At some point, you just brew...

[Huff360]

My head is spinning from all the recipes I've looked at. Many too complicated for my first batch. Some have too many ingredients I don't have. Some just don't sound good. Some looked simple/easy but turned out weren't a good idea...

Anyway, I've adopted this:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f164/help-me-get-started-first-gf-brew-198253/index2.html#post2311712

to match what I have on hand. I turned the hops way down as the GF-SWMBO is not a fan of hoppy beer. I'm calling it "GIT-ON-WIDIT" cause it's time to throw research and expertise to the wind and just get something in the fermenter.

Here's the recipe:

2.5 gallon batch, Full boil, 60 minutes

2lbs NB White Sorghum
.5lbs Candi Sugar, Dark
.25 oz Amarillo
1lbs Brown Rice Syrup (15 mins)
.25 oz Amarillo (15 mins)

Using SafeAle US-05

According to BeerSmith - OG 1.049, IBU 24 (my AA is 9.2%), SRM 24, ABV 4.5%

2-3 weeks in the primary at room temp (68 @ night, ~72 during the day)
Bottle with priming sugar and let it be.

I'm not looking back here for comments until after it is in the fermenter tomorrow!

 

[mrtree]

Nice. That looks like you are on the right track. I would consider a little maltodextrin for body. Also, perhaps more hops. But that depends on your personal taste.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

[Huff360]

Well, it's done. My first GF Beer is in the primary. I made a few adjustments to the recipe cause I couldn't help myself. Here is the final with actual weights used -

1.975 lbs NB White Sorghum (60 min)
1.19lbs Brown Rice Syrup (15 min)
.25 oz Amarillo [9.2%] (@ 60, 25, and 10 min)
1.5 oz Malto-Dextrine (5 min)
.532 lbs Dark Candi Syrup [80 SRM] (60 min)
1/3 tsp Irish Moss (15 min)
6.5 grams of US-05 (Dry pitched at wort temp of ~80F)

I started the boil with 2.25 gallons of water. The plan was for the 1/4 gallon of Sorghum and the pint of BRS to make up the 2.5 gallons in the end, but instead I was pretty short. I finished with about 1.75 gallons of wort, so I added .75 gallons of bottled water at the end.

Next time, I will up the starting boil size to better account for the loss. I had no idea I would lose this much.

Beersmith said to expect 1.051, but I ended up with 1.060 I'm not sure what caused that.

The wort from the hydrometer sample has a pretty bitter aftertaste. Hopefully that will mellow out a bit in the end.

I'll report back in a few weeks.

 

[DKershner]

Looks like it will be good. Sort of a...brown pale ale.

 

[Huff360]

That's kinda what it tasted like going in. I was reminded a bit of a newcastle with some hop bite. The sorghum was there, but not overpowering.

It is looking good so far. Nice activity in the fermenter. It has warmed up about 5 degrees overnight, there is a storm moving in, so it's now up to 75 in the house. Gotta figure out where to put a fridge I can control the temp in...

 

[cruckin78]

Yeah the problem you describe is a problem I have....Too many recipe's too little time. If that is the only problem I experience with brewing is being torn about what to brew next then I will be happy!

Same with cigars, I enjoy opening my humidor and going.....hmmmmmm which one to smoke.......

 

[Huff360]

Well, I cracked open the first one of this batch tonight. As expected it is not yet carbed completely, but it is extremely clear, has a very nice color, and it fairly drinkable. It needs some more time in the bottle for the flavors to mellow. It kinda has that "new homebrew twang" that usually clears up in a couple more weeks.

Once it is finished conditioning I will report back, but it seems like this will be -okay- beer.

 

[DKershner]

Well, I cracked open the first one of this batch tonight. As expected it is not yet carbed completely, but it is extremely clear, has a very nice color, and it fairly drinkable. It needs some more time in the bottle for the flavors to mellow. It kinda has that "new homebrew twang" that usually clears up in a couple more weeks.

Once it is finished conditioning I will report back, but it seems like this will be -okay- beer.

I don't feel like the beer should be too green after a month. What was the FG?

 

[Huff360]

OG - 1.060
FG - 1.014

But it didn't go in the bottle till the 7th. I guess technically it is a month old since it was started on Oct 23rd. But I don't like to start counting till it goes in the bottle. 10 Days isn't that long for a bottle conditioned beer. I expect it to be in good shape after it's been bottled a month.

 

[Lcasanova]

I feel like US-05 should have brought that FG down a little more, but lately all of my 100% BRS beers have been finishing at 1010 so maybe not.

 

[david_42]

Sorghum beers seem to take extra time to mellow. Adding simpler sugars (like rice syrup) is a battle between cutting the sorghum sweetness (and high FG) and maintaining body/mouthfeel. 25-30% has been working fairly well for me.

 

[DKershner]

Sorghum beers seem to take extra time to mellow. Adding simpler sugars (like rice syrup) is a battle between cutting the sorghum sweetness (and high FG) and maintaining body/mouthfeel. 25-30% has been working fairly well for me.

I guess it could be the Sorghum flavor he is tasting...

I thought you had a problem with low FG from your sorghum beers...hence the maltodextrin.

 

[Huff360]

I thought you had a problem with low FG from your sorghum beers...hence the maltodextrin.

No, I had a problem with the first two pre-hopped extract (non-GF) beers I made feeling very thin, hence the MD.... in hindsight, that was dumb. One of those fixing a problem that has nothing to do with this recipe type things... I'm glad you pointed it out though, cause it really hadn't dawned on me that I did that.

BeerSmith set the est. FG at 1.015.

 

[DKershner]

No, I had a problem with the first two pre-hopped extract (non-GF) beers I made feeling very thin, hence the MD.... in hindsight, that was dumb. One of those fixing a problem that has nothing to do with this recipe type things... I'm glad you pointed it out though, cause it really hadn't dawned on me that I did that.

BeerSmith set the est. FG at 1.015.

My bad, was talking to David with that last comment.

I think your FG looks right in line with expected. The taste must be from something else.

 

[Huff360]

Well, I took a couple bottles to the local meeting last week for the blind tasting beer. No information was given about what it was, just everyone taste and then go around the room and comment.

Overall, the comments were awful.
Fussely
Hot
Lacking malt to support the hops (hehe, I liked that one)
Phenolic
Bitter
Awful
Wouldn't ever buy it again

Several ended up dumping their sample. It was quite disheartening...

Then it came my time to tell everyone what it was. After a few minutes of explaining what it was and what was in it, several decided that they needed to try another sample. After everyone understood what they were drinking, the comments changed dramatically. Most of the 'off-flavor' comments were retracted and blamed on just trying to pin the sorghum flavor on a common problem.

After the beer has had plenty of time to age, I still say the IBU is too high. It is very drinkable, but you just have to be in the right mindset. Then wife does prefer it over RB, but wishes it were less hoppy.

The second batch, with reduced IBU went in the fermenter last Wednesday. We will know in a couple weeks how that one turns out.

 

[DKershner]

Well, I took a couple bottles to the local meeting last week for the blind tasting beer. No information was given about what it was, just everyone taste and then go around the room and comment.

Overall, the comments were awful.
Fussely
Hot
Lacking malt to support the hops (hehe, I liked that one)
Phenolic
Bitter
Awful
Wouldn't ever buy it again

Several ended up dumping their sample. It was quite disheartening...

Then it came my time to tell everyone what it was. After a few minutes of explaining what it was and what was in it, several decided that they needed to try another sample. After everyone understood what they were drinking, the comments changed dramatically. Most of the 'off-flavor' comments were retracted and blamed on just trying to pin the sorghum flavor on a common problem.

After the beer has had plenty of time to age, I still say the IBU is too high. It is very drinkable, but you just have to be in the right mindset. Then wife does prefer it over RB, but wishes it were less hoppy.

The second batch, with reduced IBU went in the fermenter last Wednesday. We will know in a couple weeks how that one turns out.

I think you could pin most of those based on sorghum, except maybe bitter and lacking malt. It makes me wonder though if you are tasting hop flavor or hop bitterness and think it is overbearing. I would predict, at 25ish IBU, this thing isn't all that bitter, even though the OG is low. Although, with only .25oz @15, it shouldn't be all that hoppy either.

Just interesting what people taste, thanks for posting your findings. Blind tastings are always awesome and I have had several with comments that vary more than yours. (One person called our beer metallic and my brew partner still can't get that one out of his head)

 

[aggieotis]

ne person called our beer metallic

Just remake the batch of beer call it Metallica and all the brewheads will love it. "You nailed the Metallica notes in your beer, it was like a riff in my mouth" will be your only comment.

 

[DKershner]

Just remake the batch of beer call it Metallica and all the brewheads will love it. "You nailed the Metallica notes in your beer, it was like a riff in my mouth" will be your only comment.

There's no band in the world that would nail me quicker for copyright infringement.

 

[aggieotis]

There's no band in the world that would nail me quicker for copyright infringement.

Do a Canadian Lager and call it Metallic-eh?

 

[DKershner]

Do a Canadian Lager and call it Metallic-eh?

Now you're talking.