Mangrove Jack's Gluten Free Pale Ale

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bj99

169 posts

Master Geek

#181162 5-Oct-2015 08:19

Have any home brewers tried Mangrove Jack's GF pale ale?

I understand that it's made from 'de-glutenised' barley malt. I'm hoping they have a process more effective than just adding brewers clarex/clarity ferm.

I have tried adding clarity ferm to standard extract kits but still get a coeliac reaction. The flavour of Sorghum beer just doesn't do it for me either.

It would be great if Mangrove Jack's really have a revolutionary product.

dclegg

2806 posts

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Trusted

#1399960 5-Oct-2015 08:33

I'd be interested to hear input on this. As a recently diagnosed coeliac, beer is the one area I'm struggling to find replacements for.

It has introduced me to the wonderful world of single malt scotch, but sometimes you just want to knock back a cold, sudsy one.

kiwitrc

4123 posts

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Inactive user

#1399972 5-Oct-2015 09:16

Have you tried clarifying using Williamswarn clarifier? The beer we make in a WW is gluten free and I think its the clarifier that makes it so. Gluten intolerant mate can drink it without a problem

robjg63

4096 posts

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#1400003 5-Oct-2015 09:45

I am also Coeliac - diagnosed around 6 years ago.
I have tried various 'gluten free' beers over the years.
Some are made from completely GF ingredients and are therefore 100% safe.
(I am thinking a german brand that Countdown used to sell around 5 years ago and also the Scotts Gluten free beers (from Oamaru NZ).

The other brands say they 'remove' the gluten - so are made from gluten containing substances.
There seems much debate as to the safety of this process.
Some argue that in fact the brewing process breaks the gluten down to harmless compounds that pass the gluten tests and some claim that those broken down compounds are in fact the ones that do the damage. I havent seen anywhere where they have actually been tested on Coeliacs. Just the lab test results from gluten testing.

I have tried the Estrella Duara (spanish) an English GF beer (cant recall the brand) and Peroni GF beer (just on the market this year in Europe)- while on holiday. These are all made with barley malt and have the gluten 'removed'. I felt ok but I am honestly not sure if I should have had them in retrospect.

If you are are after making a 100% GF beer (no gluten containing components) that is actually pretty nice and you are a homebrewer then its probably worth talking to the the brewers coop in Auckland http://www.brewerscoop.co.nz/index.php

They have one commercial kit that they sell (they dont make it) that uses corn as a base - I made it and it was a bit weak.

They also have 2 kits that that are their own recipe (A lager and an ale) and they are both very good indeed.
They devised the recipes for a couple of customers that developed problems with gluten apparently.
Their own kits use white sorghum syrup instead of malt and you will need a large pot to boil up the syrup/water and hops (KMart solved that problem). But apart from that once you have got that bit sorted its pretty much normal homebrew process from then on.

I let a few regular beer drinkers try the lager and the ale and they said it was pretty good. Given that it uses a different main ingredient its surprisingly close to the 'real thing'.

If you are going to go to the trouble of making your own beer I suggest you use a 100% GF kit.

If you are outside of Auckland I know the Brewers Coop ship all over the country and I am sure they could help you if you give them a call. They are very knowledgeable.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

bj99

169 posts

Master Geek

#1400114 5-Oct-2015 11:05

kiwitrc: Have you tried clarifying using Williamswarn clarifier? The beer we make in a WW is gluten free and I think its the clarifier that makes it so. Gluten intolerant mate can drink it without a problem

I've tried the W/W clarifying agent with similar results to clarity ferm.

kiwitrc

4123 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1400119 5-Oct-2015 11:10

OK it may be the process then that makes it gluten free.

bj99

169 posts

Master Geek

#1400148 5-Oct-2015 11:26

robjg63: I am also Coeliac - diagnosed around 6 years ago.
I have tried various 'gluten free' beers over the years.
Some are made from completely GF ingredients and are therefore 100% safe.
(I am thinking a german brand that Countdown used to sell around 5 years ago and also the Scotts Gluten free beers (from Oamaru NZ).

Thanks for your detailed response. It sounds like you've been through the same process as I have.
I have a hyper sensitive coeliac gut that can 'detect' gluten within about 2 hours of consuming it. I'm ok with Estrella Damm Daura and the UK Greens GF beers but have not managed to achieve the same result using clarity ferm in my home brews. Unfortunately I'd rather drink cider than Scotts.

I'm just around the corner from Brewers coop and know them well.
I've just started fermenting a Brewer's Choice kit which also uses Briess Sorghum syrup. The recipe seems very similar to the Brewers coop kit.
The wort tasted anaemic to me. Hopefully it will improve once done. I even tried steeping some toasted buckwheat to get more body.
Have you modified your Sorghum brews at all?

bj99

169 posts

Master Geek

#1400176 5-Oct-2015 11:44

kiwitrc: OK it may be the process then that makes it gluten free.

I spoke to Williams Warn and there is nothing in the process that will make the difference. I think it just reduces gluten, much like clarity ferm.
I've actually tried using clarity ferm as well as W/W clarifier in the same brew with no success. The beer was very clear though.

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robjg63

4096 posts

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#1400185 5-Oct-2015 11:57

bj99:
robjg63: I am also Coeliac - diagnosed around 6 years ago.
I have tried various 'gluten free' beers over the years.
Some are made from completely GF ingredients and are therefore 100% safe.
(I am thinking a german brand that Countdown used to sell around 5 years ago and also the Scotts Gluten free beers (from Oamaru NZ).

Thanks for your detailed response. It sounds like you've been through the same process as I have.
I have a hyper sensitive coeliac gut that can 'detect' gluten within about 2 hours of consuming it. I'm ok with Estrella Damm Daura and the UK Greens GF beers but have not managed to achieve the same result using clarity ferm in my home brews. Unfortunately I'd rather drink cider than Scotts.

I'm just around the corner from Brewers coop and know them well.
I've just started fermenting a Brewer's Choice kit which also uses Briess Sorghum syrup. The recipe seems very similar to the Brewers coop kit.
The wort tasted anaemic to me. Hopefully it will improve once done. I even tried steeping some toasted buckwheat to get more body.
Have you modified your Sorghum brews at all?

I will drink the Scotts product if its available - but it is rather more 'boutique' flavour rather than regular 'beer' or 'lager'. I can understand that the flavour doesnt suit everyone.
I find the buckwheat has a bit of a marmalade sort of note to it - not that thats altogether a bad thing. Personally I think Scotts are a bit heavy on the Buckwheat and would make their beer a bit more mainstream if they used sorghum syrup instead/as well.
Sometimes you just want a light uncomplicated lager style.....

I didnt fiddle with the brewers coop recipes - Both seemed to taste pretty decent to me.
I was surprised that the Ale and Lager recipes they have do actually taste noticeably different considering they both use the same sorghum syrup base.
I guess if you have some flavour thoughts they could probably give you some advice.
You might find that you can hop it up a bit or use some of the candies they have - Maybe even molasses.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

Hammerer

2476 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#1400306 5-Oct-2015 14:28

kiwitrc: Gluten intolerant mate can drink it without a problem

Gluten intolerant is an umbrella term for a range of disorders that include coeliac disease. It doesn't clarify anything without more qualification/detail. Has he even had a medical diagnosis?

Also, having no symptom on exposure doesn't tell us anything either if he's asymptomatic to most exposures.

P.S. See the Wikipedia article on gluten-related disorders