Beano ? Alpha? Beta? Enzymes
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mash rookie
- Angel's Share
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Beano ? Alpha? Beta? Enzymes
I picked up some enzyme at the brew shop yesterday. They only carry Alpha. The guy said he new what Beta was but they don’t carry it. He said that beano works better then what I bought. Is Beano Alpha enzymes or Beta? Both? Is it shunned? If so why?
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DrMalt
- Novice
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Re: Beano ? Alpha? Beta? Enzymes
Beano isn't Alpha or Beta Amylase it is alpha Galactosidase.
Adding Beano to your fermenter will break down oligosacarides (complex sugar molecules not fermentable by yeast) and produce glucose. This is a good thing for spirit ferments as the alcohol volume increases but it would be less desirable for beer. This is basically the same kind of enzyme needed for making lite beers.
If you are using your Alpha Amylase to mash grains and convert them to starch I suggest you try a test mash before you find that the enzyme doesn't work for you. Some of the brew shop enzymes are intended to be added to a fermentor and is only marginally active at the cooler temperatures rather than at the regular 148 - 158 F range for mashing with enzymatic malts.
Adding Beano to your fermenter will break down oligosacarides (complex sugar molecules not fermentable by yeast) and produce glucose. This is a good thing for spirit ferments as the alcohol volume increases but it would be less desirable for beer. This is basically the same kind of enzyme needed for making lite beers.
If you are using your Alpha Amylase to mash grains and convert them to starch I suggest you try a test mash before you find that the enzyme doesn't work for you. Some of the brew shop enzymes are intended to be added to a fermentor and is only marginally active at the cooler temperatures rather than at the regular 148 - 158 F range for mashing with enzymatic malts.