Is there any interest in a possible group purchase of glucanase (aka beta glucanase)?

[Hop_it]

You might find the info you need on the manufacturer's site somewhere:

Beer - Erbslöh Geisenheim Getränketechnologie (erbsloeh.com)

If you need any info email Volker at Erbsloh and they will give you the data sheets for every prjoduct they pproduce, or any concerns you may have. And yes i run a 2.5bbl brewery.
[email protected]

Many thanks to you both. I was busy yesterday, but I will follow up the contact with this company, and will report back

 

[RoomWithABrew]

@Hop_it

You are on a mission with this quest. I've only just noticed this thread about glucanase mentioned in our other chats. Glucanase isn't adding a new enzyme to a brew just more of it. Why ? several have asked, to improve mash flow / recirculation and runoff but without adding volume ( which rice hulls do) and also it has an effect across the whole grain bill rather than just where a rice or oat hull is. I'm using a finer crush than before starting to use this, so have improved mash efficiency and especially for mashes with sticky adjuncts.
People who are no sparge brewing or wet mash with small sparge may not see the advantage, but the all in one systems teeter on a knife edge with weight of grain and liquid for bigger weight grain bills.
I hope you can track some down on a group buy.

 

[Hop_it]

@Hop_it

You are on a mission with this quest. I've only just noticed this thread about glucanase mentioned in our other chats. Glucanase isn't adding a new enzyme to a brew just more of it. Why ? several have asked, to improve mash flow / recirculation and runoff but without adding volume ( which rice hulls do) and also it has an effect across the whole grain bill rather than just where a rice or oat hull is. I'm using a finer crush than before starting to use this, so have improved mash efficiency and especially for mashes with sticky adjuncts.
People who are no sparge brewing or wet mash with small sparge may not see the advantage, but the all in one systems teeter on a knife edge with weight of grain and liquid for bigger weight grain bills.
I hope you can track some down on a group buy.

Thank you for your comments. And yes, I do realise that glucanase is already present in malted grains, but my frustration with the performance of my BZ together with your obvious enthusiasm for the stuff convinced me that it would be worth a try . . . . . However, I had not anticipated that it would be so difficult to buy small quantities of it.
I have to admit that it is beginning to look like a mission waiting to fail, but I will follow up the latest contacts, and see what they say

 

[Jim Brewster]

I'm sure there's a good reason, but I'm slightly confused why something that would be added to the mash would need to be stored at low temperatures.

On the asthma part, pretty much every sanitiser I have used has aggravated my asthma, in addition to dust from malt, so it's not something that would rule out a product in my opinion. If you have asthma it will get triggered by lots of things.

 

[Hop_it]

I'm sure there's a good reason, but I'm slightly confused why something that would be added to the mash would need to be stored at low temperatures.

On the asthma part, pretty much every sanitiser I have used has aggravated my asthma, in addition to dust from malt, so it's not something that would rule out a product in my opinion. If you have asthma it will get triggered by lots of things.

Yes, the low temperature storage advice does seem a bit strange in relation to how it would be used in practice. The reason given on the product TDS is because the product degrades with time and temperature. I am not a biochemist, so cannot explain exactly why this is.
Enzymes are like naturally occurring biochemical catalysts, and facilitate particular chemical reactions. They are derived from a variety of natural sources. The attached article published by Craft Beer & Brewing magazine gives an explanation of their function and use in practice. It doesn't specifically discuss storage, but does mention the temperature instability of particular types of glucanase.

The point relating to asthma may or not be an issue for individual homebrewers using small amounts on an infrequent basis, but could be a problem for anybody handling larger quantities, and repackaging into smaller bottles - as could have been the case if "KegThat" had gone ahead. We as individuals can decide whether to take the risk or not, but the senior management of a company have a legally enforceable duty of care to their staff.

 

[Jim Brewster]

The attached article published by Craft Beer & Brewing magazine gives an explanation of their function and use in practice. It doesn't specifically discuss storage, but does mention the temperature instability of particular types of glucanase.

It does say that the mash rest should be 40-50C for the enzyme so that suggests it is active and also denatured at significantly lower temps than alpha and beta Amylase so that does make a bit of sense now, I think.

 

[Hop_it]

Many thanks to you both. I was busy yesterday, but I will follow up the contact with this company, and will report back

Just for the record, I attempted to make contact with Erbsloeh by e-mail. They did not reply. I have therefore decided to give up (at least for the time being) on my quest to source small quantities of beta-glucanase.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

@Hop_it
That's a shame, if / when I get back to the UK, Daughter graduating in Summer and so want to be back for that having not been back for 2 and a half years.
I'll put some in the hand luggage. PM me with your details so I don't forget.