high gravity brew--2 questions

I'm trying to decide if I want to go extract for my first "solo" homebrew or branch off on my own. If I don't go extract, I'm leaning towards Lcasanova's Double Chocolate Oatmeal Stout. So I was trying to find brown rice syrup and sorghum online to compare prices and discovered High Gravity Brew's website.

They sell toasted buckwheat and I wondered if anyone had purchased it and what they thought?

I also wondered if anyone had tried this kit? http://www.highgravitybrew.com/productcart/pc/Pilsner-Geben-Frei-Non-Gluten-Kit-213p3792.htm

They can't guarantee the oats are GF--but at least they say that.

Or is there another online source someone would recommend for supplies?

I know supporting the LHBS is big online, but the closest one to me is 45-1 hour away. That's not local. Then factor in gas in my area being 3.75/gallon and my grocery store being in the opposite direction. Any suggestions or feedback is appreciated!

I'd say the kit looks good, except for the non-GF oats. You should sub out for some Bob's Red Mill quick-cook GF oats, which you can get lots of places. An all-extract GF brew is not a good idea, though...you'll probably be disappointed. Follow a recipe, you'll be fine.

Subbing the oat malt for GF quick-cook oats won't work. Oat malt can convert somewhat on its own while quick-cook oats aren't going to contribute anything to the gravity, though they'll give you some flavor. So if you're just looking for flavor go for the GF oats. Otherwise, you'll have to find some workaround.

What about online sources...who do you guys use for your hops, yeadt sorghum, brown rice syrup and tapioca syrup needs? I can't seem to find one online source that has it all.

I've been using Northern Brewer, but I've never bought any tapioca syrup...

mloster said:

Subbing the oat malt for GF quick-cook oats won't work. Oat malt can convert somewhat on its own while quick-cook oats aren't going to contribute anything to the gravity, though they'll give you some flavor. So if you're just looking for flavor go for the GF oats. Otherwise, you'll have to find some workaround.

Click to expand...

There really isn't a work-around unless a) you want to malt your own oats, or b) you don't mind taking a gluten risk with off-the-shelf oat malt.

Are you sure that quick-cook oats don't contribute to the gravity, though? I found this thread: http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=77494 They say that quick oats add about 33 ppg...but maybe that's only if you mash them with barley, where the enzymes can convert them?

IDK, I usually just add the oats for flavor and compensate by adding some extra sugar. Seems to be par for the course in GF brewing--grains for flavor, sugars for gravity. Most GF sources of fermentables tend to impart little flavor (corn sugar, rice extract, tapioca extract) or not-so-good flavor (sorghum extract), and most of the flavorful grains (quinoa, buckwheat, millet, amaranth) don't add much in terms of fermentables, even when malted, due to the fact that their gelatinization temperatures are often above the temperature at which their enzymes are deactivated. Sorghum and oats seem to be the main exceptions, but I haven't heard many reports of successful all-grain gluten-free homebrewing with home-malted home-kilned grains. Hopefully some gluten-free oat malt will hit the market eventually....

You still need to mash with barley (or an equivalently diastatic malt) to get any significant conversion. But I don't see it necessary to boost the gravity with oats. That seems silly anyway. They would give a better mouth feel. Personally, if you're set on the kit, I'd buy it, buy some GF oats, do a mini mash with the oats to get whatever sugars you could without 2-row, and then brew as normal. If you start malting you own grains, etc., then the whole purpose and ease of a kit has been undermined.
As a side note, I have had some limited success with an AG GF home-malted grain beer, though the amount of work and time is pretty ridiculous.

I have decided to go without a kit and try one of the recipes on here. Thanks.