Using Amylase Enzyme...

[blkandrust]

I'm planning on introducing Amylase Enzyme into 2 stuck ferms,later today..Both Beers are in secondary.Should I rack beers over into another carboy which has the Amylase waiting in it?Or can I just pitch the Amylase into the secondary and give it a good swirl or two?

 

[prosper]

Bad!

Amalyase only works on starches, so if there aren't any starches actually in your beer (and there probably won't be - but we'd need to know more about your recipe and process), they won't do much of anything for you. And if there are, there's no way to control the rate of conversion when amalyase is used like that. It works extremely slowly at fermentation temperatures, and will still be slowly breaking starches into sugars a year from now - leading to excess carbonation and pressure. A debranching enzyme like Bean-o would be even worse, because it splits complex and some caramelized sugars into simpler ones - causing the same excess pressure/bottle-bomb problems as amalyase, only much worse.

 

[blkandrust]

Bad!

Amalyase only works on starches, so if there aren't any starches actually in your beer (and there probably won't be - but we'd need to know more about your recipe and process), they won't do much of anything for you. And if there are, there's no way to control the rate of conversion when amalyase is used like that. It works extremely slowly at fermentation temperatures, and will still be slowly breaking starches into sugars a year from now - leading to excess carbonation and pressure. A debranching enzyme like Bean-o would be even worse, because it splits complex and some caramelized sugars into simpler ones - causing the same excess pressure/bottle-bomb problems as amalyase, only much worse.

I have two batches that have been stuck for 2 months now..I've tried repitching yeast from starters..one is stuck at 1.035,the other is stuck at 1.023..I'm going to try the Amylase as a last resort..I dont want to dump these beers but I am out of ideas..

 

[foltster]

I have successfully used amylase to lower the gravity of otherwise finished light beers to dry them out. No real issues and it has taken 2-3 weeks each time to reach a new stable FG. Check out https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f62/miller-lite-really-triple-hopped-123937/

 

[david_42]

Just add it to the fermenter and rouse the yeast. Yes, it is much slower at fermentation temperatures than at mash temps, but the ratio is around 200:1, so a couple weeks in the fermenter will do the trick.

Even if all of the starches are converted, the complex sugars need to be broken down further so the yeast can absorb them. Amylase will do the trick.

 

[JNye]

i've used it once. i like the results so far.

 

[beowulf]

I've used it recently, and it worked like crazy in my particular situation. You may want to do a search for my earlier post a couple weeks ago, as I give a fair amount of detail with my experience. It brought my beer down from where it was stuck at 1.030 to 1.016 in about a week. After 2 weeks, it finally stopped at about 1.015.

 

[bdleedahl]

I used a half teaspoon in 5 gallons that was stuck at 1.042, and it brought it down to 1.022, they have been in bottles for 3 months now and there is no problem with overcarbonation... worked great for me... mine was stuck because the dry malt extract I was sold contained way too many unfermentable sugars

 

[blkandrust]

Thanks for all the great replies....I was going to ask how much to pitch into 5gallons,then i read that one of you used a half a tsp..Must be strong stuff to use such a small amount..

 

[fastricky]

So you just dump powder into the fermenter? No need to rehydrate or sanitize?

 

[JNye]

So you just dump powder into the fermenter? No need to rehydrate or sanitize?

this is what I did. It DID NOT go "bone dry" as I have read so many times. I still have some bottled, prolly for 8 months now, no issues. I've also used it in the mash since then. I overshot the temp and killed the enzymes in the malt(i think) so I tossed in some AE and got conversion...yeah!

 

[beowulf]

Just dump it in....I gave it a little swirl to distribute, but tried to be subtle about it. It's pretty potent.

 

[fastricky]

Kool. Thanks men!

 

[fermenate]

I bought some anylase just to keep on hand. I might use a half of a tsp to the mash when I brew up my next cream ale. The cream ale recipe calls for 7lbs american 2 row, 2lbs flaked corn, and 1/2lb carapils. I just bought my build and upped the domestic 2 row to 10lbs and the carapils to 1lb. This recipe with a tiny amylase boost should produce a higher alcohol content with little effect on body. I am also going to hop rocket the hot wort on its way to my therminator.