WO2017153618A1 - System and method for the accelerated ageing of wines and spirits - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and system that allow the accelerated ageing of wines and spirits on a pilot scale and on an industrial scale, through the combined use of woodchips previously soaked in wine, ultrasound and oxygenation. The technical solution used in the invention is based on performing the processes of extraction and oxidative ageing separately. The process for extracting the compounds from the wood is performed in a tank using ultrasound, the tank being connected and in continuous circulation with a second supply tank in which oxidative ageing is performed by means of continuous aeration or a micro-oxygenation device.

Description

 SYSTEM AND PROCEDURE FOR THE ACCELERATED AGING OF WINES AND DISTILLED.

SECTOR OF THE TECHNIQUE

SCIENTIFIC AREA: FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

SECTOR: ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE

 From the stages through which a wine or a wine distillate passes until it becomes the final product, such as Sos wines of oxidative aging or aged distillates, it is precisely aging in wood one of the most critical stages. In it, the original product gradually acquires the organoleptic characteristics of oxidative aging. For this, a long rest time is necessary inside the barrels inside which this beverage is aged. From an entrepreneurial point of view, it implies a huge volume of fixed assets with consequent expenses of time and money, and from which only a small fraction can be extracted annually, so that the greater the desired old age in the product, the lower the volume can be bottled at the end of the year, for a certain amount of distillate or wine stored.

 Aging is, therefore, the stage in the process of making certain beverages during which the organoleptic characteristics of the product evolve while remaining stored in continents of different nature, due to physical-chemical processes, although in certain occasions they can also be of Biological nature Usually, these changes give the product a greater appreciation on the part of consumers Increasing its value. Among the phenomena that make up aging can be cited (Hidalgo-Togores, 2003):

 Dispersion of oxygen into the drink.

 Decreases in the case of permeable containers.

 Precipitation of substances mainly potassium bltartrate and caldco tartrate. Esterifications

 Transformation of polyphenols

Extractions of compounds in wood. The physical-chemical processes that take place depend on different variables among which we can highlight: The composition of the original product matter! of the container and the environment. Among the set of reactions that take place during the aging of a beverage, those that tend to vary the characteristics of the product in a drastic way are the reactions of the poiifanoies and aromatic compounds.

 On the other hand, the analysis of the evolution of any beverage during its aging period is inherently slow, the more the older the required age. That is why an accelerated aging method would allow characterizing the successive transformations of the initial compounds present in the original distillate towards those that give the drink all its definitive distinctive features in a short period of time. Another reason to develop such a method is to be able to dispose of the necessary quantities of a distillate with aging characteristics in a quick and low-cost way, because aged distillates are usually the products of greater value of any elaborated. A final advantage of the method is the ability to test new products with a certain degree of aging at the laboratory or pilot plant scale, with the consequent savings in production costs and time, avoiding risk of such products against unfavorable opinions of consumers. The investigation of this method led to the obtaining of a patented procedure for the accelerated aging of wines and distillates on a laboratory test scale (Guillén Sánchez, Schwarz Rodrigues, Rodríguez Dodero, Sánchez Guiííén. & García Barroso, 2011)

 Accelerated aging is called any technique intended to produce beverages with the organoleptic characteristics of an aged product using physical-chemical methods that lead to a significant reduction in the time of manufacture of said product. The main advantage of accelerated aging is the reduction of costs associated with such a stage, due to the lower volume of stored product needed.

The foundations for the development of accelerated aging methods for fermented and distilled beverages have been established since the 1980s (Wemon L. Singieton. 1962). However, it was in the 1980s that the most successful alternative aging system was developed It has had in recent years: micro-oxygenation (Laplace & Ducournau, 1995). Through this technique, a quantity of oxygen equivalent to that which would be absorbed in a wooden barrel of a similar size is injected into the beverage contained in stainless steel tanks. This technique may present complications to the determination of a correct dosage of oxygen (Anli & Cavuldak, 2012). On the other hand, the benefits attributed to micro-oxygenation are the improvement in the polyphenolic content of wine (García et al. 2012), in aromas (Bautista- Ortín et al., 2008; Pérez-Coello, González-Viñas, García-Romero, Cabezudo, & Sanz, 2000) or color (Del Álamo Sanza, Domínguez, & Marino, 2004). Micro-oxygenation is a technique whose application is understood among wine makers, but does not find a similar space in the field of distillates despite the physical-chemical foundations in both cases are the same. Only a few studies have been carried out for this purpose, focusing on the aging of rum (Guasada Granados et al., 2002), the influence of different woods on the production of brandy {Caideira et al., 2002) or as an alternative to the traditional breeding of cider brandy (Rodríguez Madrera et al, 2013). In these cases, the micro-oxygenation has not managed to significantly reduce the necessary aging time.

 There are several methods proposed to accelerate the aging of wines and distillates, from the most traditional ones based on applying temperature (Carvaihc, Pereira. Pereira, Pinto, & Marques, 2015) to the most widespread of combining micro-oxygenation with the use of wood fragments different sizes (González-Sáiz et al ,, 2014). On the other hand there are patents that pose much more complex methods, such as the use of electromagnetic fields (Zeng, Geng, Zhang, & Li, 2005; B. Zhang et ai., 2012; 8. Zhang, Zeng, Lio, Sun, & Cal, 2013), the grinding of wood fragments within the beverage (Robles-Ornelas, 2005), or even the use of gold nanoparticles (Chuan-Tao, 2009) as catalysts for the necessary reactions.

The basis of the work done is a method based on the application of ultrasound (Mónica Schwarz, Rodríguez, Sánchez, Guillén, & Barroso, 2014, Gusllén, Schwarz., Rodríguez, Sánchez, & Barroso, 201 1), which are responsible for enhance the extraction of compounds from the bosom of wood. Ultrasound causes two different effects, increases the penetration capacity of water and alcohol into wood and destroys the constituent cell walls of wood. Samples produced from this method were able to develop, in a laboratory scale, organoieptic characteristics similar to Solera Gran Reserva brandis within a week, when the latter require at least three years of aging. On the other hand, and taking into account that in the sector of Jerez, it is customary to use barrels that have been previously wrapped to carry out the oxidative aging of wines and brandies, since these barrels provide greater finesse, avoiding defects typical of new barrels, This fact has been demonstrated in our investigations, our method proposes to pre-treat wood chips with sherry wine, and thus achieve: on the one hand, prevent the compounds polyphenolics extracted from wood are too high and on the other hand contribute the component that of the wood wrapped in the final polyphenolic composition.

 In this report an alternative model of accelerated aging is proposed with shavings of oaks of different species oxygenation and application of ultrasound as accelerating energy. In this sense, the proposed procedure, evolution of the authors' patent, PCT / ES2011 / 000156, involves scaling the pilot and industrial plant of said patent, solving the technical challenge of scaling the necessary ultrasound presentation in relation to the volume of wine / distillate treated, since the direct scaling of the necessary power of ultrasound to be applied to tanks above 1000 L, today, is unfeasible. From there to carry out a design in two tanks, a small one where the extraction of the wood-based ultrasonic compounds is carried out, so that sonotrodes are given giving 1-1, 5 Kw of ultrasonic power, connected, and in continuous recirculation, with a nurse tank where the oxygenation of the wine / distillates is carried out, necessary for oxidative aging, through continuous aeration or micro-oxygenation device.

This design saves the inconvenience of scaling that we have previously referred to, allowing its application at industry scale! For this, different experiments have been carried out with different quantities of chips and different types of wrapping, comparing it analytically and sensoryly with wines and distillates aged by traditional system. It was concluded that with a quantity of previously wrapped chips, wines and distillates aged in a period of 15 days were obtained, of analytical and sensory characteristics similar to that which had been aged tradlcionai for more than 2 years.

 Within the state of the art references have been made to patents in this regard, but of these, except for the patent of the authors (ES237181 1, WO201 1 157866 A1) previously reviewed and laboratory-oriented, none use ultrasound as an accelerating energy of the extraction, or use the wrapping of wood chips as a method of pre-wood treatment before using them in accelerated aging.

In addition, the present method is endorsed by an expert tasting panel, trained for two years that has compared traditionally aged brandies, with those that had been aged, accelerates with the proposed method. BIBLIOGRAPHY

- Anli, R. E., & Cavu! Dak, O A. (2012). A review of miaooxygenation app! Ication in wine. Journal of the Institute of Brewing 118 (4), 368-385.

 - Bautista-Orí ín, A. B .. Lencina, A. G .. Cano-López, M., Pardo-Mínguez, F., López-Roca, J. M., & Gómez-Plaza, E. (2008). The use of oak chips during the ageing of a red wine in stainless steel íanks or usad barréls: Eífeet of the coníact time and size of the oak chips on aroma compounds. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research, 14 (2), 63-70.

 - Carvalho, M. J., Pereira, V, Pereira, A. C., Pinto, J. L. & Marques, J. C (2015). Evaluation of Wine Co! Our Under Accelerated and Oak-Cask Ageing

Using CIELab and Chemometríc Appraaches. Food and Bioprocess Technology, 8 (11), 2309-2318.

 - Chuan-Tao. K. (2009). Method of accelerating liquor ageing process.

 - Del Álamo Sanza, M., Domínguez, f. N., & Merino. S. G. (2004). Infiuence of difierent aging systems and oak woods on aged wine color and anthocyanin composition European Food Research and Technology, 219 (2), 124-132.

- Garcia, FL Soares, B., Dias, C. B., Freitas, A. M. C, & Cabrita, M. J. (2012).

 Phenoiic and furanic compounds of Portuguesa chestnut and French, American and Portuguése oak wood chips. European Food Research and Technology,

235 (3), 457-467.

 - Gonzáiez-Saiz, J. M., Esteban-Diez, I., Rodriguez-Tecedor, S .. Pérez-del- Notario, N .. Arenzana-Rámila, I .. & Pizarro, C. (2014). Moduiation of the phenoiic composition and coiour of red wines submitted to accelerated ageing by controlling process variables. Food Chemistry, 165, 271-281.

 - Guillen Sánchez, D. A., Schwarz Rodríguez, M., Rodríguez Dodero, M. C, Sánchez Guiilén, M. M .. & García Barroso, C. (2011, December 22). A iaboratory test run of an accelerated aging process for obtaining distiliates, brandies and holandas aged in wine-soaked wood. Spain

 - Hidalgo-Togores. J. (2003). Enology treatise. Madnd: World Editions

Press.

Laplace, P., & Ducoumau, P. (1996). Process for metering and injecting gas for a vinification tank and plant for this purpcse. Frank. Pérez-Coelio, MS, González-Viñas, MA, García-Romero, E., Cabezudo, MD, & Sara :, J. (2000) Chemical and sensory changes ín white wínes fermented in the présenos of oak chips. International Journal of Food Science &

Technology, 35 (1), 23-32.

 Quesads Granados, J., Merelo Guervés, J. J., Oh you will see López, M J., González - Peñalver, J., Olalla Herrera. M, Blanca Herrera. R, & López Martínez, M. C.

 (2002). Application ai Artificia! Agsrtg Techniques to Samples of Rum and Comparison with Tradüienaiíy Aged Rums by Analysis with Artificial Neurai Nets. Journal of Agncultural and Food Chemistry, 50 (6). 1470-1477.

 Robles-Ornelas, A. {2005}. Method of accessing the ageing of wines and spirlts. Mexico

 Rodríguez Madrera, R. García Revi a, A., Suárez Valles, B., Rodríguez Madrera, R., García Hevia, A .. & Suárez Valles, 8. {2013). Comparison siudy of two aging systerrss for cider brandy making. Changes In chemícal compositiion. LWT - Food Science and Technology, 54 (2), 513-520. doi: 10.1016 / j.lwt, 2013.05.037

 - Singleton, V. L. {1962). Aging of wines and other spiritous producís, acceleration by physical treatments. Hilgardia, 32 (7), 319-392.

 - Zeng, X. A., Gang, Y., Zhang, B., & Li. G. (2005). Acceíerating ageing of brandy oak by electromagneíic field. China.

 - Zhang, B ,, Zeng, X. A., Sun, D.-W., Yu, S. J., Yang, M. F., & Ma, S. {2012).

 Efrect of Electoral Field Treatments on Brandy Aging in Oak Barréis, Food and Bioprocess Technology, 6 (7), 1635-1643.

 - Zhang, B., Zeng, X.-A .. Lin, W. T., Sun, D.-W., & Caí, J. -L. (2013). Effects of electric field treatments on phenoí compounds of brandy aging in oak barréls.

Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies .. 20, 106-1 14. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION,

 A few years ago, the authors of the present invention designed a patented procedure called Accelerated Aging Procedure for obtaining distillates, spirits and "holandas" aged in wood wrapped, on a laboratory test scale (ES23718H, WO201 1 157865 Al) that Aimed at making available to processors of aged distilled beverages a tool to explore how changes in raw materials, or wood used in aging, affect the final product by shortening the aging time and the volume of distillate needed to Perform this essay. With the aforementioned procedure, aging was accelerated mainly through the use of oak chips, micro-oxygenation and ultrasonic application as accelerating energy.

 The possibility of scaling this procedure until it is carried out on an industrial scale rto has proved to date viable since one of the greatest costs of producing aged wines / distillates is the necessary infrastructure for this.

On the other hand, redesigning scaling and optimizing the procedure previously developed, for the accelerated aging of wines / distillates, with a view to using it at higher scales is a technical challenge, due to the high power required of ultrasound to be applied to deposits above 1000 L to produce the cavitation phenomenon.

 The technical solution adopted to solve this problem has been to carry out a design in two tanks, a small one where the extraction of the wood-based ultrasonic compounds is carried out, in this way transducers of 1 -1.5 Kw of ultrasonic power, connected and in continuous recirculation, with a nurse tank where oxygenation of! wine / distillates, necessary for oxidative aging, through continuous aeration or micro-oxygenation device.

This design saves the inconvenience of scaling that we have previously referred to, allowing the application of the industrial scale aging procedure

The proposed system includes:

 a) a nursery where the wine or parade is contained,

 b) a continuous flow cell containing ios oak or other wood chips such as chestnut,

c) the continuous flow cell has a water jacket as coolant a! in order to control the temperature that the ultrasonic application can generate, d) an ultrasonic generator of a power enters 1 and 1, 5 kw of power equipped with a transducer that is inserted into the continuous flow cell (b)

e) a conduit that joins the nurse tank with the continuous flow cell, thus the highest hydrostatic pressure of the nurse tank (a) ensures the filling of the continuous flow cell (b) _:

 f) at the top of the continuous flow cell it is connected to a pipe that ends in a booster pump (g),

 g) a booster pump that is responsible for boosting the liquid, again, the nurse tank through the pipe (h),

 h) pipe coming out of the impeller pump to return the liquid to the nurse tank (a)

 i) the liquid (wine or distillate) contained in the nurse's tank is connected to a micro-oxygenator that is continuously injecting the selected oxygen dose.

 AND! design of this system saiva the technical inconveniences of the escalation and supposes a novelty in the systems of accelerated aging, of wines and distillates, current, basically by the separation in two deposits, a small one where the extractive processes of the compounds of wood and other where oxidation reactions of oxidative aging are carried out.

 In a week of operation, the procedure achieves products that. both from a point of view of its organoleptic properties and its chemical composition, they are similar to those obtained through the traditional system in about two years.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTENT OF THE FIGURES

 Figure 1 shows a scheme of the design of the plant to develop the process of accelerated aging of wines and distillates. The elements that make up are:

a) Nursing deposit.

b) Continuous flow cell containing the chips.

c) Cooling water shirt. d) Ultrasonic generator with a power between 1 and 1.5 kw of power equipped with a transducer.

e) Connecting pipe between the nurse tank and the continuous flow cell

f) Connecting pipe between flow cell and impeller pump.

g) Drive pump

h) Connecting pipe between the impeller pump and the nurse tank.

i) Microxygenator.

j) Water supply for cooling.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

 The nurse tank, with a capacity of 1000 L or higher, is filled with the beverage that you want to age. The liquid flows driven by the hydrostatic pressure itself to the ultrasonic cell, where the chips of the desired wood are located The dose used, which will depend on the degree of desired maderization and the type of wood chip used (specific surface thereof) , will be in a range between 1 and 50 kg per 1000 L of product to age. To optimize the loading and unloading of the chip, a metal castile device has been constructed that facilitates the flow of the liquid through the chip mass. The continuous flow cell has a relationship with the nurse tank of 1: 200 expressed in volume, this ratio may vary depending on the chosen dose, and it would include e! sonotrode of the ultrasound system. It is necessary to apply ultrasound in a reduced volume in order to prevent excessive dispersion of kinetic energy to reduce the efficiency of the system. The sonic power applied has been in this case of 1375 W, the normal working range being between 1000-1500 W, distributed in the following way - 1 min of application + 1 minute of pause At the output of the flow cell it is located a centrifugal pump with a flow rate between 150-350 Lih that makes the liquid return to the nurse tank.

 The injection of oxygen in the sample is done through a micro-oxygenation system, using a dose between 1 -5 mL 02 / L roes.

Previously, the chip was wrapped with sherry wine through an accelerated wrapping procedure and in case of wanting to simulate processes such as the aging of Jerez wines, Jerez brandy or whiskey, which are aged in barrels that have previously contained wine, in order to remove the characteristics of new wood from the wood. This wrapping process has proved necessary for avoid that in the products obtained through this aging procedure, organoleptic properties of the new wood appear, that the tasting panels qualify as defects in the product, confirming something that the winery tradition has been doing for many years, and the use of wood Envinadas gets products that enjoy greater finesse and acceptance by the consumer. To reproduce the characteristics of the wood used, the chips are immersed in Jerez wine and subjected to ultrasound for 1 h. The chips / wine ratio is 120 g / l. Subsequently they are left macerating in the same wine for 24 h. Then they are washed with deionized water and dried in an oven at 75 ° C for 10 h. Three drying, can be used in the accelerated aging process.

Claims

 1. Procedure for the accelerated aging of wines and distillates, on a pilot and industrial scale based on the use of previously wrapped wood shavings characterized in that the extractive processes of the wood compounds are carried out in an ultrasonic-assisted tank, connected and connected. continuous circulation with a second nurse tank where oxidative aging is performed by continuous aeration or microoxygenation device, 2. Procedure for the accelerated aging of wines and distillates, according to claim 1, characterized in that to facilitate the extraction process, the wood chips are placed in a continuous flow broth on which ultrasound is applied. 3. Procedure for the accelerated aging of wines and distillates, according to claim 2, characterized in that the amount of wood chips used in the extraction process will be in a range of between 1 and 50 kg per 1000 liters of beverage to age. 4. Procedure for the accelerated aging of wines and distillates, according to claim 2, characterized in that the sonification that assists the extraction process must be applied at intervals of 1 minute of application, followed by 1 minute of pause 5. Procedure for the accelerated aging of brandy according to claim 1 characterized by the use of a nurse tank containing the volume of wine / distillate to be aged on which aeration, oxygenation or micro-oxygenation is applied to guarantee the saturation of oxygen necessary for it carry out the oxidation reactions typical of the oxidative aging of wines and distillates 6. Procedure for accelerated aging of brandy according to claim 5 characterized in that the injection of oxygen into the sample is carried out through a micro-oxygenation system, using a dose of 1-5 mL 02 / L-month. 7. System for the accelerated aging of wines and distillates, on a pilot and industrial scale based on the use of previously wrapped wood chips, comprising:  A nursery where a wine or distillate is placed to age. A continuous flow drop (b) containing the wood chip.  A water jacket as a refrigerant (c) to control the temperature that is gained when applying ultrasound.  An ultrasonic generator (d) equipped with a transducer, introduced into the continuous flow cell (b)  A conduit (e) that joins the nurse tank (a) with the continuous flow cell (fo).  A behavior (f) that connects the upper part of the continuous flow cell with a booster pump (g),  A booster pump (g) that is ie responsible for boosting the liquid from the reservoir where the extractive process is enhanced, to the nurse reservoir through the pipe (h),  A pipe (h) leaving the booster pump (g) to return the liquid to the nurse tank (a).  A micro-oxygenator (i) that is continuously injecting the selected oxygen dose into the nurse tank {a). 8. System for the accelerated aging of wines and distillates, according to claim 7, characterized in that the continuous flow cell has a relationship with the nurse tank of 1: 200 expressed in volume. 9. System for the accelerated aging of wines and distillates, according to claim 7, characterized in that the centrifugal pump must have a flow rate between 150 and 350 L7h. 10. System for the accelerated aging of wines and distillates, according to claim 7, characterized in that the ultrasonic generator used has a power of between 1 and 1.5kw.