[Biosynthesis of congeners during alcohol fermentation]

The flavor of alcoholic beverages is a consequence of a complex mixture of many compounds, including small concentrations of some volatile metabolites known as congeners, which are produced by the yeast during the fermentation. The more important compounds are those that can be found in all the alcoholic beverages in different concentrations, and they can be grouped on the following chemical species: higher alcohols, esters, and carboniles. In the current paper the biochemical pathways that produce these compounds from the raw materials are reviewed. Research done in this field has led to a more complete knowledge concerning to organoleptic profiles of alcoholic beverages and to a better control for the production of the final product.