Powdered alpha amylase

[foragedbrews]

So my hydrometer was screwy, it worked at high gravities but went haywire at low. It kept recording final gravities far lower than it actually was, which made me think there was an issue in my brewing technique. But then, on my last batch, final gravity went from 1.007 to 1.015 overnight. Yeah that's not possible, the hydrometer is knackered. However, I've been allowing mash temperature to go a little too high because I keep thinking I've got a diastatic infection. Now I find out I don't, my new hydrometer is showing the porter I just made is actually 1.019/20. Crap.

Question is, would adding a sachet of powdered alpha amylase potentially help the yeast get access to new food? It has up to 87% attenuation. (I think it's just a repackaged Nottingham strain, so it can obviously ferment more than just the most basic sugars.)

I have already put a sachet of it in, to be clear, because I have nothing to lose. I'm just wondering if I can expect anything from it if anyone has experience with this.

 

[dmtaylor]

Alpha amylase can definitely help a stuck fermentation. Patience is required though, it could take a week or two to finish after adding it.

In my experience, Nottingham yeast gets tired and quits fermenting at 9% ABV. How high was your original gravity?

Also it is very common during fermentation and after schmutz is stuck to the Tilt style hydrometer for it to read accurately. If you really need to know the true gravity, you should take a sample and measure it with an old fashioned stick hydrometer, those will always read the most accurate.

 

[foragedbrews]

Alpha amylase can definitely help a stuck fermentation. Patience is required though, it could take a week or two to finish after adding it.

In my experience, Nottingham yeast gets tired and quits fermenting at 9% ABV. How high was your original gravity?

Also it is very common during fermentation and after schmutz is stuck to the Tilt style hydrometer for it to read accurately. If you really need to know the true gravity, you should take a sample and measure it with an old fashioned stick hydrometer, those will always read the most accurate.

Ales in the UK don't usually go above 6%, I'm aiming for 5~%. My OG was 1.046 and hoping for an FG of 1.015 with alpha, which I'll just have to prop up with sugar.

I don't have a tilt, I use a hydrometer.

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

How in the heck can a traditional hydrometer "go haywire"?

 

[HutBrew]

I know when I ferment under pressure, if I don’t shake my sample a lot for the hydrometer, the fresh beer is sort of carbonated.

Just like a straw in a fountain soda being pushed out of your glass, hydrometer readings can be off, pushed up by CO2 coming out of solution.

I always shake the crap out of my samples AND make sure to measure the temperature of my sample and run it through a calculator (brewersfriend) adjusting my reading accordingly with my hydrometer’s “standard” or set temperature.

Colder beer/wort is more dense. If OP chilled their beer, and it was carbonated, this might account for a 13 point difference in readings?

My $0.02

 

[Rfox2014]

I can confirm amylase enzyme in the fermenter will create more fermentables - i added it to an ipa that pooped out at 1.024 after 5 days. On end of day 5 i added 1/4 tsp of powdered amylase to both fermenters and on day 8 they’re steady at 1.017. I’m waiting a few more days before dry hopping so yeast can clean up and to see if SG will drop more. I’ve heard amylase will eventually stop (unlike alpha-galactosidase AKA beano). It was a split batch 3.75gal each. One verdant ipa and one diamond lager yeast. If your yeast is still healthy you will get renewed fermentation and a reasonably lower gravity.

 

[doug293cz]

Another recent thread on this topic.

Brew on