Gluten Free! That’s the buzz word today. Everywhere you go you see gluten free foods and, increasingly, gluten free beers, too. I myself think the craze is overrated, and that all of the various and sundry ills assigned to glutens may in fact have nothing to do with them. Time will tell if gluten free becomes a passing fad or there really is something to it.
One thing is for sure, though, and that is that some people, unfortunately, really can’t tolerate glutens. That’s because they suffer from a disease called Celiac, which impairs their ability to process glutens in the small intestine. Glutens are components of most cereal grains, including those generally used to make beer. And the intake of glutens for those who suffer from this disease can cause all kinds of health problems.
For them, or those that just want to go gluten free and still have a beer, there are sorghum beers. Sorghum is a substitute for barley that can be used to make beer. What is sorghum?
Wikipedia says:
Sorghum is a grass of East African origin, a drought-resistant, heat-tolerant member of the grass family. Sorghum is used for food, fodder, and the production of alcoholic beverages. It is drought tolerant and heat tolerant and is especially important in arid regions. It is an important food crop in Africa, Central America, and South Asia, and is the "fifth most important cereal crop grown in the world" [1]. African slaves introduced sorghum into the U.S. in the early 17th century.
Back in 2006, Anheuser Busch rolled out Redbridge as a gluten free beer, and it’s still perhaps the most widely available such brew. The original Gluten Free beer, however, is Lakefront New Grist Gluten-Free Pilsner Style Beer. At least according to Lakefront:
New Grist is a one-of-a-kind beer brewed without wheat or barley: the first of its kind that can be enjoyed by those with Celiac Disease. This is the first gluten free beer to be granted label approval by the US Government. Each batch we brew is tested for its gluten contents before it is bottled and shipped. New Grist is brewed from sorghum, rice, hops, water and yeast. These ingredients are carefully combined to form a crisp, refreshing "session ale" brewed for those on a gluten-free diet, or anyone with an appreciation for a great tasting, handmade beer.
Lakefront New Grist Gluten-Free Pilsner Style Beer has an alcohol content of 5.1% by volume with a varying IBU count from 13 to 17. Hops used are Zeus and Willamette. The beer runs around $10.99 a six-pack here in Georgia, a little high but this is a specialty beer. Yes, it is.
Lakefront New Grist Gluten-Free Pilsner Style Beer pours to a pale yellow color with a light fizzy head formation and a soft grainy sorghum nose. Taking a sip, the beer has that same pasty graininess in the palate and a rather light bitter hop finish. The lack of malt is noticeable, but this is a sorghum beer after all and that grain imparts a unique, though still grainy, flavor all its own. I think more hops would help it, and hops after all are gluten free. Still, lakefront is trying to attract both craft and macro beer drinkers with New Grist.
Would I buy it again? I would, to have on hand for my friends on gluten-free diets.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft