Comparative study of caná – a fermented sugarcane beverage produced from culms with and without bark

Cachaça is a Brazilian beverage produced by distilling fermented must from sugarcane juice, with an alcohol content ranging from 38% and 48% v/v. Currently, thousands of “Alembics” (small-scale destilleries located in agricultural environments) produce cachaça at a high standard of quality with both national and international recognition. These producers possess the infrastructure, knowledge, and expertise required to introduce Caná (a fermented sugarcane beverage) into their production line. According to Brazilian legislation, the alcohol concentration for this beverage is defined to be within the range of 4% to 14%. Being only fermented, Caná retains the phenolic compounds from the juice, which have a high nutritional value. Furthermore, following the example of the European Community, there are prospects for Brazil to implement lower tax rates for beverages produced in small-scale factories with a low alcohol content. This context means that Caná is a significant option for enhancing the competitiveness of Alembics in both the Brazilian and international markets. In this work, a comparison was made between Caná produced from juice obtained from intact stalks and the core (after removing the woody wall). The sensory results were markedly different, and there is still a need for some operational adjustments. Both beverages were positively evaluated, which confirms the prospect of a wide range of colors and flavors for Caná resulting from the use of different varieties of sugarcane, and there exists the possibility of numerous adjustments in operational procedures.