Gluten Free Beer

[Millet Man]

OK.

Grain and Grape have malted sorghum for $5.50 / kg.

This is my first-draft recipe for ~ 20 litres of gluten-free lager:

3 kg malted sorghum
1 kg rice
0.5 kg maize (popped corn)
0.3 kg cane sugar

Hallertau to about 22 IBU
Hallertau aroma

S-189

Any comments/criticisms from experienced gluten-free-ers?

Should I add enzymes, or will the enzymes in the malt suffice?

Is whirlfloc advisable?

Should I use a dark sugar? I hear sorghum-based beer is very pale.

Geoffi,

Looks good but a couple of comments;

Malt/grain quantities look fine, should give an OG of 1.040 - 1.060 depending on how fine you crush. Given it's your first go I'd say it will be in the 40's so about right.

I have stopped using a fining agent as I find sorghum malt beer clears very nicely without it.

3.0 kg of sorghum malt will be struggling to convert 1.5 kg of raw grain (particularly beta amyase), I'd halve the amount and replace it with some maize or rice syrup or add some enzymes to give it a boost along.

You're right, the recipe will be very pale (i'd guess a light straw colour) since sorghum malt is kilned at low temperatures to preserve enzymes, I'd add about 100g of treacle to bump it up to a straw/golden colour, that will also give the head a little boost. You could roast a small amount of malt (30-40g of finished product) until it's black to get the same effect but it gets smokey in the kitchen!

Have fun.

Cheers, Andrew.

 

[geoffi]

Thanks for those tips, Andrew. I'll replace the rice with syrup, and add 100g treacle. I might keep the popcorn in to give it a little 'corniness'.

If I add some enzyme, is there a specific type I should use, eg Modiferm etc?

Geoffi,

Looks good but a couple of comments;

Malt/grain quantities look fine, should give an OG of 1.040 - 1.060 depending on how fine you crush. Given it's your first go I'd say it will be in the 40's so about right.

I have stopped using a fining agent as I find sorghum malt beer clears very nicely without it.

3.0 kg of sorghum malt will be struggling to convert 1.5 kg of raw grain (particularly beta amyase), I'd halve the amount and replace it with some maize or rice syrup or add some enzymes to give it a boost along.

You're right, the recipe will be very pale (i'd guess a light straw colour) since sorghum malt is kilned at low temperatures to preserve enzymes, I'd add about 100g of treacle to bump it up to a straw/golden colour, that will also give the head a little boost. You could roast a small amount of malt (30-40g of finished product) until it's black to get the same effect but it gets smokey in the kitchen!

Have fun.

Cheers, Andrew.

 

[Millet Man]

Thanks for those tips, Andrew. I'll replace the rice with syrup, and add 100g treacle. I might keep the popcorn in to give it a little 'corniness'.

If I add some enzyme, is there a specific type I should use, eg Modiferm etc?

Geoffi,

There's a couple you could use that are your local HBS might have :

Improzyme - A protease, glucanase, and alpha amylase that is good for GF brewing because the alpha amylase has an optimum temp around 85C which is above the gelatinisation temp of GF grains.

Modiferm - An amyloglucosidase (makes glucose) that has an optimum temp of around 60C so you can use it in the mash after gelatinisation or in the boiler after lautering and before you put the heat on, about an hour should do. If you use it in the fermenter as recommended it will keep producing glucose and you'll end up with a very dry beer.

Cheers, Andrew.

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

From the latest Brewer and distiller Mag.

The Canadian malting barley technical center in Winnipeg has the third largest brewery in the provence of Manatoba.With the biggest brewer Fort Gary ( part of the British Columbia based Russell Brewing), It has developed 'Newbru" for PureFarm beverages which is gluten free for those afflicted with coeliac disease.CMBTC MD Rob McCaig told us that he used high maltose corn syrup with pea, lentil and bean extract to add carbohydrates and protein which mainstream beers get from barley malt.Sadly most of Robs output is experimental and by law has to go down the drain.[end quote]
Boy sounds like it would make a good curry as well as a beer.I wonder how many indians are coeliacs and if there is a connection to different diets?Any body know.
GB

 

[geoffi]

Thanks again, Andrew. Sounds like either of these might do the trick, with differing procedures. I'm ordering my sorghum tomorrow, so it's all systems go.

Geoffi,

There's a couple you could use that are your local HBS might have :

Improzyme - A protease, glucanase, and alpha amylase that is good for GF brewing because the alpha amylase has an optimum temp around 85C which is above the gelatinisation temp of GF grains.

Modiferm - An amyloglucosidase (makes glucose) that has an optimum temp of around 60C so you can use it in the mash after gelatinisation or in the boiler after lautering and before you put the heat on, about an hour should do. If you use it in the fermenter as recommended it will keep producing glucose and you'll end up with a very dry beer.

Cheers, Andrew.

 

[Millet Man]

From the latest Brewer and distiller Mag.

The Canadian malting barley technical center in Winnipeg has the third largest brewery in the provence of Manatoba.With the biggest brewer Fort Gary ( part of the British Columbia based Russell Brewing), It has developed 'Newbru" for PureFarm beverages which is gluten free for those afflicted with coeliac disease.CMBTC MD Rob McCaig told us that he used high maltose corn syrup with pea, lentil and bean extract to add carbohydrates and protein which mainstream beers get from barley malt.Sadly most of Robs output is experimental and by law has to go down the drain.

Boy sounds like it would make a good curry as well as a beer.I wonder how many indians are coeliacs and if there is a connection to different diets?Any body know.
GB

Sounds yummy :blink:

I remember reading an article that stated Coeliac Disease is more prevalent in cultures where gluten (wheat, barley etc...) was introduced more recently, such as Ireland and Finland. The rest of Europe is also quite high most likely due to gluten grains being a staple food, and less people die from it now they know what the causes is. AFAIK other cultures that have rice, sorghum, millet, maize, lentils as a staple food have a lower incidence of CD.

Cheers, Andrew.

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

MY GF friend is yet to return, but I cracked my taster recently. This is from one quarter of the kit purchased from Queensland.

It was a beautifully clear beer, supporting Millet Man's comments about sorghum and clarity. Following their directions, you get a not very hoppy outcome. It was very thin and dry and had what I think of as a characteristic sorghum flavour. For what it is, it isn't bad, but I'm hoping to improve on it next time.

I like the treacle idea, but I'm also thinking about roasting some pumpkin then throwing some enzymes at it in an attempt to add character and thickness as well as upping the hop flavour.

 

[geoffi]

Well, the deed is done.

Spent most of yesterday wrestling with the GF AG. I followed the instructions on the sillyyak site, and did the Schmitz method decoction mash, but also added some Modiferm in the sac rest @ 65c.

3kg malted sorghum
500g rice
350g popped corn
400g golden syrup
12g Green Bullet @ 60
20g Tett @ 30
20g Tett @ 10

A few observations:

The decoction is more like making a huge batch of porridge than 'normal' decoction boiling. It gets very, very thick and scorches easily. You must stir constantly. (In fact it smelled and tasted almost exactly like the malted sorghum porridge my South African in-laws sometimes have. Just a bit lumpier)

Try this without rice hulls and you would be in big trouble. It would be like trying to sparge porridge. I used 500g hulls and got a nice easy run off.

The wort is very, very pale. I had planned to use treacle to colour it up, but only had golden syrup.

In the boil, there is no break material to speak of. I added some whirlfloc and it seemed to have no effect whatsoever. After whirlpooling and draining the kettle there was just a hop pellet residue, no break.

I ended up with 26 litres @ 1.040, which was more wort and lower gravity than planned. (70% efficiency, which I was very happy with for a first go.)

If the resulting beer is acceptable, I might have another crack at this, but it is a long brew day.

 

[blackbock]

If the resulting beer is acceptable, I might have another crack at this, but it is a long brew day.

Geoffie, no gain without pain first!

 

[Millet Man]

Well, the deed is done.

Spent most of yesterday wrestling with the GF AG. I followed the instructions on the sillyyak site, and did the Schmitz method decoction mash, but also added some Modiferm in the sac rest @ 65c.

3kg malted sorghum
500g rice
350g popped corn
400g golden syrup
12g Green Bullet @ 60
20g Tett @ 30
20g Tett @ 10

A few observations:

The decoction is more like making a huge batch of porridge than 'normal' decoction boiling. It gets very, very thick and scorches easily. You must stir constantly. (In fact it smelled and tasted almost exactly like the malted sorghum porridge my South African in-laws sometimes have. Just a bit lumpier)

Try this without rice hulls and you would be in big trouble. It would be like trying to sparge porridge. I used 500g hulls and got a nice easy run off.

The wort is very, very pale. I had planned to use treacle to colour it up, but only had golden syrup.

In the boil, there is no break material to speak of. I added some whirlfloc and it seemed to have no effect whatsoever. After whirlpooling and draining the kettle there was just a hop pellet residue, no break.

I ended up with 26 litres @ 1.040, which was more wort and lower gravity than planned. (70% efficiency, which I was very happy with for a first go.)

If the resulting beer is acceptable, I might have another crack at this, but it is a long brew day.

Well done Geoffi,

Hope the beer comes out good for you. What yeast did you use?

I used to use irish moss but as you noticed there is very little trub so I don't bother any more.

After doing a GF AG it will be a walk in the park to go back to a standard drop infusion mash!

Give us an update on how it ferments and tastes.

Cheers, Andrew.

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

I see it as an interesting exercise and as determining a baseline flavour profile, etc, etc. I expect to have to work hard at mashing and being creative with ingredients to get something she and I are happy with. Tasting happens in March.

Thanks to Geoffi for touching this thread and prodding me. I tasted this with my intolerant friend recently. I think it was about on a par with the Silly Yaks bottled pale. It needs, in my view, some more hopping to liven it up a bit and something to add as a malty taste replacement.

I'm thinking about treacle or golden syrup or something like that at the moment and perhaps some dry hopping - cascade flowers.

Any thoughts on this sort of treatment and what sort of quantities?

 

[geoffi]

Andrew,

I have it sitting in a cube, so I haven't pitched yet. But I have a few options I'm toying with: US-05, S-33 and S-189 (probably fermented at low ale temps, which has produced extremely clean beers for me).

Any thoughts on yeast for this one?

 

[Millet Man]

Thanks to Geoffi for touching this thread and prodding me. I tasted this with my intolerant friend recently. I think it was about on a par with the Silly Yaks bottled pale. It needs, in my view, some more hopping to liven it up a bit and something to add as a malty taste replacement.

I'm thinking about treacle or golden syrup or something like that at the moment and perhaps some dry hopping - cascade flowers.

Any thoughts on this sort of treatment and what sort of quantities?

Spills,

I'd try about 200 g of treacle in a 20 lt batch - should add a hint of caramel and a bit of colour. Cascade sounds good but don't over do it as there isn't the malt body to balance it compared to a barley malt beer.

Cheers, Andrew.

 

[Millet Man]

Andrew,

I have it sitting in a cube, so I haven't pitched yet. But I have a few options I'm toying with: US-05, S-33 and S-189 (probably fermented at low ale temps, which has produced extremely clean beers for me).

Any thoughts on yeast for this one?

Geoffi,

I'd go for something that won't ferment too dry and will add a bit of esters as well. Never tried S-189 but S-33 should be good. For my pale ale I use a blend of S-04 (leaves some body and adds esters) and US-05 (cleans up diacetyl from S-04) and that works well IMHO.

Cheers, Andrew.

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

Cheers, Millet Man.

I'm thinking of fermenting this batch with Nottingham. I might try 100g each of golden syrup and treacle, just to complicate things as I do...

 

[durgarth]

Just reporting back...................Sunday was tasting day for us. Not sure if I mentioned it before, but we purchased a kit from QLD. After reading theough this thread my son and I added some extra hops and 500grams of Golden Syrup. The fermentation went well and ran well over 10 days. We placed the brew straight into bottles (as my kegs have been used for Gluten beer for several years).

After all this I have to agree with Spils, the taste, well its OK. Not great but Ok. After 4 it was better :icon_chickcheers: . The beer was clear as a bell, nice carbonation, but the head retention was poor. We certainly will be making another, and after reading your thoughts we will probably add some other bits and peices, including rice flakes, treacle and extra hops (probably Cascade) to beef up the overall performance.


Steve

 

[Millet Man]

After all this I have to agree with Spils, the taste, well its OK. Not great but Ok. After 4 it was better :icon_chickcheers: . The beer was clear as a bell, nice carbonation, but the head retention was poor. We certainly will be making another, and after reading your thoughts we will probably add some other bits and peices, including rice flakes, treacle and extra hops (probably Cascade) to beef up the overall performance.

Steve,

Glad it was OK, I've been meaning to try one of those kits myself out of interest, to see what the raw sorghum syrup brews like. Head retention is tricky on gf beers so I'm not surprised the sorghum syrup struggled to keep a head, the long ferment also suggests it lacks the right amount of FAN for yeast nutrition. But it made a beer and that's good!

Cheers, Andrew.