Gluten-Free Homebrew Research

Dan GeiserUHP Experiential Learning Project

Nov 8th-Dec 2nd

Why Brew?Family Thing: For me it was about getting closer to my brother. My brother is four years older than me and I hardly see him. Anything that can bond us together is great, and for us it was brewing beer.

Brings Out Creativity: Beer can be made with almost anything that can produce fermentable sugar and practically any ingredient. Beer is not limited by style and has hundreds of different subsets that let you brew radical beer. Basically if you can dream it up you can make it!

Not for Alcohol: Sure alcohol is a good thing, but it’s not the end all be all. For me brewing is not just making alcohol it’s turning an idea into something concrete.

The Process: Brewing turns you into a mad scientist of flavor. Every step in the brewing process is a chance for the beer to develop massive flavor and complexity. The process is step orientated and very scientific– if done correctly you will a great product.

The Research: When you’re creating your own beer research is everything. You will learn to love research and the information you learn about ingredients and techniques to make your beer better.

Sharing and Tasting: Sharing a beer with someone is a very intimate experience (in fact any alcohol) and it’s even better when you made it yourself. This is a chance to be proud of your beer and what it took to get where it is now. Listening to others opinion of it is crucial it will give you ideas of how to better your product. Beer is made to drink with others– have others expand their beer horizons and try new things!

My Inspirations In Beer

Gluten-Free? You’re Crazy!

Many people say gluten-free beer is nasty and it’s probably not a good idea to do it. Chris (bottom left) works at Listermann’s and encouraged me to take on the challenge and gave me valuable advice on how to do it. Without him the project wouldn’t get off the floor.

Reasons For Doing It:-Why Not? – I’ve brewed 35 different styles of ales in three years. I feel I have the overall process of brewing down, but I want to challenge myself more. A wise man once said the only way you get better is by working harder and challenging yourself. By doing this beer it will expand my skills as a brewer and as a researcher. -Combining Passion and Education – As a nutrition major the material I’m learning everyday in class can be applied to this project and in brewing in general. My knowledge on gluten containing ingredients, gluten intolerance, and overall research will act a nutrition research. The work done on this project won’t be work because I love doing it.-Introduce People – People are interested in new beer and home brewing. By doing this project I will hopefully encourage others to take on the hobby and expand their horizons to radical beer.

Brewing Theories and Techniques

Ingredients

Quinoa, flaked rice, flaked maiz all wafting after roasting at 250 degrees to get more flavor and color out of them. Sorghum syrup, (more sugars) maltodextrin, (mouthfeel agent) honey, clarifying agent, (drops gluten down to 10ppm) and muslin bags (hold hops in boil without hop residue left over).

California Ale Yeast: Produces clean tasting ales that accentuates hop flavor and aroma. Great for IPA’s and Pale Ales and is known for quick fermentations. Good in temps around 65-75 degrees.

Cascade Hops: Common hop produces citrusy flavors and aromas– not much bitternessHallertau Hops: Common hop produces resiny/piney/floral notesMotuka Hops: New Zealand native hop, produces white wine aromas

Pictures and Explanation: Brew Day!

Me in front of the boiling wort

Brewing buddy Jake transferring the wort

into primary fermentation bucket

The boil containing a floating bag of hops

Wort chiller suspended in boil to cool down the wort

for transfer (70 degrees)

Pictures and Explanation Continued

My hop schedule. Differing amounts of

Cascade, Motuka, and Hallertau hops ready to go into the

boil

First Wort Hopping: Technique that

induces massive hop flavor and aroma

without bitterness

Rice Hulls: Miracle workers to prevent

a stuck mashMy outdoor home

brewery: It’s organized chaos

Fermentation or Not?: Problems With The Beer

• When your hydrometer is sitting low after three days fermentation something is wrong.

• A good fermentation will show the hydrometer sitting high showing a lower number. This did not happen for me.

• In order to hopefully save the beer I immediately bought a new yeast• Fermentis Safale US-05 dried ale yeast – has a higher yeast

count than most wet yeast strains and is known as the savior for stuck fermentations.

• I pitched the new yeast and sat back and see if it worked

Things I learned:1. Fermentation buckets can get worn out. This means the air-

tight seal around the edges of the lid and around the airlock can leak CO2. When this happens the airlock does not bubble and many people start to worry that no fermentation is happening.

2. The grains used could’ve produced more complicated sugars then glucose and maltose for the yeast to break down, therefore slowing fermentation.

3. Always check the date on the yeast you’re using – it might be dead!

4. Always have a back-up beer to test on the tasting panel!1. English IPA

Bottling Process

• FERMENTATION SUCCESS!!• Yeast Krausen Developed

• Dry Tasting Product=Good

• Bottling Process is extremely messy and time consuming• Must add priming sugar to the beer in order to get carbonation• Everything MUST be sanitized = acid-based sanitizer • All together = 24 bottles• Must age for up to a week (2 if possible)

• Final Product Taste= Clean and hoppy. Citrus forward with a pleasant hop back that finishes letting you know it’s a light beer. No off-putting flavors in my opinion (sorghum after taste). Used Teavana Citrus tea for added floral nose.

New Project for Prophecy Brewing Company?

• Aging Cabinet • Aging high ABV beer

• Gives beer a smooth taste• Develops underlying flavors• Calms alcohol astringency

• Some Beers We’re Aging• Barley Wine• Stout• Belgians – Tripel, Dubbel, Quad• Black IPA• Quad IPA• Scottish Wee-Heavy

We have about 30 beers aging

6 in growlers

24 in bottles