The saccharification yield refers to the percentage of extracted substances in the boiled wort compared to the saccharification feed, and it is one of the important indicators for judging saccharification work. Its value is generally between 74% and 79%, which should be as high as possible and at most 1% lower than the laboratory value. Managers of enterprises hope to achieve the desired saccharification yield and produce more beer. For example, if the saccharification yield increases by 1%, a saccharification equipment with a feeding amount of 60 tons can produce approximately 4000 tons of finished beer after 1000 rounds of saccharification.
The main influencing factors of saccharification yield are:
1. Raw materials
Malts have different extraction rates, so we need to choose malt with higher extraction rates. The yield of malt saccharification with poor solubility is lower than that of malt with good solubility. Due to the constant air drying value of the saccharification feed, the moisture content of malt has a significant impact on the yield of the saccharification workshop. The higher the moisture content of malt, the lower the yield of saccharification. Using water with high carbonate hardness results in low saccharification yield; The use of water with high sulfate content and ultra soft water can lower the pH value, which is beneficial for enzyme activity and also beneficial for saccharification yield.
2. Saccharification equipment
The quality of saccharification equipment can be evaluated by the difference between saccharification yield and laboratory leaching rate. A better saccharification equipment should have a very small difference.
3. Saccharification process
The longer the saccharification process, the stronger the saccharification intensity, and the higher the saccharification yield. By separating the concentrated mash and boiling it vigorously, more extract can be obtained. By pre saccharification and pressurized boiling of the mash, the saccharification yield can also be improved. In addition, the ratio of saccharification water to washing water is important because it is difficult to wash out the extract from the wheat residue during high concentration saccharification, resulting in a decrease in saccharification yield.
4. Filtering
If the saccharification mash enters the mash too quickly, the distribution of the mash in the filtration tank will be uneven, resulting in a decrease in the saccharification yield; Uneven washing of the lees and uneven outflow from the filter valve can also lead to a decrease in saccharification yield. Compared to continuous washing, the yield of saccharification is higher with a small amount of multiple washes.
The entire saccharification process is based on the action of enzymes. Therefore, only by accurately controlling temperature and time can the enzyme's function be maximized. Advanced saccharification workshops use pre stored programs for automated operations, and brewers only observe and control, taking measures only when necessary to achieve the best process operation effect.
