Die_Yankees_Die
Active Member
Hello All.
I have been trying to think outside the box lately in beermaking...and the idea came to me one day--what if you made a base malt out of a non base malt (ie--zero diastatic activity) using amylase enzyme?
I read a thread on here in the past about using more than 50% victory malt. I've also read MANY conflicting reports of victory malt. Some sites claim a diastatic activity of 50L. Others say less. Some say there is none. So I figured I'd just mash the damned thing and see if it converts.
I did a one gallon batch. I mashed at 153 degrees F for 90 minutes. The results? Nada. Zero. Nothing. No conversion. I can say with 100% certainty that the victory malt I received from my LHBS--and I suspect all victory malt--has no enzymatic activity. So I added a little bit of amylase enzyme. Conversion! Yes, I definitely tasted the first hints of sweetness in my wort. But it was taking too long. So I added more. Then I added more. 2 hours went by and the conversion still wasn't close to complete, as verified by iodine test/hydrometer. I had a gravity of 1.01. So I added the entire damned bottle and kept mashing. It just wouldn't convert.
So here's what I learned: victory malt is 0L. Amylase will begin to convert it. The amount of enzyme in a 1 oz jar is apparently still WAY below the amount of enzymes in normal, malted grain. Also: amylase is also sometimes added at room temperature in the fermenter to break down. It's well below the optimum temperature, but over the course of weeks the enzyme breaks down starches.
Also, "Amylase enzyme" is sort of generic. I couldn't find much information on the subject...but I'm fairly confident it's mostly/all B-amylase.
Anyway. I did a boil with zythos hops and then threw it in the fermenter. I put in a normal dose of MORE amylase and sure enough, a LONG, SLOW fermentation ensued. That was 10 days ago and I'm still seeing the slightest of activity. So I'm pretty sure the enzyme is still working.
So there you go. I'll update you on taste later when I actually taste it...but this is what I've learned from the whole process. I hope ya'll find it interesting or educational in the least bit. I'm thinking I might try 100% brown malt beer next.
I have been trying to think outside the box lately in beermaking...and the idea came to me one day--what if you made a base malt out of a non base malt (ie--zero diastatic activity) using amylase enzyme?
I read a thread on here in the past about using more than 50% victory malt. I've also read MANY conflicting reports of victory malt. Some sites claim a diastatic activity of 50L. Others say less. Some say there is none. So I figured I'd just mash the damned thing and see if it converts.
I did a one gallon batch. I mashed at 153 degrees F for 90 minutes. The results? Nada. Zero. Nothing. No conversion. I can say with 100% certainty that the victory malt I received from my LHBS--and I suspect all victory malt--has no enzymatic activity. So I added a little bit of amylase enzyme. Conversion! Yes, I definitely tasted the first hints of sweetness in my wort. But it was taking too long. So I added more. Then I added more. 2 hours went by and the conversion still wasn't close to complete, as verified by iodine test/hydrometer. I had a gravity of 1.01. So I added the entire damned bottle and kept mashing. It just wouldn't convert.
So here's what I learned: victory malt is 0L. Amylase will begin to convert it. The amount of enzyme in a 1 oz jar is apparently still WAY below the amount of enzymes in normal, malted grain. Also: amylase is also sometimes added at room temperature in the fermenter to break down. It's well below the optimum temperature, but over the course of weeks the enzyme breaks down starches.
Also, "Amylase enzyme" is sort of generic. I couldn't find much information on the subject...but I'm fairly confident it's mostly/all B-amylase.
Anyway. I did a boil with zythos hops and then threw it in the fermenter. I put in a normal dose of MORE amylase and sure enough, a LONG, SLOW fermentation ensued. That was 10 days ago and I'm still seeing the slightest of activity. So I'm pretty sure the enzyme is still working.
So there you go. I'll update you on taste later when I actually taste it...but this is what I've learned from the whole process. I hope ya'll find it interesting or educational in the least bit. I'm thinking I might try 100% brown malt beer next.