Methods and systems for obtaining oil from a stillage composition

1. A method of obtaining an oil composition from a stillage composition comprising:

adding one or more alpha amylase enzymes to a first post-distillation stillage composition;

exposing the first post-distillation stillage composition with the one or more alpha amylase enzymes to conditions comprising a pH of less than 4.2 and at a temperature of at least 75 degrees Celsius to form a second post-distillation stillage composition, wherein the one or more alpha amylase enzymes are added to the first post-distillation stillage composition in an amount from 0.001 to 0.05 grams/100 grams of solids of the first post-distillation stillage composition and to hydrolyze starch; and

obtaining oil composition from the second post-distillation stillage composition.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more alpha amylase enzymes are added to the first stillage composition in an amount from 0.002 to 0.04 grams/100 grams of solids of the first post-distillation stillage composition.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more alpha amylase enzymes are added to the first stillage compositing in an amount from 0.005 to 0.009 grams/100 grams of solids of the first post-distillation stillage composition.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more alpha amylase enzymes are added to the first stillage composition at a pH of less than 4.0.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more alpha amylase enzymes are added to the first stillage composition at a pH from 3.2 to 3.9.

6. The method claim 1 , wherein the first post-distillation stillage composition comprises whole stillage, thin stillage, wet cake and/or syrup.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first stillage composition is thin stillage.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more alpha amylase enzymes are added to the first post-distillation stillage composition at a temperature of 75 to 95 degrees Celsius.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining oil composition from the second post-distillation stillage composition comprises 15 wt % to 75 wt % more oil compared to a stillage composition in which no alpha amylase is added.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining oil composition from the second stillage composition comprises 30 wt % to 50 wt % more oil compared to a stillage composition in which no alpha amylase is added.

11. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

separating the whole stillage into the thin stillage and the wet cake; and

evaporating at least a portion of water from the thin stillage to condense the thin stillage into the syrup.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein obtaining oil composition comprises:

separating the syrup into a first oil fraction and a first aqueous fraction;

adjusting pH of the first oil fraction to separate the first oil fraction into a second oil fraction and a second aqueous fraction; and

separating the second oil fraction to provide the oil composition.

13. The method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more alpha amylase enzymes are added to the whole stillage in an amount from 0.001 to 0.05 grams/100 grams of solids of the whole stillage.

14. A method of obtaining an oil composition comprising:

adding one or more alpha amylase enzymes to a beer;

wherein the one or more alpha amylase enzymes are added to the beer in an amount from 0.001 to 0.05 grams/100 grams of solids of the beer and to hydrolyze starch;

distilling the beer to obtain alcohol and whole stillage;

separating the whole stillage to produce thin stillage and wet cake; and

obtaining oil composition from thin stillage.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

evaporating at least a portion of water from the thin stillage to condense the thin stillage into syrup.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

separating the syrup into a first oil fraction and a first aqueous fraction;

adjusting pH of the first oil fraction to separate the first oil fraction into a second oil fraction and a second aqueous fraction; and

separating the second oil fraction to provide the oil composition.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more alpha amylase enzymes are added to the whole stillage in an amount from 0.001 to 0.05 grams/100 grams of solids of the whole stillage.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the beer is made by a method comprising:

i. milling grain to provide a milled grain, wherein the grain comprises starch;

ii. hydrolyzing starch to produce lower molecular weight sugars; and

iii. fermenting the lower molecular weight sugars with a yeast to produce the beer.