Beer is praised as "liquid bread", rice wine, wine is praised as "liquid cake", and liquor does not seem to have been compared to a very nutritious food, the general public believes that alcohol and water in liquor account for 98% to 99% of the total weight, it is considered that liquor is just alcohol and water. Through the study of 1% to 2% of the components in liquor through modern analysis and detection technology, the substances detected in liquor have reached more than 2,000 kinds (containing alcohols, aldehydes, acids, esters, ketones, phenols, trace elements, etc.).
In addition to alcohol and water, 1% to 2% of the components in liquor are rich and diverse, and substances with a content of these substances greater than 2 to 3 mg/100 mL can be called chromatographic skeleton components through conventional chromatographic analysis, and substances less than 2 to 3 mg/100 mL are called trace components. Do not underestimate these 1% to 2% substances, many experiments have shown that they are the key substances that determine the style and quality of liquor. This article briefly introduces the esters, acids, phenols and trace elements that appear to account for a small but huge role in liquor.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > esters</h1>
Esters are an important component of the aroma of liquor, although these esters have different binding acids, but almost all are ethyl esters, such as ethyl acetate, ethyl lactate, ethyl acetate and other esters are chromatographic skeleton components in liquor, which plays an important role in the formation of the aroma and taste and style of liquor. In some high-quality wines found that there is isoamyl acetate, ordinary liquor with a short fermentation period has the most content of ethyl acetate in the esters, ranking second in addition to alcohol and water, ethyl propionate is not found in the wine, ethyl butyrate has a much better smell than butyric acid, and there is a fruity aroma in thin cases. Ethyl lactate has a softer aroma, but too much is grassy, and other ketoates have excellent aroma, but generally not much in liquor.
In addition, ethyl acetate has a restrictive effect on acetaldehyde, and substances in wine that react to human discomfort can be eliminated by renal mobilization of body fluids. Ethyl lactate can promote ethanol to stimulate the cerebral cortex, which is the body's stimulation. Ethyl acetate has the effect of lowering lung fire and stabilizing cardiopulmonary function.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > two, acids</h1>
Acid is a precursor substance that forms esters, without acid there is generally no ester, acid can also constitute other fragrance substances. Acids such as acetic acid and L-lactic acid are important chromatographic skeleton components and flavor coordination components in liquor, which can not only show fragrant taste, but also contribute to the production of other aroma components. Acetic acid, with bactericidal and antiviral functions, such as influenza, people often use vinegar fumigation sterilization; acetic acid also has the function of dilating blood vessels and delaying hardening of blood vessels. L-lactic acid is an essential organic acid for the human body, which promotes the growth of bifidobacteria and balances the microbiome in the human body. Butyric acid with sweet, no irritating odor, with an unpleasant odor, very smelly when thick, and fragrant when thin, like fruit aroma. Caprolic acid, there is an unpleasant smell, the taste is irritating and spicy. Lactic acid, with a strong feeling, more astringent, soft or sour, is a pleasant sense of smell, the flavor ingredient is more important.
<h1 class = "pgc-h-arrow-right" > three, phenolic compounds</h1>
Liquor with wheat as the main raw material for koji production, wheat cortex contains ferulic acid, after fermentation into guaiacol, 4-methyl guaiacol, 4-ethyl guaiacol and other classified compounds, liquor has been detected to contain ferulic acid, catechol, guaiacol, 4-methyl guaiacol, 4-ethyl guaiacol and other 8 kinds of phenols beneficial to health.
These classifications are excellent free radical cleaners, with antioxidant, reactive oxygen radical scavenging, anti-tumor, antibacterial, antiviral and other functions, can anti-aging and prevent the occurrence of a variety of diseases.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" >4</h1>
In the fermentation, brewing and distillation process of liquor, some trace elements are brought into the wine, in the wine sizing down, the metal elements can be brought in by water, the storage process, ethanol volatilization, acidity increase, prompting a variety of elements in the pottery altar dissolved into the wine body, the pottery altar storage time is shorter, and the old ripening effect of the wine is better than other containers. The pottery altar material contains potassium, aluminum, iron, copper, lead, manganese, nickel, cadmium and other trace elements, and the storage process of wine is also the process of continuous integration of trace elements into wine; the longer the storage time, the more trace elements are integrated into the wine. In addition, the more trace elements related to the senses of the wine, such as potassium, copper, nickel, iron, manganese and other trace elements, the better the aging effect of the wine. The trace element in other container materials has a single type, and the storage effect is not ideal. Trace elements play an important role in promoting the aging of liquor in liquor storage, indicating the benefits and irreplaceability of pottery altars as wine storage containers.
Among the trace elements, the relationship between potassium and the taste quality of liquor is the most prominent, and potassium can make the wine body mature, soft and delicate, mellow and sweet. This conclusion is consistent with the results of other foreign distilled spirits studies. Copper, iron and manganese have reducibility, and have a strong oxidation effect on various alcohols of liquor, which can play a role in promoting the aging of the wine body.