Use of sorghum.

Canales, A. M. and Sierra, J. A.

Abstract
Perhaps because of bad experience in 1943, sorghum grits are not used for brewing in U.S.A., but interest in them survives for economic reasons. Although smaller than the kernel of corn, that of sorghum resembles it in content of endosperm (82.3%), germ (9.8%) and bran (pericarp, seed coat, aleurone and nucellar tissues 7.9%). The bran contains undesirable pigments, anthocyanogens and tannins and the germ is rich in oil. After cleaning, selection and classification for uniformity of size, germ and bran are removed by patented milling techniques to produce sorghum grits resembling corn grits in protein (zein) content, amino acid balance and in starch composition (75% amylopectin, 25% amylose), while they contain less oil and unsaturated fatty acids. Some advantages accruing from the use of sorghum grits are short boiling times, wort which filters more rapidly and contains more extract and slightly higher protein. Beers produced from sorghum are similar in chemical composition, flavour and stability to those from rice or corn grits and have proved satisfactory in commercial trials.
Keywords: adjunct brewing sorghum