Dextrose in a Brew

[Hamish Jones]

Ok I'm going to embark on a GF beer this weekend that needs some dextrose to give it some oomph as my secret ingredient only has a potential SG of 1.017 so I need to up it or use more than I have to make a brew,

Now I chucked the numbers into beer smith and it looks like its going to be dry as with the recipe calling for 2 + KG of dextrose, approximately 50% of grain bill 

what FG has anyone experienced fermenting with that much Dextrose or should I try and use some unfermentable sugars to stop FG going to low?

Any ideas would be most appreciated

[paul m]

I try and keep the dextrose below 10%- depending on the beer it may be better lower

[Ralph]

Unless your "secret ingredient" is going to leave a bunch of unfermentable components then your FG will be quite low using dextrose. Which would give a rather thin beer. If you need to add unfermentables then I would recommend adding maltodextrin as this will give a similar unfermentable as you get from malting barley. It is available gluten free (they can make it from corn).

These guys here could sell you a few kg of dextrose and maltodextrin if you give them a call. http://www.formulafoods.co.nz/

[Hamish Jones]

the only catch is it has to be pretty much as close to 100% gluten free so as not to kill my guinea pig who is gluten allergic, so will give them a bell and see if they have any GF Maltodextrin, 

I will reveal all if it isn't a cockup, don't want to look like too much of a cock in public,

the main fermentable finishes around 1.010 with US-05 it doesn't really leave anything for body so bit concerned about using straight dextrose and it finishing too much lower. might split 50/50 dex and malto to make up the difference and give it a whirl this weekend,

cheers

[Ralph]

that is probably a bit too much maltodextrin. From memory it is only about 10% fermentable, so most of it will sit there adding body to the brew...

edit. Here you go 

• Maltodextrin - Is another carbohydrate used in brewing. It provides almost no fermentables but does add body and mouthfeel when added at about 500 grams per 5 gallon batch. It will add about 0.011 points of original gravity and 0.0093 points to final gravity (it attenuates about 16%).

From here http://www.winning-homebrew.com/fermentables.html

[Hamish Jones]

might have a play with beer smith and see how it works out, cheers for the link some interesting stuff,

Cheers

[Peter Smith]

Have you tried the
http://www.scottsbrewing.co.nz/
Beers. Man I wish I knew what's was in them awesome Gf beers

[Peter Smith]

from past posts

Find pre-malted gluten-free grains. (The only thing in NZ I've ever seen that might fit the bill is the Fawcett Oat malt at Liberty Brewing)   - would be good for body

Briess White Sorghum syrup 

Honey ?

I have a friend that is celiac and wants a decent recipe as well

read this as well  http://byo.com/stout/item/698-gluten-free-brewing

none of the GF shops in AKL sell anything other then flour...

Brewerscoop can probably help with malted grains...

[Hamish Jones]

not sure on the sorghum a few people have mentioned a strange taste with it which is hard to disguise,

I tried the Pale Ale and it really didn't do anything for me and of the four people I know who have tried it none liked it, in fact I have four still in the fridge from a 6 pack I purchased about 4 months ago,

But in saying that the GF person I know loved the Amber Ale but wanted me to brew something due to the nature of the cost of GF products

[Ralph]

Rice malt can be found at places like Piko whole foods. Just think of it like Malt extract... but made from rice... I would be using rice malt to bump up the OG and body rather than dextrose + maltodextrin. 

Sounds like it is less fermentable than malt from barley tho?

some info if you read through the thread here http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/33505-fermentability-of-rice-malt...

Oh... and make sure you are adding yeast nutrients. Barley malt based brews have plenty of the nutrients that yeast need. Other starch sources may lack these leading to fermentation not working... so add yeast nutrient!

[Hamish Jones]

Looks like I am off to the health food shop, sounds like it could be the ingredient to use to bring it all together, thanks for the help

[Peter Smith]

Good luch - his is the best tasting GF beer I have found so far.  Maybe it just needed to be hoppier for your man...  the PA is almost like a lager in hop flavour

[Barry]

Met the guy from Scotts a few years ago in Melbourne, he gave an exceptional talk on gluten free beer at the ANHC.

He was saying that millet is the closest thing flavour-wise. But anything GF is a massive pain to mash, multiple steps, the whole enchilada. Sounded bloody challenging to brew.

Good luck!