At a recent tasting event in Atlanta, six gluten-free beers were sampled by non-Celiac beer fans.
The beers sampled:
- Green’s Quest Gluten-Free Tripel Ale
- Green’s Endeavor Gluten-Free Dubbel Ale
- Anheuser-Busch Redbridge
- Hambleton Ales Toleration Gluten Free Ale
- Discovery Gluten-Free Amber Ale
- Lakefront Brewery New Grist
All of the tasters agreed that while most of the beverages resembled beer, none had the real essence of beer—meaning the kind of body and flavor that surely comes from malted barley. Some were declared tasty enough, followed by comments like, “I could drink that, if I had to.” In one case, though, the critique was much harsher. “It tastes like I just licked a book of stamps,” one female participant cried out, squeezing her face into a grimace and grabbing a glass of water.
They only tried gluten-free beers available in Atlanta. Some other options include, depending on availability:
- Bard’s Tale Golden Dragon Lager
- Ramapo Valley Gluten Free Honey Lager
- Billabong Brewing Gluten-free beers
(More listed at Bella Online)
Atlanta Gluten-Free Cooking Spree, 7-10 p.m. Oct. 19. $75. At CNN Center, 1 CNN Center, Atlanta. For more information on celiac disease and this event: www.celiaccentral.org
Related:
St Peter’s of Suffolk, England have launched a Gluten Free ale. I must say, it’s pretty decent. I imagine it will find its way across to the states.
We get other St. Peter’s here, so I expect you’re right.
My uncle has Celiac disease, so he always has some gluten-free beer in his fridge.
I’ve tried one, the Redbridge sorghum beer. It does taste different than barley-based beer, but that’s what makes it worth drinking for someone like me who is gluten-tolerant.
I remember the look on my uncle’s face the day I told him gluten-free beer existed — it was like he believed in Santa again!
Are all those gluten free beers made with sorghum?
Not all, but most of the ones I’ve seen are. I understand sorghum beer has been popular in Africa for ages.
Other grains used: rice, buckwheat, and corn. I doubt that that’s all that could be used.
I found a list of more gluten-free beers made/available in the UK: http://www.glutenfreebeerfestival.com/available/available.html