Methods for chill treating non-distilled malted barley beverages

Abstract

A process for chill-treating, which is exemplified by a process for preparing a fermented malt beverage wherein brewing materials are mashed with water and the resulting mash is heated and wort separated therefrom. The wort is boiled cooled and fermented and the beer is subjected to a finishing stage, which includes aging, to produce the final beverage. The improvement comprises subjecting the beer to a cold stage comprising rapidly cooling the beer to a temperature of about its freezing point in such a manner that ice crystals are formed therein in only minimal amounts. The resulting cooled beer is then mixed for a short period of time with a beer slurry containing ice crystals, without any appreciable collateral increase in the amount of ice crystals in the resulting mixture. Finally, the so-treated beer is extracted from the mixture.

Description

This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/035,805 maybe may be considered to function as a fluidized bed in which the beer is treated as it passes therethrough, the amount of crystals in the "bed" does not appreciably increasing increase throughout the process. The treated beer is separated from the ice crystals which remain in the treatment zone, until, periodically, following from at the end of each brewing cycle during which generally from 1,200 to 15,000 hectoliters or beer are treated, the ice crystals are removed and discarded. Again, it may be noted that the majority of the crystals entering the recrystalizer are relatively small and, as explained above, are removed by melting.

Initially, the process can be initiated by adding the, preferably relatively larger crystals (usually having an average size from 100 to 3,000 microns) in "bulk" to the treatment zone or, conveniently, they can be generated in situ by introducing the cooled beer into the zone and, over a period of time, under conditions in which the preferably relatively smaller ice crystals, which comprise only about 5%, and usually about 2% of the beer volume, will grow and produce the desired amount of larger crystals in the zone. Thus relatively short start-up phase for generation of the stable ice crystal containing slurry is preferred but is not critical to the present invention.

It has been found that when the treatment zone operates in an efficient steady manner when it contains about 20% to 25% and preferably 10 to 20% by volume of said crystals although amounts of from 35% to 5% or even less by volume of said crystals may be used depending on, for example, the type of beer being treated. The specific amount may vary slightly during processing but any such variances are monitored and a feedback system is arranged to instruct the heat exchanger or equivalent cooling system to increase or decrease, as required, the temperature of the cooled green beer to re-balance the system. Such systems, e.g. based on determination of the ice content by electric conductivity, are readily available.

It has been found that the above system functions in an efficient manner if the green beer, usually exiting the fermenter at say 10°C to 17°C is cooled to between about -1°C to -5°C and is then passed through the scraped surface heat exchanger or other suitable cooling device where it is cooled to as low as about -5° C., usually -4.5°C to -1°C That same temperature is generally maintained in the treatment zone.

The actual freezing temperature of the beer substrate and hence the temperature attained in the cooling zone depends on a number of factors including the beer composition, Plato value, but especially the alcohol value. For example, with a green beer having a Plato value of about 16° P as is routinely the case in high gravity brewing, and an alcoholic content of about 7% to 7.5% alcohol by volume, the green beer is advantageously cooled to a temperature of about -4°C before being introduced into the treatment zone. The higher the alcohol content, the lower the temperature which will generally be required to achieve the product having the desired characteristics.

It should be noted that the two components of this specific system, the heat exchanger and the treatment vessel, except at start-up) operate full of liquid medium and hence there is no need to provided an inert atmosphere which would otherwise have been required.

A major advantage of the present invention is its capability to be carried out in a continuous manner without the ice-containing treatment zone becoming inoperative because of buildup of ice coats in the cooling tubes and similar items in cooling systems making them less efficient, and renders control of the system very difficult and in the extreme case clogs the system, a problem with the various prior art processes.

In the following, a preferred treatment of green beer prior to aging is described, although it is possible to effect the cold stage treatment post aging if desired, (assuming that an ageing step is being used at all).

Turning to FIG. 1, wort from a lauter tun (not shown) passes through line 10 to fermentation vessel 12 where it is pitched with yeast and fermented in the usual manner. Following completion of the fermentation, the spent yeast is removed by centrifuge 13. Man's usual normal methods of removing the yeast cells may leave a minor amount of yeast cells in the green beer. However, these residual cells have been found to have adverse effects on the finished beer, it is thought due to their being lysed in the ice treatment according to the present invention and the resulting cell fragments have adverse effects on the organoleptic properties of the finished beer. Consequently, it is much preferred that extra care be exercised and if necessary, more efficient separating equipment utilized to remove substantially all of the yeast prior to the green beer being treated according to the present invention.

The brewed green beer is then rapidly cooled in a scraped surface heat exchanger 14 where cooling to the freezing point of the beer is effected, this will generally be in the range of -1°C to -5°C, normally -2°C to -4°C depending on many factors including the specific alcohol content. In this case, it was -3.7° C. The cooling is effected in a short period, generally less than 60 and usually a few seconds. A minor amount of small crystals are formed, less than 5%, generally 2% or less by volume as was the case in this instance, the treatment being adapted to prevent the growth of large crystals or an excessive amount of small crystals (considered to be less than about 9-10 microns). In fact, less than about 2% of the volume of the beer is converted to ice in the cooling stage. The so cooled beer is then passed immediately to the ice-containing treatment zone 15. This zone is completely filled with a slurry comprising of ice crystals and the green beer, which slurry is maintained in a constant state of agitation to render it homogenous. The ice crystals are preferably significantly larger in size, by a factor of from 10 and to 100 times, than the crystals contained in the beer being treated. The treatment zone has a combination of insulation around the zone and a feedback mechanism in according accordance with which, in response to signals from ice sensors in the treatment zone, a reduction or increase in the amount of ice is corrected by ensuring the green beer is further cooled or is less cooled, respectively. Thus the objective of maintaining a fixed amount usually about 10% to 20% or 22% of the volume of the zone as larger crystals is maintained as is the temperature of the treatment. The ability to consistently maintain the low processing temperatures without the ice clogging and damaging the system is a critical aspect of the present invention. The ice treatment zone may, simply initially be loaded with the body of ice crystals but more conveniently, these are produced in situ upon startup of the system by running the heat exchange unit in such a manner as to produce major amounts of small crystals which are allowed to grow to the desired size in the treatment zone. Loading the zone in this manner may take from about one to several hours, usually about 2, depending on many factors including the type/capacity of heat exchanger used and the alcohol content of the green beer. This start-up phase is not considered to be part of the continuous operational phase of the chill-treating process described herein.

The residence time of the green beer in the ice treatment zone is relatively short, less than one hour, generally up to 15 minutes, especially 5 to 15 minutes only, and may be even less, following which, the treated beer is transferred to aging tank 16. It is then finished in the usual manner.

This system is elegantly practical in that:

(a) it is not complex; there are no counter-current flows and, in fact, only one and uni-directional flow, namely the fluid substrate being treated and hence requires minimal equipment and is simple to operate;

(b) the treatment does not involve concentration of the green beer and hence there is no constant removal of ice crystals (these requiring only their being discarded at the end of a brewing cycle). Obviously, the ice is not subsequently treated in any manner, there being so little of it relative to the amount of beer treated, that there is virtually no entrained beer, etc., associated with it.

(c) it is a process stage which gently processes the green beer at a high rate and is readily and conveniently incorporated into present brewing processes with little disruption to existing plant layouts;

(d) it is a continuous and rapid process thereby incurring small additional cost but delivering beneficial results as far as desirable product characteristics are concerned, especially a significant increase in chill stability as well as very positive organoleptic properties;

(e) using the equipment described, both the heat exchanger and the separation vessel are full with liquid medium and hence do not require maintenance of an inert or carbon dioxide atmosphere, except on start-up and up to the time the vessel are is filled.

Turning to FIG. 2, this shows a pilot plant for a beer cooling and ice treatment stage or system, generally designated 20, consisting of a scraped surface heat exchanger 21 and a treatment or separator vessel 22 having a capacity of 120 liters, which defines the ice containing treatment zone 23.

Pipe 24 connects the fermentor green beer storage tank (both not shown) to scraped surface heat exchanger 21, circulating pump 30 being arranged in the pipe 24 to provide for transfer of the beer. Heat exchanger 21 is provided with cooling system 26. Pipe 27 connects the heat exchanger 21 directly to vessel 22 and it constitutes the inlet for the cooled green beer. Vessel 22 is provided with a stirrer agitator 28 which is adapted to be driven by motor 29 and a separator or filter member 30 which surrounds the outlet 31 leading to pipe 32, which leads to the aging tank (now not shown). Separator 30 is extremely important in that is it must ensure that the larger crystals forming the stable volume of ice are prevented from leaving the treatment zone while, at the same time, must allow allowing passage of a small number of smaller crystals which may not melt during processing as do the majority, but do so thereafter. Further, it must be designed and/or otherwise adapted, for example, by being provided with scrapers, to prevent it its being clogged by the smaller particles.

Beer Example

A process in accordance with the present invention was carried out in the production of a rapidly chilled lager beer. The haze characteristics of this, and a conventional lager beer are set out in the following table. Note that the rapidly chill chilled lager beer was aged for seven days, and the conventional lager was aged for fourteen days. Also note, that the rapidly chilled lager had a significantly higher alcohol and extract content that did the conventional lager--both of these things would normally predispose the rapid chilled beer towards a manifestly greater amount of haze instability, which was not found to occur.

__________________________________________________________________________
Conventional Lager   Rapidly Chilled Lager
Beer C.O.E.*
IWkF.**
IIMoF***
C.O.E.*
IWkF.**
IIMoF***
__________________________________________________________________________
10.96
54   62    --   --   --
11.01
68   77    12.11
94   --
10.91
73   71    11.95
65   --
10.87
71   64    11.80
90   --
11.03
70   70    11.92
66   --
11.11
64   68    12.00
73   --
10.88
56   81    11.67
59   --
10.85
70   82    11.76
77   85
10.99
74   86    11.91
77   89
11.16
80   108   11.86
72   86
11.22
97   123   11.80
70   77
Totals
120.99
777  892   118.78
743  337
Averages
10.99
70.64
81.1  11.878
74.3 84.25
__________________________________________________________________________
*Calculated Original Extract
**OneWeek Forcing Test
**Two Month Chill Haze

The units of measure are "haze units" and the beers were tested in accordance with the following procedure:

One-Week Forcing Test

This analysis is formed in order to predict the total suspended chill haze stability of the product. The test is based on the accepted belief that beer that is stored at an elevated temperature for a relatively short time, will develope a total suspended chill haze that is very similar to that formed in the same beer after prolonged storage at normal room temperature. Beer in a bottle or can, is placed in an upright position in a hot water bath at 49 degrees C., and held for a full week (seven days). Once this incubation is complete, the beer is allowed to cool to room temperature, then passed to a cold water bath at zero degrees C., and held for 24 hours. The bottles are removed from the cold water bath, and inverted to suspend all of the sediment. The haze is then measured nephelometrically with a Radiometer Hazemeter that has been calibrated against empirical turbidity standards. The beer is poured into the instrument chamber, and the diaphragm dial is read. This is converted to FTU's (formazin turbidity units) by multiplying by standardized calibration factors, in known manner.

Two Month Chill Haze

This test is performed by storing the packaged beer for two months at room temperature. The total suspended solids are then measured from samples, in the same way that was described under the One-Week Forcing test.

The results show that the process according to the present invention permits a 50% reduction in aging time, without increasing haze instability. Moreover notwithstanding expectations predicated on the greater alcohol and extract content of the rapidly chilled lager, the measured haze for the rapid rapidly chilled lager was the same as the haze that developed in the conventional lager. This is considered to be very significant, particularly since beer is now typical typically brewed in very large volumes, and can sit for a protracted period before ultimately being consumed.

Turning to FIG. 3, this is a flow sheet of a commercial scale facility which may be used to process beer, and again green beer is used as the example, according to the present invention. The facility has a green beer inlet pipe 40 connecting a fermentor or green beer surge/storage tank (not shown) to a beer cooler 42 which in turn is connected via pipe 44 to a Westfalia beer centrifuge 46. This centrifuge is maintained at optimum efficiency to ensure that for all practical purposes, virtually all yeast cells from the fermentation stage are eliminated from the green beer. The centrifuge 46 is connected through pipe 48, flow meter 50, valves 52, 54, 56 and 58 and pipe 60 to beer cooler 62, the latter being connected to heat exchange manifold 64 by pipes 66, valves 67, 68 and 70 and pipe 72. Alternatively, centrifuge 46 can be connected directly to manifold 64 by pipe 48, through valves 52 and 70 and pipe 72. The manifold 64 serves scraped surface heat exchangers 74. Three heat exchangers are shown arranged in parallel but, obviously, the number or type of the heat exchangers may vary depending on requirements. A second manifold 76 is arranged to combine all material exiting the heat exchangers 74 and deliver same via pipe 78 to treatment or separator vessel 80 which encloses treatment zone 82 having a volume of 90 hectoliters. Vessel 80 is fully insulated and is provided with an agitator mechanism (not shown) driven by motor 84, and an exit pipe 86 which, via valves 88 and 90, connects to pipe 92 which, via valve 94 and pipe 96 connects 82 to aging tank 98. Tank 98 is provided with beer outlet pipe 100. Vessel 80 is also provided with ice monitors or sensors (not shown) which identify changes from the desired "steady state" operating condition (for example by measuring changes in electrical conductivity of the slurry) as to ice crystal content and automatically instruct the heat exchangers to provide more, or less, cooling to return the treatment zone to its operating steady state condition. In the illustrated embodiment, these monitors are conductivity probes (sensors 81) are (Yokogawa, type s250113E, NW 25, 4-20mA), which measure variations in the conductivity of the beer slurry that are proportional to the ice concentration in the reactor. Feedback from the probes is passed to an ammonia (the refrigerant) backpressure control valve system. Control of the refrigerant backpressure provides control over the refrigerant temperature and thereby also affords control over the amount of ice that is retained in the recrystallizer. In accordance with preferred practice for the illustrated apparatus, the probe-effected operation of the ammonia back-pressure control valve adjusts the refrigerant temperature set point at pre-determined intervals during operation. Typically, the system response is limited to allow the temperature set point to be changed by no more than 0.5 degrees C. every half hour, to a maximum change of plus or minus two degrees C.

If it deviates from the set conditions vessel 80 is also provided with a separator device (not shown in FIG. 3) which prevents all but a small number if of any residual small ice crystals from exiting the vessel thereby maintaining the "fluidized bed" feature as the ice slurry is agitated.

This equipment was obtained from Niro Process Technology B. V., De Beverspijken 7,5221 EE's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands. The recrystalizer that was used is part of a Niro type NFC--60 slush freezing unit, adapted to operate at a rated flow of about 350 hL/hr, with an inlet alcohol concentration of 7.5% v/v, an inlet temperature of -1 degrees C., and an outlet temperature of -3.5 degrees C., using a 20% (18hL) resident volume of supercritical ice crystals.

In operation, green beer alcohol content 7% by volume is obtained from a regular fermentation at a temperature of about -15°C and is introduced into the system through pipe 40, passed through beer cooler 42 leaving at a temperature of -8°C to -10°C It is then passed through a dropping cooler 55 which further reduces its temperature even further to -1.5°C thereby reducing the load on the scraped heat exchanger 74 through which the beer is subsequently passed. The temperature of the green beer exiting heat exchangers 74 is about -4°C and it comprises about 2% by volume of small crystals having an average size of between 0.1 and 10 microns. The residence time of green beer in the heat exchangers is only about one second and the beer is then introduced immediately through manifold 76 into ice treatment zone 80. Initially, this zone does not contain the required loading of ice slurry and hence this was generated over a two hour start-up period when about 1,800 kilograms of larger ice crystals having an average size of 200 to 3,000 microns were created. Vigorous agitation maintains the slurry in a homogenous mass which is retained in the vessel by the separator while cooled green beer was treated continuously at the rate of 450 hectoliters per hour, this equating to an average beer residence time of about 12 minutes. The temperature in the treatment zone is maintained at about -4°C The amount of ice crystals in the zone, or "fluidized bed" remained substantially constant. The bed may be maintained for extended periods but, from a practical viewpoint, it is removed and discarded at end of a brewing cycle which is generally following its being used in the treatment of from 1,200 to 15,000 hectoliters of green beer.

The amount of water exiting the system as ice is in fact not directly measurable, although indirect inferences suggest that only 0.1% to at most 1.5% and consequently the concentration of the beer remains essentially constant, especially when the system is flushed with brewing water at the end of the cycle.

In summary, the process of the present invention provides a simple to operate continuous process, a balanced beer which is less harsh, more mellow and has greatly increased shelf life due to increased physical stability compared with regular beers, this latter quality itself providing significant economic benefit in greatly reducing the time required for regular aging and possibly the capital cost involved in providing the generally required ageing tanks.

The following examples are intended to illustrate the contemplated application of the present process to the manufacture of distilled beverages.

Distilled Alcoholic Beverages Example

Yeast action is limited by the amount of alcohol present, and at about the level of 18% by volume, yeasts cease to ferment. For this reason, simple fermentation cannot yield alcohol concentrations exceeding about 18%. For higher levels, distillation is required. Note that alcohol has a boiling point of about 78.5 degrees C., the alcohol-water azeotrope has a boiling point of 78.3 degrees C., and water has a boiling point of 100 degrees C. This means that lower boiling point fractionation can enrich the alcohol content to about as much as 96% alcohol, although in typical beverage distillation 40 to 50% alcohol is the norm. Although freeze concentration of these products has been offered as an alternative to conventional distillation processes, economics do not generally favor changing over from the more traditional stills. Moreover, there is evidence that the freeze concentration process can yield a non-traditional flavor profile, which could effect affect market acceptance. Accordingly, the use of conventional boiling stills continues to be the method of choice for the manufacture of distilled beverages.

Distilled alcoholic beverages may be divided into three major classes. The first such class includes those starting from a starchy substrate and needing enzymes, usually in the form of barley malt, to convert the starch to fermentable sugars (e.g., scotch from all malt; rye from mixtures of rye and malt; bourbon from mixtures of corn, rye and malt; Irish whisky from rye, wheat and malt; and arrak, from rice).

Typically, about 15% of high diastase malt is added to the other starch sources, water is added, and the combined mash is converted at about 56 degrees C. under agitation. The mash is then heated briefly to 62 degrees C. after which it is cooled to about 17 to 23 degrees C. and acidified with lactic or sulphuric acid, to a pH of 4.7 to 5. As an alternative, the pH may be lowered by microbiological action (e.g., through the addition of Lactobacillus delbruckii delbruckii). The lower pH controls the contamination and favors yeast metabolic activity. Fermentation typically takes about 3 days, and temperature is controlled at about or below 32 degrees C. In some distilleries, this is carried out as part of a continuous fermentation process.

At the end of the fermentation the alcohol and aroma substances are distilled off. Different whiskies are distilled to different final proofs and then are diluted to the selected final product concentration. The type of distillation equipment and the final proof to which a whisky is distilled determine very much the character of the final product. Bourbon, for instance, is usually distilled to give a 170 proof distillate, whereas with rye in a simple pot still a final 130 to 140 proof distillate is produced.

For Scotch whiskies, the typical smoky flavour is produced at least partially from malt which has been kilned at a high temperature over a peat fire. Scotch is aged usually in sherry or partially carbonized wooden casks. Most american American whiskies are stored in oak casks. Several of the typical flavor substance substances, such as guaiacol, are leached out from the wood. The Scotch highland whiskies are produced in simple pot stills, while lowland whiskies are produced in patent stills and the malts are less heavily smoked.

The second broad classification includes those products that are started directly from a sugar substrate, and in which at least some portion of the native aromatics are distilled to become part of the distillate, (e.g. cognac armagnac or brandy from grapes; kirschwasser from cherrys; slivovitz and slow sloe gin from plums; tequila from agaves; rum from sugar cane; applejack or calvados from apples; toddy from coconut milk; and framboise from raspberrys). The third group includes those which are produced by adding flavor substances to quite pure ethanol which has been obtained by distillation and rectification, (including both liquors and liqueurs and cordials: aquavit, pernod or kummel from caraway; or gin from juniper berries; and creme creme de menthe from mint and sugar; creme de cocoa creme de cacao from cocoa beans, sugar and vanilla; cherry brandy from cherrys and sugar; coffee liquor from coffee and sugar; grand marnier, from orangepeel and, sugar, drambuie from honey and whisky; or, chartreuse or benedictine from herbs and sugar).

Cider Example

In the production of cider, juice (either pressed from crushed apples or prepared from concentrate,) is treated with an amount of sulphate necessary to kill any indigenous microflora. Then the juice is pitched with a selected fermentation yeast, and fermented to completion, The cider is then racked off the yeast lees. In accordance with the practice contemplated pursuant to an application of the present invention, the cider is the subjected to the present chill treatment. Blending, addition of antioxidants and sweeteners, carbonation, sterilization or aseptic packaging occurs in due course, to produce the final fermented cider product.

Regardless of which class of product is being considered for treatment, the process according to the present invention may be applied to distilled beverages following the complete conversion of the fermentable substrate to ethanol. Typically, the distillation process will also have been completed. In the "third" above mentioned group, it may be preferable to carry out the process of the present invention prior to the introduction of the additional flavors). In any case, the aqueous ethanol-containing solution is subjected to a cold stage comprising rapidly cooling the solution to a temperature at about its freezing point (which depending primarily on the alcohol content varies greatly to form only minimal amounts of nascent ice crystals therein. The resulting cooled aqueous ethanol-containing solution is then mixed for a short period of time with a post-cold-stage resident volume of stable ice-crystals in an aqueous ethanol-containing slurry, without any appreciable increase in ice crystal mass contained in the resulting mixture during that mixing. Thereafter, the so treated solution is extracted from the mixture, without any substantial collateral increase in total dissolved solids concentration.

FIG. 4 is illustrative of various freezing point temperatures for a variety of products, as a function of dissolved solids concentrations. Note that the present invention relates generally to fermented liquid beverages and especially fermented alcoholic beverage beverages--for example, cider, various liquors derived whether in whole or in part through a fermentation step, and including too fermented cereal beverages, e.g. fermented malt beverages such as malt whiskey for example, but in particular, including fermented malt brewery beverages, such as beer (e.g), lager, ale, porter, malt liquor, stout, or the like in keeping with the most general usage of that term--and including for greater certainty, but without limitation, "low-alcohol" and "non-alcoholic" (including cold-contact fermented beer).

Also, as will be appreciated, it is preferred that the chilling process is carried out in two distinct zones and, indeed, those zones are preferable preferably contained in separate and discrete vessels. However, this is not essential in that the zones may be contained within one vessel provided that the beverage is first chilled and the nascent ice crystals formed therein and that the chilled beverage is then mixed with the stable ice crystal containing slurry.

Claims

1. A process for chill-treating an aqueous fermented liquid cereal a non-distilled malted barley beverage, comprising:

subjecting the beverage to a cold stage comprising rapidly cooling the beverage to a temperature at about its freezing point to form only nascent ice crystals in minimal amounts thereof;

mixing the resulting cooled beverage for a short period of time in a post-cold-stage resident volume of stable ice-crystals dispersed as a slurry, without any appreciable increase in total ice crystal volume of the resulting mixture; and,

extracting the so treated beverage from said mixture,

and whereby said process is carried out without any substantial collateral decrease in the total amount of water that is contained in the beverage.

2. A process for chill-treating a fermented alcoholic liquid cereal non-distilled malted barley beverage comprising:

subjecting a volume of the beverage to a cold stage comprising rapidly cooling the beverage to a temperature at about its freezing point to form nascent ice crystals in minimal amounts thereof;

mixing the resulting cooled beverage for a short period of time in a post-cold-stage resident volume of stable ice-crystals dispersed as a slurry, without any appreciable increase in total ice crystal volume of the resulting mixture; and,

drawing-off treated beverage in a volume equivalent to said volume of the beverage, from said mixture,

whereby said process is carried out without any substantial collateral concentration of the beverage.

3. A process for continuously chill-treating a cereal non-distilled malted barley beverage comprising:

subjecting a volumetric flow of pre-treatment beverage to a cold stage comprising rapidly cooling said beverage to a temperature at about its freezing point to form nascent ice crystals in minimal amounts thereof;

mixing the resulting cooled beverage for a short period of time with a post-cold-stage resident volume of stable-ice-crystal-in-aqueous-liquid slurry of the same beverage, without any appreciable increase in total ice crystal mass contained in the resulting mixture during said mixing; and,

drawing-off treated beverage, having a dissolved solids concentration generally equal to that of said pre-treatment beverage, in a volumetric flow equivalent to said volumetric flow of pre-treatment beverage, from said mixture,

whereby said process is carried out without any substantial collateral concentration of said beverage.

4. The process for continuously chill-treating according to claim 3 and wherein the processing steps comprise:

subjecting a volumetric flow of pre-treatment beverage to a cold stage comprising rapidly cooling said beverage to a temperature at about its freezing point to form nascent ice crystals in minimal amounts thereof;

mixing the resulting cooled beverage for a short period of time with a post-cold-stage resident volume of stable-ice-crystal-in-aqueous-liquid slurry of the same beverage containing stable ice crystals of about 10 to about 100 times larger than said nascent ice crystals, without any appreciable increase in total ice crystal mass contained in the resulting mixture during such mixing and,

drawing-off treated beverage, having a water content of not substantially less than that of said pre-treatment liquid, in a volumetric flow equivalent to said volumetric flow of pre-treatment beverage, from said mixture, whereby said process is carried out without any substantial collateral concentration of said beverage.

5. The process according to claim 4, wherein said beverage is an aqueous mixture containing ethanol.

6. A process for chill-treating a near-freezing non-distilled malted barley beverage cereal beverage, in which said near-freezing beverage is passed in slurried-relation through a mass of supercritical ice crystals under thermodynamically controlled conditions selected such that any melting of subcritical crystals contained in said near-freezing beverage is generally thermodynamically less than or equal to collateral formation of said supercritical crystals to thereby avoid any substantial increase in concentration of the beverage over the course of its slurried-relationship with said supercritical crystals, and then retrieving said beverage.