Brewing

Faster throughput and more extract

Application sheet

Malt enzymes are not sufficient for optimum and efficient brewing production. To ensureminimum run-off time and longer beer filtration cycles, viscosity build up and water bindingcell wall components have to be minimized. Even the enzymes in well-modified malt do notfulfill these criteria. Malt enzymes are not heat stable and do not ensure reduced viscosity ofthe wort and beer, and elimination of stickiness of spent grains. Novozymes offers a range ofheat-stable enzymes that ensure optimum brewing, every time. Brewhouse efficiency isimproved through increased extract, faster filtration, and minimized process fluctuations andcellar capacity is improved through optimum beer filtration.

Benefits Brew house value

0.5%-1.5% increased extract yields

10-40% reduced mash separation time

Easier cake discharge and reduced extract lost in spent grain

Enables 62-65 ºC mash-in temperatures for reduced mashing times and inactivation of

lipoxygenases for better flavor stability

Sufficient reduction in high gravity brews

Cellar value

Up to 50% longer filtration cycles (less down time)

Up to 40% reduced kieselguhr consumption

0.5% less beer loss

Products The enzyme solutions for faster throughput and more extract are cell wall degrading

enzymes, primarily beta-glucanases and various xylanses, pentosanases and cellulases.

These enzymes are stable at temperatures up to 65 ºC and at pH values normally used in

brewing. These enzymes are made for use with well-modified to moderately modified malt,

and with up to about 30% adjunct. The enzymes do not contain proteases, and consequently

cannot be used for FAN generation. Enzyme solutions for under-modified malt and high

adjunct brewing where FAN generation is needed are described in the application sheet for

cost-effective adjunct and malt solutions.1/7

Ultraflo® Max, Ultraflo® L, Ultraflo® XL and Viscoflow® MG are used in mashing. The

enzymes are completely inactivated and degraded during wort boiling and cannot be

detected in the final beer. Therefore, no labeling is required.

Ultraflo is specially designed to break down cell wall materials in cereals like beta-glucan

and xylans. Ultraflo Max is a combination of beta-glucanases and xylanases including a

unique arabino-xylanase, which makes it possible to produce low viscosity wort, resulting in

the best beer filtration using any type of malt.  

Ultraflo L has a high content of xylanases and is used primarily with well-modified malt,

while Ultraflo XL has more beta-glucanases and is designed for use primarily with

moderately-modified malt for faster throughput.

Viscoflow is an effective and robust enzyme solution and an optimized blend of beta-

glucanases, xylanases, cellulases and alpha-amylases. Viscoflow ensures fast throughput and

more extract when working with malt of variable quality.

If the cell wall components have not been properly broken down during mashing Finizym®,

which is used in the cellar can be used during fermentation to ensure trouble-free beer

filtration. The enzyme is completely inactivated by normal pasteurization.

There is more information about the above-mentioned products available at the Customer

Centre.

Ultraflo Max—Get the best beer filtration

Ultraflo L & XL—Your key to consistent, fast wort and beer filtration

Viscoflow—Your key to increased extract and filterability

Finizym—Your key to consistent and fast beer filtration

Performance Production consistency is guaranteed with higher predictability

Variations in malt batches may result in process fluctuations such as varying wort viscosity

and varying wort and beer filterability.

Ultraflo and Viscoflow ensures consistent low level of beta-glucan and wort viscosity

2/7

Figure 1. Beta-glucan contents (A) and viscosities (B) on wort (16 ºP) with control (no enzyme) and Ultraflo®® Max on 3 malt samples representing different levels of malt modification. The viscosity is consistently reduced with Ultraflo Max to a low level and malt behavior is more predictable.

Ultraflo Max gives the lowest wort viscosity due to the best break down of arabino-xylans,

compared with other filtration enzymes

Figure 2. (A)  Viscosity of wort (16 ºP) treated with different standard filtration enzymes showing the superior performance of Ultraflo Max due to the effective break down of arabino-xylans (B) compared with standard filtration enzymes

Shorter and more consistent lautering with Ultraflo and Viscoflow

Viscoflow has been tested at the Technical University Munich, Weihenstephan, Germany. A

consistent, fast lautering process with a high degree of predictability was proven.

Enzymatic treatment reduced lautering time 30%

3/7

  Figure 3 and 4. Results from pilot plant tests with four well-modified malts and two under-modified malts. The

lautering time with Viscoflow® MG enzyme was 30% shorter and more consistent.

Ensured faster throughput, even on well modified malt, when Viscoflow® MG or Ultraflo® L

are used at normal or high mashing-in temperature

Improved beer filtration on all malt qualities with Ultraflo Max and Viscoflow® MG

Table 1. Mash filtration results on very well-modified malt and 2 different mashing-in Temperatures (52 ºC and 65 ºC). Viscoflow MG and Ultraflo L have been dosed at 150 g/ton

malt each. The lower the filtration index F, the better the filtration: Reading of F-index: Below 0.20 = excellent; 0.20-0.30 = Good; 0.30-0.40 = medium; over 0.40 = poor.

Trial Mashing-in

temperature

Filtration time Filtration

volume

Filtration

index (F)

No enzyme 52º C 11’ 50’’ 1470 ml 0.22

Viscoflow®

MG

52º C 8’ 44’’ 1510 ml 0.15

Ultraflo® 52º C 9’ 04’’ 1495 ml 0.18

No enzyme 65º C 17’ 34’’ 1455 ml 0.34

Viscoflow MG 65º C 9’ 42’’ 1485 ml 0.19

Ultraflo 65º C 9’ 03’’ 1450 ml 0.18

4/7

Figure 5. Results from pilot trials with six different malts. The beer filtration volume is increased and consistently higher when the enzyme has been used.

Ultraflo Max secures longer beer filtration cycles compared with any standard filtration

enzymes

Viscoflow helps increase extract yield with all malt qualities

Viscoflow has a wide range of relevant cytolytic activities and shows a robust and superior

performance on a wide range of varying malt qualities and has additional enzyme activity

to increase fermentable extract.

An average of 0.8% increased extract yield with Viscoflow® MG

Table 2. Industrial trials over period of several months  Showed the superior performance on beer filtration of Ultraflo Max com pared

with standard filtration enzymes r.

Moderately

modified malt

Total Beer

filtration cycle

hl

KG

consumption,

(%)

Haze,

EBC

Std. filter enz.

200 ppm

3,900 100 1.0

Ultraflo Max

150 ppm

4,800 80 0.9

5/7

Figure 6. Improved extract yield with Viscoflow® MG on a wide range of malt samples and qualities. Extract yields are improved by 0.1ºP or 0.8% on average.

Savings with well-modified malt and enzymes

The cost of the enzyme treatment is more than covered by the process gains that are

achieved, regardless of the quality of the malt. An economic model for calculating the

savings is available at the Novozymes Customer Centre at www.mynovozymes.com.

Usage The enzyme solutions for faster throughput and more extract are designed for well to

moderately modified malt and adjunct percentages up to 30%. The optimal dosage depends

on the raw materials, and will typically be defined through experience harvested over time

in daily production. Table 2 gives an overview of the recommended products and process

conditions. Use of the enzymes does not require any change in mashing regimes or raw

material recipes.

Table 3. Recommendations for usage of Novozymes’ enzymes for faster throughput and more extract.

Malt Recommended

products

Dosage substrate Place/time of

addition

Well-modified

Max 250 ppm

Beta-glucan Ultraflo Max

100-150 ppm on

malt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Under-modified

350-500 ppm

Beta-glucan

150-200 ppm on

malt

Well-modified

Max 250 ppm

Beta-glucan Viscoflow MG

100-150 ppm on

malt

Under-modified

350-500 ppm

Beta-glucan

150-200 ppm on

malt

Well-modified

Max 250 ppm

Beta-glucan

Ultraflo L 150-200 ppm on

malt

6/7

Regular use of Viscoflow MG or Ultraflo for every brew is common daily practice in many

breweries around the world. One example of the benefits of Viscoflow MG with well

modified malt of premium international quality is as following:

7% more brew house capacity (=3 brews more per week)

40% longer filtration runs giving 40% less kieselguhr consumption

0.5% less beer lost

More clear wort resulting in faster fermentation = 7% increased capacity

Better clarity and taste of the final beer resulting in a higher Quality Index

Ultraflo Max changes this benchmark for beer filtration by another 25% more beer volume

per beer filtration cycle.

Detailed application information For more information on the use of Novozymes’ brewing enzymes please refer to the

Brewing Handbook in the Customer Centre. 

Safety, handling and storage Safety, handling and storage guidelines are provided with all products.

Mash-in Under-modified

250-500 ppm

Beta-glucan

Ultraflo XL 175-250 ppm on

malt

Eliminate haze

and beta glucans

downstream

Finizym 250 L 5-10 ppm on cold

wort/beer

Start of

fermentation

Novozymes (China) Co. Ltd.14 Xinxi LuShangdi Zone, Haidian DistrictBeijing 100085, Chinabrewing@novozymes.com

Novozymes is the world leader in bioinnovation. Together withcustomers across a broad array of industries we create tomorrow’sindustrial biosolutions, improving our customers' business, and the useof our planet's resources. Read more at www.novozymes.com.

No

vozy

mes

A/S

· Lu

na

No

. 200

3-32

969-

09

7/7