Daura (gf) Recipe

Sanitation

Sanitize all fermenter, siphon, kettle, bottles and anything that will touch wort after the boil using a no-rinse sanitizer. Clean equipment thoroughly before sanitizing.

If your municipal water contains chlorine or chloramine, treat the water with a crushed Campden tablet (or potassium metabisulfite as per package directions) to remove them. Use about 15–20 l of water total for the process (this recipe uses ~18 l total).

Measure out 3.5 kg malt extract, 250 g rice syrup solids (or dextrose), and crushed adjunct grain (500 g). Have hops, yeast, Irish moss, nutrient and priming sugar ready.

Heat and Steep

Heat 6–8 liters of water to 66°C (150°F). Add the 500 g crushed gluten-free pilsner-style malt or flaked rice in a muslin bag or grain bag. Maintain temperature around 63–67°C (145–153°F) for 30 minutes to extract starches and mild enzymatic conversion (if using malted gluten-free grain). If using flaked rice (no enzymes), steep at 70–75°C (158–167°F) for 20–30 minutes to gelatinize and extract flavor. Remove the grain bag and allow it to drain into the kettle.

Rinse (sparge) the grain bag with 2–3 liters of 75°C (167°F) water to rinse remaining sugars into the kettle if you used malted grain. If you used only extract + flaked rice, you can skip aggressive sparging and simply add extracts later.

Bring to Boil

Bring wort to a rolling boil. Once boiling, remove from heat briefly and stir in 3.5 kg malt extract and 250 g rice syrup solids (or dextrose) until fully dissolved to avoid scorching. Return to a vigorous boil. Top up with water to reach kettle volume (aim for ~18 l pre-boil depending on boil-off rate) — typical 60–90 minute boil will reduce volume to target pre-fermentation volume (~5–6 L post-boil).

Bittering Hop Addition (60 min)

Add 18 g of bittering hops (Hallertau or Saaz) at the start of the boil. Boil for 60 minutes. This provides the base bitterness for a pale lager-style beer.

Clarifier and Optional Nutrient (10–15 min)

With 10–15 minutes remaining in the boil add 1 tsp Irish moss or a Whirlfloc tablet and 1 tsp yeast nutrient (optional). If you want a crisper profile, add 1 tsp brewing salt earlier in the boil dissolved in a small amount of water.

Aroma Hop Addition (0–5 min)

With 5 minutes left, add 12 g of aroma hops (Saaz or Cascade) to boost hop aroma and a subtle floral/grassy character. Continue boiling until the end of the scheduled boil time (60 minutes total).

At the end of the boil, turn off heat and cool the wort as quickly as possible to yeast pitching temperature (18–22°C for ale yeast). Use an immersion chiller, counterflow chiller or an ice bath. Aim to reach target temperature within 20–40 minutes to reduce DMS and infection risk.

Once cooled, transfer the wort to a sanitized fermenter, leaving behind as much trub (hop and protein sediment) as possible. Top up with pre-boiled and cooled water if necessary to reach 5 liters final wort (target batch size ~5 L). Check gravity (original gravity) — expected OG ~1.044–1.048 depending on extract and sparge efficiency.

Aerate the wort by vigorous shaking, splashing while transferring, or using an aeration stone. Pitch the yeast (11 g dry ale yeast or equivalent) when wort temperature is in the 18–22°C range. If using a liquid yeast, rehydrate or make a starter according to manufacturer recommendations.

Ferment at 18–20°C for primary fermentation. Expect active fermentation for 3–7 days, with total primary fermentation completing in 7–10 days for a clean ale yeast. If you want a lager-like cleaner profile, ferment cooler (12–15°C) but ensure the yeast strain tolerates that range.

After vigorous fermentation subsides (airlock activity reduced), allow the beer to rest for a few days at fermentation temperature to settle. If desired, perform a cold break/crash by lowering temperature to 2–4°C for 24–48 hours to clarify beer before bottling (if possible with your equipment).

Prepare priming sugar: dissolve 85 g dextrose (corn sugar) in 150 ml boiling water, cool and sanitize. Transfer beer to a sanitized bottling bucket leaving sediment behind. Gently mix in the cooled priming solution to the beer to evenly distribute carbonation sugar.

Bottle into sanitized bottles, cap, and store at 18–22°C for 10–14 days to carbonate. After carbonation, chill and condition for another 1–2 weeks for flavors to mellow. Expected final gravity ~1.010–1.012 and ABV ~4.5–5.0% depending on efficiency.

This recipe is intended to emulate a gluten-free pale lager/ale in the style of Daura (gluten-free). Use certified gluten-free ingredients and ensure there is no cross-contamination with wheat/barley if strict GF requirements apply.

Adjust hop varieties and quantities to taste for more bitterness or more aroma. If you prefer clearer, crisper profile, perform longer conditioning and a cold crash.