Beer # 34 Lakefront Brewery New Grist Gluten Free

 Back again with a new post.  Lately many people have become aware of gluten intolerance. It is an allergy to  two specific proteins, glutenin and gliadin, found in grass-like grains such as barley wheat and rye. Symptoms for the condition vary depending on the severity of the allergy, and can range from simple indigestion, to severe weight loss and malnutrition. Other people may experience joint pain or lack of energy and ability to focus. What is gluten? Gluten's two proteins combine in the presence of water to form a structure similar to the many tiny holes in a sponge. They trap they moisture and when heated the moisture turns into steam and expands, causing a "rising" effect. The places you will most often notice this is breads (all those little tiny holes are gluten), cakes and gravies; the moisture trapping abilities allow gravies to be thickened. If you would like to know more visit www.celiac.ca in Canada or www.celiac.com in the United States. In other countries just type "celiac" into your web browser. So what does this have to do with beer you are ask? Well I'm glad you did. Barley, wheat, and rye are the three grains most commonly used in beer making. Although the proteins responsible for the allergy do not play a role in beer making, the extraction of the proteins prior to the process is impossible; so there is always a trace amount of gluten in the finished product... which unfortunately, leaves beer on the no-no list for most celiacs.

Sorghum

 Now beer CAN be made out of other things. Rice for instance which does not contain gluten can be made into beer and has been for thousands of years. In Japan rice wine or rice beer is Sake. I say it this way because wine is made from fruit and beer is typically made from grains while the Japanese consider Sake to be wine, is is more closely related to beer (but actually... neither! In Canada we call beer made out of rice... Budweiser). Other grains used in beer production are called "adjuncts" and are usually frowned upon. The German purity law (Reinheitsgebot) forbids them but some larger companies in search of cheap fermentable starches mix them in with the other grains to reduce costs and "soften" flavours (I say blandify). In some countries sorghum is used to make alcoholic beverages. Sorghum is a tall grassy plant that produces tiny round grains in a large heavy cluster. The leaves are similar to corn and the stalks look like elephant grass. China makes a sorghum "whiskey" called Maotai. Some other countries make beer out of it and another grain called millet, which we feed to chickadees in the winter.

Sorghum Grains

Tonights beer combines Sorghum and rice to produce one of North America's first gluten free beers New Grist is produced by Lakefront Brewery Inc www.lakefrontbrewery.com out of Milwaukee WI. The first brewery in the US to bottle a 100% organic beer in 1996 (Organic ESB) and the first to develope a successful and viable gluten free beer. Unfortunately when they first released it they were not allowed to call it a beer as it didn't contain the required 25% barley dictated by US law. So they successfully petitioned the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau and won the right to call their product beer.


Very clear to pale yellow colour with an off-white head of medium bubbles that dissipate quickly. 5.7% ABV in a 355 ml brown glass bottle. The aroma is mild and fruity, like fresh cut apples with a little isopropyl alcohol. Tart and fresh green apple over light bready notes. Finish is crisp and clean, not unlike an apple cider with a beer feel. Aeration gives a slight "sake" note indicating the rice in the mix.


Overall results: (Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional)

Taste: Exceptional
Cost: Pass (In Ontario it is $13.95 for a 6 pack or $2.33 a bottle)
Colour: Pass
Beer Style: N/A This is a new beer style
Re-order: Exceptional
Experience: Exceptional

Final thoughts: I am giving high praise to this beer, and it wasn't an easy thing to do. When you are tasting a gluten free beer you have to step back from convention and look at the larger picture. (1) Is this a beer? Yes and no. It is made from grain, it has hops, it has an alcohol content that is indicative of beer. However, the strict definition of beer it is not.  (2) Does it taste like beer? Yes and no. There are bready notes some mild hint of hops, but a lot of apple. (3) If I could no longer drink regular beer, would I be content to drink this for the rest of my life? Yes, undoubtedly. The flavour is good, it reminds me of beer, and well... I enjoyed it. Most importantly it is the only beer I can sit down and share with my sister... a Celiac.

Cheers

CJT

P.S. There is two gluten free beers in Canada made by a brewery in Quebec, as soon as I can get my hands on them I will review them