Homemade Gluten-Free Beer Facts
Facts About Making Gluten-Free Beer at Home
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Is it really possible to brew good, even great gluten-free ales and lagers at home? Yes! But before you run out to buy everything you need to become a gluten-free homebrewer, there are some things you need to know.
And in case you decide that home brewing gluten-free beer isn't for you, we'll list breweries that produce some wonderful gluten-free beers at the end of this article.
Homebrewing Is Part Art and Part Science
Successful homebrewing requires a basic understanding of the brewing process which is part art and part science. Most importantly, gluten-free beer does not contain barley, wheat, or rye.
Gluten-free beer, both commercial beer and home-brewed beer is typically made using liquid gluten-free sorghum extract. Liquid extracts are very thick, concentrated syrups processed by malting companies.
Fortunately, almost all home brewing suppliers now sell gluten-free liquid sorghum extract. Gluten-free beer recipes sometimes call for the addition of rice syrup or dry corn dextrose which can influence the alcohol content of the finished product.
It's equally important to understand the vital importance of meticulously cleaning and sanitizing brewing and bottling equipment. The time commitment and patience required to let the fascinating fermentation and carbonation processes reach completion under appropriate conditions should not be underestimated when deciding if home brewing is for you.
Ales and lagers are the two beer styles most often brewed at home. The different characteristics of these beer styles are largely defined by the type of yeast used to ferment "wort."
Wort, or "green beer" is what beer is called before it ferments, or "attenuates" and develops its' alcohol content. Ale yeasts attenuate at higher temperatures and more quickly than lager yeasts. Ales are faster and easier to produce and require from 20 to 28 days to brew, ferment and carbonate.
Lagers are wonderful, crisp, crystal-clear beers. Beers made with lager yeasts require a much longer and cooler fermentation period, including transferring the beer from a "primary" fermentation bucket or carboy to a "secondary" fermentation carboy where the beer further clarifies and conditions. Lagers should be considered an advanced brewing technique and require a larger investment in equipment, time, and of course, patience.
Hops and Gluten-Free Brewing
Hops are the flower or female seed cone of the humulus lupulus plant. Hops have been used since the beginning of brewing time to add bitterness, aroma, and flavor to the beer. They are also a potent natural preservative, which allowed ancient brewers to ship casks of beer to yonder lands without spoiling.
Each variety of hops imparts its' own unique characteristic to beer. Some hops lend floral notes and flavors, others fruity or citrus notes, spicy notes, herbal notes, and evergreen or resinous notes. Choosing the right hops variety for gluten-free ales and lagers is key to the ultimate outcome of home-brewed gluten-free beer.
Basics of Home Brewing
Before attempting to homebrew gluten-free beer you should learn the basics of home brewing, choose good quality gluten-free ingredients and invest in (or borrow,) at a minimum, basic brewing, and bottling equipment. Brewing your own gluten-free beer is a rewarding hobby for those ready to commit.
Before ordering gluten-free ingredients and supplies online, check with your local homebrew supply store. They may carry Briess gluten-free white sorghum syrup and the equipment needed to start brewing gluten-free ales and lagers at home, saving you the cost of shipping products ordered online.
Not Ready to Homebrew Gluten-Free Beer?
Good news: Those of us on gluten-free diets can still enjoy the pleasure of a well-crafted beer, without the challenges of home brewing. There are many breweries that produce gluten-free beer. Some brands widely distributed in the US include Red Bridge (Anheuser-Busch), Bard's Gluten-Free Beer, Green's Gluten-Free Beers, New Grist Gluten-Free Beer (Lakefront Brewery), Honey Beer and Skull Crusher (Ramapo Valley Brewery), and Shakparo Ale and Mbege Ale (Sprecher Brewery).