Sorghum Syrup v Brown Rice Syrup - Page 2

SteveM · 11-14-2009, 06:03 PM

My first G/F batch is now in the bottle about a week. I took some to a tasting on Thursday and cautioned everyone that it was likely to be pretty green and was brewed to be G/F, so I had no idea what to expect.

I used 6.6 lbs of sorghum LME, about five ounces of hops including two ounces of my home grown cascades, with eight ounces of honey primer.

It is really good so far. It has a taste that brings to mind a white Belgian - including an orangy taste that I can't account for, except to guess that the very late addition of Amarillo did it.

If/when I do another batch, I will stick with sorghum. I've used rice solids in other applications and it seems to add no taste whatever.

ftlstrings · 12-29-2009, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aggieotis

Maltodextrin (or Lactose if you're making a Cream Ale) is the real key to body in GF beers. Basically figure out the amount of non-fermentable sugars (sorghum syrup is 25% non-fermentable sugars, whereas rice extract is almost completely fermentable). Then add enough maltodextrin to raise the FG to the desired level.

Example:
I have a 6lb container of sorghum syrup and a 1.25 lb jar of rice extract. How much maltodextrin do I need to get a FG of 1.013 from my 5.25 gal batch of beer?

First Find the FG without Maltodextrin
6 lbs at 38 points per lbs per gal = 228 points

Assume sorghum is 25% non-fermentable (from Briess website), then that means 57 points of non-fermentables.

To get a FG of 1.013 from 5.25 gal that means you need a total of 68 points non-fermentables.

Take 57 from 68, that means you need 11 points of maltodextrin for your batch...or around 4-5 oz of maltodextrin powder (typically powder is about 40 points per pound).

This is a technique I've been using lately and it's been giving me perfect head on my beer that last just as long as it should.

Bonus:
OG on the above example would be about 1.055

NICE! This is the kind of info that needs to be spread on the lists! How to MAKE your beer, not just how to sorta adapt recipies or to complain about the taste. Good work man!

DKershner · 07-19-2010, 09:04 PM

I know this topic is mostly dead, but I am doing some research both online and in making a beer that is mostly brown rice syrup. In the maltose vs glucose argument, I found this:

Quote:

The final product is roughly 50% soluble complex carbohydrates, 45% maltose, and 3% glucose.

http://www.organiccandy.com/ingredients_brownRiceSyrup.html

**Lcasanova** · 07-19-2010, 09:55 PM

Good luck with that, I just wish the syrup was a bit cheaper! But way to set us straight

DKershner · 07-19-2010, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lcasanova

Good luck with that, I just wish the syrup was a bit cheaper! But way to set us straight

Since I can do $3/lb, I will do the experimenting for both of us.

corymcd · 10-14-2010, 02:21 PM

add the Malto at boil?

**Lcasanova** · 10-14-2010, 02:34 PM

You can add maltodextrin to the boil or at bottling with the priming sugar. When I add it to the boil, I do so in the last 5 minutes.