Energy saving brewing method

Abstract

Barley based beverages are produced in large quantities, employing highly energy consuming methods, for example in the malting and brewhouse facilities for kiln drying and wort boiling operations, respectively. The present invention relates to energy saving methods for preparing barley based beverages, as well as to barley plants useful in such methods. In particular, the invention describes barley plants with combined traits of null-lipoxygenase-1 (null-LOX-1), null-lipoxygenase-2 (null-LOX-2) and null-S-adenosylmethionine:methionine S-methyltransferase in one plant, which is particularly useful for energy saving methods to prepare barley based beverages, such as beer.

1 - 57 . (canceled) 
     
     
         58 . A barley based beverage prepared from a barley plant or a part thereof, wherein said barley plant comprises:
 a) a first mutation resulting in a total loss of functional lipoxygenase (LOX)-1, and   b) a second mutation resulting in a total loss of functional LOX-2, and   c) a third mutation resulting in a total loss of functional S adenosylmethionine:methionine S-methyltransferase (MMT).   
     
     
         59 . The barley based beverage according to  claim 58 , wherein said beverage contains a level of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) below 10 ppb. 
     
     
         60 . The barley based beverage according to  claim 58 , wherein said beverage contains a level of S-methyl-1-methionine (SMM) below 20 ppb. 
     
     
         61 . The barley based beverage according to  claim 58 , wherein said beverage contains less than 50% trans-2-nonenal (T2N) potential compared to the T2N potential of a beverage prepared in the same manner from barley cv. Power. 
     
     
         62 . The barley based beverage according to  claim 58 , wherein said beverage contains a level of DMS below 10 ppb, a level of SMM below 20 ppb and less than 50% T2N potential compared to the T2N potential of a beverage prepared in the same manner from barley cv. Power. 
     
     
         63 . A barley based beverage, wherein said beverage is prepared by a method comprising the steps of:
 (i) providing a barley plant or part thereof as defined in  claim 58 ;   (ii) optionally malting at least part of said barley plant or part thereof, thereby obtaining malted barley;   (iii) mashing said barley plant or part thereof and/or said malted barley and optionally additional adjuncts, thereby obtaining a wort;   (iv) heating said wort optionally in the presence of additional ingredient(s), wherein at most 4% of the wort volume is evaporated, thereby obtaining heated wort; and   (v) processing said heated wort into a beverage.   
     
     
         64 . A barley based beverage, wherein said beverage is prepared by a method comprising the steps of:
 (i) providing a barley plant or part thereof as defined in  claim 59 ;   (ii) optionally malting at least part of said barley plant or part thereof, thereby obtaining malted barley;   (iii) mashing said barley plant or part thereof and/or malted barley and optionally additional adjuncts, thereby obtaining a wort;   (iv) heating said wort optionally in the presence of additional ingredient(s), wherein at most 4% of the wort volume is evaporated, thereby obtaining heated wort; and   (v) processing said heated wort into a beverage.   
     
     
         65 . A barley based beverage, wherein said beverage is prepared by a method comprising the steps of:
 (i) providing a barley plant or part thereof as defined in  claim 60 ;   (ii) optionally malting at least part of said barley plant or part thereof, thereby obtaining malted barley;   (iii) mashing said barley plant or part thereof and/or malted barley and optionally additional adjuncts, thereby obtaining a wort;   (iv) heating said wort optionally in the presence of additional ingredient(s), wherein at most 4% of the wort volume is evaporated, thereby obtaining heated wort; and   (v) processing said heated wort into a beverage.   
     
     
         66 . A barley based beverage, wherein said beverage is prepared by a method comprising the steps of:
 (i) providing a barley plant or part thereof as defined in  claim 61 ;   (ii) optionally malting at least part of said barley plant or part thereof, thereby obtaining malted barley;   (iii) mashing said barley plant or part thereof and/or malted barley and optionally additional adjuncts, thereby obtaining a wort;   (iv) heating said wort optionally in the presence of additional ingredient(s), wherein at most 4% of the wort volume is evaporated, thereby obtaining heated wort; and   (v) processing said heated wort into a beverage.   
     
     
         67 . A barley based beverage, wherein said beverage is prepared by a method comprising the steps of:
 (i) providing a barley plant or part thereof as defined in  claim 62 ;   (ii) optionally malting at least part of said barley plant or part thereof, thereby obtaining malted barley;   (iii) mashing said barley plant or part thereof and/or malted barley and optionally additional adjuncts, thereby obtaining a wort;   (iv) heating said wort optionally in the presence of additional ingredient(s), wherein at most 4% of the wort volume is evaporated, thereby obtaining heated wort; and   (v) processing said heated wort into a beverage.   
     
     
         68 . The beverage according to  claim 58 , wherein the beverage is beer. 
     
     
         69 . The beverage according to  claim 58 , wherein the beverage is a non-alcoholic malt beverage. 
     
     
         70 . A wort composition prepared from a barley plant or a part thereof, wherein said barley plant comprises:
 a) a first mutation resulting in a total loss of functional LOX-1, and   b) a second mutation resulting in a total loss of functional LOX-2, and   c) a third mutation resulting in a total loss of functional MMT.   
     
     
         71 . The wort composition according to  claim 70 , wherein said wort composition contains a level of DMS below 10 ppb. 
     
     
         72 . The wort composition according to  claim 70 , wherein said wort composition contains a level of SMM below 20 ppb. 
     
     
         73 . The wort composition according to  claim 70 , wherein said wort composition contains less than 50% T2N potential compared to the T2N potential of a wort composition prepared in the same manner from barley cv. Power. 
     
     
         74 . The wort composition according to  claim 70 , wherein said wort composition contains a level of DMS below 10 ppb, a level of SMM below 20 ppb and less than 50% T2N potential compared to the T2N potential of a wort composition prepared in the same manner from barley cv. Power. 
     
     
         75 . The wort composition according to  claim 70 , wherein said wort composition is prepared by a process comprising the steps of:
 (i) providing said barley plant or part thereof;   (ii) optionally malting at least part of said barley plant or part thereof, thereby obtaining malted barley;   (iii) mashing said barley plant or part thereof and/or malted barley and optionally additional adjuncts.   
     
     
         76 . A malt composition prepared from a barley plant or a part thereof, wherein said barley plant comprises:
 a) a first mutation resulting in a total loss of functional LOX-1, and   b) a second mutation resulting in a total loss of functional LOX-2, and   c) a third mutation resulting in a total loss of functional MMT,   wherein said malt composition comprises a level of SMM below 50 ppb, a level of DMS below 25 ppb, and less than 30% free T2N compared to a malt composition prepared in the same manner from a barley cv. Power.