JP7650837B2 - Beer-flavored beverages - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a beer-flavored beverage.

In response to the diversifying tastes of consumers today, a variety of beer-flavored beverages have been developed and offered.
For example, Patent Document 1 describes a beer-taste beverage that contains 0.3 to 5 ppm of quassin and/or 0.5 to 5 ppm of quinine for the purpose of providing a beer-taste beverage that has a bitterness and aftertaste that is characteristic of beer.

JP 2017-6077 A

In light of these circumstances, there is a demand for novel beer-taste beverages (for example, beer-taste beverages that have a strong body (strong flavor) yet are reduced in heaviness and lingering unpleasant flavors).

The present invention provides a beer-taste beverage in which the malt ratio and ΔE calculated from the following formula are adjusted to be equal to or less than a specified value.
That is, the present invention includes the following aspects.
[1] The malt ratio is 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less,
A beer-taste beverage having a ΔE calculated from the following formula (I) of 0.09 or less:
・Formula (I): ΔE=(Eh-Ej-0.952×Ez)×5
(In the above formula, Eh represents the Eh value including the beer-taste beverage, the phosphate buffer solution, and the iodine solution.)
Ej is the absorbance of the measurement sample containing a phosphate buffer solution and an iodine solution, and Ez is the absorbance of the Ez measurement sample containing the beer-taste beverage and a phosphate buffer solution. The absorbance values were measured at 578 nm with each sample placed in a 4 cm cuvette.
[2] The beer-taste beverage described in [1] above, wherein the beer-taste beverage is beer.
[3] The beer-taste beverage according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the original wort extract concentration is 6.0% by mass or more.
[4] The beer-taste beverage according to any one of [1] to [3] above, having an alcohol content of 4.5 (v/v)% or more.
[5] The total polyphenol content is 60 mass p/mol based on the total amount of the beer-taste beverage.
The beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above-mentioned [1] to [4], wherein the viscosity of the beer-taste beverage is 100 μg/ml or more.
[6] A method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to any one of the above-mentioned [1] to [5], comprising the steps of:
A method for producing a beer-taste beverage, comprising the following steps (1) and (2):
Step (1): A step of preparing a fermentation raw material liquid by saccharification treatment of a mixture containing water and malt.
Step (2): A step of adding yeast to the fermentation raw material liquid and carrying out alcoholic fermentation.
[7] A method for producing a beer-taste beverage as described in [6] above, which does not include a step of adding spirits derived from grains.

The beer-taste beverage in one preferred embodiment of the present invention has a strong body, yet:
The result is a beverage with reduced heaviness and lingering flavors.

1. Beer-taste beverage The beer-taste beverage of the present invention has a malt ratio of 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less,
This beverage satisfies the requirement that ΔE calculated from formula (I) is 0.09 or less.
In this specification, the term "beer-taste beverage" refers to an alcoholic or non-alcoholic carbonated beverage with a beer-like flavor. Therefore, "beer-taste beverage" includes not only beer, a malt fermented beverage obtained by fermenting malt, hops, and water with yeast, but also beverages to which beer flavorings containing esters, higher alcohol, etc. have been added,
It also includes carbonated beverages having a beer flavor.
Furthermore, the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may be a fermented beer-taste beverage that has undergone a fermentation process using yeast, or it may be a non-fermented beer-taste beverage that has not undergone a fermentation process.
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 less.
The above-mentioned non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage may be a non-alcoholic fermented beer-flavored beverage produced by removing the alcohol produced during the fermentation process after the fermentation process, or it may be a non-alcoholic, non-fermented beer-flavored beverage prepared to have a beer-like flavor without going through a fermentation process.

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 beer.

As described above, the malt ratio of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is from 50% by mass to 100% by mass, but may be from 55% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 65% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, and may be from 95% by mass or less, 90% by mass or less, 80% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less.
It may be less than % by mass.
In other words, the malt ratio of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is, for example, 55% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, 60% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, 65% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less.
It may be 0% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, or 50% by mass or more and 95% by mass or less,
It may be 50% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less, 50% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less, or 50% by mass or more and less than 70% by mass.
In this specification, "malt ratio" means a value calculated in accordance with the Liquor Tax Act and the Interpretation Notice of Liquor-related Administrative Laws and Regulations, etc., which came into effect on April 1, 2018.

As described above, beer-flavored beverages with a high malt ratio of 50% by mass or more have a rich flavor and a strong body, but at the same time, they tend to be heavy and have a lingering unpleasant flavor, making them difficult to drink.
Therefore, in order to produce a beverage that has a strong body but is suppressed in terms of heaviness and lingering unpleasant flavors, the beer-taste beverage of the present invention has been adjusted so that ΔE, calculated from the following formula (I), is 0.09 or less.

・Formula (I): ΔE=(Eh-Ej-0.952×Ez)×5
In the above formula, Eh represents the total amount of the beer-taste beverage, the phosphate buffer solution, and the iodine solution.
where Ej is the absorbance of the measurement sample, Ej is the absorbance of the Ej measurement sample containing a phosphate buffer and an iodine solution, and Ez is the absorbance of the Ez measurement sample containing the beer-taste beverage and a phosphate buffer. The absorbance was measured at 578 nm when each sample was placed in a 4 cm cuvette.

More specifically, Eh is the absorbance at 578 nm of a sample for Eh measurement prepared through the following operations (i) to (viii), Ej is the absorbance at 578 nm of a sample for Ej measurement prepared by adding 200 μL of 0.02 N iodine solution to 4.0 mL of phosphate buffer, and Ez is
This is the absorbance at 578 nm of the sample for Ez measurement prepared by the following procedure (vii).
Step (i): The beer-taste beverage is degassed.
Procedure (ii): Dispense 20 mL of ethanol into a centrifuge tube, add 5 mL of the solution obtained after procedure (i), and shake for 10 minutes using a shaker.
Operation (iii): The solution after operation (ii) is centrifuged at 20° C. for 25 minutes.
Centrifugation is performed at 100 rpm for 5 minutes.
- Operation (iv): The liquid layer of the solution after operation (iii) is removed to obtain a precipitate.
Procedure (v): 10 mL of phosphate buffer is added to the precipitate obtained after procedure (iv), and the mixture is shaken for 10 minutes using a shaker.
Operation (vi): The solution after operation (v) is centrifuged at 20° C. for 250
Centrifuge at 0 rpm for 5 minutes.
Procedure (vii): 3.2 mL of phosphate buffer is added to 0.8 mL of the centrifugation supernatant after procedure (vi) to prepare the sample for Ez measurement.
Operation (viii): After operation (vii), 20% of 0.02N iodine solution was added to the sample for Ez measurement.
To prepare the Eh measurement sample, add 10 μL.

ΔE calculated from formula (I) above is an index showing the amount of undegraded starch and dextrin present in a beer-taste beverage. In other words, the smaller ΔE is, the less undegraded starch and dextrin the beverage contains.

Starch and dextrin react with the iodine contained in the iodine solution (a solution containing povidone-iodine, a complex of iodine and a polymer of 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (polyvinylpyrrolidone)). The greater the amount of starch and dextrin derived from the beer-taste beverage present in the Eh measurement sample, the more blue the Eh measurement sample will turn, and therefore the greater the absorbance Eh in the above formula (I). In other words, the absorbance Eh, the absorbance Ej of the Ej measurement sample containing the iodine solution, and the absorbance Ez of the Ez measurement sample before the addition of the iodine solution
The difference ΔE between the value of Eh and the value of Eh is a value caused by discoloration due to the reaction of starch or dextrin with iodine.
This factor takes into consideration the difference in volume between the j measurement sample and the Ez measurement sample. In addition, "x5" in formula (I) is a factor taking into consideration the fact that 0.8 mL of the centrifugal supernatant was diluted "5-fold" by adding 3.2 mL of phosphate buffer.

The above steps (i) to (viii) are the same as those described in the Examples below and in the MEBAK Wort Beer Beer-b
Each operation may be performed by appropriately referring to the description on pages 53 to 55 of Assorted Beverages (Published by the Chairman Dr. Fritz Jacob, 2013) and the descriptions in the references described in this document.

The present inventors have speculated that the cause of the heavy feeling and lingering unpleasant flavors felt in beer-taste beverages with a malt ratio of 50% by mass or more is the undecomposed starch and dextrin present in the beverage. Based on this speculation, the inventors have discovered that by adjusting the ΔE value to 0.09 or less to reduce the amount of undecomposed starch and dextrin in a beer-taste beverage with a malt ratio of 50% by mass or more, a beverage can be produced that has a strong body yet is suppressed in terms of heavy feeling and lingering unpleasant flavors. In other words, the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is a beverage that has been completed based on this knowledge.

In one embodiment of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, ΔE calculated from the above formula (I) is:
However, from the viewpoint of making a beverage with less heaviness and residual flavors, it is set to 0.0
It may be 8 or less, 0.07 or less, 0.06 or less, 0.05 or less, 0.04 or less, 0.03 or less, or 0.02 or less.
In addition, from the viewpoint of obtaining a beverage having a stronger body, the Δ
E may be 0.001 or more, 0.005 or more, 0.01 or more, 0.015 or more, 0.02 or more, 0.03 or more, 0.04 or more, or 0.05 or more.
The range of ΔE calculated from the above formula (I) can be specified in any combination by appropriately selecting from the respective options of the upper limit value and the lower limit value described above.

Note that ΔE calculated from the above formula (I) can be adjusted to a desired ΔE by appropriately setting fermentation conditions such as the presence or absence of pretreatment of the malt as the raw material and the type of pretreatment, the set temperature and holding time when preparing the saccharified solution, the type of enzyme used, the amount added and the timing of addition, and the fermentation temperature, fermentation time, etc.

In order to adjust ΔE calculated from the above formula (I) to a desired value, ΔE of a semi-finished product during production, such as wort before fermentation, may be measured, and various conditions for the subsequent steps may be appropriately set according to the measured value.
When measuring ΔE of a semi-finished product in the middle of production, such as wort before fermentation, it is preferable to carry out a centrifugation treatment at 7000 rpm at 0° C. for 30 minutes using a centrifuge after degassing the solution in the above-mentioned operation (i), and then carry out the operations from operation (ii) onwards.

In the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention, the original wort extract (O-Ex) concentration is preferably 6.0 to 7.5 wort, from the standpoint of imparting a light drinking sensation to the beverage and making it easier to drink.
20.0% by mass, more preferably 7.0 to 18.0% by mass, and even more preferably 8.0 to 16.
0% by mass, more preferably 9.0 to 15.0% by mass, and particularly preferably 9.5 to 13.0% by mass.
.5% by mass.
In this specification, the "original wort extract concentration" refers to the extract content defined in the Japanese Liquor Tax Act, i.e., the number of grams of non-volatile components contained in 100 ^cm3 of original volume at a temperature of 15°C, in the case of an alcohol-containing beverage with an alcohol content of 1 (v/v)% or more.
For non-alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content of less than 1 (v/v)%, the extract value (mass %) refers to the extract value measured on a degassed sample in accordance with the analytical method established by the Brewers' Association of Japan (BCOJ International Technical Committee) (BOCJ Beer Analysis Method (Fermentation, Brewery Society of Japan, edited by the Brewers' Association of Japan, revised and expanded edition 2013)).

In one embodiment of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, the total polyphenol content, based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage, is preferably at least 60 ppm by mass, more preferably at least 70 ppm by mass, even more preferably at least 80 ppm by mass, and even more preferably at least 90 ppm by mass, from the standpoint of providing a beer-taste beverage with a good taste and a more beer-like flavor; and furthermore, from the standpoint of providing the beverage with good cloudiness stability and a light, easy-to-drink beverage, the total polyphenol content is preferably no more than 200 ppm by mass, more preferably no more than 170 ppm by mass, even more preferably no more than 150 ppm by mass, and even more preferably no more than 130 ppm by mass.

In this specification, the "total polyphenol content" refers to the total amount of polyphenols in the beer-taste beverage (
The polyphenol content in the extract is 100% by mass (100% by mass).
The polyphenol means a compound in which two or more hydrogen atoms of an aromatic hydrocarbon are replaced with hydroxyl groups, and specific examples thereof include flavonols, isoflavones, tannins, catechins, quercetin, anthocyanins, and the like.

In this specification, the total polyphenol content is determined, for example, according to the Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (published by the Brewing Society of Japan, a public interest incorporated foundation, and published by the International Technical Committee of Brewers Association of Japan [Analysis Committee]).
The measurement can be performed by the method described in the above (edited and expanded in 2013).

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

As described above, the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may be an alcohol-containing beer-taste beverage or a non-alcohol beer-taste beverage.
In the case of an alcohol-containing beer-taste beverage, from the standpoint of providing a beverage that has a refreshing stimulating sensation, the alcohol content of the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is preferably at least 4.5 (v/v)%, more preferably at least 4.7 (v/v)%, even more preferably at least 5.1 (v/v)%, still more preferably at least 5.4 (v/v)%, and particularly preferably at least 5.7 (v/v)%.
Furthermore, from the viewpoint of providing an easy-to-drink beer-taste beverage, the alcohol content is preferably 20.0 (v/v)% or less, more preferably 15.0 (v/v)% or less, and even more preferably 10.0 (v/v)% or less.
In this specification, the alcohol content is expressed as a percentage based on volume/volume ((v/v)%
The alcohol content of a beverage can be measured by any known method, for example, a vibration type density meter.

It is to be noted that in one embodiment of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, in order to adjust the alcohol content, grain-derived spirits may also be included as an alcohol component.
Here, spirits refers to alcoholic beverages obtained by using grains such as wheat, rice, buckwheat, and corn as raw materials, saccharifying them using malt or, if necessary, an enzyme agent, fermenting them using yeast, and then distilling them.
However, from the perspective of providing a beer-taste beverage with a good taste and resembling beer, it is preferable that the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention does not contain spirits.

From the same viewpoint as above, it is preferable that the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is beer.
In this specification, "beer" refers to a brewery made from malt, hops, and water.
It refers to beverages obtained by fermentation using yeast, and specifically refers to those defined in the Liquor Tax Act and the Interpretation Notice of Liquor-related Administrative Laws and Regulations, etc., which came into effect on April 1, 2018.
In other words, when the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is beer, the above-mentioned alcohol content is adjusted through a fermentation process using yeast.

The color of the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is not particularly limited, and may be amber or golden like regular beer, black like dark beer, or colorless and transparent, or may be imparted with a desired color by adding a coloring agent, etc. The color of the beer-taste beverage can be distinguished with the naked eye, but may also be specified by total light transmittance, chromaticity, etc.

There are no particular limitations on the pH of the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention, but it is preferably 2.
The pH of the beer-taste beverage is preferably 0 to 4.5, more preferably 2.5 to 4.2, and even more preferably 3.0 to 4.0. When the pH of the beer-taste beverage is 4.5 or less, the growth of microorganisms can be inhibited, and when the pH is 2.0, the growth of microorganisms can be inhibited.
If the content is more than this, the flavor of the beverage is likely to be improved.

The beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may be in any embodiment as long as the beverage is packed in a container.
Examples of the container include a bottle, a plastic bottle, a can, or a barrel, with cans, bottles, and plastic bottles being preferred from the viewpoint of ease of carrying.

2.1 Ingredients The main ingredients of the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention are water and malt, although it is preferable to use hops. In addition, sweeteners, water-soluble dietary fiber, bittering agents or bitterness imparting agents, antioxidants, flavorings, acidulants, etc. may also be used.

Malt refers to the seeds of grains such as barley, wheat, rye, oats, oats, pearl barley, and oats that have been germinated, dried, and have had the roots removed, and may be of any origin or variety.
In one embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable to use barley malt. Barley malt is one of the malts most commonly used as a raw material for beer-flavored beverages in Japan. There are various types of barley, such as two-rowed barley and six-rowed barley, and any of these may be used. Furthermore, in addition to normal malt, colored malt may also be used. When colored malt is used, different types of colored malt may be appropriately combined, or one type of colored malt may be used.

Also, grains other than malt may be used together with the malt.
Examples of such grains include malt-free grains (barley, wheat, rye, oats, oats, pearl barley, oats, etc.), rice (white rice, brown rice, etc.), corn, sorghum, potatoes, beans (soybeans, peas, etc.), buckwheat, sorghum, millet, barnyard millet, and starches obtained from these grains, as well as extracts of these grains.

Examples of the form of hops used in one embodiment of the present invention include pelleted hops, powdered hops, hop extract, etc. In addition, the hops used may be processed hop products such as isomerized hops and reduced hops.
The amount of hops added may be adjusted as appropriate, but is preferably 0.00 to the total amount of the beverage.
0.1 to 1 mass %.
Furthermore, a beer-taste beverage that uses hops as an ingredient is a beverage that contains iso-α acid, which is a component derived from hops. The content of iso-α acid in a beer-taste beverage that uses hops is 0.1 ppm by mass or less based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beer-taste beverage.
It may be more than 1.0 ppm by mass.
In this specification, the content of iso-α-acids refers to the value measured by the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis method described in the Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (published by the Brewing Society of Japan, a public interest incorporated foundation, edited by the International Technical Committee of the Brewers Association of Japan (Analysis Committee), revised and expanded in 2013).

Examples of sweeteners include commercially available saccharified solutions obtained by decomposing grain-derived starch with acids or enzymes, commercially available sugars such as starch syrup, sugars with three or more sugars, sugar alcohols, natural sweeteners such as stevia, and artificial sweeteners.
These sugars may be in the form of a liquid such as a solution, or a solid such as a powder.
There are also no particular limitations on the type of raw grain for starch, the method for refining starch, and the conditions for hydrolysis with enzymes or acids. For example, sugars with a higher ratio of maltose may be used by appropriately setting the conditions for hydrolysis with enzymes or acids. Other examples include sucrose, fructose, glucose, maltose, trehalose, maltotriose, and solutions thereof (sugar solutions).
Examples of artificial sweeteners include aspartame, acesulfame potassium (acesulfame K), and sucralose.

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

In the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention, the bitterness is preferably imparted by hops or the like, but a bittering agent or bitterness imparting agent may also be used.
The bittering agent or bitterness imparting agent is not particularly limited, and can be any agent that is used as a bitterness imparting agent in ordinary beer or happoshu, such as rose wax, lychee, anise, juniper nut, sage, ramie sage, Ganoderma lucidum, Ganoderma lucidum, bay leaf, mulberry, citrus extract, bittern extract, coffee extract, tea extract, bitter melon extract, lotus germ extract, aloe arborescens extract, rose wax extract, lychee extract, laurel extract, sage extract, caraway extract, and the like.

The antioxidant is not particularly limited, and any antioxidant that is used in ordinary beer or happoshu can be used, such as ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, and catechin.

The flavoring is not particularly limited, and general beer flavorings can be used. Beer flavorings are used to impart a beer-like flavor, and include brewing components generated by fermentation, etc.
It should be noted that the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention contains ethyl acetate produced by alcoholic fermentation in the fermentation process, and this ethyl acetate functions as a flavoring.
Therefore, since beer-taste beverages undergo a fermentation process, there is no particular need to add beer flavorings separately, but beer flavorings may be added if desired.
Beer flavorings other than ethyl acetate include esters and higher alcohols, and specific examples thereof include isoamyl acetate, n-propanol, isobutanol, and acetaldehyde.

The acidulant is not particularly limited as long as it is a substance having a sour taste, and examples thereof include phosphoric acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, malic acid, phytic acid, acetic acid, succinic acid, glucono-delta-lactone, and salts thereof.
Among these acidulants, phosphoric acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, malic acid,
Phytic acid, acetic acid, succinic acid or a salt thereof is preferred, and phosphoric acid, citric acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, acetic acid or a salt thereof is more preferred.
These acidulants may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds.

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

The amount of carbon dioxide contained in the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is represented by the carbon dioxide pressure of the beverage, which is not particularly limited as long as it does not impede the effects of the present invention. Typically, the upper limit of the carbon dioxide pressure of the beverage is 5.0 kg/cm ² , 4.5 kg/cm ² , or 4.0 kg/cm 2 .
g/cm ² , with the lower limit being 0.20 kg/cm ² , 0.50 kg/cm ² , or 1.0 kg/cm 2 .
g/ ^cm2 , and any of these upper and lower limits may be combined. For example, the carbon dioxide pressure of the beverage is 0.20 kg/ ^cm2 or more and 5.0 kg/cm2 or less, and 0.50 kg/ ^cm2 or less.
m2 ^or more and 4.5 kg/cm2 or ^less , or 1.0 kg/cm2 ^{or more} and 4.0 kg/cm2 ^{or less}
It may be the following:
In this specification, the gas pressure refers to the gas pressure inside a container, unless otherwise specified.
The pressure can be measured by a method well known to those skilled in the art, for example, by fixing a sample at 20°C to an internal gas pressure gauge, opening the stopcock of the internal gas pressure gauge to release the gas, closing the stopcock again, swinging the internal gas pressure gauge and reading the value when the needle reaches a certain position, or by using a commercially available gas pressure measuring device.

2.3 Other Additives Various additives may be added to the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention as necessary, provided the additives do not impair the effects of the present invention.
Such additives include, for example, colorants, foam-forming agents, fermentation promoters, yeast extracts, protein substances such as peptide-containing substances, and flavorings such as amino acids.
The coloring agent is used to give the beverage a beer-like color, and caramel coloring can be used. The foam-forming agent is used to form a beer-like foam in the beverage or to maintain the foam in the beverage, and can be appropriately selected from plant-extracted saponin substances such as soybean saponin and quillaja saponin, plant proteins such as corn and soybeans, peptide-containing substances, protein substances such as bovine serum albumin, yeast extract, and the like.
The fermentation promoter is used to promote fermentation by yeast, and examples thereof include yeast extract, bran components such as rice or wheat, vitamins, and mineral agents, which may be used alone or in combination.

2.4 Manufacturing Method of Beer-Taste Beverage The manufacturing method of a beer-taste beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention may be any method that includes a step of adding yeast to ingredients containing water and malt and carrying out alcoholic fermentation. Specifically, the method includes the following steps:
The method includes the following steps (1) and (2).
Step (1): A step of preparing a fermentation raw material liquid by saccharification treatment of a mixture containing water and malt.
Step (2): A step of adding yeast to the fermentation raw material liquid and carrying out alcoholic fermentation.

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

In steps (1) and (2), it is preferable to appropriately set various treatment conditions so that ΔE calculated from the above formula (I) falls within the above-mentioned range. ΔE can be adjusted by appropriately setting the presence or absence of pretreatment of the raw material malt and the type of pretreatment, the set temperature and retention time when preparing the saccharified solution, the type of enzyme used, the amount and timing of addition, and fermentation conditions such as the fermentation temperature and fermentation time.
Alternatively, for the fermentation raw material liquid after the completion of step (1), each sample may be prepared based on the above procedures (i) to (viii), and the absorbance may be measured to calculate ΔE. Then, the conditions for step (2) can be appropriately set based on the value of ΔE of the fermentation raw material liquid.
In addition, when calculating ΔE of the fermentation raw material liquid, it is preferable to perform centrifugation treatment at 7000 rpm for 30 minutes at 0°C using a centrifuge after degassing the solution in the above-mentioned operation (i) before performing the operations from operation (ii) onwards.

<Step (1)>
Step (1) is a step of preparing a fermentation raw material liquid by saccharification treatment of a mixture containing water and malt.
The mixture is adjusted so that the malt ratio is 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less.
The method for preparing the fermentation raw material liquid is to add raw materials such as water and malt to a brewing kettle or brewing tank,
For example, an enzyme such as amylase is added as necessary to prepare a mixture, which is then subjected to saccharification treatment. The resulting fermentation raw material liquid is then preferably filtered, boiled, and solids such as coagulated proteins are removed in a clarification tank.

In addition, the mixture to be subjected to saccharification treatment may contain, in addition to water and malt, hops, dietary fiber, sweeteners,
Antioxidants, bittering agents, flavorings, acidulants, colorings, etc. may also be added.
These may be added before, during or after the saccharification treatment, or after the alcoholic fermentation step.

In this step, the mixture to which the raw materials have been added is heated to saccharify the starch in the raw materials.
The temperature and time of the saccharification treatment are appropriately adjusted depending on the type of malt used, the malt ratio, the raw materials other than water and malt, the type and amount of enzyme used, etc. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, from the viewpoint of adjusting the value of ΔE calculated from the above formula (I) and the alcohol content within the above-mentioned range, the temperature of the saccharification treatment is preferably 40 to 85°C, and the time of the saccharification treatment is preferably 30 to 240 minutes. From the above viewpoint, it is preferable to divide the temperature into a low temperature region of 40 to 55°C, a medium temperature region of 55 to 70°C, and a high temperature region of 70 to 85°C, and gradually increase the temperature from the low temperature region to the medium temperature region and then to the high temperature region while maintaining each temperature region for a certain period of time. The retention time in each temperature region is preferably 1 to 60 minutes, more preferably 5 to 50 minutes.

<Step (2)>
Step (2) is a step of adding yeast to the fermentation raw material liquid obtained by the saccharification treatment in step (1) and carrying out alcoholic fermentation.
The yeast used in this step can be appropriately selected taking into consideration the type of fermented beverage to be produced, the desired flavor, fermentation conditions, etc., and either top-fermenting yeast or bottom-fermenting yeast may be used.

The yeast may be added to the raw material liquid as a yeast suspension, or may be added to the raw material liquid as a slurry obtained by concentrating the yeast by centrifugation or sedimentation. Alternatively, the yeast may be added after the supernatant has been completely removed after centrifugation. The amount of yeast added to the raw material liquid may be appropriately determined, but for example, 5
The concentration is about 1×10 ⁶ cells/ml to 1×10 ⁸ cells/ml.

The fermentation conditions for alcoholic fermentation can be set as appropriate, but from the viewpoint of adjusting the ΔE value calculated from the above formula (I) and the alcohol content within the above-mentioned ranges, the fermentation temperature is preferably 5 to 25° C. Furthermore, the ΔE value calculated from the above formula (I) and the alcohol content can be adjusted by appropriately setting the type, amount added, and timing of addition of a polysaccharide-degrading enzyme such as transglucosidase, and further, the temperature (heating up or cooling down) or pressure of the fermentation liquid may be changed during the fermentation process as necessary.

After alcoholic fermentation, the yeast is removed using a filter or the like, and additives such as water, flavorings, acidulants, and colorings may be added as necessary.

The beer-taste beverage thus obtained is filled into specified containers and distributed to the market as a finished product.
There are no particular limitations on the method for packaging the beer-taste beverage, and any method known to those skilled in the art can be used. In the packaging process, the beer-taste beverage is filled into a container and sealed. In the packaging process, containers of any shape and material can be used, and examples of containers are as described above.

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.
In addition, ΔE of each beverage was calculated from the following formula (I).
・Formula (I): ΔE=(Eh-Ej-0.952×Ez)×5
The methods for measuring Eh, Ej, and Ez in the above formula are as follows.

<Method of measuring Eh>
For each beverage, MEBAK Wort Beer Beer-based Beverages (Published by the Chairma
Fritz Jacob, 2013), pp. 53-55, and the following steps (i) to (vi) were carried out.
Each sample was prepared through ii).
- Operation (i): Degas each beverage.
Procedure (ii): Dispense 20 mL of ethanol into a centrifuge tube, add 5 mL of the solution obtained after procedure (i), and shake for 10 minutes using a shaker.
Operation (iii): The solution obtained after operation (ii) is centrifuged at 20° C. and 2,500 rpm for 5 minutes using a centrifugal separator (manufactured by Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd., product name "CR22G").
- Operation (iv): The liquid layer of the solution after operation (iii) is removed to obtain a precipitate.
Procedure (v): 10 mL of phosphate buffer is added to the precipitate obtained after procedure (iv), and the mixture is shaken for 10 minutes in the above-mentioned shaker.
Operation (vi): The solution obtained after operation (v) is centrifuged at 20° C. using the above-mentioned centrifuge.
Centrifuge at 2500 rpm for 5 minutes.
Procedure (vii): 3.2 mL of phosphate buffer is added to 0.8 mL of the centrifugation supernatant after procedure (vi) to prepare a sample for Ez measurement.
Procedure (viii): Add 200 μl of 0.02 N iodine solution to the sample for Ez measurement after procedure (vii).
Add L to prepare a sample for Eh measurement.
The Eh measurement sample prepared through the above operations (i) to (viii) was placed in a 4 cm cuvette, and the absorbance of the Eh measurement sample at 578 nm was measured using a spectrophotometer (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation, product name "UV-2600"), and the measured value was taken as Eh in the above formula (I).

<Method of measuring Ej>
A sample for Ej measurement was prepared by adding 200 μL of 0.02 N iodine solution to 4.0 mL of phosphate buffer solution, and placed in a 4 cm cuvette. The absorbance of the sample for Ej measurement at 578 nm was measured using the above spectrophotometer. The measured value was taken as Ej in the above formula (I).

<Method of measuring Ez>
The sample for Ez measurement prepared in the above procedure (vii) was placed in a 4 cm cuvette, and the absorbance of the sample for Ez measurement at 578 nm was measured using the above spectrophotometer. The measured value was taken as Ez in the above formula (I).

Examples 1 to 4, Comparative Examples 1 to 3
<Beverage Preparation>
The crushed barley malt and polysaccharide decomposition enzyme were put into a mash tank containing 40 L of hot water held at 52 ° C., and then the temperature was raised stepwise while holding the temperature in each of the temperature ranges of 40 to 55 ° C., the medium temperature range of 55 to 70 ° C., and the high temperature range of 70 to 85 ° C. for a predetermined time (range of 1 minute to 60 minutes) to prepare a saccharified liquid. For example, in Example 1, the temperature was raised stepwise by holding at 52 ° C. for 30 minutes, then at 65 ° C. for 40 minutes, and further at 76 ° C. for 5 minutes. Thereafter, the malt cake was removed by filtration to obtain wort. Sucrose was added to the obtained wort so as to obtain the malt ratio shown in Table 1, and hops were further added and boiled. The boiled wort was subjected to solid-liquid separation, and the resulting clear wort was cooled. Yeast was added, and the fermentation temperature, fermentation time, and the amount and timing of addition of polysaccharide-degrading enzymes such as transglucosidase were adjusted to prepare a fermented liquid. The fermented liquid was then filtered to prepare each of the test beverages, which were beers.
In each of the Examples and Comparative Examples, the type of enzyme, the amount added and the timing of addition, the set temperatures and holding times for each temperature range when preparing the saccharified solution, and fermentation conditions such as the fermentation temperature and fermentation time were appropriately set and adjusted to achieve the total polyphenol amount and alcohol content shown in Table 1. In addition, the presence or absence of pretreatment of barley malt and the type of pretreatment, the set temperatures and holding times for each temperature range when preparing the saccharified solution, the type of enzyme, the amount added and the timing of addition, and fermentation conditions such as the fermentation temperature and fermentation time were appropriately set and adjusted to achieve the ΔE shown in Table 1.

<Sensory evaluation>
The resulting beverages were evaluated by five regularly trained panelists on the following criteria for "presence or absence of a drop in taste,""refreshing feeling after drinking," and "overall evaluation," using scores in increments of 0.1 within the range of 5 (maximum value) to 1 (minimum value), and the average scores of the five panelists were calculated. The results are shown in Table 1.
In addition, for the evaluation, samples conforming to the following criteria "5", "4", "3", "2" and "1" were prepared in advance to ensure standardization among the panelists. Furthermore, in all of the sensory evaluations in Table 1, no differences in scores of 2.0 or more were observed among the panelists for the same beverage.
[Score criteria for body feel]
・“5”: A very rich taste is felt, and it has a very good body.
・“4”: A good, rich taste is felt, and it has a good body.
・“3”: A rich flavor is felt and the flavor has a sufficient body.
・“2”: The taste is somewhat lacking, and the body is slightly lacking.
・“1”: The taste is lacking and the body is poor.
[Score criteria for suppressing heaviness and residual flavors]
- "5": No heaviness or residual flavors are felt at all, and these are very effectively suppressed.
- "4": There is almost no heaviness or residual flavors, and these are highly suppressed.
- "3": Although there is a slight feeling of heaviness and lingering unpleasant flavors, the effect of suppressing these is sufficient.
- "2": There is a certain degree of heaviness and residual flavors, and the suppression effect on these is insufficient.
- "1": Heavy and unpleasant flavors that are barely suppressed.

As can be seen from Table 1, the beers prepared in Examples 1 to 4 had a strong body (strong flavor), but were perceived to have sufficiently suppressed heaviness and residual unpleasant flavors.
The beverages prepared in Comparative Examples 1 to 3 had a strong body, but were heavy and had an unpleasant taste, making them difficult to drink.

Claims (5)

A method for producing a beer-taste beverage having a malt ratio of 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less and a carbon dioxide pressure of 0.20 kg/cm2 or more ^, comprising the steps of:
A method for producing a beer-taste beverage, comprising the following steps (1) to (3):
Step (1): A step of preparing a fermentation raw material liquid by saccharification treatment of a mixture containing water and malt.
Step (2): A step of adding yeast to the fermentation raw material liquid and carrying out alcoholic fermentation.
Step (3): A step of adjusting the ΔE of the beer-taste beverage, as calculated from the following (I), to be 0.09 or less.
・Formula (I): ΔE=(Eh-Ej-0.952×Ez)×5
(In the above formula, Eh is the absorbance of the Eh measurement sample containing the beer-taste beverage, phosphate buffer solution, and iodine solution, Ej is the absorbance of the Ej measurement sample containing the phosphate buffer solution and iodine solution, and Ez is the absorbance of the Ez measurement sample containing the beer-taste beverage and phosphate buffer solution. The absorbance values were measured at 578 nm when each sample was placed in a 4 cm cuvette.) 1. A method for producing a beer-taste beverage having a malt ratio of 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, comprising the steps of:
A method for producing a beer-taste beverage, comprising the following steps (1) to (3):
Step (1): A step of preparing a fermentation raw material liquid by saccharification treatment of a mixture containing water and malt.
Step (2): A step of adding yeast to the fermentation raw material liquid and carrying out alcoholic fermentation.
Step (3): A step of adjusting the ΔE of the beer-taste beverage, as calculated from the following (I), to 0.09 or less, which step includes adding a polysaccharidase.
・Formula (I): ΔE=(Eh-Ej-0.952×Ez)×5
(In the above formula, Eh is the absorbance of the Eh measurement sample containing the beer-taste beverage, phosphate buffer solution, and iodine solution, Ej is the absorbance of the Ej measurement sample containing the phosphate buffer solution and iodine solution, and Ez is the absorbance of the Ez measurement sample containing the beer-taste beverage and phosphate buffer solution. The absorbance values were measured at 578 nm when each sample was placed in a 4 cm cuvette.) The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to claim 2, wherein step (3) includes the addition of a polysaccharide-degrading enzyme in at least one of steps (1) and (2). The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to claim 2, wherein step (3) includes the addition of a polysaccharide-degrading enzyme in steps (1) and (2). The method for producing a beer-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein step (3) includes carrying out the saccharification treatment in step (1) in a low-temperature range of 40 to 55°C, a medium-temperature range of 55 to 70°C, and a high-temperature range of 70 to 85°C.