionally added to add bitterness and flavor. This mixture after removing the sediment is subjected to fermentation. Fermentation results in the conversion of fermentable sugars to ethanol and carbon dioxide, and also leads to the formation of various new aromatics, among which are esters. At the same time, beer fermentation removes most of the aldehydes, thereby preventing wort off-flavours in the resulting beer. After fermentation, the beer may be filtered and/or aged to improve appearance and taste.

The health concerns and increased awareness of road safety associated with the alcohol content of beer have increased interest in beer having a low or even no alcohol content. Currently, there are two main methods for making beer having a low or even no alcohol content: the dealcoholization of regular (alcohol-containing) beer and the preparation of beer in a way that limits the formation of alcohol through adapted fermentation ("limited alcoholic fermentation").

Beer dealcoholization is carried out on normally brewed beer and is designed to remove ethanol but as little as possible of other aromatic components. Dealcoholization can be achieved, for example, by distillation, reverse osmosis or dialysis of regular beer. However, the difficulty lies in preventing the loss of flavor during beer dealcoholization. Therefore, the disadvantage of dealcoholized beer is the unexpressed flavor, which can be corrected by the addition of flavoring (taste and odor) substances to obtain an acceptable beer. However, because flavor is complex with a wide variety of substances that are collectively responsible for imparting flavor, dealcoholized and subsequently flavored beer is generally considered to be less palatable than regular beer.

Low alcohol or non-alcoholic beer can also be made by limited alcoholic fermentation. Limited alcoholic fermentation is a process in which the wort is fermented under conditions where there is little or no ethanol production (or at least when the full fermentation process results in little or no pure alcohol production).

One of the important methods is cold contact fermentation. When the wort is fermented at a low temperature, the yeast produces little to no alcohol, although it does produce some flavor components such as esters, even though the amount of each ester may differ from the amount produced in normal fermentation. Therefore, flavor adjustments by adding flavors and aromas are also typically required for limited fermentation beers. Such beer is generally considered to be less palatable than regular beer.

Thus, existing low alcohol or non-alcoholic beer usually suffers from a lack of drinkability. Most people are satiated with flavor after only one or two glasses, which is in contrast to regular alcoholic beers. Saturation of taste and consequent lack of drinkability is usually caused by a very rich aroma, due to overly intense must flavor due to a high concentration of aldehydes and too much sweetness. The present invention relates to a beer that overcomes these disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention discloses a beer having an ethanol content of 0-1.0 vol.%, containing at least 0.001 μg/l of ethyl-2-methylpentanoate (EMP). EMF has been found to have an important effect on the flavor of beer. EMF effectively masks the off-flavors of the wort and thereby suppresses the off-flavors of the wort. This is important in particular for low alcohol or non-alcoholic beers, since such beers usually suffer from wort off-flavors due to the increased presence of aldehydes compared to normally brewed beers. In addition, beer is generally considered less strong and more refreshing. For this reason, real beer is considered to be more drinkable than commercially available non-alcoholic beer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In FIG. 1 presents the results of the assessment of flavoring properties by the tasting commission.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In this context, beer is to be understood in a broad sense, that is, beer can refer to any type of beer, including, but not limited to, ale, porter, stout, lager, and side beer. The beer is preferably a malt-based beer, i.e. a beer obtained from the fermentation of a wort made from (among other things) malt. Preferably, the beer is a pale beer, which is beer fermented at 7-15°C using bottom-fermenting yeast and subsequently lagered at low temperature. Lager beers include, for example, pilsner. Most preferably, the beer described herein is a pilsner. Pilsner is a light lager beer. The aim of the invention is to provide a non-alcoholic or low alcohol beer that has the taste and drinkability of conventional beer.

In the present text, "non-alcoholic or low alcohol beer" means beer having an ethanol content of 1.0 vol% ("ABV") or less, preferably 0.5 vol% or less, more preferably 0.2 vol% or less. Such a beer will also be referred to as a BA beer. Thus, a BA beer is a beer having an ethanol content of 0-1.0% by volume, for example preferably 0-0.5% by volume.

The invention discloses a BA beer having an ethanol content of 0-1.0 vol.%, preferably 0-0.5 vol.%, containing at least 0.001 μg/l of ethyl-2-methylpentanoate (EMP). BA beer can be obtained by well-known methods.

One way to produce a BA beer as defined herein is to subject the normally brewed beer to a dealcoholization step, such as, for example, a distillation step, a reverse osmosis step, a dialysis step, or a freeze concentration step to remove ethanol from the fermented beer. These methods are described, for example, in Brányk et al, J. Food. Eng. 108 (2012) 493-506, or in Mangindaan et al, Trends in Food Science&Technology 71 (2018) 36-45.

Dealcoholization of regular beer results in dealcoholized beer, which is one of the BA beers as defined here. Conventional beer in this context is generally brewed beer having an ethanol content of 1-15% by volume, preferably 3-9% by volume. Preferably the regular beer is a regular pale beer. One of skill in the art is able to make regular beer, including regular lager, for example, by the methods described in The Brewers Handbook (second edition) of Ted Goldammer (2008, Apex publishers). Alternatively, regular beer can be purchased commercially. It has now been found that conventional beer inherently contains EMP, which is formed during fermentation under normal (unrestricted) conditions.

Dealcoholization of conventional beer results in a beer having a low amount of ethanol, but also results in the removal of many of the esters and other substances that contribute to the flavor of the beer. Such beer may be flavored with a flavor prior to consumption in order to flavor the dealcoholized beer. Such a flavor did not contain EMP, since the importance of EMP as a beer flavor component has not yet been recognized.

In this context, dealcoholized beer is the preferred type of BA beer. In addition, in this context, the BA beer is preferably a dealcoholized beer obtained by distillation.

Another way to produce BA beer is to produce beer through a limited fermentation process that provides limited fermentation beer. Limited fermentation beer is another type of BA beer as defined here.

Limited fermentation beer is defined as fermented beer produced by limited ethanol fermentation of wort. Limited ethanol wort fermentation is a fermentation that does not result in significant pure ethanol production, i.e. limited fermentation, as defined herein, results in 1 vol% or less, preferably 0.5 vol% or less ethanol, more preferably 0. 2 vol.% or less. Thus, the limited fermentation beer has an ethanol content of 1.0 vol% or less, preferably 0.5 vol% or less, more preferably 0.2 vol% or less.

Limited wort fermentation is a process in which the product directly obtained from the fermentation has an ethanol content of 1.0 vol.% or less, preferably 0.5 vol.% or less, more preferably 0.2 vol.% or less. The person skilled in the art is aware of various methods of limited fermentation, which do not lead to significant production of pure ethanol. Examples are limited ethanol fermentation of wort, characterized by

below 7°C, preferably -1-4°C, such as -0.5-2.5°C, preferably over a period of 8-72 hours, more preferably 12-48 hours ("cold contact fermentation beer") ; and/or

short (eg, less than 2 hours) fermentation time, in which fermentation is quickly stopped by temperature inactivation, for example, rapid cooling to -0.5-1°C, optionally followed by pasteurization ("stopped fermentation beer"); and/or

fermentation by a yeast strain that produces relatively low amounts of ethanol under the fermentation conditions employed, such as, for example, a yeast strain that produces less than 0.2 g of ethanol per gram of fermentable sugar in the must, preferably less than 0.1 g of ethanol per gram of fermentable Sahara. Suitable strains (eg, Crabtree-negative strains) are known in the art, and the amount of ethanol produced under various fermentation conditions can be determined by routine experimentation ("yeast-limited beer"); and/or

fermentation using a first ethanol-producing yeast strain in the presence of a sufficient amount of a second ethanol-consuming yeast strain, such as Saccharomyces rouxii , to consume substantially all of the ethanol produced by the first yeast strain; and/or

wort having such a content of fermentable sugars that after completion of its fermentation, no more than 1.0 vol.% alcohol is formed. In this case, the wort typically has a fermentable sugar content of less than 17.5 g/l, preferably less than 12 g/l, more preferably less than 8 g/l ("sugar-free wort beer").

The limited fermentation beer has not been subjected to a dealcoholization step to achieve the specified ethanol content of 1.0 vol% or less, preferably 0.5 vol% or less, more preferably 0.2 vol% or less. The person skilled in the art is aware of various suitable methods of dealcoholization of fermented beer, and none of these methods has been used to achieve the specified ethanol content. However, limited fermentation beer in this context may optionally be subjected to a dealcoholization step to reduce the ethanol content from the specified 1.0 vol.% or less, preferably 0.5 vol.%, more preferably 0.2 vol.% or less, obtained from fermentation. to an even lower ethanol content. Preferably, however, the limited fermentation beer, as defined herein, has not undergone a dealcoholization step at all.

The dealcoholization step to further reduce the ethanol content of limited fermentation beer from 1.0 vol% or less as defined above to even lower amounts of ethanol is well known in the art. This has been described above with reference to Mangindaan et al and Brányk et al.

The limited fermentation beer in the present context is preferably sugar free wort beer, yeast restricted beer, stopped fermentation beer or cold contact fermentation beer. In one embodiment, the limited fermentation beer is a sugar-free wort beer. In another embodiment, the limited fermentation beer is a yeast limited beer. In yet another embodiment, the limited fermentation beer is a stopped fermentation beer. In yet another embodiment, the limited fermentation beer is a cold contact fermentation beer. In preferred embodiments, the limited fermentation beer is a cold contact fermentation beer. This is because cold contact fermented beers contain relatively higher amounts of wort flavors than other limited fermented beers (see Brányk et al above).

Cold contact fermentation is well known in the art, and one skilled in the art can produce cold contact fermented beer by any of the methods known in the art or disclosed herein. An example of a method for producing cold contact fermentation beer is described, for example, in Brányik et al., supra. Alternatively, cold contact fermented beer can be purchased commercially.

Although limited fermentation may produce some ester compounds, the amount and type of ester differ from the mixture of esters found in regular brewed beer. For this reason, the taste is less pleasant, which is corrected by the addition of a suitable flavor to give the desired flavor. It has now been established that limited fermentation does not lead to significant EMF formation.

EMP has been found to be a component of normally brewed beer that is important in flavoring the beer. This component is present in significantly lower amounts in known non-alcoholic or low-alcohol beers due to low formation during limited fermentation, including during cold contact, and / or due to a decrease in its amount after dealcoholization.

An important function of the EMF is to mask the taste of the wort. In addition, EMP imparts a fruity, apple-like flavor and results in a refreshing quality that is associated with conventional beer. For these reasons, it has been found to be preferable to enrich beer with BA in EMP, for example in an amount of at least 0.001 µg/l ("ppb"). Therefore, the invention also discloses the use of ethyl 2-methylpentanoate to mask the off-flavour of the wort and/or to impart a refreshing flavor.

The amount of EMP in the BA beer is preferably at least 0.004 µg/L, more preferably at least 0.01 µg/L, even more preferably at least 0.1 µg/L. Preferred amounts of EMP include 0.1-1000 µg/l, preferably 1-800 µg/l, more preferably 10-500 µg/l. In preferred embodiments, the amount of EMF is 50-600 µg/L.

An important effect of EMP is to mask the wort flavors commonly found in BA beers, in particular cold contact fermentation beers. However, it is preferred if the beer contains relatively low amounts of aldehyde. In preferred embodiments, the total amount of aldehydes in the beer, defined as the total amount of 2-methylpropanal, 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, 3-methylthiopropionaldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde, hexanal, trans-2-nonenal, benzaldehyde, and furfural, is less than 600, preferably less than 400, more preferably less than 200, most preferably less than 80 µg/l. In other preferred embodiments, the total amount of Strecker's aldehydes (defined as the total amount of 2-methylpropanal, 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, 3-methylthiopropionaldehyde and phenylacetaldehyde) is less than 200, preferably less than 150, more preferably less than 100 most preferably less than 50 µg/ l. The amount of EMP in BA beer with the indicated amounts of aldehydes is at least 0.001 µg/l, preferably at least 0.004 µg/l, more preferably at least 0.01 µg/l, even more preferably at least 0.1 µg/l, for example 0.1-1000 µg/l, preferably 1-800 µg/l, more preferably 10-500 µg/l. In preferred embodiments, the amount of EMP is 50-600 µg/L. Preferably, in the presence of higher amounts of aldehydes, the amount of EMP is also higher.

Preferably, the non-alcoholic or low-alcohol beer is not very sweet, as this enhances its drinkability. The total sugar content of the BA produced beer, defined as the total amount of glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose and maltotriose, is preferably at least 0.2 g/100 ml. Preferably, the total sugar content is relatively low, for example not more than 3 g/100 ml, preferably not more than 2 g/100 ml. In preferred embodiments, the total sugar content is 0.5-2.0 g/100 ml, preferably 1.2-2.0 g/100 ml.

The resulting beer preferably contains at least 0.2 g/100 ml of maltotriose. In addition, the beer preferably contains at least 0.05 g/100 ml of glucose and/or at least 0.05 g/100 ml of fructose. In addition, it is preferable if the total sugar content in the resulting beer is 50-100 wt.% maltose, preferably 50-80 wt.%, more preferably 50-65 wt.%. The maltose content of the finished beer is preferably at least 0.5 g/100 ml.

The preferred beer produced by the present method further contains 20-250 mg/l free amine nitrogen (FAN), more preferably 50-200 mg/l, more preferably 75-150 mg/l. Free amino nitrogen as used herein refers to the total amount of free amino compounds as determined by the NOPA method. This method results in the quantification of primary amino compounds such as free amino acids, small peptides and ammonia. The specified amount of FAN is an important aspect of the final taste and color of the beer.

The preferred beer obtained by the present method further contains less than 5 mg/l of acetaldehyde, preferably less than 3 mg/l. This is important for the flavor profile of the resulting beer.

The beer according to the invention preferably also contains 1-20 µg/l, preferably 1.5-5 µg/l ethyl propanoate, which is important for taste. The beer according to the invention further preferably contains 0.05-30 mg/l ethyl acetate, preferably 0.1-15 mg/l ethyl acetate. It is also important for flavoring. The distilled beer further preferably contains isoamyl acetate in an amount of 0.05-7.5 mg/l, preferably 0.08-4.5 mg/l, more preferably 0.1-1 mg/l.

The benefits of real beer include improved flavor properties, including reduced sweetness and reduced wort off-flavour. This results, inter alia, in a less strong flavor profile. True beer has low sweetness and suitable concentrations of aldehydes even in relation to this reduced sweetness. This results in the beer being considered wort-free at lower sweetness and flavor intensity, and consumers are not satiated after just a few servings of beer. In addition, beer is generally considered less strong and more refreshing. Thus, the beer of the present invention is more drinkable than the existing non-alcoholic beer.

In addition, the invention discloses a method for producing beer having an alcohol content of 0-1.0 vol.%, preferably 0-0.5 vol.%, comprising the step of mixing non-alcoholic or low-alcohol beer, as defined above, with ethyl 2-methylpentanoate . In one embodiment, EMP can be mixed with BA beer as a flavoring agent. In such embodiments, the implementation of the EMP can be purchased commercially, and/or it can be obtained by isolation from a natural source, for example, isolation from conventionally brewed beer. Thus, in preferred embodiments, blending with ethyl 2-methylpentanoate is achieved by blending with a flavor containing ethyl 2-methylpentanoate.

In one embodiment, the flavor is a flavor containing ethyl 2-methylpentanoate. In this embodiment, the flavor may contain a flavor blend designed to achieve certain levels of esters in the finished beer. The flavoring may also contain other flavoring substances and flavoring compounds such as (organic) acids, dialdehydes, higher alcohols, salts and the like.

In other embodiments, the flavor may be a regular beer, preferably a regular pale beer, most preferably a pilsner. The advantage of using regular beer as flavoring is that regular beer contains a mixture of flavors and flavor compounds that are perceived as natural by the beer consumer, resulting in an BA beer having a flavor and aroma profile similar to regular beer.

In some embodiments, the conventional beer flavor may be a flavor derived from conventional beer by concentration, such as by partial or complete removal of alcohol and/or water, to form a conventional beer concentrate, which may be in solid or liquid form. Suitable methods for obtaining such a beer concentrate are, for example, freeze drying and freeze-concentration, although a person skilled in the art can suggest countless ways to obtain a suitable beer concentrate using his usual general knowledge.

In one embodiment, the flavor is a regular beer, preferably a regular lager. Preferably, in this embodiment, the method includes the step of mixing a limited fermentation beer, preferably a cold contact fermentation beer, with a regular beer, preferably a regular lager beer. Preferably, limited fermentation beer and regular beer are mixed in a volume ratio of 1:99-99:1, preferably 5:95-50:50.

In some embodiments, the blending step is followed by vacuum distillation, for example, to remove excess aldehydes derived from limited fermentation beer. In such embodiments, it may be advantageous to add additional flavoring, such as a flavoring containing an aromatic mixture as defined above, after said distillation step to achieve the desired flavor profile.

For purposes of clarity and clarity of description, the features are described here as part of the same or separate embodiments, however, it should be understood that the scope of the invention may include embodiments having combinations of all or some of the described features.

Further, the invention will also be illustrated by the following non-limiting examples.

Methods

Determination of aldehydes in beer using solid phase microextraction with fiber derivatization and gas chromatography - mass spectrometry

Sample preparation

Under a CO ₂ atmosphere, 30.0 g of a beer sample was weighed into a 40 ml test tube. Using a 50 µl gas-tight syringe, 30 µl of an internal standard solution was added to each sample. Then, still under CO ₂ conditions, two 10 ml tubes were filled with 4.0 g of sample. Thus, the beer sample is analyzed in duplicate.

Derivatization procedure

A stock solution of about 200 mg/l O-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl)-hydroxylamine (PFBHA) in deionized water was prepared. A standard transparent glass vial with a volume of 20 ml with a crimp cap was filled with 14 g of a PFBHA solution. The SPME fiber (Supelco) was then placed in the void volume of a derivatization tube for 10 minutes at 30° C. to impregnate the PDMS/DVB phase of the SPME fiber with the derivatizing agent. The PFBHA-impregnated SPME fiber was then placed in the void volume of a beer sample (4.0 g in a 10 ml vial filled with CO ₂ ) resulting in the PFBHA derivatives of the aldehydes of interest. Extraction conditions were chosen for 30 minutes at 30°C.

GC conditions

An Agilent 7890A gas chromatograph equipped with a split/splitless inlet was used for this method. Optimal separation of PFBHA/aldehyde compounds was achieved using a 30m×0.25mm×0.25µm VF17MS column (Agilent). Some compounds co-elute, but in these cases MS selectivity avoided the need for chromatographic separation. For example, trans-2-nonenal, phenylacetaldehyde, and decanal all elute together, but the mass spectrometer aims for selective ions for each compound.

Helium at 1 ml/min is used as the carrier gas. A split factor of 5 was used to optimize peak width and sensitivity. The thermostat was programmed to 50°C (2 minutes) with an increase of 10°C/min to 230°C followed by an increase of 30°C/min to 290°C (hold 2 minutes).

MS conditions

The Agilent 5975C MSD was set to negative chemical ionization (NCI).

For all target aldehydes in this method, the appropriate ionic fragment was chosen. In most cases, a compound-specific fragment was chosen rather than the most common fragment. This allows the target compounds of interest to be selectively determined. In most cases, the Mw of the molecular ion minus m/z 20 (loss of H-F) is best.

Since most PFBHA-aldehyde compounds consist of two peaks (syn- and anti-), the peak areas are summed. Quantification of all aldehyde compounds was possible by constructing appropriate calibration curves based on a standard Heineken beer additive.

Determination of compounds of esters and alcohols in beer using sorption extraction with stirring and gas chromatography - mass spectrometry

Due to the large range of analyte concentrations, samples must be analyzed twice with different GC/MS methods; one for detecting substances of high concentration, and the other for substances of low concentration. The difference between the two methods lies in the mode of operation of the mass selective detector. Isoamyl acetate was determined using the high concentration method and ethyl acetate was determined using the low concentration method.

Sample preparation

In duplicate, 30.0 g of the beer sample was weighed into a 40 ml vial. Using a gas-tight syringe with a volume of 50 μl, 30 μl of an internal standard solution was added to each sample. Then a clean and pre-conditioned twister was added to each sample. A 60 position stirring plate was used to extract the samples. The extraction time is one hour. In order to prevent the formation of light-induced compounds, the samples are covered from light.

Operating conditions of the device

An Agilent 7890B gas chromatograph is connected to an Agilent 5977A MSD. Sample injection is performed by a Gerstel MPS2-XT automatic device in combination with a TDU-2 thermal desorber and a CIS-4 temperature controlled inlet (both from Gerstel). The main capillary column is a DB-5MS UI 50m×0.25mm×0.25µm. Helium at 1.5 ml/min is used as the carrier gas. Thermal desorption from the twisters was carried out in the solvent purge mode, trapping eluents at -20°C on an insert filled with tenax. During the heating step, the injector switched to split ratios of 100:1 and 6:1 for the high and low concentration method, respectively. The thermostat was programmed to 40°C (2 minutes) with an increase of 10°C/min to 280°C (hold 1 minute). The MSD is set to scan mode (33-300 m/z) for the high concentration method and single ion mode for the low concentration method.

Quantitative determination of all compounds was possible by constructing calibration curves (adding a standard to a suitable matrix beer). All calibrations are performed for both alcoholic drinks and drinks containing 0.0% alcohol.

Determination of sugar content in wort, beer and cider

The sugar content was measured using ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). UPLC can suitably be carried out at 65°C. A suitable choice of eluent is acetonitrile/water, for example in a 75/25 volume ratio. The detector used is typically a refractive index (IR) detector. The sugar content of the sample was determined by comparing the HPLC curve of the sample with the calibration curves of standard samples with known sugar concentrations.

Samples for HPLC were prepared as follows. A sample of beer or wort was diluted 5 times by adding a mixture of acetonitrile/water (50/50 equal parts by volume). If present, CO ₂ was removed prior to dilution (eg by shaking or stirring the sample). After dilution, the sample was filtered until a clear solution was obtained. The filtered sample was introduced into UPLC at 65°C using the above eluent.

Determination of Free Amine Nitrogen (FAN)

The amount of free amino nitrogen was measured according to the nitrogen analysis method using O-phthaldialdehyde (NOPA). The NOPA method was performed using a photometric analyzer (eg GalleryTM Plus Photometric Analyzer). According to the NOPA method, the test sample is treated with ortho-phthaldialdehyde (OPA) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC). This treatment will result in the derivatization of the primary amino groups present in the test sample to form isoindoles. The content of isoindoles is then determined using a photometric analyzer at a wavelength of 340 nm. The free amino nitrogen (expressed in FAN mg/l) can then be calculated from the measured isoindole content. If necessary, the beer or wort sample is first subjected to a centrifugation to clarify the sample and/or a CO ₂ removal step (eg, stirring or shaking the sample) prior to analysis.

Determination of ethanol in beer

The ethanol content was measured using a photometric analyzer (eg GalleryTM Plus Photometric Analyzer). The test sample is subjected to an enzymatic method in which the ethanol present in the sample is converted to acetaldehyde by the action of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). The acetaldehyde content is then determined using a photometric analyzer at a wavelength of 340 nm. The ethanol content can be calculated from the acetaldehyde content. If necessary, the beer or wort sample is first subjected to a centrifugation to clarify the sample and/or a CO ₂ removal step (eg, stirring or shaking) prior to analysis.

Example 1

The effect of ethyl 2-methylpentanoate as a wort masking agent and to impart a refreshing fruity flavor to the beer.

Non-alcoholic beer was prepared by rectification. Relatively low amounts of flavors such as esters were present in the resulting pure beer. Ethyl 2-methylpentanoate (EMP) was added to pure beer as a flavor in an amount of 50 ppb. There was no longer any difference between pure beer and beer with an additive. The sensory differences between pure beer and beer with the addition of EMP were noted by a qualified tasting panel of 17 people. The tasting commission pointed out the different taste and aroma properties of the two beers. The number of tasters indicating a more intense manifestation of flavor properties is presented in table 1.

It can be seen from the results that EMF has a particularly pronounced effect of masking off-flavors of the wort. Wort flavor (which comes from aldehydes) was judged to be more overpowering in pure beer by 16 out of 17 tasters. In pure beer with the addition of 50 μg/l of EMP, the off-flavour of the wort was suppressed. Thus, 50 µg/l of EMF strongly suppresses the off-flavour of the wort.

In addition, the presence of EMF imparts a sour, fruity and citrus flavor. Thus, the beer with the addition is considered to be more refreshing.

Table 1 Pure beer Pure beer+50 µg/l EMP Bitter 5 6 Sweet eight four Sour 3 7 Generally fruity. 0 16 Citrus/refreshing 0 eleven Wort 16 0 Metal ten 2 Sulfur 12 0 Astringent 5 0 Isovaleric acid one 7 Diacetyl 0 2 Grassy four 0 Attractive one 0 Weak 0 one

Example 2

The effect of ethyl 2-methylpentanoate as a wort-taste masker and a refreshing fruity beer flavor in full flavor beers

Increasing amounts of EMP (1, 50, 250, 500, and 1000 ppb EMP) were added to a non-alcoholic beer that was vacuum distilled from a mixture of regular beer and cold contact fermented beer and fully flavored to flavor the beer using an EMP-free flavor blend. The tasting panel, composed of 17 qualified taste experts, assessed perceived intensity on three flavor profiles: must flavor, fruity flavor, and apple flavor. The results are presented in Fig.1.

The results indicate that increasing the amount of EMP in non-alcohol or low-alcohol beer masks wort off-notes to a greater extent and enhances fruity flavors. In the context of an aromatic blend, EMP imparts an apple-like flavor and provides a strong refreshing effect.

Example 3

Comparison of the obtained beer with commercially produced non-alcoholic or low-alcohol beer

The beer obtained using the present method was compared with existing non-alcoholic beer by a tasting panel of 17 qualified tasters. The beer was evaluated for certain flavor properties, including sweetness, wort flavor and overall flavor intensity, as well as other flavor notes. For each property, the perceived intensity was indicated by a linear scale. All tasters evaluated all beers for all properties, and the results were averaged. The results are shown in table 2.

The beer produced by the present method has a less intense wort flavor and a less sweet taste than commercially available non-alcoholic beer. Thus, consumers are less likely to become satiated with just a few servings of beer because the taste is less strong. In addition, beer is generally considered less strong and more refreshing. For this reason, the proposed beer is considered to be more drinkable than the existing commercially available non-alcoholic beer.

table 2 Suggested beer Mass-produced beer A Mass-produced beer B Mass-produced beer C Mass-produced beer D Mass-produced beer E sweet taste eighteen 28 26 23 23 17 Must taste 27 39 42 28 33 38 Fruity/ethereal flavor 31 17 eighteen 33 twenty 16 ˃Duchess flavor 29 fourteen 12 21 fifteen 12 ˃Tropical fruit flavor 9 5 7 19 2 one ˃Green apple flavor eleven 2 four 5 2 3 Hop flavor fourteen ten eight 24 eleven 17 Vinegar flavor 2 one 0 5 one ten General intensity 40 44 45 46 43 47 Refreshing mouthfeel 42 33 35 32 37 36 Fortress of mouthfeel 27 32 32 29 28 29 Warm sensation in the mouth 5 5 2 5 5 3 Sweet aftertaste eighteen 25 25 23 23 fifteen

Claims (15)

1. Beer having an ethanol content of 0-1.0 vol.%, containing from 0.001 μg/l to 1000 μg/l of ethyl 2-methylpentanoate (EMP). 2. Beer according to claim 1, wherein the amount of EMP is at least 0.004 µg/l, preferably 0.1-1000 µg/l, more preferably 1-800 µg/l. 3. Beer according to claim 1 or 2, in which the total amount of aldehydes, defined as the total amount of 2-methylpropanal, 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, 3-methylthiopropionaldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde, hexanal, trans-2-nonenal, benzaldehyde and furfural, is less than 600 μg/l, preferably less than 400 μg/l, more preferably less than 200 μg/l, most preferably less than 80 μg/l. 4. Beer according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the total amount of Strecker's aldehydes, defined as the total amount of 2-methylpropanal, 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, 3-methylthiopropionaldehyde and phenylacetaldehyde, is less than 200 µg/l, preferably less than 150 µg/l, more preferably less than 100 µg/l, most preferably less than 50 µg/l. 5. Beer according to one of claims 1 to 4, in which the total sugar content, defined as the total amount of glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose and maltotriose, is at least 0.2 g/100 ml, preferably 0.5-2 .0 g/100 ml. 6. Beer according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the sugar content is at least 50% by weight of maltose. 7. Beer according to one of claims 1 to 6, additionally containing 1-20 µg/l, preferably 1.5-5 µg/l ethyl propanoate and/or 0.05-30 mg/l ethyl acetate, preferably 0.1-15 mg/l ethyl acetate. 8. A method for producing beer having an alcohol content of 0-1.0 vol.%, including the step of combining non-alcoholic or low-alcohol beer with an ethyl 2-methylpentanoate content of 0.001 μg/l to 1000 μg/l of ethyl 2-methylpentanoate (EMP) . 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the combination with ethyl 2-methylpentanoate is achieved by coupling with a flavor containing ethyl 2-methylpentanoate. 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the flavor is an aromatic mixture containing ethyl 2-methylpentanoate. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the flavor is a regular beer, preferably a regular lager. 12. The method of claim 11, comprising the step of mixing limited fermentation beer, preferably cold contact fermentation beer, with regular beer, preferably lager beer. 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the limited fermentation beer and regular beer are mixed in a volume ratio of 1:99-99:1, preferably 5:95-50:50. 14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the mixing step is followed by vacuum distillation and optional additional addition of ethyl 2-methylpentanoate. 15. The use of ethyl 2-methylpentanoate in beer to mask the taste of the wort and / or to give a refreshing flavor, and the content of ethyl 2-methylpentanoate in beer is from 0.001 μg / l to 1000 μg / l of ethyl 2-methylpentanoate (EMP) .

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