Alcoholic spirits may be artificially aged under highly pressurized carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide may form carbonic acid, which may cause various esters to form in the presence of wood as well as to mellow the flavor when no wood is present. Wood may be pretreated with ozone, which may extract lignin which may further convert to vanillin during pressurized CO2 treatment, giving a vanilla note. After processing with pressurized CO2, a post-treatment of ozone may be given to the spirit, which may cause a mild oxidation and further mellowing of the spirit.

Alcoholic spirits may be artificially aged under highly pressurized carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide may form carbonic acid, which may cause various esters to form in the presence of wood as well as to mellow the flavor when no wood is present. Wood may be pretreated with ozone, which may extract lignin which may further convert to vanillin during pressurized CO2 treatment, giving a vanilla note. After processing with pressurized CO2, a post-treatment of ozone may be given to the spirit, which may cause a mild oxidation and further mellowing of the spirit.

A process for the accelerated aging and integrated flavoring of alcoholic beverages with selective control over the final flavor profile is described using size-reduced wood and plant-based biomass products in a rapidly-recirculating system at or above atmospheric pressure with the availability of gaseous, liquid, or solids introduction and accentuated by solids sonication and/or ultrasonically-enhanced alcoholic beverage homogenization and/or chemical reactions and with a much-reduced consumption of wood and plant-based biomass.

A process for the accelerated aging and integrated flavoring of alcoholic beverages with selective control over the final flavor profile is described using size-reduced wood and plant-based biomass products in a rapidly-recirculating system at or above atmospheric pressure with the availability of gaseous, liquid, or solids introduction and accentuated by solids sonication and/or ultrasonically-enhanced alcoholic beverage homogenization and/or chemical reactions and with a much-reduced consumption of wood and plant-based biomass.

A method for expediting the production of aged whiskey. The method uses a system including a tank with a lid containing charred wood slabs and a degasser connected via a conduit to a tube having a vacuum valve, a pressure release valve, and a vacuum gauge. Distillate is delivered to the tank and cyclical steps are applied to age the distillate while regulating the amount of vacuum developed in the tank. The degasser is energized and the vacuum valve is opened, subjecting the distillate to vacuum. The vacuum valve closed and the degasser is de-energized. The pressure in the system is held for approximately one minute. The pressure release valve is slowly opened, allowing the pressure to neutralize to atmospheric pressure. The pressure release valve is closed and the system sits for at least 1.5 hours. Finally, these cyclical steps are repeated for 21 days or more.

A method for expediting the production of aged whiskey. The method uses a system including a tank with a lid containing charred wood slabs and a degasser connected via a conduit to a tube having a vacuum valve, a pressure release valve, and a vacuum gauge. Distillate is delivered to the tank and cyclical steps are applied to age the distillate while regulating the amount of vacuum developed in the tank. The degasser is energized and the vacuum valve is opened, subjecting the distillate to vacuum. The vacuum valve closed and the degasser is de-energized. The pressure in the system is held for approximately one minute. The pressure release valve is slowly opened, allowing the pressure to neutralize to atmospheric pressure. The pressure release valve is closed and the system sits for at least 1.5 hours. Finally, these cyclical steps are repeated for 21 days or more.

Provided is a system and method for rapid aging of distilled ethyl alcohol. The system includes a vessel with at least one aperture for introducing RF energy at a preselected frequency to be absorbed by opaque material in a target area; at least one liquid circulating system; and a platform to substantially contain a plurality of units of wood as the opaque material. Each unit of wood has a plurality of capillaries containing at least wood sugar and resin. The system has a wood agitation system to move the wood through the target area. An RF generator provides constant RF energy at the predetermined frequency to induce oscillation of molecules within the wood. The system has an oxygenator to provide oxygen into the liquid mixture and outgas congeners from the liquid, the vessel further providing at least one vent structured and arranged to vent the outgassed congeners.

Provided is a system and method for rapid aging of distilled ethyl alcohol. The system includes a vessel with at least one aperture for introducing RF energy at a preselected frequency to be absorbed by opaque material in a target area; at least one liquid circulating system; and a platform to substantially contain a plurality of units of wood as the opaque material. Each unit of wood has a plurality of capillaries containing at least wood sugar and resin. The system has a wood agitation system to move the wood through the target area. An RF generator provides constant RF energy at the predetermined frequency to induce oscillation of molecules within the wood. The system has an oxygenator to provide oxygen into the liquid mixture and outgas congeners from the liquid, the vessel further providing at least one vent structured and arranged to vent the outgassed congeners.

A modular smoker includes a base portion having a through bore extending from a first end of the base portion to a second end of the base portion, wherein the through bore is configured to define a shelf between the first end and the second end, a top portion configured to be removably coupled with the base portion, wherein the top portion has a through bore extending from a first end of the top portion to an opposite second end of the top portion in a first direction, and a screen configured to be held on the shelf of the through bore between the first end and the second end of the base portion. The through bore of the base portion is configured to define a chamber for receiving a combustible material on the screen between the first end and the second end of the base portion, the through bore of the base portion is configured to permit a flow of smoke from the combustible material out the through bore of the base portion at the second end of the base portion, and the second end of the body member is configured to rest on a rim of a container to block the flow of air from the container where a surface of the second end of the body member contacts the rim.

A modular smoker includes a base portion having a through bore extending from a first end of the base portion to a second end of the base portion, wherein the through bore is configured to define a shelf between the first end and the second end, a top portion configured to be removably coupled with the base portion, wherein the top portion has a through bore extending from a first end of the top portion to an opposite second end of the top portion in a first direction, and a screen configured to be held on the shelf of the through bore between the first end and the second end of the base portion. The through bore of the base portion is configured to define a chamber for receiving a combustible material on the screen between the first end and the second end of the base portion, the through bore of the base portion is configured to permit a flow of smoke from the combustible material out the through bore of the base portion at the second end of the base portion, and the second end of the body member is configured to rest on a rim of a container to block the flow of air from the container where a surface of the second end of the body member contacts the rim.