Experiments with Amylase.

[DaveZ]

Not sure if I'm making a drink or getting ready to lay a slab :shock:

[blond.chap]

Heat off at about 84C. Will let it cool and add half the amylase at 62C.

How do I tell if all the starch has been released? I'll reheat again after conversion to be sure, then add the rest of the amylase once back down to 62C. According to his directions 10mls total is all I will need for 5Kgs of corn, if it works then this 250ml bottle will last me a while.

Sorry for the slow response, give it a taste as a first indication. If it's good and sweet you know you're converting starches. Ideally you'd add some starch to a small amount of the liquid to, if it turns black then there's still starch in there.

I never have iodine around though, so just keep it at 62degC for over and hour and it should be pretty close.

[crow]

So how did you go . As BC said it will taste sweeter and sweeter as it converts . Yeah Alpha Amylase is not the enzyme to thin the wash down, to do that you needed a Glutanase enzyme which you could buy from a well stocked HBS . I put about 5 mls in a cheese glass and add a drip of iodine if it goes purple hold the rest , sorta browny clear and ya good to go :handgestures-thumbupleft: but ya can get an good idea when ya taste it getting sweeter and sweeter until you get to a point where it keeps tasting the same and ya done ;-)

[DaveZ]

I brought it back up to 62C after about half an hour then locked it in the esky overnight, it was a lot thinner this morning but didn't really have time to muck around with it before work. I poured it into a fermenter and added some yeast, I'll see what its doing tonight when I get home. I'd like to try a few variations of the process, but I'll see how the first one goes.

[DaveZ]

It's bubbling away nicely tonight, probably a touch more going through the airlock than on my 2nd gen McRum wash, which is a day older. The rum is a 50L and this experimental one is 25L with the same sized airlocks, so that would suggest its a little more vigorous at this stage.

I'm going to need to do some serious straining when it comes time to run this one, the grain comes up to the 19L mark on the fermenter :o

[DaveZ]

Still bubbling away fairly vigorously tonight, so something must be happening there I guess.

[MacStill]

Sounds like your experiment is working :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[DaveZ]

I reckon so mate. It's slowed down a lot today but still chugging along, bit cooler here today too. Will be a week or more before I can run it yet so it should be well and truely done.

[DaveZ]

So I'm wondering if I should rack off the liquid into another fermenter, then probably rinse and drain the grain into the new fermenter as well before its totally finished? My thinking is that at least then it will have a chance to get a layer of CO2 in the fermenter before its finished, giving it some protection while it waits for me to run it. Or should I just leave it on the grain?

Cheers,
Dave.

[Cane Toad]

I'd just leave it on the grain mate,will absorb a lot more flavour and will also make sure all the converted starch is used,could be wrong,usually am :laughing-rolling: If you've got it under airlock it should all be cool :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[DaveZ]

Thanks mate, she's all sealed and airlocked so I'll leave it be. Just wasn't sure about leaving it sit for too long on the grain. Flavour isn't really a concern this time around as it'll be going through my reflux still, just chasing a yield number for this experiment.

Cheers,
Dave.

[Sam.]

Thanks mate, she's all sealed and airlocked so I'll leave it be. Just wasn't sure about leaving it sit for too long on the grain. Flavour isn't really a concern this time around as it'll be going through my reflux still, just chasing a yield number for this experiment.

Cheers,
Dave.

Such a waste through the reflux bud :handgestures-thumbdown:

Get some cubes to store it in until the "magic" appears :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[MacStill]

My tracking info says the magic is in the air :D

[DaveZ]

Good stuff mate, getting closer now.

I'm not too worried about running through the reflux, it's only to see how much conversion I get. It's only a 25L fermenter full too, I'm not sure there'll be enough in there to make it worthwhile firing the bubbler up for. Besides, I've got a rum wash that will be ready and waiting for that ;)

[blond.chap]

I recon leave it on the grain until you want to use it, then drain off the liquid, put some fresh hot water onto the grain and drain that off again. Should get a decent bit of the alcohol out. Bit like a post ferment sparge.

[DaveZ]

Running this tonight. I'll collect everything that comes out of the still, measure the volume and get an ABV. Hopefully someone can weigh in with an opinion on the yield.

[DaveZ]

A little disappointing I think. Ended up with just a smidge over 1.3 litres @ 88% abv temp corrected. But I'm not sure what sort of yield to expect from an all grain mash using 5kgs of corn.

[vsboost]

Just received my bottle of Amylase from

http://trustedhealthsupplies.com.au/brewing-supplies/

Will try it with some of the cracked corn i have and see how it goes.


Instructions form the site go:

Use Example (only as rough guide)

For Corn / Grains / Rice: Add your 5KG cracked or floured Grain and 25L mixture of boiled and cooled water to end up with total mixture of around 50-60~c (Ratio of 1kg Grain to 3-4.5L Water) adjust PH to 4.5 with either sour mash method or Approx 3 – 5 heaped TSP of citrus acid, mix, then mix in the half the Amylase (2.5ML). Cover and mix under low heat for approx 1 hr.

After an hour “Mash Out” bring mixture slowly to a boil and let cool, either strain off your grains or do an “on the grain” ferment, and add the other half of the required Amylase (2.5ML). Let mixture cool to 20 – 25c and pitch your yeast.

Recommended to mix each day till ferment is complete, this helps release any starches and sugars still possibly left in the grains.

[haze]

I just bought some amylase because i was going to have a go at this guys recipie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_N3PbopL28

I like the fruit n nuts idea he is using. Ill give it a crack unless.. unless you guys reckon hes a nutter

[vsboost]

I like the idea 2, might give it a go some day