Worth Adding Amylase Extract?

[Dirt_McGirt]

So...here's yet another stuck fermentation thread.

I accidentally direct fired the partial mash for my Black IPA too long on the range and wound up with temps in the mid 160's late in the process.

Now the SG seems stuck at 1.024 instead of the 1.017 I expected (OG 1.073). I've taken two readings 3 days apart and this is day 13 in primary with Notty yeast.

Taste seems pretty good, just a tiny bit sweet, but not cloying. Still seems more or less in balance with my hops given the style.

Should I bother adding a tsp. of amylase extract to the bucket to finish it off, or not bother monkeying with it for a bit of attenuation and .9% higher abv?

 

[cmoewes]

I wouldn't bother with it. If you had extract in there and mashed kind of high you would expect a higher FG. Once it's cold and carbonated it's going to cut the extra sweetness down even more.

 

[Brettomomyces]

I can offer some advice from my recent amylase beer...

1tsp would be plenty for a 5 gal batch, you could possibly even use a little less. I used it on a beer that went from 1.051 to 1.016 and I wanted it closer to 1.010. So 1tsp enzyme and a week later it was down all the way to 1.006. It's honestly not thin or watery tasting though, and I'm enjoying it now after conditioning for a little bit. I was kind of surprised by that, but it is also only alpha amylase as opposed to alpha & beta. According to @Passedpawn and his research, amylase enzyme will bring the beer down to somewhere in the 85-90% ADF range. Mine went to 88%. On your beer that would mean a FG of 1.008 - 1.0011.

I would say go for it, but I like my IPAs nice & dry.

 

[passedpawn]

I can offer some advice from my recent amylase beer...

1tsp would be plenty for a 5 gal batch, you could possibly even use a little less. I used it on a beer that went from 1.051 to 1.016 and I wanted it closer to 1.010. So 1tsp enzyme and a week later it was down all the way to 1.006. It's honestly not thin or watery tasting though, and I'm enjoying it now after conditioning for a little bit. I was kind of surprised by that, but it is also only alpha amylase as opposed to alpha & beta. According to @Passedpawn and his research, amylase enzyme will bring the beer down to somewhere in the 85-90% ADF range. Mine went to 88%. On your beer that would mean a FG of 1.008 - 1.0011.

I would say go for it, but I like my IPAs nice & dry.

Note that my "research" was my one actual use of it, and subsequent dragging of the bottom of the internet for more info (which is sparse). I hope I didn't misrepresent myself there - I'd love to add a lot more info here regarding actual usage (as you did Brett!)

 

[lumpher]

I had a Winter Warmer that stuck at 1.036 down from 1.085. I tried the swish-around method, warming up, etc; no changes. That was cloying, so I added Amylase and let it sit. A week later I was kegging it at 1.020, right where I wanted it.

 

[Brettomomyces]

Note that my "research" was my one actual use of it, and subsequent dragging of the bottom of the internet for more info (which is sparse). I hope I didn't misrepresent myself there - I'd love to add a lot more info here regarding actual usage (as you did Brett!)

Didn't misrepresent, I was just talking you up! And maybe using "research" a little loosely

I had a Winter Warmer that stuck at 1.036 down from 1.085. I tried the swish-around method, warming up, etc; no changes. That was cloying, so I added Amylase and let it sit. A week later I was kegging it at 1.020, right where I wanted it.

So your winter warmer attenuated to about 58% and then down to 76.5%...interesting. Could you post the recipe for it?

 

[Dirt_McGirt]

So in the end I wound up using it, but very conservatively. I added only 1/2 tsp of amylase, and 1/2 tsp of yeast energizer and gave the beer a gentle swirl to bring some yeast back into suspension.

A week later, it had dropped from 1.024 to 1.020, and my original goal FG was 1.017. Not bad - I prefer that to it going nuts and drying it out. Just bottled it yesterday and looking forward to tasting it.