Alcohol dehydrogenases
Moderator: Site Moderator
- contrahead
- Distiller
- Posts: 1018
- Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2013 3:43 pm
- Location: Southwest
Alcohol dehydrogenases
A sentence on a set of instructions from SEBstar (enzymes) recently caused me some confusion. The suggestion is, that yeast will eat away at the alcohol if a mash sits too long.
The Home Distillers wiki has surprisingly good explanations, for what occurs during metabolism of alcohol in the brain and liver.
https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.php/index.ph ... c_beverage
more:
Alcohol Test: Does Eating Yeast Keep You From Getting Drunk?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_dehydrogenase
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5278
viewtopic.php?f=39&t=17850&start=36
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5278
From what I can determine, this situation is unlikely to ever become an issue. But the facts do seem to imply that some enzymes that yeast produce, could under certain limited conditions, indeed break down the very ethanol that the same yeast originally produced. Doubtless there might be mitigating factors like yeast's alcohol tolerance, or the availability or not of alternative, unused sugars to consume beforehand. The Home Distillers wiki has surprisingly good explanations, for what occurs during metabolism of alcohol in the brain and liver.
https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.php/index.ph ... c_beverage
more:
Alcohol Test: Does Eating Yeast Keep You From Getting Drunk?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_dehydrogenase
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5278
viewtopic.php?f=39&t=17850&start=36
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5278
Omnia mea mecum porto
-
- Distiller
- Posts: 1504
- Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2014 11:59 am
- Location: East Coast
Re: Alcohol dehydrogenases
contrahead wrote: ↑Wed Mar 30, 2022 10:54 am
A sentence on a set of instructions from SEBstar (enzymes) recently caused me some confusion.
That came *from* SEB ? The offer to direct questions to the aol.com domain makes it appear to be a third-party instruction.
________________
I drank fifty pounds of feed-store corn
'till my clothes were ratty and torn
I drank fifty pounds of feed-store corn
'till my clothes were ratty and torn
- contrahead
- Distiller
- Posts: 1018
- Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2013 3:43 pm
- Location: Southwest
Re: Alcohol dehydrogenases
You're probably correct; it may very well have not been original instructions from SEBstar. I recently purchased both (HTL & GL) enzymes in bottles at twice the volume (8 oz ?), that competitors were offering (4 oz) for the same price. I'm happy.
The little outfit that I dealt with has a small GODADDY website, and it looks like they only sell 2 items; these two enzymes.
https://cornalcohol.com/
The information on the instruction sheet that they provided is not entirely incorrect. It just caught my attention. I had to look up “dehydrogenases” fer myself.
The little outfit that I dealt with has a small GODADDY website, and it looks like they only sell 2 items; these two enzymes.
https://cornalcohol.com/
The information on the instruction sheet that they provided is not entirely incorrect. It just caught my attention. I had to look up “dehydrogenases” fer myself.
Omnia mea mecum porto
- Ben
- Distiller
- Posts: 1292
- Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2020 6:13 am
- Location: Colorado
Re: Alcohol dehydrogenases
I use GL in anything with corn, let my ferments go for at least a month (I like the lacto), usually more like 6 weeks. None of my yeasts have gotten any DUI or drunken bar brawls to date.
But seriously, I don't "notice" any lack of alcohol in my runs.
But seriously, I don't "notice" any lack of alcohol in my runs.
:)
- Twisted Brick
- Master of Distillation
- Posts: 4139
- Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 4:54 pm
- Location: Craigh Na Dun
Re: Alcohol dehydrogenases
I just replenished my SEB HTL and GL with 4oz bottles ($6.99ea) from Moonshine Distiller. The cornalcohol.com site lists 8oz for $15.contrahead wrote: ↑Wed Mar 30, 2022 3:08 pm I recently purchased both (HTL & GL) enzymes in bottles at twice the volume (8 oz ?), that competitors were offering (4 oz) for the same price. I'm happy.
Thanks for the heads up. If I blow through these bottle quickly I'll order through cornalcohol.com.
“Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore, always carry a small snake.”
- W.C. Fields
My EZ Solder Shotgun
My Steam Rig and Manometer
- W.C. Fields
My EZ Solder Shotgun
My Steam Rig and Manometer
-
- Distiller
- Posts: 1504
- Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2014 11:59 am
- Location: East Coast
Re: Alcohol dehydrogenases
Twisted Brick wrote: ↑Fri Apr 01, 2022 9:42 am
I just replenished my SEB HTL and GL with 4oz bottles ($6.99ea) from Moonshine Distiller. The cornalcohol.com site lists 8oz for $15.
Thanks for the heads up. If I blow through these bottle quickly I'll order through cornalcohol.com.
Wouldn't that cost you an extra $1 ?
________________
I drank fifty pounds of feed-store corn
'till my clothes were ratty and torn
I drank fifty pounds of feed-store corn
'till my clothes were ratty and torn
- Twisted Brick
- Master of Distillation
- Posts: 4139
- Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 4:54 pm
- Location: Craigh Na Dun
Re: Alcohol dehydrogenases
Well, contrahead mentioned that competitors were offering 4oz for "the same price" of $15. This is just a heads up for members wishing to buy 4oz at a time. Buying an 8oz bottle would save me redundant ordering and a second shipping charge.
“Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore, always carry a small snake.”
- W.C. Fields
My EZ Solder Shotgun
My Steam Rig and Manometer
- W.C. Fields
My EZ Solder Shotgun
My Steam Rig and Manometer
- Deplorable
- Master of Distillation
- Posts: 4288
- Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2020 12:10 pm
- Location: In the East, (IYKYK)
Re: Alcohol dehydrogenases
And the shipping might be more reliableTwisted Brick wrote: ↑Fri Apr 01, 2022 5:19 pm Well, contrahead mentioned that competitors were offering 4oz for "the same price" of $15. This is just a heads up for members wishing to buy 4oz at a time. Buying an 8oz bottle would save me redundant ordering and a second shipping charge.

Fear and ridicule are the tactics of weak-minded cowards and tyrants who have no other leadership talent from which to draw in order to persuade.
- Twisted Brick
- Master of Distillation
- Posts: 4139
- Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 4:54 pm
- Location: Craigh Na Dun
Re: Alcohol dehydrogenases
+1
“Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore, always carry a small snake.”
- W.C. Fields
My EZ Solder Shotgun
My Steam Rig and Manometer
- W.C. Fields
My EZ Solder Shotgun
My Steam Rig and Manometer
- higgins
- Rumrunner
- Posts: 577
- Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2020 5:16 am
- Location: US Southern Appalachia
Re: Alcohol dehydrogenases
$6.99 for 4 oz, or $15 for 8 oz.
Or Ferm-Solutions AHA-400 ($16) and GA-150 ($14) enzymes for 33.8 oz.
Or Ferm-Solutions AHA-400 ($16) and GA-150 ($14) enzymes for 33.8 oz.
Higgins
Flute build
Steamer build
4 methods experiment
Aging proof experiment
Next up:
Bourbon (71% Corn, 19% flaked rye, 10% malt, pot stilled)
Single Malt (74% pale malt, 22% vienna malt, 3% crystal 10, 1% chocolate)
Flute build
Steamer build
4 methods experiment
Aging proof experiment
Next up:
Bourbon (71% Corn, 19% flaked rye, 10% malt, pot stilled)
Single Malt (74% pale malt, 22% vienna malt, 3% crystal 10, 1% chocolate)
-
- Distiller
- Posts: 1504
- Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2014 11:59 am
- Location: East Coast
Re: Alcohol dehydrogenases
That's an apples-oranges comparison as the Ferm Solutions enzymes (produced by Angel) require a larger dose per pound of grain.
________________
I drank fifty pounds of feed-store corn
'till my clothes were ratty and torn
I drank fifty pounds of feed-store corn
'till my clothes were ratty and torn
- Deplorable
- Master of Distillation
- Posts: 4288
- Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2020 12:10 pm
- Location: In the East, (IYKYK)
Re: Alcohol dehydrogenases
I forget what the dosage is for the enzymash enzymes was, but the dosage for Ferm-Solutions is 1.6ml/gal for aha-400 and .8ml/gal for the ga-150. Armed with the dose rates for both enzymes, a person can make an apples to apples comparison if you're only comparing cost per dose.
There is also the suggested temperature range for dosing. As that also differs.
Both are effective, so it really comes down to the cost per dose including Shipping and Handling.
I switched to the Ferm-Solutions enzymes when my enzymash bottles ran out, and I've been pretty happy with their performance.
Back when I ordered and did the math, the cost per dose for the Ferm-Solutions was a tad cheaper than others.
Fear and ridicule are the tactics of weak-minded cowards and tyrants who have no other leadership talent from which to draw in order to persuade.
- Twisted Brick
- Master of Distillation
- Posts: 4139
- Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 4:54 pm
- Location: Craigh Na Dun
Re: Alcohol dehydrogenases
The SEBStar and SEBAmyl dosages have always been .36ml per pound of grain although the spec sheet currently doesn't list this. Mashing with the presence of ample malts with DP sufficient to convert the short chains I generally add the SEB gluco (slightly less than recommended dosage) not 'for insurance' but to convert a different set of starches the malt might miss. In practice, the increase in gravity from doing this is not significant but hey, why not?Deplorable wrote: ↑Sat Apr 02, 2022 7:35 am
I forget what the dosage is for the enzymash enzymes was, but the dosage for Ferm-Solutions is 1.6ml/gal for aha-400 and .8ml/gal for the ga-150. Armed with the dose rates for both enzymes, a person can make an apples to apples comparison if you're only comparing cost per dose.
There is also the suggested temperature range for dosing. As that also differs.
Respective dosages aside, the reason I prefer the SEB enzymes over the F-S enzymes is the temperature range and adding enzymes along with backset and malt around 149F. Like Deplorable says, one can add the Ferm Solutions at this temp so it's probably a wash.
Obviously, the $1 difference is moot. Amazon offers the 4oz bottle of SEBAmyl for $13.99 plus $5 shipping. Ouch!

Last edited by Twisted Brick on Sun Apr 03, 2022 11:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
“Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore, always carry a small snake.”
- W.C. Fields
My EZ Solder Shotgun
My Steam Rig and Manometer
- W.C. Fields
My EZ Solder Shotgun
My Steam Rig and Manometer
- contrahead
- Distiller
- Posts: 1018
- Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2013 3:43 pm
- Location: Southwest
Re: Alcohol dehydrogenases
I can't prove it now but I think that moonshinedistiller.com 's price droped considerably in the last few weeks. They can't sit on these enzymes forever because shelf life is limited; and they need to rotate their stock.
Omnia mea mecum porto
- Ben
- Distiller
- Posts: 1292
- Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2020 6:13 am
- Location: Colorado
Re: Alcohol dehydrogenases
Ordering direct from MD I paid 6.99 for 4 oz last September. I bought several items at once which split up the shipping cost. Amazon is not the best place to buy this sort of thing.
:)