JP7785145B2 - Alcoholic beverages - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to alcoholic beverages, methods for improving the flavor of alcoholic beverages, and methods for producing alcoholic beverages.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, various alcoholic beverages have been developed and offered in response to the diversifying tastes of recent consumers.
For example, Patent Document 1 describes a beer-flavored beverage that contains one or more aroma components selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acid esters, aldehydes, and pentyl alcohols, and a terpenoid, and does not use hops as an ingredient.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-000061

Under these circumstances, there is a demand for new alcoholic beverages that have the drinkability and flavor suitable for alcoholic beverages, while reducing undesirable flavors such as spiciness.

One aspect of the present invention provides an alcoholic beverage or the like in which the alcohol content, acetaldehyde content, and ethyl acetate content are adjusted to fall within a predetermined range.
As specific embodiments, the following embodiments [1] to [17] are provided.
[1]
The alcohol content is 1.5 to 9.5 (v/v)%;
The acetaldehyde content is 2.0 to 12.0 mg/L,
The content of ethyl acetate is 12.0 to 35.0 mg/L;
Alcoholic beverage.
[2]
Satisfies the following formula (1):
Formula (1): X1/Y>0.2
[In the above formula (1), X1 represents the acetaldehyde content (unit: mg/L), and Y represents the alcohol content (unit: (v/v)%).] The alcoholic beverage according to [1].
[3]
Satisfies the following formula (2):
Formula (2): X2/Y>1.5
[In the above formula (2), X2 represents the content of ethyl acetate (unit: mg/L), and Y represents the alcohol content (unit: (v/v)%).] The alcoholic beverage according to [1] or [2].
[4]
Satisfies the following formula (3):
Formula (3): (X1+X2)/Y>1.8
[In the above formula (3), X1 represents the acetaldehyde content (unit: mg/L), X2 represents the ethyl acetate content (unit: mg/L), and Y represents the alcohol content (unit: (v/v)%).] The alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [3].
[5]
The alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the acetaldehyde content is 4.0 to 12.0 mg/L.
[6]
The alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the ethyl acetate content is 15.0 to 35.0 mg / L.
[7]
The alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [6], having a bitterness value of 3.0 BUs or more.
[8]
The alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the content of pyroglutamic acid is 15.0 mg / L or more.
[9]
The alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein hops are used as a raw material. [10]
The alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [9], wherein the alcoholic beverage is a beer-flavored beverage.
[11]
The alcoholic beverage according to [10], wherein the beer-taste beverage is a top-fermented beer-taste beverage.
[12]
The alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [11], wherein the malt ratio is less than 60% by mass.
[13]
The alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [11], wherein the malt ratio is less than 25% by mass.
[14]
The alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [11], which does not substantially use malt as a raw material.
[15]
A method for producing an alcoholic beverage, comprising the following steps (1) and (a) to (c):
Step (1): A step of obtaining a pre-beverage solution by using various raw materials and performing at least one of saccharification, boiling, and solid content removal.
Step (a): adjusting the alcohol content of the alcoholic beverage to 1.5 to 9.5 (v/v)%.
Step (b): adjusting the acetaldehyde content of the alcoholic beverage to 2.0 to 12.0 mg/L.
Step (c): adjusting the ethyl acetate content of the alcoholic beverage to 12.0 to 35.0 mg/L.
[16]
The method for producing an alcoholic beverage according to [15], further comprising the following step (2):
Step (2): A step of adding yeast to the pre-beverage liquid obtained in step (1) to carry out alcoholic fermentation.
[17]
The alcohol content of the final product is 1.5 to 9.5 (v/v)%.
Acetaldehyde content is 2.0 to 12.0 mg/L,
The content of ethyl acetate is 12.0 to 35.0 mg/L,
The method for improving the flavor of an alcoholic beverage includes adjusting the flavor of the alcoholic beverage to the desired value.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an alcoholic beverage having a satisfying taste suitable for alcoholic beverages. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an alcoholic beverage having a soft aroma suitable for alcoholic beverages. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an alcoholic beverage having a refreshing aroma suitable for alcoholic beverages.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an alcoholic beverage having a reduced pungency unsuitable for alcoholic beverages. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an alcoholic beverage having a reduced green apple-like aroma unsuitable for alcoholic beverages. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an alcoholic beverage having a reduced unsuitable stimulating sensation felt in the nose.

With respect to the numerical ranges described herein, the upper and lower limits can be arbitrarily combined. For example, when a numerical range is described as "preferably 30 to 100, more preferably 40 to 80," the ranges "30 to 80" and "40 to 100" are also included in the numerical ranges described herein. Furthermore, when a numerical range is described as "preferably 30 or more, more preferably 40 or more, and preferably 100 or less, more preferably 80 or less," the ranges "30 to 80" and "40 to 100" are also included in the numerical ranges described herein.
In addition, as a numerical range described in this specification, for example, "60 to 100" means a range of "60 or more (60 or more) to 100 or less (100 or less)."

1. Alcoholic Beverages In this specification, the term "alcoholic beverage" broadly encompasses beverages containing ethanol. The alcoholic beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may be an alcohol-containing beverage with an alcohol content of 1.0% (v/v) or more, or may be a non-alcoholic beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1.0% (v/v).
Specific examples of alcohol-containing beverages include beer-flavored beverages, sake, wine, shochu, and chuhai drinks containing lactic acid bacteria fermentation liquid, etc. Specific examples of non-alcoholic beverages include lactic acid bacteria beverages, fermented tea, and non-alcoholic beverages obtained by removing the alcohol from the above-mentioned alcohol-containing beverages.

As used herein, the term "beer-taste beverage" refers to an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage that has a beer-like flavor. In other words, unless otherwise specified, the term "beer-taste beverage" as used herein encompasses any beverage that has a beer flavor.
Therefore, "beer-flavored beverages" include not only beer and beer-flavored beverages, which are malt-fermented alcoholic beverages obtained by fermenting malt, hops, and water as ingredients using yeast, but also fermented alcoholic beverages (fermented beer-flavored beverages) obtained by fermenting hops and water as ingredients without using malt using yeast, and non-fermented alcoholic beverages (non-fermented beer-flavored beverages) obtained by fermenting hops and water as ingredients without using malt using hops and water as ingredients, to which beer flavorings containing aroma components such as esters, higher alcohols, and lactones have been added.

Aroma components contained in beer flavorings include, for example, 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-cineole, 1,8-cineole, 2,3-diethyl-5-methylpyrazine, γ-decanolactone, γ-undecalactone, and ethyl hexanoate. ethanol, 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, 3-phenylpropanoic acid Ethyl pionate, 2-ethyl-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone, dimethyl sulfone, 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-myl Examples include acene, 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, β-damascenone, menthone, menthyl acetate dimethyl trisulfide, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, cis-3-hexenol, γ-terpinene, and cis-linalool oxide.

Fermented beer-flavored beverages may be top-fermented beer-flavored beverages (ale-flavored beverages) brewed through a fermentation process using top-fermenting yeast (Saccharomyces, etc.), bottom-fermented beer-flavored beverages (lager beer-flavored beverages, pilsner beer-flavored beverages) brewed through a fermentation process using bottom-fermenting yeast (Saccharomyces, etc.), or blends of these beer-flavored beverages. Furthermore, they may be fermented beer-flavored beverages obtained using top-fermenting yeast and bottom-fermenting yeast in the same fermentation process or in separate fermentation processes. Furthermore, "fermentation" as used herein may refer to alcoholic fermentation, in which alcohol is produced, or non-alcoholic fermentation, in which no alcohol is produced.

In addition, the beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be a malt-based beer-taste beverage that uses malt as an ingredient, or a malt-free beer-taste beverage that does not use malt.
The beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be a malt-free beer-taste beverage that does not substantially use malt as a raw material. In this specification, "not substantially using malt" means that malt is not actively used as a raw material when producing the alcoholic beverage, and includes embodiments in which malt is inevitably mixed in during production.
Furthermore, whether or not malt is actively used as an ingredient can be confirmed from the ingredient labeling established by the Liquor Tax Act, Food Labeling Act, Food Sanitation Act, JAS Act, Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations, Health Promotion Act, or rules and voluntary standards established by industry associations. For example, if malt is actively used as an ingredient, the ingredient name on the ingredient labeling will be listed as "malt." On the other hand, beverages that "do not substantially use malt" will not list "malt" as an ingredient on the ingredient labeling.
Furthermore, the beer-flavored beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be a barley-based beer-flavored beverage that uses unmalted barley (e.g., barley, wheat, etc.) as a raw material, or may be a barley-free beer-flavored beverage that does not use barley.

When the alcoholic beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is an alcohol-containing beer-taste beverage, from the viewpoint of improving the drinkability suitable for an alcoholic beverage, the alcohol content (ethanol content) is 1.0 (v/v)% or more, 1.2 (v/v)% or more, 1.5 (v/v)% or more, 1.7 (v/v)% or more, 2.0 (v/v)% or more, 2.2 (v/v)% or more, 2.5 (v/v)% or more, 2.7 (v/v)% or more, 3.0 (v/v)% or more, 3.2 (v/v)% or more, 3.5 (v/v)% or more, 3.7 (v/v)% or more, 4.0 (v/v)% or more, 4.2 (v/v)% or more. , 4.5(v/v)% or more, 4.7(v/v)% or more, or 5.0(v/v)% or more, and may also be 5.2(v/v)% or more, 5.5(v/v)% or more, 5.7(v/v)% or more, 6.0(v/v)% or more, 6.2(v/v)% or more, 6.5(v/v)% or more, 6.7(v/v)% or more, 7.0(v/v)% or more, 7.2(v/v)% or more, 7.5(v/v)% or more, 7.7(v/v)% or more, 8.0(v/v)% or more, 8.2(v/v)% or more, 8.5(v/v)% or more, 8.7(v/v)% or more, or 9.0(v/v)% or more.
Furthermore, from the viewpoint of reducing the pungency unsuitable for alcoholic beverages, the alcohol content is preferably 20.0 (v/v)% or less, 19.0 (v/v)% or less, 18.0 (v/v)% or less, 17.0 (v/v)% or less, 16.0 (v/v)% or less, 15.0 (v/v)% or less, 14.0 (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, or 9.5 (v/v)% or less. (v/v)% or less, 8.5 (v/v)% or less, 8.2 (v/v)% or less, 8.0 (v/v)% or less, 7.7 (v/v)% or less, 7.5 (v/v)% or less, 7.2 (v/v)% or less, 7.0 (v/v)% or less, 6.7 (v/v)% or less, 6.5 (v /v)% or less, 6.2 (v/v)% or less, 6.0 (v/v)% or less, 5.7 (v/v)% or less, 5.5 (v/v)% or less, 5.3 (v/v)% or less, 5.0 (v/v)% or less, 4.5 (v/v)% or less, or 4.0 (v/v)% or less.

When the alcoholic beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is a non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage, the alcohol content (ethanol content) is less than 1.0 (v/v)%, 0.9 (v/v)% or less, 0.8 (v/v)% or less, 0.7 (v/v)% or less, 0.6 (v/v)% or less, 0.5 (v/v)% or less, less than 0.5 (v/v)%, 0.4 (v/v)% or less, 0.3 (v/v)% or less, 0.2 (v/v)% or less, 0.1 (v/v)% or less, 0.05 (v/v)% or less, 0.01 The concentration may be 0.0000 (v/v)% or less, 0.00 (v/v)% or less, 0.0050 (v/v)% or less, or 0.0025 (v/v)% or less, or may be 0.0000 (v/v)% or more, 0.00 (v/v)% or more, 0.0 (v/v)% or more, 0.1 (v/v)% or more, 0.2 (v/v)% or more, 0.3 (v/v)% or more, 0.4 (v/v)% or more, 0.5 (v/v)% or more, 0.6 (v/v)% or more, 0.7 (v/v)% or more, 0.8 (v/v)% or more, or 0.9 (v/v)% or more.
The 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 may be a non-alcoholic fermented beer-flavored beverage produced through a non-alcoholic fermentation process that does not produce alcohol.

In this specification, alcohol content is expressed as a percentage on a volume/volume basis ((v/v)%). The alcohol content of a beverage can be measured by any known method, for example, using a vibration density meter.

The alcohol content of a beer-flavored beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, can be determined by a variety of factors, including the addition of dilution water or carbonated water and the amount thereof, the type of raw materials (barley, malt, corn grits, sugar solution, etc.), the amount of raw materials, the type of enzyme, the amount of enzyme added, the timing of enzyme addition, the saccharification time in the brewing tank, the proteolysis time in the brewing tank, the pH in the brewing tank, the pH during the brewing process (the wort production process from the addition of malt to before the addition of yeast), the amount of acid added when adjusting the pH, and the timing of pH adjustment (during brewing, during fermentation, at the completion of fermentation, after brewing, etc.). The desired range can be adjusted by appropriately setting the set temperature and holding time for each temperature range when preparing wort (including during saccharification), the original extract concentration of the pre-beverage liquid (pre-fermentation liquid), the original extract concentration during the fermentation process, fermentation conditions (oxygen concentration, aeration conditions, yeast variety, amount of yeast added, yeast growth rate, timing of yeast removal, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, carbon dioxide concentration, etc.), and whether or not spirits or brewer's alcohol is added and the amount added if added.

The beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may contain grain-derived spirits (distilled alcoholic beverages) as the alcohol component in order to adjust the alcohol content to fall within the above range.
In this specification, spirits refers to alcoholic beverages obtained by saccharifying grains such as barley, rice, buckwheat, corn, potatoes, and sugarcane using malt or, if necessary, an enzyme agent, fermenting the grains using yeast, and then distilling the saccharified grains. As the grains used as the raw material for spirits, plants belonging to the grass family are preferred, and barley is more preferred.
Furthermore, the beer-flavored beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be a beverage that does not contain spirits, from the perspective of being a low-alcohol beer-flavored beverage that has a good taste and resembles beer.

The beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be a beer-taste beverage in which the malt ratio (the ratio of all malts used) is limited, in order to reduce the heavy taste that is unsuitable for alcoholic beverages. Specifically, the malt ratio of the beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be less than 100% by mass, 95% by mass or less, 90% by mass or less, 85% by mass or less, 80% by mass or less, 75% by mass or less, 70% by mass or less, 69% by mass or less, 68% by mass or less, 67% by mass or less, less than 67% by mass, 66.6% by mass or less, 66% by mass or less, 65% by mass or less, 64% by mass or less, 63% by mass or less, 62% by mass or less, 61% by mass or less, 60% by mass or less, less than 60% by mass, 59% by mass or less, 58% by mass or less, 60 ... % or less, 57 mass% or less, 56 mass% or less, 55 mass% or less, 54 mass% or less, 53 mass% or less, 52 mass% or less, 51 mass% or less, 50 mass% or less, less than 50 mass%, 45 mass% or less, 40 mass% or less, 35 mass% or less, 30 mass% or less , 25% by mass or less, less than 25% by mass, 20% by mass or less, 15% by mass or less, 10% by mass or less, 5% by mass or less, 1% by mass or less, 0.5% by mass or less, 0.1% by mass or less, 0.01% by mass or less, 0.001% by mass or less, or 0% by mass.
The beer-flavored beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, is a beverage in which the malt ratio is restricted, but the alcohol content is adjusted to a certain range, and the contents of acetaldehyde and ethyl acetate are adjusted, thereby improving the taste (e.g., drinkability and flavor) that is characteristic of an alcoholic beverage.
The malt ratio of a beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be a certain value or more within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention, and may be, for example, 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, 30% by mass or more, 35% by mass or more, 40% by mass or more, 45% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 51% by mass or more, 52% by mass or more, 53% by mass or more, 54% by mass or more, 55% by mass or more, 56% by mass or more, 57% by mass or more, 58% by mass or more, 59% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 65% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, or 75% by mass or more.

In this specification, "malt ratio" means a value calculated in accordance with the Liquor Tax Act and the Interpretation Notice of Liquor Administration-related Laws and Regulations, etc., which came into effect on April 1, 2018.
When the malt ratio is reduced, it is preferable to increase the amounts of raw materials (carbon sources, nitrogen sources) other than malt that can be assimilated by yeast. Examples of carbon sources that can be assimilated by yeast include monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and sugar solutions thereof, while examples of nitrogen sources include yeast extract, soy protein, malt, soybeans, yeast extract, peas, wheat germ, ungerminated grains, and decomposition products thereof.
Here, wheat malt may be used, but from the viewpoint of allergens, it is preferable not to use wheat malt.
Examples of ungerminated grains include ungerminated barley, wheat, rye, oats, oats, pearl millet, rice (white rice, brown rice, etc.), corn, sorghum, potatoes, beans (soybeans, peas, etc.), buckwheat, sorghum, millet, barnyard millet, etc. Starches obtained from these grains and extracts thereof may also be used.

The beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be a beer-taste beverage produced by fermentation under conditions in which the original extract concentration is high. Beer-taste beverages produced through such high-concentration fermentation may contain greater amounts of aroma components such as acetaldehyde and ethyl acetate than beer-taste beverages produced under normal fermentation conditions.
In a beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the acetaldehyde content is, from the perspective of improving a suitable, soft aroma (the lingering aroma and fullness of the aroma of the alcoholic beverage) even in an alcoholic beverage with a limited malt ratio, 0.1 mg/L or more, 0.5 mg/L or more, 1.0 mg/L or more, 1.2 mg/L or more, 1.4 mg/L or more, 1.6 mg/L or more, 1.8 mg/L or more, 2.0 mg/L or more, 2.2 mg/L or more, 2.4 mg/L or more, 2.6 mg/L or more, 2.8 mg/L or more, 3.0 mg/L or more, 3.2 mg/L or more, 3.4 mg/L or more, 3.6 mg/L or more, 3.8 mg/L or more, 4.0 mg/L or more, 4.2 mg/L or more, 4.4 mg/L or more, 4.6 mg/L or more, 4.8 mg/L or more, 5.0 mg/L or more, 5.2 mg/L or more, 5. It is preferable to set the concentration to 4 mg/L or more, 5.6 mg/L or more, 5.8 mg/L or more, 6.0 mg/L or more, 6.2 mg/L or more, 6.4 mg/L or more, 6.6 mg/L or more, 6.8 mg/L or more, or 7.0 mg/L or more, and also 7.2 mg/L or more, 7.4 mg/L or more, 7.6 mg/L or more, 7.8 mg/L or more, 8.0 mg/L or more, 8.2 mg/L or more, 8.4 mg/L or more, 8. It may be 6 mg/L or more, 8.8 mg/L or more, 9.0 mg/L or more, 9.2 mg/L or more, 9.4 mg/L or more, 9.6 mg/L or more, 9.8 mg/L or more, 10.0 mg/L or more, 10.5 mg/L or more, 11.0 mg/L or more, 11.5 mg/L or more, 12.0 mg/L or more, 12.5 mg/L or more, 13.0 mg/L or more, 13.5 mg/L or more, or 14.0 mg/L or more.
In addition, from the viewpoint of reducing the green apple-like aroma that is unsuitable for alcoholic beverages, the acetaldehyde content is set to 20.0 mg/L or less, 18.0 mg/L or less, 16.0 mg/L or less, 15.0 mg/L or less, 14.5 mg/L or less, 14.0 mg/L or less, 13.5 mg/L or less, 13.0 mg/L or less, 12.5 mg/L or less, 12.0 mg/L or less, 11.8 mg/L or less. , 11.6 mg/L or less, 11.4 mg/L or less, 11.2 mg/L or less, 11.0 mg/L or less, 10.8 mg/L or less, 10.6 mg/L or less, 10.4 mg/L or less, 10.2 mg /L or less, 10.0mg/L or less, 9.8mg/L or less, 9.6mg/L or less, 9.4mg/L or less, 9.2mg/L or less, 9.0mg/L or less, 8.8mg/L or less, 8.6mg/L or less It is preferable to set the concentration to 8.4 mg/L or less, 8.2 mg/L or less, 8.0 mg/L or less, 7.8 mg/L or less, 7.6 mg/L or less, 7.4 mg/L or less, 7.2 mg/L or less, or 7.0 mg/L or less, and also to set the concentration to 6.8 mg/L or less, 6.6 mg/L or less, 6.4 mg/L or less, 6.2 mg/L or less, 6.0 mg/L or less, 5.8 mg/L or less, 5.6 mg/L or less, The concentration may be 5.4 mg/L or less, 5.2 mg/L or less, 5.0 mg/L or less, 4.8 mg/L or less, 4.6 mg/L or less, 4.4 mg/L or less, 4.2 mg/L or less, 4.0 mg/L or less, 3.8 mg/L or less, 3.6 mg/L or less, 3.4 mg/L or less, 3.2 mg/L or less, 3.0 mg/L or less, 2.5 mg/L or less, 2.0 mg/L or less, or 1.5 mg/L or less.

In this specification, the content of acetaldehyde can be measured by a known method using an apparatus such as GC-MS.
Furthermore, acetaldehyde may be contained in the raw materials of the alcoholic beverage, or may be added separately during the production process (for example, purified acetaldehyde).
In the beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the acetaldehyde content can be adjusted by the addition of dilution water or carbonated water and the amount of addition if added, the addition of an acetaldehyde purified product, the type of acetaldehyde-containing raw material (barley, malt, corn grits, sugar solution, yeast extract, soybeans, peas, etc.), the type of acetaldehyde-source raw material (barley, malt, corn grits, sugar solution, yeast extract, soybeans, peas, etc.), the amount of raw material, the enzyme reaction time in the mashing process (the wort production process from the addition of raw materials such as malt until the addition of yeast), the amount of acetaldehyde in the mashing process, and the amount of acetaldehyde in the mashing process. The pH of the wort, the amount of acid used to adjust the pH, the timing of pH adjustment (during mashing, during fermentation, at the completion of fermentation, before beverage filtration, after beverage filtration, etc.), the set temperature and holding time for each temperature range when preparing the wort (including during saccharification), the original extract concentration of the pre-beverage liquid (pre-fermentation liquid), the original extract concentration during the fermentation process, fermentation conditions (oxygen concentration, aeration conditions, yeast variety, amount of yeast added, number of yeast growths, timing of yeast removal, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, carbon dioxide concentration, etc.), addition of spirits, brewer's alcohol, etc., can be set as appropriate.

In the beer-taste beverage that is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, from the perspective of improving a suitable refreshing aroma even in an alcoholic beverage with a limited malt ratio, the ethyl acetate content is 1.0 mg/L or more, 3.0 mg/L or more, 5.0 mg/L or more, 7.0 mg/L or more, 10.0 mg/L or more, 11.0 mg/L or more, 12.0 mg/L or more, 13.0 mg/L or more, 14.0 mg/L or more, 15.0 mg/L or more, 15.5 mg/L or more, 16.0 mg/L or more, 16.5 mg/L or more, 17.0 mg/L or more, 17.5 mg/L or more, 18.0 mg/L or more, 18.5 mg/L or more, 19.0 mg/L or more, 19.5 mg/L or more, 20.0 mg/L or more, 20.5 mg/L or more, 21.0 mg/L or more, 21.5 mg/L or more, 22.0 mg/L or more, 23.0 mg/L or more, 24.0 mg/L or more, 25.0 mg/L or more, 26.0 mg/L or more, 27.0 mg/L or more, 28.0 mg/L or more, 29.0 mg/L or more, 30.0 mg/L or more, 31.0 mg/L or more, 32.0 mg/L or more, 33.0 mg/L or more, 34.0 mg/L or more, 35.0 mg/L or more, 36.0 mg/L or more, 37.0 mg/L or more, 38.0 mg/L or more, 39.0 mg/L or more, 39.5 mg/L or more, 4 mg/L or more, 22.0 mg/L or more, 22.5 mg/L or more, 23.0 mg/L or more, 23.5 mg/L or more, 24.0 mg/L or more, 24.5 mg/L or more, 25.0 mg/L 25.5 mg/L or more, 26.0 mg/L or more, 26.5 mg/L or more, 27.0 mg/L or more, 27.5 mg/L or more, 28.0 mg/L or more, 28.5 mg/L or more, 29 It is preferable to set the concentration to 0 mg/L or more, 29.5 mg/L or more, or 30.0 mg/L or more, and it may also be set to 31.0 mg/L or more, 32.0 mg/L or more, 33.0 mg/L or more, 34.0 mg/L or more, 35.0 mg/L or more, 36.0 mg/L or more, 37.0 mg/L or more, 38.0 mg/L or more, 39.0 mg/L or more, or 40.0 mg/L or more.
In addition, from the viewpoint of reducing undesirable irritation felt in the nose, the content of ethyl acetate is set to 100 mg/L or less, 90.0 mg/L or less, 80.0 mg/L or less, 70.0 mg/L or less, 60.0 mg/L or less, 50.0 mg/L or less, 45.0 mg/L or less, 40.0 mg/L or less, 39.0 mg/L or less, 38.0 mg/L or less, 37.0 mg/L or less, 36.0 mg/L or less, 35.0 mg/L or less, 34.0 mg/L or less, 33.0 mg/L or less, 32.0 mg/L or less, 31.0 mg/L or less, or 30.0 mg/L or less. and may also be 29.5 mg/L or less, 29.0 mg/L or less, 28.5 mg/L or less, 28.0 mg/L or less, 27.5 mg/L or less, 27.0 mg/L or less, 26.5 mg/L or less, 26.0 mg/L or less, 25.5 mg/L or less, 25.0 mg/L or less, 24.5 mg/L or less, 24.0 mg/L or less, 23.5 mg/L or less, 23.0 mg/L or less, 22.5 mg/L or less, 22.0 mg/L or less, 21.5 mg/L or less, 21.0 mg/L or less, 20.5 mg/L or less, or 20.0 mg/L or less.

In this specification, the content of ethyl acetate can be measured by a known method using an apparatus such as GC-MS.
Furthermore, ethyl acetate may be contained in the ingredients of the alcoholic beverage, or may be added separately during the production process (for example, purified ethyl acetate).
In the beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the ethyl acetate content can be adjusted by the addition of dilution water or carbonated water and the amount added if added, the addition of purified ethyl acetate, the type of ethyl acetate-containing raw material (barley, malt, corn grits, sugar solution, yeast extract, soybeans, peas, etc.), the type of raw material from which the ethyl acetate is derived (barley, malt, corn grits, sugar solution, yeast extract, soybeans, peas, etc.), the amount of raw material, the enzyme reaction time in the mashing process (the wort production process from the addition of raw materials such as malt until the addition of yeast), the pH in the mashing process, and the pH The amount of acid to be added during adjustment, the timing of pH adjustment (during mashing, during fermentation, upon completion of fermentation, before beverage filtration, after beverage filtration, etc.), the set temperature and holding time for each temperature range when preparing wort (including during saccharification), the original extract concentration of the pre-beverage liquid (pre-fermentation liquid), the original extract concentration during the fermentation process, fermentation conditions (oxygen concentration, aeration conditions, yeast variety, amount of yeast added, number of yeast growths, timing of yeast removal, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, carbon dioxide concentration, etc.), addition of spirits, brewer's alcohol, etc. can be set as appropriate.

The beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be a beer-taste beverage that satisfies the following formula (1):
Formula (1): X1/Y>0.2
[In the above formula (1), X1 represents the acetaldehyde content (unit: mg/L), and Y represents the alcohol content (unit: (v/v)%).]
In the above formula (1), from the viewpoint of improving a suitable, soft aroma even in alcoholic beverages with a limited malt ratio, the lower limit of the ratio (X1/Y) of the acetaldehyde content to the alcohol content is 0.3 or more, 0.4 or more, 0.5 or more, 0.6 or more, 0.7 or more, 0.8 or more, 0.9 or more, 1.0 or more, 1.1 or more, 1.2 or more, 1.3 or more, 1.4 or more, 1.5 or more, 1.6 or more, 1.7 or more, 1.8 or more, 1.9 or more, 2.0 or more, 2.2 or more, 2.3 or more, 2.4 or more, 2.5 or more, 2.6 or more, 2.7 or more, 2.8 or more, 2.9 or more, 2.0 or more, 2.1 or more, 2.1 or more, 2.2 or more, 2.3 or more, 2.4 or more, 2.5 or more, 2.6 or more, 2.7 or more, 2.8 or more, 2.9 ...1 or more, 2.2 or more, 2.2 or more, 2.3 or more, 2 It is preferable that the viscosity is 4 or more, 2.6 or more, 2.8 or more, 3.0 or more, 3.2 or more, 3.4 or more, 3.6 or more, 3.8 or more, 4.0 or more, 4.2 or more, 4.4 or more, 4.6 or more, 4.8 or more, or 5.0 or more, and may also be 5.2 or more, 5.4 or more, 5.6 or more, 5.8 or more, 6.0 or more, 6.2 or more, 6.4 or more, 6.6 or more, 6.8 or more, 7.0 or more, 7.5 or more, 8.0 or more, 8.5 or more, 9.0 or more, 9.5 or more, or 10.0 or more.
In the above formula (1), the upper limit of the ratio (X1/Y) of the acetaldehyde content to the alcohol content is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of improving the drinkability suitable for alcoholic beverages, it may be 50.0 or less, 45.0 or less, 40.0 or less, 35.0 or less, 30.0 or less, 28.0 or less, 26.0 or less, 24.0 or less, 22.0 or less, 20.0 or less, 18.0 or less, 16.0 or less, 14.0 or less, 12.0 or less, 10.0 or less, 9.5 or less, 9.0 or less, 8.5 or less, 8.0 or less, 7.5 or less, 7.0 or less, 6.5 or less, 6.0 or less, 5.9 or less, 5.8 or less, 5.7 or less, 5.6 or less, 5.5 or less, 5.4 or less, 5.3 or less, 5.2 or less, 5.1 or less, or 5.0 or less.

The beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be a beer-taste beverage that satisfies the following formula (2):
Formula (2): X2/Y>1.5
[In the above formula (2), X2 represents the content of ethyl acetate (unit: mg/L), and Y represents the alcohol content (unit: (v/v)%).]
In the above formula (2), from the viewpoint of improving a suitable refreshing aroma even in alcoholic beverages with a limited malt ratio, the lower limit of the ratio of ethyl acetate content to alcohol content (X2/Y) is 1.6 or more, 1.7 or more, 1.8 or more, 1.9 or more, 2.0 or more, 2.1 or more, 2.2 or more, 2.3 or more, 2.4 or more, 2.5 or more, 2.6 or more, 2.7 or more, 2.8 or more, 2.9 or more, 3.0 or more, 3.1 or more, 3.2 or more, 3.3 or more, 3.4 or more, 3.5 or more, 3.6 or more, 3.7 or more, It is preferably 3.8 or more, 3.9 or more, 4.0 or more, 4.1 or more, 4.2 or more, 4.3 or more, 4.4 or more, 4.5 or more, 4.6 or more, 4.7 or more, 4.8 or more, 4.9 or more, 5.0 or more, 5.5 or more, 6.0 or more, 6.5 or more, 7.0 or more, 7.5 or more, 8.0 or more, 8.5 or more, 9.0 or more, 9.5 or more, 10.0 or more, 11.0 or more, 12.0 or more, 13.0 or more, 14.0 or more, or 15.0 or more, and may also be 20.0 or more, 25.0 or more, or 30.0 or more.
In the above formula (2), the upper limit of the ratio (X2/Y) of the ethyl acetate content to the alcohol content is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of improving the drinkability suitable for alcoholic beverages, it may be 100.0 or less, 90.0 or less, 80.0 or less, 70.0 or less, 60.0 or less, 50.0 or less, 45.0 or less, 40.0 or less, 35.0 or less, 30.0 or less, 28.0 or less, 26.0 or less, 24.0 or less, 22.0 or less, 20.0 or less, 19.5 or less, 19.0 or less, 18.5 or less, 18.0 or less, 17.5 or less, 17.0 or less, 16.5 or less, 16.0 or less, 15.5 or less, or 15.0 or less.

The beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be a beer-taste beverage that satisfies the following formula (3):
Formula (3): (X1+X2)/Y>1.8
[In the above formula (3), X1 represents the acetaldehyde content (unit: mg/L), X2 represents the ethyl acetate content (unit: mg/L), and Y represents the alcohol content (unit: (v/v)%).]
In the above formula (3), the lower limit of the ratio ((X1+X2)/Y) of the total content of acetaldehyde and ethyl acetate to the alcohol content is 1.9 or more, 2.0 or more, 2.1 or more, 2.2 or more, 2.3 or more, 2.4 or more, 2.5 or more, 2.6 or more, 2.7 or more, 2.8 or more, 2.9 or more, 3.0 or more, 3.1 or more, 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, 4.0 or more, 4.1 or more, 4.2 or more, 4.3 or more, 4.4 or more, 4.5 or more, 4.6 or more, 4.7 or more, 4.8 or more, 4.9 or more, 5.0 or more, 5.1 or more, 5.2 or more, 5.3 or more, 5.4 or more, 5.5 or more, 5.6 or more, 5.7 or more, 5.8 or more, 5 ... It is preferable that the viscosity is 2 or more, 4.3 or more, 4.4 or more, 4.5 or more, 4.6 or more, 4.7 or more, 4.8 or more, 4.9 or more, 5.0 or more, 5.5 or more, 6.0 or more, 6.5 or more, 7.0 or more, 7.5 or more, 8.0 or more, 8.5 or more, 9.0 or more, 9.5 or more, 10.0 or more, 11.0 or more, 12.0 or more, 13.0 or more, 14.0 or more, 15.0 or more, 16.0 or more, 17.0 or more, 18.0 or more, 19.0 or more, or 20.0 or more, and may also be 25.0 or more, 30.0 or more, 35.0 or more, 40.0 or more, 45.0 or more, or 50.0 or more.
In the above formula (3), the upper limit of the ratio of the total content of acetaldehyde and ethyl acetate to the alcohol content ((X1+X2)/Y) is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of improving the drinkability suitable for alcoholic beverages, it may be 100.0 or less, 90.0 or less, 80.0 or less, 70.0 or less, 60.0 or less, 50.0 or less, 48.0 or less, 46.0 or less, 44.0 or less, 42.0 or less, 40.0 or less, 38.0 or less, 36.0 or less, 34.0 or less, 32.0 or less, 30.0 or less, 28.0 or less, 26.0 or less, 24.0 or less, 22.0 or less, or 20.0 or less.

A beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may contain pyroglutamic acid, even if it is a beverage with a limited malt content, from the perspective of improving the depth of flavor that is suitable for alcoholic beverages. The lower limit of the pyroglutamic acid content is 1.0 mg/L or more, 3.0 mg/L or more, 5.0 mg/L or more, 7.0 mg/L or more, 10.0 mg/L or more, 15.0 mg/L or more, 20.0 mg/L or more, 22.0 mg/L or more, 24.0 mg/L or more, 26.0 mg/L or more, 28.0 mg/L or more, 30.0 mg/L or more, 32.0 mg/L or more, 34.0 mg/L or more, 36.0 mg/L or more, 38.0 mg/L or more, 40.0 mg/L or more, 42.0 mg/L or more, 44.0 mg/L or more, 46.0 mg/L or more, 48.0 mg/L or more, 50.0 mg/L or more, 52.0 mg/L or more, 54.0 mg/L or more, mg/L or more, 56.0 mg/L or more, 58.0 mg/L or more, 60.0 mg/L or more, 65.0 mg/L or more, 70.0 mg/L or more, 75.0 mg/L or more, 80.0 mg/L or more, 85.0 mg/L or more, 90.0 mg/L or more, 95.0 mg/L or more, 100.0 mg/L or more, 110.0 mg/L or more, 120.0 mg/L or more, 130.0 mg/L or more, 140.0 mg/L or more, or 150.0 mg/L or more, and may also be 160.0 mg/L or more, 170.0 mg/L or more, 180.0 mg/L or more, 190.0 mg/L or more, or 200.0 mg/L or more.
The upper limit of the pyroglutamic acid content is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of suppressing imparting an unsuitable sourness to alcoholic beverages, it may be, for example, 500.0 mg/L or less, 450.0 mg/L or less, 400.0 mg/L or less, 350.0 mg/L or less, 300.0 mg/L or less, 250.0 mg/L or less, 200.0 mg/L or less, 190.0 mg/L or less, 180.0 mg/L or less, 170.0 mg/L or less, 160.0 mg/L or less, 150.0 mg/L or less, 145.0 mg/L or less, 14 ... g/L or less, 135.0 mg/L or less, 130.0 mg/L or less, 125.0 mg/L or less, 120.0 mg/L or less, 115.0 mg/L or less, 110.0 mg/L or less, 105.0 mg/L or less, 100.0 mg/L or less, 95.0 mg/L or less, 90.0 mg/L or less, 85.0 mg/L or less, 80.0 mg/L or less, 75.0 mg/L or less, 70.0 mg/L or less, 65.0 mg/L or less, 60.0 mg/L or less, 55.0 mg/L or less, or 50.0 mg/L or less.

The content of pyroglutamic acid can be measured by a known method, for example, using high performance liquid chromatography.
Furthermore, pyroglutamic acid may be contained in the ingredients of alcoholic beverages, or may be added separately during the production process (for example, purified pyroglutamic acid).
The content of pyroglutamic acid can be adjusted by adding dilution water or carbonated water and the amount added if added, adding purified pyroglutamic acid, the type of raw material containing pyroglutamic acid (barley, malt, corn grits, sugar solution, yeast extract, soybeans, peas, etc.), the type of raw material from which pyroglutamic acid originates (barley, malt, corn grits, sugar solution, yeast extract, soybeans, peas, etc.), the amount of raw material, the enzyme reaction time during the mashing process (the wort production process from the addition of raw materials such as malt to the addition of yeast), the pH during the mashing process, and the amount of ingredients used to adjust the pH. The amount of acid to be used, timing of pH adjustment (during mashing, during fermentation, upon completion of fermentation, before beverage filtration, after beverage filtration, etc.), set temperature and holding time for each temperature range when preparing wort (including during saccharification), original extract concentration in the pre-fermentation liquid, original extract concentration during the fermentation process, fermentation conditions (oxygen concentration, aeration conditions, yeast variety, amount of yeast added, yeast growth rate, timing of yeast removal, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, carbon dioxide concentration, etc.), addition of spirits, brewer's alcohol, etc., can be set as appropriate.

Even if the beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, has a restricted malt ratio, from the viewpoint of providing a beverage with an improved depth of flavor suitable for alcoholic beverages, the total nitrogen content may be 10.0 mg/100 mL or more, 15.0 mg/100 mL or more, 18.0 mg/100 mL or more, 20.0 mg/100 mL or more, 22.0 mg/100 mL or more, 24.0 mg/100 mL or more, 26.0 mg/100 mL or more, 28.0 mg/100 mL or more, 30.0 mg/100 mL or more, or 32.0 mg/100 mL or more.
Furthermore, from the viewpoint of preventing the alcoholic beverage from having a heavy taste, the upper limit of the total nitrogen content may be set to 120.0 mg/100 mL or less, 110.0 mg/100 mL or less, 100.0 mg/100 mL or less, 90.0 mg/100 mL or less, 80.0 mg/100 mL or less, 70.0 mg/100 mL or less, 65.0 mg/100 mL or less, 60.0 mg/100 mL or less, 55.0 mg/100 mL or less, 52.0 mg/100 mL or less, 50.0 mg/100 mL or less, 49.0 mg/100 mL or less, 48.0 mg/100 mL or less, 47.0 mg/100 mL or less, 46.0 mg/100 mL or less, or 45.0 mg/100 mL or less.

In this specification, the term "total nitrogen content" refers to the total amount of all nitrogen compounds such as proteins and amino acids.
In addition, in this specification, the total nitrogen content can be measured, for example, by the method described in the Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (published by the Brewery 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).

The total nitrogen content of the beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, can be controlled by adjusting the amount of raw materials used that can be assimilated by yeast. Specifically, the total nitrogen content can be easily adjusted by adjusting the amount of malt or other raw materials with a high nitrogen content. Examples of raw materials with a high nitrogen content include malt, soybeans, yeast extract, peas, and ungerminated grains.
In addition to factors related to the raw materials, the total nitrogen amount can also be adjusted by appropriately setting the type of enzyme, the amount of enzyme (including proteolytic enzyme) added, the timing of enzyme addition, the proteolysis time in the brewing tank, the pH in the brewing tank, the set temperatures and holding times for each temperature range when preparing the wort, the boiling time and pH in the boiling step, the original extract concentration in the pre-beverage liquid (pre-fermentation liquid), the original extract concentration in the fermentation step, the fermentation conditions (yeast variety, amount of yeast added, number of yeast growths, timing of yeast removal, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, etc.), etc.

In the beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, even if the malt ratio is restricted, from the viewpoint of providing a beverage with an improved depth of flavor suitable for alcoholic beverages, the free amino nitrogen content is preferably 1.0 mg/100 mL or more, 1.2 mg/100 mL or more, 1.4 mg/100 mL or more, 1.6 mg/100 mL or more, 1.8 mg/100 mL or more, 2.0 mg/100 mL or more, 2.5 mg/100 mL or more, 3.0 mg/100 mL or more, It may be 3.5 mg/100 mL or more, 4.0 mg/100 mL or more, 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, 7.0 mg/100 mL or more, 7.5 mg/100 mL or more, 8.0 mg/100 mL or more, 8.5 mg/100 mL or more, 9.0 mg/100 mL or more, 9.5 mg/100 mL or more, or 10.0 mg/100 mL or more.
Furthermore, from the viewpoint of preventing the alcoholic beverage from having a heavy taste, the upper limit of the free amino nitrogen content may be set to 50.0 mg/100 mL or less, 45.0 mg/100 mL or less, 40.0 mg/100 mL or less, 38.0 mg/100 mL or less, 36.0 mg/100 mL or less, 34.0 mg/100 mL or less, 32.0 mg/100 mL or less, 30.0 mg/100 mL or less, 28.0 mg/100 mL or less, 26.0 mg/100 mL or less, 24.0 mg/100 mL or less, 22.0 mg/100 mL or less, or 20.0 mg/100 mL or less.

Free amino nitrogen (FAN) is the total amount of free alpha-amino nitrogen and is used as a numerical indicator of the amino acids contained in raw materials. The free amino nitrogen content can be measured, for example, by the method described in section 8.18 "Free Amino Nitrogen" of the Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods (published by the Brewery Association of Japan, edited by the International Technical Committee of the Brewers Association of Japan (Analysis Committee) and expanded and revised in 2013).

The free amino nitrogen content of the beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, can be controlled by adjusting the amount of raw materials used that can be assimilated by yeast. Specifically, the free amino nitrogen content can be easily adjusted by adjusting the amount of malt, etc., which has a high nitrogen content. Examples of raw materials with a high nitrogen content include malt, soybeans, yeast extract, peas, and ungerminated grains.
In addition to factors related to the raw materials, the free amino nitrogen content can also be adjusted by appropriately setting the type of enzyme, the amount of enzyme (including proteolytic enzyme) added, the timing of enzyme addition, the proteolysis time in the brewing tank, the pH in the brewing tank, the set temperatures and holding times in each temperature range when preparing the wort, the boiling time and pH in the boiling step, the original extract concentration in the pre-beverage liquid (pre-fermentation liquid), the original extract concentration in the fermentation step, the fermentation conditions (yeast variety, amount of yeast added, number of yeast growths, timing of yeast removal, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, etc.), etc.

In a beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, from the viewpoint of enhancing the desired depth of flavor, the total polyphenol content may be 10.0 mg/L or more, 15.0 mg/L or more, 20.0 mg/L or more, 25.0 mg/L or more, 30.0 mg/L or more, 35.0 mg/L or more, 40.0 mg/L or more, 45.0 mg/L or more, 50.0 mg/L or more, 55.0 mg/L or more, 60.0 mg/L or more, 65.0 mg/L or more, 70.0 mg/L or more, 75.0 mg/L or more, 80.0 mg/L or more, 85.0 mg/L or more, 90.0 mg/L or more, 95.0 mg/L or more, 100.0 mg/L or more, or 105.0 mg/L or more.
Furthermore, from the viewpoint of preventing the alcoholic beverage from having a heavy taste, the upper limit of the total polyphenol content may be set to 500.0 mg/L or less, 450.0 mg/L or less, 400.0 mg/L or less, 350.0 mg/L or less, 300.0 mg/L or less, 250.0 mg/L or less, 200.0 mg/L or less, 180.0 mg/L or less, 160.0 mg/L or less, 140.0 mg/L or less, 120.0 mg/L or less, 110.0 mg/L or less, 100.0 mg/L or less, 95.0 mg/L or less, 90.0 mg/L or less, 85.0 mg/L or less, 80.0 mg/L or less, 75.0 mg/L or less, or 70.0 mg/L or less.

In this specification, the term "total amount of polyphenols" refers to the total amount of polyphenols contained in the total amount (100% by mass) of an alcoholic beverage.
Polyphenols refer to compounds in which two or more hydrogen atoms of an aromatic hydrocarbon have been substituted with hydroxyl groups, and specific examples include flavonols, isoflavones, tannins, catechins, quercetin, anthocyanins, and the like.
In this specification, the total polyphenol content can be measured by the method described in the Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (published by the Brewery Association of Japan, edited by the International Technical Committee of the Brewers Association of Japan (Analysis Committee), revised and expanded in 2013).

The total amount of polyphenols can be controlled by adjusting the amount of raw materials with a 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 amounts used, it is possible to adjust the polyphenol content within a desired range.

In the beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the original extract concentration (original wort extract concentration) of the final beer-taste beverage is, from the viewpoint of enhancing the desired depth of flavor, preferably 5.0% by mass or more, 5.2% by mass or more, 5.5% by mass or more, 5.7% by mass or more, 6.0% by mass or more, 6.2% by mass or more, 6.5% by mass or more, 6.7% by mass or more, 7.0% by mass or more, 7.2% by mass or more, 7.5% by mass or more, 7.7% by mass or more, 8.0% by mass or more, 8.5 ... It is preferable that the content is 2% by mass or more, 8.5% by mass or more, 8.7% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, and may also be 20.0% by mass or less, 19.0% by mass or less, 18.0% by mass or less, 17.0% by mass or less, 16.0% by mass or less, 15.5% by mass or less, 15.0% by mass or less, 14.5% by mass or less, 14.0% by mass or less, 13.5% by mass or less, 13.0% by mass or less, 12.5% by mass or less, 12.0% by mass or less, 11.5% by mass or less, or 11.0% by mass or less.
The "original extract concentration" in this specification can be measured by the method described in "BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods (published by the Brewery Society of Japan, edited by the Brewers Association of Japan, revised edition November 1, 2004)."

In the beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the bitterness value, from the perspective of providing a beer-taste beverage with an appropriate firmness, is 1.0 BUs or more, 2.0 BUs or more, 3.0 BUs or more, 4.0 BUs or more, 5.0 BUs or more, 6.0 BUs or more, 7.0 BUs or more, 8.0 BUs or more, 9.0 BUs or more, 10.0 BUs or more, 11.0 BUs or more, 12.0 BUs or more, 13.0 BUs or more, 14.0 BUs or more, 15.0 BUs or more, 16.0 BUs or more, 17.0 BUs or more, 18.0 BUs or more, 19.0 BUs or more, 20.0 BUs or more, 21.0 BUs or more, 22.0 BUs or more, 23.0 BUs or more, or 24.0 BUs or more. , 25.0 BUs or more, 26.0 BUs or more, 27.0 BUs or more, 28.0 BUs or more, 29.0 BUs or more, 30.0 BUs or more, 40.0 BUs or more, 50.0 BUs or more, 60.0 BUs or more, 70.0 BUs or more, 80.0 BUs or more, 90.0 BUs or more, or 100 BUs or more, and may also be 150 BUs or more. Alternatively, it may be 120 BUs or less, 100 BUs or less, 90.0 BUs or less, 80.0 BUs or less, 70.0 BUs or less, 60.0 BUs or less, 50.0 BUs or less, 45.0 BUs or less, 40.0 BUs or less, 39.0 BUs or less, 38.0 BUs or less, 37.0 BUs or less, 36.0 BUs or less, or 35.0 BUs or less.

Furthermore, a beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be a beverage that does not substantially contain hops. The bitterness value of such an embodiment may be less than 1.0 BUs, less than 0.5 BUs, less than 0.1 BUs, or less than 0.01 BUs.

In this specification, the "bitterness value" of an alcoholic beverage can be measured by the measurement method described in "8.15 Bitterness Value" of the Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods (published by the Brewery Society of Japan, a public interest incorporated foundation, edited by the International Technical Committee of the Brewers Association of Japan (Analysis Committee) and expanded and revised in 2013).
Furthermore, the bitterness value of a beer-flavored beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, is an indicator of the bitterness imparted by hop-derived components, the main component of which isohumulone, and can be controlled, for example, by appropriately adjusting the type of hop, the amount added, and the timing of addition.

The color of the beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, is not particularly limited, but may be amber or golden like regular beer, black like dark beer, or colorless and transparent, or may be given a desired color by adding a coloring agent or the like. 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.

The color of the beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be 0.1 EBC or more, more than 1.0 EBC, 1.5 EBC or more, 2.0 EBC or more, 2.5 EBC or more, 3.0 EBC or more, 3.5 EBC or more, 4.0 EBC or more, 4.5 EBC or more, 5.0 EBC or more, 5.5 EBC or more, 6.0 EBC or more, 6.5 EBC or more, 7.0 EBC or more, 7.5 EBC or more, 8.0 EBC or more, 8.5 EBC or more, 9.0 EBC or more, 9.5 EBC or more, 10.0 EBC or more, 10.5 EBC or more, 11.0 EBC or more, 11.5 EBC or more, or 12.0 EBC or more. 8EBC or less, 200EBC or less, 180EBC or less, 160EBC or less, 140EBC or less, 120EBC or less, 100EBC or less, 80EBC or less, 70EBC or less, 60EBC or less, 50EBC or less, 40EBC or less, 35EBC or less, 30EBC or less, 27EBC or less, 25EBC or less, 23EBC or less, 20EBC or less, 18EBC or less, 16EBC or less, 15EBC or less, 14EBC or less, 13EBC or less, 12EBC or less, 11EBC or less, 10EBC or less, 9EBC or less, 8EBC or less, 7EBC or less, 6EBC or less, 5EBC or less, 4EBC or less, 3EBC or less, or 2EBC or less.
In this specification, the "color" of an alcoholic beverage can be measured by the measurement method described in "8.8 Color" of the Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (published by the Brewery Association of Japan, edited by the International Technical Committee of Brewers Association (Analysis Committee), 2013, expanded and revised). The "color" is specified by the color unit (EBC unit) established by the European Brewery Convention. The smaller the value, the lighter the beverage, and conversely, the larger the value, the darker the beverage.
The color of an alcoholic beverage can be controlled by, for example, appropriately adjusting the type of malt used, the blending ratio when two or more types of malt are used, the boiling conditions when preparing the pre-beverage solution (pre-fermentation solution), etc. More specifically, for example, to increase the color, adjustments can be made by increasing the blending ratio of dark-colored malt as malt, increasing the temperature during boiling, extending the boiling time, and performing decoction when preparing the saccharified solution. Furthermore, the color can also be adjusted to be higher by increasing the original extract concentration or the malt ratio.

The pH of the beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, is preferably 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 higher, 3.3 or higher, 3.4 or higher, 3.5 or higher, 3.6 or higher, 3.7 or higher, 3.8 or higher, 3.9 or higher, or 4.0 or higher, and is preferably 5.4 or lower, 5.2 or lower, 5.0 or lower, 4.9 or lower, 4.8 or lower, 4.7 or lower, 4.6 or lower, 4.55 or lower, 4.5 or lower, 4.4 or lower, 4.3 or lower, 4.2 or lower, or 4.1 or lower.

1.1 Ingredients The main ingredients of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be those commonly used in various alcoholic beverages. When the alcoholic beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is a beer-taste beverage that uses malt, the main ingredients are malt and water. When the alcoholic beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is a beer-taste beverage that does not substantially use malt, the main ingredients are a carbohydrate source such as sugar solution and water. Furthermore, these beer-taste beverages may use hops or may not use hops.
In addition, preservatives, sweeteners, water-soluble dietary fiber, bittering agents or bitterness imparting agents, antioxidants, flavorings, acidulants, salts, etc. may be used.

1.1.1 Malt and Grains Other Than Malt When malt is used as a raw material, the malt refers to germinated, dried, and de-rooted seeds of wheat and barley, such as barley, wheat, rye, oats, oats, adlay, and oats, and may be of any origin or variety.
The malt used in one embodiment of the present invention is preferably 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-row barley and six-row barley, and either may be used. Furthermore, in addition to regular malt, colored malt may also be used. When colored malt is used, different types of colored malt may be used in appropriate combination, or one type of colored malt may be used.

In addition, in the case of a beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the malt used is preferably selected appropriately depending on the desired color of the beer-taste beverage, and the malt selected may be a single type or two or more types may be selected in combination.

Additionally, grains other than malt may be used together with or instead of malt.
Examples of such grains include barley, wheat, rye, oats, oats, pearl millet, oats, etc. that do not fall under the category of malt, rice (white rice, brown rice, etc.), corn, koryan, potatoes, beans (soybeans, peas, etc.), buckwheat, sorghum, millet, barnyard millet, and starches obtained therefrom, as well as extracts thereof.

Furthermore, if the malt ratio is reduced or malt is not used, it is preferable to increase the amount of ingredients other than malt that can be assimilated by yeast (carbon source, nitrogen source). The ingredients that can be assimilated by yeast are as described above.

Fruits, fruit skins, bark, leaves, flowers, stems, roots and seeds of plants other than grasses such as wheat that can be used as raw materials can be appropriately selected.
Specific examples of plants other than grasses include citrus fruits, soft fruits, herbs, spices, etc. Citrus fruits include oranges, yuzu, lemons, limes, mandarins, grapefruits, iyokan, kumquats, kabosu, bitter oranges, shikuwasa, and sudachi.
Examples of soft fruits include peaches, grapes, bananas, apples, grapes, pineapples, strawberries, pears, muscat grapes, black currants, etc. Examples of herbs and spices include coriander, pepper, fennel, Sichuan pepper, Japanese pepper, cardamom, caraway, nutmeg, mace, juniper berries, allspice, vanilla, elderberries, grains of paradise, anise, star anise, etc.
These may be used as they are, or may be crushed before use, or may be used in the form of an extract extracted with an extraction solvent such as water or ethanol, or may be used in the form of squeezed juice (such as fruit juice).These may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds.
While the above can be used as appropriate according to consumer preferences, to enjoy a clean, refreshing taste, it is preferable to avoid using any of the above citrus fruits, soft fruits, herbs, and spices as ingredients, or to use only the minimum amount of them. In particular, because black currant imparts an undesirable milky aroma to beer, it is preferable to avoid using any black currant or black currant juice as ingredients, or to use only the minimum amount.

1.1.2 Hops When hops are used in one embodiment of the present invention, the hops may be in the form of, for example, pelleted hops, powdered hops, hop extract, etc. Furthermore, the hops used may also be processed hop products such as isomerized hops and reduced hops.
When hops are used in one embodiment of the present invention, the amount of hops added is adjusted appropriately, but is preferably 0.0001 to 1% by mass based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the raw materials for the beverage.

Furthermore, alcoholic beverages such as beer-flavored beverages that use hops as an ingredient contain iso-α acids, which are components derived from hops. The content of iso-α acids in hop-based beverages may be greater than 0.1 ppm by mass or greater than 1.0 ppm by mass based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beverage.
On the other hand, the content of iso-α acids in a beverage that does not use hops may be 0.1 ppm by mass or less based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beverage.
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 Brewery Association 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).

1.1.3 Preservatives The beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage 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, benzoic acid esters such as propyl parahydroxybenzoate and butyl parahydroxybenzoate, dimethyl dicarbonate, etc. Furthermore, commercially available preparations such as Strong Sunplazer (manufactured by San-Ei Gen F.F.I., Inc., a mixture of sodium benzoate and butyl benzoate) may also be used as preservatives.
These preservatives may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

When a preservative is blended into the alcoholic beverage of one embodiment of the present invention, the amount of the preservative blended is preferably 5 to 1,200 ppm by mass, more preferably 10 to 1,100 ppm by mass, even more preferably 15 to 1,000 ppm by mass, and even more preferably 20 to 900 ppm by mass.

1.1.4 Sweeteners The beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be a beverage containing a sweetener.
Sweeteners used in one embodiment of the present invention include commercially available saccharified solutions prepared by decomposing grain-derived starch with acids or enzymes, commercially available sugars such as starch syrup, sucrose, trisaccharides or higher sugars, isomerized sugar, sugar alcohols, natural sweeteners such as stevia, and artificial sweeteners.
These sweeteners may be used alone or in combination of two or more.
These sugars may be in the form of a liquid such as a solution, or a solid such as a powder.
Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on the type of grain from which starch is produced, the starch purification method, or the treatment conditions for enzymatic or acidic hydrolysis. For example, sugars with an increased maltose content may be used by appropriately setting the conditions for enzymatic or acidic hydrolysis. Other sugars that can be used include sucrose, fructose, glucose, maltose, trehalose, maltotriose, maltotetraose, isomaltose, isomaltotriose, isomaltotetraose, panose, and solutions thereof (sugar solutions).
Examples of artificial sweeteners include aspartame, acesulfame potassium (acesulfame K), sucralose, and neotame.

1.1.5 Water-Soluble Dietary Fiber The beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be a beverage containing water-soluble dietary fiber, or may be a beverage containing no water-soluble dietary fiber (added thereto).
Examples of water-soluble dietary fibers include indigestible dextrin, polydextrose, hydrolyzed guar gum, pectin, glucomannan, alginic acid, laminarin, fucoidin, and carrageenan. From the viewpoint of versatility such as stability and safety, indigestible dextrin or polydextrose is preferred.
The beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be a beverage that does not contain (add) resistant dextrin as an ingredient. Even without the inclusion of (addition of) resistant dextrin, the beverage in this embodiment contains water-soluble dietary fiber derived from the ingredients (e.g., malt, etc.). The content of water-soluble dietary fiber derived from the ingredients is listed, for example, in the 2020 edition (8th revision) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan.

In a beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the content of water-soluble dietary fiber is, based on the total amount (100% by mass) of the beverage, 0.05% by mass or more, 0.1% by mass or more, 0.15% by mass or more, 0.2% by mass or more, 0.25% by mass or more, 0.3% by mass or more, 0.35% by mass or more, 0.4% by mass or more, 0.5% by mass or more, 0.7% by mass or more, 1.0% by mass or more, 1.5% by mass or more, 2.0% by mass or more, 2.5% by mass or more, or 3.0% by mass or more. Alternatively, it may be 5.0% by mass or less, 4.5% by mass or less, 4.0% by mass or less, 3.5% by mass or less, 3.0% by mass or less, 2.5% by mass or less, 2.0% by mass or less, less than 1.5% by mass, less than 1.0% by mass, less than 0.75% by mass, less than 0.60% by mass, less than 0.50% by mass, 0.40% by mass or less, 0.35% by mass or less, 0.30% by mass or less, 0.25% by mass or less, 0.20% by mass or less, 0.15% by mass or less, 0.10% by mass or less, or less than 0.10% by mass.

The content of water-soluble dietary fiber may be adjusted to fall within the above range by adding a commercially available product, or the content of dietary fiber derived from raw materials such as malt may be adjusted during the production process to fall within the above range. When a commercially available product is added, by adjusting the content of water-soluble dietary fiber to fall within the above range, undesirable powdery texture can be suppressed. When adjusting the content of dietary fiber during the production process, by adjusting the content of water-soluble dietary fiber to fall within the above range, filterability during wort filtration and beer filtration, for example, can be improved, thereby increasing production efficiency.
When adjusting the content of water-soluble dietary fiber during the production process, the content of water-soluble dietary fiber in the alcoholic beverage of one embodiment of the present invention can be adjusted by, for example, adding dilution water or carbonated water, adjusting the type of raw material (barley, malt, corn, sugar solution, etc.), the amount of raw material, the type of enzyme, the amount of enzyme added, and the timing of enzyme addition (during the saccharification process, before yeast addition, after yeast addition, during maturation, etc.), adjusting the set temperature, pH, and retention time of each temperature range when preparing the saccharified solution.

1.1.6 Bittering Agents and Bitterness-Promoting Agents The beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be further formulated with one or more bittering agents and bitterness-imparting agents.
In the beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, bitterness may be imparted by hops, or the hops may be used together with a bittering agent or bitterness imparting agent described below. Alternatively, hops may not be used, and the hops may be replaced with a bittering agent or bitterness imparting agent described below.
The bittering agent or bitterness imparting agent is not particularly limited, and can be any agent used as a bittering agent in ordinary beer or happoshu, such as rosemary, lychee, anise, juniper nut, sage, Ganoderma lucidum, bay leaf, mulberry, caffeine, absinthin, naringin, Phellodendron amurense, citrus extract, bitter persimmon extract, coffee extract, tea extract, bitter melon extract, lotus germ extract, aloe arborescens extract, rosemary extract, lychee extract, laurel extract, sage extract, caraway extract, artemisia absinthium extract, absinthin, and alginic acid.
These bittering agents and bitterness imparting agents may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

1.1.7 Antioxidants The beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be further formulated with an antioxidant.
The antioxidant is not particularly limited, and any of those used as antioxidants in ordinary beer and happoshu can be used, such as ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, and catechin.
These antioxidants may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

1.1.8 Flavoring Agents The beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be further blended with a flavoring agent.
The flavoring agent is not particularly limited, and a general beer flavoring agent can be used. The beer flavoring agent is used to impart a beer-like flavor.
Aroma components contained in beer flavoring agents include esters and higher alcohols, and specific examples thereof 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-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, tetradecanoic acid, propanoic acid, 2-methylpropanoic acid, γ-butyrolactone, 2-aminoacetophenone Non, ethyl 3-phenylpropionate, 2-ethyl-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone, dimethyl sulfone, 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, β-damascenone, menthone, menthyl acetate dimethyl trisulfide, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, cis-3-hexenol, γ-terpinene, cis-linalool oxide, and the like.
These fragrances may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

The content of the aroma components of esters and higher alcohols can be adjusted by separately adding a fragrance containing these aroma components, but when alcoholic fermentation is involved in the production process, the content may be adjusted by alcoholic fermentation without adding a fragrance or together with the addition of a fragrance.
In cases involving alcoholic fermentation, the content of aroma components of esters or higher alcohols may be adjusted by appropriately setting the addition of dilution water or carbonated water, the sugar composition and amino acid composition of the pre-fermentation liquid before the addition of yeast, the sugar concentration and amino acid concentration, the original extract concentration of the pre-drink liquid (pre-fermentation liquid), the yeast variety, the fermentation conditions (oxygen concentration, aeration conditions, yeast variety, amount of yeast added, number of yeast grown, timing of yeast removal, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, carbon dioxide concentration, etc.), cooling timing, etc.

1.1.9 Acidulant The beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be a beverage further containing an acidulant.
The acidulant is not particularly limited as long as it is a substance that has a sour taste, but examples thereof include acetic acid, tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, phytic acid, succinic acid, glucono-delta-lactone, and salts thereof.
These acidulants may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

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

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

The carbon dioxide concentration of the beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, is preferably 0.30 (w/w)% or more, more preferably 0.35 (w/w)% or more, more preferably 0.40 (w/w)% or more, even more preferably 0.42 (w/w)% or more, even more preferably 0.45 (w/w)% or more, still more preferably 0.47 (w/w)% or more, particularly preferably 0.50 (w/w)% or more, and is preferably 0.80 (w/w)% or less, more preferably 0.70 (w/w)% or less, even more preferably 0.60 (w/w)% or less, still more preferably 0.57 (w/w) or less, particularly preferably 0.55 (w/w)% or less.
In this specification, the carbon dioxide concentration can be measured using a gas volume measuring device (for example, GVA-500 (manufactured by Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd.) after adjusting the temperature of the beverage to 20°C by immersing the container containing the beverage in question in a water bath at 20°C for 30 minutes or more while shaking it occasionally.

When the beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, is a bottled beverage, the carbon dioxide pressure of the bottled beverage may be adjusted appropriately within the range that results in the above-mentioned carbon dioxide concentration, but may be set to 5.0 kg/ ^cm2 or less, 4.5 kg/ ^cm2 or less, or 4.0 kg/ ^cm2 or less, or may be set to 0.20 kg/ ^cm2 or more, 0.50 kg/ ^cm2 or more, or 1.0 kg/ ^cm2 or more. Note that any combination of these upper and lower limits may be used; for example, the carbon dioxide pressure of the beverage may be 0.20 kg/ ^cm2 or more to 5.0 kg/ ^cm2 or less, 0.50 kg/ ^cm2 or more to 4.5 kg/ ^cm2 or less, or 1.0 kg/ ^cm2 or more to 4.0 kg/ ^cm2 or less.
In this specification, the gas pressure refers to the gas pressure inside the 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 cooled to 20°C to a gas pressure gauge, opening the stopcock of the gas pressure gauge to release the gas, closing the stopcock again, swinging the gas pressure gauge, and reading the value when the pointer reaches a certain position, or by using a commercially available gas pressure measuring device.

1.3 Other Additives A variety of additives may be added to the beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, as needed, provided that the effects of the present invention are not impaired.
Such additives include, for example, coloring agents, foam-forming agents, fermentation promoters, yeast extracts, protein substances such as peptide-containing substances, and seasonings 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 examples that can be used include plant-extracted saponin substances such as soybean saponin and quillaja saponin, plant proteins such as corn and soybean, peptide-containing substances such as collagen peptide, yeast extract, emulsifiers (sucrose fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, lecithin, lysolecithin), etc.
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 minerals, which may be used alone or in combination.

1.4 Packaged Beverages The beer-taste beverage, which is one embodiment of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, may be a packaged beverage packed in a container. Packages of any shape and material may be used for packaged beverages. Examples of containers include bottles, cans, bottle-shaped cans, barrels, and plastic bottles. From the perspective of ease of portability, cans, bottle-shaped cans, bottles, and plastic bottles are particularly preferred.

2. Method for Producing Alcoholic Beverages One embodiment of the method for producing an alcoholic beverage according to the present invention includes a production method comprising the following step (1) and steps (a) to (c):
Step (1): A step of obtaining a pre-beverage solution by using various raw materials and performing at least one of saccharification, boiling, and solid content removal.
Step (a): adjusting the alcohol content of the alcoholic beverage to 1.5 to 9.5 (v/v)%.
Step (b): adjusting the acetaldehyde content of the alcoholic beverage to 2.0 to 12.0 mg/L.
Step (c): adjusting the ethyl acetate content of the alcoholic beverage to 12.0 to 35.0 mg/L.

The method for producing an alcoholic beverage in one embodiment of the present invention may be a method for producing an alcoholic beverage via a fermentation process, or may be a method for producing an alcoholic beverage without a fermentation process. The method for producing an alcoholic beverage in one embodiment of the present invention may be a method for producing a fermented alcoholic beverage via a fermentation process.

Examples of methods for producing a fermented alcoholic beverage via a fermentation step include methods that further include the following step (2) in addition to the steps described above.
Step (2): A step of adding yeast to the pre-beverage liquid obtained in step (1) to carry out alcoholic fermentation.

Furthermore, examples of methods for producing non-fermented alcoholic beverages without a fermentation step include methods that further include the following steps (3) and (3a) in addition to the steps described above.
Step (3): A step of cooling the pre-beverage liquid obtained in step (1) and adding carbon dioxide gas.
Step (3a): A step of blending an alcohol component after at least step (1).

In the production method of one aspect of the present invention, steps (a) to (c) may be performed together with step (1) or after step (1). Furthermore, steps (a) to (c) may be performed after step (1) and before step (2), (3), or (3a), together with step (2), (3), or (3a), or after step (2), (3), or (3a).
The adjustment of steps (a) to (c) also includes the selection of raw materials before step (1).
Steps (a) to (c) may include checking whether each physical property value falls within a desired range.

<Step (a)>
Step (a) is a step of adjusting the alcohol content of the alcoholic beverage to 1.5 to 9.5 (v/v)%.
The alcohol content can be adjusted by the methods described above.
In one embodiment of the production method of the present invention, step (a) can be carried out together with step (1) or steps (1) and (2). Furthermore, after step (1), (2), (3), or (3a), the alcohol content may be checked and adjusted, if necessary, by adding a diluent selected from dilution water, carbonated water, spirits (distilled alcohol), and the like.

<Step (b)>
Step (b) is a step of adjusting the acetaldehyde content of the alcoholic beverage to 2.0 to 12.0 mg/L.
The acetaldehyde content can be adjusted by the methods described above.
In one embodiment of the production method of the present invention, step (b) can be carried out together with step (1), or step (2), (3), or (3a). Furthermore, after step (1), (2), (3), or (3a), the content of acetaldehyde can be checked and, if necessary, acetaldehyde can be added or a diluent selected from dilution water, carbonated water, spirits (distilled alcoholic beverages), and the like can be added to adjust the content.

<Step (c)>
Step (c) is a step of adjusting the ethyl acetate content of the alcoholic beverage to 12.0 to 35.0 mg/L.
The method for adjusting the ethyl acetate content includes the methods described above.
In one embodiment of the production method of the present invention, step (c) can be carried out together with step (1), or step (2), (3), or (3a). Furthermore, after step (1), (2), (3), or (3a), ethyl acetate may be added, or a diluent selected from dilution water, carbonated water, spirits (distilled alcoholic beverages), and the like, as necessary, to adjust the concentration.

The following describes one embodiment of a method for producing a fermented alcoholic beverage and a method for producing a non-fermented alcoholic beverage according to the present invention.

2.1 Method for producing fermented alcoholic beverages One embodiment of the method for producing a fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention includes a method that involves a fermentation step using yeast, and includes the following steps (1) and (2) in addition to the steps (a) to (c) described above.
Step (1): A step of obtaining a pre-beverage solution by using various raw materials and performing at least one of saccharification, boiling, and solid content removal.
Step (2): A step of adding yeast to the pre-beverage liquid obtained in step (1) to carry out alcoholic fermentation.

In the method for producing a fermented alcoholic beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention, the adjustments of the above steps (a) to (c), pyroglutamic acid content, total nitrogen content, free amino nitrogen content, total polyphenol content, original extract concentration, bitterness value, color, and pH can be performed at one or more of the following times (A) to (C). Furthermore, if steps (a) to (c) and the above-mentioned adjustments can be performed simultaneously by performing steps (1) and (2), there is no need to perform these steps separately.
(a): Simultaneously with at least one of steps (1) and (2); (b): Between steps (1) and (2); (c): After step (2). Each step in the method for producing a fermented alcoholic beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

2.1.1 Process (1)
Step (1) is a step of obtaining a pre-beverage solution by using various raw materials and performing at least one of saccharification, boiling, and solid content removal.
For example, when malt is used as the various raw materials, water, malt, and various raw materials including various carbohydrate raw materials other than malt are charged into a mash kettle or mash tank, and enzymes such as amylase are added as necessary. Various additives such as hops, preservatives, sweeteners, water-soluble dietary fiber, bittering agents or bitterness imparting agents, antioxidants, flavorings, acidulants, and colorings may be added as the various raw materials other than malt. These may be added before, during, or after the saccharification treatment. Alternatively, they may be added after the fermentation in the subsequent step.

The mixture of various raw materials is heated to saccharify the starch in the raw materials.
The temperature and time of the saccharification treatment are preferably adjusted as appropriate, taking into consideration the type of malt used, the malt ratio, water and raw materials other than malt, the type and amount of enzyme used, the concentration of the raw wort extract in the final beverage, etc. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the saccharification treatment temperature may be 55 to 75°C, and the saccharification treatment time may be 30 to 240 minutes.

It is preferable to subject this saccharified solution to a boiling treatment.
When hops, bittering agents, etc. are used as raw materials during this boiling treatment, it is preferable to add these agents. Hops, bittering agents, etc. may be added between the start and end of boiling of the saccharified solution.

After the boiling treatment, the mash is preferably transferred to a whirlpool, cooled to 0 to 23°C, and then treated to remove solids such as coagulated proteins. This treatment allows the concentration of the original wort extract to be adjusted. In this way, a pre-beverage solution is obtained.
In this step, in order to remove solids, filtration through a filter having a predetermined pore size (for example, a pore size of less than 30 μm) may be performed.

Instead of the saccharified solution, a pre-beverage solution (pre-fermentation solution) may be prepared by adding hops, bittering agents, etc. to a malt extract and hot water, followed by boiling.
Furthermore, when malt is not used as one of the various raw materials, a liquid sugar containing a carbon source, a nitrogen source as an amino acid-containing raw material other than barley or malt, hops, dietary fiber, preservatives, sweeteners, antioxidants, bittering agents, flavorings, acidulants, colorants, etc. may be mixed with warm water to prepare a liquid sugar solution, which may then be boiled to prepare a pre-beverage liquid (pre-fermentation liquid).
When hops are used, they may be added before the boiling treatment or between the start and end of boiling of the liquid sugar solution.

2.1.2 Process (2)
Step (2) is a step of adding yeast to the pre-beverage solution obtained in step (1) to carry out alcoholic fermentation.
The yeast used in this step can be appropriately selected taking into consideration the type of alcoholic beverage to be produced, the desired flavor and fermentation conditions, etc., and either top-fermenting yeast or bottom-fermenting yeast may be used.

The yeast may be added to the raw material solution as a yeast suspension, or a slurry of concentrated yeast obtained by centrifugation or sedimentation may be added to the raw material solution. Alternatively, the yeast may be added after centrifugation and the supernatant completely removed. The amount of yeast added to the raw material solution can be appropriately set, but is, for example, about 5.0 x ¹⁰ cells/ml to 1.0 x ¹⁰ cells/ml.

The fermentation conditions for fermentation can be set as appropriate, but from the perspective of adjusting the alcohol content of the fermented alcoholic beverage to the above-mentioned range, it is preferable that the fermentation temperature be 5 to 25°C (more preferably 10 to 22°C). The alcohol content of the fermented alcoholic beverage can also be adjusted by appropriately setting the type, amount, and timing of addition of polysaccharide-degrading enzymes such as transglucosidase and glucoamylase. Furthermore, the temperature (increase or decrease) or pressure of the fermentation liquid may be changed during the fermentation process, as necessary.

After fermentation, a filtration process may be performed to remove yeast from the fermented alcoholic beverage, or filtration may not be performed. Water and the various additives mentioned above may also be added as needed.

The fermented alcoholic beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention thus obtained is filled into a predetermined container and distributed on the market as a finished product.
The method for packaging the fermented alcoholic beverage is not particularly limited, and any packaging method known to those skilled in the art can be used. In the packaging step, the fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention is filled and sealed in a container. Containers of any shape and material may be used in the packaging step, and examples of containers include those described in "1.4 Packaged Beverages."

2.2 Method for Producing Non-Fermented Alcoholic Beverages A method for producing a non-fermented alcoholic beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention may be any method that does not involve a fermentation step, and examples thereof include a method comprising the following steps (1) and (3).
Step (1): A step of obtaining a pre-beverage solution by using various raw materials and performing at least one of saccharification, boiling, and solid content removal.
Step (3): A step of cooling the pre-beverage liquid obtained in step (1) and adding carbon dioxide gas.

Step (1) is the same as step (1) for obtaining a pre-drink solution in the above-mentioned "method for producing a fermented alcoholic beverage."
In step (3), carbon dioxide gas may be added by mixing the cooled beverage preliminaries obtained in step (1) with carbonated water, or by directly adding carbon dioxide gas to the cooled beverage concentrate. Furthermore, additives such as preservatives, sweeteners, flavorings, acidulants, and colorants may be added as needed when adding carbon dioxide gas at the same time as step (3).

Furthermore, a method for producing a non-fermented alcoholic beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention includes the following step (3a):
Step (3a): A step of blending an alcohol component after at least step (1).

Step (3a) may be carried out at least after step (1), and may be carried out, for example, at one or more of the following times (α), (β), and (γ):
(α): Between step (1) and step (3) (β): Simultaneous with step (3) (γ): After step (3) Of these, step (3a) is preferably carried out after the pre-beverage liquid obtained in step (1) has been cooled to prepare a chilled beverage concentrate, but before adding carbon dioxide gas.
The alcohol component to be added in step (3a) is preferably spirits (distilled alcohol) derived from the above-mentioned grains.

In addition, in one embodiment of the method for producing a non-fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the above steps (a) to (c) and adjustments of the pyroglutamic acid content, total nitrogen content, free amino nitrogen content, total polyphenol content, bitterness value, color, and pH can be performed at one or more of the following times (i) to (v). Furthermore, if steps (a) to (c) and the above-mentioned adjustments can be performed simultaneously by performing steps (1), (3), and (3a), there is no need to perform these steps separately.
(i): Simultaneous with at least one of step (1), step (3), and step (3a); (ii): Between step (1) and step (3); (iii): Between step (1) and step (3a); (iv): After step (3) or between step (3) and step (3a); (v): After step (3a)

The non-fermented alcoholic beverage thus obtained is filled into a predetermined container and distributed on the market as a finished product.
The method for packaging a non-fermented alcoholic beverage is not particularly limited, and any packaging method known to those skilled in the art can be used. In the packaging process, the non-fermented alcoholic beverage is filled and sealed in a container. Containers of any shape and material may be used in the packaging process, and examples of containers are as described above.

3. Method for Improving the Flavor of Alcoholic Beverages The method for improving the flavor of alcoholic beverages according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises at least the following steps (I) to (III).
Operation (I): An operation to check and/or adjust the alcohol content to 1.5 to 9.5 (v/v)%.
Operation (II): Confirm and/or adjust the acetaldehyde content to 2.0 to 12.0 mg/L.
Operation (III): Confirm and/or adjust the ethyl acetate content to 12.0 to 35.0 mg/L.
The steps (I) to (III) correspond to steps (a) to (c) in the method for producing an alcoholic beverage described above. By adjusting the alcohol content, acetaldehyde content, and ethyl acetate content to their respective predetermined ranges through the steps (I) to (III), it is possible to improve the drinkability, soft aroma, and/or refreshing aroma that are suitable for alcoholic beverages. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the spiciness, green apple-like aroma, and/or nasal irritation that are unsuitable for alcoholic beverages.
In the flavor improving method of one embodiment of the present invention, the beverage that serves as the reference for flavor improvement is an alcoholic beverage prepared without performing any one or more of the operations (I) to (III). In the flavor improving method of another embodiment of the present invention, the beverage that serves as the reference for flavor improvement may be an alcoholic beverage produced without limiting the malt ratio.
The alcohol content, the preferred range of acetaldehyde content and ethyl acetate, as well as the various properties of the alcoholic beverage, the various components and their contents, etc. are as described above in "1 Fermented alcoholic beverages."

The present invention will be explained in more detail below using examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

Examples 1 to 44, Comparative Examples 1 to 25
<Preparation of beverages>
46.4 kg of sugars (sugar solution), 450 g of yeast extract, corn protein hydrolysate, and 55 L of warm water were added to a boiling kettle and dissolved at 75°C. The total volume was then adjusted to 100 L, and boiled for 1 minute and hops were added. The raw material liquid was transferred to a settling tank to separate and remove the precipitate, and then cooled to 19°C to obtain a pre-beverage liquid (pre-fermentation liquid). This pre-beverage liquid was inoculated with a polysaccharide-degrading enzyme and top-fermenting yeast, and subjected to alcoholic fermentation. After fermentation to an alcohol content of approximately 12 (v/v)%, the liquid was diluted to an alcohol content shown in each table, and the yeast was removed by filtration to obtain a malt-free alcoholic beverage (fermented beer-flavored beverage). The original extract concentration of the obtained beverage was 4.5 to 22.0% by mass, the total nitrogen content was 9 to 70 mg/100 mL, the free amino nitrogen content was 2.5 to 19 mg/100 mL, the total polyphenol content was 2.8 to 116 mg/L, and the color was 0.5 to 5.0 EBC.
In each example and comparative example, the set temperature and holding time for each temperature range when preparing the raw material liquid, the amount and timing of addition of the polysaccharide-degrading enzyme, the type of hop, the amount and timing of addition, and the fermentation temperature and time were appropriately set to adjust the acetaldehyde content, ethyl acetate content, pyroglutamic acid content, and bitterness value to the values shown in each table. The contents of acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate, and pyroglutamic acid were adjusted by directly adding these as necessary.
In addition, the beverage of Comparative Example 25 was prepared by fermenting in the fermentation process until the alcohol content reached approximately 7.5 (v/v)%, and then diluting it to the alcohol content listed in Table 13.

<Sensory evaluation>
Seven trained panelists evaluated the beverages obtained in the Examples and Comparative Examples cooled to approximately 4°C on the following criteria for each test beverage: "whether or not it has a satisfying drinking experience suitable for an alcoholic beverage,""whether or not it has a soft aroma suitable for an alcoholic beverage,""whether or not it has a refreshing aroma suitable for an alcoholic beverage,""whether or not it has a pungent taste unsuitable for an alcoholic beverage,""whether or not it has a green apple-like aroma unsuitable for an alcoholic beverage," and "whether or not it has a stimulating sensation in the nose unsuitable for an alcoholic beverage." The results are shown in Tables 1 to 13. The panelists evaluated each beverage on a scale of 3.0 (maximum) to 1.0 (minimum) in increments of 0.1 based on the following criteria:
For the evaluation, samples conforming to the following criteria of "3.0,""2.5,""2.0,""1.5," and "1.0" were prepared in advance to ensure uniformity among panelists. Furthermore, in all of the sensory evaluations shown in Tables 1 to 13, no differences in scores of 1.5 or greater were observed among panelists for the same beverage.

[Score criteria for determining whether an alcoholic beverage has a satisfying taste]
・“3.0”: A very strong, satisfying taste that is ideal for an alcoholic beverage.
・“2.5”: A strong, satisfying taste that is ideal for an alcoholic beverage.
・“2.0”: A satisfyingly satisfying taste that is ideal for an alcoholic beverage.
・“1.5”: Not very satisfying to drink, which is ideal for an alcoholic beverage.
・“1.0”: The ideal drinking experience for an alcoholic beverage is barely noticeable.

[Score criteria for the presence or absence of a soft aroma suitable for alcoholic beverages]
・“3.0”: A soft fragrance suitable for alcoholic beverages is very strongly felt.
・“2.5”: A soft, strong aroma suitable for alcoholic beverages is felt.
・“2.0”: A soft aroma suitable for alcoholic beverages is fully noticeable.
・“1.5”: The soft aroma suitable for alcoholic beverages is not very noticeable.
・“1.0”: The soft aroma suitable for alcoholic beverages is hardly noticeable.

[Score criteria for the presence or absence of a refreshing aroma suitable for alcoholic beverages]
・“3.0”: A refreshing aroma suitable for an alcoholic beverage is very strongly felt.
・“2.5”: A strong refreshing scent suitable for an alcoholic beverage is felt.
・“2.0”: A refreshing aroma suitable for an alcoholic beverage is fully felt.
・“1.5”: The refreshing aroma suitable for an alcoholic beverage is not very noticeable.
・“1.0”: The refreshing aroma suitable for alcoholic beverages is hardly noticeable.

[Scoring criteria for the presence or absence of spiciness that is unsuitable for alcoholic beverages]
・“3.0”: No spiciness that is unsuitable for an alcoholic beverage is detected.
・“2.5”: Almost no spiciness that is unsuitable for an alcoholic beverage is noticeable.
・"2.0": There is not much of a spiciness that is unsuitable for an alcoholic beverage.
・“1.5”: A pungent taste that is unsuitable for an alcoholic beverage is felt and it is difficult to drink.
・“1.0”: A strong spiciness that is unsuitable for an alcoholic beverage is felt, making it very difficult to drink.

[Score criteria for the presence or absence of green apple-like aroma unsuitable for alcoholic beverages]
・“3.0”: No green apple-like scent, which is inappropriate for an alcoholic beverage, is detected at all.
・“2.5”: The green apple-like scent that is inappropriate for an alcoholic beverage is hardly noticeable.
・“2.0”: The green apple-like scent that is inappropriate for an alcoholic beverage is not very noticeable.
・“1.5”: A green apple-like scent that is inappropriate for an alcoholic beverage is detectable and difficult to drink.
・“1.0”: The scent of green apples, which is unsuitable for an alcoholic beverage, is strong and very difficult to drink.

[Scoring criteria for the presence or absence of an inappropriate irritating sensation felt in the nose from alcoholic beverages]
・“3.0”: There is absolutely no irritating sensation in the nose that is unsuitable for alcoholic beverages.
・“2.5”: There is almost no irritating sensation in the nose that is unsuitable for alcoholic beverages.
・“2.0”: There is not much of an unpleasant irritating feeling in the nose that is typical of alcoholic beverages.
・“1.5”: The alcoholic beverage has an unpleasant stimulating sensation in the nose, making it difficult to drink.
・“1.0”: The nose has a strong stimulating sensation that is unsuitable for an alcoholic beverage, making it very difficult to drink.

The overall evaluation was based on the following criteria.
[comprehensive evaluation]
A: All evaluation items have a score of 2.3 or higher.
B: Does not fall under "A" or "C" above.
C: The score for any evaluation item is less than 2.0.

Examples 45 to 53
<Preparation of beverages>
40 kg of crushed barley malt was added to a mash tank containing 200 L of hot water maintained at 50°C. The temperature was gradually increased and maintained until it reached 78°C, after which the malt dregs were removed by filtration to obtain a saccharified solution. Next, a sugar solution was added to the saccharified solution to achieve the malt ratio shown in Table 14, and hops were then added. The mixture was boiled and subjected to solid-liquid separation to obtain a clear wort. The wort was then cooled to obtain a pre-beverage solution (pre-fermentation solution), which was inoculated with a polysaccharide-degrading enzyme and top-fermenting yeast and subjected to alcoholic fermentation. After fermentation to an alcohol content of approximately 12% (v/v), the mixture was diluted to an alcohol content shown in Table 14, and the yeast was removed by filtration to obtain a malt-based alcoholic beverage (fermented beer-flavored beverage). The original extract concentration of the obtained beverage was 10.0 to 12.0% by mass, the total nitrogen content was 40 to 60 mg/100 mL, the free amino nitrogen content was 4 to 10 mg/100 mL, the total polyphenol content was 90 to 110 mg/L, and the color was 10 to 20 EBC.
In each example, the set temperature and holding time of each temperature range when preparing the saccharified solution, the amount and timing of addition of the polysaccharide-degrading enzyme, the type of hop, the amount and timing of addition, and the fermentation temperature and time were appropriately set to adjust the acetaldehyde content, ethyl acetate content, pyroglutamic acid content, and bitterness value to the values shown in each table. The contents of acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate, and pyroglutamic acid were adjusted by directly adding these substances as necessary.
The resulting beverages were subjected to sensory evaluation in the same manner as in Examples 1 to 44. The results are shown in Table 14.

As can be seen from Tables 1 to 14, the fermented beer-taste beverages prepared in Examples 1 to 53 were superior to the beverages of the comparative examples in the various evaluation items described above, even when the malt ratio was limited to a certain value or less, by adjusting the alcohol content, acetaldehyde content, and ethyl acetate content to within specified numerical ranges, and were beverages with an overall excellent flavor.
On the other hand, the fermented beer-flavored beverages prepared in Comparative Examples 1 to 24 did not satisfy the specified numerical ranges for alcohol content, acetaldehyde content, or ethyl acetate content, and therefore were inferior in one or more of the above-mentioned evaluation items.
Furthermore, the fermented beer-taste beverage of Comparative Example 25, which was prepared under normal fermentation conditions, did not satisfy the specified numerical ranges for both the acetaldehyde content and the ethyl acetate content, and the content of these aroma components was lower than that of the beverages of each Example, which were fermented under so-called high-concentration fermentation conditions using a pre-fermentation liquid with a high original extract concentration.

Claims (17)

The alcohol content is 1.5 to 9.5 (v/v)%;
The acetaldehyde content is 2.0 to 12.0 mg/L,
The content of ethyl acetate is 12.0 to 35.0 mg/L,
The following formula (2) is satisfied:
Formula (2): X2/Y>1.5
[In the above formula (2), X2 represents the content of ethyl acetate (unit: mg/L), and Y represents the alcohol content (unit: (v/v)%).]
The color is 5.0 EBC or less,
An alcoholic beverage made from hops. The alcohol content is 1.5 to 9.5 (v/v)%;
The acetaldehyde content is 2.0 to 12.0 mg/L,
The content of ethyl acetate is 12.0 to 35.0 mg/L,
The following formula (2) is satisfied:
Formula (2): X2/Y>1.5
[In the above formula (2), X2 represents the content of ethyl acetate (unit: mg/L), and Y represents the alcohol content (unit: (v/v)%).]
The malt ratio is 1% by mass or less,
An alcoholic beverage made from hops. Satisfies the following formula (1):
Formula (1): X1/Y>0.2
2. The alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, wherein X1 represents the acetaldehyde content (unit: mg/L) and Y represents the alcohol content (unit: (v/v)%) in the above formula (1). Satisfies the following formula (2):
Formula (2): X2/Y≧2.0
2. The alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, wherein X2 represents the ethyl acetate content (unit: mg/L) and Y represents the alcohol content (unit: (v/v)%) in the above formula (2). Satisfies the following formula (3):
Formula (3): (X1+X2)/Y>1.8
The alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, wherein X1 represents the acetaldehyde content (unit: mg/L), X2 represents the ethyl acetate content (unit: mg/L), and Y represents the alcohol content (unit: (v/v)%) in the above formula (3). The alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the acetaldehyde content is 4.0 to 12.0 mg/L. The alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the ethyl acetate content is 15.0 to 35.0 mg/L. The alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , having a bitterness value of 3.0 BUs or more. The alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the content of pyroglutamic acid is 15.0 mg/L or more. The alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the alcoholic beverage is a beer-flavored beverage. The alcoholic beverage according to claim 10 , wherein the beer-taste beverage is a top-fermented beer-taste beverage. The alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 3 to 5 , wherein the malt ratio is less than 60% by mass. The alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 3 to 5 , wherein the malt ratio is less than 25% by mass. The alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , which does not use malt as a raw material. A method for producing an alcoholic beverage using hops as a raw material, comprising the following steps (1) and (a) to (d):
Step (1): A step of obtaining a pre-beverage solution by using various raw materials and performing at least one of saccharification, boiling, and solid content removal.
Step (a): adjusting the alcohol content of the alcoholic beverage to 1.5 to 9.5 (v/v)%.
Step (b): adjusting the acetaldehyde content of the alcoholic beverage to 2.0 to 12.0 mg/L.
Step (c): adjusting the ethyl acetate content of the alcoholic beverage to 12.0 to 35.0 mg/L.
Step (d): A step of adjusting the content of ethyl acetate and the alcohol content so as to satisfy the following formula (2).
Formula (2): X2/Y>1.5
[In the above formula (2), X2 represents the content of ethyl acetate (unit: mg/L), and Y represents the alcohol content (unit: (v/v)%).]
Step (e): A step of adjusting the color of the alcoholic beverage to 5.0 EBC or less. The method for producing an alcoholic beverage according to claim 15 , further comprising the following step (2):
Step (2): A step of adding yeast to the pre-beverage liquid obtained in step (1) to carry out alcoholic fermentation. The alcohol content of the final product is 1.5 to 9.5 (v/v)%.
Acetaldehyde content is 2.0 to 12.0 mg/L,
The content of ethyl acetate is 12.0 to 35.0 mg/L,
Adjust so that
The following formula (2):
Formula (2): X2/Y>1.5
[In the above formula (2), X2 represents the content of ethyl acetate (unit: mg/L), and Y represents the alcohol content (unit: (v/v)%).]
and adjusting the color to 5.0 EBC or less.