Method for aging liquor using shelled walnuts

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing distilled liquor using shelled walnuts as a raw material. The distilled liquor is produced by the method comprising steps of: removing the husk of fresh walnuts and washing off residual husk, followed by drying to obtain shelled walnuts; selecting the shelled walnuts; mixing the shelled walnuts with macerated distilled spirits and performing maceration at room temperature to prepare a macerated stock solution containing the shelled walnuts; separating the macerated stock solution from the shelled walnuts to obtain the maceration stock solution; and filtering the macerated stock solution to obtain an amber-colored distilled liquor. The macerated distilled spirits are prepared by the steps of: brewing and fermenting an alcoholic base to produce fermented spirits; distilling the fermented spirits to produce distilled spirits; and adding water to the distilled spirits to prepare the macerated distilled spirits.

Description

A method of aging liquor using walnuts.

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for maturing alcoholic beverages using walnuts, and more specifically, to a method for maturing alcoholic beverages capable of producing high-quality aged alcoholic beverages in a short period of time by immersing walnuts in alcoholic beverages to induce alcohol binding in the alcoholic beverages.

[0002] Alcoholic beverages such as fermented liquors, brewed liquors, and distilled spirits undergo an aging process, which enhances their flavor and aroma. Therefore, most alcoholic beverages undergo an aging process during their production. Generally, the longer the aging period, the more flavorful the liquor. This is believed to be due to the alcohol content that naturally evaporates during the aging process.

[0003] Typically, liquor is aged by placing it in storage containers such as oak barrels. Because the flavor and quality improve over time, the liquor is often aged in oak barrels for years or even decades. For example, Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2021-0147844 describes a process in which the distillate of fermented liquor is placed in oak barrels and aged for at least three years to produce distilled liquor.

[0004] While these traditional aging methods can produce high-quality liquor, they require a significant amount of time, leading to the production of products categorized into low- and high-aging varieties. Furthermore, some liquor enthusiasts personally age their liquor in small oak barrels.

[0005] Meanwhile, in order to achieve the aging effect when storing alcohol in an oak barrel, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2023-0095633 proposes a method of soaking roasted oak pieces in wine sauce and soaking them in alcohol. However, this method is only suitable for aging alcohol in small quantities and has the problem of not being suitable for mass production.

[0006] The present invention has been conceived in consideration of the above-described prior art, and its purpose is to provide a method for maturing alcoholic beverages, which can increase the maturation speed and improve the maturation quality by using walnuts in the maturation process of alcoholic beverages.

[0007] The present invention's method for maturing walnuts for solving the above-described problem is characterized by comprising the steps of: removing the outer skin of a walnut; washing the outer skin residue remaining on the surface of the walnut from which the outer skin has been removed, and then drying the same to obtain walnut kernels; selecting the walnut kernels; and immersing the selected walnut kernels in the liquor and maturing them.

[0008] At this time, the alcoholic beverage may be any one selected from fermented alcohol, brewed alcohol, and distilled alcohol.

[0009] In addition, it is preferable that the step of obtaining the above walnuts is performed by repeating the process of washing and then drying 2 to 5 times.

[0010] In addition, the step of soaking and maturing the walnuts in the above liquor is preferably performed by soaking and maturing 0.1 to 0.5 kg of walnuts per 1 liter of liquor.

[0011] Additionally, in order to vary the flavor of the liquor, a step of post-aging the aged liquor obtained through the above-mentioned aging step may be additionally included.

[0012] According to the liquor maturation method of the present invention, by immersing walnuts in liquor, it is possible to obtain the effect of producing high-quality aged liquor while increasing the maturation speed.

[0013] Figure 1 is a photograph showing a cross-section of a walnut tree.

[0014] Figure 2 is a photograph observing the state of walnuts when they were immersed in distilled liquor at 36 degrees (a) and after maturing for one week (b).

[0015] The present invention will be described in more detail below. Terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be construed as limited to their conventional or dictionary meanings. Rather, they should be interpreted in a way that is consistent with the technical spirit of the present invention, based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of a term to best explain his or her invention.

[0016] The method for maturing walnuts according to the present invention comprises the steps of: removing the outer skin of a walnut; washing the outer skin residue remaining on the surface of the walnut from which the outer skin has been removed; and drying the same to obtain walnuts; selecting the walnuts; and immersing the selected walnuts in the liquor and maturing them.

[0017] In the production of general alcoholic beverages, the aging process is essential to enhance the flavor of the beverage. For example, in the case of distilled spirits, thermal deformation can occur during the distillation process, resulting in off-flavors. Therefore, distilled spirits can undergo a post-production aging process to produce the finished product, and in some cases, this aging period is mandated. For example, the United States requires a mandatory aging period of one year for whiskey, while the United Kingdom requires a mandatory aging period of at least three years.

[0018] During this aging process, trace amounts of alcohol are lost, creating an alcoholic texture. This changes the alcohol concentration in the liquor, significantly affecting its taste and flavor. Even when aging in oak barrels, the alcoholic texture of the liquor stored in the barrels improves its texture.

[0019] In the present invention, unlike the conventional aging method of storing in an oak barrel, walnuts are immersed in the liquor to allow the liquor to age quickly.

[0020] Referring to Fig. 1, the structure of a walnut is explained. The inner skin that constitutes the shell of a walnut and the outer skin are formed on the outer surface of the inner skin. In order to obtain a walnut, the outer skin of the walnut needs to be removed. The stem of the walnut, which is composed of the inner skin, retains the remnants of the perianth and bracts, and is connected to the inside of the inner skin containing the walnut flesh through the carpel bundle. The alcohol contained in the liquor is absorbed into the inside of the walnut through the stem, and this is a factor that causes the alcohol binding phenomenon, similar to the alcohol binding phenomenon that occurs during the aging process in an oak barrel. Therefore, if the walnut is immersed in the liquor at an appropriate ratio, the same effect as the alcohol binding that occurs during the general aging process of the liquor can be obtained. This leads to the effect of accelerating the aging speed compared to the general aging process of liquor.

[0021] Furthermore, the above-mentioned bundle of cartilage cells acts as a sort of filter, allowing the water-soluble alcohol components to be absorbed while preventing the fat-soluble components contained within the walnut flesh from leaking out. Therefore, even when walnuts are immersed in alcohol, the amount of fat-soluble components contained within the walnut flesh mixing into the alcohol is extremely minimal.

[0022] In addition, the flavor of alcohol varies depending on the aging method. In addition to the oak barrel aging method, other aging methods that enhance the flavor through long-term aging include the oak chip aging method, the walnut chip aging method using walnut shells, and the use of aging barrels made of walnut wood.

[0023] Oak barrel aging is widely used in the production of distilled spirits. The spirit is placed in oak barrels and aged for anywhere from six months to 50 years or more. Alternatively, the spirit can be transferred to oak barrels previously used for aging other spirits, repeating this process several times. In this case, the change in oak barrel can produce a spirit with a unique flavor.

[0024] Additionally, when applying the oak chip aging method or the walnut chip aging method, a method of filling a stainless steel tank with the distilled liquor and mixing oak chips or walnut chips with the distilled liquor may be applied. At this time, an additional process of enhancing the flavor of the liquor by absorbing the wine sauce into the oak chips may be performed, as described in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2023-0095633.

[0025] In the present invention, since walnuts are directly immersed in the liquor, unlike the conventional aging method described above, the produced liquor can exhibit a unique walnut flavor and amber color. In addition, by branding the produced liquor with another liquor, a branded liquor can be produced, thereby producing a liquor with a new flavor modified from the existing liquor. For example, a branded liquor can be produced by mixing 5 to 60 parts by volume, preferably 15 to 35 parts by volume, of a brewed liquor selected from the group consisting of whiskey, wine, fruit wine, brandy, beer, and soju with 100 parts by volume of the distilled liquor obtained through the aging process.

[0026] Walnuts used in the aging process must have their outer hulls completely removed. Failure to do so may result in fragments of the hulls becoming mixed into the liquor, potentially degrading its quality.

[0027] The outer skin of the above walnut can be removed by rotting the outer skin of the walnut and then peeling it off, or the outer skin can be peeled off using a peeling device.

[0028] The walnuts obtained by removing the outer skin by this method have an uneven surface corresponding to the inner skin of the raw walnut, making it difficult to completely remove the outer skin residue. In addition, pieces of the outer skin or oil usually remain in the crevices even after washing. When the walnuts obtained by this general peeling are impregnated with alcohol and subjected to an aging process, various outer skin residues such as oil, contaminants, bacteria, and viruses remaining in the crevices of the surface of the walnut are dissolved and mixed with the alcohol, which not only affects the flavor of the produced alcohol but also causes hygiene problems. In particular, even after washing, outer skin residues may remain here and there in the crevices of the walnut shell, and contamination due to not only simple residues but also dyeing components of the outer skin may occur. Therefore, the outer skin residue remaining on the surface of the raw walnut from which the outer skin has been removed must be washed and then dried.

[0029] In the case of regular walnuts, the outer shell can be removed, the contents can be checked for abnormalities, and then released. However, when walnuts are used for mainstream maturation, the outer shell residue can seriously affect the quality. Therefore, it is recommended to wash the walnuts manually or with a precision washing machine during the washing process. Furthermore, since it is difficult to determine whether there is contamination when wet, it is necessary to thoroughly dry the walnuts and select and remove any contaminants that cannot be removed even with washing.

[0030] Therefore, in the present invention, in order to obtain the walnuts, the outer skin is removed, the walnuts are washed, and the washed walnuts are dried at 38 to 80°C for 1 to 5 days, thereby completely removing the components remaining on the surface of the walnuts.

[0031] In addition, the above washing and drying process is repeated two to five times to remove all components that may remain on the surface of the walnuts.

[0032] In addition, the obtained walnuts are not used as is in the distillation process, but only walnuts whose quality has been secured through a selection process are used as raw materials.

[0033] In the process of sorting walnuts, defective products with damaged or blackened areas on the surface of the walnuts can be selected through visual inspection. In addition, walnuts that exceed a preset weight ratio by measuring the weight ratio for the standard size of each walnut variety can be excluded from the raw material. In addition, walnuts can be inspected with X-rays to exclude raw materials with defective internal conditions. It is preferable to perform visual inspection, weight measurement, and X-ray inspection in the above sorting step, and if necessary, walnuts can be sorted with only one or two of the above sorting means.

[0034] Since the color and flavor of the liquor produced through maturation vary depending on the amount and time of immersion of the walnuts, it is desirable to select the walnuts to be used in the maturation process by considering the weight ratio and size set in advance during the process of selecting the walnuts.

[0035] Therefore, in the step of soaking and maturing walnuts in the above liquor, it is preferable to soak and mature 0.1 to 0.5 kg of walnuts per 1 liter of liquor. The amount of walnuts is not particularly limited, but if the amount of walnuts soaked is too little, the amount of alcohol absorbed by the walnuts is not sufficient, resulting in a lower flavor of the liquor compared to general long-term maturation. In addition, if the amount of immersion is too much, the taste from the walnuts is excessive, resulting in a lower maturation efficiency of the liquor, and the amount of alcohol absorbed by the walnuts is large, making it difficult to control the degree of maturation.

[0036] The amount of walnuts to be soaked can be appropriately adjusted taking into account the color and alcohol content of the desired liquor.

[0037] That is, the alcohol binding rate varies depending on the amount of walnuts soaked. When the alcohol content of the distilled liquor is 50 degrees, the results of an experiment in which 3, 5, and 7 kg of walnuts were added to 20 liters of the liquor after 12 days of soaking and the aging was performed showed that the alcohol binding rates were 3, 5, and 7%, respectively. It was determined that the alcohol binding rates are equivalent to the results obtained when aging in oak barrels for more than one year. In addition, it was found that the alcohol content of the distilled liquor changed to 47, 45, and 43 degrees, respectively, depending on the alcohol binding rate. That is, since the alcohol binding rate and the degree of aging are directly related, it can be seen that the degree of aging can be determined depending on the amount of walnuts added. Considering that the alcohol content of distilled liquor aged for one year is approximately 5% when aged in an oak barrel, it was found that applying the aging method of the present invention can achieve the same aging effect as aging in an oak barrel for more than one year.

[0038] In the step of immersing and maturing the selected walnuts in the above-mentioned liquor, maturation can be performed for a period of 5 to 30 days. It has been confirmed that the liquor obtained by maturation for the above-mentioned maturation period can exhibit the same level of color, taste, and flavor as the liquor obtained by long-term maturation for 1 year or more.

[0039] Once maturation is complete, the walnuts soaked in the liquor are removed to obtain the matured amber-colored liquor.

[0040] Additionally, the liquor produced through the aging process can be stored in its original container, or it can be placed in an oak barrel and subjected to a subsequent maturation process. For example, the amber-colored spirit obtained through the aging process can be placed in an oak barrel and aged for six months or more. Alternatively, the spirit can be placed in an oak barrel and aged for another liquor, and the process can be repeated to produce liquors with distinct flavors and aromas.

[0041] The results of the change in the color of the distilled liquor during the aging process by the aging method of soaking walnuts can be confirmed through Fig. 2. Four, five, and six selected walnuts were soaked in containers containing 400 ml of 36-degree alcohol distilled liquor, respectively, and aged for 8 days. The weight of the walnuts was 40, 50, and 60 g, respectively. The distilled liquor was transparent when soaked with walnuts, but after 8 days of aging, the color changed to walnut color. In addition, it was confirmed that the color of the liquor after aging became darker to walnut color depending on the amount of walnuts, and that the taste and flavor changed depending on the aging conditions.

[0042] Additionally, 2,000 people tasted various distilled liquors, each of which was aged for 12 days after soaking 0.25 kg / ℓ of walnuts in commercially available distilled liquors. They were then asked to freely evaluate the liquor's aroma, body, aftertaste, aftertaste, and balance. The most frequently cited evaluation results are summarized in Table 1.

[0043] THE GLENSTAGWINDSOR 12 MONKEYSHOULDERBALLANTINE 17 CIVAS REGAL 18 Cheonan Walnut Wine aroma, wood aroma Vanilla aroma Whiskey aroma Whiskey aroma Sweet wine aroma Sweet whiskey aroma Wood aroma, nut aroma Body Light light Light Monk Monk Monk Monk Stinging taste Soft stinging taste Spreading stinging taste Moderate stinging taste Soft stinging taste Soft stinging taste Soft aftertaste / wood aroma Weak chocolate taste, whiskey aroma Moderate whiskey aroma Vanilla aroma, chocolate aroma, whiskey aroma White wine aroma, whiskey aroma Deep nutty aroma Balanced woody aroma Slightly anxious Stinging feeling Slightly anxious Harmonious feeling Sweet harmony Sweet harmony Deep nutty aroma Slightly anxious

[0044] These results suggest that improved aroma and flavor can be exhibited by applying the aging method of the present invention to commercially available distilled liquors, and that the liquor aging method of the present invention can be applied to various types of distilled liquors as well as various types of alcoholic beverages.

[0045] While the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments as described above, it is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. Such modifications and variations are deemed to fall within the scope of the present invention and the appended claims.

Claims

1. Step of removing the outer skin of the walnut; A step of washing the outer shell residue remaining on the surface of the walnut from which the outer shell has been removed and drying it to obtain walnuts; The step of selecting the above walnuts; A step of soaking and maturing the selected walnuts in alcohol; A method for maturing alcoholic beverages, characterized by including:

2. In claim 1, A method for maturing alcoholic beverages, characterized in that the alcoholic beverage is any one selected from fermented alcoholic beverages, brewed alcoholic beverages, and distilled alcoholic beverages.

3. In claim 1, A method for maturing liquor, characterized in that the step of obtaining the above walnuts is performed by repeating the process of washing and drying 2 to 5 times.

4. In claim 1, A method for maturing alcohol, characterized in that the step of soaking and maturing the walnuts in the alcohol comprises soaking and maturing 0.1 to 0.5 kg of walnuts per 1 liter of alcohol.

5. In claim 1, A method for maturing alcohol, characterized in that it additionally includes a step of post-maturing the matured alcohol obtained through the above maturing step.

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