Process for recovering at least one fractional substance from vapours during the alcohol reduction of a beverage, and fractional substance recovery device for carrying out the process, in which an alcoholic beverage to be reduced in alcohol content is supplied to a degasser of a fractional substance recovery device, in which vapours are removed from the degasser and the alcoholic beverage passed through the degasser is supplied to a device for alcohol reduction, in which the vapours are fed to a plurality of fractional condensation stages which follow one another in series and in which at least one fractional substance is separated from the vapours under pressure and/or temperature, and in which the fractional substances separated in the respective fractional condensation stage are collected in a collecting container or are fed to an inoculation station, through which the separated fractional substances are fed in metered quantities to an alcohol-reduced drink.

A beer-taste beverage containing (A) γ-octanolactone, (B) 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), (C) trans-oaklactone, and (D) 4-ethylguaiacol, wherein the components satisfy the following (1) and (2): (1) a concentration ratio of the component A to the component B, A/B (ppb/ppb), is 0.009 or more; and (2) a concentration ratio of the component C to the component D, C/D (ppb/ppb), is 0.1 or more. In the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, rich sweetness and a smoky feel are given in an excellent balance, and off-flavors distinctively owned by the beer-taste beverages or a degradation odor generated with the change over time is masked (reduced), so that a new taste can be provided as a luxury product.

A beer-taste beverage containing (A) γ-octanolactone, (B) 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), (C) trans-oaklactone, and (D) 4-ethylguaiacol, wherein the components satisfy the following (1) and (2): (1) a concentration ratio of the component A to the component B, A/B (ppb/ppb), is 0.009 or more; and (2) a concentration ratio of the component C to the component D, C/D (ppb/ppb), is 0.1 or more. In the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, rich sweetness and a smoky feel are given in an excellent balance, and off-flavors distinctively owned by the beer-taste beverages or a degradation odor generated with the change over time is masked (reduced), so that a new taste can be provided as a luxury product.

The present invention provides a beer-flavored beverage in which the methanol concentration is 8.0 to 600 mg/L, the total amount of nitrogen is 0.3 mg/100 mL or more, and the apparent extract concentration is 0.25 to 3.8% by mass.

The present invention relates primarily to a method for obtaining a volatile fraction from a juice and/or an alcohol-containing beverage, comprising or consisting of the following steps: (a) distilling a mixture of substances from the juice and/or the alcohol-containing beverage, wherein the distillation is performed by a spinning cone column; (b) contacting the mixture of substances from step (a) with a sorbent to obtain a loaded sorbent; and (c) contacting the loaded sorbent from step (b) with a liquid desorbent to obtain the volatile fraction, wherein desired ingredients of the volatile fraction are concentrated as compared to the juice and/or alcohol-containing beverage such that an addition of 0.1% by mass or less of the volatile fraction to any food preparation produces a perceptible odor impression and/or taste impression in a test subject.

A beverage can include D ethyl 3-hydroxybutyrate, D 1,3-butanediol, D Beta hydroxybutyrate salts, D Beta hydroxybutyrate/D 1,3-butanediol monoester, D ethyl hydroxybutyrate, hydroxybutyrate, and/or D hydroxybutyric acid of at least 0.5 percent by volume. The percentage of D ethyl 3-hydroxybutyrate, D 1,3-butanediol, D Beta hydroxybutyrate salts, D Beta hydroxybutyrate/D 1,3-butanediol monoester, D ethyl hydroxybutyrate, hydroxybutyrate, and D hydroxybutyric acid can be between 5 and 19 percent, or can be higher than 19 percent. The beverage can be improved by the incorporation of flavor from hops and/or from other ingredients.

A beverage can include D ethyl 3-hydroxybutyrate, D 1,3-butanediol, D Beta hydroxybutyrate salts, D Beta hydroxybutyrate/D 1,3-butanediol monoester, D ethyl hydroxybutyrate, hydroxybutyrate, and/or D hydroxybutyric acid of at least 0.5 percent by volume. The percentage of D ethyl 3-hydroxybutyrate, D 1,3-butanediol, D Beta hydroxybutyrate salts, D Beta hydroxybutyrate/D 1,3-butanediol monoester, D ethyl hydroxybutyrate, hydroxybutyrate, and D hydroxybutyric acid can be between 5 and 19 percent, or can be higher than 19 percent. The beverage can be improved by the incorporation of flavor from hops and/or from other ingredients.

A process for obtaining a concentrated flavour mixture from a malt-based beverage, the process comprising: —providing a malt-based fermented liquid; —subjecting the malt-based fermented liquid to a CO.sub.2 or N.sub.2-stripping step or, at least partially, degassing the malt-based liquid, thereby creating a gas stream comprising volatile flavour components; —collecting the gas stream comprising volatile flavour components; and —separating, by a carbon dioxide or N.sub.2 scrubber, at least partially, the CO.sub.2 or N.sub.2 in the gas stream from the volatile flavour components, obtaining a concentrated volatile flavour fraction; —collecting said volatile flavour fraction and packaging the volatile flavour fraction.

A method of producing beer comprises the steps of producing or supplying a beer intermediate, wherein the beer intermediate is manufactured through a brewing process, storing the beer intermediate in a container, transporting the container containing the beer intermediate to a processing station where the beer intermediate is discharged from the container for further processing and mixing CO with the discharged beer intermediate. Before the step of storing the beer intermediate at least one of alcohol, malt syrup, wheat syrup, hop and sugar is added to the beer intermediate such that the stored beer intermediate forms a beer concentrate, wherein removal of water from the beer intermediate after the brewing process is omitted. Water is mixed with the discharged beer concentrate so as to obtain ready-to-consume beer or a ready-to-consume beer-like beverage. The produced or supplied beer intermediate has a CO2 concentration which is lower than 3 g/kg.

A method of producing beer comprises the steps of producing or supplying a beer intermediate, wherein the beer intermediate is manufactured through a brewing process, storing the beer intermediate in a container, transporting the container containing the beer intermediate to a processing station where the beer intermediate is discharged from the container for further processing and mixing CO with the discharged beer intermediate. Before the step of storing the beer intermediate at least one of alcohol, malt syrup, wheat syrup, hop and sugar is added to the beer intermediate such that the stored beer intermediate forms a beer concentrate, wherein removal of water from the beer intermediate after the brewing process is omitted. Water is mixed with the discharged beer concentrate so as to obtain ready-to-consume beer or a ready-to-consume beer-like beverage. The produced or supplied beer intermediate has a CO2 concentration which is lower than 3 g/kg.