Non grain mash?

[Ty520]

I recently stumbled across a non grain beer made with chestnuts. Apparently it used to be a relatively common ingredient way back in the day when people didn't have access to grains,c and is now advertised by specialty brewers to those with gluten allergies.

However it sounds intriguing and potentially tasty. I was wondering if anyone else is familiar with non grain alternatives for making mashes?

 

[day_trippr]

So, starch is starch, and ethanol = buzz. In between, where there's a will - and some yeast - there's a way. One can conjure up "beer" from acorns as well. Google that beyotch and you'll find all kinds of recipes...

Cheers!

 

[doug293cz]

So, starch is starch, and ethanol = buzz. In between, where there's a will - and some yeast - there's a way. One can conjure up "beer" from acorns as well. Google that beyotch and you'll find all kinds of recipes...

Cheers!

Gotta have some enzymes as well to convert the starch to sugar. Don't know if chestnuts have any/enough of those.

Brew on

 

[Ty520]

Gotta have some enzymes as well to convert the starch to sugar. Don't know if chestnuts have any/enough of those.

Brew on

amylase seems up to the task and readily available?

 

[Ty520]

So, starch is starch, and ethanol = buzz. In between, where there's a will - and some yeast - there's a way. One can conjure up "beer" from acorns as well. Google that beyotch and you'll find all kinds of recipes...

Cheers!

yeah, i found plenty of chestnut recipes - but was curious avbout exploring other similarly "exotic" ingredients that could be used

 

[bracconiere]

amylase seems up to the task and readily available?

yes but if this is a ancient recipe, i wouldn't think they figured out protein purification yet?

 

[bracconiere]

In between, where there's a will - and some yeast - there's a way.

lol



(and you thought people were stocking up to wipe their asses! )

 

[bracconiere]

but to stay on topic to @Ty520 , i just googled how to grow chestnut trees from seed, says it take 3-6 weeks to sprout.

and i just asked the USDA db how much carbs they have 230g's a pound.....raw...pearled barley has 352g's a pound...so i guess as a starchy nut could work?


but even if they did have the enzymatic power to convert, 3-6 weeks, and what ever that many pounds of chestnuts would cost, takes ME out of the game...

 

[Ty520]

yes but if this is a ancient recipe, i wouldn't think they figured out protein purification yet?

true - a longer boil can help with that though.

from a quick search, it looks like Chestnuts contain as much sugar as malts by weight, so the potential is there.

 

[bracconiere]

true - a longer boil can help with that though.

from a quick search, it looks like Chestnuts contain as much sugar as malts by weight, so the potential is there.

so chestnuts have simple sugars like fruits? the term nut must have thrown me off....usually i think of them as fatty..

 

[bracconiere]

would something like an oil press be usefull for this application?

 

[Ty520]

but to stay on topic to @Ty520 , i just googled how to grow chestnut trees from seed, says it take 3-6 weeks to sprout.

and i just asked the USDA db how much carbs they have 230g's a pound.....raw...pearled barley has 352g's a pound...so i guess as a starchy nut could work?


but even if they did have the enzymatic power to convert, 3-6 weeks, and what ever that many pounds of chestnuts would cost, takes ME out of the game...

In truth, the plan is to use it to supplement a mead base, not to be the sole source of sugars. My intuition is that it will work to some degree - how well, we'll find out!

 

[bracconiere]

how well, we'll find out!

Right On! i hate it when cool series get canceled without a good ending! be sure to post how much the nuts up'd gravity numbers.....

 

[Ty520]

Right On! i hate it when cool series get canceled without a good ending! be sure to post how much the nuts up'd gravity numbers.....

i shall do my best to remember to follow up! in the mean time, keep any any ideas on grain-alternative mashes coming

 

[bracconiere]

grain-alternative mashes coming

i'm not sure what a grain free mash is? but i have had to learn about alternate alcohol making process's..... is this a gluten thing? because i've looked into koji mold.

 

[Ty520]

i'm not sure what a grain free mash is? but i have had to learn about alternate alcohol making process's..... is this a gluten thing? because i've looked into koji mold.

no-i've been on an experiment kick to find interesting and unorthodox flavor additives for my mead bases to add an extra level of uniqueness and flavor to compliment the general flavor theme of the mead. For example, Right now i have a pastry inspired mead (or in this case, a braggot) that uses an oatmeal mash as the liquid base - that's not super unique, but its gives you an idea of what I am doing

 

[bracconiere]

well i managed to make ONE batch of rice wine with koji, it still didn't ferment to be alcoholic, but was pleasingly mushroomy.....

 

[Ty520]

well i managed to make ONE batch of rice wine with koji, it still didn't ferment to be alcoholic, but was pleasingly mushroomy.....

i have another idea for rice base using a more ordinary yeast strain (probably 1116) and a-amylase (instead of traditional yeast balls), and plum.

I've heard you absolutely have to use thai sticky rice for rice wine

 

[bracconiere]

i have another idea for rice base using a more ordinary yeast strain (probably 1116) and a-amylase (instead of traditional yeast balls), and plum.

I've heard you absolutely have to use thai sticky rice for rice wine

well i've brewed 100% long grain $8 a 20lb bag from walmart, rice beer. i just threw it in the oven with the strike water on low overnight to gel the rice. next morning i'd have a solid block of rice, that i'd loosen up with some alpha amylase enzyme. add a bucket full of rice hulls to it, sparge (slowly). but i learned you have to add gluco to the fermenter to get it to finish fermenting, otherwise the 1.030 or so stuff will give you the squirts BAD!