A method for producing a beer-taste beverage, characterized in that the method includes adding a hop processed product to a raw material liquid from a tightly closed vessel, wherein the hop process product is prepared by heating a hop-containing water under conditions of a temperature of 100 C. or higher and 130 C. or lower, and preferably 105 C. or higher and 125 C. or lower, and a pressure of 0.01 MPa or more and 0.36 MPa or less in the tightly closed vessel, followed by allowing a temperature of a heated hop-containing water to be 10 C. or higher and 90 C. or lower. According to the present invention, the bitterness ingredients and the aroma ingredients can be more conveniently extracted from the hops, so that a new taste can be provided as a luxury product.

A method for producing a beer-taste beverage, characterized in that the method includes adding a hop processed product to a raw material liquid from a tightly closed vessel, wherein the hop process product is prepared by heating a hop-containing water under conditions of a temperature of 100 C. or higher and 130 C. or lower, and preferably 105 C. or higher and 125 C. or lower, and a pressure of 0.01 MPa or more and 0.36 MPa or less in the tightly closed vessel, followed by allowing a temperature of a heated hop-containing water to be 10 C. or higher and 90 C. or lower. According to the present invention, the bitterness ingredients and the aroma ingredients can be more conveniently extracted from the hops, so that a new taste can be provided as a luxury product.

Disclosed are methods of freezing material that is susceptible to breakage at undesirable places or times, wherein the freezing is performed with reduced risk of such breakage occurring, and methods for recovery of valuable component from such material by freezing, size reduction, and sieving at sub-ambient pressure.

Provided are a method of producing a beverage and a method of improving a flavor of a beverage by each of which the imparting of an undesirable aroma is suppressed. The method of producing a beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention is a method of producing a beverage using a raw material liquid, including adding hops that have been subjected to acid treatment to the raw material liquid. The method of improving a flavor of a beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention is a method of improving a flavor of a beverage to be produced using a raw material liquid, including adding hops that have been subjected to acid treatment to the raw material liquid, to thereby improve the flavor of the beverage.

Provided are a method of producing a beverage and a method of improving a flavor of a beverage by each of which the imparting of an undesirable aroma is suppressed. The method of producing a beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention is a method of producing a beverage using a raw material liquid, including adding hops that have been subjected to acid treatment to the raw material liquid. The method of improving a flavor of a beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention is a method of improving a flavor of a beverage to be produced using a raw material liquid, including adding hops that have been subjected to acid treatment to the raw material liquid, to thereby improve the flavor of the beverage.

A hop processed product for use in foodstuff for anti-adipocyte differentiation or for antioxidation, containing 50% by weight or more, preferably 60% by weight or more, and more preferably 70% by weight or more, of hop flowers (E.Math.M) showing hues satisfying that a value of a* is less than ?0.5 in accordance with a CIE Lab color space, and preferably that a value of h is 90? or more in accordance with a CIE Lch color space. The hop processed product of the present invention has excellent action of anti-adipocyte differentiation or antioxidant action, so that the hop processed product can be expected to have effects in, for example, anti-metabolic syndrome, anti-aging, anti-obesity, and the like.

A hop processed product for use in foodstuff for anti-adipocyte differentiation or for antioxidation, containing 50% by weight or more, preferably 60% by weight or more, and more preferably 70% by weight or more, of hop flowers (E.Math.M) showing hues satisfying that a value of a* is less than ?0.5 in accordance with a CIE Lab color space, and preferably that a value of h is 90? or more in accordance with a CIE Lch color space. The hop processed product of the present invention has excellent action of anti-adipocyte differentiation or antioxidant action, so that the hop processed product can be expected to have effects in, for example, anti-metabolic syndrome, anti-aging, anti-obesity, and the like.

Pretreating hops includes soaking hops in whiskey for a period of time until the hops absorb a portion of the whiskey and begin to swell. These pretreated hops are in the form of hop flowers, a hop extract, a concentrated hop resin or liquid, or combinations thereof. In any case, the pretreated hops take on the flavors and aromas of the whiskey. A beer product is described that uses these pretreated hops added during the boil stage of brewing the beer, during fermentation of the beer, and/or after fermentation of the beer. Adding the pretreated hops during the brewing process results in the flavors and aromas from the whiskey imparting to the beer. The process obviates the requirement for finishing the beer in whiskey barrels or adding whiskey to the beer product after manufacturing to obtain a complex flavor profile.

A method for producing a food or a precursor of the same, including the steps: (a) providing a mash or a wort or last runnings as a first nutrient medium; and (b) treatment of the first nutrient medium with lactic acid bacteria of the species Lactobacillus rossiae (DSM 15814.sup.T) or with lactic acid bacteria of at least two kinds of species including Lactobacillus rossiae (DSM 15814.sup.T). Furthermore, a corresponding food and corresponding uses are claimed.

A beer filter and a method of brewing beer is disclosed, the beer filter including an outer sheath, an outer permeable sheath disposed in the outer sheath, and an inner permeable sheath disposed in the outer permeable sheath. The method includes steps of disposing an outer permeable sheath within an outer sheath, filling an outer permeable sheath with hops, disposing an inner permeable sheath within the outer permeable sheath, and causing beer to flow from a vessel through and out of the inner permeable sheath, through the hops in the outer permeable sheath, out of the outer permeable sheath and into the outer sheath, and from the outer sheath and back into the vessel.