Glutenfree Pilsener

[Roel]

For a friend who has Gluten intolerance I would like to make a Glutenfree beer. I've chucked a few ingredients together on 'Beersmith' and came up with the following recipe:

Ingredients:

2.00 kg Liquid Mayze Syrup
1.00 kg Dry Corn Syrup
0.50 kg Liquid Rice Extract Syrup

15.00 gm Chinook [12.40%] (60 min) Hops 21.5 IBU
15.00 gm Saaz [4.00%] (15 min) Hops 3.4 IBU
15.00 gm Saaz [4.00%] (5 min) Hops 1.4 IBU

Yeast: Saflager W-34/70

Alcohol: 4,3 %
IBU: 25,1 (I know it's a bit lowish for a pilsener, but it's for a girl )

My question is: would it be possible making a nice pilsener by just using the above extracts and hops? I know that it won't be the same as brewed with barley extracts, but would the above ingredients provide enough body and flavour to the finished beer?

I found a few other recipes. But these involve using Millet or Buckwheat. I've done a bit of research and I really don't feel like going through the whole process of malting Millet.

I would appreciate any feedback!

Cheers,

Roel

[Chris]

I'd throw in some yeast nutrient.

[KEG]

try roasting your own grains to give it flavour, body and colour, even if you don't malt them. it's going to be really low on flavour. i haven't tried anything like this, but i'd expect the yeast and hop flavour to be very dominant, with nothing to back it up.

[Kevnlis]

Rice Malt would be good if you can find it. There is also a product called "Kasha" which is a roasted buckwheat used for stews and things. This may be a nice addition to boost the flavour a bit. Also the following grains are gluten free:

* Amaranth
* Buckwheat (would add a bit more flavour than corn and rice)
* Corn
* Millet
* Montina (an Indian rice grass)
* Quinoa
* Rice
* Sorghum (popularily used in gluten free beers)
* Teff

I would also use some yeast nutrient.

Let us know how you go with it.

[rwh]

2.00 kg Liquid Mayze Syrup

I'm going to assume that this is effectively glucose syrup.

1.00 kg Dry Corn Syrup

Er, and Corn and Maize are the same thing... so this is glucose syrup too...

0.50 kg Liquid Rice Extract Syrup

And this sounds like malted rice extract.

My guess is this is going to taste absolutely terrible, like the kind of stuff you would distill to make vodka. I would definitely go to the effort of ordering some malted gluten free grains from somewhere and doing a mash. I saw some at Grain and Grape at one stage. Also, before you launch into this endeavor, I'd make sure you try a professionally produced gluten free beer (like Silly Yaks) to make sure that it's really for you. I understand that it's really quite a difficult thing to pull off (I considered doing it for my coeliac and lactose intolerant housemate but ended up brewing a cider instead).

[rwh]

Oh, and that Silly Yaks site linked to above has fairly extensive instructions on homebrewing gluten free beer.

[Kevnlis]

I think there may have been something about this on one of the http://oz.craftbrewer.org/ radio shows?

Or was it a http://www.basicbrewing.com/ podcast?

[rwh]

Yep, Basic Brewing Radio: January 18, 2007 - Gluten Free brewing.

[Roel]

2.00 kg Liquid Mayze Syrup

I'm going to assume that this is effectively glucose syrup.

1.00 kg Dry Corn Syrup

Er, and Corn and Maize are the same thing... so this is glucose syrup too...

0.50 kg Liquid Rice Extract Syrup

And this sounds like malted rice extract.

Thanks RWH, you're right; Maize syrup is American for Corn Syrup, isn't it? I wasn't sure if these syrups/powders contain glucose, maltose, maltotriose, etc. The only difference is that one is liquid and the other one is a powder. I really need some 'higher' (unfermentable) sugars to give the pilsener a bit of body.

Kevnlis, I had the idea to use lightly roasted buckwheat. In fact, I've got it at home, but read somewhere that it can give a weard, sour taste to your beer?

Does anyone know if you can get a glutenfree 'bodybuilder' for your beer?

Thanks so far guys, I appreciate all your input!

Roel

[Kevnlis]

Body will be quite heavy if you use that recipe. The corn syrup (maltodextrine) is only 20% fermentable!

Flavour is what you lack.

[Trough Lolly]

Roel, you might want to check out the Gluten Free Brewing Project website. It has a link to a few somewhat dated recipes, but has an interesting primer on GF brewing.

Back in 2005, Robert Hinterding (rhh<at>sillyyak.com.au) did some research, as a Gluten free brewer, and discovered the following website links which he posted onto the Oz Craftbrewing message list:

http://rsc.org/Publishing/Books/0854046305.asp

http://plantpro.doae.go.th/worldferment ... nkraus.pdf

http://www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/cul-wht.html

http://www.afripro.org.uk/papers/Paper01Taylor.pdf

Cheers,
TL

[mikey]

I had a rice 'beer' last night at a friend's place.

I have to be perfectly honest - it was different but surprisingly nice. While there was very little body it was crisp in a champagne/ soda water kind of way but without the absolute dryness. It was perfectly clear in colour and very refreshing.



The recipe:

1kg rice malt
750g sugar
Water to 20 litres
Hops (he wasn't specifIc about what type)

He says it comes out at about 2-3%.

[derrin]

I used 500gm of rice syrup in an experimental lager late last year.
would recommend to anyone that no more than 200gm be used in any brew to give a nice crispness.
The amount that I put in makes the beer taste "green" even now. shudder...

[mikey]

I think we are talking about two entirely different beasts here. One where rice is added and one where people can't drink wheat based (and others that i don't know about) malts and so must use alternatives.

I have also used rice malt in a 'true beer' and it was fine.

[Kevnlis]

I have used 35% rice slurry in a beer and that was a very nice drop!

I have had a lager that was brewed with rice malt extract and that was quite nice as well.

Have never had a 100% rice beer though, sounds very interesting.

Did he use extract or did he mash the rice malt?

[mikey]

Liquid rice malt straight from the health food shop.