Sorghum vs rice syrup

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mtbskier

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Ok I know this topic has been debated in other threads to death but I'm wondering what you guys are finding is the best combo for gf beers. to be clear I am talking about the rs from high gravity brew. What types of flavor, color, aroma are you guys seeing from these ingredients. I am planning a few summer brews probably a wit or hefe and a pilsner and was thinking of using 50/50 sorghum and rs. I have found that sorghum will yield very thin light colored beer without adding some candy syrup, honey or roasted grains but have not used rs enough to say the same thing. What are the good and bad that you guys have experienced when combining the two vs using sorghum or rs as standalone fermintables
 
My initial attempts at only using sorghum were not the best. Since then I use sorghum syrup, rice solids, AND honey with candy syrup (mostly for the color). Maltodextrin for more body also. About half the fermentables at flameout helps any potential weird flavors. It ends up being a pretty good brew.

Next batch I am going to steep some roasted quinoa for grins and giggles to see how that affects the flavor.
 
I started with honey and rice syrup combos first and have only recently done brews with sorghum. My take is that sorghum is fine for a strong, hoppy IPA but has a weirdish flavor that I'm not sure I'd like in a more lightly hopped beer.

Just rice syrup will give you a very lightly colored ale that in my experience is also dry with little body and almost no head. I find rice syrup + buckwheat honey to be a great combo - the buckwheat honey will add some color, body, and head.

The rice syrup I buy is Lundberg's organic brown rice syrup though, not the high gravity brew stuff, which I haven't tried. Lundberg's is pricey but has made the base for some yummy brews for me.
 
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