Method for rapid maturation of distilled spirits using light and heat processes

Abstract

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for producing a mature spirit comprising:
 (a) providing heat to a mixture consisting essentially of an unmatured distilled spirit and wood, to maintain a temperature between about 140° F. and about 170° F. for a period of time ranging from about 24 hours to about 336 hours to give a distilled spirit mixture;   (b) contacting the distilled spirit mixture with wood and actinic light at a wavelength spectrum ranging from about 183 nm to about 1 mm for at least one hour to give an actinic light-treated distilled spirit mixture; and   (c) providing heat to the actinic light-treated distilled spirit mixture produced in step (b) to maintain a temperature between about 140° F. and about 170° F. for a period of time ranging from about 12 hours to about 336 hours to produce the mature spirit;   wherein steps (a), (b), and (c) are performed sequentially.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the wavelength spectrum ranges from about 183 nm to about 750 nm. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the wavelength spectrum ranges from about 200 nm to about 2000 nm. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the wavelength spectrum ranges from about 375 nm to about 6000 nm. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the wavelength spectrum is within the infrared spectrum, ranging from about 700 nm to about 1 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the wavelength spectrum is within the UV spectrum, ranging from about 183 nm to about 400 nm. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising cooling the distilled spirit mixture during the actinic light exposure via a cooling system at a temperature below boiling point, the temperature from about 174° F. to about 182° F. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising conducting one or more of step (a), step (b), and step (c) are under reflux at a temperature ranging from about 140° F. to about 182° F. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising conducting one or more of step (a), step (b), and step (c) in high pressure vessels at a temperature ranging from about 140° F. up to about 328° F. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein ultrasonication is used during step (a) and step (c) to produce heat. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising introducing oxygen and/or air to the distilled spirit mixture to autooxidize aldehydes in the distilled spirit mixture. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising introducing oxygen and/or air to the distilled spirit mixture under a vacuum of up to about −29 inHg to autooxidize aldehydes in the distilled spirit mixture and remove highly volatile VOCs and ethanol. 
     
     
         13 . A process for producing a mature spirit comprising:
 (a) providing heat to a mixture consisting essentially of an unmatured distilled spirit and wood, to maintain a temperature between about 140° F. and about 170° F. for a period of time ranging from about 24 hours to about 336 hours to give a distilled spirit mixture;   (b) dividing the distilled spirit mixture into a first portion and a second portion, contacting the first portion of the distilled spirit mixture of with wood and actinic light at a wavelength spectrum ranging from about 183 nm to about 1 mm for at least one hour to give an actinic light-treated distilled spirit mixture concentrate; and   (c) adding the distilled spirit mixture concentrate to the second portion of the distilled spirit mixture and providing heat to maintain a temperature between about 140° F. and about 170° F. for a period of time ranging from about 12 hours to about 336 hours to produce the mature spirit;   wherein steps (a), (b), and (c) are performed sequentially.   
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the first portion of the distilled spirit mixture is from about 1% to about 99% of the distilled spirit mixture. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the wavelength spectrum is within the infrared spectrum, ranging from about 700 nm to about 1 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the wavelength spectrum is within the UV spectrum, ranging from about 183 nm to about 400 nm. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 13 , further comprising cooling the distilled spirit mixture during the actinic light exposure via a cooling system at a temperature below boiling point of about 174° F. to about 182° F. 
     
     
         18 . A process for producing a mature spirit comprising:
 (a) contacting the distilled spirit mixture with wood and actinic light at a wavelength spectrum ranging from about 183 nm to about 1 mm for at least one hour to give an actinic light-treated distilled spirit mixture; and   (b) providing heat to the actinic light-treated distilled spirit mixture to maintain a temperature between about 140° F. and about 170° F. for a period of time ranging from about 12 hours to about 336 hours to produce the mature spirit;   wherein steps (a), and (b), are performed sequentially.   
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18 , further comprising cooling the distilled spirit mixture during the actinic light exposure via a cooling system to a temperature below boiling point, the temperature from about 174° F. to about 182° F. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 18 , further comprising introducing oxygen and/or air to the distilled spirit mixture to autooxidize aldehydes in the distilled spirit mixture.