NOVELTY - An enzyme composition comprising a mixture of a phytase and an a -amylase, where the phytase has an amino acid sequence having at least 75% sequence identity to fully defined 413 amino acids (SEQ ID NO: 1, 2 or 3), given in the specification, is new.    USE - The enzyme composition and methods are useful for liquefying starch; reducing the dose of a -amylase required in the starch liquefaction process; and for producing ethanol (all claimed).    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are: (1) a method for liquefying starch, comprising: (a) contacting a slurry of milled grain with the phytase and the a -amylase at a pH of 4.0-6.2, where the phytase is a Buttiauxiella sp. phytase or a variant that has phytase activity; and (b) reacting the slurry for 5 minutes to 8 hours at 40-110 degrees C to obtain liquefied starch; or (c) incubating a slurry comprising a granular starch substrate with a BP-17 phytase and the a -amylase at 0-30 degrees C below the initial starch gelatinization temperature of the granular starch substrate for 2 minutes to 4 hours at the pH of 4.0-6.2; and (d) raising the temperature to 0-45 degrees C above the initial starch gelatinization temperature for 5 minutes to 6 hours at the pH 4.0-6.2 and obtaining liquefied starch; (2) a method of reducing the dose of a -amylase required in the starch liquefaction process comprising: (a) contacting the slurry comprising the milled grain with a -amylase; and (b) contacting the slurry with the phytase from the Buttiauxiella sp., variants, and modified forms that have phytase activity; or (c) contacting the slurry of ground grain with the phytase from the Buttiauxiella sp., variants, and modified forms thereof that have phytase activity; and (3) a method for producing ethanol, comprising: (a) contacting the slurry of milled grain containing a substrate with the phytase and the a -amylase at the pH of 4.0-6.2, where the phytase is obtained from the Buttiauxiella sp. or its variant; (b) reacting the slurry for 5 minutes to 8 hours at 40-110 degrees C to obtain liquefied starch; (c) contacting the liquefied starch with glucoamylase saccharifying the liquefied starch and producing dextrins; and (d) fermenting the dextrins to produce ethanol.