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Japanese scientists invent 'wood alcohol' made from trees

The scientists hope to have the product on shop shelves within three years.

DISCERNING DRINKERS MAY soon be able to branch out after Japanese researchers said this week that 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 which is aged in wood barrels. They hope to have their “wood alcohol” on shelves within three years.

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 both brewed and distilled versions of the new beverage, but “we think distilled alcohol appears better”, researcher Kengo Magara told AFP.

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 woods and forests, but Magara acknowledged “wood alcohol” might not be the most obvious application for their research resources.

“We thought it would be interesting to think that alcohol could be made from something around here like trees,” Magara said.

“It’s a dream-inspired project.”

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

“Japan has plenty of trees across the nation and we hope people can enjoy wood alcohols that are specialised from each region,” Magara said.

© AFP 2018 

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    Mute Brian Shea
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    Jun 14th 2021, 6:37 PM

    I find that there is problems after problems with this minister who won’t make decisions….

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    Mute Da Dell
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    Jun 14th 2021, 6:48 PM

    @Brian Shea: Some spindo lunes have even suggested her as a possible leader of FF, due to her allegedly great work as minister of education lol,

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    Mute Da Dell
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    Jun 14th 2021, 6:52 PM

    @Da Dell: Ah sure it was written by the master of propaganda himself, Coleman .. you couldn’t make this up ..

    “Top of the class – Foley is now ‘in the mix’ as future FF leader”

    https://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/top-of-the-class-foley-is-now-in-the-mix-as-future-ff-leader-40114308.html

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    Mute Martin Coughlan
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    Jun 14th 2021, 8:07 PM

    @Brian Shea: are problems

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    Mute Billy McNamara
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    Jun 14th 2021, 9:01 PM

    @Da Dell: Shane Coleman and Ciara Kelly! What a pair! Jesus wept with their daily tripe.

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    Mute Barrycelona
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    Jun 15th 2021, 9:02 PM

    @Brian Shea: In one school I know of the teachers asked either very easy questions or gave the student the questions in advance. Norma cannot be held responsible for such irresponsible behaviour. We have had problems with the Education system for years, esp Irish and Ms Piggy was obviously asleep on the job with Uni’s. If anyone is to blame it is the teachers unions. They are dogged, refuse to reform and are only out for their self interest. Ask yourself – How many really good teachers can you remember from your schooldays – one hand – right. And the really bad ones are still teaching. Remember the govt agreed with them to open schools, gave them E364m to do so and then they kept throwing spanners in the works. I am no FF fan but I do think she is genuinely trying. A work in progress

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    Mute The Red Devil
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    Jun 14th 2021, 6:48 PM

    Ahh the Foley Fuster cluck continues year 2 now and still no set plan or structure and problems all the way

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    Mute Jack Cass
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    Jun 14th 2021, 7:06 PM

    Can’t she do anything right?

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    Mute Dec
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    Jun 14th 2021, 7:37 PM

    @Jack Cass: I’d be very quick to agree with you re the minister but a lot of this comes down to teachers not administering the exams as instructed and schools not recording the exams properly. These schools and teachers have left the entire education sector down in my opinion.

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    Mute Graham Manning
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    Jun 14th 2021, 7:50 PM

    @Dec: complete and utter tripe but ok.

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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Jun 14th 2021, 8:30 PM

    @Jack Cass: This isn’t her fault. It appears teachers who were oral examiners in many cases failed to follow instructions.

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    Mute Da Dell
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    Jun 14th 2021, 8:34 PM

    @Dec: There are some issues that I would have with teachers myself, but not as much as I have with this Minister and the Dept. of Education, they had all last summer to plan properly and plenty of other opportunities when schools were off but no, it was and has been a farce.

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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Jun 14th 2021, 9:03 PM

    @Da Dell: Not the Dept of Ed’s fault. This year. everything is in the hands of the SEC.

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    Mute Ger McDonnell
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    Jun 15th 2021, 12:47 AM

    @Dec: Teachers are trained to do their jobs, which is to be teachers, not examiners.
    Oral Examiners have training every year, plus years of experience .
    This year, Foley did it on the cheap by not recruiting examiners, and by foisting it on class teachers instead.
    This was always going to backfire. Please stop blaming teachers for exam disasters which are not of their making.

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    Mute Da Dell
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    Jun 15th 2021, 1:35 AM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: Who signed off on no external examiner this year ? Was it the Teachers, the SEC, the Dept. of Education or the experienced Councillor Foley ? When was that decided, was it not part of the great plan ?

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    Mute mr magoo
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    Jun 14th 2021, 9:40 PM

    Blaming teachers again. Easy bloody targets.

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    Mute Conor Kirwan
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    Jun 15th 2021, 1:52 AM

    Could the examiners not have conducted the orals virtually?

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    Mute lisa duignan
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    Jun 15th 2021, 3:03 AM

    How can the teachers not have conducted the exams correctly? They are paid to do their job and just needed to follow the instructions. The fact that this problem is so widespread and so many students affected is shocking.

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    Mute Erik Cartman
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    Jun 15th 2021, 7:55 AM

    Wanna have hot-lovin’ conversations? You’re on the right way!
    —> mub.me/xiex

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