QUALITY ASSURANCE
Tasting the cachaça produced at Distillery Guarani is pleasurable and this is due to the quality attributes acquired during the fully controlled manufacturing process.
Our entire staff at Distillery Guarani is continually concerned with maintaining a unique, standardized, secure and unparalleled product!
To ensure all these features that delight those who enjoy the cachaça we make, we just do our very best. To show that cachaça manufacturing that follows secular tradition, adds technological methodology requires dedication and a lot of passion, we invite you to get to know the carefulness of our manufacturing process and our certification.
CARE DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS
1 - Sugar cane harvest
The determination of the ripeness of the cane is performed by reading the "Brix". This analysis allows to estimate the percentage of sugar present in the sample,since in ripen cane, about 95% of the total solids correspond to sugar. All harvested cane is used on the same day, so that the time between harvest and processing does not exceed 12 hours, which ensures the maintenance of the properties of both sugar cane and the quality of cachaça.
2 - Grinding
Upon arriving at the distillery, cane is unloaded, washed, drained and stored in shade.
3- Standardization
The fresh juice goes through a stainless steel decanter and filtering screens that remove all solid impurities that may exist, then followed by standardization, which is strictly controlled by adjusting the sugar content (Brix), acidity, pH and temperature.
4 - Fementation
Our fermentation is closely monitored and no chemical additive is applied. The working time of our yeast is 18 to 24 hours producing a wine of cane of great quality that transfers to the end product superior overall sensory properties.
Besides having a good yeast, it is important to ensure that it have the best conditions for development, so during fermentation process control is a must in order to be sure that everything runs as planned till the end of fermentation.
5 - Distillation
The fermented sugar juice known as wine, consists of a mixture of several components which must be separated through distillation process.
Our distillation is carried out in a steam run copper alembic. The fractions of the distillate which are called: Head, Heart and Tail are then strictly separated but only the Heart fraction undergoes storage and aging.
Distillation is a careful step which requires great expertise. Throughout the process we control the temperature and the alcohol content of the broth to allow separation of the Heart fraction, which will be aimed at producing our cachaça. Upon processing the Heart fraction, it is performed the analysis of residual copper and acidity to identify whether the parameters are within the established standards and to ensure the safety of the product.
6 - Storage and aging
Our product rests in a controlled environment in Dornas of Amburana, Jequitibá Rosa and stainless steel, where it remains for at least one year, gaining flavor and incomparable smoothness.
Aging occurs in oak casks, and the temperature and moisture are controlled for a perfect harmony between the product and the wooden cask.
7 - Filtração
This phase of the process is essential to the quality of our cachaça that initially passes through a cation exchange filter , which removes heavy metals who may be present and then through a polishing filter to provide all the softness and purity to our beverage. After filtration, a new analysis is performed on the product and this time an analysis of all controlled compounds occurs:
8 - Bottling
Periodically our Master Blender sensory analyzes the beverage and sets the timing of release for bottling, which occurs in a controlled manner, in appropriate equipment and environment for the activity thus keeping the quality and safety of the product.
APPROVAL OF THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND LIVESTOCK SUPPLY (MAPA)
Along with the dream of building a distillery,there was a genuine concern of doing it in a way that met all legal requirements for production and sale of liquor. At this time the team involved in the project began to devote time to the study of the peculiarities of this business and right from scratch, we made contact with the regulatory agencies to get to know all the legal settlements.This initial contact was essential to make sure that our production flow was to be perfect from the very start. Once the project took physical form, we received the Establishment Registration issued by the Ministry of Agriculture MG number 90864-9 as well as the registration of our brands: Dom Bré and Costa Rica.
This registration is required and it means that the Guarani Distillery follows all concepts of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), health care and occupational safety of employees and respect for the consumer, established by the Ministry of Agriculture. The number of the product registry is always printed on the label.
CERTIFICATE
In Brazil there are 25 000 stills, and 8,500 in the state of Minas Gerais, according to the Union of Industries of Beer and Beverages of the State of Minas Gerais (SindBebidas).
When it comes to certification, this universe is considerably reduced, there are currently approximately 280 cachaças certified by the Minas Gerais Institute of Agriculture (IMA), they are exclusively from Minas and are divided into Cachaça Artesanal (handmade liquor) certification or INMETRO certification - Conformity assessment of liquor- because in the state of Minas Gerais, the auditors are trained by IMA/ INMETRO for such certification. There are also approximately 42 other brands directly certified by INMETRO natiowide according to INMETRO website.
Product certification is to demonstrate to the consumer that the company is concerned about offering a quality product, respecting social and environmental assumptions and in this sense it becomes necessary to find an independent and qualified organization to verify compliance of the liquor and the still facilities to standards such as Regulation Conformity Assessment for Cachaça (RAC).
Certification is voluntary and ensures the guarantee of origin of the product offered, demonstrating the quality of the product to consumers.