Method for preparing a neutral malt base
| Title: | Method for preparing a neutral malt base |
|---|---|
| Patent Number: | 11578,294 |
| Publication Date: | February 14, 2023 |
| Appl. No: | 13/670584 |
| Application Filed: | November 07, 2012 |
| Abstract: | A method for preparing a neutral alcoholic malt base is disclosed. The method includes the steps of combining malt extract, which can be derived from malted grains containing gluten, or from those that are gluten-free, fermentable sugar in liquid or solid form, and water to form a fermentable medium having a density of greater than 20° Plato, wherein a ratio of the malt extract to the fermentable sugar in the fermentable medium is from 5:95 to 0.1:99.9; and fermenting the fermentable medium with a yeast that can tolerate an alcohol concentration of at least 10% by volume thereby preparing the neutral alcoholic malt base. A flavored malt beverage can include the neutral alcoholic malt base, water, at least one flavoring, a food grade acid, a sweetening agent, and carbon dioxide. |
| Inventors: | Pratt, Jason S. (Denver, CO, US); Ryder, David S. (Mequon, WI, US); Manuele, Anthony J. (Brookfield, WI, US); Hensley, John C. (Milwaukee, WI, US); Williams, George A. (Whitefish Bay, WI, US) |
| Assignees: | MOLSON COORS BEVERAGE COMPANY USA LLC (Wilmington, DE, US) |
| Claim: | 1. A method for preparing a neutral alcoholic malt base, the method comprising: (a) combining commercially available malt extract, fermentable sugar, and water to form a fermentable medium having a density of greater than 20° Plato, wherein a ratio of the malt extract to the fermentable sugar in the medium is from 4:96 to 0.1:99.9; and (b) fermenting the fermentable medium with a yeast strain that can tolerate an alcohol concentration of at least 12% by volume thereby preparing the neutral alcoholic malt base, wherein the neutral malt alcoholic base has an extract/alcohol ratio of less than 0.4, and wherein brewing adjustment salts are not added to the fermentable medium, and wherein the method does not use a mash tun. |
| Claim: | 2. The method of claim 1 wherein: the ratio of the malt extract to the fermentable sugar in the fermentable medium is about 1:99. |
| Claim: | 3. The method of claim 1 wherein: the malt extract is derived from a cereal grain containing gluten. |
| Claim: | 4. The method of claim 1 wherein: the malt extract is derived from a cereal grain that is gluten-free. |
| Claim: | 5. The method of claim 1 wherein: the fermentable sugar is dextrose. |
| Claim: | 6. The method of claim 1 wherein: the malt extract and the fermentable sugar comprise more than 20% by weight of the fermentable medium. |
| Claim: | 7. The method of claim 1 wherein: the yeast strain can tolerate an alcohol concentration of at least 15% by volume. |
| Claim: | 8. The method of claim 1 wherein: the yeast strain can tolerate an alcohol concentration of at least 23% by volume. |
| Claim: | 9. The method of claim 1 wherein: the neutral alcoholic malt base has a sulfite level of less than 25 ppm. |
| Claim: | 10. The method of claim 1 wherein: the neutral alcoholic malt base has a sulfite level of less than 10 ppm. |
| Claim: | 11. The method of claim 1 wherein: the yeast strain is selected from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces pastorianus. |
| Claim: | 12. The method of claim 1 wherein: the fermentable medium has a density of at least 25° Plato before step (b). |
| Claim: | 13. The method of claim 1 wherein: the fermentable medium has a density of at least 30° Plato before step (b). |
| Claim: | 14. The method of claim 1 wherein: the fermentable medium has a density of at least 35° Plato before step (b). |
| Claim: | 15. The method of claim 1 wherein: the neutral alcoholic malt base has a color measured using Standard Reference Method of 0.3 or less, the color being achieved without using ultrafiltration, membrane filtration, or activated carbon treatment. |
| Claim: | 16. The method of claim 1 wherein: the fermentable medium consists essentially of malt extract, fermentable sugar, water, and a hop product. |
| Claim: | 17. The method of claim 1 wherein: the neutral alcoholic malt base can be produced with the flexibility to produce a bitterness as measured by the International Bitterness Units scale of 1 or less. |
| Claim: | 18. The method of claim 1 wherein: the neutral malt alcoholic base has an alcohol by volume of 10% or more. |
| Claim: | 19. The method of claim 1 wherein: step (b) comprises fermenting the fermentable medium at a temperature of 70° F. to 85° F. |
| Claim: | 20. The method of claim 1 wherein: step (a) comprises boiling the malt extract and the water and thereafter adding the fermentable sugar to form the fermentable medium. |
| Claim: | 21. The method of claim 1 wherein: step (a) comprises boiling the malt extract, the water and the fermentable sugar to form the fermentable medium. |
| Claim: | 22. The method of claim 1 wherein: step (a) comprises adding the malt extract, the water and the fermentable sugar to form the fermentable medium directly in a fermenter without boiling. |
| Claim: | 23. A flavored malt beverage comprising: a neutral alcoholic malt base prepared by a method comprising (i) combining commercially available malt extract, fermentable sugar, and water to form a fermentable medium having a density of greater than 20° Plato, wherein a ratio of the malt extract to the fermentable sugar in the fermentable medium is from 4:96 to 0.1:99.9, and (ii) fermenting the fermentable medium with a yeast strain that can tolerate an alcohol concentration of at least 10% by volume, wherein the neutral malt alcoholic base has an extract/alcohol ratio of less than 0.4; additional water; and one or more flavorings, and wherein brewing adjustment salts are not added to the fermentable medium, and wherein the method does not use a mash tun. |
| Claim: | 24. The flavored malt beverage of claim 21 further comprising: carbon dioxide. |
| Claim: | 25. The flavored malt beverage of claim 22 further comprising: a food grade acid; and a sweetening agent. |
| Claim: | 26. The flavored malt beverage of claim 23 wherein: the neutral malt alcoholic base is 1-100% by weight of the flavored malt beverage, the additional water is 8-30% by weight of the flavored malt beverage, the one or more flavorings is 0.01-1% by weight of the flavored malt beverage, the sweetening agent is 1-10% by weight of the flavored malt beverage, the food grade acid is 0.01-1% by weight of the flavored malt beverage, and the flavored malt beverage has 0.0 to 3.5% v/v CO 2 . |
| Claim: | 27. The method of claim 1 wherein: the brewing adjustment salts that are not added to the fermentable medium are calcium sulfate, calcium chloride, and ammonium phosphate. |
| Claim: | 28. The method of claim 1 wherein: the method does not use an antifoaming agent. |
| Claim: | 29. A method for preparing a neutral alcoholic malt base, the method comprising: (a) combining commercially available malt extract, fermentable sugar, and water to form a fermentable medium having a density of greater than 20° Plato, wherein a ratio of the malt extract to the fermentable sugar in the medium is from 4:96 to 0.1:99.9; and (b) fermenting the fermentable medium with a yeast strain that can tolerate an alcohol concentration of at least 12% by volume thereby preparing the neutral alcoholic malt base, wherein the neutral malt alcoholic base has an extract/alcohol ratio of less than 0.4, and wherein the malt extract is a concentrate produced from wort, and wherein the method does not use a mash tun. |
| Claim: | 30. The method of claim 29 wherein: the malt extract and water are combined in a mixture before boiling the mixture. |
| Patent References Cited: | 3484244 December 1969 Kozulis et al. 3720515 March 1973 Stanley 3720517 March 1973 Bavisotto et al. 3798331 March 1974 Bavisotto et al. 3908021 September 1975 Rehberger et al. 3979527 September 1976 Laws et al. 4021580 May 1977 Raymond et al. 4180589 December 1979 Chicoye et al. 4409246 October 1983 Stewart et al. 4440795 April 1984 Goldstein et al. 4495204 January 1985 Weaver et al. 4721621 January 1988 Geiger 4816280 March 1989 Billings 4929452 May 1990 Hamdy 4971808 November 1990 Takeda et al. 5294450 March 1994 Word et al. 5618572 April 1997 Tripp et al. 5972411 October 1999 Goldstein et al. 7008652 March 2006 Effler 7670828 March 2010 Nakao et al. 8263165 September 2012 Sher 20040241281 December 2004 Ramsden 20050064066 March 2005 Ramsden 20060105078 May 2006 Kuroda 20170260486 September 2017 Ottens et al. 102329743 January 2012 1472980 May 1977 |
| Other References: | De Keukeleire, Denis. “Fundamentals of Beer and Hop Chemistry.” Quimica Nova, 23(1): 2000, pp. 108-112. cited by applicant |
| Primary Examiner: | Stulii, Vera |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: | Quarles & Brady LLP |
| Accession Number: | edspgr.11578294 |
| Database: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| Language: | English |
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