Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for removing both molecular and free-radical oxygen from foodstuff materials capable of being degraded by oxidation. The invention is accomplished by the incorporation into foodstuff materials of an enzyme composition containing an oxidase and its substrate, catalase and superoxide dismutase.

Abstract: The invention relates to a beer having an alcohol content of maximally 3.5% by volume. For obtaining a beer of this type having good flavor properties, the invention is characterized in that the beer is a mixture of beer obtained by conventional fermentation and unfermented wort product reconstituted with water.

Abstract: The invention relates to beer production and intermediate products for use therein. In particular, the present invention relates to a process for the production of a beer wherein, prior to fermentation, the wort is subjected to a separating technique to produce one product, lower in fermentable low molecular weight components of the wort, in substantially the same concentration as the feedstock, and subsequently fermenting that product to produce a beer.The invention also relates to the wort products obtained by the separation techniques.

Abstract: A method for the accelerated brewing of alcohol and alcoholic beverages including beer, wine, and spirits utilizing flavor producing strains of S. cerevisiae and/or other bacteria such as lactobacillus spp. and a high alcohol-tolerant strain of S. cerevisiae. Preferred strains of S. cerevisiae for the production of beer are ATCC Nos. 20866 and 20867.In the preferred method, the fermentation is conducted in a bioreactor containing the flavor-producing strains and the high alcohol tolerant strain of S. cerevisiae immobilized on inert, high surface area supports, preferably porous organic or glass beads. The bioreactor significantly decreases the fermentation time necessary to produce a beverage containing a desired alcohol percentage. For example, beer can be processed in less than about 12 to 18 hours, wine in less than about 36 hours.

Abstract: Beer is fermented by the use of yeast and after fermentation the yeast is removed and the maturation or lagering of the beer is accomplished by a continuous maturation process which involves heat treating the beer to convert all or substantially all the alpha acetolactate and other diacetyl precursors present to diacetyl, cooling the beer, and feeding the heat treated fermented beer through a reaction column packed with immobilized yeast cells at a flow rate which effects the conversion of said diacetyl to acetoin in order to lower the concentration of said diacetyl to levels which do not result in tastes normally considered unacceptable for a beer.

Abstract: A yeast-containing beer contained in a container and comprising a product beer the fermentation of which has been substantially completed and a yeast existing in a concentration of 10.sup.2 to 10.sup.6 cells/ml in said beer. Change of the beer flavor with the pasasge of time can be prevented by the yeast within the beer.

Abstract: Beer spoilage microorganisms are detected with a culture medium that is advantageous for detecting Lactobacillus spp., Pediococcus spp. and wild yeast, and which allows detection to be carried out in four days. The medium contains tomato juice, peptones, cysteine hydrochloride, sorbitan nonooleate, mono and disaccharides, yeast extract, beef extract, potassium acetate, malic acid, mono and dibasic potassium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, maganese sulfate, sodium chloride, ferrous sulfate, beer, water and agar.

Abstract: The foaming properties of a brewed malt beverage are improved by adding to the beverage during the normal brewing process a measured quantity of ginseng.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a method for the production of low-alcohol or alcohol-free beer. In said method, a gas is lead through alcoholic beer in order to desorb the alcohol, the involved loss of taste in the beer being compensated for by substances which improve the taste thereof. The taste-improving substances are either already contained in the beer as fermentable substances or are specifically added thereto. The method of the invention can also be carried out using yeast-containing beer, the yeast then utilizing a portion of the fermentable substances present, producing aroma substances typical of beer and, if necessary, degrading a further portion of the present ethanol at the same time.

Abstract: Proteinaceous material is added to beer or other beverages. In beer and those other beverages on which a head can be formed it helps to improve the head, while in beverages not normally forming a head it can enable a head to be formed. Proteins extracted from albumen may be employed or whole albumen may be used. To avoid any tendency to haze-formation, particularly on pasteurization, protein fragments may be used. These can be formed by hydrolyzing proteins such as albumen proteins. An alternative method is to use alkylated proteins. Alkylated protein fragments are particularly satisfactory. The alkyl radicals may contain from four to twenty carbon atoms, preferred radicals containing six carbon atoms.

Abstract: Lager-cellar or fermentation-cellar yeast is mixed with an extraction liquid prior to centrifugal processing, increasing the percentage of recovered beer. To keep the contact time brief the extraction liuquid is not mixed with the yeast until just upstream of the intake into the centrifuge. The total requisite volume of extraction liquid is made available in a recirculation tank and circulated through the centrifuge until all the yeast has been processed. The extraction liquid is maintained at a temperature no higher than +2.degree. C. The low temperature and brief contact time prevent the transition of yeast-metabolism products into the extraction liquid.

Abstract: Foods or beverages in which lactate monooxygenase is incorporated so as to prevent oxygen-caused deterioration of their quality by allowing oxygen to be eliminated from said foods or beverages rapidly and in a safe way.

Abstract: Alcoholic liquors containing carbamide are treated with the urease which has the optimal pH for the activity in an acid region, especially in the region of pH2 to 5. By such treatment, the carbamide can be completely decomposed and removed from the alcoholic liquors in a much smaller amount of urease and in a short time as compared with a conventional treatment according to a urease having the optimal pH in the neutral to alkaline region. This method is more advantageous from the viewpoint of practical use and the quality of the thus obtained alcoholic liquors are superior to that obtained by the conventional treatment.

Abstract: A process for enhancing yeast growth during the fermentation of beer which comprises adding to the wort ashed trub. The ashed trub is obtained by heating whole trub until all organic combustibles have been removed or destroyed. The ashed trub contains valuable trace elements, including zinc.

Abstract: A low-calorie, all-malt beer characterized by full body and flavor of a conventional all-malt beer and a method of preparing the same without any external enzymes is described. A wort is prepared by blending warm malt mash with hot water under conditions which avoid exposing the blend of hot water and the malt mash to temperature between about 52.degree. C. and 75.degree. C., and the resultant wort is converted to beer by fermenting the wort with Brewer's yeast. The wort extract is oxygenated with substantially pure oxygen in place of air normally used in the fermentation, and the Brewer's yeast is added to the wort extract at a rate of about 30 to 60 grams pressed yeast per 100 liters wort so as to absorb, within the yeast cells of the Brewer's yeast, substantially all harsh and grainy flavor compounds contained in the wort extract.

Abstract: Low-ethanol wines and other alcoholic beverages are produced by treating ordinary alcoholic beverages with novel membrane extraction methods. Semipermeable membrances and extraction fluids comprising either of a non-toxic, water-immiscible organic solvent or an aqueous solution of a low-molecular-weight but membrane-impermeable solute are used under mild conditions to selectively extract ethanol from alcoholic beverages, while leaving substantially intact the complement of other organic constituents that contribute to the color, aroma, and taste of the beverage. The methods disclosed may be adapted to continuous processing of alcohol-containing beverages, in which an ethanol-rich product is continuously recovered from the organic or aqueous extraction fluid and the latter is continuously regenerated and subsequently recycled to the membrane extraction unit.

Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is a method for the production of low-alcohol or alcohol-free beer having a glycerol content of from 0.3 to 2.0% by volume, which content improves the body of the beer. In the method according to the invention, the process of fermentation is carried out using an ADH-negative yeast mutant which cannot produce alcohol, but produces increased amounts of glycerol instead. The obtained alcohol-free beer can be blended with normal, alcoholic beer to give low-alcohol beer.

Abstract: In a process of producing a carbonated hop-malt beverage in which a wort concentrate is produced from malt extract, hop concentrate and yeast by a heat treatment, fermentation, filtration and pasteurization, the wort concentrate is packaged for a long shelf life and for the consumption of the beverage is diluted with water and carbon dioxide, it is desired to produce a beverage which in its taste and consistency and particularly as regards frothing is similar to conventional beer. This is accomplished in that in the preparation of the wort concentrate from dilute malt extract, protein is separated by being heated and precipitated and hop concentrate and yeast are added to the resulting liquor, which is subsequently fermented. After an optional addition of nutrients and aromas to the liquor the fermentation is interrupted by shock cooling. The substrate is filtered, pasteurized and packaged.

Abstract: The invention concerns a product for adjusting the degree of alcohol of wines or alcoholic beverages. According to the invention, this process consists in resorting to two coupled reverse osmosis systems each comprising a tank for supplying the product to be processed upstream from a reverse osmosis cell, in equipping the two reverse osmosis cells P and I with membranes with a distinctly different permeability to ethanol, in withdrawing the permeate originating from said cell P, in sending it into said supply reservoir upstream from said cell I, in withdrawing the permeate originating from said cell I and in sending it into the supply tank upstream from cell P, whilst recovering the corresponding concentrates X and Y.

Abstract: Wort, heated to boiling in a brew kettle, is continuously withdrawn from the brew kettle and passed through a copper heat exchange coil in an external heat exchanger. Hot combustion gases are discharged at high velocity into direct contact with the heat exchange coil to thereby heat the wort flowing through the coil to a temperature in the range of 220.degree. to 240.degree. F. The heated wort is then returned to the brew kettle and discharged at a location beneath the level of the wort in the kettle. The direct firing of the wort in the copper heat exchange coil provides improved flavor characteristics for the beer.

Abstract: A supplementary wort removal device in lauter tuns is provided, in order to avoid tight and solidly constructed discharge pipe assemblies with check valves for the wort, and the supplementary wort removal device preferably has a plurality of annularly segmented and vertically movable hollow members with screen walls, and the hollow members are open on the bottom. Preferably, the hollow members have a transverse section in the form of an inverted U or V. Before the pumping of the mash into the lauter tun, the hollow members are simply placed with their open bottoms on the screen and/or perforated floor of the lauter tun. The wort which is being discharged from the draff layer and flowing through the screen walls into the inside chambers of hollow members flows further through the open bottoms of hollow members directly through the screen and/or perforated floor of the lauter tun and into a collection chamber between the screen and/or perforated floor and the tun floor.

Abstract: A process for producing ethanol or fermented beverages such as beer or wine wherein a suitable fermentable substrate (e.g., brewers wort, must) is contacted in a batch process with particles comprised of yeast cells encapsulated or immobilized within an insoluble, porous, semi-permeable matrix material at conditions effective for fermentation and maturation. The process employs means for maintaining efficient contact of substrate and yeast-containing particles.

Abstract: Disclosed is an alcohol-free yeast white beer and a process for its production wherein the yeast is physically separated from an alcohol containing yeast white beer free of fermentable substances. The beer is then subjected to a vacuum distillation until the alcohol content has been reduced to less than 0.5% by volume to produce a beer concentrate. A corresponding amount of oxygen-free, carbonic acid-containing make-up water is added to the concentrate. Subsequently, top-fermented brewers' yeast is added in an amount above the content normally present in yeast white beer, and thereafter the product is stored at a temperature of from 0.degree. to 10.degree. C. Subsequently, yeast is again separated off and thereafter the desired amount of yeast and carbon dioxide is added.

Abstract: Beer of low alcohol content is produced by preparing an all-malt brew using a high-temperature-tolerant cellulase. Mashing is conducted at a temperature of approximately 78.degree.-80.degree. C. After mashing, the wort is separated from the mash and fermented with yeast. After fermentation the all-malt beer is supplemented with a low dextrose equivalent (D.E.) starch hydrolyzate, filtered and treated with post-fermentive hopping and malt coloring, if desired. Finally, the drew is diluted with acidified deaerated water so as to contain not more than about 0.5% alcohol by volume.

Abstract: To prepare alcohol-free drinks with a yeast aroma, such as alcohol-free beer, an aqueous starting liquid containing nutrients and/or flavor substances is used. The starting liquid can be prepared by mixing a nutrient and/or flavor substance concentrate with water. A yeast is removed from a fermentation process and is freed from the fermented liquid. The starting liquid and the yeast are brought into contact with one another, and in particular at such low temperatures that virtually no alcoholic fermentation occurs. The starting liquid and the yeast are left in contact with one another until the aroma substances of the yeast have diffused from the cell into the liquid and the yeast has exerted its reducing effect.

Abstract: A process for improving the filterability of wort or beer comprising treating said wort or beer with an enzymatic product produced by Disporotrichum dimorphosporm exhibiting xylanase activity in an amount effective to improve the filterability.

Abstract: In accordance with the practice of the present invention, there is disclo a process which is useful in the production of a beer having a high unfermentable-residual-malt-extract to alcohol ratio. The high extract-to-alcohol beer produced by this process may be, inter alia, an alcohol-reduced beer in its own right, or may be readily converted into an alcohol-reduced beer by the simple expedient of diluting with water.

Abstract: Fermented alcoholic products such as wine and beer are produced having a low diacetyl content by decomposing acetolactate with an enzyme. The enzyme is preferably acetolactate decarboxylase contained by Aerobacter aerogenes. The enzyme, in free or immobilized state, may be added during main fermentation or after main fermentation during maturation such as when carrying out malo-lactic fermentation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a modification of production of alcoholic beverages such as beer or wine by subjecting to fermentation by means of a faculative anaerobic microorganism such as a yeast a substrate liquor to the microorganism, which modification comprises conducting at least a part of the fermentation under such an anaerobic condition that the content of the dissolved oxygen in the substrate liquor is held at a restricted level thereby to reduce the content of diacetyls which imparts a disagreeable odor to the alcoholic beverages produced. The anaerobic fermentation makes it possible to use a yeast in high concentration without entailing the increase in the quantity of the diacetyls. Typically, the fermentation is conducted in two zones; one zone being conducted under the conditions that the yeast is proliferating while the other under the conditions that the yeast is not proliferating.

Abstract: A method for making beer is disclosed wherein an amyloglucosidase enzyme from a Rhizopus culture is added to a wort and, after the enzyme has acted, the enzyme is inactivated under pasteurizing conditions.

Abstract: Low alcohol beer is produced by a process wherein a portion of malt is replaced with a hydrogenated starch hydrolyzate. The hydrolyzate is preferably added before boiling of wort in the presence of hops in a amount to provide a final beer with 0.1 to 2% by weight hydrolyzate. The hydrolyzate has between 0.1 and 35% substances of DP 1, between 0.1 and 45% substance of DP 2, less than 45% substances greater than DP 20, and a remainder of substances of DP 3 to 20.

Abstract: To prepare alcohol-free drinks with a yeast aroma, such as alcohol-free beer, an aqueous starting liquid containing nutrients and/or flavor substances is used. The starting liquid can be prepared by mixing a nutrient and/or flavor substance concentrate with water. A yeast is removed from a fermentation process and is freed from the fermented liquid. The starting liquid and the yeast are brought into contact with one another, and in particular at such low temperatures that virtually no alcoholic fermentation occurs. The starting liquid and the yeast are left in contact with one another until the aroma substances of the yeast have diffused from the cell into the liquid and the yeast has exerted its reducing effect.

Abstract: Ethanol and fermented beverages such as beer or wine are produced in a batch process by contacting a fermentable substrate with yeast cells encapsulated within a porous, semi-permeable material. Contacting is carrier out in a vessel containing the substrate and a semi-permeable retaining means submerged in the substrate. Encapsulated yeast cells are maintained below the retaining means and in contact with the substrate during fermentation while being freely movable in a portion of the substrate. The retaining means is permeable to the substrate and is substantially impermeable to the encapsulated yeast cells. Preferably, the matrix encapsulating the yeast cells is an alginate gel.

Abstract: An improved brewing unit in which energy is saved by providing a mash tun, hot water tank and kettle in a single unit, by partially enclosing the mash tun with the tank and if necessary pre-heating the water supply to the tank by using the heat from wort coolers provided between the unit and fermentation tank; further improvements are provided by constructing the kettle as a combined kettle and whirlpool in a single chamber having a circular wall and a tangential inlet to the wall, a pump and wort boiler being in circuit with the kettle so that wort is continuously circulated through the boiler and tangential inlet to the kettle while the worts are boiled. The combined kettle and whirlpool saves space and enables the process of brewing to be shortened with resultant savings in both energy and brewing time.

Abstract: In the initial stages of a fermentation of carbohydrate to form alcohol, the growth of the yeast is controlled by monitoring the pH value of a fermenting liquid or wort and controlling the supply of oxygen to the fermenting liquid or wort in accordance with the pH value. Preferably the temperature of the fermenting liquid is also controlled in dependence upon the pH value of the fermenting liquid or wort.

Abstract: Beer production is improved by the introduction of oxalate decarboxylase during mashing and/or fermentation. The addition of the oxalate decarboxylase diminishes or eliminates calcium oxalate precipitation as a deposit on tank walls and equipment.

Abstract: Precise control of hop aromatic flavors and hop bitter acids in beer is achieved by adsorbing these hop flavors on fumed silicon dioxide and dosing the fumed silicon dioxide containing adsorbed hop flavor into beer, preferably after suspending the fumed silicon dioxide containing the adsorbed flavors in an aqueous medium. The hop flavors are desorbed in the beer and fumed silicon dioxide solids become available as a clarifying agent and are subsquently filtered from the beer.

Abstract: A process of brewing wherein malt is replaced, at least in part, by an extruded starch product and a process of distilling for the production of whisky wherein grain is replaced, at least in part, by an extruded starch product.

Abstract: A method for producing a wort containing a reduced level of fermentable sugars is described. The method consists of providing a warm aqueous suspension of ground malt, and adding the warm suspension to a boiling aqueous suspension of cereal adjuncts while avoiding temperatures between about 52.degree. and 72.degree. C. The resulting wort is useful for producing a beer with a lower-than-normal alcohol content, or a malt beverage lacking sweetness usually associated with malt beverages.

Abstract: A traditional flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of low alcohol content is prepared by reverse osmosis with a thin layer composite membrane which has a support layer of polysulfone, a barrier layer of polymer prepared from a polyamine and a polyacyl, and a fiber backing. The membrane has a molecular weight cut-off of less than about 100 for organics and rejects the volatile components which contribute to flavor and aroma and permits about 25 to about 30% alcohol in the beverage to pass.

Abstract: Fermented beverages of a reduced alcohol contents are made by causing the fermented beverage having a normal alcohol contents as produced in the fermentation to flow along one face of a dialysis membrane at a pressure differential below 5.0 bar while simultaneously a dialysate liquid which is substantially alcohol-free is passed along the other face of the dialysate membrane. An apparatus for carrying out the process comprises a housing in which two separate chambers are provided. Each chamber has separate inlet and outlet ducts. The inlet ducts are connected to separate feeding devices for liquids. Separate regulating devices are arranged for regulating the flow through each of said two chambers and means are provided for regulating the pressure differential between the two chambers.

Abstract: Brewing apparatus for batch brewing beer or ale comprises a fermentation vessel 1 in which a fermentable liquor is contained, a float hydrometer 11 and a sensor 12 for monitoring downward displacement of the hydrometer 11 as the specific gravity of the liquor reduces due to fermentation. The sensor 12 includes means for providing a signal in a controller 3 at a desired specific gravity to indicate completion of the required fermentation and the controller 3 is operable to control automatic transfer of the fermented liquor to a maturing vessel 4 and, after a predetermined time interval to a barrel or the like.

Abstract: Brewing apparatus and a method of brewing in which mash cooking and wort boiling are carried out in a single vessel (2), the vessel having an agitator (202), a heater preferably formed as a steam jacket (220, 224) and as an external through flow heater (8), the wort being circulated through the heater and back into the vessel by means of a tangential feed inlet (56) which causes the vessel's contents to whirl while the wort is boiling. The apparatus and method reduces the requirement for separate mash cooking and wort boiling vessels.

Abstract: An alcoholic liquid obtained by fermenting a must or a wort is initially subjected to ultrafiltration or to reverse osmosis to obtain a permeate which contains a higher proportion of water and alcohol than the starting liquid and a concentrate which contains a higher proportion of the substances that flavor the starting liquid. The permeate is then subjected to reverse osmosis using a membrane which is substantially impermeable to alcohol, while still being permeable to water. The concentrate from the second step is added to the concentrate from the first step to produce a liquid which has a higher concentration of alcohol than the starting liquid. The resulting liquid may be useable at said higher concentration as a beverage, or it may be used for transport and/or for storage, with water being added to thereto to restore the beverage substantially to its starting condition before being drunk.

Abstract: An aqueous extract containing .alpha.-1,6 and .alpha.-1,4 carbohydrases obtained from diastatic malt is treated with an adsorbent to remove yeast lethal factors and can be used to produce a superattenuated low calorie beer. The enzyme-containing extract preferably is introduced into a pitched aerated wort during fermentation. Crude aqueous extracts of diastatic malt cannot be used because they contain factors lethal to yeast which adversely affects the yeast viability throughout the fermentation.

Abstract: Alcohol is produced in a noncooking system by mixing a ground starchy material with mashing liquor at the range that the weight ratio of mashing liquor to ground starchy material is from 1.8 to 3.4 to form a slurry, without cooking, adding to the slurry at least 3.5 units as a saccharifying power of the enzyme preparation derived from a microorganism source, favorably Rhizopus sp., as a saccharifying agent, further adding an alcoholic fermenting yeast, and fermenting the slurry. Examples of the starchy material are cereals such as maize, sorghum, wheat, barley, rye, rice, barnyard millet, German millet, and common millet, and starchy rootcrops such as sweet potato and cassava.

Abstract: During the kilning of germinated barley in the course of a malting operation nitrosamines are usually formed and ultimately these end up in beer obtained from such malt. It has been found that such formation of nitrosamines can be suppressed even in the absence of sulphur dioxide when the germinated barley is treated with a solution or dispersion of saccharides before it is kilned.

Abstract: An improved process for the selective extraction of the alpha acids contents of hops using liquid carbon dioxide as solvent is described. Solubility of the alpha acids in liquid carbon dioxide is enhanced by addition of a minor amount of a selected organic substance which: (1) is non-reactive with the alpha acids of interest, and (2) has the following physical properties: (a) is completely soluble in liquid carbon dioxide in the operating conditions and concentrations employed, and (b) is itself a solvent for the alpha acids of interest. Preferably the organic substance is a 1 to 4 carbon atom aliphatic alcohol in an amount of about 0.1 to about 30 volume percent.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved brewing process which utilizes an adjunct comprising a highly fermentable sugar. In the process, brewers' yeast is allowed to act upon a, preferably all-malt, wort until said yeast is partially developed, following which, the adjunct is introduced into the partially fermented wort in a manner which will not have adverse effects on the yeast and the brewing process carried to completion. The adjunct is introduced over a period of time such that the Plato value of the fermenting wort substantially does not increase and osmotic shock is avoided. The process is especially advantageous when used to produce the so-called light beers.

Abstract: A neutral tasting alcoholic beverage prepared by mashing a well modified standard brewers malt, with hops and water at a temperature of 40.degree. C. to 45.degree. C. for a period of time of between 10 to 30 minutes, and thereafter raising the temperature to from 60.degree. C. to 62.degree. C. to obtain a wort. The wort, in an amount of from 2% to 20%, is mixed with a fermentable carbohydrate and water at a temperature of between 80.degree. C. and 90.degree. C. in an amount of from 80% to 98%, to obtain a fermentable solution, which is then cooled to between 14.degree. C. to 20.degree. C., and pitched with brewers yeast. It is then fermented for from 4 to 8 days at from 14.degree. C. to 20.degree. C. and thereafter cooled to 0.degree. C. for from 4 to 7 days, and filtered to obtain the neutral tasting alcoholic beverage.