A brewing device may have several different configurations to make various beverages. Under computer control, the device may be able to sequence various ingredients using direct or recirculating percolation for immediate consumption, such as coffee and tea, or for fermenting for later consumption, such as beer, kombutcha, or other consumable products. The device may be capable of a sequenced percolation, such as coffee infusion of a first type of coffee, then a second type of coffee, followed by vanilla, and followed by spices. The device may be capable of sequential, cascading, or parallel percolation directly or using recirculating paths. Ingredients may be pre-packaged or may be placed into various removable and cleanable containers. The device may further be capable of infusion by steeping ingredients in a dispensing device.

A method, and related apparatus, for producing beer from any types of grains includes activating phenomena of controlled hydro-dynamic cavitation during all the steps of the process, from mashing to hopping, and possibly after yeast inoculation. The present method and apparatus provide a number of advantages over traditional techniques, for example, avoiding the pre-crushing of the malts or the grains, thereby increasing the efficiency of saccharification and of starch extraction, and avoiding the boiling at equal efficiency of the hopping. Another advantage is the opportunity of causing the concentration of gluten to fall in the final product simply with controlled hydraulic processes through electromechanics, and of possibly extending fermentation.

The present invention provides methods of mashing high tannin adjuncts. More specifically, high tannin adjuncts can be refractory to exogenous enzymes used in barley malt brewing. The present invention provides enzymes which are uninhibited in tannin. In particular, tannin uninhibited, raw starch degrading α-amylases are provided in accordance with the instant invention.

The present invention provides methods of mashing high tannin adjuncts. More specifically, high tannin adjuncts can be refractory to exogenous enzymes used in barley malt brewing. The present invention provides enzymes which are uninhibited in tannin. In particular, tannin uninhibited, raw starch degrading α-amylases are provided in accordance with the instant invention.

A method, and related apparatus, for producing beer from any types of grains includes activating phenomena of controlled hydro-dynamic cavitation during all the steps of the process, from mashing to hopping, and possibly after yeast inoculation. The present method and apparatus provide a number of advantages over traditional techniques, for example, avoiding the pre-crushing of the malts or the grains, thereby increasing the efficiency of saccharification and of starch extraction, and avoiding the boiling at equal efficiency of the hopping. Another advantage is the opportunity of causing the concentration of gluten to fall in the final product simply with controlled hydraulic processes through electromechanics, and of possibly extending fermentation.

The present invention relates to variants having glucoamylase activity with improved properties and to compositions comprising these variants suitable for use for example in the production of a food, beverage (e.g. beer), feed, biochemical, or biofuel. Also disclosed are DNA constructs encoding the variants and methods of producing the glucoamylase variants in host cells. Furthermore, different methods and uses related to glucoamylases according to the invention are disclosed, such as in a brewing process.

The present invention relates to variants having glucoamylase activity with improved properties and to compositions comprising these variants suitable for use for example in the production of a food, beverage (e.g. beer), feed, biochemical, or biofuel. Also disclosed are DNA constructs encoding the variants and methods of producing the glucoamylase variants in host cells. Furthermore, different methods and uses related to glucoamylases according to the invention are disclosed, such as in a brewing process.

A method for producing a saccharified mash comprising drawing out a part of a mash to be saccharified into a tank, heating the part, and returning the part and mixing with the remainder part, characterized in that the method comprises heating the drawn-out mash to be saccharified in a copper tube. A beer using a saccharified mash obtained by the production method of the present invention allows to control the generation of factors that would be regarded as negative in sensory aspect such as “burnt taste,” and shows overall excellent flavor such as being excellent in body, aroma and taste, so that a new taste can be provided as a luxurious product.

A method for producing a saccharified mash comprising drawing out a part of a mash to be saccharified into a tank, heating the part, and returning the part and mixing with the remainder part, characterized in that the method comprises heating the drawn-out mash to be saccharified in a copper tube. A beer using a saccharified mash obtained by the production method of the present invention allows to control the generation of factors that would be regarded as negative in sensory aspect such as “burnt taste,” and shows overall excellent flavor such as being excellent in body, aroma and taste, so that a new taste can be provided as a luxurious product.

The present invention relates to a variant pullulanase, wherein the pullulanase comprises at least the following combination of substitutions: N368G+N393A+Q431E+L432F+A492A,S+N610R+G624S+T631S+S632C, and optionally further comprises N222P+Q252A+Q256R; wherein the variant has pullulanase activity, and wherein the variants have at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99%, but less than 100% sequence identity to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 3. Further aspect the present invention relates to a process for liquefying starch-containing material at a temperature above the initial gelatinization temperature using an alpha-amylase and a thermo-stable pullulanase of the invention.