Multi-Scale Effects of Wheat Genotypic and Biochemical Variation on Fermentation Efficiency and Distillation Yield of Vodka Distillates.

The biochemistry of wheat grain determines the efficiency of cereal processing. However, there remains scarcity of studies dissecting how genotype influences acceptability in distilled beverage production. This work explored three types of wheat: soft PBW 930, medium-hard PBW 826, and hard PBW1 Chapati, probing how grain composition influence starch hydrolysis and fermentation performance at laboratory, bench, and pilot scales. The kernels underwent RSM-optimized liquefaction and saccharification accompanied by fermentation and distillation. Soft wheat with low-protein (10.4%) and phenolic content (349 mg GAE/100 g) recorded near-complete starch hydrolysis. The medium-hard variety with moderate protein underperformed fermentatively at all scales, indicating its biochemical composition limits starch accessibility. Hard wheat with higher protein (12.5%) and bold kernels sustained fermentation over extended periods at pilot scale, giving highest ethanol yield (41.2% ABV). The efficiency of fermentation was mechanistically related to these physico-chemical properties. Multivariate analysis revealed that specific compositional characters like starch fraction and granule accessibility, protein:starch ratio, and phenolic to phytic-acid burden together explained the majority of variation in saccharification and sugar conversion. These quantitative linkages allow for predictive selection of cultivars and targeted process adjustments to maximize ethanol yield and resource efficiency at industrial scale. To our knowledge, this is the first multivariate, multi-scale study to prove that wheat genotype directly influences the chemistry of distilled spirits and successfully highlights that genotypes significantly influence both processing efficiency and product quality, providing beverage manufacturers with practical guidelines for raw material selection and process tailoring in craft and premium distilled spirit development. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This work shows how the inherent biochemical make-up of wheat like its starch and protein levels to gluten strength and phytic acid content shapes the course of fermentation and distillation. The study acts as a practical guide for choosing wheat cultivars that deliver consistent sugar release and higher ethanol yields by linking these traits with measurable process outcomes at different scales. For industry, the findings provide distillers with a scientific basis to fine-tune raw material use and enzyme strategies, while also informing wheat breeders in developing varieties better suited for efficient and sustainable beverage production.