Gluten Free Recipe (Hops based on Oberon clone)

I'm looking at making a gluten free recipe for my wife who recently discovered a gluten allergy. I was thinking of making something fairly hoppy to somewhat mask the non-barley based fermentables, but my wife doesn't like really bitter beers (most IPAs are out). I'm looking to make a nice flavorful beer that isn't really sweet like some of the GF beers we've tried (Greens) and has more flavor the others (redbridge).

I found some inspiration while looking at an Oberon clone (https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f70/bells-oberon-clone-31422/index2.html). Lots of hops in that beer but pretty low IBUs. My recipe is fairly simple so I'm wondering if there's anything I should add. Is there anything those of you with more experience can think of?

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Recipe Specifications
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Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 4.07 gal
Estimated OG: 1.052 SG
Estimated Color: 5.7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 12.8 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: - %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.00 lb Sorghum Syrup (4.0 SRM) Extract 75.00 %
0.50 lb Buckwheat, roasted (20.0 SRM)* Grain 6.25 %
0.50 lb Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 6.25 %
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (Dry Hop 14 days) Hops -
1.00 oz Saaz [3.50 %] (30 min) Hops 7.8 IBU
1.00 oz Saaz [3.50 %] (15 min) Hops 5.0 IBU
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1.00 lb Honey (1.0 SRM) Sugar 12.50 %
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale

*I plan on roasting them on the lighter side.

3 oz of hops in a partial boil...how do you transfer to primary? Do you pour everything in?

lcasanova said:

3 oz of hops in a partial boil...how do you transfer to primary? Do you pour everything in?

Click to expand...

You can do that without issue, or you can pour through a strainer. Hops do not prevent fermentation.

As for your beer, it should be fine as long as she likes a taste of saaz and cascade mixed. 12IBU's is near nothing though, you may want to add a small bittering hop just to move it out of American Lite Lager land.

On the other hand, if you want a ton of hop flavor and NO bitterness, this beer seems about right.

the bell's clone recipe calls for Hallertau. I do not see a reason to switch it out to Cascade. Especially since the person you are doing it for, your wife, doesn't like bitter IPA's.
IMO, she just might not like the taste of the hop in signature IPA's (i.e., Cascade!)

if it were me, i'd stick to hallertau or other noble hops. EKG- yum!
And i'd increase the IBU to at least 20 or 25 by adding a 45 minute bittering addition.

cheers!

I just wanted to throw out there to make sure that the oats you plan on using are labeled gluten free. Oats themselves are gluten free but most of the time they are processed on the same machinery as wheat or other gluten containing products. They have to be processed on machines dedicated to g-free products to be sure they have not been cross contaminated.

lcasanova said:

3 oz of hops in a partial boil...how do you transfer to primary? Do you pour everything in?

Click to expand...

As dkershner said, I strain going into the fermentor.

midfielder5 said:

if it were me, i'd stick to hallertau or other noble hops. EKG- yum!
And i'd increase the IBU to at least 20 or 25 by adding a 45 minute bittering addition.

cheers!

Click to expand...

I think I'll either add some more at 45 or just move some of the saaz back a bit to get up to around 20 IBUs.

Challenger440 said:

I just wanted to throw out there to make sure that the oats you plan on using are labeled gluten free. Oats themselves are gluten free but most of the time they are processed on the same machinery as wheat or other gluten containing products. They have to be processed on machines dedicated to g-free products to be sure they have not been cross contaminated.

Click to expand...

Definitely noted. I've got a health food store near my work that has GF grains. The same thing goes for yeast, although since my wife doesn't have full blown celiacs, I'm not too concerned. Even barley based yeast is pretty low in gluten.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

My wife is EXACTLY the same...does not like the bitter at all. Even the ginger beer I made she commented on the bitter. Midfielder5 makes a great point that it might be the flavor of the hops as well as the bitter. I've made a couple that were on the extreme citrus side with orange peel addition and all late hop addition.

I'm going to experiment with some different hops to see if the flavor profile of the hop is a contributing factor.

I guess I'll just have to keep making beer until I get it right!

Hey, thanks!
I was able to isolate out the Simcoe hop as what my SWMBO's objected to-- by looking at what Beer was liked n disliked and looking at the hop profiles of each.
Most had the same general profile (diff grains) except where simcoe was involved. Bingo!

Cool. I'm with her on the sincoe...don't really care for it. Maybe just because the beers I've had with it have had A WHOLE LOT of it.