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Malted Wheat or Enzymes


junglejimmy

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So i've been experimenting with malted wheat and enzymes when added to flaked wheat to make Vodka. Novozymes AMG glucoamylase and Fungamyl Q alpha amylase in particular. I am trying to maximum conversion efficiency and I feel like the malt used in conjunction with the enzymes achieves the best result.

Just wondering if the intended use of the enzymes is to always use them in conjunction with the malts to maximize efficiency or are they intended to be used in the absence of malts?   

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Glucoamylase is more effective at saccharification than the beta amylase in malt.  

It’s common for the amylases in malt to create nonfermentable dextrins.  Glucoamylase can reduce these dextrins to fermentable sugars - thus giving you a higher yield when combined.

its also common to use high temp fungal amylases during cereal mashing, where regular malt amylases would be quickly denatured by the high temps.

Use them alone with unmalted grains, or together with malt, there are good reasons in both cases.

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So you say that "It’s common for the amylases in malt to create nonfermentable dextrins.  Glucoamylase can reduce these dextrins to fermentable sugars." Would it then only be useful to use glucoamylase (AMG) and not the liquification enzyme (fungamyl) for a flaked wheat and malted wheat mash. I feel like the malt is a lot more powerful in liquefying the mash. The clear sugar wort tends to rise and collect at the top more readily.

 

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Sure, you can eliminate the fungamyl if you are using enough wheat malt.  Wheat's significantly lower gelatinization temperature means the enzymes will stay active longer.  You can keep it under ~160F, you aren't going to be denaturing your enzyme, unlike with corn, where you are near 200f, way above what the enzyme can withstand.  Add your Glucoamylase during the cool-down, not mashing, keeping in mind the appropriate temp and pH ranges.

In addition to being a dextrin ninja, glucoamylase also has the ability to hydrolyze some starches that were not converted during mashing, so it's a bit of a one-two-punch when it comes to improving yields.  Because of this, you are better off adding Glucoamylase at a lower temperature, keeping in mind that it will remain active through fermentation (if you are fementing on grain).

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Great! Thanks!

Would be good to eliminate fungamyl from my inventory. I just started a Distillery in Australia and have to buy 20 Litre drums of the stuff. No way I can use that much with the amount I am currently producing.

You say that the Glucoamylase will remain active if fermenting on grain. Does that Significantly increase the yield? Currently I am using a false bottom mash tun to remove the solids, as it is less messy. For my experiments I am using 5kg grain bills with 25 Litres of water. I then Use another 10 Litres of water to sparge the grains. The standard Gravity always comes out to about 1.40 with about 27 litres of wort.. Would I get significantly higher fermenting on the grain?

I am from Australia by the way. Sorry for the metric units.

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