WO2022196547A1 - Beer-flavoured beverage - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a beer-flavoured beverage which has a total nitrogen amount of 5-85mg/100mL or less, a bitterness of 5-35BUs, includes 150-900mg/L of citric acid, and uses corn grits as a raw material.

Description

beer-taste beverages

The present invention relates to beer-taste beverages.

Conventionally, various beer-taste beverages have been developed and distributed on the market in response to recent diversified tastes of consumers.
For example, in Patent Document 1, 0.3 to 5 ppm of quasine and/or 0.5 to 5 ppm of quinine are included for the purpose of providing a beer-taste beverage having beer-like bitterness and aftertaste without using hops. An invention relating to a beer-taste beverage is described.

JP 2017-6077 A

Under these circumstances, there is a demand for new beer-taste beverages that have various characteristics typical of beer-taste beverages (eg, taste, sharp aftertaste, suppression of unsuitable acidity and bitterness, etc.).

The present invention provides the following aspects [1] to [26].
[1]
The total nitrogen content is 5 to 85 mg / 100 mL or less,
The bitterness value is 5 to 35 BUs,
The content of citric acid is 150 to 900 mg / L,
A beer-taste beverage that uses corn grits as a raw material.
[2]
The ratio of the citric acid content (unit: mg/L) to the total nitrogen content (unit: mg/100 mL) [citric acid/total nitrogen] is 2.5 to 20.0 [1] Beer-taste beverages described in .
[3]
The beer-taste beverage [4] according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the usage ratio (X) of corn grits is 1 to 28% by mass based on the total amount of raw materials excluding water and hops.
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of [1] to [3] above, which is a beverage using malt as a raw material.
[5]
The beer-taste beverage according to [4] above, wherein the malt usage ratio (Y) is 80% by mass or less based on the total amount of raw materials excluding water and hops.
[6]
[4] or [5] above, wherein the ratio [(Y)/(X)] of the malt use ratio (Y) and the corn grits use ratio (X) is 0.9 to 80.0. Beer-taste beverage.
[7]
[4] to [6] above, wherein the total usage ratio of the corn grits usage ratio (X) and the malt usage ratio (Y) is 20 to 100% by mass based on the total amount of raw materials excluding water and hops. The beer-taste beverage according to any one of the items.
[8]
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of [1] to [7] above, wherein the content of saccharides selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and tetrasaccharides is 0.10 g/100 mL or more.
[9]
The beer according to [8] above, wherein the ratio of the citric acid content (unit: mg/L) to the sugar content (unit: g/100 mL) [citric acid/sugar] is 100 to 6000. flavored beverages.
[10]
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of [1] to [9] above, which has an original extract concentration of 5.0 to 20.0% by mass.
[11]
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of [1] to [10] above, which has a free amino nitrogen concentration of 3.0 to 16.0 mg/100 mL.
[12]
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of [1] to [11] above, which is a fermented beer-taste beverage.
[13]
The total nitrogen content is 5 to 85 mg / 100 mL or less,
The bitterness value is 5 to 35 BUs,
The content of citric acid is 150 to 900 mg / L,
A beer-taste beverage having an original extract concentration of 5.0 to 20.0% by mass.
[14]
The total nitrogen content is 5 to 85 mg / 100 mL or less,
The bitterness value is 5 to 35 BUs,
The content of citric acid is 150 to 900 mg / L,
A beer-taste beverage having a free amino nitrogen concentration of 3.0 to 16.0 mg/100 mL.
[15]
The total nitrogen content is 5 to 85 mg / 100 mL or less,
The bitterness value is 5 to 35 BUs,
The content of citric acid is 150 to 900 mg / L,
A beer-taste beverage having a ratio of original extract concentration (unit: mass %) to total nitrogen content (unit: mg/100 mL) [original extract concentration/total nitrogen] of 0.050 to 0.900.
[16]
The total nitrogen content is 5 to 85 mg / 100 mL or less,
The bitterness value is 5 to 35 BUs,
The content of citric acid is 150 to 900 mg / L,
A beer having a ratio of free amino nitrogen concentration (unit: mg/100 mL) to total nitrogen content (unit: mg/100 mL) [free amino nitrogen concentration/total nitrogen] of 0.010 to 0.800. flavored beverages.
[17]
The ratio of the citric acid content (unit: mg/L) to the total nitrogen content (unit: mg/100 mL) [citric acid/total nitrogen] is 2.5 to 20.0 [13] The beer-taste beverage according to any one of -[16].
[18]
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of [13] to [17] above, which is a beverage using malt as a raw material.
[19]
The beer-taste beverage according to [18] above, wherein the malt usage ratio (Y) is 80% by mass or less based on the total amount of raw materials excluding water and hops.
[20]
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of [13] to [19] above, wherein the content of saccharides selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and tetrasaccharides is 0.10 g/100 mL or more.
[21]
The beer according to [20] above, wherein the ratio of the citric acid content (unit: mg/L) to the sugar content (unit: g/100 mL) [citric acid/sugar] is 100 to 6000. flavored beverages.
[22]
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of [14] to [21] above, which has an original extract concentration of 5.0 to 20.0% by mass.
[23]
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of [13] and [15] to [22] above, which has a free amino nitrogen concentration of 3.0 to 16.0 mg/100 mL.
[24]
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of [13] to [23] above, which is a fermented beer-taste beverage.
[25]
A method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to any one of [1] to [24] above, comprising the following steps (1) to (2).
- Step (1): A step of subjecting a raw material containing water, malt, and corn grits to at least one of saccharification, boiling, and removal of solids to obtain a pre-fermentation liquid.
- Process (2): The process of adding yeast to the pre-fermentation liquid obtained at the process (1), and performing alcoholic fermentation.
[26]
The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to [25] above, further comprising the following step (3).
- Step (3): A step of confirming and/or adjusting at least one of the total nitrogen content, bitterness value, and citric acid content.

The beer-taste beverage of one preferred aspect of the present invention can be a beverage with improved various characteristics typical of beer-taste beverages (for example, taste, crisp aftertaste, suppression of unsuitable sourness and bitterness, etc.), and is a further preferred aspect. In addition to these properties, the beer-taste beverage can be a beverage that can reduce the feeling of fullness when drunk and suppress wateriness that is unsuitable for beer-taste beverages.

For the numerical ranges described herein, the upper and lower limits can be combined arbitrarily. For example, when the numerical range is described as "preferably 30 to 100, more preferably 40 to 80", the range of "30 to 80" and the range of "40 to 100" are also described in this specification. included in the specified numerical range. Further, for example, when the numerical range is described as "preferably 30 or more, more preferably 40 or more, and preferably 100 or less, more preferably 80 or less", "30 to 80" Ranges and ranges from "40 to 100" are also included in the numerical ranges described herein.
Also, as a numerical range described in this specification, for example, the description of "60 to 100" means a range of "60 or more and 100 or less".
Furthermore, in the definition of the upper limit value and the lower limit value described in this specification, it is possible to define the numerical range from the lower limit value to the upper limit value by appropriately selecting from each option and combining them arbitrarily.
In addition, various requirements described as preferred embodiments described herein can be combined.

1. Beer-taste beverage As used herein, the term "beer-taste beverage" refers to an alcohol-containing or non-alcoholic carbonated beverage having a beer-like flavor. That is, the beer-taste beverages herein include any carbonated beverages having a beer flavor, unless otherwise specified.
Therefore, "beer-taste beverages" include, for example, malt, hops, and water as raw materials, and not only beer and fermented beer-taste beverages, which are fermented malt beverages obtained by fermenting these with yeast, but also esters. It also includes carbonated beverages having a beer flavor to which beer flavors such as alcohols, higher alcohols, lactones, etc. are added.

Beer flavors include isoamyl acetate, ethyl acetate, n-propanol, isobutanol, acetaldehyde, ethyl caproate, ethyl caprylate, isoamyl propionate, linalool, geraniol, citral, 4-vinylguaiacol (4-VG). , 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid, 2-methyl-2-pentenoic acid, 1,4-cineol, 1,8-cineol, 2,3-diethyl-5-methylpyrazine, γ-decanolactone, γ-undeca Lactone, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl n-butyrate, myrcene, citral, limonene, maltol, ethyl maltol, phenylacetic acid, furaneol, furfural, methional, 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol, 3 -methyl-2-butanethiol, diacetyl, ferulic acid, geranic acid, geranyl acetate, ethyl butyrate, octanoic acid, decanoic acid, 9-decenoic acid, nonanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, propanoic acid, 2-methylpropanoic acid, γ -butyrolactone, 2-aminoacetophenone, ethyl 3-phenylpropionate, 2-ethyl-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone, dimethylsulfone, 3-methylcyclopentane-1,2-dione, 2 -methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran-3-one, 2-acetylfuran, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran-3-one, hexanal, hexanol, cis-3-hexenal, 1-octene-3- ol, β-eudesmol, 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one, β-caryophyllene, β-myrcene, furfuryl alcohol, 2-ethylpyrazine, 2,3-dimethylpyrazine, 2-methylbutyl acetate, isoamyl alcohol, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, phenylacetaldehyde, 1-phenyl-3-buten-1-one, trans-2-hexenal, nonanal, phenethyl alcohol and the like.

Further, the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention may be a fermented beer-taste beverage that has undergone a fermentation process using yeast, or may be a non-fermented beer-taste beverage that has not undergone a fermentation process. It is preferably a flavored beverage.
The fermented beer-taste beverage may be an ale beer-taste beverage brewed through a fermentation process using top-fermenting yeast (Saccharomyces, etc.), or an ale beer-taste beverage brewed through a fermentation process using bottom-fermenting yeast (Saccharomyces, etc.). It may be a lager beer-taste beverage or a pilsner beer-taste beverage. In addition, "fermentation" as used herein may be alcoholic fermentation in which alcohol is produced, or non-alcoholic fermentation in which alcohol is not produced.

Furthermore, the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may be an alcohol-containing beer-taste beverage having an alcohol content of 1 (v/v)% or more, or a non-alcoholic beverage having an alcohol content of less than 1 (v/v)%. It may be a beer-taste beverage. The non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage may be a non-alcoholic fermented beer-taste beverage produced by removing the alcohol generated in the fermentation process after the fermentation process, and the fermentation process using yeast may be performed by removing alcohol. It may be a beverage produced by stopping at a stage where the concentration is less than 1 (v / v)%, and is a non-alcoholic, non-fermented beer-taste beverage prepared to have a beer-like flavor without undergoing a fermentation process. There may be.
In addition, the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may be a malt-using beer-taste beverage that uses malt as a raw material, or a malt-free beer-taste beverage that does not use malt. A beer-taste beverage is preferable, and a beer-taste beverage using barley malt is more preferable.
Further, the top-fermented beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention may be a barley-using beer-taste beverage using barley as a raw material, or a barley-free top-fermented beer-taste beverage that does not use malt. However, top-fermented beer-taste beverages using barley are preferred, and top-fermented beer-taste beverages using barley are more preferred.
The fermented beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may be a distilled liquor-containing beer-taste beverage containing distilled liquor such as spirits, whiskey, and shochu, and among these, a spirits-containing beer-taste beverage is preferable.

Among these, the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is preferably a fermented beer-taste beverage, more preferably an alcohol-containing fermented beer-taste beverage, and even more preferably a malt-using fermented beer-taste beverage. .

The beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention has a total nitrogen content of 5 to 85 mg/100 mL or less, a bitterness value of 5 to 35 BUs, a citric acid content of 150 to 900 mg/L, and corn grits as a raw material. It is a beer-taste drink using

Common beer-taste beverages contain nitrogen compounds such as proteins and amino acids. Beer-taste beverages containing a large amount of these nitrogen compounds are likely to give a feeling of fullness when drunk, and are also a factor in causing a decrease in drinkability. Here, by reducing the content of nitrogen compounds in beer-taste beverages, it is possible to reduce the feeling of fullness when drinking. A new problem arises in that the sour taste, which is not suitable for beverages, is likely to be felt strongly in some cases.
In order to solve such problems, the present inventors conducted various studies and found that, in a beer-taste beverage in which the total nitrogen content derived from nitrogen compounds is reduced, the bitterness value and the content of citric acid are set within a predetermined range. By adjusting it to , it is possible to reduce the feeling of fullness when drinking, suppress the sourness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages, and make beer-taste beverages with excellent taste and aftertaste. rice field. The present invention has been completed based on this finding.

The total nitrogen content of the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is 85 mg/100 mL or less, but from the viewpoint of further reducing the feeling of fullness when drinking and making the beer-taste beverage more excellent in drinkability, and From the viewpoint of producing a beer-taste beverage that can further enhance the sharpness of the aftertaste by adjusting the bitterness value and citric acid content, it is preferably 80 mg/100 mL or less, more preferably 77 mg/100 mL or less, and even more preferably 75 mg. /100 mL or less, more preferably 70 mg/100 mL or less, particularly preferably 65 mg/100 mL or less, and may be 60 mg/100 mL or less, 55 mg/100 mL or less, or 50 mg/100 mL or less.
In addition, from the viewpoint of making it a beer-taste beverage that can further enhance the taste improvement effect accompanying the adjustment of the bitterness value, citric acid content, and 1-4 sugar content, and suppressing the sourness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages. From the viewpoint of making a drink with a rich taste, the total nitrogen content of the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is 5 mg/100 mL or more, preferably 10 mg/100 mL or more, more preferably 15 mg/100 mL or more, and still more preferably 20 mg/100 mL or more. It is 100 mL or more, more preferably 25 mg/100 mL or more, particularly preferably 30 mg/100 mL or more, and may be 35 mg/100 mL or more, 37 mg/100 mL or more, or 40 mg/100 mL or more.

In the present invention, the "total nitrogen content" is the total amount of all nitrogen compounds such as proteins and amino acids.
The total nitrogen content of the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention can be controlled by adjusting the amount of raw materials that can be assimilated by yeast. Specifically, the total nitrogen content can be reduced by reducing the amount of malt or the like with a high nitrogen content. Raw materials with a high nitrogen content include, for example, malt, soybeans, yeast extract, peas, and ungerminated grains. Examples of ungerminated grains include ungerminated barley, wheat, rye, oats, oats, pigeons, oats, soybeans, and peas.
In addition to the items related to raw materials, the total nitrogen content depends on the type of enzyme, amount of enzyme (including proteolytic enzyme) added, timing of enzyme addition, protein decomposition time in the preparation tank, pH in the preparation tank, barley Set temperature and holding time for each temperature range when preparing soup, boiling time and pH in boiling process, original extract concentration in pre-fermentation liquid, original extract concentration in fermentation process, fermentation conditions (yeast variety, addition of yeast It can also be adjusted by appropriately setting factors such as the amount of yeast, the number of yeast multiplied, the timing of removing the yeast, the fermentation temperature, the fermentation time, the pressure setting, and the like.
In this specification, the total nitrogen content of beer-taste beverages is, for example, the revised BCOJ beer analysis method (published by the Brewing Association of Japan, Beer Brewers Association International Technical Committee [Analysis Committee] edited and revised in 2013) can be measured by the method described in

From the viewpoint of producing a beer-taste beverage in which the total nitrogen content is adjusted to the above range, the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is preferably a beverage using malt as a raw material.
From the above point of view, in the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the malt usage ratio (Y) is 80% by mass or less, 75% by mass or less, based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the raw materials excluding water and hops. 70% by mass or less, 65% by mass or less, 60% by mass or less, 55% by mass or less, or 50% by mass or less, or 0% by mass or more, 1% by mass or more, 5% by mass or more, 10% by mass or more , 15% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more.
In this specification, the usage ratio (Y) of malt can be calculated in accordance with the Liquor Tax Act and liquor administration-related laws and regulations, etc., which came into force on April 1, 2018.
In addition, when suppressing the malt ratio, it is preferable to increase the amount of raw materials (carbon source, nitrogen source) other than malt that can be assimilated by yeast. Examples of carbon sources that can be assimilated by yeast include monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, sugar solutions thereof, and the like. Nitrogen sources include yeast extract, soybean protein, malt, soybeans, yeast extract, peas, and wheat. Malt, ungerminated grains, decomposition products thereof, and the like. Examples of ungerminated grains include ungerminated barley, wheat, rye, oats, oats, pigeons, oats, rice (white rice, brown rice, etc.), corn, korian, potato, beans (soybeans, peas, etc.), buckwheat, sorghum, millet, barnyard millet, and the like. Starches obtained from these grains and extracts thereof may also be used.

The bitterness value of the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is 5 BUs or more, preferably 7 BUs or more, more preferably 10 BUs or more, and even more preferably, from the viewpoint of making the beer-taste beverage with a sharper aftertaste. It is 12 BUs or more, more preferably 15 BUs or more, particularly preferably 17 BUs or more, and from the viewpoint of a beer-taste beverage that suppresses bitterness that is unsuitable for beer-taste beverages, it is 35 BUs or less, preferably 32 BUs or less, and more. It is preferably 30 BUs or less, more preferably 28 BUs or less, still more preferably 27 BUs or less, and particularly preferably 25 BUs or less.

The bitterness value of the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is an indicator of the bitterness imparted by the hop-derived component containing isohumulone as the main component. can be controlled by
In addition, in this specification, the "bitterness value" of a beverage is defined as "8 .15 Bitterness value".

The content of citric acid in the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is 150 mg/L or more from the viewpoint of making the beer-taste beverage with a reduced total nitrogen content more sharp aftertaste, preferably 180 mg/L or more, more preferably 200 mg/L or more, still more preferably 220 mg/L or more, still more preferably 250 mg/L or more, particularly preferably 270 mg/L or more, and further preferably 300 mg/L or more, 320 mg /L or more, 340 mg/L or more, 350 mg/L or more, 360 mg/L or more, 370 mg/L or more, 380 mg/L or more, 390 mg/L or more, or 400 mg/L or more.
In addition, the content of citric acid in the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is 900 mg/L or less, preferably 870 mg/L or less, from the viewpoint of suppressing the sour taste that is unsuitable for beer-taste beverages. , more preferably 850 mg/L or less, still more preferably 830 mg/L or less, even more preferably 800 mg/L or less, particularly preferably 750 mg/L or less, and further preferably 700 mg/L or less, 650 mg/L or less, 600 mg/L or less, L or less, 550 mg/L or less, or 500 mg/L or less.

The beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may contain an organic acid other than citric acid.
In addition, the content of citric acid in the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is adjusted by directly adding citric acid or diluting it with extract-adjusted water, or by selecting raw materials with a high citric acid content, and adjusting the amount of raw materials used. can be controlled by how
Moreover, in this specification, the content of citric acid can be measured by, for example, high performance liquid chromatography.

In the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention, the ratio of the citric acid content (unit: mg/L) to the total nitrogen content (unit: mg/100 mL) [citric acid/total nitrogen] is the total nitrogen content is preferably 2.5 or more, more preferably 2.8 or more, more preferably 3.0 or more, still more preferably 3.2 or more, more preferably 3.5 or more, still more preferably 3.8 or more, still more preferably 4.0 or more, particularly preferably 4.2 or more, further preferably 4.5 or more; 8 or more, 5.0 or more, 5.2 or more, 5.5 or more, 5.8 or more, 6.0 or more, 6.2 or more, 6.5 or more, 6.8 or more, 7.0 or more, 7. It may be 2 or more, 7.5 or more, 7.8 or more, 8.0 or more, 8.2 or more, 8.5 or more, or 8.8 or more.
In addition, from the viewpoint of making the beer-taste beverage with a reduced total nitrogen content more sharp aftertaste and suppressing the sourness that is unsuitable for beer-taste beverages, the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention includes: The ratio of the citric acid content (unit: mg/L) to the total nitrogen content (unit: mg/100 mL) [citric acid/total nitrogen] is preferably 20.0 or less, more preferably 19.0 or less. , more preferably 18.0 or less, more preferably 17.0 or less, still more preferably 16.0 or less, even more preferably 15.0 or less, even more preferably 14.0 or less, particularly preferably 13.0 or less and may be 12.5 or less, 12.0 or less, 11.5 or less, 11.0 or less, 10.5 or less, 10.0 or less, 9.8 or less, or 9.5 or less.

The beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention reduces the feeling of fullness when drunk, suppresses wateriness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages, and improves the taste. It is preferred to use corn grits.
In the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the usage ratio (X) of corn grits is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 1% by mass or more, based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the raw materials excluding water and hops, from the above viewpoint. 3% by mass or more, more preferably 5% by mass or more, still more preferably 7% by mass or more, still more preferably 9% by mass or more, particularly preferably 10% by mass or more, and a beer with suppressed grain-like aroma From the viewpoint of a flavored beverage, it is preferably 28% by mass or less, more preferably 26% by mass or less, still more preferably 25% by mass or less, even more preferably 23% by mass or less, particularly preferably 20% by mass or less, and further , 18% by mass or less, 17% by mass or less, 16% by mass or less, or 15% by mass or less.
In this specification, the usage ratio (X) of corn grits can be calculated in accordance with the Liquor Tax Act and Liquor Administration Related Laws and Regulations, etc., which came into force on April 1, 2018.

In addition, from the viewpoint of making the beer-taste beverage with a reduced total nitrogen content more flavorful, the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention preferably uses corn grits and malt as raw materials.
From the above point of view, the ratio [(Y)/(X)] of the use ratio (Y) of malt and the use ratio (X) of corn grits is preferably 0.9 or more, more preferably 1.0 or more, and more preferably is 1.5 or more, more preferably 1.7 or more, even more preferably 2.0 or more, particularly preferably 2.3 or more, and furthermore, 2.5 or more, 2.7 or more, 3.0 or more, It may be 3.2 or more, 3.5 or more, 3.7 or more, or 3.9 or more, preferably 80.0 or less, more preferably 70.0 or less, more preferably 60.0 or less, and further preferably 50.0 or less, more preferably 40.0 or less, particularly preferably 30.0 or less; It may be 0 or less, 15.0 or less, 12.0 or less, or 10.0 or less.

In addition, in the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention, the usage ratio of corn grits (X) and the usage ratio of malt (Y ) is preferably 20% by mass or more, more preferably 23% by mass or more, more preferably 25% by mass or more, still more preferably 27% by mass or more, based on the total amount of raw materials excluding water and hops. more preferably 30% by mass or more, particularly preferably 35% by mass or more; 55% by mass or more, or 57% by mass or more, and 100% by mass or less, 98% by mass or less, 95% by mass or less, 93% by mass or less, 90% by mass or less, 88% by mass or less, and 85% by mass or less , 83% by mass or less, 80% by mass or less, 78% by mass or less, 75% by mass or less, 73% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less.

The beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention reduces the feeling of satiety when drunk, suppresses wateriness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages, and improves the taste. Concentration may be adjusted.
The original extract concentration of the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage, and is a beverage that suppresses the wateriness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages and improves the taste. From the viewpoint of, preferably 5.0% by mass or more, more preferably 6.0% by mass or more, more preferably 7.0% by mass or more, still more preferably 8.0% by mass or more, still more preferably 9.0 % by mass or more, more preferably 10.0% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 11.0% by mass or more, a beer-taste beverage that further reduces the feeling of fullness when drunk and has excellent drinkability. From the viewpoint of, preferably 20.0% by mass or less, more preferably 18.0% by mass or less, more preferably 17.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 16.0% by mass or less, still more preferably 15.0 % by mass or less, more preferably 14.0 mass % or less, particularly preferably 13.0 mass % or less.

Further, in the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention, the ratio of the original extract concentration (unit: mass %) to the total nitrogen content (unit: mg/100 mL) [original extract concentration/total nitrogen] is the beer-taste beverage From the viewpoint of suppressing the unsuitable wateriness and making a beverage with improved taste, it is preferably 0.050 or more, more preferably 0.070 or more, more preferably 0.100 or more, still more preferably 0 0.120 or more, more preferably 0.150 or more, particularly preferably 0.160 or more, and further 0.170 or more, 0.200 or more, 0.210 or more, 0.220 or more, 0.230 or more, It may be 0.240 or more, or 0.250 or more, and from the viewpoint of further reducing the feeling of fullness when drinking and making a beer-taste beverage with excellent drinkability, it is preferably 0.900 or less, or more. It is preferably 0.800 or less, more preferably 0.700 or less, still more preferably 0.600 or less, still more preferably 0.500 or less, particularly preferably 0.450 or less, further preferably 0.420 or less, 0 0.400 or less, 0.370 or less, 0.360 or less, 0.350 or less, 0.340 or less, 0.330 or less, 0.320 or less, 0.310 or less, or 0.300 or less.

As used herein, the “original extract concentration” refers to the extract content under the Japanese Liquor Tax Law in alcohol-containing beverages with an alcohol content of 1 (v/v)% or more, that is, the original volume of 100 cm at a temperature of 15 ° C. ³ refers to the number of grams of non-volatile components contained in In addition, in non-alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content of less than 1 (v / v)%, the analysis method (BOCJ beer analysis method (Japan Brewing Association fermentation, It refers to the extract value (% by mass) measured in accordance with Beer Brewers Association, 2013 revised edition)).

The beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention reduces the feeling of fullness when drunk, suppresses wateriness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages, and improves the taste. You may adjust the nitrogen concentration.
The free amino nitrogen concentration of the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is preferably 3.0 mg/100 mL from the viewpoint of suppressing the wateriness that is unsuitable for beer-taste beverages and improving the taste of the beverage. above, more preferably 3.2 mg/100 mL or more, still more preferably 3.5 mg/100 mL or more, even more preferably 3.7 mg/100 mL or more, particularly preferably 4.0 mg/100 mL or more, and 4.5 mg /100 mL or more, 5.0 mg/100 mL or more, 5.5 mg/100 mL or more, 6.0 mg/100 mL or more, 6.5 mg/100 mL or more, or 7.0 mg/100 mL or more, and satiety when drinking To provide a beer-taste beverage with a better drinkability by further reducing the bitterness of the beverage, and a beer-taste beverage that can enhance the effect of improving the sharpness of the aftertaste by adjusting the bitterness value and the content of citric acid. From the viewpoint of 100 mL or less, 12.5 mg/100 mL or less, 12.0 mg/100 mL or less, 11.5 mg/100 mL or less, 11.0 mg/100 mL or less, 10.5 mg/100 mL or less, 10.0 mg/100 mL or less, 9 .5 mg/100 mL or less, 9.0 mg/100 mL or less, 8.5 mg/100 mL or less, or 8.0 mg/100 mL or less.

In the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention, the ratio of free amino nitrogen concentration (unit: mg/100 mL) to total nitrogen content (unit: mg/100 mL) [free amino nitrogen concentration/total nitrogen] is From the viewpoint of suppressing wateriness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages and making beverages with improved taste, it is preferably 0.010 or more, more preferably 0.030 or more, more preferably 0.050 or more, and further It is preferably 0.070 or more, more preferably 0.100 or more, particularly preferably 0.120 or more, and furthermore, 0.130 or more, 0.140 or more, 0.150 or more, or 0.160 or more Also, from the viewpoint of making a beer-taste beverage with better drinkability by further reducing the feeling of fullness when drinking, it is preferably 0.800 or less, more preferably 0.700 or less, and more preferably 0.700 or less. 600 or less, more preferably 0.500 or less, still more preferably 0.400 or less, particularly preferably 0.350 or less, and further 0.300 or less, 0.270 or less, 0.250 or less, 0.230 0.220 or less, 0.210 or less, 0.200 or less, 0.190 or less, or 0.180 or less.

As used herein, the free amino nitrogen concentration is the method described in "8.18 Free amino acid nitrogen (IM) ninhydrin colorimetric method" of the revised BCOJ beer analysis method (edited by the International Technical Committee of the Beer Brewers Association, 2013). can be measured in
In addition, the concentration of free amino nitrogen is determined by, for example, the type of raw material (malt, corn grits, etc.), the type of enzyme, the amount of enzyme (including proteolytic enzyme) added, the timing of enzyme addition, and the proteolytic time in the preparation tank. , pH in the brewing tank, set temperature and holding time for each temperature range when preparing wort, boiling time and pH in the boiling process, original extract concentration in the pre-fermentation liquid, original extract concentration in the fermentation process, fermentation The conditions (yeast variety, amount of yeast added, yeast growth number, yeast removal timing, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, etc.) can be appropriately set and adjusted. For example, in the process of preparing raw materials, prolonging the decomposition time of proteins contained in raw materials such as malt promotes the decomposition of proteins and increases the concentration of free amino nitrogen. On the other hand, in the fermentation process, by increasing the yeast concentration or raising the fermentation temperature, the amount of amino acids consumed by the yeast increases and the concentration of free amino nitrogen can be reduced.

In the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention, monosaccharides and disaccharides are used from the viewpoint of improving the taste of the beer-taste beverage with a reduced total nitrogen content and effectively suppressing the unfavorable acidity. The content of saccharides selected from , trisaccharides, and tetrasaccharides (hereinafter also referred to as “content of 1 to 4 saccharides”) is preferably 0.10 g / 100 mL or more, more preferably 0.15 g / 100 mL or more, and more Preferably 0.20 g/100 mL or more, more preferably 0.25 g/100 mL or more, still more preferably 0.30 g/100 mL or more, particularly preferably 0.35 g/100 mL or more, and further preferably 0.40 g/100 mL or more , 0.45 g/100 mL or more, 0.50 g/100 mL or more, 0.55 g/100 mL or more, 0.60 g/100 mL or more, 0.70 g/100 mL or more, 0.80 g/100 mL or more, 0.90 g/100 mL or more, 5. 1.00 g/100 mL or more, 1.10 g/100 mL or more, 1.20 g/100 mL or more, 1.30 g/100 mL or more, 1.40 g/100 mL or more, or 1.50 g/100 mL or more; 0 g/100 mL or less, 4.5 g/100 mL or less, 4.0 g/100 mL or less, 3.5 g/100 mL or less, 3.0 g/100 mL or less, 2.5 g/100 mL or less, 2.0 g/100 mL or less, 1.8 g /100 mL or less, 1.7 g/100 mL or less, 1.6 g/100 mL or less, 1.5 g/100 mL or less, 1.4 g/100 mL or less, 1.3 g/100 mL or less, 1.2 g/100 mL or less, 1.1 g/ It may be 100 mL or less, 1.0 g/100 mL or less, 0.9 g/100 mL or less, or 0.8 g/100 mL or less.

In order to improve the taste of beer-taste beverages with a reduced total nitrogen content and to more effectively suppress unfavorable sourness, the content of 1 to 4 sugars (unit: g / 100 mL). The acid content (unit: mg/L) ratio [citric acid/1-4 sugars] is preferably 100 or more, more preferably 120 or more, more preferably 140 or more, still more preferably 150 or more, and still more preferably 170 or more, particularly preferably 200 or more, and further 220 or more, 240 or more, 250 or more, 260 or more, 280 or more, 300 or more, 350 or more, 400 or more, 450 or more, 500 or more, 550 or more, or 600 or more Also preferably 6000 or less, more preferably 5000 or less, more preferably 4000 or less, still more preferably 3000 or less, still more preferably 2000 or less, particularly preferably 1500 or less, furthermore 1300 or less, 1200 or less , 1100 or less, 1000 or less, 900 or less, 800 or less, or 700 or less.

In this specification, the content of 1 to 4 sugars includes glucose, sucrose, maltose, isomaltose, maltotriose, isomalttriose, fructose, maltotetraose, and isomaltotetraose contained in the beverage. and the content of these sugars can be measured, for example, by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
In addition, the content of 1 to 4 sugars in the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention is adjusted by adjusting the amount and ratio of sweeteners such as liquid sugar containing 1 to 4 sugars and grains used as raw materials, Adjusting the type (type of raw material containing the enzyme, etc.), the amount of enzyme added, and the timing of adding the enzyme, adjusting the set temperature and holding time for each temperature range when preparing the saccharified solution, fermentation Process conditions (yeast variety, amount of yeast added, timing of yeast addition, timing of yeast removal, timing of reducing the amount of yeast, yeast growth number, yeast growth time, yeast activity, yeast size (cell size), The content can be adjusted to a desired content by adjusting oxygen concentration, carbon dioxide concentration, nitrogen concentration, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, etc.).

As described above, the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention may be an alcohol-containing beer-taste beverage or a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage.
In the case of an alcohol-containing beer-taste beverage, the alcohol content of the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is 1.0 (v/v)% or more, 1.5 (v/v)% or more, 2.0 ( v/v)% or more, 2.5 (v/v)% or more, 3.0 (v/v)% or more, 3.5 (v/v)% or more, 4.0 (v/v)% or more , 4.5 (v/v)% or more, 5.0 (v/v)% or more, 5.5 (v/v)% or more, or 6.0 (v/v)% or more , Also, 20.0 (v / v)% or less, 17.0 (v / v)% or less, 15.0 (v / v)% or less, 13.0 (v / v)% or less, 12.0 (v/v)% or less, 11.0 (v/v)% or less, 10.0 (v/v)% or less, 9.0 (v/v)% or less, or 8.0 (v/v) % or less.
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.

The alcohol content of the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention includes the addition and amount of diluted water or carbonated water when added, the type of raw materials (wheat, malt, corn grits, sugar solution, etc.), the amount of raw materials, and the amount of enzymes. Type, amount of enzyme added, timing of enzyme addition, saccharification time in the brewing tank, proteolysis time in the brewing tank, pH in the brewing tank, brewing process (wort manufacturing process from malt input to yeast addition) pH, amount of acid used for pH adjustment, timing of pH adjustment (during preparation, fermentation, completion of fermentation, before beer filtration, after beer filtration, etc.), when preparing wort (during saccharification) ), the set temperature and holding time for each temperature range, the original extract concentration in the pre-fermentation solution, the original extract concentration in the fermentation process, the fermentation conditions (oxygen concentration, aeration conditions, yeast variety, amount of yeast added, yeast growth number, Yeast removal timing, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, carbon dioxide concentration, etc.), and the presence or absence of addition of spirits, brewing alcohol, etc., and the amount of addition, etc., can be adjusted to the desired range. can do.

Note that the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may further contain grain-derived spirits as an alcohol component in order to adjust the alcohol content to fall within the above range.
Here, spirits are obtained by saccharifying grains such as wheat, rice, buckwheat, corn, potatoes, sugar cane, etc. using malt or, if necessary, enzymatic agents, fermenting with yeast, and then further distilling. means the liquor obtained. Grain, which is a raw material for spirits, is preferably a plant belonging to the family Poaceae, and more preferably wheat.
However, the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may be a beverage that does not contain spirits from the viewpoint of making it a beer-taste beverage that has a good taste and is like beer.

Moreover, from the same viewpoint as above, the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is preferably beer.
As used herein, "beer" refers to a beverage obtained by fermenting malt, hops, and water as raw materials using yeast. It means what is defined in the Liquor Tax Act and the Liquor Administration Related Laws and Regulations Interpretation Notice on the effective date.
That is, when the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is beer, the alcohol content is adjusted by a fermentation process using yeast.

The color of the top-fermented beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention is not particularly limited, but may be amber or golden like normal beer, black like dark beer, or colorless and transparent, or Coloring agents and the like may be added to give the desired color. The color of the top-fermented beer-taste beverage can be discerned with the naked eye, but may be defined by total light transmittance, chromaticity, or the like.

The pH of the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 2.0 to 5.0, more preferably 3.0 to 4.6, and still more preferably 4.0 to 4.55. be. If the pH of the beer-taste beverage is 5.0 or less, the generation of microorganisms can be suppressed, and if the pH is 2.0 or more, the flavor of the beverage is likely to be improved.
Further, the pH of the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is 2.0 or higher, 2.2 or higher, 2.4 or higher, 2.6 or higher, 2.8 or higher, 3.0 or higher, 3.1 or higher, 3.2 or more, 3.3 or more, 3.4 or more, 3.5 or more, 3.6 or more, 3.7 or more, 3.8 or more, 3.9 or more, or 4.0 or more; .4 or less, 5.2 or less, 5.0 or less, 4.9 or less, 4.8 or less, 4.7 or less, 4.6 or less, or 4.5 or less.

The beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention may be in any form as long as the beverage is packed in a container, and examples of the container include bottles, PET bottles, cans, and barrels, which are particularly easy to carry. cans, bottles, and PET bottles are preferable.

1.1 Raw Materials Malt may be used together with water and corn grits as main raw materials of the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention, or malt may not be used. Furthermore, the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may be a beverage using hops or a beverage without hops as a raw material, but preferably a beverage using hops.
In addition, preservatives, sweeteners, water-soluble dietary fibers, bittering agents or bitterness imparting agents, antioxidants, flavors, acidulants, salts, and the like may be used.

1.1.1 Malt, when malt is used as a cereal raw material other than malt, the malt refers to germinated seeds of barley, wheat, rye, oat, oat, pigeon, oat, etc. It refers to dried and rooted plants, and any production areas and varieties may be used.
Barley malt is preferable as the malt used in one aspect of the present invention. Barley malt is one of the most commonly used malts as a raw material for Japanese 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.
The malt used in one aspect of the present invention preferably has a modification of 80% or more. If the modification is less than 80%, the viscosity of the wort increases, the turbidity increases, and production efficiency such as wort filterability and beer filterability deteriorates. Therefore, it is preferable to use malt with a modification of 80% or more. Malt with a modification of 80% or more was used in Examples and Comparative Examples described later. The modification is described in MEBAK Raw Materials Barley Adjuncts Malt Hops And Hop Products Published by the Chairman Dr. It can be measured by the method described in Fritz Jacob Self-published by MEBAK 85350 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany 2011, 3.1.3.8 Modification and Homogeneity (Calcofluor Carlsberg Method-EBC).
In addition, in the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention, the malt to be used is preferably appropriately selected according to the desired chromaticity of the beer-taste beverage, and the selected malt may be singly. , may be used in combination of two or more.

Grains other than malt may be used together with malt or instead of malt.
Such grains include, for example, barley (barley, wheat, rye, oats, oats, pigeons, oats, etc.) that do not correspond to malt, rice (polished rice, brown rice, etc.), corn, korian, Potatoes, beans (soybeans, peas, etc.), buckwheat, sorghum, millet, barley, and starches obtained therefrom, extracts thereof, and the like.

When the malt ratio is suppressed or when malt is not used, it is preferable to increase the amount of raw materials other than malt that can be assimilated by yeast (carbon source, nitrogen source). Carbon sources that can be assimilated by yeast include monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, their sugar solutions, liquid sugar containing carbon sources, and the like. Nitrogen sources include amino acid-containing materials other than malt, such as the grains described above (eg, soybean protein, soybeans, yeast extract, peas, wheat malt, ungerminated grains described above, decomposition products thereof, etc.).

Fruits, fruit skins, barks, leaves, flowers, stems, roots, and seeds of plants other than gramineous plants such as wheat that can be used as raw materials can be appropriately selected.
Specific examples of plants other than gramineous plants include citrus fruits, soft fruits, herbs, and spices. Examples of citrus include orange, yuzu, lemon, lime, mandarin orange, grapefruit, Iyokan, kumquat, kabosu, bitter orange, shikuwasa, and sudachi.
Soft fruits include peaches, grapes, bananas, apples, grapes, pineapples, strawberries, pears, muscat grapes, and cassis. Herbs and spices include coriander, pepper, fennel, Sichuan pepper, Japanese pepper, cardamom, caraway, nutmeg, mace, juniper berry, allspice, vanilla, elderberry, grains of paradise, anise, and star anise. mentioned.
These may be used as they are, may be used after pulverization, may be used in the form of extracts extracted with an extraction solvent such as water or ethanol, or may be used in the form of squeezed juices (such as fruit juice). You may These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.
The above can be used as appropriate according to consumer tastes, but in order to enjoy the refreshing and refreshing taste of beer, the above citrus fruits, soft fruits, herbs, and spices should not be used as raw materials, or the amount used should be should be minimized. In particular, since cassis imparts an unsuitable milky flavor to beer, it is preferable not to use cassis or cassis juice as a raw material, or to minimize the amount used.

In one aspect of the present invention, from the viewpoint of producing a beer-taste beverage with excellent taste, it is preferable that the amount of barley used before malting is as small as possible.
The above-mentioned "malting" means the process of germinating barley to produce malt. For example, barley becomes barley malt through a malting process. By malting barley through the malting process, umami can be imparted, and by using malt, a beer-taste beverage with a rich taste can be obtained. On the other hand, beer-taste beverages using barley before malting have poor taste. In particular, a beverage using barley before malting may become a beverage with a pronounced cereal-like aroma, which is unsuitable for beer-taste beverages.
From the above viewpoint, the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is preferably a pre-malted barley-free beer-taste beverage that does not substantially use pre-malted barley, and contains at least pre-malted barley. More preferably, it is a barley-free beer-taste beverage that does not substantially use barley before malting.

In this specification, the provision that "pre-manufacturing barley (barley) is not substantially used" is a provision that denies the use of pre-manufacturing barley (barley) for a predetermined purpose, It is not a provision that denies even the manner in which unintentionally or unavoidably unmanufactured wheat (barley) is mixed or present in raw materials.
However, in the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention, the smaller the proportion of wheat (barley) used before malting, the better. Specifically, the proportion of wheat (barley) used before malting is unintentionally or unavoidably mixed or present in 100 parts by mass of malt used as a raw material. and usually less than 20 parts by weight, but less than 10 parts by weight, less than 5 parts by weight, less than 1 part by weight, less than 0.1 parts by weight, less than 0.01 parts by weight, less than 0.001 parts by weight, or 0.1 part by weight. It may be less than 0001 parts by mass.

1.1.2 Hops When hops are used in one aspect of the present invention, examples of the form of the hops include pellet hops, powdered hops, and hop extracts. As the hops to be used, processed hops such as isoformed hops and reduced hops may be used.
When hops are used in one aspect of the present invention, the amount of hops added is preferably adjusted as appropriate so that the bitterness value falls within the above range.

Also, a beer-taste beverage using hops as a raw material is a beverage containing iso-α acids, which are components derived from hops. The iso-α acid content of the beer-taste beverage using hops may be more than 0.1 ppm by mass, or more than 1.0 ppm by mass, based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage. There may be.
On the other hand, the iso-α acid content in the beer-taste beverage containing no hops may be 0.1 ppm by mass or less based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage.
In this specification, the content of iso-α acids is described in the revised BCOJ beer analysis method (published by the Brewing Association of Japan, Beer Brewers Association International Technical Committee [Analysis Committee] edited 2013 supplementary revision). It means a value measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analytical method.

1.1.3 Preservative The beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may be a beverage containing a preservative.
Preservatives used in one embodiment of the present invention include, for example, benzoic acid; benzoates such as sodium benzoate; benzoate esters such as propyl parahydroxybenzoate and butyl parahydroxybenzoate; and dimethyl dicarbonate. Moreover, as a preservative, a commercially available preparation such as Strong Samprezer (a mixture of sodium benzoate and butyl benzoate, manufactured by San-Eigen FFI Co., Ltd.) may be used.
These preservatives may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

When a preservative is added to the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention, the amount of the preservative is preferably 5 to 1200 ppm by mass, more preferably 10 to 1100 ppm by mass, and even more preferably 15 to 1000 ppm by mass. , and more preferably 20 to 900 mass ppm.

1.1.4 Sweetener The beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may be a beverage further containing a sweetener.
Sweeteners used in one embodiment of the present invention include commercially available saccharified solutions obtained by decomposing grain-derived starch with acids or enzymes, saccharides such as commercially available starch syrups, sugars of trisaccharides or higher, sugar alcohols, and natural sweeteners such as stevia. ingredients, artificial sweeteners, and the like.
These sweeteners may be used alone or in combination of two or more.
The form of these sugars 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, maltotetraose, isomaltose, isomaltotriose, isomaltotetraose and their solutions (sugar solutions) can also be used.
Examples of artificial sweeteners include aspartame, acesulfame potassium (acesulfame K), sucralose, and neotame.

Examples of water-soluble dietary fibers include indigestible dextrin, polydextrose, guar gum decomposition products, pectin, glucomannan, alginic acid, laminarin, fucoidin, carrageenan, and the like, from the viewpoint of versatility such as stability and safety. , indigestible dextrin or polydextrose are preferred.
The content of dietary fiber may be adjusted to the above range by adding a commercially available product, or the dietary fiber derived from raw materials such as malt may be adjusted in the manufacturing process so that it is within the above range. good. When a commercially available product is added, by setting the content of dietary fiber within the above range, it is possible to suppress powderiness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages. When the dietary fiber content is adjusted in the manufacturing process, by setting the dietary fiber content within the above range, for example, filterability in wort filtration and beer filtration can be improved, and production efficiency can be increased.
When adjusting the dietary fiber content in the manufacturing process, the dietary fiber content of the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention can be adjusted by adding diluted water or carbonated water, raw materials (wheat, malt, corn, sugar solution, etc.) type of raw material, amount of raw materials, type of enzyme, amount of enzyme added, timing of enzyme addition (during saccharification process, before addition of yeast, after addition of yeast, during aging, etc.), each temperature range when preparing saccharified solution can be adjusted by adjusting the set temperature, pH and retention time.

1.1.5 Bittering agents and bitterness-imparting agents The beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may further contain one or more selected from bittering agents and bitterness-imparting agents.
In the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention, bitterness may be imparted by hops, and the following bittering agent or bitterness imparting agent may be used together with hops.
The bittering agent or bitterness-imparting agent is not particularly limited, and those used as bitterness-imparting agents in ordinary beer and low-malt beer can be used. , Ganoderma lucidum, bay leaf, quassin, caffeine, absinthine, naringin, citrus extract, bittern extract, coffee extract, tea extract, bitter gourd extract, lotus germ extract, aloe vera extract, stonecrop extract, lychee extract , laurel extract, sage extract, caraway extract, wormwood extract, absinthine, alginic acid and the like.
These bittering agents and bitterness-imparting agents may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

1.1.6 Antioxidant The beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may be a beverage further containing an antioxidant.
The antioxidant is not particularly limited, and those used as antioxidants in ordinary beer and low-malt beer can be used, and examples thereof include ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, catechin, and the like.
These antioxidants may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

1.1.7 Flavor The beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may be a beverage further containing a flavor.
Flavors are not particularly limited, and common beer flavors can be used. Beer flavors are used for beer-like flavoring.
Beer flavors include esters and higher alcohols, and specific examples include isoamyl acetate, ethyl acetate, n-propanol, isobutanol, acetaldehyde, ethyl caproate, ethyl caprylate, isoamyl propionate, linalool, and geraniol. , citral, 4-vinylguaiacol (4-VG), 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid, 2-methyl-2-pentenoic acid, 1,4-cineole, 1,8-cineole, 2,3-diethyl-5 -methylpyrazine, γ-decanolactone, γ-undecalactone, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl n-butyrate, myrcene, citral, limonene, maltol, ethyl maltol, phenylacetic acid, furaneol, furfural, methional, 3 -methyl-2-butene-1-thiol, 3-methyl-2-butanethiol, diacetyl, ferulic acid, geranic acid, geranyl acetate, ethyl butyrate, octanoic acid, decanoic acid, 9-decenoic acid, nonanoic acid, tetradecane acid, propanoic acid, 2-methylpropanoic acid, γ-butyrolactone, 2-aminoacetophenone, ethyl 3-phenylpropionate, 2-ethyl-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone, dimethylsulfone, 3 -methylcyclopentane-1,2-dione, 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran-3-one, 2-acetylfuran, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran-3-one, hexanal, hexanol, cis-3-hexenal, 1-octen-3-ol, β-eudesmol, 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one, β-caryophyllene, β-myrcene, furfuryl alcohol, 2-ethylpyrazine, 2,3-dimethylpyrazine, 2-methylbutyl acetate, isoamyl alcohol, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, phenylacetaldehyde, 1-phenyl-3-buten-1-one, trans-2-hexenal, nonanal, phenethyl alcohol and the like. .
These perfumes may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

The content of perfumes such as esters and higher alcohols can be adjusted by adding these separately, but may be adjusted by alcoholic fermentation.
The content of esters and higher alcohol flavors can be adjusted by adding them directly or by adding dilution water or carbonated water. concentration, concentration of original extract in pre-fermentation solution, yeast variety, fermentation conditions (oxygen concentration, aeration conditions, yeast variety, amount of yeast added, yeast growth number, timing of yeast removal, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, dioxide carbon concentration, etc.), cooling timing, etc. may be appropriately set and adjusted.

1.1.8 Acidulant The beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may be a beverage containing an acidulant other than citric acid.
The acidulant is not particularly limited as long as it has a sour taste, and examples thereof include tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, gluconic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, phytic acid, acetic acid, succinic acid, gluconodeltalactone, and salts thereof. be done.
Among these, at least one selected from tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, gluconic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, phytic acid, acetic acid, succinic acid and salts thereof is preferred, and tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, acetic acid and their salts are preferred. At least one selected from salts is more preferred, and at least one selected from tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, and lactic acid is even more preferred.
These acidulants may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

In addition, in the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention, the content of the acidulant is 5000 mg/L or less, 4500 mg/L or less, 4000 mg/L or less, 3500 mg/L or less, 3000 mg/L or less, 2500 mg/L or less, Alternatively, it may be 2000 mg/L or less.
In addition, the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention preferably contains phosphoric acid from the viewpoint of imparting a refreshing feeling typical of beer-taste beverages, and the phosphoric acid content is preferably 50 mg/L or more, more preferably. is 100 mg/L or more, more preferably 150 mg/L or more, still more preferably 200 mg/L or more, and from the viewpoint of suppressing sourness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages, preferably 750 mg/L or less, more preferably is 700 mg/L or less, more preferably 650 mg/L or less, and even more preferably 600 mg/L or less.
Furthermore, the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention preferably contains lactic acid from the viewpoint of imparting a beer-taste beverage-like taste, and the content of lactic acid is preferably 20 mg/L or more, more preferably 50 mg/L. L or more, more preferably 80 mg/L or more, still more preferably 100 mg/L or more, and from the viewpoint of suppressing sourness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages, preferably 800 mg/L or less, more preferably 750 mg/L or less. , and more preferably 700 mg/L or less.

1.1.9 Salts The beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may be a beverage further containing salts.
Examples of salts include sodium chloride, acid potassium phosphate, acid calcium phosphate, ammonium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, calcium sulfate, potassium metabisulfite, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, potassium chloride, monosodium citrate, disodium citrate, trisodium citrate and the like.
These salts may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

1.2 Carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide contained in the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may be carbon dioxide contained in raw materials, or may be dissolved by mixing with carbonated water or adding carbon dioxide. may
The carbon dioxide gas generated in the fermentation process of the beer-taste beverage can be used as it is, but the amount of carbon dioxide gas may be adjusted by adding carbonated water as appropriate.

The carbon dioxide gas concentration of the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is preferably 0.30 (w/w)% or more, more preferably 0.35 (w/w)% or more, and even more preferably 0.40 (w/w)% or more. /w)% or more, more preferably 0.42 (w/w)% or more, particularly preferably 0.45 (w/w)% or more, and preferably 0.80 (w/w) % or less, more preferably 0.70 (w/w) % or less, even more preferably 0.60 (w/w) % or less, even more preferably 0.57 (w/w) or less, particularly preferably 0.57 (w/w) % or less. It is 55 (w/w)% or less.
In this specification, the carbon dioxide gas concentration is measured by immersing the container containing the target beverage in a water tank at 20°C for 30 minutes or longer while occasionally shaking the beverage to adjust the temperature of the beverage to 20°C, and then measuring the gas volume. It can be measured using an apparatus (eg, GVA-500 (manufactured by Kyoto Electronics Industry Co., Ltd.)).

When the beer-taste beverage of one aspect of the present invention is a container-packed beverage, the carbon dioxide pressure of the container ^- packed beverage may be appropriately adjusted within the range of the carbon dioxide concentration described above. It may be 4.5 kg/cm ² or less, or 4.0 kg/cm ² or less, or may be 0.20 kg/cm ² or more, 0.50 kg/cm ² or more, or 1.0 kg/cm ² or more. Any combination of these upper ^limits and ^{lower limits} may be used. cm ² or less, or 1.0 kg/cm ² or more and 4.0 kg/cm ² or less.
In the present specification, gas pressure refers to gas pressure within a container, except in special cases.
The pressure is 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, open the stopcock of the gas pressure gauge once to release the gas, close the stopcock again, and can be measured using a method of reading the value when the pointer reaches a certain position by shaking the pointer, or using a commercially available gas pressure measuring device.

1.3 Other Additives Various additives may be added to the beer-taste 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 promoters, yeast extracts, protein substances such as peptide-containing substances, and seasonings such as amino acids.
A coloring agent is used to impart a beer-like color to a beverage, and caramel coloring and the like can be used. The foam-forming agent is used to form a beer-like foam in a beverage or to retain the foam of the beverage. Proteins, peptide-containing materials such as collagen peptides, yeast extracts, and the like can be used as appropriate.
Fermentation promoters are used to promote fermentation by yeast. For example, yeast extract, bran ingredients such as rice and wheat, vitamins, minerals, etc. can be used alone or in combination.

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. Bottles and PET bottles are preferred.

2. Method for Producing Beer-Taste Beverage The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to one aspect of the present invention is not particularly limited, but may be a method of production through a fermentation process or a method of production without a fermentation process. However, a method including a step of adding yeast to the raw material and carrying out alcoholic fermentation is preferable.
A specific method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention includes, for example, a method including the following steps (1) and (2).
- Step (1): A step of subjecting a raw material containing water, malt, and corn grits to at least one of saccharification, boiling, and removal of solids to obtain a pre-fermentation liquid.
- Step (2): A step of adding yeast to the pre-fermentation solution obtained in step (1) and performing alcoholic fermentation.

In addition, it is preferable to further include the following step (3).
- Step (3): a step of confirming and/or adjusting at least one of the total nitrogen content, bitterness value, and citric acid content.
Each step in the method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

2.1 Step (1)
Step (1) is a step of subjecting a raw material containing water, malt, and corn grits to at least one of saccharification, boiling, and removal of solids to obtain a pre-fermentation liquid.
The malt used as a raw material is as described above, but malted barley is preferred.
In this step, the raw materials are put into a preparation pot or a preparation tank, and enzymes such as amylase and protease are added as necessary. Raw materials other than malt and corn grits include liquid sugar, hops, preservatives, sweeteners, water-soluble dietary fiber, bittering agents or bitterness imparting agents, antioxidants, flavors, acidulants, salts, various additives such as pigments. may be added. These may be added before the saccharification treatment, may be added during the saccharification treatment, or may be added after the saccharification treatment is completed. Alternatively, these may be added after alcoholic fermentation in the next step.

The mixture of raw materials is heated to saccharify the starch of the raw materials to perform a saccharification treatment.
The temperature and time of the saccharification treatment are adjusted appropriately taking into account the type of malt used, the ratio of malt, water and raw materials other than malt, the type and amount of enzymes used, the concentration of the original extract in the final beverage, etc. preferably. For example, it is preferable that the saccharification treatment temperature is 55 to 75° C. and the saccharification treatment time is 30 to 240 minutes.

The saccharified liquid is preferably subjected to boiling treatment.
When using hops, a bittering agent, etc. as raw materials when performing this boiling treatment, it is preferable to add these. Hops, bittering agents, etc. may be added between the start of boiling of the saccharified liquid and before the end of boiling. At this time, it is preferable to appropriately adjust various conditions of the boiling treatment (boiling temperature, boiling temperature, etc.) according to the desired bitterness value of the beer-taste beverage.

After the boiling process is completed, it is preferable to transfer to a whirlpool and remove solids such as solidified protein and hop residue. After removal treatment with a whirlpool, the mixture is cooled to 0-25° C. to obtain a pre-fermentation liquid.

Instead of the above saccharified solution, a pre-fermentation solution may be prepared by adding hot water to malt extract, adding hops, a bittering agent, etc., and subjecting the mixture to boiling treatment.
In addition, as various raw materials, liquid sugar containing carbon sources, nitrogen sources as amino acid-containing raw materials other than wheat or malt, hops, dietary fiber, preservatives, sweeteners, antioxidants, bitterness imparting agents, flavors, acidulants , pigments, etc. may be mixed with hot water to prepare a liquid sugar solution, and the liquid sugar solution may be subjected to a boiling treatment to prepare a pre-fermentation liquid.
When hops are used, they may be added before the boiling process, or may be added between the start of boiling of the liquid sugar solution and before the end of boiling, and are adjusted appropriately according to the bitterness value of the desired beer-taste beverage. is preferred.

2.2 Step (2)
Step (2) is a step of adding yeast to the pre-fermentation solution obtained in step (1) and performing alcoholic fermentation.
The yeast used in this step can be appropriately selected in consideration of the type of fermented beverage to be produced, the desired flavor and fermentation conditions, etc. Top-fermenting yeast may be used, and bottom-fermenting yeast may be used. good.

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

Fermentation conditions for alcoholic fermentation can be set as appropriate. For example, fermentation may be performed at a fermentation temperature of 5 to 25° C. for 5 to 10 days. Also, if necessary, the temperature (increase or decrease) or pressure of the fermented liquid may be changed during the fermentation process.
In addition, after the completion of this step, the yeast may be removed with a filter or the like, and additives such as water, flavor, acidulant, and pigment may be added as necessary.

In one aspect of the present invention, when producing a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage, in step (2), the alcohol content is 1 (v / v )%, a non-alcoholic fermentation beer-taste beverage having an alcohol content of less than 1 (v/v)% may be produced.

2.3 Step (3)
Step (3) is a step of confirming and/or adjusting at least one of the total nitrogen content, bitterness value, and citric acid content.
In steps (1) and (2), the total nitrogen content, bitterness value, and citric acid content are determined in steps (1) and (2), such as the variety of raw materials and their blending amounts, preparation conditions (timing of addition of raw materials, etc.), yeast species, fermentation conditions, etc. can also be adjusted by appropriately setting Therefore, in the step (3), it is preferable to measure these physical property values and confirm whether they are within the ranges described above. If these physical property values are out of the range, it is preferable to adjust by adding a component capable of adjusting each physical property value or by dilution.

The adjustment of each physical property value in this step may be performed in parallel with step (1) and/or step (2), or may be performed between step (1) and step (2). It may be performed after (2). In addition, although confirmation of each physical property value in this step may be performed at any of the above timings, each physical property value is confirmed after step (2), and as a result, if there is a component that requires adjustment, , it is preferable to adjust the physical property values.

2.4 Step (4), Step (5)
In one aspect of the present invention, when producing a non-alcoholic fermented beer-taste beverage, it is preferable to further perform steps (4) and (5).
- Step (4): A step of removing alcohol from the fermentation liquid after step (3).
- Step (5): a step of adjusting the amount of carbon dioxide gas after step (4).

In step (4), the method of removing the alcohol produced by the fermentation step of step (2) is preferably a method of removing by heat treatment. As the conditions for the heat treatment, the same conditions as in the general method for producing non-alcoholic beer-taste beverages can be applied.
Moreover, after step (4), alcohol is removed from the solution, and carbon dioxide gas is also removed. Therefore, it is preferable to adjust the amount of carbon dioxide by step (5).
As a method for adjusting the amount of carbon dioxide gas, it may be added by mixing the solution after step (4) with carbonated water, or carbon dioxide gas may be added directly to the solution after step (4). You may

The beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention thus obtained is filled in a predetermined container and distributed on the market as a product.
The method for packing the beer-taste beverage into a container is not particularly limited, and a container-packing method well known to those skilled in the art can be used. The beer-taste beverage of the present invention is filled and sealed in a container by the container-packing 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, but the present invention is not limited by these examples.

Examples 1-17, Comparative Examples 1-7
<Preparation of beverage>
After pulverized barley malt, corn grits, and enzymes containing proteolytic enzymes are put into a preparation tank containing 120 L of warm water, the temperature is raised stepwise and held, filtered to remove malt cake, and the wort is extracted. Obtained. After that, the wort was put into a boiling pot, liquid sugar and hops were further added, and the wort was boiled. The amounts of malted barley, corn grits, liquid sugar, and hops were adjusted so that the ratio of raw materials used and the bitterness value shown in Tables 1 to 6 were obtained. After the boiling treatment, a solid-liquid separation treatment was performed, and the resulting clear wort was cooled and then aerated with oxygen to obtain a pre-fermentation liquid before addition of yeast.
Beer yeast (bottom-fermenting yeast) is added to the pre-fermentation solution thus obtained, fermentation is performed at a predetermined fermentation temperature and fermentation time, and after an aging period of about one week, the yeast is removed by filtration. and obtained beer-taste beverages.
In each example and comparative example, the total nitrogen content, bitterness value, citric acid content, free amino nitrogen concentration, and the total content of monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and tetrasaccharides. The "content of 1-4 saccharides" was adjusted to the values shown in Tables 1-6 as follows.
・Total nitrogen content: type of raw materials (malt, corn grits, etc.), type of enzyme, amount of enzyme (including proteolytic enzyme) added, timing of enzyme addition, protein decomposition time in the preparation tank, pH in the preparation tank , Preset temperature and holding time for each temperature range when preparing wort, boiling time and pH in the boiling process, original extract concentration in the pre-fermentation liquid, original extract concentration in the fermentation process, fermentation conditions (yeast variety, yeast addition amount, yeast growth number, yeast removal timing, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, etc.) were set and adjusted as appropriate.
・Bitterness value: Adjusted by appropriately setting the type and amount of hops added, the timing of addition, and various conditions of boiling treatment (boiling temperature, boiling time, etc.).
- Content of citric acid: After appropriately setting the type of malt and corn grits, the type of yeast, and fermentation conditions, the content was adjusted by adding extract-adjusted water and citric acid as necessary.
・Concentration of free amino nitrogen: type of raw materials (malt, corn grits, etc.), type of enzyme, amount of enzyme (including proteolytic enzyme) added, timing of enzyme addition, protein decomposition time in the brewing tank, in the brewing tank pH, set temperature and holding time for each temperature range when preparing wort, boiling time and pH in the boiling process, original extract concentration in the pre-fermentation liquid, original extract concentration in the fermentation process, fermentation conditions (yeast variety , yeast addition amount, yeast growth number, yeast removal timing, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, etc.) were set and adjusted as appropriate.
・Content of 1 to 4 sugars: Ratio of liquid sugar used, type of enzyme, amount of enzyme added, timing of enzyme addition, set temperature and holding time for each temperature range when preparing saccharified solution, various aspects of fermentation process Conditions (yeast variety, amount of yeast added, timing of yeast addition, timing of yeast removal, timing of yeast reduction, yeast growth number, yeast growth time, yeast activity, yeast size (cell size), oxygen concentration, carbon dioxide Carbon concentration, nitrogen concentration, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, etc.) were appropriately set and adjusted.

<Sensory evaluation>
Regarding the beverages obtained in Examples and Comparative Examples cooled to about 4 ° C., five panelists who had been trained on a daily basis evaluated each beverage's "taste like a beer-taste beverage", "clear aftertaste like a beer-taste beverage", and Regarding "presence or absence of sourness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages", and for Examples 1, 14, 15 and Comparative Example 7, further regarding "presence or absence of bitterness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages", the following score criteria were used. Based on this, the score was evaluated in increments of 0.1 in the range of 3 (maximum value) to 1 (minimum value), and the average score of the five panelists was calculated. The results are shown in Tables 1-6.
In addition, when evaluating, samples that meet the following criteria "3.0", "2.5", "2.0", "1.5" and "1.0" are prepared in advance, and each panelist Standards were standardized. Moreover, in any of the sensory evaluations in Table 1, no difference in score value of 1.0 or more was observed between panelists for the same beverage.
[Score criteria for beer-like beverages]
- "3.0": A beer-like beverage has a very strong taste.
- "2.5": A strong beer-taste beverage-like taste is felt.
- "2.0": A taste like a beer-taste beverage can be felt.
- "1.5": The taste like a beer-taste drink is not felt so much.
- "1.0": Almost no beer-taste beverage-like taste is felt.
[Score criteria for clear aftertaste typical of beer-taste beverages]
- "3.0": A sharp aftertaste typical of a beer-taste beverage is felt very strongly.
- "2.5": A sharp aftertaste typical of a beer-taste beverage is felt.
- "2.0": A sharp aftertaste typical of a beer-taste beverage can be felt.
- "1.5": The sharpness of the aftertaste typical of beer-taste beverages is not felt so much.
- "1.0": Almost no sharp aftertaste typical of a beer-taste beverage is felt.
[Score criteria for the presence or absence of sourness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages]
- "3.0": No sourness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages is felt at all.
- "2.5": Almost no sourness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages is felt.
- "2.0": Almost no sourness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages is felt.
- "1.5": Slightly sour taste unsuitable for beer-taste beverages.
- "1.0": A strong sourness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages is perceived.
[Score criteria for the presence or absence of bitterness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages]
- "3.0": No bitterness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages is felt at all.
- "2.5": Almost no bitterness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages is felt.
- "2.0": Almost no bitterness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages is felt.
- "1.5": A slight bitterness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages is sensed.
- "1.0": Strong bitterness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages.

Moreover, based on the average score of each of the above sensory evaluation items, the overall evaluation was evaluated in three stages according to the following criteria.
[Comprehensive evaluation of beer-taste beverages]
- "A": All the average scores of the inspected sensory evaluation items are 2.5 or more.
- "B": Does not correspond to "A" and "C".
- "C": Any one or more of the inspected sensory evaluation items have an average score of less than 2.0.

As can be seen from Tables 1 to 6, the beer-taste beverages of Examples 1 to 17 were excellent in beer-taste beverage-like taste and sharp aftertaste, and suppressed in unsuitable acidity. On the other hand, the beer-taste beverages of Comparative Examples 1 to 6 have a problem of poor aftertaste sharpness, and the beer-taste beverages of Comparative Examples 2, 4, and 6 have a problem of poor aftertaste sharpness. The beverage had an unsuitable sour taste. In addition, the beer-taste beverage of Comparative Example 7 was a beverage with an inappropriate bitterness.

Comparative Examples 8 and 9
In Comparative Example 8, a beer-taste beverage was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that corn grits and liquid sugar were not used. In Comparative Example 9, the same procedure as in Example 1 was performed except that the corn grits were not used, the ratio of liquid sugar used was changed to 51% by mass, and the original extract concentration and free amino nitrogen concentration were set to the values shown in Table 7. and produced a beer-taste beverage.

Then, about the beer-taste beverage of Example 1 and the beer-taste beverages of Comparative Examples 8 and 9, which were cooled to about 4 ° C., eight panelists who had been trained on a daily basis evaluated the "feeling of fullness" of each beverage. "Presence or absence" and "Presence or absence of wateriness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages", based on the following score criteria, in the range of 3 (maximum value) to 1 (minimum value), with a score in increments of 0.5 It was evaluated and the average score of the five panelists was calculated. Table 7 shows the results.
In addition, when evaluating, samples that meet the following criteria "3.0", "2.5", "2.0", "1.5" and "1.0" are prepared in advance, and each panelist Standards were standardized. Moreover, in any of the sensory evaluations in Table 1, no difference in score value of 1.0 or more was observed between panelists for the same beverage.
[Score criteria for presence or absence of satiety]
- "3.0": Absolutely no feeling of fullness after drinking.
・"2.5": Almost no feeling of fullness after drinking.
- "2.0": Almost no feeling of fullness is felt after drinking.
・"1.5": A feeling of fullness is felt a little after drinking.
・“1.0”: A strong feeling of fullness is felt after drinking.
[Score criteria for the presence or absence of wateriness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages]
- "3.0": Wateriness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages is not felt at all.
- "2.5": Almost no wateriness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages is felt.
- "2.0": Wateriness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages is hardly felt.
- "1.5": A little watery feeling unsuitable for beer-taste beverages.
- "1.0": Wateriness unsuitable for beer-taste beverages is felt strongly.

As can be seen from Table 7, the beer-taste beverage of Comparative Example 8 had a high total nitrogen content, and therefore left a feeling of fullness. In addition, although the beer-taste beverage of Comparative Example 9 improved the feeling of satiety, it did not use corn grits, resulting in an inappropriately watery feeling. On the other hand, the beer-taste beverage of Example 1 resulted in improved satiety and inappropriate wateriness compared to Comparative Examples 8 and 9.

Claims (14)

1. The total nitrogen content is 5 to 85 mg / 100 mL or less,
   The bitterness value is 5 to 35 BUs,
   The content of citric acid is 150 to 900 mg / L,
   A beer-taste beverage that uses corn grits as a raw material.
2. The ratio of the citric acid content (unit: mg/L) to the total nitrogen content (unit: mg/100 mL) [citric acid/total nitrogen] is 2.5 to 20.0, according to claim 1 Beer-taste beverage as described.
3. The beer-taste beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the usage ratio (X) of corn grits is 1 to 28% by mass based on the total amount of raw materials excluding water and hops.
4. The beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is a beverage using malt as a raw material.
5. The beer-taste beverage according to claim 4, wherein the malt usage ratio (Y) is 80% by mass or less based on the total amount of raw materials excluding water and hops.
6. The beer-taste beverage according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the ratio [(Y)/(X)] of the malt use ratio (Y) and the corn grits use ratio (X) is 0.9 to 80.0. .
7. Any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the total usage ratio of the corn grits usage ratio (X) and the malt usage ratio (Y) is 20 to 100% by mass based on the total amount of raw materials excluding water and hops. A beer-taste beverage according to the above item.
8. The beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the content of saccharides selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and tetrasaccharides is 0.10 g/100 mL or more.
9. The beer taste according to claim 8, wherein the ratio of the citric acid content (unit: mg/L) to the sugar content (unit: mg/100 mL) [citric acid/sugars] is 100 to 6000. Beverage.
10. The beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the original extract concentration is 5.0 to 20.0% by mass.
11. The beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 10, which has a free amino nitrogen concentration of 3.0 to 16.0 mg/100 mL.
12. The beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 11, which is a fermented beer-taste beverage.
13. A method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 12, comprising the following steps (1) to (2).
    - Step (1): A step of subjecting a raw material containing water, malt, and corn grits to at least one of saccharification, boiling, and removal of solids to obtain a pre-fermentation liquid.
    - Process (2): The process of adding yeast to the pre-fermentation liquid obtained at the process (1), and performing alcoholic fermentation.
14. 14. The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to claim 13, further comprising the following step (3).
    - Step (3): a step of confirming and/or adjusting at least one of the total nitrogen content, bitterness value, and citric acid content.