Gluten free beer
Warnings on the bottles contain the caution for pregnant women, and the warning that too much alcohol could impair your ability. But what about those who can’t tolerate gluten?
For Americans who suffer from celiac disease a sensitivity to the gluten contained in wheat, rye and barley can have painful results.
The body sees the gluten as an enemy. That’s why nutrients can’t be absorbed, and sufferer gets symptoms like cramps and fatigue.
However beer manufacturers have made gluten-free beer that received high responses also from non-celiac sufferers.
This relatively new generation of celiac-friendly beers monopolize on the powers of rice and sorghum. It ferments creating a flavor similar to drafts brewed with barley and wheat being without gluten.
The first successfully marketed gluten-free beer was Dragon’s Gold by Missouri-based Bard’s Tale Beer that was created by celiac sufferer Craig Belser together with his partner, Kevin Seplowitz. The light lager, made from two varieties of malted sorghum, is described by Bard’s as “light and refreshing,” with a floral, rich flavor.
Milwaukee’s Lakefront Brewery made another approach to celiac-free brewing with the help of syrup obtained from sorghum and rice and handling the brew with gluten-free yeast grown on molasses. Its New Grist line suggests a “crisp and singular” taste and appealed to celiac sufferers and non-sufferers.
Redbridge produced by Anheuser-Busch is a big-league lager blended simply from sorghum and finishes with a rich, moderately hopped taste.
Being safe to health, these beers are rather expensive. The least expensive is Redbridge, at $7 for a six-pack. Bard’s checks in at $10. New Grist can cost as much as $14 for six 12-ounce bottles.
Dr. Schlussel warns that there are always chances for minor gluten levels to get into gluten-free products. The National Institutes of Health offers you to aim for no gluten content. The main thing is tolerance, and the tolerance for everybody varies.
