Method for preparing a neutral malt base
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.
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.
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.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the malt extract is derived from a cereal grain containing gluten.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the malt extract is derived from a cereal grain that is gluten-free.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the fermentable sugar is dextrose.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the malt extract and the fermentable sugar comprise more than 20% by weight of the fermentable medium.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the yeast strain can tolerate an alcohol concentration of at least 15% by volume.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the yeast strain can tolerate an alcohol concentration of at least 23% by volume.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the neutral alcoholic malt base has a sulfite level of less than 25 ppm.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the neutral alcoholic malt base has a sulfite level of less than 10 ppm.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the yeast strain is selected from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces pastorianus.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the fermentable medium has a density of at least 25° Plato before step (b).
13. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the fermentable medium has a density of at least 30° Plato before step (b).
14. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the fermentable medium has a density of at least 35° Plato before step (b).
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.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the fermentable medium consists essentially of malt extract, fermentable sugar, water, and a hop product.
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.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the neutral malt alcoholic base has an alcohol by volume of 10% or more.
19. The method of claim 1 wherein:
step (b) comprises fermenting the fermentable medium at a temperature of 70° F. to 85° F.
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.
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.
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.
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.
24. The flavored malt beverage of claim 21 further comprising:
carbon dioxide.
25. The flavored malt beverage of claim 22 further comprising:
a food grade acid; and
a sweetening agent.
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 .
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.
28. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the method does not use an antifoaming agent.
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.
30. The method of claim 29 wherein:
the malt extract and water are combined in a mixture before boiling the mixture.