Editing Amylase (section)

===Fermentation===
α- and β-amylases are important in [[brewing]] beer and liquor made from sugars derived from [[starch]]. In [[fermentation]], [[yeast]] ingests sugars and excretes [[ethanol]]. In beer and some liquors, the sugars present at the beginning of fermentation have been produced by "mashing" grains or other starch sources (such as [[potato]]es). In traditional beer brewing, [[malted barley]] is mixed with hot water to create a "[[Mash (beer)|mash]]", which is held at a given temperature to allow the amylases in the malted grain to convert the barley's starch into sugars. Different temperatures optimize the activity of alpha or beta amylase, resulting in different mixtures of fermentable and unfermentable sugars. In selecting mash temperature and grain-to-water ratio, a brewer can change the alcohol content, [[mouthfeel]], aroma, and flavor of the finished beer.

In some historic methods of producing alcoholic beverages, the conversion of starch to sugar starts with the brewer chewing grain to mix it with saliva.<ref>{{cite news |title=Chew It Up, Spit It Out, Then Brew. Cheers! |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/dining/09beer.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 |work=New York Times | date=8 September 2009 |access-date=27 March 2013| vauthors = Wadler J }}</ref> This practice continues to be practiced in home production of some traditional drinks, such as [[chhaang]] in the Himalayas, [[chicha]]  in the Andes and [[kasiri]] in [[Brazil]] and [[Suriname]].