In short: TerrePURE is the name of our patented, revolutionary technology which cleans and refines spirits, using a completely natural process, after the standard distillation process is over. It does this by using ultrasonic energy-driven oxidation to complete reactions that fail to complete during the primary distillation, and avoids the time-consuming and inefficient processes of filtration, re-distillation, or barrel aging.
People have been brewing, fermenting, and distilling alcohol for millennia, yet its basic principles have stayed the same from the beginning. To understand the TerrePURE process, a brief history of the industry is helpful.
To get a quick overview of the TerrePURE process, take a look at this short video narrated by Ty Tyler, co-inventor of the TerrePURE process, or see our feature in Popular Science Magazine.
Basic Principle
Spirit distillation is a process designed to extract ethanol from organic matter. This extraction process involves chemical reactions that do not all complete, leaving behind harsh tasting artifacts called congeners.
Motivating question
How can one remove impurities, improve the quality, and reduce the costs of distilled spirits in a quick and efficient way? This question has plagued the alcohol industry from the very early days but we at Terressentia have finally produced an answer. Let’s take a closer look at the basic components of distillation to see how the TerrePURE process surpasses it in addressing these primary concerns.
is a chemical process, designed to extract ethanol from a mash of organic matter (every type of spirit is fundamentally ethanol, with different taste profiles depending upon the organic base). Producers start with a organic base (cactus, grain, sugar cane, potatoes, etc.), add yeast and water, then induce fermentation. Fermentation allows enzymes in the organic matter to convert sugar to ethanol and can take several days. Eventually, the alcohol content rises enough to kill off the yeast, stopping the fermentation process. At this point the mix is heated to separate the ethanol from the organic matter through evaporation. This separation process is termed distillation, and no matter what base you start with, the end product is always mostly ethanol.
During the distillation process, many chemical reactions occur but do not complete. As a result, many impurities, collectively called congeners, are left behind. Some examples of congeners are propanol, isobutanol, amyl alcohols, methyl alcohol, and free radicals–all of which negatively affect taste, and some of which (particularly methanol) are associated with negative health effects.
In order to reduce or improve the harsh taste caused by these congeners, the industry has so far only found three semi-effective methods: filtration, re-distillaiton, and barrel aging.
Filtration, a process of removing molecules larger than ethanol, is a slow and ineffective process. This method of post-distillation refinement typically involves using charcoal or activated carbon to “trap” molecules of certain sizes. Fusel alcohols (such as amyl alcohol and propanol) are examples of congeners filtration attempts to remove. The main problems with filtration include its limitation in removing only congeners with larger molecular structures than ethanol, the fact that the strength of the bond between the filtration medium and the congeners is weak (allowing the congeners to be re-released into the spirit if not careful–a process called dynamic equilibrium), and the overall passive nature of the process (which renders it very time consuming).
Re-distillation, a second method of improving taste, is expensive as well due to its inefficient yield. As the name implies, re-distillation is simply the process of repeatedly distilling a spirit, hoping to remove a bit more of the harsh tasting congeners with each successive distillation. This process is only suitable for clear spirits such as gin or vodka. The amount of energy necessary to distill a gallon of such a spirit one time is large. Thus, the energy consumed by distilling a product six or more times is staggering. This is in addition to the energy necessary to cool the spirit down, as the spirit must be condensed back to a liquid before each further distillation. There is an inverse relationship between the speed of distillation (efficiency) and the purity of the final product: the faster distillation occurs, the less pure the end result. Thus, while this process can reduce some congeners, when fully considered, the inefficiencies of re-distillation are more significant than the benefits.
Barrel aging is the third, and most expensive, industry method of refining taste. Usually only spirits that are acceptable with an amber tinge, such as whiskeys or certain rums or tequilas, are placed in oak barrels (typically charred oak) and stored for many years before bottling. However, barrel aging is not that simple, as there are a large number of factors that influence the ultimate taste: length of time aged, humidity and climate, barrel rotation and location in the storage facility, final blending, and a host of others. Consistency in taste and quality is often difficult in barrel aging because of the sheer number of factors that influence the final outcome, as well as the long period of time the process takes. During this time period, another major issue heavily reduces the efficiency of this process: evaporation. Each barrel of spirit loses as much as 40% of its volume to evaporation over the course of its time in storage. These losses to evaporation are often referred to as the “angel’s share” and have been accepted as industry standard (so standard in fact, that the wholesale barrel pricing of aged spirits does not reflect these evaporative losses).
is different. Our technology is a completely new, natural process which has been independently proven to reduce unwanted congeners and reveal a smoother, more refined spirit. It does this more effectively than any previously used method by using ultrasonic energy, after distillation, to complete the chemical reactions that occur in the distillation stage. The proof of this process is easy to notice the first time you taste our spirits. TerrePURE reduces several known congeners (such as isobutanol, amyl alcohols, propanol, methyl alcohol, and free radicals) to a greater degree than other industry methods. In addition to this reduction of congeners, the TerrePURE process also induces a conversion of certain acids to esters (glycerides). This conversion produces a spirit with a much smoother mouth feel and enhanced taste and flavor. The end result is a much better tasting, cleaner spirit with reduced alcohol bite and great texture.
Since our technology eliminates the need for extensive barrel aging or multiple distillation, it transforms ordinary spirits into ultra premium quality spirits in a significantly faster, more efficient, and lower cost way. This directly translates into a lower product cost for retailers and brand owners.
Flavor infusion is another part of the TerrePURE process. Most flavored spirits sold today are simple mixtures – colors and flavors blended in prior to bottling. This type of mixture often “falls apart” in the bottle or glass, resulting in an unpleasant taste and unappealing appearance. This “falling apart” is often accelerated in mixed drinks or those served over ice. Since the TerrePURE process involves applying energy to certain chemical reactions in order to enhance flavor, flavors can be added during the process that result in wonderfully vivid, cohesive spirits that won’t fall apart. Our master blender and her staff have a great deal of experience in selecting and blending numerous flavors from all over the world, which gives us the unique ability to produce the world’s best tasting flavored vodkas, rums, tequilas, and more.
TerrePURE produces a smooth, sophisticated spirit consumers prefer, and enables you to provide, under your own label, ultra premium quality liquor at attractive pricing. But you don’t have to take our word for it, see our awards or read our customer testimonials. The best way to truly understand the difference our process makes is to participate in a tasting. Contact one of our sales representatives today to schedule a tasting.
