A method for preparing hop extract emulsions is provided. One to two parts hop extract is combined with eight to nine parts diluent oil as an oil mixture. The oil mixture is heated until reaching a viscosity threshold when the heated oil mixture is combined with an emulsifying solution. The emulsifying solution includes an emulsifying agent dispersed in water. Upon combining the oil mixture and emulsifying solution, the emulsifying agent enrobes droplets of the hop extract. The combined oil mixture and emulsifying solution is mixed and homogenized.

The present invention recognizes that there is a long felt need for the ability to produce extracts of natural products, such as but not limited to wood, in order to provide flavoring to foods and beverages, including but not limited to non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. A first aspect of the present invention generally relates to a method of making a flavored extract of at least one natural product such as wood. A second aspect of the present invention generally relates to a product produced ty the method of the first aspect. A third aspect of the present invention generally relates to a method of making a food or beverage including a product of the first aspect. A fourth aspect of the present invention generally relates to a food or beverage produced by a method of the third aspect. A fifth aspect of the present invention generally relates to aspects of the present invention particularly adapted for beer.

Provided is a beer-taste beverage comprising 1000 ppb by mass or less of 4-vinylguaiacol, having an ethyl n-butyrate content of 140 ppb by mass or more, and comprising at least one lactone selected from γ-decanolactone and γ-undecalactone, wherein a ratio of the content (unit:ppb by mass) of ethyl n-butyrate to the total content (unit:ppb by mass) of the lactone [ethyl n-butyrate/lactone] is 1100 or less.

The present invention relates to a beer manufacturing device configured such that it is possible to directly produce and sell beer, the yeast of which is alive, on the spot without any expertise, and it is possible to easily manufacture various kinds of beer automatically at a low cost through a single session without a concern that the same will be contaminated by contact with the outside. A beer manufacturing device according to an embodiment of the present invention may comprise: a chamber; a coupler fixedly installed in the chamber, the coupler comprising a wort channel and a gas channel; a channel portion connecting the wort channel and the gas channel of the coupler; a sterilizing/washing cap coupled to the coupler such that the channel portion becomes a closed channel; a sterilizing/washing filter container connected to the channel portion, sterilizing/washing water being stored in the sterilizing/washing filter; a pump connected to the channel portion; and a control portion for controlling the operation of the pump such that the sterilizing/washing water stored in the sterilizing/washing filter container circulates through the channel portion that has become a closed channel.

Provided is a beer-taste beverage, comprising less than 0.07 ppm by mass of diacetyl, and 0.4 (v/v) % or more and less than 1.5 (v/v) % of ethanol, having an H.sub.2S content of less than 5 ppb by mass, and comprising 50 to 1000 ppm by mass of lactic acid, or 50 to 1000 ppm by mass of phosphoric acid.

Provided is a beer-taste beverage comprising 1000 ppb by mass or less of 4-vinylguaiacol, and having an ethyl n-butyrate content of 140 ppb by mass or more, a ratio of the content (unit: ppb by mass) of ethyl n-butyrate to the content (unit: ppb by mass) of γ-nonalactone [ethyl n-butyrate/γ-nonalactone] is 23 or less.

A flavour composition comprising a compound according to the formula (I) or edible salts thereof, ##STR00001##
wherein R.sub.1 is alkyl residue containing 6 to 20 carbon atoms, or an alkene residue containing from 9 to 25 carbon atoms with 1 to 6 double bonds, R.sub.1 together with the carbonyl to which it is attached is a residue carboxylic acid, and NR.sub.2R.sub.3, in which R.sub.3 is H or together with R.sub.2 and the N-atom to which they are attached, a 5-membered ring, is a residue of an amino acid, in particular proteinogenic amino acid, ornithine, gamma-aminobutyric acid or beta alanine, or a 1-amino cycloalkyl carboxylic acid.

A process of forming a reaction flavour solid composition, the process comprises the step of heating an aqueous slurry containing reaction flavour precursor compounds to form a reaction flavour, and concomitantly drying the slurry using microwave radiation to form a reaction flavour solid composition.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for adding bitter flavor to beer and other beverages. The present invention concerns the use of compositions comprising compounds that are present in hop extracts or in beer and result from natural processes that occur during processing or storage (aging) of hops or beer. The present invention further concerns the use of suitable amounts of a composition comprising humulinones for adding bitter flavor to beer and other beverages.

Methods of preparing low alcohol malt beverages that include herbal compositions and that do not involve removal of alcohol to achieve an alcohol level of 2.5% or less are provided. In various implementations, methods of preparing low alcohol beverages can utilize biological approaches to limit alcohol levels in malt beverages containing herbal compositions. Herbal compositions can be selected to provide desired features to the low alcohol malt beverages.