Japan invents lumber liquor

Tokyo – Discerning drinkers may soon be able to branch out after Japanese researchers said yesterday they have invented a way of producing an alcoholic drink made from wood.

The researchers at Japan’s Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute say the bark-based beverages have woody qualities similar to alcohol aged in wood barrels.

The method involves pulverising wood into a creamy paste and then adding yeast and an enzyme to start the fermentation process. By avoiding using heat, researchers say they are able to preserve the specific flavour of each tree’s wood. So far, they have produced tipples from cedar, birch and cherry.

Four kilogrammes of cedar wood gave them 3.8 litres of liquid, with an alcohol content of around 15%, similar to that of Japan’s much-loved sake. Researchers experimented with brewed and distilled versions of the new beverage, but “we think distilled alcohol appears better”, researcher Kengo Magara said.

Wood fermentation is already used to produce biofuel, but the product contains toxins and is flavourless, making it far from a suitable cocktail component.

“But our method can make it drinkable, and with a wood flavour, because it does not require high heat or sulphuric acid to decompose the wood,” Magara said.

The institute has a broad mandate for scientific study related to Japan’s extensive forests, but Magara acknowledged “wood alcohol” might not be the most obvious application for their resources. “It’s a dream-inspired project,” he added.

The institute aims to commercialise the venture with a private-sector partner and to have the lumber liquor on shelves within three years.