If you’re familiar with gluten-free brewing, then you might have heard of sorghum. This cereal grain is often used as a sweetener. It grows tall and, when boiled down, becomes a delicious sweet syrup. However, there are many uses for this grain. Being naturally gluten-free means that sorghum is appealing to many in the culinary and brewing markets. It’s also widely used as livestock feed and in the manufacture of biofuel.
What is sorghum?
This tall, flowering plant belongs to the grass family. It is believed that this plant is native to Africa and has since spread across the globe. Nowadays, 17 of the 25 possible sorghum species are native to Australia. However, different species have different purposes. For example, one species is grown specifically for grain, while others are grown for fodder.
Sorghum is a nutrient-dense foodstuff that contains many vitamins and minerals. Per 100g, sorghum has:
- 62 g of protein
- 36 mg of iron
- 443 mg of Vitamin B6
- 363 mg of potassium
- 688 g of niacin
- 165 mg of magnesium
- 289 mg of phosphorus
The fear of “malt” in the gluten-free world
Sorghum syrup has been used in gluten-free brewing for a while. More recently, however, there is a newer, sorghum-derived ingredient on the market: sorghum malt extract.
Whenever the gluten-free community hears the word “malt”, there is an automatic fear. This is because malt typically means gluten for many ingredients.
According to dictionary.com, “malt” as a noun refers to a “germinated grain, usually barley, used in brewing and distilling”. A second definition is “any alcoholic beverage, as beer, ale, or malt liquor, fermented from malt.”
The reason behind this immediate fear is due to “malt”, most often referring to malted barley, which contains gluten. However, “malt” is also a verb, and malting is a process. When used as a verb, “malt” refers to germinating, kilning and roasting cereal grains to develop a balance of enzymes and starches suitable for brewing beer.
How can a beer made by sorghum be a malt?
A gluten-free beer made of sorghum is a malt because it refers to “malt” as a verb. The sorghum grain has been malted: germinated, kilned and roasted, making it suitable for brewing beer.
Brewing with sorghum
Sorghum Malt Extracts are often used in gluten-free brewing. This ingredient can replace another more typical brewing malt in the same quantity. Sorghum is also used commonly in craft brewing because it increases product yield and is more flavoursome than barley malts.
You can find two types of sorghum malt extracts: white and red.
By using sorghum, brewers have access to all of the necessary amino acids and proteins for yeast nutrition, head retention and body development. This ingredient also makes the brew have a great flavour, aroma and colour. The taste of sorghum malt is relatively mild, which means it can be used in any recipe. As a liquid, it boosts initial gravities and increases the brewing yield. Brewers also use this with concentrated worts in order to produce a spectrum of different styles of beer.
Why is sorghum malt a good alternative to traditional ingredients?
The contents of sorghum malt – its proteins, total nitrogen, and free-amino nitrogen contents, as well as the worts achieved from mashes, make sorghum a wonderful alternative when brewing beer. In addition, sorghum extract’s biochemical characteristics make for optimal malting conditions.
Not all sorghum malt extracts are the same. For outstanding quality sorghum, you need perfect temperature, steeping, and grain germination. What’s more, the kilning temperature is vital.
The uses of sorghum in food and drink
We’ve talked about sorghum as an ingredient in gluten-free and craft beers. However, there are many other food uses too. Sorghum malt extract is a baker’s dream ingredient. Being 100% gluten-free, this substance can be used for many purposes, including as a:
- colouring agent
- flavouring agent
- natural binder
- molasses replacement
- viscosity improver
- natural sweetener (an alternative to wheat, rice, and barley malts as well as honey, corn syrup, sugar, glucose syrup and brown rice syrup)
- crumb formation product
- Maillard browning
- bodying agent improver
- foam stabiliser
- prevention of coarse ice crystal formation during freezing
- moisture improver
- prevention of sugar crystallisation
Sorghum as syrup is used widely in baked goods like protein balls, bars, granola, cereal, and chocolate and ice cream production. It’s also a perfect ingredient in pet foods. In addition, its honey-like sweetness makes it ideal as a honey replacer in vegan baking.
Sorghum extract is ideal for gluten-free products, including malt drinks and tomato paste.
Finally, as well as all of the benefits of this product as an ingredient, it is also highly nutritious and rich in antioxidants. In addition, in populations that consume sorghum, there appears to be a reduced incidence of certain types of cancer.
Why is there a need for sorghum?
There is an increasing number of people opting for gluten-free diets. For most, this is due to gluten intolerance or a gluten allergy condition like celiac disease.
More and more, brewing and food companies are turning to gluten-free ingredients in order to appeal to a niche market. Being naturally gluten-free means that their products appeal to a wider range of people – those who need to avoid gluten for medical reasons and those who choose to avoid gluten for the perceived health benefits.
A study carried out in the U.S. found that almost 3 million people without celiac disease were following a gluten-free diet. This was carried out seven years ago, and numbers have continued to grow continuously over this time.
Thus, with an ever-increasing demand for gluten-free products, manufacturers in the brewing and food industries are seeking good alternatives to traditional gluten products in their ingredients.
