Amylase Fizzing?

[Rosa321]

Sooo......My uncle gifted me a couple of 1 gallon jugs.
a $5 2-gallon primary fermenter and a couple of super cheap size 6 plugs later, I got me a laboratory!!!!!!!
My current experiments have been with enzymes, among other things. I was tinkering with a batch of starburst wine (following the skittles recipe, but with only strawberry starburst...)

The Amylase I bought came with no instructions on the bottle. When I added it to the mix, there was a lot of fizzing.

Is this normal, or was I supposed to do something to the amylase prior to adding it for clearing?

Thanks! I know that was a lot of back story for one quick question, but sometimes it helps clarify for the answer.

 

[salcoco]

wine contained a large amount of carbon dioxide gas from the fermentation. adding the amylase or any other additive will cause the gas to nuclei with the particle and start to cause the wine the fizz as the co2 is released. you are lucky that it did not cause a boiling volcano. in future degas wine by vigorous stirring before additions.

 

[Rosa321]

Oooooooooooh!
Yes yes.........very lucky indeed!!!

I thought I had degassed it previously.......
I guess not!!!
I do not have an electric "degaser"/one of those wand/whip things, so I degas by hand. But I did it TWICE and racked TWICE.
Hummm.........But that is good to know......as I do think the CO2 could be accounting for some of the clouding/clearing issues......hmmm...
Oh how I love science!!!

Thank you!!!

 

[whackfol]

Why is amylase added? I know from brewing that it converts starch to sugar. What does it do in skittle wine?

 

[mkjennison]

Skittles and other candies use cornstarch as a binding agent. Amylase is added to break down the residual starches, otherwise you end up with a permanent unclearable haze.