The production process of Daqu Maotai-flavor wine has the characteristics of "four highs and two longs, one big and one more", that is, high-temperature koji making, high-temperature accumulation, high-temperature fermentation, and high-temperature distillation; the production cycle is long, and the base wine has a long storage time; The amount of koji is large and requires multiple rounds of fermentation.
High-temperature koji making
provides the basis for sauce-flavor liquor to present the sauce-flavor characteristics. The quality of the koji plays a decisive role in forming the style of the finished liquor and improving the quality of the liquor. In the production process of Maotai-flavor Daqu, high temperature is one of the basic conditions for producing high-quality high-temperature Daqu, which lays a solid foundation for the production of high-quality Maotai-flavor liquor. High temperature accelerates the occurrence and progress of chemistry, biochemistry , browning reactions , such as the thermal decomposition of proteins and amino acids , the reaction between sugar and protein, amino acids and ammonia, and the reaction between sugar cleavage products and amino acids, etc. , these reactions enrich the aroma components of Maotai-flavor liquor.
High-temperature accumulation
creates necessary conditions for the further generation of sauce-flavored substances. The high-temperature accumulation process is conducive to the fermentation and enrichment of microorganisms in the air for the production of ethanol. The saccharification fermentation decomposes part of the amylase into soluble Fermentable sugars, enzymatic decomposition of proteins into amino acids, and the most important aroma-generating effect. The aroma substances accumulated during the accumulation and heating process are further transformed, and browning reactions, biological and chemical reactions also occur at the same time. These reactions will produce different aroma substances, some of which may be the precursors of sauce or sauce aroma. High-temperature accumulation has become an indispensable and important link in the formation of the style of Maotai-flavor liquor.
High-temperature fermentation
provides a suitable fermentation environment for the generation of ethanol in liquor and the final formation of sauce-flavor substances. There is a jargon in the liquor industry that "the production of aroma depends on fermentation", which shows the importance of the fermentation environment in the cellar to the formation of aroma substances. Under normal circumstances of fermentation in the cellar, the first function of fermentation is to convert sugar into wine through fermentation, and aroma substances are produced with the wine. Fermentation under higher temperature conditions is conducive to the metabolism of some thermophilic microorganisms and obtains important metabolites as precursors of aroma substances. At the same time, it promotes the browning reaction to generate various organic substances, thereby forming the sauce flavor.
High-temperature distilled wine
increases the temperature of the cooling water to increase the temperature of the wine flowing out of the condenser . "Fragrance is produced by fermentation, and aroma is improved by distillation." High-temperature distilled liquor is an effective means of extracting sauce-flavor substances. It can effectively eliminate highly volatile sulfides and other irritating low-boiling point substances, and retain more non-volatile substances. High boiling point aroma substances.
The long production cycle
is determined by the unique process of multiple rounds of fermentation and multiple rounds of wine extraction for Maotai-flavor liquor. The production cycle of a batch of Maotai-flavor liquor is one year, from adding grain (adding sand and brown sand) to seven times of roasting and discarding the grains. The long production cycle is a major guarantee for the style and quality of Maotai-flavor liquor.
Long storage time
An important technological measure to ensure the quality of Maotai-flavor style. The storage time of Maotai-flavor liquor is known to be long, generally more than three years. During the storage process, the wine is slowly aged through association, volatilization and oxidation and reduction, removing the new wine smell and spicy feeling of the new wine, making the wine have an elegant and round aroma, and a mellow and smooth taste.
"One Big"
Ready-to-use Daqu has a large amount of koji. Maotai-flavored Daqu has three major functions: saccharification, wine production and aroma generation. Due to its low saccharification power, it contains a large number of microbial species, enzymes, as well as sauce and sauce aroma. Its extensive use as a saccharification fermentation agent is beneficial to the production of Maotai-flavor liquor with unique flavor and typical style. At the same time, Maotai-flavor Daqu also contains a large amount of starch, which can also be used as part of the production raw materials to increase the starch content and increase the wine yield.
"一多"
refers to multiple rounds of fermentation and wine extraction. The flavor of the first to seventh rounds of Maotai-flavor liquor is different, and the content of aroma substances is also different.After seven rounds of blending and seasoning, a Maotai-flavor liquor with outstanding sauce aroma, elegance and delicacy, mellow body, long aftertaste and long-lasting aroma in the empty cup can be formed.
