Water has the Capability of Reducing the Alcohol-Stimulative Taste of Spirits

Abstract

Effects of solutes on the stimulative taste of ethanol in transparent spirits such as vodkas were investigated to find what components could affect the alcohol-stimulative taste and consequently improve the quality of the spirits. It was demonstrated that MgCl₂, MgSO₄, and NaHCO₃ could reduce the alcohol-stimulative taste of spirits and, at the same time, strengthen the hydrogen-bonding structure of water-ethanol in spirits. It was suggested that the reduction of the alcohol-stimulative taste is related with a change of the hydrogen-bonding structure in spirits by the proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy. These salts in spirits seem to be originated in water added to spirits before bottling. Some salts in water could affect the stimulative taste of ethanol in spirits. It was confirmed that water is a very important ingredient having a great influence on the quality of spirits.