Abstract

CRUZ, Sara; CANAS, Sara  and  BELCHIOR, A. Pedro. Effect of ageing system and time on the quality of wine brandy aged at industrial-scale. Ciência Téc. Vitiv. [online]. 2012, vol.27, n.2, pp.83-93. ISSN 0254-0223.

During the first six it was performed the analysis of dissolved oxygen dry extract polyphenol index chromatic characteristics and low molecular weight compounds of Lourinhã brandies aged in different systems 650 L wooden barrels (traditional system) and stainless steel tanks of 3000 L with wood staves (alternative system). In each system two kinds of wood were used simultaneously and arranged alternately: Portuguese chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) and Limousin French oak (Quercus robur L.) with medium plus toasting level. The quantity of staves was calculated in order to reproduce the surface/volume ratio of a 650 L wooden barrel. The results obtained show that the ageing system has a very significant effect on the chemical composition and colour of the aged brandies. The alternative system promotes further evolution of colour and lower oxygen consumption, while the traditional system yields higher dry extract total phenolic and low molecular weight compounds contents. These outcomes, which have been proven by an essay based on the dry extract method, indicate that the changes observed in the brandy during the ageing process are closely related to the wood shape, suggesting and the phenomena that occur in each ageing system are different. Regarding the ageing time, there is a highly significant effect on the characteristics of the aged brandies, even though the observations are made in a short period of time (minimum requested by the European legislation for the ageing of the wine brandy), with higher extraction of the wood compounds up to 90 days.

Keywords : aged wine brandy; ageing system; ageing time; physicochemical characteristics; low molecular weight compounds.

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