Accelerated Maturation of Rye Spirits

Whisky is made by a process of fermentation, distillation, and maturation. The last step is by far the most time-consuming part of this process. In order for maturation to occur, the distilled spirit must sit in a wooden barrel for years, during which the spirit takes on the familiar colour and taste of whisky. This inefficient process is an antiquated approach to creating this beloved class of beverage. By using simple chemical principles, we aim to develop a new method to make matured spirits – one that will take only a fraction of the time to create a similarly complex and delicious liquor. This project will allow us to systematically evaluate some of the variables in spirit maturation and inform future innovation in this area, eventually leading to new and exciting Canadian spirits for consumption domestically and abroad.

Faculty Supervisor:

Marc J Adler

Student:

David Raveenthrarajan

Partner:

Incubate Innovate Network of Canada

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Ryerson University