A method for producing a rapidly aged spirit is provided that blends a young spirit with an aged spirit and accelerates the formation of flavor compounds through the addition of heat and oxygen in the presence of wood adjuncts over time. Chemical analysis of selected flavor compounds informs the termination of the aging process and can produce a rapidly aged spirit that presents the flavor characteristics and flavor compounds of a mature barrel aged spirit in significantly less time. Contribution of flavor compounds from barrel aged spirits compliments the oxidation of flavor compounds to more complex or long chain molecules.

A method for producing a rapidly aged spirit is provided that blends a young spirit with an aged spirit and accelerates the formation of flavor compounds through the addition of heat and oxygen in the presence of wood adjuncts over time. Chemical analysis of selected flavor compounds informs the termination of the aging process and can produce a rapidly aged spirit that presents the flavor characteristics and flavor compounds of a mature barrel aged spirit in significantly less time. Contribution of flavor compounds from barrel aged spirits compliments the oxidation of flavor compounds to more complex or long chain molecules.

A method and system for rapidly aging ethanol-based solutions is disclosed wherein the temperature of a mass transfer column containing packing material is controlled while fluid flows there through.

A method and system for rapidly aging ethanol-based solutions is disclosed wherein the temperature of a mass transfer column containing packing material is controlled while fluid flows there through.

An improved system and process for rapidly producing distilled spirits having characteristics associated with a much longer maturation process is provided. The method involves contacting wood with an unmatured distilled spirit under heated conditions and contacting the resulting heat-treated spirit with actinic light. The disclosure provides embodiments where a spirit is sequentially processed through heat and actinic light treatment. The disclosure also provides embodiments where a heat-treated spirit is mixed with a spirit that has been separately treated with light to give characteristics of a mature spirit. Air may also be percolated through a mature spirit in a container with a headspace at a gauge pressure between about −25 inHg and about −30 inHg, until the alcohol concentration of the mature spirit is reduced by between about 1% to about 2% by volume, and until the total volume of the mature spirit is reduced by about 10% or less.

A hydrogen sulfide adsorption distiller using pure copper of the present invention has advantages in that, while alcohol vaporized in a heating vessel 100 sequentially passes through a retention tube 120, which is formed of pure copper having a catalytic reaction, a vertical tube 130, a spiral coil 132, a cooling vessel 140, and a liquid collecting vessel 150 until distilled liquor C of condensed liquefied alcohol is completed, vaporization process is facilitated, and at the same time, hydrogen sulfide of the vaporized alcohol and the condensed liquefied alcohol is adsorbed, and thus, hydrogen sulfide, which (adversely) affects the organoleptic flavour properties of distilled liquor C, is removed as much as possible, thus improving liquor quality.

A hydrogen sulfide adsorption distiller using pure copper of the present invention has advantages in that, while alcohol vaporized in a heating vessel 100 sequentially passes through a retention tube 120, which is formed of pure copper having a catalytic reaction, a vertical tube 130, a spiral coil 132, a cooling vessel 140, and a liquid collecting vessel 150 until distilled liquor C of condensed liquefied alcohol is completed, vaporization process is facilitated, and at the same time, hydrogen sulfide of the vaporized alcohol and the condensed liquefied alcohol is adsorbed, and thus, hydrogen sulfide, which (adversely) affects the organoleptic flavour properties of distilled liquor C, is removed as much as possible, thus improving liquor quality.

An improved system and process for rapidly producing distilled spirits having characteristics associated with a much longer maturation process is provided. The method involves contacting wood with an unmatured distilled spirit under heated conditions and contacting the resulting heat-treated spirit with actinic light. The disclosure provides embodiments where a spirit is sequentially processed through heat and actinic light treatment. The disclosure also provides embodiments where a heat-treated spirit is mixed with a spirit that has been separately treated with light to give characteristics of a mature spirit. Air may also be percolated through a mature spirit in a container with a headspace at a gauge pressure between about −25 inHg and about −30 inHg, until the alcohol concentration of the mature spirit is reduced by between about 1% to about 2% by volume, and until the total volume of the mature spirit is reduced by about 10% or less.

An improved system and process for rapidly producing distilled spirits having characteristics associated with a much longer maturation process is provided. The method involves contacting wood with an unmatured distilled spirit under heated conditions and contacting the resulting heat-treated spirit with actinic light. The disclosure provides embodiments where a spirit is sequentially processed through heat and actinic light treatment. The disclosure also provides embodiments where a heat-treated spirit is mixed with a spirit that has been separately treated with light to give characteristics of a mature spirit. Air may also be percolated through a mature spirit in a container with a headspace at a gauge pressure between about −25 inHg and about −30 inHg, until the alcohol concentration of the mature spirit is reduced by between about 1% to about 2% by volume, and until the total volume of the mature spirit is reduced by about 10% or less.

A method for preparing a filtered beverage includes filtering a raw beverage using a cross-flow ultrafiltration device to produce a solids fraction and a liquid fraction; heating the solids fraction to a temperature of 60° C. or greater to produce a pasteurized solids fraction; microfiltering the liquid fraction through a microfilter having a size cut-off of 1 μm or smaller to produce a microfiltered liquid fraction; and combining the pasteurized solids fraction and the microfiltered liquid fraction to result in the filtered beverage.