Aqueous hop products and processes for imparting flavor and aroma to beverages

Abstract

The present invention relates to natural aqueous essence compositions comprised of flavor and aroma constituents from hops. The invention also relates to methods for adding flavor and aroma to beers, ciders, meads, or other fermented beverages, as well as other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages such as seltzers, flavored waters, and teas where a hop-derived flavor and aroma is desired. The aqueous essence compositions are comprised of compounds that are naturally present in hops or in beer and/or result from processes that occur during brewing or in the aqueous processing of hop cones, hop pellets, or other solids separated from the hop plant (Humulus lupulus). The present invention also relates to the process by which aroma and flavor components are released and isolated from hops in a process that involves steam stripping, concentration, and collection of valuable aroma- and flavor-active hop constituents.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A water-soluble hop essence formulation comprising:
 (a) a myrcene content of from about 4% to about 10%;   (b) an esters/ketones content of from about 25% to about 60%;   (c) a sesquiterpenes content of from about 10% to about 20%; and   (d) a sesquiterpene oxides content of from about 20% to about 50%.   
     
     
         2 . The formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the myrcene content is from about 6% to about 8%. 
     
     
         3 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the esters/ketones content is from about 35% to about 50%. 
     
     
         4 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the sesquiterpene content is from about 10% to about 20%. 
     
     
         5 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the sesquiterpene oxides content is from about 25% to about 40%. 
     
     
         6 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the formulation has a ratio of esters/ketones to myrcene of about 4:1 to about 8:1. 
     
     
         7 . The formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the formulation has a ratio of esters/ketones to myrcene of about 8:1. 
     
     
         8 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the formulation has a ratio of sesquiterpene oxides to myrcene of about 2:1. 
     
     
         9 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the formulation has a ratio of sesquiterpene oxides to myrcene of about 6:1. 
     
     
         10 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the formulation is clear and colorless. 
     
     
         11 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the concentration of hop oil components is lower than that of the non-oil hop components. 
     
     
         12 . A clear, colorless aqueous solution of a formulation according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . The clear, colorless aqueous solution of  claim 12 , devoid of organic solvents, suitable for introduction into a beverage manufacturing stream. 
     
     
         14 . A beverage comprising the clear, colorless aqueous solution of  claim 12 , wherein the beverage is selected from a beer, a flavored water and a selzer. 
     
     
         15 . The clear, colorless aqueous solution of  claim 12 , wherein the solution is suitable for introduction on the cold-side of a brewing process. 
     
     
         16 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the formulation is true-to-type as determined by a sensory panel. 
     
     
         17 . A method of preparing a formulation according to  claim 1 , the process comprising:
 (a) processing with a spinning cone column system an aqueous slurry comprising from about 2% to about 20% of hop solids in water through a spinning cone column and collecting the formulation.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the processing comprises a member selected from:
 (i) a system temperature from about 40° C. to about 80° C., e.g.;   (ii) an offset temperature (T SCCFeed −T SCC ) from about −50° C. to about −25° C.;   (iii) an external stripping rate of from about 2% to about 30%; and   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising, prior to (a) preparing the slurry by milling the hop solids with water. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising continuously adding the slurry to the spinning cone column system during the processing. 
     
     
         21 . A water-soluble hop essence formulation comprising esters, ketones, myrcene and sesquiterpene oxides, wherein the ratio of esters/ketones to myrcene is from about 4:1 to about 8:1, and the ratio of sesquiterpene oxides to myrcene is from about 2:1 to about 6:1. 
     
     
         22 . A clear, colorless aqueous solution of the water-soluble hop essence formulation according to  claim 21 . 
     
     
         23 . A beverage comprising the clear, colorless hop essence formulation of  claim 21 . 
     
     
         24 . The water-soluble hop essence formulation according to  claim 21 , wherein the formulation is produced by a method comprising:
 (a) processing with a spinning cone column system an aqueous slurry comprising from about 2% to about 20% of hop solids in water through a spinning cone column; and   (b) collecting the formulation.