Examples disclosed herein relate to methods and systems for controllably removing one or more solutes from a solution. Examples disclosed herein relate to methods and systems for removing water from alcoholic beverages.

Examples disclosed herein relate to methods and systems for controllably removing one or more solutes from a solution. Examples disclosed herein relate to methods and systems for removing water from alcoholic beverages.

Provided is a method for making brandy, such as for instance cognac, Armagnac or Weinbrand, including the steps of providing fermentation component for the fermentation, which fermentation component is selected from at least one of the components grapes and products made completely of grapes, such as for instance raisins; fermenting the fermentation component into an alcoholic mixture; and distilling the alcoholic mixture. Before the step of fermenting the fermentation component, the fermentation component is smoked by bringing the fermentation component into contact with smoke.

Provided is a method for making brandy, such as for instance cognac, Armagnac or Weinbrand, including the steps of providing fermentation component for the fermentation, which fermentation component is selected from at least one of the components grapes and products made completely of grapes, such as for instance raisins; fermenting the fermentation component into an alcoholic mixture; and distilling the alcoholic mixture. Before the step of fermenting the fermentation component, the fermentation component is smoked by bringing the fermentation component into contact with smoke.

The present invention relates to a carbonated beverage containing: 900-988 mg/g water; 3-60 mg/g ethanol; 0.2-8 mg/g dissolved carbon dioxide; 0-4 mg/g protein; ethyl acetate in a concentration of 1-20 mg per gram of ethanol; isoamyl acetate in a concentration of 0.1-5 mg per gram of ethanol; C.sub.3-.sub.5 alcohols in a concentration of 1.5-50 mg per gram of ethanol;

wherein ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are present in a weight ratio that is within the range of 2:1 to 30:1.

The carbonated beverage of the present invention combines a punchy taste with a pleasant fruity flavor.

The invention also provides a process of producing the aforementioned carbonated beverage, said process comprising: providing a yeast fermented liquid comprising at least 1.5% (v/v) ethanol and volatile flavour components; subjecting the yeast fermented liquid to a decarbonation step in which a gaseous component comprising carbon dioxide, ethanol and volatile flavour components is removed; contacting the gaseous component with an aqueous liquid to transfer at least a part of the ethanol and the volatile flavour components from the gaseous component to the aqueous liquid, thereby producing scrubber water; optionally diluting the scrubber water; and carbonating the optionally diluted scrubber water.

A method for reducing beverage loss during loading of beverage into an ethanol concentration system having a set of reverse osmosis pressure vessels, each pressure vessel having a feed inlet, a retentate outlet, and a permeate outlet. The method includes feeding deaerated water into the feed inlet of a first pressure vessel, feeding the beverage into the feed inlet of the first pressure vessel, monitoring an alcohol percentage at the retentate outlet of a second pressure vessel, the second pressure vessel coupled directly or indirectly to the first pressure vessel, and coupling a retentate from the retentate outlet of the second pressure vessel to a feed tank coupled to the feed inlet of the first pressure vessel when the alcohol percentage is within a first target range of 0.5 to 18% alcohol-by-volume (ABV).

A method for reducing beverage loss during loading of beverage into an ethanol concentration system having a set of reverse osmosis pressure vessels, each pressure vessel having a feed inlet, a retentate outlet, and a permeate outlet. The method includes feeding deaerated water into the feed inlet of a first pressure vessel, feeding the beverage into the feed inlet of the first pressure vessel, monitoring an alcohol percentage at the retentate outlet of a second pressure vessel, the second pressure vessel coupled directly or indirectly to the first pressure vessel, and coupling a retentate from the retentate outlet of the second pressure vessel to a feed tank coupled to the feed inlet of the first pressure vessel when the alcohol percentage is within a first target range of 0.5 to 18% alcohol-by-volume (ABV).

The disclosure relates to a reactive distillation method for beverage spirit production, the method comprising. An initial reaction mixture includes water, ethanol, and a carboxylic acid, for example having 3 or more carbon atoms. The reaction mixture is reactively distilled in the presence of an esterification catalyst to react a portion of the ethanol and the carboxylic acid to form an ethyl carboxylate reaction product, and form a distillation product or distillate including water, ethanol, and the ethyl carboxylate. The esterification catalyst is not present in the distillation product, for example when using a solid acid esterification catalyst in the reaction mixture. In a refinement, ethanol and the carboxylic acid can be co-fermented in an initial grain mixture, which is subsequently reactively distilled according to the disclosed method.

The disclosure relates to a reactive distillation method for beverage spirit production, the method comprising. An initial reaction mixture includes water, ethanol, and a carboxylic acid, for example having 3 or more carbon atoms. The reaction mixture is reactively distilled in the presence of an esterification catalyst to react a portion of the ethanol and the carboxylic acid to form an ethyl carboxylate reaction product, and form a distillation product or distillate including water, ethanol, and the ethyl carboxylate. The esterification catalyst is not present in the distillation product, for example when using a solid acid esterification catalyst in the reaction mixture. In a refinement, ethanol and the carboxylic acid can be co-fermented in an initial grain mixture, which is subsequently reactively distilled according to the disclosed method.

Apparatus for treating liquids, includes •a vapour inlet (201); •a vessel (202) for housing liquid, the vessel being in fluid communication with the vapour inlet; and, •a vapour outlet (204); configured such that in use •vapour from the vapour inlet passes into liquid housed in the vessel; and •liquid from the vessel can interact with material housed in a chamber (203) in fluid communication with the vessel; •vapour from the liquid can pass to the vapour outlet. The apparatus can be used in distilling spirits in particular gin or rum.