The invention relates to a method for preparing a brewed beverage, in particular for brewing a beer, comprising adding alkali metal salts of alpha-acids and beta-acids to wort before or during boiling of the wort, andafter boiling of the wortsubjecting the wort to a fermentation step wherein the brewed beverage (or beer) is produced. The method comprises contacting (blending or mixing) an alpha-acid and beta-acid containing matter with one or more alkali metal compounds, thereby forming alkali metal humulates and alkali metal lupulates, prior to the addition to the (boiling) wort.

A method of purifying a hop raw material includes subjecting the hop raw material to a first processing step to form a hop oil extract substantially free of lipids, waxes, flavonoids, and plant matter, collecting the hop oil extract, and optionally subjecting the hop oil extract to a second processing step to yield a purified hop oil product.

A method of purifying a hop raw material includes subjecting the hop raw material to a first processing step to form a hop oil extract substantially free of lipids, waxes, flavonoids, and plant matter, collecting the hop oil extract, and optionally subjecting the hop oil extract to a second processing step to yield a purified hop oil product.

One embodiment of the present invention is a nested fermentation method for making a beverage, such as an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beer, a wine, or the like, the method comprising the steps of: (1) performing a first fermentation process on first fermentation ingredients to form a first solution; (2) removing a first collection of alcohol, aromatics, and water from the first solution to generate an intermediate solution; (3) adding additional fermentation ingredients to the intermediate solution; (4) removing additional alcohol, aromatics, and water from the intermediate solution after fermentation of the additional fermentation ingredients; (5) repeating steps (3) and (4) as necessary to create a concentrated solution; and (6) adding aromatics and/or alcohol to the concentrated solution.

An apparatus for extraction of hops with a liquified gas includes at least one extractor vessel with a heating jacket; at least one evaporator; a solvent recovery vessel with a heating jacket; at least one chiller; a thermal pump cooling the at least one chiller and heating the at least one evaporator; a receiving vessel with a cooling jacket; and a pump moving a pump moving solvent in the solvent recovery vessel; wherein the at least one extractor vessel, the at least one evaporator, the solvent recovery vessel, the one or more chillers, the thermal pump, the receiving vessel, and the pump work continuously under the same pressure conditions.

An apparatus for extraction of hops with a liquified gas includes at least one extractor vessel with a heating jacket; at least one evaporator; a solvent recovery vessel with a heating jacket; at least one chiller; a thermal pump cooling the at least one chiller and heating the at least one evaporator; a receiving vessel with a cooling jacket; and a pump moving a pump moving solvent in the solvent recovery vessel; wherein the at least one extractor vessel, the at least one evaporator, the solvent recovery vessel, the one or more chillers, the thermal pump, the receiving vessel, and the pump work continuously under the same pressure conditions.

Compositions which include hop materials infused with exogenous flavorant matrix and methods for infusing hop materials with a flavorant matrix are provided, wherein the method includes emulsifying a flavorant additive into a carrier system to provide a flavorant matrix; and infusing the hop material with the flavorant matrix.

Compositions which include hop materials infused with exogenous flavorant matrix and methods for infusing hop materials with a flavorant matrix are provided, wherein the method includes emulsifying a flavorant additive into a carrier system to provide a flavorant matrix; and infusing the hop material with the flavorant matrix.

The present invention relates to a method for extraction and dissolution of hop acids, including alpha-acids, iso-alpha-acids, beta-acids and derivatives thereof, in aqueous media, comprising the formation of quaternary ammonium salts of hop acids with quaternary ammonium compounds or mixtures thereof; The invention further relates to, the use of quaternary ammonium salts of hop acids in the beer brewing process. The present invention further relates to a method for preparing a brewed beverage, particularly for brewing a beer, and in particular to a method to improve the utilization of hop acids, including alpha-acids and (reduced) iso-alpha-acids in the brewing process.

The present invention relates to a method for extraction and dissolution of hop acids, including alpha-acids, iso-alpha-acids, beta-acids and derivatives thereof, in aqueous media, comprising the formation of quaternary ammonium salts of hop acids with quaternary ammonium compounds or mixtures thereof; The invention further relates to, the use of quaternary ammonium salts of hop acids in the beer brewing process. The present invention further relates to a method for preparing a brewed beverage, particularly for brewing a beer, and in particular to a method to improve the utilization of hop acids, including alpha-acids and (reduced) iso-alpha-acids in the brewing process.