Production of spirits from dry apple pomace and selected yeasts

Apple pomace spirits were made from dry pomace and selected yeasts strains. Two strains of indigenous cider yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Hanseniaspora uvarum) as well as a commercial enzyme combined with a wine dry yeast were tested. The differences between distillates were studied by means of chemical and sensory analysis. According to the results of this study, treatment with enzymes with pectin methylesterase activity led to excessive levels of distilled methanol, and hence it use is not advisable. In contrast, the indigenous yeasts produced lower concentrations of methanol. Moreover, using different yeast species allows the production of spirits with important differences in their aromatic composition, which is certainly interesting from a commercial point of view. Furthermore, the results showed that drying the apple pomace allows it to be preserved in good condition, thus solving the problem of the seasonality of the raw material for making apple pomace distillates. (C) 2013 The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.