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  • Brewers Clarex

    Anyone using this enzyme? I read about it in the current MBAA Tech Quarterly. I curious about how it works.
    Linus Hall
    Yazoo Brewing
    Nashville, TN
    www.yazoobrew.com

  • #2
    I have looked at using it. I think it works by reducing proline specific proteins, by doing this reducing protein/polyphenol complexs. It only attacks proline so it wont affect head retention. Best of all you add during fermentation.
    It all sounds very good, results from there trials look good but I couldnt find out if pasteurisation denatures it ( for labelling requirements) and they couldnt guarantee it GMO statis which is a big one for us.
    Would be interested if anybody has used it or has up to date information.
    I know there are breweries in Asia who are using it.

    Comment


    • #3
      White Labs is offering free samples of their product which is based off the Brewers Clarex (Clarity Ferm) Its enough to do a 10 Bbl batch. I got mine a couple days ago but i wont be able to test it for a couple weeks. A friend of mine in an un-named very large micro trialed this stuff for the manufacturer so I will pick his brain soon and post the results. I remember he did say it was great stuff but they wouldnt use it for non-performance based reasons.
      Big Willey
      "You are what you is." FZ

      Comment


      • #4
        I've been using clarity-ferm from white labs with great success. Added with pitch, and no chill haze. Filtration is quicker (especially over using chillgarde or divergan which create haze pre filter) and no head retention problems. About two months into using it, we all love it, no issues, highly recommend.
        __
        Kushal Hall
        Common Space Brewery
        Hawthorne, CA

        Comment


        • #5
          Kushal,
          What rate are you dosing it at?
          Big Willey
          "You are what you is." FZ

          Comment


          • #6
            To quote Homer S.:

            "Mmmmm...snot"

            If you don't pasteurize, please avoid the exogenous enzymes.

            As a consumer (albeit an educated one), I would freak if you didn't declare this to me (in an unpasteurized beer).

            Pax.

            Liam
            Liam McKenna
            www.yellowbellybrewery.com

            Comment


            • #7
              Liam,
              I appreciate your limited response! Made me realize I should consider using the stuff. If you dont mind, would you give a more detailed response? If you have a more detailed objection I would sincerely like to hear it. Might help in my research on the issue. If its just a knee-jerk reaction without much basis that is cool to.
              Anyone on the pro side would be welcome to.
              Big Willey
              "You are what you is." FZ

              Comment


              • #8
                Are the enzymes bacterial sourced? Which bacteria? Genetically modified?

                Absence of pasteurization would leave these un-denatured in your final product and potentially active in the human body. Have these enzymes been trialled in humans/mammals?

                What happens if you elicit an allegic response in your unaware consumers?

                Also BigWilley, You can leave your veiled insults at the door.

                I will not veil mine should I feel the need. Nor will I hide behind my online moniker.

                I've worked with more brewing enzymes than I care to remember.

                Good luck with your research.


                Liam
                Liam McKenna
                www.yellowbellybrewery.com

                Comment


                • #9
                  I was being completely sincere. I honestly had not thought enough about the ramifications of using such a product which was short sighted on my part. Your response simply flicked on the proverbial lightbulb and made me question using the stuff. Seriously, no offense was meant.
                  Big Willey
                  "You are what you is." FZ

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by liammckenna
                    I've worked with more brewing enzymes than I care to remember.
                    Do any of them make people ill?
                    Last edited by kai; 07-09-2010, 07:57 AM.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I cannot say if these enzymes might make you ill. I suppose that's part of my point though. Can anyone tell you that? I do know that working with many industrial enzymes can be hazardous (definitely gloves and glasses territory). I have seen some nasty skin reactions. A few people are much more sensitive than most. Probably an allergic response. Are the enzymes preserved/stabilized chemically? What happens to these things in the brewing process?

                      Enzymes used in the brewing process (hot side) are denatured in the boil. Enzymes used on the cold side of processing are generally denatured by pasteurization. Note the term generally. What happens if your pasteurization regime changes? I'd definitely want to be able to measure this.

                      I really wouldn't want to play with any enzyme in a brewery unless I had the means to measure it's activity spectrophotometrically, both in terms of the enzyme itself and the target compound(s) it is acting upon. What would happen if I accidentally used ten times too much?

                      Enzyme use on a small scale (read simple laboratory analyses only) is not something I would contemplate or recommend. On a larger scale (read fully equipped brewing laboratory) it can be very safe , beneficial and, sometimes, completely necessary.

                      Something to think about, I believe.

                      Pax.

                      Liam
                      Liam McKenna
                      www.yellowbellybrewery.com

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Uh... well I'm using 10mL/BBL...
                        White labs says the yeast absorbs the enzyme pre-filter....
                        __
                        Kushal Hall
                        Common Space Brewery
                        Hawthorne, CA

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Kushal
                          Uh... well I'm using 10mL/BBL...
                          White labs says the yeast absorbs the enzyme pre-filter....
                          That may be true. the question is, can you measure that?

                          I have been told that this is made from a genetically modified strain of Aspergillus niger. Not that that in itself is bad, just thought you should know.

                          Also read that the very same enzyme (a proline specific endoproteinase An-pep) is being trialled in humans as a therapy for coeliac disease. Link : http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00810654

                          Interesting. I assume this means that you'll have shorter peptide fragments in your beer as the proteins are only cleaved at proline amino acids in the chain. Would this make the beer cloudier than normal prior to filtration? I'm thinkin the larger proteins would precipitate out in cold aging better than the fragments.

                          Of course, I could be wrong.

                          Pax.

                          Liam
                          Liam McKenna
                          www.yellowbellybrewery.com

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Well, prior to using Clarity-ferm, we were using chill garde and divergan-f so the beer is much clearer than before, pre filter. I believe the beer would be clearer with the clarex pre filter than with nothing as well, as the clarex stops proteins from forming larger, visible blobs (very technical, hope you guys can follow). In theory the smaller proteins not being filtered out would give better head retention, but I haven't seen a difference...
                            In layman's terms :
                            "CLARITY-FERM is a product containing a highly specific endo-protease which only cleaves polypeptides at the carboxyl end of the amino acid proline. Chill haze in beer results from the precipitation of complexed polyphenols and proteins during cold storage. The nature of this precipitation has been shown to be the result of hydrogen bonding between the polyphenols and the proline-rich fraction of particular polypeptides. This haze develops over time and, initially, is reversible (haze disappears when the temperature of the beer increases). As the hydrogen bonding becomes stronger this chill haze can become permanent. CLARITY-FERM will prevent the precipitation of complexed polyphenols and proteins by hydrolyzing the sensitive (haze-active) polypeptides in the region where such hydrogen bonding occurs. The specificity of the enzyme ensures that no other beer parameters are affected.."
                            Last edited by Kushal; 07-14-2010, 07:52 PM.
                            __
                            Kushal Hall
                            Common Space Brewery
                            Hawthorne, CA

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              A. niger is the main agent in the fermentation of Pu-erh tea. Also used in making citric acid. Probably not a big health concern. Also calrity-ferm is FCC and FDA approved, and has been for quite a while.
                              __
                              Kushal Hall
                              Common Space Brewery
                              Hawthorne, CA

                              Comment

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