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Alchemist, I dont think alpha amylase will work, you might need gluco-a or GL enzymes to break down the complex sugars left by a higher mashing temp.

Jimbo wrote:Alchemist, I dont think alpha amylase will work, you might need gluco-a or GL enzymes to break down the complex sugars left by a higher mashing temp.

Reasonable. Do you know if those are still active in unboiled washes? Empirically I'm thinking yes.

Im no chemist, but i think the complex long chain sugars probably dont break down much, since beer is boiled for an hour and still turns out sweet.

Jimbo wrote:Im no chemist, but i think the complex long chain sugars probably dont break down much, since beer is boiled for an hour and still turns out sweet.

Just from an empirical observation standpoint, then why do washes go dry and worts don't when made the same?

Because washes are mashed at 148F, Beta Amylase favoring temp, creating maltose molecules, which ferment out completley, Yeast loves maltose. And worts for beer are mashed at 155ishF favoring alpha amylase enzymes which cleave random sugars off the starth, some of which are unfermentable.

But that doesn't explain it. I have run washes up to 154F and they still ferment out dry. And I've kept worts to 145 and they remain sweet.

Worts for beer use malts that are created in a way to add sweetness, caramel/crystal malt, carapils etc. Washes for whiskey typically do not.

Now that I can wrap my head around. Thanks Jimbo.