The effect of processing of two Peruvian quinoa seed cultivars on the content of total phenolic compounds (TPC) was studied. The cultivars were INIA 420 “Negra Collana” (BNQ, black) and INIA 415 “Pasankalla” (RPQ, red). Seeds were washed to remove saponins and germinated at three different times at two temperatures. The total sugar content of the germinated seeds was measured, obtaining the highest value after 72 h at 25 °C (14.35 % for BNQ and 13.15 % for RPQ). These seeds were then roasted to get malts that were fermented to obtain washes of up to 5.5 % alcohol. After two distillations, distilled beverages of 45 and 42 % alcohol were obtained for BNQ and RPQ, respectively. TPC values increased after malting compared to ungerminated seeds, reaching 172.16 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g for BNQ. The wash of this cultivar also showed a higher TPC level compared to RPQ. There was no significant difference between the TPC levels of the distilled beverages of both cultivars. However, the one obtained from BNQ obtained a higher flavor score than RPQ in the sensory acceptability tests. These results are the first reported for a distilled beverage made from quinoa malts.
