Alcoholic Beverage Technology
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide students with the knowledge related to the parameters useful to characterize wine, beer and some distillates. The course aims to make students competent in the management of alcoholic beverage production processes.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course the students will know how to know about the production technologies of alcoholic beverages (wine, beer, spirits, etc.) starting from the raw materials passing through the process parameters up to knowing how to identify the factors that condition the quality of the products finished.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Lectures:
WINE - Economic indicators and legislation. Composition of grapes; changes of main grape components during maturation and the importance thereof for the fermentation process and wine quality. Criteria for determining harvest readiness. Grape and exogenous enzymes. Aromatic compounds: terpenic fraction, methoxypyrazines, sulphur compounds, norisoprenoic compounds. Glycosidasic enzymes. Phenolic substances: anthocyans, flavanols, procyanidines, tannins. Polimerization and stabilization of colour. Oxidative pathway in must. Harvesting and handling of grapes, must and skins before, during and after fermentation. Taxonomy and ecology of grape and wine yeasts. Yeast oenological characteristics and condition for yeasts development. Biochemistry of alcoholic fermentation and metabolic pathways of wine yeasts. Microbial spoilage of wines and applied aspects of moulds and lactic acid bacteria during winemaking. Malolactic fermentation. Use of sulphur dioxide in must and wine treatment. Products and methods complementing the effect of sulphur dioxide. Principles of winemaking including schemes of grape processing and special demands in individual technological practices: white, red, rose and sparkling wines, and special wines. Fining agents use optimization. Protein, tartrate, oxidative, color and metal stability Principles and techniques for physicochemical and microbiological stabilization of wine. Enzymes in winemaking. Bottling. Wood barrel ageing. Quality control and product specifications. Sensory evaluation of wines.
BEER - Economic indicators and legislation. Raw materials used in brewing. Structure of the barley grain. Enzymic modification and biochemical changes occurring during germination. Characteristics and production of the main classes of malts used in brewing. Milling of malt and wort production (mashing). Water quality (source, ionic composition, treatments). Principal mashing methods and mashing biochemistry (starch conversion, proteolysis). Hops: processing and forms used in brewing, hop chemistry. Wort boiling, clarification, and cooling. Brewing yeast management and fermentation. Brewing yeast taxonomy and biochemistry. Biological and chemical processes that contribute to the maturation of beer. Formation of non-biological hazes and stabilization against non-biological haze. Clarification and filtration. Bottling.
SPIRITS - Distillation principles. The properties of ethanol-water mixture. Batch and continuous distillation. Processing of some spirits.
WINE - Economic indicators and legislation. Composition of grapes; changes of main grape components during maturation and the importance thereof for the fermentation process and wine quality. Criteria for determining harvest readiness. Grape and exogenous enzymes. Aromatic compounds: terpenic fraction, methoxypyrazines, sulphur compounds, norisoprenoic compounds. Glycosidasic enzymes. Phenolic substances: anthocyans, flavanols, procyanidines, tannins. Polimerization and stabilization of colour. Oxidative pathway in must. Harvesting and handling of grapes, must and skins before, during and after fermentation. Taxonomy and ecology of grape and wine yeasts. Yeast oenological characteristics and condition for yeasts development. Biochemistry of alcoholic fermentation and metabolic pathways of wine yeasts. Microbial spoilage of wines and applied aspects of moulds and lactic acid bacteria during winemaking. Malolactic fermentation. Use of sulphur dioxide in must and wine treatment. Products and methods complementing the effect of sulphur dioxide. Principles of winemaking including schemes of grape processing and special demands in individual technological practices: white, red, rose and sparkling wines, and special wines. Fining agents use optimization. Protein, tartrate, oxidative, color and metal stability Principles and techniques for physicochemical and microbiological stabilization of wine. Enzymes in winemaking. Bottling. Wood barrel ageing. Quality control and product specifications. Sensory evaluation of wines.
BEER - Economic indicators and legislation. Raw materials used in brewing. Structure of the barley grain. Enzymic modification and biochemical changes occurring during germination. Characteristics and production of the main classes of malts used in brewing. Milling of malt and wort production (mashing). Water quality (source, ionic composition, treatments). Principal mashing methods and mashing biochemistry (starch conversion, proteolysis). Hops: processing and forms used in brewing, hop chemistry. Wort boiling, clarification, and cooling. Brewing yeast management and fermentation. Brewing yeast taxonomy and biochemistry. Biological and chemical processes that contribute to the maturation of beer. Formation of non-biological hazes and stabilization against non-biological haze. Clarification and filtration. Bottling.
SPIRITS - Distillation principles. The properties of ethanol-water mixture. Batch and continuous distillation. Processing of some spirits.
Prerequisites for admission
The concepts and information provided in the teaching require adequate basic knowledge related to general and inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, and microbiology. Therefore, it is appropriate and mandatory that the student has passed the examinations related to these teachings.
Teaching methods
Teaching will be delivered through lectures with computer aids (presentations), aimed at transferring theoretical knowledge for understanding and applying the topics of the course. Peer discussions on specific topics, aimed at acquiring the appropriate technical-scientific language and the ability to make independent judgments.
Teaching Resources
The material presented in each lecture will be available on the dedicated UNIMI-MyARIEL page.
Suggested books:
Trattato di Enologia, voll. 1 e 2. Ribereau Gayon et al. (2018). Ed. Edagricole-New Business Media. Edizione 4.
Principles of Brewing Science: A Study of Serious Brewing Issues. George J. Fix. (1999). Ed. Brewers publications. (in inglese)
Birra: materie prime, tecnologie, stili. Zangrando T. e Marconi M. (2018). Ed. Edagricole-New Business Media.
Suggested books:
Trattato di Enologia, voll. 1 e 2. Ribereau Gayon et al. (2018). Ed. Edagricole-New Business Media. Edizione 4.
Principles of Brewing Science: A Study of Serious Brewing Issues. George J. Fix. (1999). Ed. Brewers publications. (in inglese)
Birra: materie prime, tecnologie, stili. Zangrando T. e Marconi M. (2018). Ed. Edagricole-New Business Media.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The in-presence exam consists of a written test of 30 questions each with 4 closed answers. The exam will last 45 minutes. The grade will be recorded on a 30-point scale and the final grade will be communicated through the University's exam registration system. There are no in-progress tests, and no calculator use is allowed. The examination method is considered effective for achieving an assessment of skills acquired by the student in the context of the technologies of alcoholic beverages considering the topics covered in the lectures.
At least six exam sessions per academic year will be scheduled. Students enrolled in an examination call and who no longer wish to take the exam are required to promptly inform the teacher.
Specific procedures for students with disabilities or specific learning disabilities (DSA) will be applied also for telematic exams. More information is available at: https://www.unimi.it/en/study/student-services/services-students-specific-learning-disabilities-sld
DSA students and students with disabilities are required to inform the teacher by e-mail at least 15 days before the exam date to define possible individual actions. The e-mail should also send in cc to: [email protected] (for DSA students) or [email protected] (for students with disabilities).
At least six exam sessions per academic year will be scheduled. Students enrolled in an examination call and who no longer wish to take the exam are required to promptly inform the teacher.
Specific procedures for students with disabilities or specific learning disabilities (DSA) will be applied also for telematic exams. More information is available at: https://www.unimi.it/en/study/student-services/services-students-specific-learning-disabilities-sld
DSA students and students with disabilities are required to inform the teacher by e-mail at least 15 days before the exam date to define possible individual actions. The e-mail should also send in cc to: [email protected] (for DSA students) or [email protected] (for students with disabilities).
AGR/15 - FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - University credits: 4
Lessons: 32 hours
Professor:
De Noni Ivano
Shifts:
Turno
Professor:
De Noni IvanoEducational website(s)
Professor(s)
Reception:
By appointment
Sezione Tecnologie Alimentari - DeFENS