Made some gluten-free beer...

[mikeorr]

I was talking about this to some of the folks at the February meetup, but now that it's done I figured I'd post here with my results.

Background: my fiancee is a Celiac so she's unable to have any of my beer, plus there's not many brands of gluten-free beer available in Nova Scotia that don't taste like crap. I had heard of some brands that (rathan making beer out of non-gluten containing grains like rice and millet) were making regular beer from barley and then putting it through some form of process that removed/reduced the gluten levels (ex: Omission and Estrella Damm Daura (both of which she's had before and loves and has had no ill effects), so I did some research.

I picked up a vial of White Labs Clarity Ferm (aka Brewer's Clarax) online. The process was simple: add a 5mL vial (per 5 gal batch) into the wort when you pitch your yeast. I made an IPA, added the vial when I pitched yeast (although the Clarity Ferm directions state to use a liquid White Labs yeast, I used Safale US-05), and let it do its thing. However since I wasn't sure how well it was going to work, and didn't feel like asking my fiancee to be my guinea pig and just blindly try and and see if she got sick, I ordered a gluten test kit online so I could see if it was lower than 20 ppm (FDA standard for "gluten free").

After fermenting for about 2 weeks, I transferred it to a keg and pulled a small sample to test - I tested it twice, first at 20ppm (and it passed) and then again at 5ppm (which it also passed!) At this point, Kim drank a small glass (even though it was warm and uncarbonated) she pronounced it good and did not get sick! Test successful!


Negative (for gluten) test result!

I'm aware that currently the FDA/TTB does not allow brewers to label beer made using this technique as "gluten free" until the science is completely validated and it's proven that the enzyme's effect causes no long-term damage for people who have Celiac; instead they must state that it's been "crafted to remove gluten" and "was made from a grain that contains gluten and there is currently no valid test to verify the gluten content of fermented products", but it seems to be working well for Omission and this experiment was successful for us - we'll be continuing to use this to make the occasional gluten-free batch.

[berley]

Awesome!

Suddenly developing Celiac disease is one of my biggest fears; I'm surprised I don't wake up with cold sweats more often.

[NASH]

Yah Papazian pioneered that a few years back. Great stuff. I've been thinking of using it at the brewery but so many people scoff at GMOs (with good reason) that I opted to keep it out of any of my regular brews. On the other hand, turn me loose in a micro and it'd be a different story. I'd release a reduced gluten beer for sure.

Congrats in brewing up something your wife can hammer back! The question is, how many do you think she can drink without getting sick? I don't think the Clarex prevents hangovers unfortunately

Transmitted from the Hop-phone.

[dexter]

That's awesome! Congrats, I've been tempted to try it, not being celiac but having gluten intolerance this would be nice

[redoubt]

Awesome!

[dean2k]

Awesome news for my wife as well.

[Keith]

This is great news, I just shared this with a good friend in BC and my cousins husband. Glad she can drink it with ease!!

[mr x]

Very interesting stuff. Hope this continues to turn out positively.

[NASH]

Very interesting stuff. Hope this continues to turn out positively.

Yeah it's great!

I think it's here to stay. Brewer's have been utilizing the stuff for four years or so, no negativity of any sort that I've heard of, other than the GMO issue that is.

http://www.examiner.com/article/gluten- ... c-impaired" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mr x]

I just remember reading many of Liam's posts on probrewer over the years on enzymes, lol. For instance:

http://discussions.probrewer.com/showth ... ght=enzyme" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[NASH]

Not even looking at that! I've read those too

[saosborne]

where did you order it from? and did it change the taste for the beer.

[mikeorr]

where did you order it from? and did it change the taste for the beer.

I ordered it online from OBK, but going to see if Dave at Everwood can start bringing it in. As for the taste, I didn't notice any change.

[Celiacbrew]

Very interesting stuff. Hope this continues to turn out positively.

Yeah it's great!

I think it's here to stay. Brewer's have been utilizing the stuff for four years or so, no negativity of any sort that I've heard of, other than the GMO issue that is.

http://www.examiner.com/article/gluten- ... c-impaired" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What is the GMO issue you refer to?

[NASH]

Some people do not like the idea of GMOs.

Transmitted from the Hop-phone.

[akr71]

Congrats on the new baby too ?