Would you use Beano?

[Blues4Brews]

I brewed a Helles all grain about a month ago and my mashtun cooler warped during the mash. It didn't get a good seal on the lid and I lost 40 degrees over the hour mash because I was paying more attention to the beer in my hand than the brew.......nuff said.

The result was a bunch of unfermentables in the wort and an OG of 1.085. After 3 weeks at a perfect 50 degree primary I was left with a FG of 1.031. It is now racked into the secondary and been at 34 degrees for a week for conditioning.

Someone recommended beano.

I have a month before my Oktoberfest party and this is one of 4 beers being served. It tastes like syrup. Would you try Beano to bring down the sweet carbs and pitch another helping of yeast to try another two week fermentation? Beano in hand, I'll be making my decision in 48 hours. Let me hear ya!

 

[HaDaL]

Although OG of 1.085 for Helles is too high in my opinion but the Weird thing for me is that you've gotten this result after losing 40 degrees mash temp. Because as far as I know, Saccharification process can not be completed at temperatures less than 140 degrees Fahrenheit. However, if I were you I wouldn't consider either using Beano in the 4 weeks beer and/or re-fermenting it. Because doing so can lead to much worse results than a beer with just a little too residual sweetness.

 

[Homercidal]

Maybe Amylase Enzyme?

https://byo.com/mead/item/1543-understanding-enzymes-homebrew-science

I have some and planned to try it to dry out a light lager to make a "Lite" beer. Haven't gotten around to it. Too much actual beer to brew to bother with that experiment yet. Plus, my regular light lager beer from last time wasn't too bad.

 

[HaDaL]

Personally, if I want to lighten a big beer like that I prefer to dilute it with some good water or if I've had on hand maybe just adding some iso hops extract to increase It's bitterness could be an option. If I insist on using enzyme I would add it at carbonation time. Without priming or even additional yeast I'd leave it in keg(not bottles) for slow carbonation until It reaches the desired result.

 

[dmtaylor]

Do NOT add Beano or amylase enzymes. I have done this and it is NOT worth the experience. It will dry out the beer entirely below 1.000 and make the beer taste watery. Also the beer will continue to dry out for a long time. If you bottle you are virtually guaranteed to get gushers. If you keg, it's not as big a deal but you'll want to drink it fast. Or, just don't do it and prevent any horror.

 

[Homercidal]

Do NOT add Beano or amylase enzymes. I have done this and it is NOT worth the experience. It will dry out the beer entirely below 1.000 and make the beer taste watery. Also the beer will continue to dry out for a long time. If you bottle you are virtually guaranteed to get gushers. If you keg, it's not as big a deal but you'll want to drink it fast. Or, just don't do it and prevent any horror.

Good to know. I half suspected it wouldn't work well, but was tempted to try it due to an article I read somewhere.

 

[Blues4Brews]

Hadal, I'm failing to understand your point. The beer is not drinkable in this stage. It is way too sweet to consider serving. So I'm going to do something. Beano seems like a legitimate option, unless you have another one to offer. Thank you for the reply.

 

[Blues4Brews]

Personally, if I want to lighten a big beer like that I prefer to dilute it with some good water or if I've had on hand maybe just adding some iso hops extract to increase It's bitterness could be an option. If I insist on using enzyme I would add it at carbonation time. Without priming or even additional yeast I'd leave it in keg(not bottles) for slow carbonation until It reaches the desired result.

Adding water is a decent option, especially for the type of beer, it's not like I'd be diluting a Stout I will be kegging the beer so I don't need to worry about bottle bombs. The beer is also already in the secondary which lead me to believe if I tried it, the reaction would be slow and minimal.

Thank you for the advice!

 

[Blues4Brews]

Do NOT add Beano or amylase enzymes. I have done this and it is NOT worth the experience. It will dry out the beer entirely below 1.000 and make the beer taste watery. Also the beer will continue to dry out for a long time. If you bottle you are virtually guaranteed to get gushers. If you keg, it's not as big a deal but you'll want to drink it fast. Or, just don't do it and prevent any horror.

So you really think adding a beano tab or two will take a 1.031 all the way down to a 1.000 when in the secondary? I am kegging so I'm not worried about carbonation. The beer is way too sweet to serve right now, so it sounds like its more of timing game (or gamble).

 

[dmtaylor]

So you really think adding a beano tab or two will take a 1.031 all the way down to a 1.000 when in the secondary? I am kegging so I'm not worried about carbonation. The beer is way too sweet to serve right now, so it sounds like its more of timing game (or gamble).

Pretty close. Maybe 1.002-1.004. In that ballpark.

 

[tjosborne]

Ok, I'm curious how Beano can make wort more ferment able. Some nutrient or something?

 

[day_trippr]

Alpha-galactosidase and Invertase.
Between the two they chop up complex sugars down to where the yeast can handle them.
And they don't get "used up" easily so they just keep on chompin' 'til there's nothing left...

Cheers!

 

[bigdaddybrew]

I have used beano to dry out a sweet beer. I crushed and added them. I don't remember how many. I think two. Within a day the air lock started chugging. I monitored the gravity daily. When it hit the target I cold crashed just above freezing. A couple of days later I kegged it. If you bottle even from the keg and the bottles get a little warm the yeast will kick in...bottle bombs. If it saves an undrinkable beer it's worth a try but do not bottle. As others have said if you do not stop the fermentation it will dry it out into thin rocket fuel. Good luck.

 

[ChelisHubby]

That is what I thought if you are careful and if you Keg you can save a batch.