PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROFILE OF SPIRITS DURING AGING IN OAK BARRELS

Cachaça made from sugarcane has played a prominent role in Brazilian economic development. Among several types, there is a peculiar cachaça called 'aged' that contains at least 50% of cachaça aged in an appropriate wooden container, stored for at least 1 (one) year. Aging in wooden barrels promotes a significant decrease in the alcoholic flavor and the feeling of harshness of the drink, while increasing the sweetness and flavor of wood, providing an effective sensory improvement of the product. The transformation of the aroma and flavor of the beverage is the result of changes in the composition and concentration of its compounds. Thus, this study aimed to monitor the evolution of the chemical composition of cachaça during aging in oak barrels of small producer(s) in the city of Valença and region, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, making a comparison with industrial and artisanal cachaças commercialized in the city of Valença. Three brandies were purchased, two of commercial brands, one of higher value and the other of lower value, and one from a small producer in the city of Valença. The cachaça sample of the small producer was collected during four different periods: freshly collected and after four, five and nine months of aging, respectively.  The physicochemical analyses were conducted in the laboratory of CEFET/RJ, following the methodology recommended by the Adolfo Lutz Institute (IAL, 2008) for the determination of dry extraction, total acidity, fixed acidity, total esters, pH, alcohol content and volatile acidity. The results showed that volatile acidity values ranged from 0.018 to 0.13 mg/100 ml of anhydrous alcohol, and total esters ranged from 13 to 15 mg/100 ml of sample, both values being in accordance with MAPA Normative Instruction No. 13 of 2005, remaining below the established maximum limit. Parameters such as pH and dry extract are not regulated by Brazilian legislation with minimum or maximum values, but results indicated that pH ranged from 3.92 (commercial cachaça) to 4.61 (small producer, freshly collected), while dry extract values ranged between 0.0025% and 1.92%. Alcoholic strength varied from 29% to 41%, with the small producer’s sample showing the highest alcohol content, consistent with reports in the literature. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the artisanal spirits from Valença presented satisfactory values for the analyzed parameters, making them suitable for commercialization without altering the physicochemical characteristics of the original product and offering a high-quality beverage.