Harris Glut Gone

[Filou]

Hello,

Anyone has used or has experienced of reducing Gluten in recipe beer kit. My partner is gluten intolerant but she can manage low gluten level. For example Landlords works fine for her. So if around 20ppm or below she will not have trouble.

We brewed our 1st kit recently (A gluten free) but would love to experiment (like stout etc) though we can't find any without gluten.

We noticed that Harris glut gone is an option.. so any advice, recommendation, how to would be welcome... thanks!
Philippe

 

[Jim Brewster]

I haven't brewed a gluten free but I believe so. Added at pitching temperature the protease enzymes will consume the gluten alongside the fermentation process. The other method is to use gluten free grains but the enzyme method you can use barley and wheat and the final beer will not be completely gluten free, but below 20ppm as you say.

 

[Filou]

I haven't brewed a gluten free but I believe so. Added at pitching temperature the protease enzymes will consume the gluten alongside the fermentation process. The other method is to use gluten free grains but the enzyme method you can use barley and wheat and the final beer will not be completely gluten free, but below 20ppm as you say.

Great Thank you. That's what I thought.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Even without the gluten-free thing, gluten is normally the enemy of commercial brewers as it's the main component of chill haze. So you'll find that most commercial lagers in particular (as they're designed to be served cold) but also a lot of golden ales are under 20ppm, they just don't bother to a) spend the money and b) go to all the faff (segregated areas, separate lines if on draught etc) of getting them formally certified. Obviously those with extreme sensitivity shouldn't take the risk, but a lot of people are like your missus, mildly sensitive so sub-20ppm is fine.

So in general in commercial beers you want to look for clear beer not hazy. And generally pale beers have much lower gluten than dark beers, which is why you tend not to see dark gluten-free beers. She might want to give the First Chop beers from Manchester a go, they're about the best of the "official" gluten-frees IME.

So yep, gluten-destroying enzymes are realistically the way to go. The usual one is Clarity Ferm from White Labs (aka Clarex in wholesale form), which is about half the price of the Harris version but is less convenient as you need to pipette it rather than it being in vials like Glut Gone. Pays your money and takes your choice.

For home brewing I'd probably see how she gets on with ordinary pale beers - if you can get them clear (if necessary fining in the boil and after fermentation) then she may well be OK, but add enzyme if she isn't. For dark beers then yes you're looking at enzyme, you're unlikely to find a dedicated dark GF kit.

The alternative is to use non-gluten grains in your grist, but personally I've never had one that I really liked, they always impart a taste that's not quite right. The Wold Top ones from up Scarborough way are OK.

HBT ha a whole forum on gluten-free brewing which you may want to look at :
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forums/gluten-free-brewing.164/