Sugarcane variety as a determinant of agro-industrial performance and physicochemical quality in pot still cachaça production

The predominance of a single sugarcane variety (RB867515) or unidentified genotypes in cachaça production may limit both agronomic efficiency and beverage quality. This study evaluated four alternative sugarcane varieties (RB966928, RB036066, CTC9002, and CTC9003) for their impact on agronomic performance and the physicochemical properties of pot still cachaça. Field trials were conducted at Cachaçaria João Mendes Distillery in Perdões, MG, Brazil, with milling, fermentation, and distillation carried out at Cachaçaria João Cassiano in Candeias, MG, Brazil, during the 2022/23 harvest season. Key agronomic and industrial parameters, such as total soluble solids (TSS, °Brix), maturity index (MI), expected cachaça yield (ECY), tons of stalks per hectare (TSH), and liters of cachaça per ton (LCT), varied significantly among the varieties. The varieties CTC9002 and RB036066 exhibited the highest TSH, while CTC9003 exhibited the highest concentration of total soluble solids in the must (TSSM, ºBrix). The pH values across all varieties ranged from 4.00 to 4.33. The average yeast and bacterial counts were 107 and 103 CFU/mL, respectively. All pot still cachaça samples, regardless of sugarcane variety, complied with the physicochemical standards established by Brazilian legislation. Overall, the varieties CTC9002 and RB036066 demonstrated strong potential for diversifying sugarcane cultivation in cachaça-producing regions.