steeping Millet for partial mashes

[mergs]

Fellas, I've done about 4 GF batches with extracts (sorghum, brs, honey, sugars) and I've really liked all the batches so far. I want to up my game a little and do partial mashes like I used to do with barley recipes back in the "old days". Igs' Grapefruit IPA recipe got me going and then I've been having a metric s-ton of fun concocting variations.

That said, what I'm looking to do is to steep some millet (from Grouse for example) to add some better "malt" backbone and/or get better head retension. Basically i just want my beer to taste a little better and try and fool some folks into thinking its not GF. The GF Strawberry Blonde Tweason'ale was a success in that respect.

Can anyone out there offer up some suggestions on how to start using malted millet in a steep to get some better beers. I am open to many styles but I've typically done IPAs and some fruit beers so I'm looking for suggestion on how to add in millet to these batches.

If there's little or no pay off to steeping millet (and I truly need to go all grain) I'm happy with hearing that, but I do have some time limitations so that's why I do extract and pm's.

As an example of what I'm looking for, I'd love someone to say hey Jeff, take this recipe: http://ghostfishbrewing.com/ghostfishblog/gfhomebrewing-grapefruit-ipa/

steep 1 lb so and so millet from grouse at 170F and reduce your extracts by x ounces. (Or something along those lines).

I don't expect to get much original gravity from a steep but i am hoping to get malt flavor? also, I am looking for ways to do darker GF beers so I'm especially interested in malts that might add SRM without a reliance on D-40/90/180 Belgian candi syrup.

thanks! and sorry if this is a newb/already been asked question!

 

[Legume]

I do GF partial mash batches using home malted grain.
I intend to experiment with the comercially available malted GF grains (in a partial mash) soon. I gave up trying to mask the sorghum extract flavor, I only use rice syrup now and my beers are MUCH better for it.

I love what 1.5 lbs of malted buckwheat does for the mouthfeel and head retention...it is a BIG improvement over a straight GF extract batch with sorghum or rice syrup. Buckwheat dosnt have a strong flavor but its worth using just for the body. I have also steeped millet malt, quinoa malt, and rolled gf oats with nice results.

I add amylase and steep at 150 or so for a half hour, then turn the burner up and remove the bag of grains once I hit 170 or 180. I am not saying that this is the best posible protocol...but it has worked well enough for me.

malting my own grains is a hastle...this fall I plan to order some comercial millet, rice, buckwheat malt and try to work out good partial mash recipies with those malts.

 

[glutarded-chris]

Steeping some crystal malt is a great way to go. I will never go back to pure extract. The crystal is already converted to sugar so it adds character but a small gravity contribution. Lots of recipes on this forum. One of mine is "PHAT (Pretty Hopped And Tempting) Tire Gluten Free Ale".

If you are doing a partial mash then that is a lot more work and equipment but worth it in my opinion. You will need to get conversion with enzymes or you will get a lot of starch in the fermenter.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[mergs]

Thanks legume and chris, this was really what I was looking for.

Chris, I think I'm going to do what you did for your 5.25 gallon batch (https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f240/phat-tire-gluten-free-ale-443549/) for a Pale Ale or an IPA I will make soon.

I've done this in my old barley days but I just want to triple check the process:

1.0 lb Millet Crystal steeped in 1 gallon water at 160F for 30 min.
- contributes about 2 gravity points to the final volume
- if this is omitted, then it just leaves a little less volume at the end

No enzymes, or yes? If yes, would that be amylase?

Then Continue with my normal extracts and prior proven recipes. My expectation is a more mouth feel and more head retension. Very eager to compare the difference without the steeping addition.

I'll use the maltodextrin as you specify as I am using 6-8oz per 5 gal batch now.

Thanks again.

 

[glutarded-chris]

I don't use enzymes when I steep the crystal but I always do when I partial mash.
My process is to add water at the end to get up to 1.060 gravity, so without the crystal, it would be a little less volume. Not saying that is the best, I have just had good success with a gravity of 1.060 so I just stick with it.

For partial mashes, I use Diatase enzyme from EC Kraus after advice I got on the following thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f164/poor-efficiency-millet-buckwheat-460357/

Chris