THE INFLUENCE OF β‐GLUCANASE ON EFFICIENCY OF WORT SEPARATION

Abstract

Treatment of mixed grists of malt and either barley flakes or barley flour with β‐glucanase during infusion mashing at 65°C improves both the rate of run‐off of wort and the total yield of extract. The total amount of non‐starchy polysaccharide in solution is increased but the high molecular weight β‐glucan fraction is decreased by the addition of β‐glucanase. An improvement in wort separation is associated with a lowering of wort viscosity but it is concluded that the major factor influencing wort separation is the structure of the mash bed and the presence of inert material to which protein, glucan and pentosans can bind. A micro‐mashing unit is described which simulates the problems of wort separation encountered with certain grists in deep infusion mash tuns. 1973 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling