Abstract Honey must supplementation is necessary for mead production due to the deficiency in nitrogen materials in this feedstock, despite its high fermentative sugar content. The nitrogen limitation can halt or slow fermentation and lead to the production of unpleasant sensorial compounds, such as sulfur derivatives. The yeast JP14, a Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated from Jataí bee’s pollen, was inoculated in 25 °Brix honey must with – 0 (control); 0,3; 0,7 and 1,0 g∙L-1 – of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) and ammonium sulfate (AS). The addition of both supplements resulted in increased cell viability in the first 5 days of fermentation at 20 °C, but did not affect the final acidity of the produced meads. Supplementation also leads to increased sugar consumption, and sugar conversion into ethanol increased as nitrogen supplementation increased, especially with DAP. This indicates that these compounds also regulate yeast metabolic pathways. Supplementary nitrogen acts both in protein anabolism and the gene expression of glycolytic and fermentative pathway components, favoring, in this case, sugar conversion into ethanol. This is the first work describing how different DAP and AS concentrations influences mead production and showing the comparison between these two supplements.

Procurou-se neste trabalho produzir cachaças em escala de laboratório a partir de leveduras isoladas de alambiques de diferentes regiões de Minas Gerais, avaliando-se e comparando-se a composição química destas em relação a cachaças de marcas comerciais. Os alambiques selecionados para isolamento das leveduras produzem tradicionalmente cachaças com características artesanais, cujos procedimentos as diferenciam sensorial e quimicamente das cachaças industriais. Avaliou-se a cinética de algumas das fermentações com relação ao teor alcoólico e à acidez produzidos durante a fermentação e alguns mostos atingiram concentrações de etanol da ordem de 9 ºGL e acidez de 55 mg.100 mL-1. Os compostos avaliados por cromatografia gasosa foram acetaldeído, acetato de etila, metanol, 1-propanol, álcool isobutílico, álcool isoamílico, furfural e ácido acético. As concentrações mais elevadas foram de alcoóis superiores totais, preponderando o álcool isoamílico, e de ácido acético. A composição mostrou-se bastante variável (40,59 a 671,86 mg de ácido acético.100 mL-1 de álcool anidro e 20,68 a 178,6 mg de acetaldeído.100 mL-1 de álcool anidro), e foi contrastada com os limites legais estabelecidos pela legislação brasileira (Instrução Normativa nº 13, de 30/06/2005, do Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento).

The aim of this study was to produce Brazilian sugar cane spirits (cachaça) in a laboratory scale using yeasts isolated from distilleries of different regions in Minas Gerais state evaluating and comparing their chemical composition to those of commercial brands of cachaça. The selected distilleries are from the segment of cachaça artisanal production, which includes different sensorial and chemical procedures from the ones produced in an industrial scale. Some kinetic processes were evaluated analyzing the alcoholic content and acidity produced during fermentation. Some fermenting musts showed 9 ºGL of ethanol and 55 mg.100 mL-1 of acidity. The compounds analyzed by gas chromatography were acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate, methanol, 1-propanol, isobutyl alcohol, isoamyl alcohol, furfural, and acetic acid. The concentration of the total higher alcohols were the greatest, mainly the isoamyl alcohol (the, highest) and acetic acid. The chemical profiles of the cachaças varied considerably (40,59 to 671,86 mg of acetic acid.100 mL-1 anhydrous alcohol and 20,68 to 178,6 mg of acetaldehyde.100 mL-1 anhydrous alcohol) and all compositions were contrasted with the legal standards of the Brazilian legislation.

Os principais compostos responsáveis pelo amargor de cervejas são os iso- α-ácidos provenientes do lúpulo, que participam de maneira importante no sabor da bebida. Procurou-se, neste trabalho, diferenciar algumas cervejas brasileiras líderes do mercado nacional em relação a algumas marcas disponíveis no mercado do oeste dos Estados Unidos, compreendendo cervejas tipo lager, ale e de microcervejarias. Discute-se a relação entre unidades de amargor (BU) e os teores de iso- α-ácidos totais e suas frações isohumulona, isocohumulona e isoadhumulona presentes nestes tipos de cerveja. Os resultados mostraram que a cerveja do tipo Indian Pale Ale apresentou maior nível de BU, apesar da concentração de iso- α-ácidos totais aproximar-se dos valores de cervejas lager e de microcervejaria. Cervejas tipo lager norte-americanas apresentaram as menores intensidades de amargor, seguidas das marcas brasileiras (de 11 a 15 BU). Com relação às frações dos iso- α-ácidos, destaca-se que a isoadhumulona foi a fração de concentração mais baixa em todas as amostras e que na maioria das amostras prevalecem concentrações superiores de isohumulona. A faixa de concentração de isohumulonas permaneceu entre 3,0 e 17,0 mg.L-1

Iso-α-acids is a group of compounds which have an important participation in beer flavor. They are responsible for the bitterness which is provided by the hops used during brewing. This study was conducted in order to characterize some Brazilian and North American beers according to bitter characteristics, as Bitterness Units (BU), through the use of a spectrophotometric method or as total iso-α-acids and their isohumulone, isocohumulone, and isoadhumulone fractions by HPLC. Most of the beers evaluated were lager pilsener coming from market leader industries, ale and others produced in microbrewing plants. The Indian Pale Ale beer type, produced by late hopped process, showed the highest BU although the iso-α-acids content in this brand were not as higher as the BU compared to the other samples. North American lager beers presented lower intensities of bitter taste followed by the Brazilian brands (11-15 BU). With regards to the fractions of iso-α-acids, it is distinguished that isoadhumulona was the fraction of lower concentration in all the samples, and the majority of the samples showed higher concentration of isohumulona. The range of isohumulona was between 3,0 and 17,0 mg.L-1.

This work aimed to characterize the chemical composition of samples of alcoholic beverages fermented from jabuticaba produced in five successive crops. Up to 2005 most of the results didn't meet the current legal standards for wines and there was a negative correlation between parameters such as pH and volatile acidity, pH and total acidity, volatile acidity and alcohol content (p<0.01). The implementation of Good Manufacturing Practices and must sulfitation during the 2006 harvest lowered volatile acidity and more than 60% of the samples were in accordance with legislation. Also, a significant improvement in alcohol content was found (p<0.05)