Malting Buckwheat

As for my first experiment malting buckwheat, I plan on using MoreBeer.com Economy All Grain System as a malting bucket and as a mashtun later on.  I have purchased my buckwheat from my local natural food store Harvest House.  It is important when buying your own buckwheat that you read the label and confirm that there is no cross-contamination with other wheat based malts.  Your buckwheat has to be 100% free of wheat for your beer to be gluten free.  Buckwheat will be the basemalt (fermentable sugar) in your brew.

Check out this great website for malting grains at home here

Gluten Free Diet

Avoid Cross-Contamination.  Depending on your gluten sensitivity small traces of gluten might not bother you while an extreme celiac can have a single bread crumb cripple them for a week.  Be smart! consult your doctor and speak with a dietitian.  Some of your favorite foods like ice-cream and ketchup can have traces.  Gluten is used heavily in the food industry as a thickener. So when you go out for a nice dinner with your family or friends ask the waiter to consult the chef about any thickeners that may have gluten. 

Read more here about Cross-Contamination in a gluten free diet.

Celiac Disease Statistics Page

Check out this website for learning more about celiac disease:

"Until recently, celiac disease was thought to be rare in the United States. However, studies have shown that celiac disease is very common. Recent findings estimate about 2 million people in the United States have celiac disease, or about 1 in 133 people. Among people who have a first-degree relative diagnosed with celiac disease, as many as 1 in 22 people may have the disease."

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