A system and method for repairing alcohol compositions, and repaired alcohol products.

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for removing ethyl acetate from an alcohol composition. [Solution] A system for removing ethyl acetate from an alcohol composition is provided, comprising: a pressure tank 25 defining a pressure-controllable chamber; a liquid inlet port 30 fluidly communicating with the pressure-controllable chamber and configured to receive a certain amount of alcohol composition in the pressure-controllable chamber; a gas outlet port fluidly communicating with the pressure-controllable chamber; a vacuum pump fluidly communicating with the gas outlet port; and a controller configured to operate the vacuum pump to establish a partial pressure in the pressure-controllable chamber for a selected time, and to preferentially remove ethyl acetate from the alcohol composition relative to other homologs in the homologous group to obtain a purified alcohol composition.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] [Cross - Reference to Related Applications] This patent application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 939,340, currently pending, filed on July 27, 2020, and also to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 156,517, filed on March 4, 2021, and No. 63 / 209,487, filed on June 11, 2021.

[0002] The disclosure of the present invention generally relates to the field of alcoholic beverages, and more specifically, to systems and methods for removing harmful homologues from alcoholic compositions. Aspects of the disclosure of the present invention also relate to alcoholic compositions having improved organoleptic properties and alcoholic compositions with a reduced amount of homologues.

Background Art

[0003] Alcoholic beverages have continued to be a necessity for humanity for thousands of years. Beer was not only inexpensive and an enjoyable ration for workers but also a means of turning non - potable water into a supplementary water source, thus being essential for the construction of the Egyptian pyramids. However, despite thousands of years of experience in the fermentation and distillation of alcoholic beverages, it remains difficult to consistently produce high - quality beer, wine, and distilled spirits. In fact, the quality of wine and distilled spirits varies widely, especially from very rare and high - quality ones to barely drinkable ones.

[0004] The techniques for manufacturing alcoholic beverages have remained closely guarded secrets for many years. Typically, an aqueous solution initially sweetened with fructose ferments to produce ethyl alcohol, as well as various homologues (trace chemical components). Some of these homologues are desirable as they provide desirable sensory qualities such as a certain richness of flavor, but several others, such as methanol, acetaldehyde, butanol, isobutanol, and methylbutanol, are known to cause hangover symptoms and / or impart an unpleasant flavor to alcoholic beverages. Barrel aging is known to absorb some of the larger homologue molecules, i.e., improve the taste of the liquor, but such a process takes an extremely long time, often several decades.

[0005] Beverage quality can vary significantly from manufacturer to manufacturer, and from batch to batch produced by a given manufacturer. This is partly due to inconsistent processing and partly due to variations in the source and quality of the raw materials. One source of variation in beverage quality is the presence of undesirable chemical species or congeners in the beverage that occur as a by-effect of fermentation / distillation processes and contribute to an unpleasant flavor. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] Many of these chemical species have boiling points very close to ethanol at standard pressure and are difficult to remove by distillation without simultaneously removing a considerable amount of ethanol and / or other desirable congeners. In other words, there is still a need for a means to rapidly remove undesirable congeners from alcoholic beverages while leaving ethanol and / or desirable congeners / flavorings. The disclosure of the present invention addresses this need. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1A] This is a perspective view of an alcohol repair system according to a first embodiment of the disclosure of the present invention. [Figure 1B]Figure 1A is a side view of the system. [Figure 1C] This is a cutaway diagram of the system in Figure 1B along line A-A'. [Figure 1D] This is a cutaway diagram of the system shown in Figure 1A, which displays an internally mounted agitator. [Figure 1E] Figure 1A is a notched cross-sectional view of the alcohol repair system with the secondary opening container positioned therein. [Figure 2] This is a notched cross-sectional view of an alcohol repair system according to a second embodiment of the disclosure of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a notched cross-sectional view of an alcohol repair system according to a third embodiment of the disclosure of the present invention. [Figure 4A] This is a first perspective view of an alcohol repair system according to a fourth embodiment of the disclosure of the present invention. [Figure 4B] Figure 4A is a second perspective view of the alcohol repair system. [Figure 4C] Figure 4A is a front view of the alcohol repair system. [Figure 4D] Figure 4A is a first cutaway view of the alcohol repair system having a smooth inner wall. [Figure 4E] Figure 4A is a second cutaway view of the alcohol repair system having a laced inner wall. [Figure 4F] Figure 4A is a third perspective view of the alcohol repair system. [Figure 5A] This is a cutaway view of the pressure tank according to the embodiment shown in Figure 4A, which features a fluid inlet body (manifold) with a concave inner side wall. [Figure 5B] This is a cutaway view of a pressure tank according to the embodiment of Figure 4A, which has an inlet trough operatively connected to the inlet port. [Figure 6A] This is a perspective view of an alcohol repair system according to a fifth embodiment of the disclosure of the present invention. [Figure 6B] This is a cutaway view of the embodiment shown in Figure 6A. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram of the method for repairing the alcohol that underlies the operation of the above-described embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a graph of the mass percentage of homologues as a function of processing pressure for an alcohol composition (rum). [Figure 9] This diagram graphically shows the sensory characteristics of flavor equilibrium in terms of flavor / aroma intensity as a function of time. [Figure 10] This graph graphically shows the peak mouthfeel of alcohol as a function of processing pressure, based on ethanol content. [Figure 11] This graph graphically shows the sharpness as a function of processing pressure for an 80 standard strength alcohol composition (vodka). [Figure 12] This diagram graphically shows the extrapolated relationship between the ethyl acetate content in Ram's treated samples and the pressure used for processing. [Figure 13] This diagram graphically shows the extrapolated relationship between the ethyl acetate content in a treated bourbon sample and the pressure used for processing. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the principles of the disclosure of the present invention, the methods, beverage compositions, and embodiments illustrated in the drawings are referenced below and specific terminology is used to describe them. Nevertheless, it will be understood that this is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure of the present invention, and that modifications and further variations in the illustrated devices, as well as further applications of the principles of the disclosure of the present invention illustrated in the drawings, are anticipated to be commonly conceived by those skilled in the art to whom the disclosure of the present invention relates.

[0009] Aspects of the disclosure of the present invention relate to methods for removing undesirable homologues from an alcohol composition and to an alcohol composition (e.g., a beverage composition) comprising only low levels of undesirable homologues. As used herein, "alcohol composition" means a composition comprising ethanol. For the purposes of avoiding doubt, it is understood that the alcohol composition is substantially free of any alcohol other than ethanol (e.g., methanol). For example, the alcohol composition may comprise less than 1 wt%, less than 0.50 wt%, less than 0.25 wt%, less than 0.10 wt%, less than 0.05 wt%, less than 0.01 wt%, or less than 0.005 wt% of alcohol other than ethanol in total amount. For example, the alcohol composition may comprise less than 1 vol%, less than 0.50 vol%, less than 0.25 vol%, less than 0.10 vol%, less than 0.05 vol%, less than 0.01 vol%, or less than 0.005 vol% of alcohol other than ethanol in total amount. As used herein, "alcohol composition" can mean beer, wine, distilled spirits, or other ethanol-containing compositions suitable for human consumption. As used herein, "removing" a homologue from an alcohol composition means reducing the amount of the homologue in the alcohol composition. As used herein, when a homologue is "removed" from an alcohol composition, it is understood that the amount of the homologue can be reduced partially, substantially, or completely or virtually completely (i.e., to undetectable levels by one or more analytical techniques) as compared to the amount of the homologue present in the alcohol composition before the homologue was removed. In some embodiments, after a homologue has been "removed" from an alcohol composition, the homologue remains detectable by one or more analytical techniques in the alcohol composition. In some embodiments, after a homologue has been "removed" from an alcohol composition, the homologue is undetectable by one or more analytical techniques in the alcohol composition.

[0010] The removal of some or all undesirable congeners from an alcohol composition may be desirable because the undesirable congeners are inherently toxic or because they contribute to an unpleasant or offensive sensory experience (at their current concentration). One congener found in alcohol compositions is ethyl acetate (also referred to herein as "EA"). Ethyl acetate is an ester molecule formed by the esterification of ethanol (alcohol) and acetic acid (vinegar). Ethyl acetate is also a polar aproton solvent with amphiphilic properties. As a result, consumers are highly sensitive to both slight changes in ethyl acetate concentration at olfactory reception, which can result in an off-flavor peak and a sharp aftertaste, and slight changes in ethyl acetate concentration at cellular equilibrium, which can result in a solvent-like burning sensation at the back of the mouth. Ethyl acetate has a boiling point very similar to that of ethanol. As a result, ethyl acetate is often concentrated rather than removed during the distillation of high-proof spirits, thereby leading consumers to have a false correlation between sharpness and alcohol concentration or standard strength. In fact, the concentration of ethyl acetate is what influences the perceived "crispness" in the peak and aftertaste of fermented foods and beverages. Since ethyl acetate also acts as a polar aproton solvent during consumption, it can aid in the detection of other flavor molecules. Consequently, excessively low concentrations of ethyl acetate may suppress the consumer's ability to detect other desirable flavors and aromas.

[0011] To optimize the sensory properties of food and beverages, an appropriate balance of ethyl acetate concentration at the parts-per-million level is required. For example, very low levels of ethyl acetate act on certain combinations among specific G-protein coupled olfactory receptors to provide a pleasant or improved sensory experience, while higher concentrations of ethyl acetate act on these same receptors to generate an unpleasant or off-putting sensory experience. Such off-putting sensory experiences can be characterized by sharpness, a burning sensation in the throat, bitterness, metallic taste, lingering aftertaste, headache, involuntary body tremors, induction of the vomiting reflex, and combinations thereof. Reduction or removal of ethyl acetate can eliminate these off-putting sensory experiences, and reduction of ethyl acetate concentration up to a certain level can truly improve the already desirable sensory properties of alcoholic beverages.

[0012] In some embodiments, the methods disclosed herein are applied to produce a purified alcohol composition as defined herein as an alcohol composition from which a portion of one or more undesirable congeners has been removed. For example, in some embodiments, the methods disclosed herein are applied to measure the ethyl acetate concentration in a liquid-phase alcohol composition by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and reduce it from 1 ppm (parts per million) to 400 ppm.

[0013] In some embodiments, the purified alcohol composition is an organoleptically improved beverage comprising ethanol prepared from the initial alcohol composition. That is, in some embodiments, the method disclosed herein is applied to produce an organoleptically improved beverage comprising ethanol from the initial alcohol composition. In some embodiments, the method disclosed herein is applied to produce an organoleptically improved beverage comprising ethanol from an initial alcohol-containing composition which is the source from which the beverage is extracted and has one or more undesirable sensory properties not found in the organoleptically improved beverage. In some embodiments, the one or more undesirable sensory characteristics described above are selected from the group consisting of unpleasant aftertaste, irritating aftertaste, sharp aftertaste, solvent aftertaste, astringent aftertaste, harsh aftertaste, bland flavor, solvent flavor in the peak and / or aftertaste, a bland taste on the palate, an unpleasant peak that masks one or more flavors (e.g., one or more delicate flavors), sharpness, throat burn, bitterness, metallic taste, lingering aftertaste, head movement, e.g., head tilting, head shaking, head tilting, or head tension, involuntary physiological responses, e.g., shivering, gag reflex, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the methods disclosed herein are applied to produce a sensory-enhanced beverage comprising ethanol from an initial alcohol composition. In some embodiments, the methods disclosed herein are applied to produce a sensory-enhanced beverage comprising ethanol from an initial alcohol composition, wherein the sensory-enhanced beverage has one or more desirable sensory properties that are substantially similar to at least one corresponding desirable sensory property of the alcohol-containing composition from which the beverage is extracted. In some embodiments, the methods disclosed herein are applied to produce a sensory-enhanced beverage comprising ethanol from an initial alcohol composition, wherein the sensory-enhanced beverage has one or more desirable sensory properties that are substantially improved above one or more corresponding desirable sensory properties of the alcohol composition from which the beverage is extracted.In some embodiments, one or more of these desirable sensory characteristics are selected from the group consisting of a mild aftertaste, a rich aftertaste, a balanced aftertaste, a refreshing peak, a flavorful peak, a balanced peak, a balanced peak that enhances subtle flavors, and combinations thereof.

[0014] Consumers often describe the transient experience of flavor in three distinct phases, including "first taste," "peak," and "aftertaste," following the corresponding perceptual mechanisms of taste, smell, residue detection, and molecular breakdown. Each phase is dominated by a specific perceptual source, and under- or over-expression of flavors and aromas during each phase can determine the overall desirability of the food. Consumers first taste food or beverages on their tongues, where they can experience a combination of multiple taste characteristics, including sweet, sour, bitter, aromatic, fatty, and salty. Taste characteristics are detected primarily by multiple types and variations of receptors (commonly called taste buds) found on the tongue. While some taste characteristics are determined by a single receptor type, others, such as bitterness, can be perceived through a combination of signals from more than 25 receptor variations. Over- or under-expression of any one of these receptors can trigger a warning in the consumer, resulting in a decrease in the perceived positive sensory characteristics of the food. As a result, consumers often refer to foods that are sensorially appealing as "balanced."

[0015] During consumption, the aroma, often represented by a peak, can follow the taste almost immediately afterward, as volatile aromas travel backward through the throat into the olfactory cavity. The additional time required for volatile compounds to travel from the oral cavity to the olfactory cavity creates a perceived time delay between the initial taste and the peak in the consumer experience. Odors are primarily transmitted through G protein-bound olfactory receptors, with nearly a thousand different olfactory receptors each highly sensitive to specific molecules. Olfactory receptors are particularly selective for esters such as ethyl acetate, a certain category of organic molecules that consumers often refer to as "extracts." Taste and smell differ in their sensitivity. In comparison, taste can generally discern percentage-based concentration changes, while smell can discern finer concentration changes on the order of parts per million. As with taste, the sensory characteristics of food or beverage can be determined by the balance of odors experienced through combinations of receptors. Overexpression or underexpression of any one of these receptors reduces the sensory balance of food or beverages, resulting in a less desirable product.

[0016] The aftertaste of food and beverages is more complex than the initial taste or peak. During the aftertaste, molecules in the oral cavity begin to break down through various mechanisms such as hydrolysis and catalytic action, volatile compounds increased by heat and convection in the oral cavity continue to evaporate from the oral cavity and proceed to the olfactory cavity, and the cellular equilibrium of the oral cavity itself begins to change as a result of the food or beverage. Foods or beverages that rapidly alter the oral cavity during consumption often have aftertastes that can be described as "pungent," "spicy," or "sharp" (e.g., spicy sauces, shelf-stable condiments, or high-proof distilled spirits). At low concentrations, these undesirable experiences can be described as "off-flavors," "cloying," "astringent," or "strong tannins." On the other hand, foods and beverages that maintain their taste, smell, and cellular equilibrium as they dilute on the palate are often said to have aftertastes that can be described as "fresh," "aromatic," "sharp," "mellow," "delicate," or "refined," and are generally considered more desirable.

[0017] The vapor pressure and perceived concentration of ethyl acetate do not directly correspond to the molecular concentration due to complex intermolecular interactions in a given food or beverage. Therefore, equilibrium cannot be controlled simply through measurement and titration. Conversely, a food or beverage in proper equilibrium can generate a state in which the ethyl acetate equilibrium (also referred to herein as "EAE") can be perturbed and re-established under different concentrations. The technique of the present invention achieves this goal (perturbing and re-establishing the ethyl acetate equilibrium of an alcohol composition under different concentrations) without changing the concentration of other desirable molecules (e.g., ethanol) by utilizing the complex steric hindrance of the food or beverage. In this way, the ethyl acetate and other fermentation by-products present in the initial alcohol composition can be readjusted to a more sensorily pleasing state in a sensory-improved beverage, achieving a balance of sharpness and off-flavors generally experienced by consumers. Through this process, the aroma at the peak of the consumer experience is not in opposition to ethyl acetate and is often perceived as a more refreshing and clear taste, and the aftertaste is often perceived as a "smoother" and "refined" taste, thereby generating more desirable sensory characteristics in the resulting sensory-improved beverage.

[0018] In line with the above idea, yet another aspect of the disclosure of the present invention relates to methods for measuring the concentration of ethyl acetate in the gas phase of an alcohol composition, and the use of these methods to optimize the sensory properties of the alcohol composition. Conventional methods for measuring the congener concentration (e.g., ethyl acetate concentration) in alcohol compositions such as wine, beer, high-proof distilled spirits, and fermentation by-products such as natural vinegar or distilled vinegar utilize direct infrared HPLC and / or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of liquid-phase samples. The conventional idea is that if the chemical composition is the same or at least very similar, the flavor should be the same or at least very similar. While these methods are very good for measuring absolute congener concentrations in beverages, they have been found to correlate very roughly with flavor and have not been found to be consistent enough to predict the sensory properties of an alcohol composition. Theory aside, one reason for the lack of correlation and / or consistency is thought to be that the consumer experience of flavor is the result of complex intermolecular interactions in the multisensory phase. While the taste receptors on the tongue are important in determining the basic flavor of a beverage, most of the subtle nuances of flavor and the complexity of aroma are experienced through the sense of smell. The use of these sophisticated instruments to determine the unique characteristics of consumer flavor experiences has often been found to be inaccurate.

[0019] Aspects of the disclosure of the present invention address these problems. In some embodiments, the olfactory experience of a beverage can be accurately correlated by measuring the partial pressure of volatile molecular components taken from an atmosphere in fluid communication with a liquid-phase sample and / or solid-phase sample of the beverage that has reached equilibrium saturation under closed system conditions. Atmospheric phase equilibrium can be established using a gaseous environment of air and / or an inert gas under ambient pressure and temperature. In some embodiments, the temperature of the sample and / or atmosphere can be adjusted to match the preferred consumption conditions of the beverage. In this method, complex intermolecular interactions in the liquid-phase and / or solid-phase beverage samples can be controlled by establishing a pseudo-equilibrium saturation state with the gaseous phase. While the liquid-phase concentration of molecular compositions such as ethyl acetate may vary from beverage to beverage, the atmospheric phase concentration remains relatively constant and can therefore be accurately represented in the olfactory experience of the beverage, and thus in the accurate expression of its sensory characteristics.

[0020] In embodiments of the method disclosed in the present invention, 1 mL to 5 mL of a sample is placed in a vial having a total volume of 0.5 to 5 times the sample volume, and this vial is then sealed with a separate cap to form an isolation atmosphere. The sealed sample can be left undisturbed, or alternatively, it can be stirred for a period of, for example, 5 seconds to 5 minutes, or until an equilibrium saturation state is established between the atmosphere phase and the sample. A portion of the gas phase of a known volume is taken out of the vessel and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to investigate with respect to a specific concentration of molecules in the gas phase. Alternatively, or in addition to this, this portion of the gas phase of a known volume is analyzed using one or more chemoselective sensors placed in fluid communication with the sample in the equilibrium atmosphere. In real-time analysis, the chemoselective sensors can be placed in direct atmospheric communication with the isolation environment, and the partial pressure concentration of the selected molecules can be detected through correlation and calibration signals. In some embodiments, the chemoselective sensors can be specialized for the detection and measurement of ethyl acetate. When such an ethyl acetate-specific sensor is used, the sensory characteristics of alcoholic beverages, particularly the smoothness of the taste, can be predicted in real time by measuring the partial pressure of ethyl acetate in the gas phase equilibrium above the beverage sample.

[0021] A further aspect of the disclosure of the present invention relates to the use of these apparatuses to reduce the amount of one or more undesirable congeners in an alcohol composition. For example, as shown in Figures 1A to 8, an aspect of the disclosure of the present invention relates to an apparatus 20 for preferentially removing a certain amount of one or more predetermined undesirable congeners (generally fermentation by-products), such as ethyl acetate, from an alcohol composition such as beer, wine, spirits, and similar beverages. In one embodiment, the apparatus 20 includes a pressure tank 25 having a liquid inlet port 30, a vapor outlet port 35, and a liquid outlet port 40, all of which are in fluid communication with an internal pressure controllable chamber 45 defined by the pressure tank 20. Generally, the pressure tank 25 includes a water jacket 50 or similar temperature controller that at least partially surrounds and is in thermal communication with the pressure chamber 45. Generally, the liquid inlet port 30 is in fluid communication with a liquid pump 60 through a pipe 55 or the like. The pump 60 is in fluid communication with an alcohol beverage source 65. Typically, at least one valve 70 is operationally connected in the line between the alcohol beverage source 65 and the liquid inlet port 30. The valve 70 can be connected between the inlet port 30 and the pump 60, between the pump 60 and the alcohol beverage source 65, or in both of these positions.

[0022] Generally, the vapor outlet port 35 is connected in fluid communication with a vacuum pump 75, and the vacuum pump 75 is connected in fluid communication with a recovery tank 80. Generally, the vacuum pump 75 operates to remove vapor released from the pressure tank 25 and guide it into the recovery tank 80 at a desired pressure for recovery, and further to establish a partial vacuum in the pressure-controllable chamber 45. The recovery tank 80 can be a cooling capture or pressure-controlled tank, etc. Generally, at least one valve 70 is operationally connected in the line between the recovery tank 80 and the vapor outlet port 35. The valve 70 can be connected between the tank 45 and the pump 75, between the pump 75 and the outlet port 35, or in both of these positions. The recovery tank 80 can be emptied and the resulting distillate can be removed.

[0023] In particular, the liquid outlet port 40 is connected in fluid communication with the pump 85, and the pump 85 is connected in fluid communication with the alcohol beverage recovery tank 90. ​​Generally, at least one valve 70 is operatively connected in the line between the alcohol beverage recovery tank 90 and the liquid outlet port 40. The valve 70 can be connected between the tank 45 and the pump 85, between the pump 85 and the recovery tank 90, or in both of these positions. Typical tank 45 yields are approximately 0.025 liters per minute to 1.0 liter per minute per liter of chamber volume, more commonly between 0.1 liters per minute and 0.8 liters per minute per liter of chamber volume, and more commonly between 0.25 liters per minute and 0.6 liters per minute per liter of chamber volume. [Examples]

[0024] As generally shown in Figures 1A to 1E, the assembly 20 described above can be implemented to process the alcohol composition on a batch basis. The pressure chamber 25 includes the ports 30, 35, and 40 described above, as well as a water jacket 50 or similar temperature control mechanism that encloses the pressure chamber 45 in thermal communication. A stirrer 95 is placed inside the pressure chamber 45 to facilitate stirring / vibrating / foaming of a certain volume of alcohol beverage contained therein. A partial vacuum inside the pressure chamber 45 can be established by the force of a vacuum pump 75.

[0025] In Figure 1E, the alcohol composition contained in the open container 43 is positioned in the pressure chamber 45. Next, the vacuum lid 46 engages with the vacuum chamber 45, thereby isolating the vacuum chamber environment from the surrounding external environment, and the pressure inside the vacuum chamber 45 is lowered by the force of a vacuum pump 75, which is in working communication with the vapor outlet port 35. Once the vacuum chamber pressure reaches the specified level, it is then increased to atmospheric pressure, the lid 46 is removed, and thereafter the container 46 contains the alcohol composition, which has now been vacuum-treated. [Examples]

[0026] As shown in Figure 2, the assembly 20 described above can take the form of an embodiment that processes the alcohol composition as a continuous flow process. The liquid inlet port 30 is configured as a spray head and is positioned to spray the alcohol composition, pumped from the source tank 65, into a pressure chamber 45 that has already been pumped to a desired partial vacuum pressure. The spray of the alcohol composition travels through the pressure chamber 45 and collects or accumulates at the bottom of the pressure tank 25, where it can be pumped out through the outlet port 40. In some embodiments, the inlet port 30 is configured as a nozzle, whereas in other embodiments, a separate nozzle for accelerating and guiding the incoming liquid is operatively connected to the inlet port 30. [Examples]

[0027] As shown in Figure 3, the assembly 20 described above can take the form of an embodiment that processes the alcohol composition as a continuous flow process. The liquid inlet port 30 can be emptied at one end of the inclined plate 100, where the alcohol composition pumped from the source tank 65 diffuses in a thin layer or sheet and slides down to the other end of the inclined plate 100 and accumulates there. When the vacuum pump 75 is energized, homologues can be released from the flowing ethanol sheet into the partial vacuum environment inside the pressure chamber 45. The processed alcohol composition can be pumped out of the pressure chamber 45 into the recovery tank 90. [Examples]

[0028] As shown in Figures 4A to 4E, the assembly 20 described above can take yet another embodiment for processing the alcohol composition as a continuous flow process. The tank 25 is acorn-shaped, having a circular planar cross-section (in this example, the planar cross-sectional profile has a cylindrical portion covering a conical portion) and a chevron-shaped side cross-sectional profile (in this example, the side cross-sectional profile has a rectangular upper portion and a triangular lower portion). Generally, the tank includes a water jacket exterior 50 that encloses the pressure-controllable chamber interior 45. A liquid inlet port 30 located near the top of the tank 25 injects the alcohol composition pumped from the tank 65 into the pressure chamber 45, and the injected alcohol composition is under sufficient pressure at injection so that it moves fast enough to follow a spiral path along the inside of the pressure chamber 45 and eventually accumulate at the bottom. Generally, the alcohol composition forms a thin flow or ribbon that circulates multiple times around the tank 25, during which a partial vacuum in the tank 25 (provided by the force of a vacuum pump 75 connected to the tank 25 in fluid communication) releases undesirable homologs from this flow or ribbon, resulting in the purified alcohol composition defined above. The purified alcohol composition accumulates at the bottom of the pressure chamber 45, from where it can be pumped into the recovery tank 90 by a liquid pump 85. In some embodiments, the inner wall 105 of the pressure chamber 45 is provided with grooves or contours 110 to help guide the alcohol composition flowing from the inlet port 30 to the outlet port 40 in a spiral path. Generally, the inner wall 105 is considered to include spiral grooves or spiral races 110 for guiding the inlet liquid to circulate several times around the inner wall from the inlet port 30 to the outlet port 40.

[0029] In other similar embodiments, the tank 25 may have a convex or concave (see Figure 5A) internal cross-sectional contour. The concave profile slows the liquid flow after the inlet port, and may be followed by a deep cavity or reservoir formed near the outlet port 40 for liquid accumulation adjustment.

[0030] Ports 30, 35, and 40 of the first pressure chamber 45 can be connected in fluid communication with other ports 30, 35, and 40 of other similar or identical pressure chambers 45 so that multiple pressure chambers 45 can be operated in parallel from a central vacuum pump 75 and fluid pumps 60, 85. In this embodiment, the fluids can be adjusted individually or by a fluid manifold connected in liquid communication with each of the respective pressure chambers 45.

[0031] In some embodiments, a float valve 91 can be used to prevent the liquid reservoir at the liquid outlet port 30 from drying out and to adjust the minimum reservoir level. When in operation, the float valve 91 can open the liquid outlet port 40 when sufficient liquid has flowed into the chamber 45. If the liquid discharge pump 85 removes the liquid quickly enough to reduce the liquid level below the float level, the float valve 91 can create a pressure gradient between the tank 45 and the liquid discharge pump 85 to prevent the removal of yet another liquid. Another advantage of the float valve 91 is that it prevents the tank atmosphere from becoming pressurized and returning to the clean, treated liquid flowing out of the liquid outlet port 40.

[0032] A sensor 93 can be used to provide feedback to the regulating valve 94 to maintain a positive volume above the liquid outlet port 40 and prevent depressurization of the tank atmosphere in the processing fluid. The sensor 93 can be in direct communication with the tank liquid reservoir (typically a vacuum-treated alcohol composition), for example, if it is an optical sensor, inductive sensor, or acoustic sensor 93, or an acoustic sensor, ultrasonic sensor, or thermal sensor 93 located around the fluid outlet port 40 can indirectly monitor the fluid level.

[0033] The fluid pumps 60, 85 discussed herein may be variable displacement pumps in the case of bulkhead pumps or piston pumps, or fixed displacement pumps in the case of turbine pumps. The fluid pumps 75, 85 communicating with the outlet ports 35, 40 may be subjected to negative pressures of 13 PSI to 15 PSI and may need to be combined in series to provide sufficient suction force. When used herein, "vacuum pump" may mean a single pump unit or multiple pump units operably connected in series. An intermediate repressurization chamber 98 may be used between the multiple fluid pumps 60, 85.

[0034] The vacuum pump 75 disclosed in this invention may be a variable displacement pump such as a piston pump, rotary screw pump, or rotary impeller pump, or a fixed displacement pump in the case of a multistage regenerative blower. The cooling capture disclosed in this invention also provides a pressure gradient and can function as a vacuum pump. The cooling capture can be electrically circulated or supplied using a cryogenic medium such as dry ice or liquid nitrogen.

[0035] Fluid flow can be adjusted by changing the cross-sectional area of ​​the valve or by repeatedly opening and closing the valve. Automatic valves can be energized by pneumatics or electricity and controlled by a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) that is in operational communication with a digital pressure gauge.

[0036] To guide the liquid flow into the tank 45, a fluid inlet nozzle can be connected to the inlet port 30 in fluid communication. The liquid can flow straight along a gravity path or spirally as it travels downward along the inner wall of the tank. A spiral path can be used to increase the holding time and break the surface tension of the fluid, and a nozzle 99 with a narrowing passage can achieve benefits by increasing the velocity before injection and resulting in a longer holding time toward a longer exposure to a vacuum. To prevent droplet formation and splashing, the end of the fluid inlet nozzle 30 can be positioned close enough to the tank wall 105, with a typical distance from the tank wall 105 being less than 15 centimeters, and generally less than 2 centimeters. To reduce splashing and volatilization that occurs during injection, a laminar flow inlet can be used. Alternatively, one or more liquid inlet openings 30 can be used to allow a pseudo-uniform liquid flow to spread in a sheet-like manner along the inner wall of the tank 45 to the liquid outlet port 40.

[0037] A liquid inlet body 97 can be used to reduce the pressure drop between the pressure regulator and the vacuum chamber 45 by allowing liquid to accumulate before injection (see Figure 5A). In this case, the liquid flows into a manifold 97, which is a large tube-like volume that at least partially surrounds the upper lip of the chamber 45. The cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet body 97 is larger than that of the inlet valve 31, allowing the pressure to be reduced before the fluid flows into the chamber 45, thereby enabling lower head pressure and slower flow. In another embodiment, the liquid inlet body 97 may or may not include side members that are incorporated into the lid of the chamber. Side separation can be used to allow for rapid disassembly.

[0038] In one embodiment, the inlet body 97 is maintained at approximately 55 Torr, and the tank 45 is maintained at less than 55 Torr. In this case, the pressure can be substantially reduced without significantly altering the liquid composition before it flows into the bulk tank volume. The inlet body 97 can be maintained at pressures such as 760 Torr, 700 Torr, 500 Torr, 400 Torr, 200 Torr, 100 Torr, 75 Torr, or similar Torr. The tank 45 can be maintained at pressures such as 50 Torr, 46 Torr, 45 Torr, 42 Torr, 40 Torr, or similar Torr. In some embodiments, the tank is maintained at pressures from 40 Torr to 80 Torr, for example, 40 Torr to 60 Torr, 40 Torr to 50 Torr, 45 Torr to 65 Torr, 50 Torr to 70 Torr, 50 Torr to 65 Torr, or 50 Torr to 60 Torr. In some embodiments, the tank is maintained at a pressure selected based on the volume percentage (ABV) of alcohol in the starting alcohol composition. For example, the tank can be maintained at a pressure of 50 Tor for a 50% ABV alcohol composition, 40 to 50 Tor for a 40% ABV alcohol composition, 55 to 65 Tor for a 30% ABV alcohol composition, 55 to 65 Tor for a 20% ABV alcohol composition, 50 to 60 Tor for a 10% to 20% ABV alcohol composition, or 65 to 75 Tor for a 1% to 10% ABV alcohol composition.

[0039] A separate pressure drop tank can be used to gradually reduce the pressure of the liquid before it flows into tank 45. In some embodiments, the pressure drop tank may be maintained at an intermediate pressure greater than 50 Torre, such as 700 Torre, 500 Torre, 400 Torre, 200 Torre, 100 Torre, 75 Torre, or similar Torre values.

[0040] In another embodiment (Figure 5B), the liquid flows into the tank and accumulates in the trough 98. Once the trough 98 is full, the liquid overflows from the trough and spreads out in a sheet down the side wall 105 toward the liquid reservoir 49. The trough 98 can be filled to a level defined by the lip 99 until the liquid overflows the lip 99 and forms a liquid sheet through the tank wall 105. Alternatively, the trough can be a “leakage” trough, which includes a gap at its interface with the side wall, resulting in a uniform liquid sheet formed along the side wall as the liquid flows out from the bottom of the trough.

[0041] The tank 25 may be made of a metal such as stainless steel, copper, or aluminum, a plastic such as polycarbonate or PETG, or a combination thereof. The liquid may be in direct contact with the inner wall 105 of the tank 45, or in contact with a surface liner which is positioned within the tank wall 105 and isolated from it, or positioned to be in contact with it.

[0042] The water jacket 50 may include a bulk volume that defines a single thermal compartment between the inner wall of the tank and the partially enclosed wall, or it may include multiple thermal compartments. The multi-compartment cooling section can be fabricated by dividing it or by using pillow plates in the case of stainless steel.

[0043] The inner wall 105 of the vacuum chamber 45 can be smoothed or even polished, or it can be intentionally etched and roughened to facilitate the release of bubbles. A smooth chamber wall 105 facilitates liquid flow during spiral rotation, while a rough or etched surface can delay liquid flow as the liquid follows a gravitational orbit along the chamber wall 105, resulting in a longer liquid retention time.

[0044] In another embodiment of the disclosure of the present invention, the liquid flow is introduced uninterrupted from the inlet port 30 to the liquid reservoir 49 without contact with the tank wall 105. In this case, the liquid proceeds or falls straight through the tank 45 without obstruction and is degassed as it descends.

[0045] In yet another embodiment (see Figures 6A and 6B), the pressure chamber 25 has the form of a spiral tube, first generally having a liquid inlet port and a gas outlet port at the higher end 107 and a liquid outlet 40 positioned at the opposite end 109. Generally, the liquid moves from one end 107 to the other 109, biased by gravity. During operation, a predetermined amount of alcohol composition 115, such as beer (generally unsaturated), wine, or spirits, is inlet into the pressure chamber 45. Generally, the alcohol composition 115 is blessed with a high area-to-volume ratio while present in the pressure chamber 45 in the form of droplets, thin sheets, or ribbons, and therefore can more quickly and efficiently release predetermined undesirable congeners 120 from the alcohol composition 115. The atmosphere inside the pressure chamber 45 is lower than the atmospheric pressure (i.e., partial vacuum) to facilitate the differential release of one or more undesirable congeners 120 from the solution 115. In the initial stage, the liquid alcohol composition 115 is filled into the pressure chamber 45, which is airtightly sealed, and the pressure inside the chamber is reduced to a desired partial vacuum pressure. In the continuous flow stage, the pressure inside the pressure chamber 45 is maintained at a desired partial vacuum pressure, and the alcohol composition 115 flows through the chamber at a predetermined desired speed.

[0046] In some embodiments, ethyl acetate is rapidly formed in a thin solution layer between the tank wall and the tank atmosphere, having a thickness less than 25 mm, for example, less than 15 mm, less than 10 mm, or less than 5 mm.

[0047] In some embodiments, the residence time for the alcohol composition in the pressure vessel at the target atmospheric pressure is approximately 60 seconds or less, approximately 20 seconds or less, or approximately 5 seconds or less. In some embodiments, the residence time for the alcohol composition in the pressure vessel at the target atmospheric pressure is from 5 seconds to 60 seconds, for example, 5 to 10 seconds, 5 to 15 seconds, 5 to 20 seconds, 10 to 50 seconds, 10 to 40 seconds, 10 to 30 seconds, 15 to 30 seconds, 15 to 25 seconds, or 15 to 20 seconds.

[0048] In some embodiments, the residence time for the flowing alcohol composition 115 at the target atmospheric pressure is approximately 60 seconds or less, approximately 20 seconds or less, or approximately 5 seconds or less. In the case of a pre-assembled assembly apparatus, the residence time for the alcohol composition 115 under vacuum may be longer. Furthermore, if the vacuum partial pressure decreases, the residence time of the alcohol composition 115 may also decrease.

[0049] In some embodiments, the temperature of the liquid sample in the pressure chamber can be maintained at, for example, -20°C to 80°C, 0°C to 60°C, 10°C to 35°C, 20°C to 30°C, or 20°C to 25°C. For example, in some embodiments, the temperature of the liquid sample in the pressure chamber can be 2°C, 22°C, 23°C, 24°C, or 25°C.

[0050] In some embodiments, the temperature of the pressure chamber can be maintained at, for example, -20°C to 80°C, 0°C to 60°C, 10°C to 35°C, 20°C to 30°C, or 20°C to 25°C. For example, in some embodiments, the temperature of the pressure chamber can be 2°C, 22°C, 23°C, 24°C, or 25°C. In some embodiments, the temperature of the pressure chamber is maintained using a jacket or similar temperature controller that at least partially surrounds the pressure chamber and is in thermal communication with it (to any of the above temperatures). In some embodiments, this jacket is a water jacket. In some embodiments, the temperature of the liquid sample in the pressure chamber is the same as the temperature at which the pressure chamber is maintained. In some embodiments, the temperature of the liquid sample in the pressure chamber is different from the temperature at which the pressure chamber is maintained. Therefore, in some embodiments, a temperature gradient may exist between the temperature of the pressure chamber (e.g., the temperature of the jacket or similar temperature controller) and the temperature of the liquid sample in the pressure chamber.

[0051] In some embodiments, the alcohol composition 115 remains liquid through a vacuum processing step and further exposure to a low-pressure environment within the pressure chamber 45. The alcohol composition remains liquid while the released homologue 120 changes phase from liquid to gas; i.e., there is no distillation, and / or recondensation or reconstitution of the alcohol composition 115 during processing in the pressure chamber.

[0052] The disclosure of this invention utilizes the complex intermolecular forces in a fermentation liquid at low temperature and low pressure to preferentially release one or more undesirable congeners from a solution. For example, conventionally, it is expected that acetaldehyde will be removed before ethyl acetate under vacuum due to its higher vapor pressure and lower boiling point at standard temperature and pressure (STP). In embodiments of the method disclosed herein, the amounts of acetaldehyde and isobutanol actually remain relatively constant within the system of the invention, while ethyl acetate is selectively removed, which cannot be understood by simply comparing boiling points and vapor pressures. The method allows for selective control over the amount of ethyl acetate removed based on temperature and vacuum pressure over a given holding time. This selectivity occurs only over a narrow pressure range. As a result, artisans can reliably adjust the level of ethyl acetate in an alcoholic beverage to produce a desired flavor profile. While embodiments of the disclosure of this invention relate to the removal of ethyl acetate, other undesirable congeners can also be removed by favorable selection of vacuum pressure and temperature conditions.

[0053] This release of undesirable congeners takes advantage of the fact that such congeners have a boiling point very close to ethanol at atmospheric pressure, but the same congeners are substantially different from ethanol at low pressures, generally having lower boiling points, and the presence of multiple congeners in solution creates relative boiling points for other congeners. Thus, exposure of an alcohol composition to low pressure (partial vacuum) within a specific temperature and pressure range allows for the differential release of certain congeners, such as ethyl acetate, while leaving ethanol unchanged along with certain desirable congeners with lower boiling points in the solution. For example, Figure 8 illustrates the results of an experiment in which the mass percentages of acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate, and isobutanol were measured by varying the pressure applied to a rum sample at 80 standard strength. As shown in Figure 8, as the pressure decreased (i.e., as an increasing degree of vacuum was applied), the mass percentage of ethyl acetate decreased, with a steep drop occurring when the pressure was reduced to less than 100 Torre. In contrast, the mass percentages of isobutanol and acetaldehyde remained steady when the pressure was reduced, and did not exhibit the steep decline observed for ethyl acetate when the pressure was reduced to less than 100 Torre. These results are surprising and unexpected, as discussed above, conventionally, when an alcohol composition containing (at least) acetaldehyde and ethyl acetate is exposed to vacuum, acetaldehyde is expected to be preferentially removed compared to ethyl acetate because it has a higher vapor pressure and lower boiling point (in STP). Conversely, Figure 8 depicts the opposite result (release of ethyl acetate preferentially over acetaldehyde). The apparent increase in the mass percentages of acetaldehyde and isobutanol is, theory aside, considered an analytical artifact resulting from the steep decline in the mass percentage of ethyl acetate, and, theory aside, is not considered to reflect the physical entities.

[0054] By maintaining a low pressure atmosphere within the pressure chamber at ambient temperature and re-establishing the equilibrium of ethyl acetate in the solution, ethyl acetate can be partially removed from the alcohol composition 115, resulting in a smoother-tasting, sensory-enhanced beverage without substantially reducing the ethanol content of the solution 115. As a non-limiting example, the operating pressure within the pressure chamber at ambient temperature can be maintained at 90 to 15 tors at 22°C for a beverage with 40% alcohol by volume, e.g., 65 to 15 tors, 55 to 35 tors, 45 to 40 tors, or 42 tors. In some embodiments, the operating pressure within the pressure chamber is the pressure or a multiple of this pressure determined to yield a sensory-optimized alcoholic beverage with respect to a given composition. In some embodiments, the pressure determined to yield a sensory-optimized alcoholic beverage is referred to as the pressure that yields "peak mouthfeel." Figure 10 shows a graph of exemplary pressures corresponding to peak mouthfeel as a function of volume percentage of alcohol. In some embodiments, the operating pressure is approximately 0.5 to 2 times the pressure corresponding to peak mouthfeel, as shown in Figure 10, for example, 1 to 1.5 times the pressure corresponding to peak mouthfeel. For example, the operating pressure can be 42 to 63 Torr for a 40% ABV alcohol composition.

[0055] Setting aside the theory, the function of improving the sensory properties of a beverage by exposing it to low pressure (for example, by exposing it to a pressure determined to produce peak mouthfeel) can be attributed to the fact that ethyl acetate and ethanol have similar boiling points at ambient pressure, but have different boiling points, with respect to a 40 volume percent alcohol composition, for example, ethyl acetate has a lower boiling point at pressures of 20 to 55 tors. Therefore, by maintaining a pressure of 20 to 55 tors in the pressure chamber 45 and controlling the temperature inside the pressure chamber to approximately 22°C, the equilibrium concentration of ethyl acetate can be preferentially shifted with respect to a 40 volume percent alcohol composition.

[0056] As shown in Figure 10, in some embodiments, the pressure range in which ethyl acetate can be selectively removed (e.g., to produce a flavor-enhanced beverage) may shift nonlinearly as the alcohol content of the solution shifts. Theoretically, the pressure treatment that yields peak mouthfeel for alcohol is a function of the alcohol content of the alcoholic beverage being treated, and not so much a function of the homologue composition. This function is nonlinear. For beverages with alcohol content between 24 and 30 volume percent at room temperature, treatment pressures between 58 tor and 67 tor can yield a beverage with the smoothest taste and best flavor equilibrium. For beverages with alcohol content between 55 and 65 volume percent, treatment pressures between 49 tor and 57 tor can yield a beverage with the smoothest taste and best flavor equilibrium. As mentioned above, for beverages with 40 volume percent alcohol, pressure treatment from 40 to 45 tor can yield a beverage with the smoothest taste and best flavor equilibrium. In some embodiments, the pressure treatment is held at a nominal pressure for 5 seconds.

[0057] Regardless of the theory, the surrounding liquid environment is thought to influence the pressure range when selectively removing a given compound (ethyl acetate in the above example). In an alcohol vapor environment, the aforementioned selective pressure range (e.g., approximately 18 to 55 tor) may be lower than the range required to bring about a uniform equilibrium shift of ethyl acetate concentration from another liquid, and higher than the range required to bring about a uniform equilibrium shift of ethyl acetate from yet another liquid.

[0058] As shown in Figure 11, the relationship between the pressure used to process a sample of vodka with 40% alcohol by volume and "sharpness" (a sensory characteristic opposite to "smoothness") is nonlinear. In other words, the sharpness of the processed alcohol composition weakens up to a certain point as the operating pressure decreases, but then begins to strengthen again when the operating pressure is further reduced.

[0059] The following example further illustrates the selective conversion of ethyl acetate from alcohol compositions achieved by using the process disclosed herein. In one experiment, a sample of rum was exposed to ambient pressure (760 Torrell) and then to a series of low pressures. In this experiment, the pressure was measured at a point away from the vacuum chamber, although the vacuum chamber was in fluid communication with it within a vacuum line. Theoretically, the pressure inside the vacuum chamber is assumed to be higher than the measured pressure. After exposure to ambient pressure and each low pressure, the ethanol fraction of the sample was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the amounts (in area percentage units, referred to herein as "A%") of seven samples (acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate, ethanol, isobutanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, acetic acid, and furfural) were measured. Another unknown sample was also detected and quantified. For this analysis, gas chromatography was performed using a Stabilwax cylinder (Restek) with a 30m × 0.25mm ID, 0.25μm film. The gas chromatography temperature program involved maintaining 35°C for 3 minutes and then increasing the temperature to 240°C at a rate of 10°C / min, with 0.5 μL of sample injected in a 50:1 split ratio. Mass spectral data were acquired using an Agilent 5975C MSD. The results are summarized in Table 1. The amount of ethyl acetate is also described in parts per million (ppm). In this example, to determine the amount of ethyl acetate in the Lamb samples (in ppm), a calibration curve was first generated by analyzing samples with known ethyl acetate concentrations (in ppm) using the same gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method described above, which includes a step of measuring the peak area of ​​known ethyl acetate concentrations (in ppm) for these samples. The calibration curve provided a correlation between peak area and ethyl acetate concentration (in ppm). Next, the ethyl acetate concentration (in ppm) in the Lamb samples was calculated based on the peak area for ethyl acetate in the Lamb samples by fitting the correlation between peak area and ethyl acetate concentration (in ppm) obtained from the calibration curve. To avoid any questions, it is assumed that the measurements ignore the water content of the sample.

[0060] Table 1. Amount of components detected in the Ram sample following processing at the indicated pressure. TIFF2026086670000002.tif82155

[0061] As shown in Table 1, processing of the Ram sample at reduced pressure results in a selective change of ethyl acetate, for example, while keeping the amounts of acetaldehyde and ethanol nearly constant. As discussed above, this result is surprising and unexpected, namely, conventionally, when an alcohol composition containing (at least) acetaldehyde and ethyl acetate is exposed to vacuum, acetaldehyde is expected to be preferentially removed compared to ethyl acetate because it has a higher vapor pressure and lower boiling point (in STP). Conversely, Table 1 illustrates the opposite result (dominant release of ethyl acetate, which is greater than that of acetaldehyde). Furthermore, in some embodiments, it is surprising and unexpected that ethyl acetate can be selectively removed from compositions containing not only molecules with lower molecular weights than ethyl acetate but also molecules with higher molecular weights than ethyl acetate simply by adjusting the bulk parameter, for example, the pressure in this case. Figure 12 is an extrapolated graph of ethyl acetate content (in ppm) versus processing pressure, particularly illustrating the steep drop in ethyl acetate content at pressure drops below approximately 50 Torre.

[0062] In additional experiments, bourbon samples were exposed to ambient pressure (760 Torre) and then to two lower pressures. In this experiment, the pressure was measured at a point away from the vacuum chamber, even though the vacuum chamber was in fluid communication with it within a vacuum line. Theoretically, the pressure inside the vacuum chamber is assumed to be higher than the measured pressure. After exposure to ambient pressure and each lower pressure, the ethanol fraction of the samples was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the amounts of seven other samples (acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate, ethanol, isobutanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, acetic acid, and furfural) were measured (in area percentage units, referred to herein as "A%"). Another unknown sample was also detected and quantified. For this analysis, gas chromatography was performed using a Stabilwax cylinder (Restek) with a 30m × 0.25mm ID, 0.25μm film. The gas chromatography temperature program involved maintaining 35°C for 3 minutes and then increasing the temperature to 240°C at a rate of 10°C / min. 0.5 μL of sample was injected in a 50:1 split ratio. Mass spectral data were acquired using an Agilent 5975C MSD. The results are summarized in Table 2. The amount of ethyl acetate is also described in parts per million (ppm). In this example, to determine the amount of ethyl acetate in the bourbon sample (in ppm), a calibration curve was first generated by analyzing samples with known ethyl acetate concentrations (in ppm) using the same gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method described above, which includes a step of measuring the peak area of ​​known ethyl acetate concentrations (in ppm) for these samples. The calibration curve provided a correlation between peak area and ethyl acetate concentration (in ppm). Next, the ethyl acetate concentration (in ppm) in the bourbon sample was calculated based on the peak area for ethyl acetate in the bourbon sample by fitting the correlation between peak area and ethyl acetate concentration (in ppm) obtained from the calibration curve. To avoid any questions, it is assumed that the measurements ignore the water content of the sample.

[0063] Table 2. Amount of components detected in the Ram sample following processing at the indicated pressure. TIFF2026086670000003.tif67155

[0064] As shown in Table 2, processing the bourbon sample at reduced pressure results in a selective change of ethyl acetate, for example, while keeping the amounts of acetaldehyde and ethanol nearly constant. As discussed above, this result is surprising and unexpected, namely, conventionally, when an alcohol composition containing (at least) acetaldehyde and ethyl acetate is exposed to vacuum, acetaldehyde is expected to be preferentially removed compared to ethyl acetate because it has a higher vapor pressure and lower boiling point (in STP). Conversely, Table 2 illustrates the opposite result (dominant release of ethyl acetate, which is greater than that of acetaldehyde). Furthermore, in some embodiments, it is surprising and unexpected that ethyl acetate can be selectively removed from compositions containing not only molecules with lower molecular weights than ethyl acetate but also molecules with higher molecular weights than ethyl acetate simply by adjusting the bulk parameter, for example, the pressure in this case. Figure 13 is an extrapolated graph of ethyl acetate content (in ppm) versus processing pressure, particularly illustrating the steep drop in ethyl acetate content at pressures below approximately 50 Torre.

[0065] The effect of low-pressure treatment on an alcohol composition may be better understood as a shift in the equilibrium concentration of ethyl acetate rather than the removal of ethyl acetate through fractional distillation. As a result, the solution holding time at low pressure cannot reduce the ethyl acetate concentration to zero. It is thought that the solution may undergo a shift in the congener concentration over a given holding time. In some embodiments, at least one-third of ethyl acetate is preferentially removed from the alcohol composition, or at least one-half is preferentially removed, or at least two-thirds is preferentially removed, or substantially all of the ethyl acetate is preferentially removed. When used herein, preferential removal of an undesirable congener such as ethyl acetate means removing some or all of the undesirable congener from the solution without substantially removing some, much or all of the other components of the solution. In some embodiments, at about 40 Torr and 22 degrees Celsius, an alcohol composition with 40 volume percent alcohol will have an ethyl acetate content between 40 percent and 60 percent of the initial ethyl acetate content removed within about 5 seconds.

[0066] In some embodiments, the instantaneous alcohol repair treatment reduces the amount of ethyl acetate in the alcohol composition to about 50 percent or less of the original ethyl acetate content in the alcohol composition, for example, to about 45 percent or less of the original ethyl acetate content, about 40 percent or less of the original ethyl acetate content, about 35 percent of the original ethyl acetate content, about 30 percent or less of the original ethyl acetate content, about 20 percent or less of the original ethyl acetate content, about 10 percent or less of the original ethyl acetate content, or about 5 percent or less of the original ethyl acetate content. The target amount of ethyl acetate content reduction is determined by several factors, including individual taste and the type of alcoholic beverage, which ranges from 3 volume percent to 95 volume percent of ethanol content. For example, an alcoholic beverage may have an ethanol content of 1 to 5 volume percent, 3 to 5 volume percent, 5 to 10 volume percent, 10 to 15 volume percent, 10 to 20 volume percent, 20 to 30 volume percent, 30 to 40 volume percent, 40 to 50 volume percent, 45 to 50 volume percent, 50 to 60 volume percent, 55 to 60 volume percent, 60 to 70 volume percent, 70 to 80 volume percent, 80 to 90 volume percent, or 90 to 95 volume percent. In some embodiments, the ethyl acetate content of the alcohol composition is reduced to <1%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 33 and 1 / 3% (i.e., one-third), 35%, 40%, 45%, 50% (i.e., half), 55%, 60%, 65%, 66 and 2 / 3% (i.e., two-thirds), 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% of the original content. In some embodiments, the ethyl acetate content of the alcohol composition is reduced from 20% to 80% of the original content, for example, from 25% to 75% or from 33 and 1 / 3% to 66 and 2 / 3% of the original content.In some embodiments, including but not limited to those described in this paragraph, the reduction in the ethyl acetate content of the alcohol composition is measured using liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

[0067] In some embodiments, the ethyl acetate content of the alcohol composition can be reduced to, for example, 1 ppm to 400 ppm, 1 ppm to 350 ppm, 1 ppm to 300 ppm, 1 ppm to 250 ppm, 1 ppm to 200 ppm, 1 ppm to 150 ppm, 1 ppm to 100 ppm, 1 ppm to 75 ppm, 1 ppm to 50 ppm, or 1 ppm to 25 ppm, when measured by liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, by applying the methods disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the ethyl acetate content of the alcohol composition can be reduced to, for example, 10 ppm to 400 ppm, 20 ppm to 380 ppm, 25 ppm to 375 ppm, 30 ppm to 350 ppm, 35 ppm to 325 ppm, 40 ppm to 300 ppm, 45 ppm to 275 ppm, 50 ppm to 250 ppm, 55 ppm to 225 ppm, 60 ppm to 200 ppm, 65 ppm to 175 ppm, 70 ppm to 150 ppm, 75 ppm to 125 ppm, or 80 ppm to 100 ppm by applying the methods disclosed herein, when measured by liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In some embodiments, the ethyl acetate content of the alcohol composition can be reduced to, for example, 3 ppm to 100 ppm, 3 ppm to 80 ppm, 3 ppm to 70 ppm, 3 ppm to 60 ppm, or 3 ppm to 50 ppm when measured by liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, by applying the methods disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the ethyl acetate content of the alcohol composition can be reduced to, for example, 15 ppm to 200 ppm when measured by liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, by applying the methods disclosed herein.

[0068] In some embodiments, the ethyl acetate content of an alcohol composition having an ethanol content of 40% to 60% by volume can be reduced to, for example, 3 ppm to 250 ppm, for example, 5 ppm to 100 ppm, 10 ppm to 250 ppm, 20 ppm to 225 ppm, 10 ppm to 80 ppm, 3 ppm to 100 ppm, 5 ppm to 75 ppm, or 10 ppm to 60 ppm, when measured by liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, by applying the methods disclosed herein to an alcohol composition having an ethanol content of 40% to 60% by volume, thereby giving the alcohol composition improved functional properties compared to an initial alcohol composition. In some embodiments, the ethyl acetate content of an alcohol composition can be reduced to, for example, 5 to 100 ppm, when measured by liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, by applying the methods disclosed herein to an alcohol composition having an ethanol content of 40% to 60% by volume, thereby giving the alcohol composition improved functional properties compared to an initial alcohol composition.

[0069] In some embodiments, the methods disclosed herein are applied to alcohol compositions having an ethanol content of 10% to 20% by volume, and the ethyl acetate content of the alcohol composition is measured by liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to, for example, 3 ppm to 200 ppm, 3 ppm to 175 ppm, 3 ppm to 150 ppm, 3 ppm to 75 ppm, 3 ppm to 65 ppm, 3 ppm to 60 ppm, 10 ppm to 200 ppm, 10 ppm to 175 ppm, 10 The ethyl acetate content can be reduced from ppm to 150 ppm, 10 ppm to 125 ppm, 10 ppm to 100 ppm, 10 ppm to 80 ppm, 12 ppm to 100 ppm, 12 ppm to 80 ppm, 12 ppm to 70 ppm, 12 ppm to 60 ppm, 15 ppm to 50 ppm, 15 ppm to 45 ppm, 20 ppm to 60 ppm, 20 ppm to 50 ppm, 25 ppm to 45 ppm, 30 ppm to 60 ppm, 30 ppm to 50 ppm, or 20 ppm to 40 ppm. In some embodiments, the ethyl acetate content of the alcohol composition can be reduced by applying the methods disclosed herein, thereby giving the alcohol composition improved functional properties compared to the initial alcohol composition. In some embodiments, the method disclosed herein can be applied to an alcohol composition having an ethanol content of 10% to 20% by volume to reduce the ethyl acetate content of the alcohol composition to, for example, 10 to 90 ppm, as measured by liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, thereby giving the alcohol composition improved functional properties compared to the initial alcohol composition.

[0070] As an additional representative but non-limiting example, the method disclosed herein can be applied to a Lamb sample having an initial ethyl acetate content of 55 ppm to 60 ppm as measured by liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, for example, to reduce the ethyl acetate content to less than 40 ppm, for example, less than 35 ppm, less than 30 ppm, less than 25 ppm, less than 10 ppm, less than 5 ppm, or less than 4 ppm, as measured by liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. For example, the method disclosed herein can be applied to a Lamb sample having an initial ethyl acetate content of 55 to 60 ppm as measured by liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, for example, to reduce the ethyl acetate content to 50 ppm to 60 ppm, 25 ppm to 35 ppm, 15 ppm to 25 ppm, 5 ppm to 15 ppm, or 1 ppm to 5 ppm, as measured by liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. As an additional representative but non-limiting example, by applying the method disclosed herein to bourbon initially containing 210 to 230 ppm of ethyl acetate as measured by liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, the ethyl acetate content can be reduced to, for example, less than 100 ppm, less than 80 ppm, less than 70 ppm, less than 60 ppm, less than 50 ppm, less than 40 ppm, less than 30 ppm, or less than 25 ppm, respectively, as measured by liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. For example, by applying the method disclosed herein to a bourbon sample having an initial ethyl acetate content of 200 to 250 ppm as measured by liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, the ethyl acetate content can be reduced to, for example, 50 ppm to 75 ppm, 55 to 65 ppm, 15 ppm to 35 ppm, or 15 ppm to 25 ppm, respectively, as measured by liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

[0071] Other homologues can be selectively removed by selecting other combinations of processing temperature / pressure / residence time. In some embodiments, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, and / or chemical sensors (or a combination thereof) are positioned in thermal communication with the inside of the tank 25, the water jacket, and / or the steam outlet port (or a combination thereof). To provide feedback-based processing control to maintain the process within a predetermined parameter range and / or a predetermined pressure / temperature profile, these sensors can be operably connected to an electronic controller, which can also be connected to pumps 60, 75, 85, ports 30, 35, 40, valve 70, and / or agitator 95 (if present). In some embodiments, the temperature and pressure in the chamber can be varied during the residence of the alcohol composition 115 to selectively target and remove a number of undesirable homologues 120, and this technique is likely to be optimally suited to the charge processing. In other embodiments, the alcohol composition 115 can be sequentially passed through a plurality of pressure tanks 25, each having a pressure chamber 45 characterized by different predetermined vacuum partial pressures and temperatures, in order to target one or more specific homologues 120.

[0072] While the new technology has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the above description, these illustrations and descriptions should be considered illustrative rather than limiting in their features. It will be understood that the above specification has described embodiments that satisfy the best mode and feasibility requirements. It will be understood that those skilled in the art will find it possible to easily make virtually infinite number of speculative variations and modifications to the embodiments described above, and that it would not be practical to attempt to describe all such modified embodiments in this specification. Therefore, it will be understood that we wish to protect all variations and modifications that fall within the spirit of the new technology. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0073] 20 Apparatus for preferentially removing ethyl acetate 25 Pressure tank 30 liquid inlet ports 35 Steam outlet port

Claims

1. A method for removing ethyl acetate from an alcohol composition, a) The step of placing a certain amount of alcohol composition into a pressure-controllable environment, b) A step of reducing the pressure of the pressure-controllable environment to a pressure between 80 and 40 Torr, c) The step of maintaining the pressure of the pressure-controllable environment between 80 and 40 Torr over a first predetermined period of time, d) A step of removing ethyl acetate from the alcohol composition to obtain a first purified alcohol composition, e) The step of removing the first purified alcohol composition from the pressure-controllable environment, A method characterized by comprising:

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the alcohol composition contains 3% by volume of ethanol to 95% by volume of ethanol.

3. A step of cooling the pressure-controllable environment after step f) and before step e), The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising the above.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the temperature of the pressure-controllable environment is maintained between -20 degrees Celsius and 80 degrees Celsius.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the temperature of the pressure-controllable environment is maintained between 10 degrees Celsius and 35 degrees Celsius.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the first predetermined period is 5 seconds.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the first purified alcohol composition has an ethyl acetate concentration of one-third, one-half, or two-thirds of the alcohol composition.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the first purified alcohol composition has about one-third the concentration of ethyl acetate in the alcohol composition.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the first purified alcohol composition has an ethyl acetate concentration of 1 ppm to 400 ppm as measured by liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the first purified alcohol composition has an ethyl acetate concentration of 5 ppm to 300 ppm as measured by liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

11. g) A step of removing one or more further homologs from the first purified alcohol composition to obtain a second purified alcohol composition, The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising the above.

12. The aforementioned pressure-controllable environment is A pressure vessel that defines a pressure-controllable chamber, A jacket that at least partially surrounds the pressure-controllable chamber and is in thermal communication with it, A liquid inlet port that is in fluid communication with the pressure-controllable chamber, A gas outlet port that is in fluid communication with the pressure-controllable chamber, A vacuum pump that is in fluid communication with the aforementioned gas outlet port, Recovery tank and A liquid outlet port that is in fluid communication with the pressure-controllable chamber, It also has, The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized by...

13. The method according to 12, characterized in that the jacket is a water jacket.

14. b) During the process, the pressure in the pressure-controllable environment is reduced to a pressure of 42 Torr. c) During this time, the pressure-controllable environment is maintained at a pressure of 42 Torr. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized by...

15. An apparatus for removing ethyl acetate from an alcohol composition, A pressure vessel that defines a pressure-controllable chamber, A jacket that at least partially surrounds the pressure-controllable chamber and is in thermal communication with it, A liquid inlet port that is in fluid communication with the pressure-controllable chamber, A gas outlet port that is in fluid communication with the pressure-controllable chamber, A vacuum pump that is in fluid communication with the aforementioned gas outlet port, Recovery tank and A liquid outlet port that is in fluid communication with the pressure-controllable chamber, A device characterized by being equipped with the following features.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that the jacket is a water jacket.

17. An alcohol composition source operatively connected to the liquid inlet port, A first liquid pump is in fluid communication with the liquid inlet port and the alcohol composition source, A second liquid pump is in fluid communication with the liquid outlet port and the recovery tank, The apparatus according to claim 15 or 16, further comprising the above.

18. A spiral race that wraps multiple times around the pressure-controllable chamber from the liquid inlet port to the liquid outlet port, The apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 17, further comprising the above.

19. A stirrer positioned in the pressure-controllable chamber, The apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 18, further comprising the above.

20. The apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 19, further comprising at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a chemical sensor, and a combination thereof, which is operationally connected within the pressure-controllable chamber.

21. Each of the aforementioned pumps, each of the aforementioned ports, and each of the aforementioned jackets is operatively connected to an electronic controller, The apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 20, further comprising the above.

22. A method for removing ethyl acetate from an alcohol composition, a) The step of establishing a partial vacuum in the pressure vessel, b) A step of pouring a certain amount of alcohol composition into the pressure vessel, c) A step of preferentially removing ethyl acetate from the alcohol composition to obtain a purified alcohol composition, d) The step of extracting the purified alcohol composition from the pressure tank, wherein the alcohol composition remains in liquid form while in the pressure tank, A method characterized by comprising:

23. The aforementioned partial vacuum is in the range of 40 Torr to 50 Torr. c) is performed at a temperature of 10 to 35 degrees Celsius for 5 to 60 seconds. The method according to the feature of 22.

24. The aforementioned partial vacuum is approximately 42 Torr. c) is performed at approximately 22 degrees Celsius for about 5 seconds. The method according to the feature of 22.

25. A beverage with improved sensory properties derived from an alcohol composition, The aforementioned sensory-enhancing beverage comprises ethanol, The alcohol-containing composition derived therefrom, which is the aforementioned sensory-enhancing beverage, possesses one or more undesirable sensory characteristics not found in the sensory-enhancing beverage. A beverage characterized by its ability to enhance sensory appeal.

26. The sensory-enhancing beverage according to claim 25, characterized in that one or more desirable sensory properties of the sensory-enhancing beverage are at least substantially similar to one or more corresponding desirable sensory properties of the alcohol-containing composition from which the sensory-enhancing beverage is derived.

27. The sensory-improving beverage according to claim 25, characterized in that one or more desirable sensory properties of the sensory-improving beverage are substantially improved compared to one or more corresponding desirable sensory properties of the alcohol composition from which the sensory-improving beverage is derived.

28. The one or more undesirable sensory characteristics are selected from the group consisting of an unpleasant aftertaste, a pungent aftertaste, a sharp aftertaste, a solvent-like aftertaste, a bitter aftertaste, a strong aftertaste, a bland flavor, a solvent-like flavor in the peak and / or aftertaste, a tasteless, dry taste on the palate, an unpleasant peak that masks one or more flavors, sharpness, a burning sensation in the throat, bitterness, metallic taste, a lingering finish, an induction of head movement, an induction of an involuntary physiological response, an induction of a gag reflex, and a combination thereof, as described in any one of claims 25 to 27.

29. A beverage with improved sensory properties derived from an ethanol-containing composition, The amount of ethyl acetate in the flavor-enhancing beverage is less than the amount of ethyl acetate present in the ethanol-containing composition derived from the flavor-enhancing beverage. A beverage characterized by its ability to enhance sensory appeal.

30. The flavor-enhancing beverage according to claim 29, characterized in that the amount of ethyl acetate in the flavor-enhancing beverage and the amount of ethyl acetate in the ethanol-containing composition from which the flavor-enhancing beverage is derived are both measured using liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

31. The reduction in the amount of ethyl acetate in the flavor-enhancing beverage is achieved by applying a partial vacuum to the ethanol-containing composition, as described in claim 29 or 30.

32. The sensory-enhancing beverage according to claim 31, characterized in that the partial vacuum is 42 Torr and applied at 22 degrees Celsius for 5 seconds.

33. The sensory-enhancing beverage according to claim 31, characterized in that the partial vacuum is 63 Torr and applied at 22 degrees Celsius for 5 seconds.

34. The sensory-enhancing beverage according to claim 31, characterized in that the partial vacuum is 53 Torr at 22 degrees Celsius for 5 seconds.

35. The flavor-enhancing beverage according to any one of claims 25 to 34, characterized in that the amount of ethyl acetate in the flavor-enhancing beverage is <1%, 1%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 33 and 1 / 3% (i.e., one-third), 35%, 40%, 45%, 50% (i.e., half), 55%, 60%, 65%, 66.7% (i.e., two-thirds), 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% of the amount of ethyl acetate in the ethanol-containing composition from which the flavor-enhancing beverage is derived.

36. The flavor-enhancing beverage according to claim 35, characterized in that the amount of ethyl acetate in the flavor-enhancing beverage and the amount of ethyl acetate in the ethanol-containing composition from which the flavor-enhancing beverage is derived are both measured using liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

37. A beverage with improved sensory properties derived from an alcohol composition, It contains ethanol ranging from 3% to 95% by volume. It contains ethyl acetate in an amount ranging from 1 ppm to 400 ppm as measured by liquid-phase gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A beverage characterized by its ability to enhance sensory appeal.

38. The steps include: placing a composition containing ethanol into a closed tank, The steps include: bringing the composition to an equilibrium saturation state, The steps include obtaining a gaseous sample inside the closed tank, A step of determining the concentration of one or more molecules in the sample in the gas phase, A method characterized by comprising:

39. The steps include: placing a composition containing ethanol into a closed tank, A step of adjusting the temperature and / or pressure in the closed tank to bring the composition to an equilibrium saturation state, The steps include obtaining a gaseous sample inside the closed tank, A step of determining the concentration of one or more molecules in the sample in the gas phase, A method characterized by comprising:

40. The method according to claim 38 or 39, characterized in that the concentration of one or more molecules in the sample is determined using gas chromatography.

41. The method according to claim 38 or 39, characterized in that the concentration of one or more molecules in the sample is determined by gas chromatography / mass spectrometry.

42. The method according to any one of claims 38 to 41, characterized in that the one or more molecules are ethyl acetate.

Images