Kaoliang spirit brewing method adopting honey purified water as fermentation water

Abstract

The invention discloses a Kaoliang spirit brewing method adopting honey purified water as fermentation water, and belongs to the technical field of white spirit brewing. According to the method, purified water which is produced in the industrial processing process of honey and is not artificially blended with additional components is used as the only brewing water. The method comprises the following steps: soaking sorghum in the honey purified water, and adding saccharomyces cerevisiae; sealing and fermenting at 26 to 28 DEG C for 26 to 28 days; performing solid-liquid separation on the fermented mash to obtain solid fermented grains and liquid wine slurry; the method comprises the following steps: placing solid fermented grains on a steamer grate, placing liquid wine slurry at the bottom of a steamer, heating to boil the wine slurry at the bottom to generate steam, and condensing after the steam penetrates through the upper fermented grains to obtain the wine. According to the method, the specific honey byproduct water is utilized in a high-value mode, the brewed wine has unique and harmonious composite fragrance and is mellow and mild in taste, and the comfort after drinking is remarkably improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of liquor brewing, in particular to a method for brewing liquor using special fermentation water, and more particularly to a method for brewing sorghum liquor using honey purification water, which is a byproduct of honey processing. BACKGROUND

[0002] Water is the blood of liquor, and the brewing water has a decisive influence on the quality of liquor. In order to pursue unique flavor, there is a method of adding honey in the brewing process in the prior art, which usually uses commercially available honey directly diluted into "honey dilution water".

[0003] However, this method has obvious defects: first, high-quality honey is expensive, which greatly increases the production cost; secondly, and more importantly, the "honey dilution water" obtained by artificially diluting honey has a proportion of sugar, acidity, and minerals that is artificially set and adjustable, which destroys the inherent and synergistic balance between the components in natural honey. This unbalanced brewing environment may adversely disturb the activity of brewing yeast and the fermentation micro-ecology, leading to unstable fermentation process, deviation of flavor substance synthesis path from the expected, and easy production of sweet, heavy, and strange taste in the liquor body, affecting the natural coordination of flavor and the comfort after drinking.

[0004] In the industrialized processing of honey (such as the production of concentrated honey), in order to facilitate filtration and concentration, the raw honey needs to be diluted, sterilized, and filtered, and then vacuum concentrated to obtain standard products. This process produces a large amount of process water, which is commonly referred to as "honey purification water" in the industry. This water dissolves part of the monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, amino acids, organic acids, and minerals such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium in honey, but has been treated as waste water for a long time, and its potential value has not been explored.

[0005] Secondly, the present inventors found that even if the "honey dilution water" has the same total sugar content, due to the proportion of its core components such as sugar, acid, and minerals being artificially set and single, it cannot reproduce the subtle and fixed natural balance between the components formed during the long biological formation and subsequent specific industrial purification process of natural honey. This lack of internal balance makes it impossible to provide the most suitable micro-ecology and nutrient environment for the fermentation metabolism of brewing yeast, thereby fundamentally limiting the generation potential of high-quality flavor substances and the final coordination of liquor flavor.

[0006] Therefore, in view of the flavor coordination and stability problems of directly using "honey dilution water" to brew liquor, and the waste of "honey purification water" resources, it is urgent to develop a method for brewing high-quality sorghum liquor using this specific byproduct in a systematic and high-value manner. SUMMARY

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies and provide a method for brewing sorghum liquor using honey-purified water as fermentation water. This method aims to avoid the defects of artificially adding "honey-diluted water" and obtain a high-quality sorghum liquor with a unique, harmonious flavor and a high level of aftertaste by utilizing honey processing by-product water with natural components and a fixed proportion.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: A method for brewing sorghum liquor uses honey-purified water as the sole brewing water. This honey-purified water is a byproduct of the industrial purification and processing of honey, separated during the concentration process after dilution, sterilization, and filtration, and is free from any artificially added ingredients. The method includes the following steps: S1. Soaking and inoculation: Soak sorghum in the honey-purified water and add brewing yeast to it; S2. Fermentation: Seal the material obtained in step S1 and ferment it at 26°C to 28°C for 26 to 28 days to obtain fermented mash; S3. Distillation: The fermented mash is subjected to solid-liquid separation to obtain solid mash and liquid wine; the solid mash is placed on the grate of a steamer, the liquid wine is placed at the bottom of the steamer and heated to boiling, and the generated steam penetrates the solid mash layer and is collected by condensation to obtain the wine.

[0009] The core value of the honey-purified water lies in the 'natural constancy' and 'irreproducibility' of its composition and proportions. All its soluble components originate from raw honey and are extracted and separated 'in one go' during a specific industrial purification process, maintaining the inherent natural synergistic proportions of the raw honey. This characteristic distinguishes it from any artificially formulated or blended brewing water.

[0010] Compared with existing technologies (especially those using artificially prepared "honey diluted water"), the present invention has the following significant advantages: 1. Original Innovation and Resource Recycling: For the first time, the system systematically uses 'honey purified water,' a honey processing byproduct with naturally fixed components and without any external additives, as the sole water for brewing, realizing the high-value utilization of this specific waste resource, which has both environmental and economic value.

[0011] 2. Targeted optimization of fermentation metabolism: Since 'honey purified water' provides a natural, coordinated and stable fermentation substrate, it can significantly promote the ester metabolism of brewer's yeast and inhibit the formation of higher alcohols, thereby optimizing the 'alcohol-ester ratio' in the product (which can be reduced to below 0.36, significantly better than the control group's 0.55), which is the material basis for flavor harmony.

[0012] 3. Natural generation of characteristic flavors: This method can promote the natural generation of richer characteristic floral and fruity aroma substances in the wine, such as phenylethanol (rose aroma), β-damascone (honey aroma), linalool (floral aroma), etc. The types and contents of these substances are significantly higher than those of wines made by artificially blending 'honey diluted water' with the same total sugar content, forming a unique and harmonious complex aroma.

[0013] 4. Improved overall product quality: The final product has significantly improved in key indicators such as alcohol yield and total ester content, and the post-drinking comfort (slower intoxication, faster sobering up, and less dry mouth and headache) has been widely verified. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a process flow diagram of the preparation method of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments and comparative examples, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0016] Definition: The "purified honey water" described in this invention is a term with a strictly specific source. It specifically refers to the process water produced on a standardized honey processing line that meets food hygiene and safety requirements. Starting with raw honey, it undergoes pretreatment including warm water dilution, low-temperature pasteurization (e.g., maintaining 60-65℃ for 30 minutes), and multi-stage precision filtration (to remove solid impurities such as pollen and beeswax). In the subsequent vacuum low-temperature concentration process, it is evaporated, separated, and separately condensed and recovered. The core characteristics of this water are: firstly, it is an inevitable byproduct of the processing chain, not an artificially designed solution; secondly, all its soluble components (including sugars, minerals, organic acids, flavor precursors, etc.) originate from raw honey, and no external components are added or blended during processing. Its final composition and proportions are naturally determined by the characteristics of the raw honey and processing parameters. The proportions of each component are naturally formed by the characteristics of the raw honey and specific processing parameters, not by artificial design, possessing uniqueness and characteristics that cannot be reproduced through simple mixing.

[0017] Example 1 (Core Example) Raw material processing: Take 100kg of high-quality glutinous sorghum, add 200kg of honey-purified water (total sugar content 3.2%, pH 6.0), and soak at room temperature for 18 hours; after draining, add 120g (accounting for 1.2‰ of the sorghum weight) of activated Angel brewing high-activity dry yeast, and mix well.

[0018] Fermentation: Transfer the material into a clean ceramic jar and seal it tightly with a food-grade film and jar lid; place it in a constant temperature room and control the temperature at 27±0.5℃ for static fermentation for 27 days; the gas production during the fermentation process is stable and continuous.

[0019] Distillation: After fermentation, the fermented mash is filtered through an 80-mesh nylon filter cloth, yielding approximately 110 kg of wet solid mash and approximately 70 kg of liquid mash. The liquid mash is poured entirely into the bottom of a traditional still, while the solid mash is loosely and evenly spread on the still grate (approximately 40 cm thick). Heating is used to bring the mash to a boil, and the heat is adjusted to ensure even and stable steam penetration throughout the entire mash layer. The steam is then condensed in a serpentine condenser via a steam pipe. The initial heads (approximately 1 kg, alcohol content >75% vol) are discarded, and the middle distillate is collected. When the alcohol content of the distillate drops below 50% vol, the tails are collected. The final product is approximately 28.5 kg of 57% vol middle distillate.

[0020] Evaluation and Testing: Sensory evaluation: The resulting spirit is clear and transparent, with a complex aroma of honey sweetness, ripe pear and apple fruit and elegant floral notes, and good harmony; it is mellow and smooth on the palate, full-bodied, and has a clean finish; after multiple tastings, the general feedback is that it is slow to intoxicate and causes only mild discomfort after sobering up.

[0021] Flavor component detection (GC-MS): Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis was performed on this product, and the contents of its main flavor substances are shown in Table 1. Trace amounts of phenylethanol (which has a rose aroma) and various terpenes (contributing to floral and fruity aromas) were detected, indicating a high complexity of flavor components.

[0022] Specifically, in this example, the phenylethanol content in the wine sample was approximately 15 mg / L, the β-damascone content was approximately 8 mg / L, and linalool (approximately 5 mg / L) was clearly detected; its total ester content reached 3.8 g / L, the total amount of higher alcohols was 1.2 g / L, and the alcohol-ester ratio was 0.32.

[0023] Comparative Example 1 (Honey Diluted with Water Control) Except for the brewing water being replaced with "honey dilution water" made by dissolving 6.4 kg of homologous commercial honey in 200 kg of purified water (adjusted to a total sugar content of about 3.2%), all other steps, raw materials, and parameters are exactly the same as in Example 1.

[0024] Result comparison: Fermentation process: The fermentation start-up of Comparative Example 1 was delayed by about 12 hours, and the gas production activity during the entire fermentation process was significantly lower than that of Example 1.

[0025] Sensory evaluation: The comparative sample had a simple aroma, dominated by a distinctly sweet aroma with almost no complexity. The fruit and floral aromas were weak, the taste was cloyingly sweet, and the aftertaste was bitter with poor harmony.

[0026] Post-drinking sensation: In a comparative test with the same amount of alcohol consumed, the dry mouth and headache the next morning caused by the comparative sample were significantly more severe than those caused by the sample in Example 1.

[0027] Table 1: Comparison of key indicators of finished wine products from Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 ; Comparison of flavor components detection (GC-MS): The key flavor components data of the comparative wine samples are also listed in Table 1; phenylethanol and terpenes were detected in few species and at extremely low levels.

[0028] The comparative data above demonstrates that using the specific 'honey-purified water' defined in this invention fundamentally alters the microenvironment and metabolic pathways of fermentation. It not only solves the problems of slow fermentation initiation and unstable processes caused by using 'honey-diluted water', but also achieves targeted optimization of 'ester-enhancing and alcohol-inhibiting' at the level of metabolites, and promotes the synthesis of complex floral and fruity aroma compounds. This comprehensive approach leads to an increased alcohol yield, a substantial improvement in the complexity and harmony of the wine's flavor, and a significant enhancement in post-drinking comfort, thus achieving all the objectives of this invention.

[0029] Meanwhile, the data shows that the use of "honey-diluted water" leads to a higher proportion of higher alcohols in the fermentation products, while the production of esters, especially complex esters that impart floral and fruity aromas and aromatic substances, is severely insufficient. This explains, from an objective material perspective, the fundamental reason why the comparative wine sample has a single aroma, poor taste harmony, and is more likely to cause headaches after drinking.

[0030] Example 2 Referring to Example 1, only the parameters were adjusted: the mass ratio of sorghum to honey-purified water was changed to 1:2.0, the fermentation temperature was controlled at 26℃, and the fermentation time was extended to 28 days; the yield of the 57% vol finished wine was 28.2 kg, and the flavor profile was similar to that of Example 1; the key indicator test results were: total ester content 3.6 g / L, total higher alcohols 1.3 g / L, alcohol-ester ratio 0.36, and the flavor composition was at the same excellent level as that of Example 1, proving the effectiveness and feasibility of the parameter range described in claim 1.

[0031] Example 3 Referring to Example 1, but using honey-purified water with a total sugar content of 1.0% and a pH of 5.8. The fermentation process was stable, ultimately yielding 27.8 kg of 57% vol finished wine; the wine had a delicate aroma, with honey and fruit notes still discernible. Key indicator test results: total ester content 3.2 g / L, total higher alcohols 1.1 g / L, alcohol-ester ratio 0.34. Although the absolute content of flavor substances is slightly lower than that in Example 1, the proportions are harmonious, and the aftertaste is good. This example confirms the feasibility of the lower limit of the physicochemical indicators in claim 2 and its basic guarantee of wine quality.

[0032] Example 4 Referring to Example 1, the mass ratio of sorghum to honey-purified water was adjusted to 1:1.5; the fermentation mash was slightly thick, but fermentation proceeded smoothly; after distillation, 26.9 kg of 57% vol finished liquor was obtained. The liquor had a richer and fuller flavor, and the key indicator test results showed that the total ester content was as high as 4.1 g / L, the total higher alcohols were 1.4 g / L, the alcohol-ester ratio was 0.34, and the aroma was harmonious. This example confirms the effectiveness of the ratio range in claim 3 and demonstrates that products with different flavor emphases can be obtained by adjusting the ratio.

[0033] Example 5 Referring to Example 1, a press was used for solid-liquid separation instead of filter cloth filtration in the distillation step. The resulting solid mash had a lower water content; the distillation process and the yield (28.1 kg, 57% vol) and flavor profile of the final product were not substantially different from those of Example 1, and the key flavor indicators (total esters 3.7 g / L, higher alcohols 1.25 g / L, alcohol-ester ratio 0.34) were similar; this example demonstrates the versatility of the solid-liquid separation method, and the process can be adapted to different production conditions.

[0034] Example 6 Distillation was performed according to Example 1, but the distillate was collected in fractions based on alcohol content: 0.8 kg of heads (>75% vol), 27.0 kg of the main mid-liquor (75%-50% vol), and the tails (<50% vol) were collected separately. Only the main mid-liquor was blended and used as the final product. The comparison revealed that, compared to collecting all fractions, the blended spirit had a smoother taste and fewer off-flavors. Analysis of the mid-liquor showed that its higher alcohol content was reduced by approximately 15% compared to the mixed sample, while esters were well preserved, and the alcohol-ester ratio was further optimized to 0.28, resulting in a significant improvement in overall quality.

[0035] Example 7 Referring to Example 1, but using honey-purified water derived from acacia honey processing (total sugar content 2.8%, pH 6.2); the fermentation process was stable, with a yield of 28.0 kg (57% vol). Testing showed a total ester content of 3.5 g / L, higher alcohols of 1.25 g / L, an alcohol-ester ratio of 0.36, and the detection of characteristic volatile components of acacia honey; the wine possesses a fresh acacia honey aroma and fruity fragrance. This example demonstrates the universality of the purified water from different honey sources, and the resulting wine reflects the characteristic flavor of the honey source.

[0036] Example 8 The process of Example 1 was scaled up to a feed volume of 1 ton of sorghum in 10 parallel 1000L stainless steel fermentation tanks. The fermentation process in each tank was highly synchronized, and all were completed within 27±1 days. After combined distillation, the overall alcohol yield (57% vol) remained stable between 28.3% and 28.8%. Three batches of products were randomly sampled for testing, and the key flavor indicators (total esters, higher alcohols, and alcohol-ester ratio) deviated from the data in Example 1 by less than ±8%, demonstrating that the method of this invention has good stability and reproducibility in large-scale production.

[0037] Comparative Example 2 Referring to Example 1, but reducing the amount of brewing yeast to 0.3‰ of the sorghum mass (i.e., 30g), the fermentation started extremely slowly, only entering the main fermentation stage on the 5th day, and the fermentation was incomplete, with a final alcohol yield of only 22.1% (57% vol), and the alcohol had a noticeable sour and astringent taste. The test showed that its total acid content was abnormally high and the synthesis of esters was seriously insufficient. This comparative example confirms from the opposite perspective the necessity of the lower limit of yeast addition (0.5‰) in claim 4 for ensuring normal fermentation kinetics and the synthesis of flavor substances.

[0038] Comparative Example 3 Referring to Example 1, but shortening the fermentation time to 20 days; the residual sugar in the fermented mash is high and the alcohol content is low; the alcohol yield after distillation is only 24.5 kg (57% vol); the test shows that the total ester content is only 2.2 g / L, the higher alcohols are 1.4 g / L, the alcohol-ester ratio is as high as 0.64, and the flavor is rough; this comparative example proves the necessity of the 26-28 day fermentation cycle in claim 1 for the full generation and coordination of flavor substances.

[0039] Comparative Example 4 Referring to Example 1, but without solid-liquid separation in the distillation step, all the fermented mash (solid-liquid mixture) was directly poured into the still for conventional liquid distillation. The yield was 27.0 kg (57% vol); analysis revealed a total ester content of 3.0 g / L, a total higher alcohol content of 1.5 g / L, and an alcohol-ester ratio of 0.50. The aroma, fullness, and harmony of the taste were significantly inferior to those of Example 1. This comparative example highlights the crucial role of the "dry on top, diluted on bottom" special distillation process of this invention in improving flavor extraction efficiency and liquor quality.

[0040] Table 2: Detailed GC-MS Detection Data of Flavor Substances in Representative Examples and Comparative Examples (Unit: mg / L) ; The above data shows that: Using the specific "honey-purified water" and matching brewing method defined in this invention, compared with using "honey-diluted water" with the same total sugar content, it has significant advantages in terms of alcohol yield and fermentation stability.

[0041] More importantly, it resulted in a targeted and unexpected deep optimization of the chemical nature of the fermentation products—specifically, a significant enhancement in the synthesis of core aroma esters (especially ethyl acetate and ethyl hexanoate), effective suppression of the formation of harmful higher alcohols (such as isoamyl alcohol), leading to a significant optimization of the core flavor coordination index "alcohol-ester ratio" (from 0.55 to around 0.32), and the formation of a richer base of characteristic floral and fruity aroma substances (such as phenylethyl alcohol and terpenes).

[0042] Product Examples The present invention also provides sorghum liquor products brewed using any of the above-described method embodiments. Taking the liquor obtained in Example 1 as a representative product, its characteristics include: (1) Content of key flavor substances: phenylethanol content is not less than 5 mg / L, β-damascone content is not less than 3 mg / L, and linalool is detectable.

[0043] (2) Core physicochemical indicators: total ester content not less than 3.2 g / L, alcohol-ester ratio not higher than 0.36.

[0044] (3) Sensory characteristics: It has a unique honey aroma, fruit aroma and floral aroma, which are derived from the synergistic effect of honey and fermentation. It has a mellow and harmonious taste and a good drinking experience.

[0045] The product's characteristics are all imparted by the specific brewing water and method of this invention, distinguishing it from any sorghum liquor brewed with ordinary water or 'honey-diluted water'.

[0046] These objective, quantifiable, and reproducible data differences irrefutably correlate with and explain the comprehensive and significant improvements in production efficiency, aroma complexity, taste harmony, and post-drinking comfort of the finished wine. Furthermore, each embodiment specifically verifies the rationality, necessity, and preferred solutions of the technical features and parameter ranges in the claims, fully demonstrating the outstanding substantive features, significant progress, and industrial applicability of this invention.

[0047] The above embodiments are preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above embodiments. Any changes, modifications, substitutions, combinations, or simplifications made without departing from the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be considered equivalent substitutions and shall be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for brewing sorghum liquor, characterized in that: The method uses purified honey water as the sole brewing water. This purified honey water is a byproduct of the industrial purification process of honey, obtained through dilution, sterilization, and filtration, and separated during the concentration step; it is unadulterated and contains no added ingredients. The method includes the following steps: S1. Soaking and inoculation: Soak sorghum in the honey-purified water and add brewing yeast to it; S2. Fermentation: Seal the material obtained in step S1 and ferment it at 26°C to 28°C for 26 to 28 days to obtain fermented mash; S3. Distillation: The fermented mash is subjected to solid-liquid separation to obtain solid mash and liquid wine; the solid mash is placed on the grate of a steamer, the liquid wine is placed at the bottom of the steamer and heated to boiling, and the generated steam penetrates the solid mash layer and is collected by condensation to obtain the wine.

2. The sorghum liquor brewing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The total sugar content of the honey-purified water is 1.0% to 5.0%, and the pH value is 5.5 to 6.

8.

3. The sorghum liquor brewing method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: In step S1, the mass ratio of sorghum to honey-purified water is 1:1.5 to 1:2.

5.

4. The sorghum liquor brewing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S1, the amount of brewing yeast added is 0.5‰ to 2.0‰ of the sorghum mass.

5. The method for brewing sorghum liquor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fermentation process in step S2 is carried out in a completely sealed environment with the temperature controlled at 27±0.5℃.

6. The method for brewing sorghum liquor according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S3, the thickness of the solid mash laid on the still grate is 30-50 cm.

7. The method for brewing sorghum liquor according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S3, the collected condensed liquor is divided into fractions according to the alcohol content of the distillate, and the middle fraction with an alcohol content between 75% vol and 50% vol is blended and combined.

8. The method for brewing sorghum liquor according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that: The sorghum liquor contains phenylethanol at a content of not less than 5 mg / L and β-damascone at a content of not less than 3 mg / L.

9. The method for brewing sorghum liquor according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that: The finished wine brewed using the method described above has a total ester content of not less than 3.2 g / L and an alcohol-ester ratio of not more than 0.36.

Images