What books do you recommend

[ChasidicCalvinist]

I'm fortunate enough to have started to gluten free brew with someone else's kit--I enjoyed it and it tastes better than most commercial ones so I want to start doing it myself. While I currently save and begin assembling the list of supplies I was wondering if I should add any books to the list as well?

The Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Papazian has been recommended to me by several homebrewers I know, but they don't have to brew gluten free. I'm wondering if it matters that I would be brewing gluten free or if books like that (or others) are worth purchasing any ways? Or is there a great how-to book with recipes for those who can't use barley?

Thanks in advance for the advice.

 

[mojo_wire]

I don't believe there are any, really. It's such a specialized subset of the hobby. Because of that, I've been thinking about writing one myself.

Your best resource is the gluten free section of this website.

 

[ChasidicCalvinist]

Mojo, go for it!

 

[dorklord]

How to brew and joy of homebrewing are both good books to learn about the basics and some of the science behind brewing. The info on hops and yeast is the same, as is the basic how-to for extract brewing, fermentation, bottling...where it becomes different is your choices for extracts and what you would have to do for all-grain brewing.

I've thought about writing a book or at least making an online how-to...I'm not sure how much the is to add to the general knowledge at this point. Also it seems like things are changing all the time (availability of sorghum extract is somewhat recent, malted millet is somewhat available). Of course changes make me lean towards a website...

 

[spaced]

Yes, dorklord is correct. It's such a bleeding edge development in brewing that changes happen from day to day.

My advice:

* Read this section of home brewtalk start to finish. So many great threads.

* Try out some great proven recipes. LCasanova has some great recipes on here. Dkersher has a stack of gluten free recipes on his site here http://brew.dkershner.com/2009/gluten-free-tripel-blonde/

* If you've got the space, maybe try small batches. Split your fermentables in half and two different boils. Try different yeasts. etc. And be sure to share your findings.

* For ideas, radical brewing can provide lots of places to start http://www.radicalbrewing.com/

* (Shameless self plug) Check out my blog http://gfhomebrewing.blogspot.com.au/

* Visit your local homebrew club. I was lucky to find another gluten free brewer at mine. And also they lend out their books and magazines for a very small fee.

* See if you can post your beers to other brewers for feedback. They might provide some great info or ideas you haven't thought of.

 

[ChasidicCalvinist]

We are hopefully bottling this friday, I wil take pictures and post the recipe. I know we malted and roasted buckwheat, used sorghum extract nd dark beet sugar for color, but beyond that--and details, idk.

 

[DougmanXL]

I second radical brewing. Although it may not help in terms of the "gluten free" aspect, it is full of great ideas and interesting stories/history, and is a great/enjoyable read. Also there is How to Brew by John Palmer, and I just read "Yeast - the practical guide..." by Chris White, which helped me understand yeast and fermentation a lot.

I also highly recommend podcasts; like Basic Brewing Radio, or the Beersmith podcast (even if you don't use beersmith).

Still, I look forward to there being a gluten-free brewing book eventually...