I have a share in a local farm. One of the farmers is a celiac. I want to make a good GF beer using as much of their ingredients as possible. Hopefully something I will like as well as celiacs! After much research I decided that a true farmhouse ale is out because I want to be sure I use a GF yeast and the available saison strains are not GF. I decided on Wyeast GF 1272 American Ale. I’ll also use some sorghum liquid extract. The local ingredients I’m planning on using are honey, corn, oats and sorghum. And homegrown hops. I also like the idea of using some orange peel and/or marmalade to add some character.
So now to my question… how do I process the corn, oats and sorghum from the field to the kettle with the least hassle? I won’t be able to do a true cereal mash since I will not be using any barley or wheat to aid in conversion. I figure I can get away with not drying and mashing the corn, but simply boiling it fresh. This should “release” the sugars, yes? Then cut it off the ears, smash it, steep it, pour the “corn tea” into the kettle.
As for the oats… I am confident I can germinate, kiln (oven roast) and then steep them as well. But do I have to? Can I simply toast them (oven roast) to “release” the sugars? Same with the sorghum? I’m not looking to extract the maximum amount from these ingredients. I just want some contribution to the beer. The sorghum extract and honey will provide the majority of the fermentables. The hops, honey, toasted oats and orange peel should help mask the potential off putting aroma and mouthfeel associated (I am told) with an all sorghum beer.
Just boiling it isn’t going to release the sugars. It’ll gelatinize the starches so that they’re available to enzymes to be converted to fermentable sugars but without enzymatic activity you’re not going to extract much out of them. If you’re not using much and just for flavor maybe that’s okay.
What about using some oat malt?
I have no idea how much diastatic power it has but maybe it’d be enough to convert itself and the other adjuncts?
my concern there would be where that malt was processed. most likely in a facility that also malts barley and wheat. pure oats are GF, but are not sold as such because they are processed in plants with wheat, barley and rye. you have to pay more for certified GF oats/oatmeal for this reason.
[quote]An easier option is to get some amylase and do a cereal mash with that added to convert the starch to sugar.
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great idea. got some today. I have no idea how much amylase a mini-mash of corn, oats and sorghum will need. i bought a small 1.5oz bottle. it lists “1t. per 5G”. like any other generic label instructions for homebrew products, i don’t give that much creed.
i will also try my hand at a simple iodine test to see if i am getting conversion.