Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12C—BEER; PREPARATION OF BEER BY FERMENTATION; PREPARATION OF MALT FOR MAKING BEER; PREPARATION OF HOPS FOR MAKING BEER
  • C12C5/00—Other raw materials for the preparation of beer
  • C12C5/02—Additives for beer
  • C12C5/026—Beer flavouring preparations
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12C—BEER; PREPARATION OF BEER BY FERMENTATION; PREPARATION OF MALT FOR MAKING BEER; PREPARATION OF HOPS FOR MAKING BEER
  • C12C12/00—Processes specially adapted for making special kinds of beer
  • C12C12/02—Beer with low calorie content
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12C—BEER; PREPARATION OF BEER BY FERMENTATION; PREPARATION OF MALT FOR MAKING BEER; PREPARATION OF HOPS FOR MAKING BEER
  • C12C11/00—Fermentation processes for beer
  • C12C11/003—Fermentation of beerwort
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12C—BEER; PREPARATION OF BEER BY FERMENTATION; PREPARATION OF MALT FOR MAKING BEER; PREPARATION OF HOPS FOR MAKING BEER
  • C12C11/00—Fermentation processes for beer
  • C12C11/11—Post fermentation treatments, e.g. carbonation, or concentration
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12C—BEER; PREPARATION OF BEER BY FERMENTATION; PREPARATION OF MALT FOR MAKING BEER; PREPARATION OF HOPS FOR MAKING BEER
  • C12C5/00—Other raw materials for the preparation of beer
  • C12C5/02—Additives for beer
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12C—BEER; PREPARATION OF BEER BY FERMENTATION; PREPARATION OF MALT FOR MAKING BEER; PREPARATION OF HOPS FOR MAKING BEER
  • C12C7/00—Preparation of wort
  • C12C7/20—Boiling the beerwort
  • C12C7/205—Boiling with hops
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12G—WINE; PREPARATION THEREOF; ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; PREPARATION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES C12C OR C12H
  • C12G3/00—Preparation of other alcoholic beverages
  • C12G3/04—Preparation of other alcoholic beverages by mixing, e.g. for preparation of liqueurs

Definitions

• the invention relates to the brewing and use of a beer flavor concentrate, and more particularly, to the brewing and use of a beer flavor concentrate from which a final beer product can be produced through the addition of carbonated water and alcohol.
• alcoholic beverages such as beer
• water Since such beverages may be transported considerable distances, it has been recognized that substantial transportation cost savings could be achieved by reducing the water content of the beverage prior to transportation and then rehydrating the product after transportation.
• Methods for producing concentrated alcoholic beverages and then reconverting such concentrated beverages back into final products are known in the art.
• Various methods for concentrating alcoholic beverages known in the brewing industry includes freeze drying, reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration. All of these methods start with a substantially finished beer and then expel the water. The resulting concentrated beverages can then be transported more cost effectively and rehydrated at a final destination with water and carbon dioxide.
• Beer flavors that are intended to be added during a typical brewing process are known. Such beer flavors are added during the brewing process to change the flavor of the beer being brewed. Such beer flavors cannot stand on their own, i.e., cannot be made into a final beer product through the addition of a diluent such as carbonated water.
• the color of beer is measured in degrees SRM (standard reference method) which is a standard of the American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC) and denotes the amount of light absorbed at a single wave length.
• SRM scale is nonlinear and runs 0-1000, with the lower the SRM number, the lighter the color. For example, a colorless beer is 0 degrees SRM, an opaque beer color is 100 degrees SRM, typical lager beer color is around 2.5 degrees SRM, a stout beer is typically in the range of 25-60 degrees SRM.
• Hops in the form of either the ground dried cones or an extract, are a main ingredient in the brewing process due to their contribution of bitter flavors and rich aromas.
• the color of the malt is measured in lovibond units (L) and the bitterness of the brewed beer is measured in bitterness units (BU), both ASBC standards.
• isohumulones derived from hops or an unreduced hop extract can cause light instability in malt beverages. Specifically, the iso- alpha acids of the hops reacts with light and a sulfur compound to form 3-methyl-l-butene-2-thiol. The exposure of such a beer to light can result in the beverage becoming "light struck" and having a skunky odor.
• the invention provides a beer flavor concentrate which can be shipped to a destination and then converted into beer through the addition of a diluent.
• the beer flavor concentrate is a very high flavor product that can be made into a variety of types of final beer products.
• the primary ingredients to be added to the beer flavor concentrate to make the final beer product include water, carbon dioxide and alcohol. Additional ingredients that can be further added include reduced and non-reduced iso-alpha acids and dextrins.
• the iso-alpha acids are used to increase the bitterness units of the beer to a desirable level and the dextrins are used to give the final beer product more body .
• the invention further includes a method for making a beer flavor concentrate that can be used to make beer which is either stable to light or not stable to light.
• the invention further includes a method for making a final beer product using a beer flavor concentrate .
• the present invention pertains to the brewing of a beer flavor concentrate that can be utilized to produce a final beer product through the addition of a diluent.
• the beer flavor concentrate is designed so that when diluted with water, carbon dioxide and alcohol, the resulting final beer product has desired color, bitterness and alcohol levels.
• the beer flavor concentrate is produced with the desired characteristics such that upon a predetermined dilution, the desired final beer product is obtained.
• the beer flavor concentrate has a color that is preferably in the range of 25-60 degrees SRM, and most preferably in the range of 35-45 degrees SRM.
• malts that produce high degree SRM beers are utilized. Examples of such high color malts include black malt, caramel malt, black malt, roasted malt, malt extracts and other specialty malts known to the industry. Malts with colors of L10 - L300 can be used, and malts with colors in the range of L50- L80 are most preferred.
• Coloring agents such as caramel color and IMCA malt, can also be utilized to produce the desired beer flavor concentrate.
• the beer flavor concentrate has an alcohol level in the range of 1% to 6% by weight, and most preferably, in the range of 2-4%.
• Types of alcohols that can be added include, for example, food grade ethanol or ethyl alcohol.
• potable 95% alcohol that has been distilled from corn is added to the concentrate.
• Tettnanger are preferred. It should also be noted that hop extracts and hop oils can also be utilized. Further, reduced iso-alpha acids are also utilized to adjust bitterness to a consistent level and to afford an additional level of microbiological stability, a property well understood by the industry. Light stable beers preferably have an iso-alpha-acids content of less than 2 ppm and a tetralone (reduced iso-alpha- acids) level of 4-16 ppm with 10 ppm being most preferred. The beer flavor concentrate has a bitterness in the range of 25 to 50 BU, and most preferably, approximately 40 BU.
• the dilution factor of the beer flavor concentrate can be varied as desired.
• a dilution factor of 10 is used for simplicity.
• Other dilution factors such as, for example, 3, 5 or 7 can be employed as desired.
• a skunk character may occur on exposure of beer to light. Brown glass reduces the photoreaction that produces skunk material. However, a beer concentrate can be produced that is light stable.
• beer flavor concentrate By varying the constituents in making the beer flavor concentrate and/or by blending two or more beer flavor concentrates, various types of beers can be ultimately produced such as, for example, reduced alcohol beers, low and full calorie beers, having a range of styles including pilsners, dark beers, red beers, lagers, ales, pale ales, dark ales, stouts, porters, etc. It should be noted that the beer flavor concentrate can also be utilized to produce a low alcohol or non-alcoholic final beer product. When diluting the beer flavor concentrate, the amount of alcohol to be added, if any, can be altered to produce the desired low or non-alcoholic beer.
• Natural flavors can also be added to either the beer flavor concentrate or when diluting the beer flavor concentrate to further flavor the final product.
• citrus flavors can be added to produce a fruit flavored beer product.
• the beer flavor concentrate can also be used to produce other alcoholic beverages in addition to a beer product.
• the beer flavor concentrate can be used to produce brandy-like beverage or malt wine.
• the beer flavor concentrates can also be used to flavor non-alcoholic foods such as breads.
• the residual alcohol would be evaporated during heating or baking of the food product.
• the following example sets forth the preparation of a beer flavor concentrate having a color of approximately 40 degrees SRM, a bitterness of 40 BU and an alcohol content of approximately 4% by weight.
• the mashed malt is first prepared from 35-45% of a standard L2 pale malt with active enzymes and a diastatic power of about 150, and 55-60% of a L60 caramel malt.
• the L60 malt gives a caramel-toffee malt without a burnt taste.
• the mashed malt is blended with water at 45 degrees F. for 20 minutes in a brew kettle to allow the malted barley to absorb water.
• the temperature is raised to 62 degrees F. over 15 minutes to begin breaking down the starches.
• the enzymes in the malt degrade the starches in the malt to form fermentable simple sugars.
• the temperature is maintained at 62 degrees F. for 15 minutes and then raised to 70 degrees F. over 15 minutes and maintained at that temperature for an additional 15 minutes.
• the starches are breaking down into fermentable sugars.
• the temperature is then raised to 77 degrees F. and held there for 5 minutes to terminate the enzyme activity.
• the mash is filtered using a standard filter press or a conventional lauter tun and the liquid is recirculated (Vorlauf) until it is clear.
• the clear liquid is termed wort and is then pumped into the brew kettle.
• the wort is thereafter hopped as follows.
• Galena and Tettnanger hops are added to a 90 minute boil before knockout.
• Galena hops are utilized as the bittering hop and Tettnanger hops are used as the aroma hop.
• 1/3 of the Galena hops are added at 15 minutes into the boil.
• Another 1/3 of the Galena hops and 1/3 of the Tettnanger hops are added at 30 minutes into the boil.
• the final 1/3 of Galena hops and 2/3 of the Tettnanger hops are added.
• the Galena hops contribute approximately 30 BU and the Tettnanger hops contribute approximately 10 BU.
• the wort is aerated using filtered air or oxygen at 8 ppm by bubbling through the wort on the way to fermentation or in the fermentation vessel and conventional bottom fermenting lager yeast or top fermenting ale yeast at 10 to 20 million cells per milliliter are added, either enroute to or in the fermentation vessel.
• the wort is fermented at 52-59 °F (52°F preferred) for lager yeast and 62-68°F (62°F preferred) for ale yeast until EOF (end of fermentation: fermentables converted to biomass, ethanol, flavor molecules, and C02 ) , typically 15 days and 10 days, respectively.
• EOF end of fermentation: fermentables converted to biomass, ethanol, flavor molecules, and C02
• the fermentation broth or beer flavor concentrate is cooled to 45 °F, held for about 1 day, and at which time the yeast precipitating in the fermentor is removed.
• the concentrate is then conventionally filtered to remove the remaining yeast and particulates using any standard filter such as a plate and frame DE filter, resulting in a bright beer flavor concentrate ready for shipment.
• the beer flavored concentrate is stored and shipped under 6 to 10 psig C0 2 head pressure and cold at 29 to 34°F in kegs, totes or tanker cars until ready to use.
• the beer flavor concentrate is diluted by a factor of 10 with carbonated water and distilled corn alcohol to give a product with a color of about 4.0 degrees SRM, a bitterness of 4.0 BU and which is 3-7% by weight alcohol.
• Tetrahydroisohumulone which is a reduced iso- alpha acids, such as TetraloneTM available from Kalsec of Kalamazoo, MI, is added at a level of approximately 2-8 ppm to give the final beer product a bitterness in the range of 6-12 BU.
• the bitterness can be adjusted to the tastes of the market where the final beer product is to be sold.
• Tetralone is 1.6 times the bittering effect as compared to non-reduced iso-alpha acids.
• Each ppm of Tetralone is approximately 1 BU.
• a dextrin such as Staley 200TM adjunct syrup available from A.E.
• IL may then be added to increase the body of the final beer product and to provide a real extract to alcohol ratio (RE/A) of about 1.
• the Staley 200 syrup is diluted to 20-30% solids with diluent and added to the beer flavor concentrate using a mixing loop, or in line while moving the beer from one tank to another to achieve mixing and the desired RE/A ratio.
• the process for producing a light-stable beer flavor concentrate is largely the same as that described above in Example 1 with the following differences .
• the light stable beer flavor concentrate is converted into a final beer product substantially the same as in Example 1 above wherein carbonated water, alcohol and Staley 200 adjunct syrup are added to provide a final beer product.

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• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Genetics & Genomics (AREA)
• Bioinformatics & Cheminformatics (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
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• Alcoholic Beverages (AREA)
• Non-Alcoholic Beverages (AREA)
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Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Cited By (18)

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Citations (2)

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• 1998
  • 1998-11-19 CA CA002310801A patent/CA2310801A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1998-11-19 BR BR9815618-7A patent/BR9815618A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-11-19 CN CN98811395A patent/CN1279711A/zh active Pending
  • 1998-11-19 WO PCT/US1998/024740 patent/WO1999027070A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1998-11-19 EP EP98958655A patent/EP1070116A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1998-11-19 AU AU14653/99A patent/AU1465399A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1998-11-19 KR KR1020007005535A patent/KR20010032323A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1998-11-19 JP JP2000522212A patent/JP2001524305A/ja active Pending

Patent Citations (2)

Non-Patent Citations (2)

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