Vinasses? What are they

But...  what is the vinasse?

Vinasses are the liquid by-products generated after the distillation of the ethanol from the fermented wines (or musts) that are prepared from the sugars of different types of plants or grains.

Generally, the vinasse contains very high content of dissolved solids, a ridiculous amount of organic matter, plenty of ashes and very acidic pH's. Also, on most cases they are discharged at very high temperatures.

Due to all those unwanted characteristics, the vinasses are considered as a complex, recalcitrant and highly polluting effluent that can cause serious health issues, diminish aquatic life, affect productivity of  land, contaminate aquifer foundlands, and emmitt methane into our atmosphere if not disposed of properly.

Numerous attempts and high investments have been made in order to break the vinasse molecules into something simpler, more treatable, but the efforts have unfortunately always, no matter the technology being implemented, remained short of their goals. 

IN A NUTSHELL:

History has taught us that vinasses is a complex matter and in accordance to what Albert once told us, all matter is energy.