First GF brew

[Lcasanova]

What chocolate extract are you using?

 

[gavo]

What chocolate extract are you using?

I don't remember the exact brand. It's one I picked up at whole foods and says it is GF on the side. Not exactly sure how much I'm going to use yet. I think it's a two ounce bottle. I may start with an ounce and see how that is. I'm not sure how strong of a chocolate taste that will impart. Any recommendations? I think I'd rather side with putting less in there and if I have to I can add more at bottling.

 

[dorklord]

I don't remember the exact brand. It's one I picked up at whole foods and says it is GF on the side. Not exactly sure how much I'm going to use yet. I think it's a two ounce bottle. I may start with an ounce and see how that is. I'm not sure how strong of a chocolate taste that will impart. Any recommendations? I think I'd rather side with putting less in there and if I have to I can add more at bottling.

I'd err on the side of caution as well. It is a lot easier to add more later than to take some out if you overdo it.

 

[KevinM]

Can you pull some samples and use an eyedropper in each of the samples to taste test? Got a way to force carb to test?

 

[gavo]

Can you pull some samples and use an eyedropper in each of the samples to taste test? Got a way to force carb to test?

I can take a sample, but I'm not sure if I will be able to tell with smaller samples and then convert that to something that will work for the whole five gallons. I might give that a try though. I don't have any way to force carb unfortunately. Still having to bottle.

 

[Lcasanova]

I know 1 dram (how ever much that is) usually works well in 5 gallons of beer...

In my test batches I just poured a little bit in, didn't help that I was nicely buzzed by the time I added those either

 

[dorklord]

I know 1 dram (how ever much that is) usually works well in 5 gallons of beer...

In my test batches I just poured a little bit in, didn't help that I was nicely buzzed by the time I added those either

So like 3/4 of a teaspoon?

 

[gavo]

So like 3/4 of a teaspoon?

That's the conversion I see as well. I'll probably shoot for somewhere between 3/4 of a teaspoon to a full teaspoon.

 

[Lcasanova]

That's what I'd use for a 5 gallon batch.

 

[gavo]

That's what I'd use for a 5 gallon batch.

That sounds like a plan to me. Appreciate your help once again. Pretty excited about this one. Still a pretty odd color, but has been tasting good.

 

[DirtbagHB]

good to know the >1teaspoon for 5 gal. ill be adding a hazelnut extract to my latest brew come next week.

theres a beer tasting going on here in my small town come march, they are going to have a homebrewer tent, im working on getting one or 2 of my kegs in there: )

lcasanova have you revieced the brew yet?

 

[Lcasanova]

I haven't gotten anything yet

 

[DirtbagHB]

Time to hunt down the reciept and the tracking number me thinks. Should have arrived yesterday

 

[Lcasanova]

I'll be in the office tomorrow and I'll let you know then if anything has come. We had a blizzard here last week so maybe that delayed things for a few days?

 

[Lcasanova]

Nothing here at the office for me. My co-workers usually sign for all packages, let me know if you found anything.

 

[AlexB]

I've never done any GF brewing (new celiac's diagnosis) but I'm kinda liking the look of this recipe for my first batch. I'm having trouble finding sorghum syrup though. Since it looks like people try to limit the use of it anyhow, is there something I can substitute?

Alternatively, does anyone know where I can get sorghum syrup in Canada?

Thanks for the help.

 

[spaced]

I've never done any GF brewing (new celiac's diagnosis) but I'm kinda liking the look of this recipe for my first batch. I'm having trouble finding sorghum syrup though. Since it looks like people try to limit the use of it anyhow, is there something I can substitute?

Alternatively, does anyone know where I can get sorghum syrup in Canada?

Thanks for the help.

This is the first recipe I brewed and it's all sorghum syrup. http://gfhomebrewing.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=39 I guess the hops covered the flavour a bit but it was a huge hit, even the gluten beer drinkers loved it.

 

[gavo]

Checked gravity again today. Almost 3 weeks in primary and it has seemed to settle at 1.020. I received the same reading from it last week as well. Beer Smith had me getting closer to 1.016 or 1.017. This isn't far off, but I'm curious if I should do anything here. Still planning on moving to secondary this week to add the chocolate extract and vanilla beans. I'm also curious how most people handle the vanilla beans. I plan to soak them in vodka, but I assume the idea would be to just cover them and use as little as possible.

 

[spaced]

Checked gravity again today. Almost 3 weeks in primary and it has seemed to settle at 1.020. I received the same reading from it last week as well. Beer Smith had me getting closer to 1.016 or 1.017. This isn't far off, but I'm curious if I should do anything here. Still planning on moving to secondary this week to add the chocolate extract and vanilla beans. I'm also curious how most people handle the vanilla beans. I plan to soak them in vodka, but I assume the idea would be to just cover them and use as little as possible.

Have you tried tasting it?

 

[Lcasanova]

Checked gravity again today. Almost 3 weeks in primary and it has seemed to settle at 1.020. I received the same reading from it last week as well. Beer Smith had me getting closer to 1.016 or 1.017. This isn't far off, but I'm curious if I should do anything here. Still planning on moving to secondary this week to add the chocolate extract and vanilla beans. I'm also curious how most people handle the vanilla beans. I plan to soak them in vodka, but I assume the idea would be to just cover them and use as little as possible.

Split them in half, scrape out the insides and chop up the skins. Place all this in some vodka for a few days and pour that in the fermentor.

Thats my process.

 

[gavo]

Have you tried tasting it?

I have. It tastes like flat beer. Not too bad of a sorghum after taste. My girlfriend, the one the beer is for thinks it tastes good. She said the sorghum wasn't as bad as a new grist. So that's a good sign.

 

[gavo]

Split them in half, scrape out the insides and chop up the skins. Place all this in some vodka for a few days and pour that in the fermentor.

Thats my process.

Good to know. Thanks for the help. Will be my first time adding those. Any thoughts on the FG I'm at? I'm ok with it, but I just wasn't sure if I had done something wrong.

 

[spaced]

I have. It tastes like flat beer. Not too bad of a sorghum after taste. My girlfriend, the one the beer is for thinks it tastes good. She said the sorghum wasn't as bad as a new grist. So that's a good sign.

I found the taste of the beer improved a little from what the sample tasted like with my first brew. If she doesn't mind the flavour now she should love it cold and carbonated.

 

[gavo]

I found the taste of the beer improved a little from what the sample tasted like with my first brew. If she doesn't mind the flavour now she should love it cold and carbonated.

Awesome! That's good to know. I'm hoping it's something we can both enjoy!

 

[gavo]

So I moved to secondary this past weekend and added the vanilla and chocolate extract. Planning to bottle sometime this weekend. Is there any problem using corn sugar to bottle this up? I'm assuming I'm looking at around a month for carbonation here since it took a while to finish fermenting.

 

[Lcasanova]

How'd this go? I remember having one hell of a time transferring my last batch that I used vanilla bean in...for some reason my siphon kept getting stuck

 

[gavo]

How'd this go? I remember having one hell of a time transferring my last batch that I used vanilla bean in...for some reason my siphon kept getting stuck

It went pretty well actually. Didn't have any hang-ups with the vanilla beans. It was the most sediment that I've ever picked up though. I bottled a little over a week ago and am just waiting for it to carb up. I'll give it another week and a half before a bust one open. I was very surprised with the dramatic change in color in the beer. Day 1 it was a very light chocolate milk color, and by the time I bottled it about a month later it was much more like a stout dark. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[gavo]

Well we finally tried the GF Double Chocolate Oatmeal Stout. It turned out pretty well. It's been in the bottle for almost four weeks and seems to continue to get better every day. I've attached a picture. I was a little disappointed with the lack of chocolate flavor. I should have added more chocolate extract at bottling. The vanilla come through nicely and the sorghum is starting to mellow out. My fiancee is very happy with it.

 

[spaced]

that looks awesome. Very jealous.

 

[bootin-gluten]

I've never done any GF brewing (new celiac's diagnosis) but I'm kinda liking the look of this recipe for my first batch. I'm having trouble finding sorghum syrup though. Since it looks like people try to limit the use of it anyhow, is there something I can substitute?

Alternatively, does anyone know where I can get sorghum syrup in Canada?

Thanks for the help.

Where abouts do you live? I've been brewing with sorghum for 3 years but my supplier keeps changing.