EP-4514146-B1 - A COMBINATION FOR USE IN THE PREPARATION OF A DRINKABLE FOAMING OR FOAMABLE LIQUID, A DEVICE AND A METHOD FOR PREPARING AND DISPENSING A DRINKABLE FOAMING OR FOAMABLE LIQUID

EP4514146B1EP 4514146 B1EP4514146 B1EP 4514146B1EP-4514146-B1

Inventors

STANDAERT, DIRK
BAUWENS, Jeroen
DESTOOP, VALENTIJN
BOSSAERT, Sofie
DAEMS, Devin
MERTENS, PASCAL
VERSTREPEN, Kevin
STEENSELS, Jan
SPAEPEN, Stijn
BIRCHAM, Peter

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20240325

Claims (15)

A combination for use in the preparation of a drinkable foaming or foamable liquid, preferably a foaming or foamable fermented-beverage liquid or fermented-beverage-like liquid, stored in, offered in, served in, or consumed from a container, said combination comprising at least one individual means to supply a liquid comprising water or carbonated water or at least one individual reservoir comprising a liquid comprising water or carbonated water; at least one individual reservoir comprising a liquid comprising one or more carbohydrates; at least one individual reservoir comprising a liquid comprising one or more alcohols with more than two carbon atoms and one or more esters with more than three carbon atoms; at least one individual reservoir comprising a liquid comprising one or more hop bitter acids; wherein each of said individual reservoirs is a different reservoir; wherein at least one of said liquids in one of said individual reservoirs also comprises one or more phenolic compounds; wherein at least one of said liquids in one of said individual reservoirs also comprises one or more whey proteins; and wherein at least one of said liquids in one of said individual reservoirs also comprises one or more organic acids with at least two carbon atoms.
The combination for use according to claim 1, wherein said carbohydrates are selected from the group of mono-, di-, and trisaccharides (such as glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, and maltotriose), oligosaccharides, polysaccharides (with up to 250 glucose units), alpha-glucans (with mainly DP values between 4 and 34 and a smaller fraction with DP values above 35), and beta-glucans; wherein said alcohols with more than two carbon atoms are selected from the group of 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 2-methyl-1-propanol, 2-methyl-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2-phenylethanol, 1-octen-3-ol, 2-decanol, and glycerol; wherein said esters with more than three carbon atoms are selected from the group of ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, hexyl acetate, 2-phenylethyl acetate, ethyl butanoate, ethyl pentanoate, ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate, isoamyl octanoate, ethyl nicotinate, and ethyl decanoate; wherein said phenolic compounds are selected from the group of monomeric phenols (such as 4-vinyl guaiacol), phenolic alcohols (such as tyrosol), phenolic acids such as para-coumaric acid, ferulic acids, vanillic acids, gallic acids, caffeic acids, syringic acids, and sinapic acids, phenolic amines and amino acids such as hordenine, tyramine, N-methyltyramine, tyrosamine and tyrosine, flavonoids and catechins such as (+)-catechin and (+)-epicatechin, antho-cyanogens such as leucocyanidin, leucopelargonidin, and leucodelphinidin, flavonols such as quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, iso-quercitin, astragalin and, nutin, and condensed polyphenols such as dimeric catechins and oligomeric and polymeric derivatives of catechins, and anthocyanogens; and wherein said organic acids with at least two carbon atoms are selected from the group of acetic acid, propanoic acid, butanoic acid, 2-methylpropanoic acid, pentanoic acid, 2-methylbutanoic acid, 3-methylbutanoic acid, octanoic acid, decanoic acid, lactic acid, pyruvic acid, succinic acid, caffeic acid, cinnamic acid, para-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, salicylic acid, sinapic acid, syringic acid, and vanillic acid.
The combination for use according to any one of the previous claims, in the preparation of a foaming, or foamable beer or beer-like beverage, most preferably a foaming or foamable low-alcohol beer, stored in, offered in, served in or consumed from a container, said combination comprising at least one individual means to supply a liquid comprising water or carbonated water or at least one individual reservoir comprising a liquid comprising water or carbonated water; at least one individual reservoir comprising ethanol, preferably liquid ethanol; at least one individual reservoir comprising a liquid comprising one or more carbohydrates; and at least one individual reservoir comprising a liquid comprising one or more alcohols with more than two carbon atoms, and one or more esters with more than three carbon atoms; and at least one individual reservoir comprising a liquid comprising one or more hop bitter acids; wherein each of said individual reservoirs is a different reservoir; wherein at least one of said liquids in one of said individual reservoirs also comprises one or more phenolic compounds; wherein at least one of said liquids in one of said individual reservoirs also comprises one or more whey proteins; and wherein at least one of said liquids in one of said individual reservoirs also comprises one or more hop oil compounds.
The combination for use according to claim 3, wherein said hop bitter acids are selected from the group of isohumulones, dihydro-isohumulones, tetrahydro-isohumulones, hexahydro-isohumulones, humulones, reduced humulones, hulupones, and reduced hulupones; and wherein said hop oil compounds are selected from the group of hop monoterpenes, oxygenated hop monoterpenes, hop sesquiterpenes and oxygenated hop sesquiterpenes, myrcene, humulene, caryophyllene, linalool, linalool oxides, citronellol, geraniol, nerol, geranyl acetate, alpha-terpineol, humulene epoxide I, humulene epoxide II, alpha-eudesmol, clovanediol, humulol, humuladienone, and humulenol.
The combination for use, according to any of the claims 1 to 4, in the preparation of a foaming or foamable beer or beer-like beverage, most preferably a foaming or foamable beer, stored in, offered in, served in, or consumed from a container, said combination comprising at least one individual means to supply a liquid comprising water or carbonated water or at least one individual reservoir comprising a liquid comprising water or carbonated water; at least one individual reservoir comprising ethanol, preferably liquid ethanol; comprising at least one individual reservoir comprising a liquid comprising one or more carbohydrates; at least one individual reservoir comprising a liquid comprising one or more alcohols with more than two carbon atoms, and one or more esters with more than three carbon atoms; at least one individual reservoir comprising a liquid comprising one or more hop bitter acids; and at least one individual reservoir comprising carbon dioxide, preferably gaseous carbon dioxide; wherein each of said individual reservoirs is a different reservoir; wherein at least one of said liquids in one of said individual reservoirs also comprises one or more phenolic compounds; wherein at least one of said liquids in one of said individual reservoirs also comprises one or more whey proteins; wherein at least one of said liquids in one of said individual reservoirs also comprises one or more organic acids with at least two carbon atoms; and wherein at least one of said liquids in one of said individual reservoirs also comprises one or more hop oil compounds; and wherein at least one of said liquids in one of said individual reservoirs also comprises one or more botanical compounds.
The combination for use, according to any of the claims 1 to 5, wherein said liquid comprising one or more carbohydrates further comprises at least two members of the group of whey proteins, phenolic compounds, sulfur compounds, ethanol, glycerol, propylene glycol, alcohols with more than two carbon atoms, esters with more than three carbon atoms, organic acids with at least two carbon atoms, inorganic cations and anions, hop bitter acids, and hop oil compounds; wherein said sulfur compounds are selected from the group of hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, dimethyl sulfide, methionol, methional, methyl thioacetate, carbon disulfide, methanethiol, ethylene sulfide, ethanethiol, propanethiol, diethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, diethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, ethyl thioacetate, and 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol; and wherein said inorganic cations and anions are selected from the group of K cations, Na cations, Fe cations, Cu cations, Se cations, Mn cations, Zn cations, chloride anions, sulphate anions, sulphite anions, and phosphate anions.
A device for preparing and dispensing a drinkable foaming or foamable liquid from a plurality of ingredients, preferably a foaming or foamable fermented-beverage liquid or fermented-beverage-like liquid, the device comprising a first reservoir (66) configured to comprise a liquid comprising one or more carbohydrates; a second reservoir (67) configured to comprise a liquid comprising one or more alcohols with more than two carbon atoms, and one or more esters with more than three carbon atoms; a third reservoir (57) fluidly connected to the dispensing means and configured to comprise a liquid comprising one or more hop bitter acids; a further reservoir fluidly connected to the dispensing means and configured to comprise a liquid comprising one or more whey proteins; a carbonated water system (63, 64, 65) configured to provide carbonated water; and a dispensing means fluidly connected to at least the first and the second reservoir, wherein the dispensing means is configured to receive at least a predetermined amount of the liquid from the first reservoir, a predetermined amount of the liquid from the second reservoir, and a predetermined amount of the carbonated water from the carbonated water system; and wherein the dispensing means is configured to dispense the received liquids to an external container to obtain said drinkable foaming or foamable liquid.
The device according to claim 7, wherein the first dosing means is fluidly connected to the first reservoir and the dispensing means, and configured to provide the dispensing means with the predetermined amount of the liquid from the first reservoir; and wherein the second dosing means is fluidly connected to the second reservoir, and the dispensing means and configured to provide the dispensing means with the predetermined amount of the liquid from the second reservoir.
The device according to claims 7 or 8, the device further comprising at least one of or a combination of the following: a fourth reservoir (58) fluidly connected to the dispensing means and configured to comprise a liquid comprising one or more hop oil compounds; and a fifth reservoir (59) fluidly connected to the dispensing means and configured to comprise a liquid comprising one or more botanical compounds; wherein the dispensing means is further configured to receive at least one of a predetermined amount of the liquid from the fourth reservoir, and at least a predetermined amount of the fifth reservoir, and is configured to dispense the received liquids to the external container to obtain said drinkable foaming or foamable liquid.
The device according to any of the claims 7 to 9, further comprising at least one mixing vessel for at least partially mixing ingredients or ingredients mixtures from at least the first and second reservoir; preferably, wherein the at least one mixing vessel is a mixing channel arranged between at least the first and the second reservoir, and the dispensing means.
The device according to any of the claims 7 to 10, wherein the carbonated water system comprises a reservoir comprising a liquid comprising water (63) configured for holding a liquid comprising water, a reservoir comprising carbon dioxide (64) configured for holding carbon dioxide, and a carbonation reservoir (65); wherein the reservoir comprising a liquid comprising water and the reservoir comprising carbon dioxide are fluidly connected to the carbonation reservoir such that the carbonation reservoir can receive water and carbon dioxide from the reservoir comprising a liquid comprising water to carbonize the received liquid comprising water using the received carbon dioxide; and wherein the carbonation reservoir is fluidly connected to the dispensing means.
The device according to any of the claims 7 to 11, wherein the carbonated water system comprises a means for pulse injection of carbon dioxide received from the reservoir comprising carbon dioxide (64) into a liquid comprising water held by the carbonation reservoir, and received from the reservoir comprising a liquid comprising water (63).
The device according to any of the claims 7 to 12, comprising a heat exchanger configured to cool a fluid, wherein the heat exchanger is arranged upstream of the carbonation reservoir, such that the water received from the reservoir comprising a liquid comprising water can be cooled.
A method for preparing a foaming or foamable beer or beer-like beverage, preferably a foaming or foamable low alcohol beer or beer-like beverage, stored in, offered in, served in, or consumed from a container, said method comprising: providing a combination comprising at least one individual reservoir comprising a liquid comprising one or more carbohydrates; at least one individual reservoir comprising a liquid comprising one or more alcohols with more than two carbon atoms; at least one individual reservoir comprising a liquid comprising one or more esters with more than three carbon atoms; and at least one individual reservoir comprising a liquid comprising one or more hop bitter acids; wherein the addition of said ingredients and ingredient mixtures comprises the addition of at least six members of the group of water, ethanol, carbon dioxide, a liquid comprising one or more carbohydrates, a liquid comprising one or more alcohols with more than two carbon atoms, and one or more esters with more than three carbon atoms, a liquid comprising one or more hop bitter acids; wherein at least one of said liquids in one of said individual reservoirs also comprises one or more phenolic compounds; wherein at least one of said liquids in one of said individual reservoirs also comprises one or more whey proteins; wherein at least one of said liquids in one of said individual reservoirs also comprises one or more organic acids with at least two carbon atoms; and wherein at least one of said liquids in one of said individual reservoirs also comprises one or more hop oil compounds.
The method according to claim 14, for preparing a foaming or foamable beer or beer-like beverage, preferably a foaming or foamable low alcohol beer or beer-like beverage, stored in, offered in, served in, or consumed from a container, wherein the concentration of ethanol in said foaming or foamable beer or beer-like beverage is below 10 % ABV; wherein the concentration of carbon dioxide in said foaming or foamable beer or beer-like beverage is below 10 gram carbon of dioxide per liter of said foaming or foamable beer or beer-like beverage; wherein the concentration of said carbohydrates in said foaming or foamable beer or beer-like beverage is in the range of 1000 to 100000 ppm; wherein the concentration of said alcohols with more than two carbon atoms in said foaming or foamable beer or beer-like beverage is in the range of 1 to 1000 ppm; wherein the concentration of said esters with more than three carbon atoms in said foaming or foamable beer or beer-like beverage is in the range of 1 to 200 ppm; wherein the concentration of said organic acids with more than two carbon atoms in said foaming or foamable beer or beer-like beverage is in the range of 10 to 1000 ppm; wherein the concentration of said phenolic compounds in said foaming or foamable beer or beer-like beverage is in the range of 1 to 1000 ppm; wherein the concentration of said whey proteins in said foaming or foamable beer or beer-like beverage is in the range of 100 to 10000 ppm; wherein the concentration of said hop bitter acids in said foaming or foamable beer or beer-like beverage is in the range of 2 to 200 ppm; and wherein the concentration of said hop oil compounds in said foaming or foamable beer or beer-like beverage is in the range of 10 to 2000 ppb.

Description

Field of Invention The invention relates to a combination for use in the preparation of drinkable liquid, in particular a drinkable foaming or foamable liquid. The invention further relates to a device for preparing and dispensing a drinkable liquid, in particular a drinkable foaming or foamable liquid and a method for preparing a drinkable foaming or foamable beer or beer-like beverage, preferably a drinkable foaming or foamable low alcohol beer or beer-like beverage. Background A beer, such as a low-alcohol lager beer, is typically produced by a sequence of following processes: malting, mashing, boiling, fermenting, filtering, dealcoholizing, conditioning, carbonating and packaging. This production method requires multiple weeks, because of the long-term fermenting and conditioning stages, which represents a first problem for the production of e.g. regular beer or low-alcohol beer. A second problem of this conventional practice is that by the time the low-alcohol beer can be consumed, typically only after weeks or months, its quality has typically already degraded, because of i.a. oxidative degradation mechanisms, compared to the freshly packaged beer. It was thus an object of the invention to provide a system to overcome these problems. WO2014152558 and US2017202250 are directed to a flavoring system for making beverages such as beers, wines, liquors, whiskeys,... most of which are typically non-foaming. Moreover, in contrast to the present invention, these references are clearly focused on matching natural flavors, rather than matching the look and feel of reconstituted beers. WO2021228878 relates to low-alcohol liquid beer concentrates that can be reconstituted to alcoholic beers by the addition of an alcoholic liquid and carbonated water. Herein, the beer concentrate is obtained by a natural brewing/fermentation process, and thus WO202122878, in contrast to the present invention does not relate to beer replicas, in which no brewing process is involved. Summary The invention addresses the above mentioned problems. The invention, relating to a method, a device and a combination for use, is addressing these two principal problems, being the long production time and the reduced product quality, by providing a solution, as a method and as a device, to prepare a beer ready for serving or consuming in a limited time, in for example less than 15 minutes compared to the convention practice requiring multiple weeks, which can be consumed without quality degradation within for example 15 min after initiating the production method. In particular, the invention, by providing a method, a device and a combination for use, also enables to produce a high number of different beers in a limited time with a single device. For example, four beverages, e.g. respectively one low-alcohol lager type beer, one stout type beer, one pale ale type beer and one lambic style beer, can consecutively be produced in for example less than 60 minutes. In addition, the invention provides the possibility to fully customize the beer, so an individual can produce time- and place-independent the beer of his or her personal preference. Consumers have typically a limited numbers of beers they prefer, but even those preferred beers are usually not 'perfect' for a consumer, and with the invention it is an option to fully customize a beer in all organoleptic properties, so with full flexibility in terms of a.o. alcohol percentage, sweetness, bitterness, carbon dioxide content, and other taste and smell characteristics, next to other properties such as mouthfeel and foam. In addition, the invention provides the possibility to produce beers with compositions which are difficult or impossible to obtain with conventional methods to produce beers, for example beers with a hoppy aroma but no bitter taste, or beers with a flavour profile characterized by higher alcohols and esters, but with no presence of the related organic acids. In addition, the invention provides the possibility to produce beers with no presence of compounds, typically derived from the brewing ingredients or formed during the conventional brewing process or formed during long-term storage prior to consumption, with an undesirable organoleptic impact (off-flavor) for some or most of the beer types, for example the organic acid 2-methylbutanoic acid (cheesy flavor), the unsaturated aldehyde trans-2-nonenal (cardboard flavor), the heterocyclic aldehyde furfural (papery flavor), the unsaturated ketone oct-1-en-3-one (metallic flavor), the diketone 2,3-butanedione (butterscotch), and various sulfur compounds such as 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol (skunk flavor) and dimethyl sulfide (cooked flavor). It was for the inventors unexpected that by only mixing ingredients or ingredient mixtures a foamable or foaming beverage could be obtained with the organoleptic properties of a conventionally brewed beer or beer-like beverage. In particular, it was unexpectedly found that the combination of protei