Of Malt Wort Patents (Class 426/16)
  • Patent number: 6217916
    Abstract: A process for immobilizing viable cells in gelled carrageenan beads comprises preparing an aqueous phase that is a mixture of a gellable concentration of un-gelled carrageenan, in an aqueous suspension of viable cells, in which the mixture's potassium concentration is low enough that the thermogellation temperature of the carrageenan in the suspension is below a temperature to which the viable cells are substantially thermosensitive. This is done at a first processing temperature that exceeds the thermogellation temperature of the carrageenan in that aqueous suspension, but which is below the temperature to which the cells are substantially thermosensitive. A mixture of the aqueous phase and a non-reactive food-grade oil phase is then prepared, and subjected to shear by passing it through a static mixer under flow-rate conditions selected to disperse the aqueous phase in the oil phase, such that a resulting emulsion has a selected droplet size distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Labatt Brewing Company Limited
    Inventors: Ronald James Neufeld, Denis J. C. M. Poncelet, Sylvain D. J. M. Norton
  • Patent number: 6149949
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for pasteurization and fermentation in the production of an alcoholic beverage. The method involves taking a fermentable soluble extract from a processed brewer's mash, mixing it in a mixing zone with a fermented fermentable extract containing an alcohol content of at least 4% alcohol by volume together with other products formed during fermentation, processing this mixture by heating the mixture to a temperature of at least 51.degree. C. (124.degree. F.) holding the mixture at that temperature for ten to twenty minutes and then cooling the mixture to a minimum of 10.degree. C. (50.degree. F.) before fermenting the mixture according to known fermentation processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Morton Coutts Limited
    Inventor: Morton William Coutts
  • Patent number: 6077549
    Abstract: A process is for the continuous production of beer having a diacetyl content below 0.1 mg/l from a cooked, unfermented, fermentable wort with an oxygen content of 0.5 to 3.0 mg O.sub.2 per liter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Metallgesellschaft Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Roland Bodmer, Rudolf Bonsch, Michael Eichelsbacher, Peter Mitschke, Thorsten Seiffert
  • Patent number: 6033690
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for managing or controlling fermentation product profiles in a parallel pair of beer product streams in which a brewer's wort is fermented to produce a beer having fermentation products therein. The beer is passed along a first side of a semipermeable membrane, under selective fermentation product passing conditions, to transfer selected fermentation products across the membrane, and into an unfermented beer wort on a second side of that membrane. This procedure results in the production of an unfermented wort having a permeate-supplemented fermentation product profile and a fermented wort having a permeate-reduced product profile. The unfermented wort is then itself fermented to produce a second fermented wort. The second fermented wort has a combination of fermentation-supplemented and permeate-supplemented fermentation product profiles. The respective fermented worts are then finished and-packaged for subsequent distribution and consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Labatt Brewing Company Limited
    Inventors: Glen D. Austin, Thomas S. Rutledge, Jean-Pierre Auger
  • Patent number: 6017568
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the continuous boiling of wort, comprising feeding the unboiled wort to a wort heater, wherein it is heated to a temperature between 75 and 125.degree. C., introducing the heated wort in a plug flow reactor, preferably a rotating disc holding column, followed by treating the wort obtained from said reactor in countercurrent with steam in a stripping column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Heineken Technical Services B.V.
    Inventors: Hendrik J. Visscher, Christiaan W. Versteegh
  • Patent number: 6013288
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing beer having a reduced content of purine compounds by using wort having a reduced content of purine nucleosides as a result of decomposing purine nucleosides into purine bases by using nucleoside phosphorylase or nucleosidase, or decomposing purine nucleosides into purine bases during fermentation and having the purine bases metabolized by yeast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Suntory Limited
    Inventors: Yuji Shibano, Hideko Yomo, Takehiro Matsumoto, Hirofumi Koda, Yoshihide Suwa, Teruo Amachi, Haruyo Hatanaka, Sakayu Shimizu
  • Patent number: 5993865
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a beverage containing proteins and/or peptides and is characterized in that it contains Cereal-LT and/or homologues as herein defined and/or a modified Cereal-LTP fraction obtainable from the Cereal-LTP and/or homologues by heating, boiling and/or mashing the Cereal-LTP and/or homologues in water at a pH between 3 and 7. The invention also concerns a method for preparing it and a use of a foam-forming additive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Carlsberg A/S
    Inventors: Lene M.o slashed.lskov Bech, Steen Bech S.o slashed.rensen, Pia Vaag, Marianne Muldbjerg, Thorkild Beenfeldt, Robert Leah, Klaus Breddam
  • Patent number: 5962045
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing beers having yeast turbidity, in particular wheat beer, in which it is possible to metabolize virtually completely the oxygen which has unavoidably passed into the container during packaging, and nevertheless to perform continuous pasteurization integrated into the filling device. For this purpose, prior to packaging, yeast and beer wort are again added to the beer, and the yeast in the beer present in a package is destroyed within 24 hours of packaging. By this means, sterile beer having very high flavor stability can be produced, which is also suitable for sale of canned beer and for export even to distant countries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Tucher Brau AG
    Inventors: Klaus Rubelmann, Martin Leibhard, Maximilian Ammon, Klaus Wojtenek, Hans-Gunther Rother, Jochen Sprotte, Georg Rammelmeir
  • Patent number: 5955070
    Abstract: The invention provides micro-organism strains of the Geotrichum candidum family, obtainable by selecting and cloning natural strains of the micro-organism, and which have the following properties: a lipase activity of less than 2.5.multidot.10.sup.-7 nKat per cell; a substantially complete inhibition of undesirable flora developing during malting; and a lack of mutagenic activity as measured by the Ames test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: Institut Francais des Boissons de la Brasserie
    Inventors: Patrick Boivin, M'Baka Malanda
  • Patent number: 5869117
    Abstract: A process for immobilizing viable cells in gelled carrageenan beads comprises preparing an aqueous phase that is a mixture of a gellable concentration of un-gelled carrageenan, in an aqueous suspension of viable cells, in which the mixture's potassium concentration is low enough that the thermogellation temperature of the carrageenan in the suspension is below a temperature to which the viable cells are substantially thermosensitive. This is done at a first processing temperature that exceeds the thermogellation temperature of the carrageenan in that aqueous suspension, but which is below the temperature to which the cells are substantially thermosensitive. A mixture of the aqueous phase and a non-reactive food-grade oil phase is then prepared, and subjected to shear by passing it through a static mixer under flow-rate conditions selected to disperse the aqueous phase in the oil phase, such that a resulting emulsion has a selected droplet size distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Labatt Brewing Company Limited
    Inventors: Ronald James Neufeld, Denis J. C. M. Poncelet, Sylvain D. J. M. Norton
  • Patent number: 5817359
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and for the dealcoholization of alcohol containing solutions, especially fermented beverages. In preferred embodiments the methods employ a novel controlled-strip evaporative perstraction technique following initial clarification to remove biomass, wherein strip solutions, dealcoholized beverage, or both are recycled for use in the strip solutions for dealcoholization of subsequent batches of feed beverage. In further preferred embodiments additives are introduced into the strip solution to further limit loss of volatile components during perstraction. Biomass removed by the clarification is then returned to the retentate product following perstration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Palassa Pty. Ltd.
    Inventors: Alan Sherman Michaels, R. Philip Canning, Paul Hogan
  • Patent number: 5783235
    Abstract: A method of making a light stable, hop flavored, fermented beverage of less bitterness having a comparable hop flavor to one prepared using whole hops consists of adding to a wort as the sole hopping material a solid hop residue obtained by extracting whole hops with liquid carbon dioxide, boiling the solid hop residue and wort mixture, removing the solids from the fermented mixture and fermenting the remaining liquid to obtain the beverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Miller Brewing Company
    Inventors: Patrick L. Ting, Hetvin A. Wilkinson, David S. Ryder, Matthew L. Tripp, Sydney Rader, Henry Goldstein
  • Patent number: 5762991
    Abstract: A continuous process of producing beer is described. Starch-containing raw materials are disintegrated and are optionally processed to form malt, a wort is produced from the disintegrated and optionally malted raw materials, and the wort is subjected to alcoholic fermentation. In that process all process steps are performed continuously. The mash is initially heated in a reactor system to a temperature of 75.degree. to 85.degree. C. The grain residue is removed from the mash. The wort is subsequently hopped and is heated to a temperature from 105.degree. to 140.degree. C. This is succeeded by a flash evaporation, a removal of the dregs and a cooling of the wort, which is subsequently fermented at 6.degree. to 25.degree. in the presence of a biocatalyst. The fermenting process may be succeeded by a partial or full continuous de-alcoholization of the beer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Metalgesellschaft Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Klaus Dziondziak, Rudolf Bonsch, Roland Herbert Bodmer, Michael Karl Hans Eichelsbacher, Peter Mitschke, Ulrich Heinrich Friedrich Sander, Eberhard Julius Friedrich Schlichting
  • Patent number: 5728413
    Abstract: A process for preparing a fermented malt beverage wherein brewing materials ere mashed with water and the resulting mash is heated and wort separated therefrom. The wort is boiled, cooled and fermented and the beer is subjected to a finishing stage, which includes aging, to produce the final beverage. The improvement comprises subjecting the beer to a cold stage comprising rapidly cooling the beer to a temperature of about its freezing point in such a manner that ice crystals are formed therein in only minimal amounts. The resulting cooled beer is then mixed for a short period of time with a beer slurry containing ice crystals, without any appreciable collateral increase in the amount of ice crystals in the resulting mixture. Finally, the so-treated beer is extracted from the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Assignee: Labatt Brewing Company Limited
    Inventors: Cameron R. Murray, William John Van Der Meer
  • Patent number: 5718161
    Abstract: There is provided a system for brewing beer particularly suited for a brew pub setting. The invention utilizes a cooker to heat water and a pre-blend syrup of ingredients. Once the beer mixture is boiled for a sufficient length of time in the cooker, the mixture is transferred to a brewing vessel. A spiral spray nozzle is used to add water to the brewing vessel in a conical spray pattern which causes the water to be oxygenated once it passes through the spiral spray end of the nozzle. Yeast is added to the brew mixture and oxygenated water in the brewing vessel. The beer mixture is permitted to ferment in the brewing vessel for a sufficient length of time. The fermented beer mixture is transferred to a plurality of kegs, each of which contains a mixture of sugar and gelatin. The sugar and gelatin allow the beer mixture and age and clarify. Once the beer mixture has aged a sufficient time, the beer mixture is dispensed from the kegs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1998
    Inventor: Leigh P. Beadle
  • Patent number: 5695795
    Abstract: A process for chill-treating, which is exemplified by a process for preparing a fermented malt beverage wherein brewing materials are mashed with water and the resulting mash is heated and wort separated therefrom. The wort is boiled cooled and fermented and the beer is subjected to a finishing stage, which includes aging, to produce the final beverage. The improvement comprises subjecting the beer to a cold stage comprising rapidly cooling the beer to a temperature of about its freezing point in such a manner that ice crystals are formed therein in only minimal amounts. The resulting cooled beer is then mixed for a short period of time with a beer slurry containing ice crystals, without any appreciable collateral increase in the amount of ice crystals in the resulting mixture. Finally, the so-treated beer is extracted from the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1997
    Assignee: Labatt Brewing Company Limited
    Inventors: Cameron R. Murray, William John Van der Meer
  • Patent number: 5648246
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the continuous preparation of wort, including the continuous enzymatic conversion of malt in one rotating disc contactor and separation of spent grain from mash in a separation unit. Further, a process for the continuous preparation of wort, including the continuous gelatinization and enzymatic liquefaction of a mixture based on unmalted grain, malt and/or an enzyme source and water in a rotating disc contactor, addition of malt and/or enzyme source to the product obtained, enzymatic conversion of the product obtained and separation of the spent grain from the mash in a separation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: Heineken Technical Services B.V.
    Inventor: Christiaan Willem Versteegh
  • Patent number: 5612072
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of substantially non-alcoholic beer by a continuous yeast treatment at a low temperature. In the process, wort which has been clarified and possibly treated by evaporating and/or with an adsorbing agent is passed through a packed column reactor containing immobilized yeast at a temperature ranging between the freezing point of wort and 10.degree. C. The yeast is reactivated at 2.degree. to 15.degree. C. for 10-30 hours. If required, the reactor can be regenerated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Assignee: Cultor Ltd.
    Inventors: Heikki Lommi, Wim Swinkels, Ben Van Dieren
  • Patent number: 5536650
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the continuous preparation of wort, comprising the continuous enzymatic conversion of malt in at least one rotating disc contactor and separation of spent grain from mash in a separation unit, as well as a process for the continuous preparation of wort, comprising the continuous gelatinization and enzymatic liquefaction of a mixture based on unmalted grain, malt and/or an enzyme source and water in a rotating disc contactor, addition of malt and/or enzyme source to the product obtained, enzymatic conversion of the product obtained and separation of the spent grain from the mash in a separation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Heineken Technical Services B.V.
    Inventor: Christiaan W. Versteegh
  • Patent number: 5536512
    Abstract: A process for preparing a fermented malt beverage wherein brewing materials are mashed with water and the resulting mash is heated and wort separated there from. The wort is boiled, cooled and fermented and the beer is subjected to a finishing stage, which includes aging, to produce the final beverage. The improvement comprises subjecting the beer to a cold stage comprising rapidly cooling the beer to a temperature of about its freezing point in such a manner that ice crystals are formed therein in only minimal amounts. The resulting cooled beet is then mixed for a short period of time with a beer slurry containing ice crystals, without any appreciable collateral increase in the mount of ice crystals in the resulting mixture. Finally, the so-treated beer is extracted from the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Labatt Brewing Company Limited
    Inventors: Cameron R. Murray, William J. Van Der Meer
  • Patent number: 5510125
    Abstract: To remove selectively particularly sugar from nonalcoholic or alcoholic beverages, first the sugar is either carried away in the permeate in a membrane separation unit (2) by suitable choice of membrane (4) or is retained in the retentate. Afterward, the sugar is removed from the permeate or from the retentate with the help of a device (5) for substance removal or substance conversion. Next the substances remaining in the permeate or in the retentate after the removal of the sugar are fed back into the process or the final product. With the process according to the invention, a high selectivity and an improvement in quality of the final product with high economic efficiency of the unit is achieved (FIG. 1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Bucher-Guyer AG Maschinenfabrik
    Inventor: Walter Gresch
  • Patent number: 5486367
    Abstract: An improved, short-time process for fermentation of comestible products is described which enhances the growth of operative microorganisms in a fermentation system and consequently reduces the required incubation time. The process involves inoculating a given fermentation system containing a starting food ingredient substrate and fermentative microorganism(s) with an amount of an oxygen-reactive enzyme such as OXYRASE.TM. (a trademark of Oxyrase, Inc. of Akron, Ohio) which is not naturally generated by virtue of said fermentation process. Reduced time fermentation can be achieved in a wide variety of systems, such as in the production of fermented liquid, semisolid and solid dairy products, fermented meat products, fermented cereal-based products, yeast-raised baked and fried products, and alcoholic beverages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: Kansas State University Research Foundation
    Inventor: Daniel Y. C. Fung
  • Patent number: 5478580
    Abstract: A specialized process for producing purified iso-alpha-acids from hop extract. Hop extract is first combined with a metal salt isomerizing agent. The mixture is preferably boiled to ensure complete isomerization. First organic and aqueous phases are produced, followed by washing of the first organic phase with a primary acid. These materials are preferably boiled during washing. A second organic and aqueous phase are produced, with the second organic phase being washed with a primary alkaline washing agent. Optimum results are achieved if boiling temperatures are maintained during washing. Third organic and aqueous phases are then produced, with the third aqueous phase being washed using a secondary acid to generate fourth organic and aqueous phases. The fourth organic phase (containing purified iso-alpha-acids) may then be stored and subsequently treated with a secondary alkaline washing agent to produce an aqueous concentrate used in brewed beverage production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: Coors Brewing Company
    Inventor: Robert T. Foster, II
  • Patent number: 5460836
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a malt for brewing beer prepared by removing lipids by using subcritical or supercritical carbon dioxide, a beer using the said malt, and a method of preparing the said beer. In the beer obtained by using the malt prepared by the method of the present invention, wort clarity is good, filtration becomes rapid, and filtration efficiency is improved. Also, the obtained beer has good foam head retention, good foam lacing, a refreshingly clean taste and good flavor stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Suntory Limited
    Inventors: Miyoko Ono, Kazuya Arakawa, Susumu Furukubo, Kazuhiro Hamatani
  • Patent number: 5455052
    Abstract: Onset of oxidation flavor in a malt beverage is delayed by addition of a lactone to the malt beverage during the brewing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Inventors: Joseph L. Owades, Kimberly D. LaBrie
  • Patent number: 5415885
    Abstract: A sweet soft drink having the same .degree.Brix as a conventional soft drink but with enhanced nutrition is provided. The beverage comprises a malt-extract containing aqueous solution to which is added a quantity of "sweet sugars". The malt extract and "sweet sugars" synergistically produces a beverage having increased apparent sweetness substantially greater than the sweetness contributed by the "sweet sugars" and the malt extract by themselves, and having enhanced nutritional value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignee: The Sweetenbetter Company
    Inventors: Joseph L. Owades, Kimberly D. LaBrie, David H. Gleeson
  • Patent number: 5405624
    Abstract: A process for producing a product with an intensified beer flavor is disclosed. The process comprises: steeping barley with water to produce steeped-out barley; treating the steeped-out barley with an enzyme promoter; preferably gibberellic acid; germinating the steeped-out barley to produce a green malt; heating the green malt to 70-89 C. for 0.5 to 3 hours while maintaining the moisture content of the green malt at 30-55 weight percent; drying the heated green malt to produce dried malt, the dried malt having a moisture content of 3.5-5.5 weight percent; making a mash from the dried malt by grinding and adding brewing water, thus producing a wort and a residue; separating the wort from the residue; boiling the wort to produce boiled wort; cooling and pitching the boiled wort with yeast to produce pitched wort; and fermenting the pitched wort to produce the product with an intensified beer flavor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: Bio-Technical Resources
    Inventors: James A. Doncheck, Bruce J. Morton, Michael R. Sfat, Ann C. Wege
  • Patent number: 5384135
    Abstract: A process for the manufacture of an alcohol-free pale beer (AFB) whose organoleptic properties are those of a lager beer, comprising the manufacture of a lager type alcoholic pale beer from pale malts containing 20 to 30% of brown malts, mashed to obtain a wort whose attenuation is of the order of 50% and the dealcoholization of the alcoholic pale beer, by evaporation, under high vacuum, of at least about 50% of the volume of this beer. The concentrate obtained by evaporation may be rediluted with water, flavored and sweetened until a concentration of 4.degree. Brix is obtained in order to produce the AFB. The concentrate may also be subjected to a second vacuum evaporation at a temperature of less than 60.degree. C. until a concentrate assaying between 45.degree. and 65.degree. Brix is obtained which is storable for several months before the redilution into an AFB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Brasserie Du Cardinal Fribourg S.A.
    Inventor: Henri J. J. Caluwaerts
  • Patent number: 5364639
    Abstract: A method for making beer includes use of a pressure vessel having a size to fit in a usual home refrigerator. With the assembly of the invention, it is possible for the domestic fermenting of a fermentable liquid mixture for making beer under pressure and chilled conditions. The pressure vessel defines a closed fermentation chamber for containing a bath having an amount of fermentable liquid beer mixture effective to provide a pressurized atmosphere above the surface of the bath within the closed fermentation chamber during the fermenting process. A pressure relief valve maintains the pressure within the fermentation chamber at a level sufficient to provide safety conditions during the fermentation process. An output discharge mechanism includes a spigot and a float used to remove from the bath beer located adjacent the surface of the bath to draw beer from the pressurized vessel while a pressurized atmosphere remains in the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Inventors: Ian M. MacLennan, Clifford B. Hewson
  • Patent number: 5346706
    Abstract: A cold contact process for the production of non-alcoholic malt beverages comprising the steps of preparing a boiled malt wort of about 12-20 degrees Plato; acidifying the wort through the addition of an edible acid, to a pH of greater than about 4.0, and less than 4.6. To the acidified wort is added an amount of about 25% to 75% wet packed yeast slurry suspended in a freshly harvested regularly brewed, barm beer. The slurry is added in sufficient proportions to produce a yeast cell concentration in the resulting wort/slurry mixture, of about 40 million to 80 million yeast cells per milliliter thereof. The yeast and the wort are held in contact in the mixture for greater than 10, up to a maximum of 30 hours, at a temperature of greater than zero up to a maximum of less than 7 degrees Centigrade. The resulting beverage is then aged after separating the thusly contacted wort from all but 0.5-2 million yeast cells per milliliter of the separated wort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: John Labatt Limited
    Inventors: Cameron R. Murray, William J. Van Der Meer
  • Patent number: 5304384
    Abstract: A process for preparing a fermented malt beverage wherein brewing materials are mashed with water and the resulting mash is heated and wort separated therefrom. The wort is boiled, cooled and fermented and the beer is subjected to a finishing stage, which includes aging, to produce the final beverage. The improvement comprises subjecting the beer to a cold stage comprising rapidly cooling the beer to a temperature of about its freezing point in such a manner that ice crystals are formed therein in only minimal amounts. The resulting cooled beer is then mixed for a short period of time with a beer slurry containing ice crystals, without any appreciable collateral increase in the amount of ice crystals in the resulting mixture. Finally, the so-treated beer is extracted from the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1994
    Assignee: Labatt Brewing Company Limited
    Inventors: Cameron R. Murray, William J. Van der Meer
  • Patent number: 5298264
    Abstract: The oxidative deterioration of water-containing products for human consumption, e.g. beverages and oil and/or fat based products is minimized by introduction of immobilized yeast. Yeast is immobilized in and/or on a solid material which allows only very slow penetration by water. Thin layers material of such a yeast-bearing solid, e.g. paraffin, wax, can be applied to the lining of crown corks. The yeast will retain sufficient viability, even after pasteurization of the contents of a container closed with the crown cork. The yeast will minimize the oxygen concentration in the contents between the time of pasteurization and eventual consumption of the contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: Gist-Brocades, N.V.
    Inventors: Luppo Edens, Farrokh Farin, Antonius F. Ligtvoet, Johannes B. Van Der Plaat
  • Patent number: 5294450
    Abstract: A colorless malt beverage product. To produce the product, malt and water are combined in a mash. An enzyme is preferably added to convert non-fermentable sugars to fermentable sugars. The mash is heated, and liquid extracted therefrom. The liquid is combined with a fermentable carbohydrate to yield a mixture which is boiled and combined with yeast. The resulting yeast-fermented product is decolorized to produce a clear/colorless base which is combined with a sweetener, tartaric acid, a buffer, and a flavoring agent, followed by carbonation until the product is about 0.48-0.57% by weight CO.sub.2. The completed product is clear/colorless, has an alcohol : real extract weight % ratio of 1 : 0.4 to 1 : 1.5, and has 8-15 calories/ounce. These parameters minimize consumer sensations of fullness and excess tartness/sweetness/astringency, while producing desirable taste characteristics and an attractive appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1994
    Assignee: Coors Brewing Company
    Inventors: Kathryn M. Word, Richard L. Pflugfelder, John A. Neu, Gregory P. Head, Hugo Patino
  • Patent number: 5273762
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of beer by fermenting wort comprising malted barley and a concentrated starch solution derived from barley, for example, in the form of the secondary fraction from a barley starch process, or a barley syrup derived from such fraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1993
    Assignee: Suomen Sokeri Oy
    Inventors: Juha Ahvenainen, Jukka Kuhanen
  • Patent number: 5242694
    Abstract: A low carbohydrate near beer is produced by a brewing process utilizing brewing materials including 100% brewer's malt with not more than a prescribed amount of dextrin malt and not more than a prescribed amount of caramel malt. The mashing, boiling and fermentation stages are controlled so that carbohydrate and calorie levels are achieved in a near beer having excellent taste and brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1993
    Assignee: G. Heileman Brewing Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Hans Reuther
  • Patent number: 5151354
    Abstract: This invention provides a method for producing amylolytic enzymes by culturing a microorganism, having received as a result of recombinant DNA technology DNA sequences from a donor yeast comprising the coding sequences for the amylolytic enzymes wherein the host microorganism is capable of expressing said amylolytic enzymes. Furthermore, this invention provides microorganisms genetically engineered as to being able to produce and express the amylolytic enzymes, a vector containing the DNA sequences, coding for the amylolytic enzymes and the respective DNA sequences. The said host microorganisms are useful in the production of biomass and many fermentation processes, preferably in the production of special beers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1992
    Assignee: Cornelius Hollenberg
    Inventors: Alexander Strasser, Feodor B. Martens, Jurgen Dohmen, Cornelius P. Hollenberg
  • Patent number: 5108925
    Abstract: The present invention describes a shortened process for the production of beer, brewer's yeast strains having .alpha.-acetolactate decarboxylase activity (EC 4.1.1.5.), the method for the construction of such yeast strains and the recombinant DNA cloning vectors used. The method involves integrating the .alpha.-acetolactate decarboxylase gene into the ADC1 or PGK1 gene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Assignee: Oy Panimolaboratorio - Bryggerilaboratorium AB
    Inventors: Tor-Magnus Enari, Matti J. Nikkola, Maija-Liisa A. Suthko, Merja E. Penttila, Paivi M. Lehtovaara-Helenius
  • Patent number: 5106633
    Abstract: A food-grade oxygen scavenger for removing oxygen from foods and beverages in containers is prepared by immobilizing dried yeast containing at least 92% dry matter in a solid material such as wax or paraffin. The solid material allows for very slow penetration of water and permits the yeast to contact only water that penetrates therethrough. The immobilized yeast is coated on an inside surface of a container or on a surface of a closure such as a stopper that is on the inside of the container when closed. After adding a food or beverage and closing the container, the immobilized yeast removes oxygen from the container. The closed container and its contents can be pasteurized and the yeast retain sufficient viability to remove oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1992
    Assignee: Gist-Brocades NV
    Inventors: Luppo Edens, Farrokh Farin, Antonius F. Ligtvoet, Johannes B. Van Der Plaat
  • Patent number: 5077060
    Abstract: In a method of inducing decarboxylation of malic acid in must or fruit juice (also known as maloactic fermentation), must or fruit juice is directly inoculated with a culture of viable malolatic bacteria of the genus Lactobacillus, the bacteria being capable of decarboxylating malic acid at a pH below about 3.2 without any significant consumption of sugar present in the must or fruit juice and substantially without any production of volatile acidity. The malolactic bacteria may be added before or at the commencement of alcoholic fermentation. One malolatic strain suitable in the method is Lactobacillus plantarum DSM 4361.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1991
    Assignee: Chr. Hansen's Laboratorium A/S
    Inventor: Claus Prahl
  • Patent number: 5077061
    Abstract: A method of producing an alcohol-free or low alcohol beer comprising thermally breaking malt draff to obtain a malt draff mash from a substrate selected from the group consisting of a full- or a high-alcohol content beer brewing base or a protein fraction obtained from malt draff by digesting, boiling or autoclaving during the production of edible draff meal in a draff mash. The method homogenizes, extrudes and mechanically removes insoluble chaff from the brewing base prior to thermally breaking up the malt draff, cooling the malt draff mash to about 72.degree. C., emzymatically breaking up the malt draff mash by adding coarsely ground malt, heating the mash to 80.degree.-85.degree. C., adding thereto coarsely ground malt premashed in cold water to produce a wort with a final fermentation degree of at most 60% and a temperature of 70.degree.-74.degree. C., which is maintained until iodine normality is attained and subjecting the iodine normal mash to mashing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1991
    Assignee: Binding-Brauerei AG
    Inventors: Christian Zurcher, Rudiger Gruss
  • Patent number: 5070019
    Abstract: Immobilized yeast for the production of alcoholic beverages is produced by forming calcium alginate beads containing yeast, hardening the beads for 30 to 180 minutes in a CaCl.sub.2 solution, washing the beads for 100 to 500 minutes at 5.degree. to 35.degree. C. with water which may have a salt content of up to 0.5 g/l and drying the beads at a temperature of 10.degree. to 50.degree. C. The immobilized yeast is particularly suitable for use in the bottle fermentation of sparkling wine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1991
    Assignee: Huels Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Frank Hill
  • Patent number: 5055308
    Abstract: A preparation is provided by drying an aqueous medium containing acid urease and dextrin whose dextrose equivalent is not less than 20. Thus obtained preparation can be used in a good workability for degrading or eliminating urea in alcoholic beverages because of a good compatibility in them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: Takeda Chemical Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shohei Fujinawa, Harumasa Iizuka, Seiichi Kodama, Hideo Yada
  • Patent number: 5039531
    Abstract: A beer containing 0.3 to 2.3 volume percent of glycerol and a method of manufacturing said beer in which glycerol is added to the beer produced by a conventional brewing method or the fermentation is carried out in the presence of a yeast producing a sufficient glycerol content of the beer without glycerol addition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1991
    Assignee: Holsten-Brauerei AG
    Inventor: Klaus Dziondziak
  • Patent number: 4978545
    Abstract: The process comprises putting the must or wort in contact with a side of a membrane permeable to oxygen and putting the other side of this membrane in contact with a gas containing oxygen under partial pressure higher than the partial pressure in oxygen of the liquid. Application in vinification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1990
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Jacques-Marcel Cutayar, Dominique Poillon, Sylvie Cutayar
  • Patent number: 4975289
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of reducing an off-flavor in foods containing medium chain aldehydes characterized in that said foods are brought into contact with acetic acid bacteria or immobilized acetic acid bacteria (Acetobacter aceti, Gluconobacter suboxydans) in a state that said acetic acid bacteria substantially does not proliferate, and a method of reducing an off-flavor in foods containing alcohols and medium chain aldehydes characterized in that said foods are brought into contact with acetic acid bacteria of which membrane-bound alcohol dehydrogenase has been deactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1990
    Assignee: House Food Industrial Company Limited
    Inventors: Minoru Ameyama, Osao Adachi, Atsushi Yasuda, Yukihiro Nomura
  • Patent number: 4971807
    Abstract: A process for the production of beer with a low alcohol content is described. The process comprises preparing a wort by boiling and adding ascorbic acid to such wort prior, during, or after boiling, so long as the wort remains hot. The process can be employed according to the invention for the production of non-alcoholic beer by the yeast cold contact process, in which yeast recovered from a fermentation process is brought into contact with the wort at a low temperature below 0.degree. C. As a rule, the non-alcoholic beer produced by this process imparts an unpleasant and bitter aftertaste. By adding ascorbic acid to the boiling wort, the bitter aftertaste is completely eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Brauerei Feldschlosschen
    Inventors: Fritz Schur, Peter Sauer
  • Patent number: 4971808
    Abstract: There is disclosed a novel cooking composition produced by the fermentation of a wort, which contains not only a high amount of ethanol, but also high amounts of flavor components. The cooking composition of the present invention is useful as a seasoning for providing excellent flavor and taste characteristic of a malt to a food. The cooking composition of the present invention can be produced by fermenting a wort with a yeast, while continuously or discontinuously adding a carbohydrate to the wort, and allowing the resultant fermented wort to stand to mature and stabilize the fermented wort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazushi Takeda, Kazumasa Nokura
  • Patent number: 4970082
    Abstract: Malt beverages having less than 0.5% v/v alcohol content are made by combining wort with a thick yeast slurry and fermenting sugars in the wort at 38.degree. F. to 45.degree. F. for 0.5 to 10 hours. The wort has a high extract content, at least 14% by weight. The yeast slurry is obtained from a prior beer fermentation and includes at least 10% by weight of yeast and the balance beer. The wort is combined with at least 10% to 20% v/v of the yeast slurry in the fermentation step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1990
    Assignee: Miller Brewing Company
    Inventors: Nick J. Huige, Gilbert W. Sanchez, Alan R. Leidig
  • Patent number: 4957767
    Abstract: The invention relates to non-alcoholic beer, comprising unfermented wort reconstituted with water from wort powder, and carbon dioxide, said wort powder being spray-dried wort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Assignee: Heineken Technisch Beheer B.V.
    Inventors: Andrianus H. Maria de Kort, Paul van Eerde
  • Patent number: RE36897
    Abstract: A process for chill-treating, which is exemplified by a process for preparing a fermented malt beverage wherein brewing materials are mashed with water and the resulting mash is heated and wort separated therefrom. The wort is boiled cooled and fermented and the beer is subjected to a finishing stage, which includes aging, to produce the final beverage. The improvement comprises subjecting the beer to a cold stage comprising rapidly cooling the beer to a temperature of about its freezing point in such a manner that ice crystals are formed therein in only minimal amounts. The resulting cooled beer is then mixed for a short period of time with a beer slurry containing ice crystals, without any appreciable collateral increase in the amount of ice crystals in the resulting mixture. Finally, the so-treated beer is extracted from the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Labatt Brewing Company Limited
    Inventors: Cameron R. Murray, William John Van der Meer