- Joined
- Feb 16, 2012
- Messages
- 3,355
- Reaction score
- 4,220
- Location
- Either in the brewery or on the road
So most all grain brewers are at least conversant in the temperature bands for maximizing and manipulating the mash to highlight beta amylase and/or alpha amylase to produce either drier and higher alcohol beers or maltier and more dextrinous ones. Some of us have played around with amyloglucosidaise in either (or both) the mash tun and the fermenter to break down some of the more stubborn starches and dextrins to provide very dry and crisp beers.
Beta amylase is optimized between 131F-150F to produce maltose. Alpha amylase is optimized between 154F-162F and produces a variety of fermentable sugars in addition to maltose. Both enzymes are less active outside those temperature bands but still convert starches to fermentable sugars outside those optimal ranges. Both enzymes are denatured at mashout temperatures. Single temperature mashes choose a 'Goldilocks' in-between temp to favor one enzyme over the other while still utilizing both. Step mashes strive to capture both enzymes in sequence at the most optimum temperature for each.
Then comes 'gluco'. This enzyme attacks the limit dextrins alpha 1,4 and alpha 1,6 thus hydrolyzing and converting starches that wouldn't be converted by either beta or alpha amylase enzymes. Gluco becomes denatured at temperatures above 140F, which is lower than most beta rests in step mashes and is completely below the temperature for any single temp mash.
Since I'm not a biochemist and haven't studied this topic since freshman Organic Chem over 50 years ago, can someone 'splain to me why we don't just mash at some temperature below 140F and allow an addition of amyloglucosidaise to hydrolize and convert all the starches into fermentable sugars? I suspect it may have to do with what sugars result from the conversion by specific enzymes (more glucose than maltose?), but would the proportion of different "toses" really make a difference? In other words, would it still be 'beer' if the larger proportion of simple sugars in the sweet wort wasn't maltose?
The literature is pretty thin on this topic. I'm planning to brew some light lagers and dry, crisp versions of Domestic and Continental ones as well when the weather turns a bit warmer and I can brew outside again. But I'm not looking to go "full Brut" again like I did last year. If anyone has experience mashing with gluco I'd like to know how long you rested the mash below 140F and how it affected your O.G. and flavor profile of the finished beer.
Brooo Brother
Beta amylase is optimized between 131F-150F to produce maltose. Alpha amylase is optimized between 154F-162F and produces a variety of fermentable sugars in addition to maltose. Both enzymes are less active outside those temperature bands but still convert starches to fermentable sugars outside those optimal ranges. Both enzymes are denatured at mashout temperatures. Single temperature mashes choose a 'Goldilocks' in-between temp to favor one enzyme over the other while still utilizing both. Step mashes strive to capture both enzymes in sequence at the most optimum temperature for each.
Then comes 'gluco'. This enzyme attacks the limit dextrins alpha 1,4 and alpha 1,6 thus hydrolyzing and converting starches that wouldn't be converted by either beta or alpha amylase enzymes. Gluco becomes denatured at temperatures above 140F, which is lower than most beta rests in step mashes and is completely below the temperature for any single temp mash.
Since I'm not a biochemist and haven't studied this topic since freshman Organic Chem over 50 years ago, can someone 'splain to me why we don't just mash at some temperature below 140F and allow an addition of amyloglucosidaise to hydrolize and convert all the starches into fermentable sugars? I suspect it may have to do with what sugars result from the conversion by specific enzymes (more glucose than maltose?), but would the proportion of different "toses" really make a difference? In other words, would it still be 'beer' if the larger proportion of simple sugars in the sweet wort wasn't maltose?
The literature is pretty thin on this topic. I'm planning to brew some light lagers and dry, crisp versions of Domestic and Continental ones as well when the weather turns a bit warmer and I can brew outside again. But I'm not looking to go "full Brut" again like I did last year. If anyone has experience mashing with gluco I'd like to know how long you rested the mash below 140F and how it affected your O.G. and flavor profile of the finished beer.
Brooo Brother