Development of a Product Quality Control Protocol for the Distillation of Apple-based Spirits

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Forbidden Spirits Distillery is a small company based in Kelowna, British Columbia, that grows, harvests, ferments and distills local BC apples into premium vodkas. The orchard-based distillery's prime location in the Okanagan Valley provides a unique agri-tourism destination and authentic farm-to-flask experience for the public, with tours and special events held during the summer. The company wishes to expand its customer base through the development of new and innovative ultra-premium agri-beverage products that are distilled up to 50 times to meet changing consumer preferences. A key challenge in the distillation of high-quality spirits is the accurate identification and quantification of volatile compounds the can impact product quality. While organoleptic sensing (i.e. smelling and tasting) provides key information on beverage characteristics, it is not sufficient to accurately identify and quantify favourable and unfavourable compounds that can affect the taste and quality of an end product. Impacts of climate change can affect the smell and taste of distilled agri-beverages due to increased amounts of wildfire smoke, periods of heavy rain or drought and pressures on available water. The company seeks to partner with researchers at Okanagan College to develop a quality control protocol for the distillation of apple-based spirits to improve product quality, consistency and yield. Research knowledge and expertise gained from this project will be used directly by the company to support their goal of developing and introducing new and innovative vodkas and other agri-beverage products to meet growing consumer demand. Expected benefits to the company include increased sales and market growth, while Okanagan College will use the new knowledge and technology for future teaching and applied research purposes.