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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 16/12/2025

Just in time for Christmas, the world's first 100% chestnut beer (gluten free). Its fruity with a spicy aftertaste. Man, is it hazy too. #glutenfree #beer #brewing

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

First bottle of my gluten-free 100% chestnut beer. Tried a little and it came out hot. I'm hoping it will mellow over the next couple weeks. #beer #glutenfree #chestnut

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 11/10/2025

Its barreling day. I'm moving my 100% chestnut. Its a nice light golden color. 6 weeks in the barrel then it's off to conditioning. #glutenfree #beer #brewing

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Got my label and wax seal logo proofs ready to go. Let me know what you think:

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

Well, I think it's safe to say that yeast loves chestnut sugar. #brewing #beer #glutenfree

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

Alright. I rounded it up to 10 now. Og is 1.067 at 9.5. Should give us ~7-7.5 abv. Now to add the 6 smack packs of Belgian abbey ale II because I hate making starters.

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

Final 2 oz of strisselspalt after 20 min then drop temp and move to fermenter. I ended up having 9.5 gallons, which is fine by me.

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

Added 2 more oz of strisselspalt at flame-out. This beer is smelling proper.

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

Now that we are at the 15 min mark we'll add 2 oz of Strisselspalt. Now it's really starting to smell like a proper beer.

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

Now that we're at the 60 min. mark it's time to add 2.5 Oz of East Kent Goldings hops.

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

Folks, I've made dozens of batches and hundreds of gallons of beer in my life and I've never smelt anything like this before. It smells incredible. #beer #brewing #glutenfree #chestnut

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

Well after a bit of a struggle I've gotten it in to the boil tank. I'll be boiling for 2 hours instead of 1 just to tighten up the wort for the yeast.

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 13/09/2025

And for those of you wondering, yes, that means I had to pull out my old friend, Iodine.

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 13/09/2025

With the 30 min rest between 155 and 165 completed, I'm now letting the mash reduce temp to 145. At that time I'll measure the pH (goal is to be between 5.2-5.4) then add the SEBAmyl L. This is the traditional saccharification).

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 13/09/2025

20 min down and 10 more min to go, and this is smelling AMAZING. It smells like a nutty bread. I think I'm on the right track here.

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 13/09/2025

The cool thing: This happened RIGHT AWAY. As soon as I added it, I could feel a difference. It went from a porridge consistency to a much more traditional mash consistency. I've added before and after pictures, you can literally see the difference. #AmBrewing #Brewday

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 13/09/2025

After the first 2 tbsp, the mash was at a pH of 5.75. The sweet spot! So next I added the Termamyl (thermo-stable amylase) that breaks down the long starch chains in to shorter dextrins. #Beerbrewing

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 13/09/2025

Once it hit just above 165 I diluted the 88% Lactic acid at a 1:4 ratio, then added 2 tbs of the dilution, waited 10 min and measured the pH. #Beer #Brewing

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 13/09/2025

Well, it's brew day. I'll update you where I'm at. I started by getting the strike water to ~175. Added 2 lbs of rice hulls and ~24-25 lbs of ground chestnuts (I roasted 4 cups and smoked 2 cups to add flavor and depth. I then measured the pH (which was ~6.0). #Homebrewing #GlutenFree

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

If you've ever wondered what 25 lbs of ground chestnuts look like, look no further. I'm still deciding if I want to use may own wrangled yeast or just buy some. Hops are ordered. Hoping it will be ready for Christmas. #homebrewing #beer #glutenfree

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 26/07/2025

I'm at 24.5% ABV which means it's time to barrel. I'll be keeping this batch in a "Yellow Buttery Popcorn Bourbon" barrel and aging it and year. #homebrewing #beer

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 21/07/2025

In the meantime, I'm trying to wrangle the yeast from the chestnuts themselves. It looks like I've got some action, so it was time to make and test the petri dishes #beer #yeast #homebrewing

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 21/07/2025

Ground down further. I've got to keep the grinder cool so it crushes the frozen dehydrated chestnuts into a flour rather than a paste. #homebrewing #glutenfree #chestnuts.

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

i broke down and bought a new grinder. I'm about half done that bucket now...it will still need to be ground down further.

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

the bad news is that this took FOREVER...and it still wasn't small enough for my grinder.

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

well, good news/ bad news. The bad news is that the chestnuts are too big for my grain grinder. good news is, I have a mortar and pestle.

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 08/06/2025

Alright, I've picked the enzymes I'll use to convert the chestnut starch in to sugars. These enzymes should allow for 95% conversion....and they're gluten free enzymes! #homebrewing #gluten-free #beer

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

Decided to spoil the kids this year and get them a pool.

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 05/05/2025

Well, I had to abandon my goal of a technically reinheitsgebot compliant 25% ABV and added some Ferm K. Man, is the yeast thanking me for that little treat. I'm at about 14.5% right now. #brewing #beer

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

Decided that the remaining bottles of my 3000 year old beer deserve proper preservation and labeling.

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 09/03/2025

I can't be the only one.

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 09/03/2025

Enzyme experts: what enzymes do you reccomend in a 100% adjunct beer? I've got A amylase, B glucanase, pectic enzymes, and glucoamylase. Other recommendations? #homebrewing #beer #glutenfree

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

I decided to dehydrate them just to make sure they're dry. I'm guessing around 4 batches of this, then a quick roast in the smoker before crushing in to flour.

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

Well, they got here a day late, but if you've ever wondered what 25 lbs of shelled dried chestnuts look like, now you know. Next up, roasting them then grinding them in to a flour. #glutenfree #craftbeer

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

Started gathering supplies for my 100% chestnut beer. Watch this thread for updates #homebrewing #craftbeer #glutenfree

Enzymes, Irish moss, and yeast for brewing beer

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

Well, I've added all 79.25 lbs of LME to the wort. It's been steadily fermenting for about 3 weeks now (I think). Just another month or two to go till it goes into the Rye barrel for 18 months. And only one of those containers exploded like a grenade all over my freshly painted room.

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

Just to give you an idea of size. every 6 lbs of LME (essentially sugar) is ~1 Liter. My calculations have me adding ~85 lbs of LME, which is just over 14 liters of LME, or about 3.75 Gallons, which is 25% of the volume of the fermenter. Things are about to get tight.

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 11/11/2024

Few things get me to feel like a total nerd like a magnetic stirrer does, but I'm here for it. #ambrewing

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 11/11/2024

And I'm ready to pitch yeast. (That's my rye barrel in front thst I'll be aging this in)

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 11/11/2024

And now in to the fermenter.

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 11/11/2024

Time to add the Irish moss for good luck (and clarity)

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Dylan @dcmcd.bsky.social · 11/11/2024

In case anyone was wondering, this is going to be my 25% barleywine (hopefully). Right now I'm just making the base grains, but check out all the extract I have to add over the next few days!