We’ve all tasted wine at least once in our lives. I say at least once because after having it, some of us realised it’s way too expensive and stuck to beer. However, all of us know how it’s made. Grapes are grown, they’re fermented, then they undergo a malo-lactic conversion & after storing for a substantial amount of time, you’ve your wine. Now there are some non-grape ones like mead, barley wine and rice wine (sake). But have you ever heard of wood wine? Probably not.
According to the International Business Times, a group of researchers have discovered a variety of flavors and spirits while trying to produce alcoholic beverages from wood.
This particular process of extracting alcohol from wood has been discovered by Japan’s Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute. They’ve stated that they’re still perfecting the procedure and will hopefully begin commercial production within the next three years. Additionally, the scientists have promised that once they’re done, the texture of the wine will be similar to those that have been aged in wooden barrels.
Although it sounds bizarre, the process of making this wood wine is fairly similar to how grape-based wines are made. The final product has a high content of alcohol as well.
Reportedly, three kinds of trees have been experimented with to make this wine: Cedar, Birch and Cherry. First it was mashed into a creamy paste, just like the grapes are crushed. After that it was fermented, also like normal wine. However, the heating process was avoided in order to keep the unique taste of each tree intact.
The scientists have said that only four kilograms of Cedar is enough to produce 3.8 liters of liquid, which is found to have an alcohol percentage of 15%. And if you ask which among the two is preferable between distilled and brewed, the scientists will advise you the distilled one, since it appears better.
However, this is not the first time that wood has been used to make wine. Their first attempts have resulted in a drink that is full of toxins and lacking in flavour. Researcher Kengo Magara said,
“But our method can make it drinkable, and with a wood flavor because it does not require high heat or sulphuric acid to decompose the wood. We thought it would be interesting to think that alcohol could be made from something around here like trees.”
The Japanese are able to try this experiment because they’ve an overabundance of trees in their country. As our country is already suffering from deforestation, please don’t start chopping trees and making wine out of it. Stick to the grape wine or save up for the next three years so that you can travel to Japan and have their wood wine.