rice syrup

does anyone know whether the brown rice syrup found in liquid form at health food stores can be used as a replacement for rice syrup that you usually can get at home brew stores? my local home brew shop has quit carrying it, and says they cant get it in anymore.

There's always mail order. Probably cheaper too, even after shipping.

The cost of rice syrup or rice dme is so close to the cost of barley DME or LME, that you might as well use it and give your brew more body and flavor. Rice syrup is cheap for Budweiser to use because they buy it in incredible volume. For the ome brewer, better fermentables can be obtained for virtually the same cost.

Cant. Im gluten intolerant. Rice/buckwheat/sorghum(sp?) are my ingredients of choice.

So no one has any idea as to whether I can subsitute the rice syrup in liquid form from health food store for Rice syrup solids?
Im assuming I would need more of the syrup form to equal the solids but am concerned what effect it would have on the taste of the beer.

I wish I knew the answer, but I don't. I'm pretty sure there are some articles out on the web for non-gluten beers, perhaps Google can help. In any case, I'd assume you are correct that more rice syrup would be required due to the addition of liquid. I'd add another 25-30% to start with and see how it goes.

One thing you could do is a test batch of 1-2 gallons using the syrup and see if it makes a decent beer.

If it doesn't list any extra ingredients, you should be ok. I'd start with a 6 lbs syrup for 5 pounds solids substitution. (based on the LME/DME ratio & % sugar in honey) Running a test batch is about the only way to know. I suspect it is a little like light molasses, but I've never tried it and "health food" products can vary a lot.

Don't forget to post your results along with the recipe. I'm certain there are other people that would like to know.

This is my second batch. the first batch turned out pretty good. It had a little more body/flavour than your typical coors/labatt type beer. only problem was that there was a little bit of a cidery/fruity flavour to it. but im pretty sure that was b/c i ran out of rice syrup solids last time and used 1/2 to 3/4 of a pound of corn sugar instead (didnt know any better at the time). here is the recipe and you have to malt your own buckwheat.

Ingredients for 5 Gallons:

3 lbs. malted buckwheat (recipe follows)
1 cup corn sugar
1 oz. Saaz hops
2 oz. Hallertauer Hersbrucker hops
6 lb. rice syrup *
1 pkg. ale yeast (EDME) **