# My First Beer! Gluten Free Chocolate Vanilla Ale



## the_rayway

So I started this today and probably made sooo many mistakes. But it was so exciting! Plus, it involved standing and sitting - which are the two activities I am currently able to do 

Recipe for 1 Gallon Batch
- 3.2oz Roasted GF Oats
- 1Lb 6.6oz Sorghum Extract
- 35mL Molasses
- .2oz Northern Brewer Hops
- 2 Pieces Star Anise
- 2 Split & scraped Vanilla Beans
- 5 Roasted Walnut halves, broken up
- .8oz Coco Powder
- 2oz White Sugar
- 1.5fl oz Dark Candi Sugar Syrup
- 3mL Coffee Grounds
- .2oz Hallertau Hops
- 1/2 packet Nottingham GF Ale Yeast

1) I brought a 1/2 gallon on water to 150-180F and tossed in the oats for 30 mins. Kept the temps within that range.
2) Since the author of the recipe I based this off of didn't mention sparging, I added the sorghum and molasses and brought to a boil. Started timer.
3) Add Norther Brewer at 45min
4) Anise and vanilla beans at 30Min
5) Walnuts and coco at 15Min
6) Sugar, Candi, Coffee & Hallartau hops at 5 mins
7) Sparged with warmed water a couple of times. The stuff was thick like I was making Haystack Cookies!!
8) Cool wort
9) Rehydrate yeast
10) Throw everything into a one gallon jug, shake like crazy, then pop 2 cups of the mixture into a mason jar beside to give some head room.

OG 1.048

So I'm not sure if I totally screwed up by not sparging just the oats after soaking. I wonder if he just assumed a person would know to do that? 

I lost 2/3 of my volume while I was doing the 60 min boil. I had to take it off the burner a minute or two early because I wasn't sure it would make it!

While I do not have high hopes for this beer, there are a couple of things I will be looking for:
a) that it's well-carbonated - I HATE flat beer
b) that it kind of tastes like chocolate
c) that maybe it will be a bit sweet

Don't know if I'm wishing into the wind, but I feel this is a great start to some experimenting!


Raelene


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## LoveTheWine

Thanks for sharing this is awesome!!!
So far the only beer I've done are the 'Brewhouse' kits
BTW... Nottingham yeast has worked great for me... use it in all my beers and ciders now!


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## Pumpkinman

Very cool! Hallertau hops are one of my favorites!


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## the_rayway

Thanks Aaron! Are you GF as well? I have the Brooklyn Brewhouse book at home that I'll totally be hitting up for some more recipe ideas if this works.

Tom - I'm totally going to be bugging you about this. Especially when it come time to carbonate them! I don't want to have carbonation failures like my husband did with his kit ones - I'm too excited about this! Lol


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## LoveTheWine

the_rayway said:


> Thanks Aaron! Are you GF as well? I have the Brooklyn Brewhouse book at home that I'll totally be hitting up for some more recipe ideas if this works.
> 
> Tom - I'm totally going to be bugging you about this. Especially when it come time to carbonate them! I don't want to have carbonation failures like my husband did with his kit ones - I'm too excited about this! Lol




GF = grain fermenter? ... Great farmer?

I've only done pre-made wort kits... not set up for all grain brewing yet
As far as these kit types go, they are supposedly some of the best, 15L bag of wort shipped with minimum water adding. (Much like a high end wine kit)
http://www.rjscraftwinemaking.com/Products/Beer/Beer-Category-1

Supposedly you can tweek them and they will win awards.
for 30$ a kit and ease of use, they make some pretty good beer, micro brew quality.
I always substitute nottingham in the primary and throw the generic yeast into the brewing bucket when adding primer sugar and there isn't any carb failures.

Next Pilsner I do, I want to find a good pils yeast to try.


I'm sure making your own wort will give you even better beer but I'm not at that level yet.


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## Pumpkinman

Raelene,
I'd be more than happy to help you anyway that I can!
We (the beer makers of WMT) should have a winter beer swap, it is very interesting to see/taste other brews! 
I have a killer Oktoberfest lagering as we speak, plus I have the following brews that are ready:

Hoptimum IPA clone
Centennial IPA clone
Harpoon IPA clone
All Amarillo Blonde APA 
All Cascade Blonde APA
Golden APA
Kentucky bourbon barrel ale


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## LoveTheWine

HaHa finally got that GF=Gluten Free... Sorry Raelene!
In answer to your question... I'm not GF
I guess it's pretty hard to find a GF kit out there.

Here is a stout kit I picked up today
It ain't no Gluten Free Chocolate Vanilla Ale but it going to have to do!

Keep us updated on how your brew turns out!

Tom these brews sound amazing


> Raelene,
> I'd be more than happy to help you anyway that I can!
> We (the beer makers of WMT) should have a winter beer swap, it is very interesting to see/taste other brews!
> I have a killer Oktoberfest lagering as we speak, plus I have the following brews that are ready:
> 
> Hoptimum IPA clone
> Centennial IPA clone
> Harpoon IPA clone
> All Amarillo Blonde APA
> All Cascade Blonde APA
> Golden APA
> Kentucky bourbon barrel ale


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## the_rayway

Aaron: Lol! Too funny. My husband did a Brewhouse kit - a Cream Ale, and a Canadian-style one from Baron's. Neither carbonated, so he is very disillusioned. He would like to try again - maybe I'll tell him about your yeast re-pitch, and the extra yeast add during priming. Thanks for the tip!

Tom: I would love to do a beer swap! Unfortunately, I wouldn't actually be able to drink them. Bryan would have to drink all the stuff I got from others - unless you brew gluten free? The Kentucky Barrel Bourbon sounds sooo good! *groan* why did I have to become a Celiac!?!

I'm looking to do something to use up the last half packet of yeast left from today. I've tossed a potential recipe together that I 'pulled out of the kitchen sink' (or, ahem, where ever). Might do up that batch tomorrow. Thinking it should be like a light pilsner-type deal.

This batch is blipping along nicely with the airlock on top. Woot!


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## Pumpkinman

Ah crap, I'm a dumbass, duh! of course you wouldn't be able to drink them, you are brewing a gluten free beer, please forgive me! Maybe we should do a wine swap...lol...I feel really assinine...lol
Aaron, when I fine a beer that I really like, I try to find a clone recipe, these are really good beer! When you are done brewing, I'd still be interested in a swap.


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## LoveTheWine

Pumpkinman said:


> Ah crap, I'm a dumbass, duh! of course you wouldn't be able to drink them, you are brewing a gluten free beer, please forgive me! Maybe we should do a wine swap...lol...I feel really assinine...lol
> Aaron, when I fine a beer that I really like, I try to find a clone recipe, these are really good beer! When you are done brewing, I'd still be interested in a swap.



I too would love nothing more than to get together for a beer swap but I'm located on an Island in Canada on the Pacific Ocean. May be a bit of a drive!


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## Pumpkinman

lol..agreed!


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## the_rayway

You two are hilarious!

Aaron - which island? Maybe I've been there 

Tom - I'm totally in for a wine swap sometime...just as soon as I've made something that I wouldn't be embarrassed to send! Perhaps some of the fresh juice bucket stuff you've been so kind to help me with


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## LoveTheWine

the_rayway said:


> You two are hilarious!
> 
> Aaron - which island? Maybe I've been there
> 
> Tom - I'm totally in for a wine swap sometime...just as soon as I've made something that I wouldn't be embarrassed to send! Perhaps some of the fresh juice bucket stuff you've been so kind to help me with




The big Island Raelene... Vancouver Island... about 1.5 hr ferry ride from Vancouver B.C.


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## the_rayway

Ah! I have been there, but not for quite a few years. I wasn't sure which coast you were on. I still remember the Butchart Gardens - they were so incredible! Great restaurants too on the island 

Once the kids are a bit older, we're hoping to to the coast to coast drive like I did with my family when I was a kid. SO much fun! Plus, watching my Dad drive the Coquihalla with my Nana screeching in the back was hilarious!


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## LoveTheWine

the_rayway said:


> Ah! I have been there, but not for quite a few years. I wasn't sure which coast you were on. I still remember the Butchart Gardens - they were so incredible! Great restaurants too on the island
> 
> Once the kids are a bit older, we're hoping to to the coast to coast drive like I did with my family when I was a kid. SO much fun! Plus, watching my Dad drive the Coquihalla with my Nana screeching in the back was hilarious!



Ha Ha... great memories for sure.
I live about an hour from Butchart. We love going to Victoria a few times a year.


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## the_rayway

Bottled this today! After making more than my share of mistakes, and with support from Tom, I got it done...with suggestions on how to do it better next time.

Whew. After this, the next batch should be easy (and hopefully less panic-inducing).

Final S.G. was 1.010 after adding dextrose. It's happily carbonating in my dressing room  Got 7x500mL bottles, plus another half that I tossed into the fridge to taste test in a few days.

Next up - Sweet Potato-Quinoa Ale anyone? Or perhaps an Orange Honey Ale? Hmmm, need to find more GF grains.


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## Fabiola

Good job, I also started my first beer, mead and cider last weekend. Question: What makes a beer to be gluten free? I mean, what type of ingredients or technique did you use?


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## the_rayway

Fabiola said:


> Good job, I also started my first beer, mead and cider last weekend. Question: What makes a beer to be gluten free? I mean, what type of ingredients or technique did you use?



Hi Fabiola,
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley & (most) oats. I am severely allergic to these things, so I need to find alternate grains and ingredients to get the same/similar results. Everything used must be gluten free for the beer to be gluten free. 

As you can see from my recipe, I used GF Oats (specially grown, harvested, and processed) and sorghum syrup for this beer. The next ones I'm looking at will be "all grain" using things like quinoa, rice, oats, sweet potato, carrots, etc.

From what I understand (which is very little, as a beer newbie) there are different methods of making beer depending on whether you use extracts or whole grains. I'm learning as much as I can as I go along, with much help from experienced brewers on this site, as well as another I go to.


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## Fabiola

Good, I learned something new today


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## LoveTheWine

Here is a GF recipe for you to try Raelene:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f78/gluten-free-double-ipa-181145/


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## brewski09

Just be careful with the sorghum extract. It will leave a sour green apple aftertaste for some reason. The whole foods in my area carry a brown rice syrup I've been thinking of trying out. You can also add amylase enzyme to quinoa or other glitter free products as needed.


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## LoveTheWine

and another:

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f240/gluten-free-double-chocolate-oatmeal-stout-165489/


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## the_rayway

Thanks Aaron! I've added them to my 'To Brew' list.

Brewski: I know about the sorghum twang. Ugh. I swear, Bards is the worst GF beer on the market! How could they have taken La Messagere off the shelves?!? Lol, the chocolate vanilla ale seems to be strong enough in taste so far that the twang doesn't currently pull through. That's what I was hoping for! 

Well, I was really just hoping for a drinkable beer. Now I just need to get it to carbonate much stronger and I'll be happy!


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## brewski09

the_rayway said:


> Thanks Aaron! I've added them to my 'To Brew' list.
> 
> Brewski: I know about the sorghum twang. Ugh. I swear, Bards is the worst GF beer on the market! How could they have taken La Messagere off the shelves?!? Lol, the chocolate vanilla ale seems to be strong enough in taste so far that the twang doesn't currently pull through. That's what I was hoping for!
> 
> Well, I was really just hoping for a drinkable beer. Now I just need to get it to carbonate much stronger and I'll be happy!



Have you tried the Omission line from Widmer Brothers? They use the clarity Fern product white labs recently went into contact to package for retail (my LHBS carries it) so it is theoretically less than 5ppm gluten but made with barley. The international standards for gluten free is less than 20ppm, but a lot of my friends are sensitive below this threshold. Anyway, I found the Omission pale ale to be a nice beer. Picked up a single of the lager today and recently saw a sixer of an IPA. 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Wine Making mobile app


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## the_rayway

Huh, I don't this we have that one up here... Also, I'm one of those poor saps who really can't have ANY gluten. Makes me sick as a dog and worse 

I'll keep my eyes peeled for it and would certainly give it a try to see how it goes though. Appreciate the recommendation!


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## LoveTheWine

How did this beer turn out ?


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## the_rayway

Hey Aaron! Thanks for remembering!

From my tasting this week (bottle 3 of 5):
Cloudy dark amber/light brown colour. No head at all, nor lacing. Persistent, light carbonation that does last through the end of the glass. Nose is vanilla and roasty. Taste is lightly malty, slightly sweet, with a vanilla finish. I don't taste the chocolate at all, but I'm assuming that's where the malty type flavour is coming from. (?)

I am extremely pleased with this as my first ever GF Brew. Other than the carbonation not being what I would like - and I think I will need a kegging system for that - it's by far better than the stuff that is currently available. The Sorghum twang is minimized by the heavy flavouring from oats, chocolate and vanilla. Almost unnoticeable! No, it wouldn't compare to a 'real' beer; but gluten free, just for me? Heck yeah!

I will definitely try this again, and when I have a free day, will get another recipe or two started. I am watching for ingredients and picking up a bit here and a bit there as the budget allows


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## brewski09

the_rayway said:


> Hey Aaron! Thanks for remembering!
> 
> From my tasting this week (bottle 3 of 5):
> Cloudy dark amber/light brown colour. No head at all, nor lacing. Persistent, light carbonation that does last through the end of the glass. Nose is vanilla and roasty. Taste is lightly malty, slightly sweet, with a vanilla finish. I don't taste the chocolate at all, but I'm assuming that's where the malty type flavour is coming from. (?)
> 
> I am extremely pleased with this as my first ever GF Brew. Other than the carbonation not being what I would like - and I think I will need a kegging system for that - it's by far better than the stuff that is currently available. The Sorghum twang is minimized by the heavy flavouring from oats, chocolate and vanilla. Almost unnoticeable! No, it wouldn't compare to a 'real' beer; but gluten free, just for me? Heck yeah!
> 
> I will definitely try this again, and when I have a free day, will get another recipe or two started. I am watching for ingredients and picking up a bit here and a bit there as the budget allows



As far as the lacing goes, adding chocolate will definitely kill head retention on any beer. On this beer you don't really have much in the way of head building agents. I wouldn't expect any head and would be happy with good carbonation at baseline. On that note, these small batches like this are very hard to carbonate effectively. For non GF brews I would just use carbonation tabs, but they are malt extract so not an option here. I'm not sure how well a kegging setup will do on 5 bottles of beer either. Just play around with your bottle carb levels. I like to add quinoa to my GF brews. I toast it to get a nutty character, but you can roast to other levels too much like a roasted barley or black patent malt if you are careful. I then add amylase enzyme to it with a very high mash temp (158ish) to develop at least a little body to the beer. I would probably replace some of the simple sugars with another GF grain like the quinoa. 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Wine Making mobile app


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