Alternate Adjuncts for an American Light Lager

[roadkizzle]

So I'm thinking of making some American Light Lagers but after driving through farmland in Texas I was wondering why breweries only seem to use corn or rice.

I was thinking of getting some sorghum, grinding or milling it up and using it as an unmalted adjunct at about 20% of 6 row lager grist.

Does anyone have any experience using grains other than corn or rice as an unmalted adjunct in part of a grain bill?

This won't be a gluten free beer, and I am wanting to use the unmalted grains as adjuncts instead of malting them or using syrups.

 

[Yooper]

Corn or rice are used because they ferment completely, leaving little to no body and a very light flavor (if any at all) behind.

Sorghum has a distinct flavor, at least in the syrup versions of it I have had.

If you think you'll like the flavor, I'm sure you could use it.

 

[BigEd]

I was wondering why breweries only seem to use corn or rice.
.

Because they were cheap, plentiful, relatively neutral in flavor, and low in protein. Cheap and plentiful are self-explanatory, the low-protein aspect was a plus in diluting the high protein content of six-row malt which was often used in the past.

Re sorghum, I agree with Yooper.

 

[madscientist451]

I've never tried sorghum, but its been mentioned several times on the basic brewing radio podcast. I think the sorghum was used in a high ABV Belgian and a Mead.
Do you have a specific reason you want to use unmalted grains like sorghum?

 

[roadkizzle]

BYO had an article where they say sorghum was used by some American breweries in the 40's but unspecified "quality problems" led to it not being kept on.
https://byo.com/mead/item/94-adjuncts-explained

Sorghum is widely used in Africa, and there are many studies that I've found about Sorghum being used as an adjunct for the Nigerian brewing industry... That tells me it's possible but I really want to find out how it actually works. The problem in the 40's may have been a more logistical one getting adequate supply of really good grain.

Sorghum syrup is one of the primary sources of gluten free beers... But Sorghum syrup isn't even derived from the grain, malted or otherwise. The syrup is made from the juices in the stalks of the plants. I think people have said the malted grains produce a better product for beer.

 

[roadkizzle]

Yes adjuncts are about improving the starch-protein ratio. Sorghum also has a good quantity of starch and the studies I found appear to seem fairly similar to corn from that perspective as an ingredient.

As I said I am wanting to make a pale lager with adjuncts, something like an American Pilsner or such. Corn is most commonly used and very commonly grown in Texas but sorghum is also a large crop here so I was just getting interested how different one of these beers will be to a standard corn one.

I plan on brewing an initial attempt in August, and I'll try to remember to post back my findings with a comparison of a mass produced corn lager.

 

[roadkizzle]

But I wasn't even only wondering about sorghum, but other grains.

I am wondering what unmalted wheat would be like in a light lager. I know it's used in witbier but what happens when you take away the spices and Belgian yeast.

What kind of beer would take the nutty flavors of buckwheat and be great?

Could amaranth be good in an adjunct beer? What about quinoa?

We focus on corn and rice but there is an entire world we can explore and who knows what you or I will end up liking the most. It may be corn and rice... But who knows... buckwheat lagers may revolutionize the craft beer industry.