Amylase Enzyme Question.....

[ace0005]

Hi all! I just brewed 10 gallons of my CaptainJoeJackUnballs III IPA. I hit all of my temps and expected gravities. However, BeerSmith is suggesting that I add Amylase Enzyme to my fermenter after 3 days. THIS has me confused because I've never heard of adding it to the fermenter, unless its to correct a stuck fermentation (which is not an issue for me)... So, Does anyone add Amylase Enzyme to their fermenter?

 

[day_trippr]

I've never had BeerSmith "recommend" any enzyme. What provokes that?

Cheers!

 

[hawkwing]

Did you make the recipe or did you download it from somewhere?

 

[bracconiere]

So, Does anyone add Amylase Enzyme to their fermenter?

i do..

I've never heard of adding it to the fermenter, unless its to correct a stuck fermentation (which is not an issue for me)

i consider anything that doesn't finish 1.000 or less stuck!

is this supposed to be lite or low cal?

 

[hawkwing]

i do..


i consider anything that doesn't finish 1.000 or less stuck!

is this supposed to be lite or low cal?

Sometimes there are non-fermentable sugars.

 

[bracconiere]

Sometimes there are non-fermentable sugars.

true! that's why i add gluco to the fermenter, it will turn a 6% 1.060 brew, into an 8% brew..and actually have about 4-5 LESS calories for it..

but i have no idea why beersmith would be recomending it? maybe something new in v3?

 

[day_trippr]

I've been running V3 on the desktop since it first came out (and the Android version 3 released a bit later) and have not come across the concept of "recommended enzyme(s)".

Anyway...in my experience alpha amylase most frequently won't move the FG needle much, while glucoamylase can leave a beer parched....

Cheers!

 

[Bobby_M]

My guess is that you downloaded the recipe off the cloud and the person who made that file has it as an ingredient. The software isn't recommending anything. It's just a messenger.

 

[doug293cz]

Alpha amylase in the fermenter can break down residual starch (if any) and larger (non-limit) dextrins (if any) to fermentable sugars and limit dextrins (which are not fermentable.) So, depending on what the carbohydrate profile (molecular weight distribution) of the wort is, adding amylase to the fermenter may or may not lower the FG.

Amyloglucosidase (aka glucoamylase or just gluco) in the fermenter will break down all starch and all dextrins to fermentable sugars, so will give you FGs near or below 1.000.

Brew on

 

[bracconiere]

alpha, gluco....fermenter mash? i want to know what Captain Unballs recipe is! lol

(i tried googling it, no hits...)

 

[DuncB]

Perhaps the recipe prompt was to add this enzyme. Which isn't amylase but would fit the day 3 profile.
https://allthingsfermented.nz/collections/hops/products/abv-aromazyme-1-2g?variant=34966161031302

 

[passedpawn]

Hi all! I just brewed 10 gallons of my CaptainJoeJackUnballs III IPA. I hit all of my temps and expected gravities. However, BeerSmith is suggesting that I add Amylase Enzyme to my fermenter after 3 days. THIS has me confused because I've never heard of adding it to the fermenter, unless its to correct a stuck fermentation (which is not an issue for me)... So, Does anyone add Amylase Enzyme to their fermenter?

Don't bother with the AE. If you miss your FG by a large margin, it might become useful though (you can add at end of fermentation).

 

[ace0005]

Did you make the recipe or did you download it from somewhere?

It was downloaded, but I modified it to be mine.... I think that it's a note from whoever first created the recipe.

 

[ace0005]

i do..


i consider anything that doesn't finish 1.000 or less stuck!

is this supposed to be lite or low cal?

No, it's an IPA.... not low cal or lite

 

[bracconiere]

It was downloaded, but I modified it to be mine.... I think that it's a note from whoever first created the recipe.

is this a partial mash recipe? with adjuncts in the boil or something?

 

[ace0005]

My apologies.... it's not a "BeerSmith Suggestion" as I previously stated! it's something that was in the original recipe that I never took out. I first brewed this beer in 2015, and was not nearly as advanced in my homebrewing sickness as I am now. So fast forward to 2022, when I saw that it said to add the amylase my beer brain went crazy, which lead to my confusion.

I truly appreciate all of the replies, this was extremely helpful, because quite honestly I never thought of adding anything to a fermenter other than hops or other flavorings. I really just assumed that as long as my starter was on point, the yeasties would do their thing without any further guidance on my part.

 

[ace0005]

is this a partial mash recipe? with adjuncts in the boil or something?

negative

 

[bracconiere]

My apologies.... it's not a "BeerSmith Suggestion" as I previously stated! it's something that was in the original recipe that I never took out. I first brewed this beer in 2015, and was not nearly as advanced in my homebrewing sickness as I am now. So fast forward to 2022, when I saw that it said to add the amylase my beer brain went crazy, which lead to my confusion.

I truly appreciate all of the replies, this was extremely helpful, because quite honestly I never thought of adding anything to a fermenter other than hops or other flavorings. I really just assumed that as long as my starter was on point, the yeasties would do their thing without any further guidance on my part.

the reason i asked about partial mash and adjuncts, is if there was unconverted starch somehow in the wort, alpha amylase would help break it down?

 

[ace0005]

Perhaps the recipe prompt was to add this enzyme. Which isn't amylase but would fit the day 3 profile.
https://allthingsfermented.nz/collections/hops/products/abv-aromazyme-1-2g?variant=34966161031302

That's pretty cool! It definitely calls for Amylase, I don't plan on adding it though.

 

[bracconiere]

negative

ok, then unless you want a FG of 1.000, i don't think there's any point to add amylase to the fermenter?

what does the recipe project as the OG->FG?

edit: it doesn't have you adding anything flaked as like a body builder to the fermenter either, right?

 

[ace0005]

alpha, gluco....fermenter mash? i want to know what Captain Unballs recipe is! lol

(i tried googling it, no hits...)

Lol, CaptainJoeJackUnballs III (orange) should be in the beersmith cloud. I think that would allow you to access. If you provide me with your email address, i'll be happy to send the recipe to you as I cannot figure out how to post it here.

 

[ace0005]

the reason i asked about partial mash and adjuncts, is if there was unconverted starch somehow in the wort, alpha amylase would help break it down?

I've never used it, but apparently if helps break down the starch in the mash, thusly creating more fermentable sugars and a better wort profile

 

[ace0005]

ok, then unless you want a FG of 1.000, i don't think there's any point to add amylase to the fermenter?

what does the recipe project as the OG->FG?

edit: it doesn't have you adding anything flaked as like a body builder to the fermenter either, right?

My OG is 1.055 and the estimated FG is 1.019.

No flaked additions .... or body builders

It's been in the Conical for 2 days now, fermentation is definitely slowing, but still happening. I'm going to pull a sample tomorrow for a gravity reading to see where I'm at.

 

[ace0005]

Also, I just figured out how to share the recipe, so if anyone wants to check it out, it's searchable on beersmith.com

 

[bracconiere]

thanks for the recipe...i'll post it for anyone else curious..

 

[bracconiere]

only thing i can think of is 1.019 is kinda a high FG for a beer for my taster? and maybe alpha amylase in the fermenter would get it down to something sane like 1.012, or 1.008 or so? but don't use gluco?

 

[passedpawn]

That's got to be the most complicated recipe I've ever seen.

 

[hawkwing]

only thing i can think of is 1.019 is kinda a high FG for a beer for my taster? and maybe alpha amylase in the fermenter would get it down to something sane like 1.012, or 1.008 or so? but don't use gluco?

I take it you don’t like wee heavy’s etc?

 

[bracconiere]

I take it you don’t like wee heavy’s etc?

if i drank to many of those i'd be a wee heavy myself!

 

[hawkwing]

if i drank to many of those i'd be a wee heavy myself!

They are a treat

 

[npl]

Hi all! I just brewed 10 gallons of my CaptainJoeJackUnballs III IPA. I hit all of my temps and expected gravities. However, BeerSmith is suggesting that I add Amylase Enzyme to my fermenter after 3 days. THIS has me confused because I've never heard of adding it to the fermenter, unless its to correct a stuck fermentation (which is not an issue for me)... So, Does anyone add Amylase Enzyme to their fermenter?

I regularly add gluco-amylase to the fermenter particularly when I am producing a pale lager or pilsner. To get a 5.5% ABV I can use just 4.5 kgs of malt. All the literature tells us that Gluco-amylase performs best at temperatures above 20C. However it still works (albeit slower) at my fermentation temp of 14C. Using Lallemand Diamond yeast I ferment for 7-8 days then rack off for a further 2 weeks before bottling. This pushes the FG right down to about 1.000, giving roughly .5% extra gravity reading without having to use and extra half kg of grain and having darker beer. In New Zealand we tend to prefer a paler, crisper drink, particularly in Summer. The resulting beer is clean and fresh. The boys all come back for more. Just try it out yourself to find out if the advice was worthwhile

 

[bracconiere]

Just try it to find out if the advice was worthwhile

it's what keeps me in a size 34x32....

 

[doug293cz]

only thing i can think of is 1.019 is kinda a high FG for a beer for my taster? and maybe alpha amylase in the fermenter would get it down to something sane like 1.012, or 1.008 or so? but don't use gluco?

If the high FG is due to limit dextrins, then amylase enzyme will not lower the FG. If the high FG is due to residual starch, or higher molecular wt dextrins (not limit dextrins) then adding amylase enzyme to the fermenter should lower the FG.

Brew on

 

[ace0005]

Once again, thanks to everyone for sharing their knowledge. This really turned out to be an interesting thread.

 

[ace0005]

only thing i can think of is 1.019 is kinda a high FG for a beer for my taster? and maybe alpha amylase in the fermenter would get it down to something sane like 1.012, or 1.008 or so? but don't use gluco?

How is the gluco used? I assume it’s added at the beginning of fermentation?

 

[hawkwing]

How is the gluco used? I assume it’s added at the beginning of fermentation?

You add gluco after it’s cooled down at the start. It breaks complex sugars down to simpler sugars so easier for the yeast.

 

[hawkwing]

That said I’ve never added enzymes for making beer.

 

[bracconiere]

you can look into a beer style called Brüt IPA around here for more info on gluco....

 

[passedpawn]

you can look into a beer style called Brüt IPA around here for more info on gluco....

I would not recommend that anyone adds gluco amylase to their beer without understanding what it will do. It might take the beer far dryer than yeast will. Same goes for "Beano", which contains other aggressive enzymes that will reduce all large-chain sugars to the size that the yeast will convert them. Getting a beer down to 1.001 might seem like a good idea, but it doesn't always taste good (but it sometimes does! - depends on other things).

Alpha amalyse will not destroy your beer. In fact, alpha amylase is found in the the barley grain - it's one of the enzymes doing yeoman's work in your mash.

 

[bracconiere]

Getting a beer down to 1.001 might seem like a good idea,

i'd second that, but you're very right. It's only a 'good' thing if your counting calories!

edit: and i add you need to do the calorie counting too! there are plenty of 'lite' beer drinkers, and as far as i can tell it's like shooting roids, and just sitting on your ass for them....