The added value of used cooperage wood

Abstract

Used cooperage wood accounts for one of the many residues generated by wine, beer and spirit industries. Besides becoming depleted of its extractives, during ageing wood is also enriched by wine and its composition, adsorbing sensory active compounds. This adsorption is mainly due to hydrophobic interactions, being the extraction of the adsorbed volatiles promoted by ethanol content in the beverage. Thus cooperage wood can be used as a vector for transferring compounds from one beverage to another, being wood reuse and provenance a significant variable to take into account when envisaging production and ageing of alcoholic beverages. By demonstrating its added value, used cooperage wood is transformed from a residue into a raw material and more importantly a tool in beverage production. Therefore, its lifetime can be prolonged by promoting its reuse for aroma recombination in innovative ageing processes and beverages.