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.

The present invention pertains in general to a system and method for the separation alpha-acids and other desirable compounds from post-process fermentation solids which are otherwise subject to discard after being used for a fermentation process such as the brewing of beer. The system and method, although described surrounding use with alpha-acids as associated with a beer brewing process, can be used in the extraction of soluble compounds from solids generically.

The present invention pertains in general to a system and method for the separation alpha-acids and other desirable compounds from post-process fermentation solids which are otherwise subject to discard after being used for a fermentation process such as the brewing of beer. The system and method, although described surrounding use with alpha-acids as associated with a beer brewing process, can be used in the extraction of soluble compounds from solids generically.

This invention discloses a method for producing of hop aroma from hop oil that uses only carbon dioxide and ethanol as solvents. It also covers green aromas produced by that method and the beers produced using these green aromas.

This invention discloses a method for producing of hop aroma from hop oil that uses only carbon dioxide and ethanol as solvents. It also covers green aromas produced by that method and the beers produced using these green aromas.

The invention relates to a light-stable hop extract comprising at least 1 g per kg of dry matter of one or more hop derived substances represented by formula (I), wherein R?CH(CH.sub.3).sub.2, CH(CH.sub.3)CH.sub.2CH.sub.3 or CH.sub.2CH(CH.sub.3).sub.2. The invention further relates to the use of the light-stable hop extract in beer and to a method of preparing such a hop extract.

##STR00001##

The invention relates to a method of preparing a light-stable hop extract, said method comprising: providing a pre-isomerised hop extract comprising at least 10% of iso-alpha acids by weight of dry matter, and illuminating the pre-isomerised hop extract, optionally after dilution of the pre-isomerised hop extract.

A device for extracting aroma substances from vegetable aroma carriers into a brewing liquid, in particular into beer, includes a fluidized bed extractor accommodating a suspension bed including the brewing liquid and solid particles contained in aroma carriers. The fluidized bed extractor has at least an inlet and an outlet for the brewing liquid. A feed pump pumps the brewing liquid from the inlet through the fluidized bed extractor to the outlet. A feeding speed of the feed pump is set to a value at which an average vertical feeding speed of the brewing liquid in the fluidized bed extractor is lower than an average vertical sedimentation speed of the solid particles in the fluidized bed extractor.

Devices and methods are described that enable controlled, repeatable and accelerated aging and infusion of alcohol containing beverages. The devices include newly reaction canisters in a computer controlled environment of valves, pumps, interconnecting plumbing, sensors and mixing and dispersing manifolds. Embodiments include devices and infusing materials. The infusing materials include traditional aging/infusing materials such as oaks traditionally used to make barrels for aging and infusion as well as other woods and a variety of non-wood infusion materials such as citrus, beans and seeds. The combination of controls, sensor and computer interface allows for repeatable preparation of aged/infused drinks and for development of new aged/infused drinks.

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.