Research on the technology for producing spirit from buckwheat grains harvested in Ha Giang province

Abstract

Buckwheat plants are being widely grown in Ha Giang province for tourism and grains are processed to make products like cakes and spirits. Buckwheat spirit is produced by the traditional method often necessary to combine buckwheat grains with corn grains, and products have less characteristic flavour and are easily confused with corn spirit. This research aims to create a distilled white spirit made entirely from buckwheat grains. The technological parameters selected are as follows: buckwheat grains without husks were cooked with water with the ratio of 1.2 l/kg of buckwheat grains in 60 minutes; the ratio of start culture used was 13 g/kg of grains; the thickness of the incubation block was 9 cm; the ratio of water added for liquid fermentation was 1.1 l/kg of buckwheat grains and fermented at 25^oC for 5 days. In addition, K₂S₂O₅ is added at a ratio of 100 mg/l to prevent contamination during fermentation. At the end of the fermentation, the alcohol concentration in the wort reached 10.2% Vol., the alcohol recovery efficiency reached 0.6 litres of alcohol 35% Vol./kg of buckwheat grains. The product has distinctive sensory quality and meets food hygiene and safety standards.