I Miss Beer

[mcc0523]

[rant] Before figuring out that gluten has been causing such horrible symptoms in me, I used to be a beer aficionado... as in, I had my own dedicated beer glass that was NEVER washed with detergent (as it affects head retention), I was able to detect undertones and high notes and all of the fancy terms "real" *snobs* use in describing the experience, and the highlight of my year was a certain beer festival. I had even started brewing my own, and was planning another brew before I learned I must avoid gluten.

And, yes, I know about Red Bridge and other gluten-free beers, but I'm sorry, it is NOT the same. Red Bridge cannot match the fullness of a Samuel Smith's Porter, or the citrusy notes of a Sweetwater IPA, and DAMMIT, I'm SO MAD that beer makes me so sick. My favorite seasonal last year was Sam Adam's Noble Pilsner, and I nearly lost it when I saw it out again (the first time this year) last week at the store.

*SIGH* I will be alright with this... eventually. Just not right now.

[/rant]

[Emilushka]

I totally hear you. I spent a semester in Berlin during college and fell in love with beer then. The good stuff. German beer on tap EVERYWHERE YOU WENT.

Then I discovered Guinness, and we were buddies. Guinness and I had great times until Celiac.

NOW WE ARE BROKEN UP. I miss Guinness. My goodness, my Guinness. I miss it SO MUCH and I don't dare even have a tasty sip because I know what it will do to me for the following week.

You are not alone in your ranting against gluten-free beers. They are not the same. For those of us with a real beer love, gluten-free is just fourth-rate nonsense.

[larry mac]

I miss going to Hooters and having a big 'ol platter of hot wings and a big frosty mug of Fosters on tap!

best regards, lm

[cassP]

i was never a big beer person.. only had it maybe 2x a year... but i used to love snakebites..

went out to World of Beer recently- i tried the Redbridge- it was barely do-able, i dont think i even drank half of it , it was that bad YUCK.... so i stuck with Woodchuck Cider all night- totally YUM... my only complaint was i would of preferred a frosty mug, or the tap to be colder

ps- i am BUMMED tho- that gluten-free cider &/or beer isnt everywhere... like the next time i go to a sporting event or a concert- gonna be a real bummer that i cant just go get a beer

[mcc0523]

NOW WE ARE BROKEN UP. I miss Guinness. My goodness, my Guinness. I miss it SO MUCH and I don't dare even have a tasty sip because I know what it will do to me for the following week.

You are not alone in your ranting against gluten-free beers. They are not the same. For those of us with a real beer love, gluten-free is just fourth-rate nonsense.

I understand not having even a sip... *sigh* I guess I need to start looking into alternate grains, and use my current brewing knowledge and come up with a good alternative. I've been especially missing my IPA, so I could come up with something that uses A LOT of hops. I wonder how brown rice does in beer, too. I can't think of anything to take the place of a stout right now, but I want to come up with a good gluten-free stout recipe.

I miss going to Hooters and having a big 'ol platter of hot wings and a big frosty mug of Fosters on tap!

I am more of a fan of Wild Wings Cafe, but I appreciate the combination of wings and beer. It was fun while it lasted.

i was never a big beer person.. only had it maybe 2x a year... but i used to love snakebites..

went out to World of Beer recently- i tried the Redbridge- it was barely do-able, i dont think i even drank half of it , it was that bad YUCK.... so i stuck with Woodchuck Cider all night- totally YUM... my only complaint was i would of preferred a frosty mug, or the tap to be colder

ps- i am BUMMED tho- that gluten-free cider &/or beer isnt everywhere... like the next time i go to a sporting event or a concert- gonna be a real bummer that i cant just go get a beer

The only beer that I threw out within the past 2 years WAS a Red Bridge. And I tried... I really, really tried to like it, but it's just not going to be possible.

Woodchuck is GREAT! Magner's Hard Cider is good, too, and I recently found two other gluten-free ciders at my favorite beer market. They do have other gluten-free beers besides Red Bridge, but the owner (whose taste in beer I trust) stated they weren't very good at all.

____________________________

I guess I'm just going to have to come up with some gluten-free beer recipes. I'm actually kind of excited about researching to see what sources of fermentable sugars I can use. I know that hops are safe (although I'm sure cc is an issue sometimes), and I am curious what brown rice, buckwheat and other gluten-free grains would be like.

[Bookworm25]

As I have been a coeliac my whole life, i have never tried beer though the smell of it would put me off anyway. I am a cider girl, love it especially scrumpy.

However I am sorry that you have had to give it all up, I never know if I'm better never having tried anything, therefor not knowing whether I'm missing out or whether you are luckier as you had it for so long....mystery question

However I am sure that as making gluten free beer is relatively new that somewhere along the way they will achieve better stuff, it has taken them a long time to get bread to a good standard so I am sure that they will achieve this for you!!!!

[mcc0523]

As I have been a coeliac my whole life, i have never tried beer though the smell of it would put me off anyway. I am a cider girl, love it especially scrumpy.

However I am sorry that you have had to give it all up, I never know if I'm better never having tried anything, therefor not knowing whether I'm missing out or whether you are luckier as you had it for so long....mystery question

However I am sure that as making gluten free beer is relatively new that somewhere along the way they will achieve better stuff, it has taken them a long time to get bread to a good standard so I am sure that they will achieve this for you!!!!

It is difficult to know which one is lucky... both of us are, I suppose, because we know what makes us sick and how to avoid it.

I am hopeful for the future of gluten-free-beers... and you're right, cider is pretty awesome.

I am also hopeful that in a few years, there will be at least one good gluten-free beer out there. If not, I can learn to love cider as much as I do beer.

[kareng]

Hey MCC!

Did you see this? Maybe you could talk to the guy in the article about brewing gluten-free beer. I drink some of the gluten-free beers but they are not nearly as good as "real" beer. I volunteer to taste test your experiments.

[Nor-TX]

I never drank beer often, but I remember a little Sports Bar in Brampton Ontario that served platters of wings with Molson Canadian so cold that when you poured it into your icy mug, it would get ice crystals. The wings were hot, beer cold. Once in a while I will have hard cider now, but it gives me heartburn for days - it's all that apple juice...

[Darwin]

I too was a beer snob and miss it greatly. I am starting to drink wine again, but it does not compare to a glass of Guiness or Samual Smith's Oatmeal Stout. My brother brews the most amazing beers and I couldn't have them over Christmas and that makes me sad. Redbridge is okay, but just like a lot of the gluten free frozen pizzas, it is just okay, not delicious. I have had one beer that was pretty good. It is Green's Double Dark. I had it at a restaurant. It is really expensive, but really good. It can be hard to find, my local liquor store stocks the Amber Ale of the same brewery, but it is just okay. I'm hoping they can get the double dark in!!

[mamaw]

I'm not into beer but cook with it. Have you tried the Green's varieties? I believe there are three kinds & some I know enjoy it. Lives on the gluten-free lifestyle will never quite to be the same as before gluten-free, NEVER!!!! BUt for health sake we all must pick our posion.... I hope you find one you can enjoy.

[Menic]

I can sympathize. It figures I get diagnosed the same month Guiness Black Lager comes out. I used to love the dark beers and IPAs. The first company to come up with a real comparable gluten-free beer will make a bazillion dollars. I don't think anybody believes that RedBridge is it, but at least it shows the bigger companies are thinking about it.

[ElseB]

I think you get used to gluten-free beer eventually. I was a big beer drinker too - not the crap like Molsen Canadian, but good german beer (which I learned to drink on a student exchange in high school). I had my last real beer on January 30, 2008 - the night before my scope and official diagnosis. I had my first gluten-free beer a month later and thought it was disgusting. Now, its not so bad. I think because I've forgotten what real beer tastes like. But I still live vicariously through my friends by smelling their beer!

[CarolinaKip]

[rant] Before figuring out that gluten has been causing such horrible symptoms in me, I used to be a beer aficionado... as in, I had my own dedicated beer glass that was NEVER washed with detergent (as it affects head retention), I was able to detect undertones and high notes and all of the fancy terms "real" *snobs* use in describing the experience, and the highlight of my year was a certain beer festival. I had even started brewing my own, and was planning another brew before I learned I must avoid gluten.

And, yes, I know about Red Bridge and other gluten-free beers, but I'm sorry, it is NOT the same. Red Bridge cannot match the fullness of a Samuel Smith's Porter, or the citrusy notes of a Sweetwater IPA, and DAMMIT, I'm SO MAD that beer makes me so sick. My favorite seasonal last year was Sam Adam's Noble Pilsner, and I nearly lost it when I saw it out again (the first time this year) last week at the store.

*SIGH* I will be alright with this... eventually. Just not right now.

[/rant]

I really miss beer as well! Especially on a hot day! I love so many different types! I now know it made me have really bad brain fog and I could never seem to wake up when I drank it the night before. I've tried the gluten-free beers, what I feel is more like the ambers I used to drink is Greens. Redbridge is ok and I've tried some of the ciders. If you like ambers, try Greens.

[Terri O]

[rant] Before figuring out that gluten has been causing such horrible symptoms in me, I used to be a beer aficionado... as in, I had my own dedicated beer glass that was NEVER washed with detergent (as it affects head retention), I was able to detect undertones and high notes and all of the fancy terms "real" *snobs* use in describing the experience, and the highlight of my year was a certain beer festival. I had even started brewing my own, and was planning another brew before I learned I must avoid gluten.

And, yes, I know about Red Bridge and other gluten-free beers, but I'm sorry, it is NOT the same. Red Bridge cannot match the fullness of a Samuel Smith's Porter, or the citrusy notes of a Sweetwater IPA, and DAMMIT, I'm SO MAD that beer makes me so sick. My favorite seasonal last year was Sam Adam's Noble Pilsner, and I nearly lost it when I saw it out again (the first time this year) last week at the store.

*SIGH* I will be alright with this... eventually. Just not right now.

[/rant]

I understand not having even a sip... *sigh* I guess I need to start looking into alternate grains, and use my current brewing knowledge and come up with a good alternative. I've been especially missing my IPA, so I could come up with something that uses A LOT of hops. I wonder how brown rice does in beer, too. I can't think of anything to take the place of a stout right now, but I want to come up with a good gluten-free stout recipe.

And when you do come up with this...you will be famous! And please remember your friends on this forum who are also missing their beer (really badly) Good luck--drink safe! Terri O

[Kate79]

I feel your pain. I LOVE beer - I miss it much more than bread or sweets. I've tried all the gluten-free beers that are available in my area (Chicago) and here are a few thoughts...

Green's - my favorite - partly because it comes in 3 flavors so it feels more like a real beer - they've got double dark, amber ale, and pale ale. Double Dark is my favorite, but the others are pretty good. Tastes much better if it's really really cold.

Redbridge - surprisingly like budlight - which isn't a good thing. I find it drinkable but not great.

Bard's - not bad, not a lot of flavor

New Grist - better than bard's, but not by much

St. Peter's Sorghum beer - weird bitter taste. unpleasant.

I also tried a Spanish gluten free beer that wasn't bad - don't recall the name.

This is a British site, but you might find it interesting:

Open Original Shared Link

I've also heard that some smaller breweries in the states are starting to do gluten free varieties, but most are only available locally.

[roguegrl]

What I miss is the ease of going to a bar or pub with friends, ordering a communal platter of some deep fried glutened horror and chatting the night away in a cozy corner with a couple of rich and full ice cold beers :-) Alas... Wine puts me to sleep and martini's and mixed drinks just aren't my cup of alcoholic tea. So what are people ordering these days?

[GlutenFreeBeer]

I completely agree with the frustration here. To make a change in the current circumstances, it will take a group effort. If we don't buy the beer that is on the shelves now; Red Bridge, New Grist, New Planet, Green's, St. Peter's, etc., then the distributors are not going to stock more options. If distributors won't stock it then brewers aren't going to make it. For those of you that like cider, Samuel Smith and Crispin are the two that I have found to be the best, much more than Woodchuck. Woodchuck is probably my least favorite although one is still drinkable. Be careful with red wine as it is often cross contaminated by the aging barrels. Life is certainly a journey and gluten free is just a fork in the road.

[GlutenFreeBeer]

I also tried a Spanish gluten free beer that wasn't bad - don't recall the name.

You are referring to Estrella Daura. You need to know that Daura is a low-gluten beer and not gluten free. Just because you don't have a reaction doesn't mean it isn't hurting your intestines! Be careful with this type of beer or even food.

[killernj13]

This is a tricky one as they claim they use barley but remove the gluten. It is tested by a third party. They had this brand in a Spanish restaurant but I am not sure if it was this variety.

Estrella Damm Daura is the result of a long collaborative research process between Damm and the CSIC (National Scientific Research Council) gluten unit, using the most advanced technology. It is the first beer in Spain to guarantee a gluten content below 6 ppm (products with a gluten content below 20 ppm are suitable for people with coeliac disease).

Estrella Damm

[ENF]

Gluten free beer isn't exactly flying off the shelves of stores. I went to my local beverage distributor last week and the best I could do was a six pack of Redbridge that had the date code 10263 on the label - which I believe means that it was made on the 263rd day of 2010, which was Sept. 20. This is well past it's shelf life of 110 days, and it's taste was negatively affected by it.

[killernj13]

Well, I live in NJ and withing the last two years Red Bridge is now available at Yankee Stadium, MSG, New Meadowlands Stadium and Prudential Center. It is in plenty of liquor stores. The final frontier will be getting it in bars and restaurants.

It is growing and I hope here to stay.

[roguegrl]

There are currently only three varieties available at the LCBO: La Messengere, Lakefront New Grist, and Nickel Brook. I was chatting with the employee in charge of ordering at the local LCBO and he said they can't keep New Grist in stock it sells out so fast. And Le Messengere is also a hot commodity. They were sold out of both when I was there so I tried the Nickel Brook (it comes in cans only) - nasty stuff! I'd take the mind-numbing gaseous stomach upset from gluten beer before forcing myself to drink that brand again. It's simply not palatable.

[singlutinoya]

This is a tricky one as they claim they use barley but remove the gluten. It is tested by a third party. They had this brand in a Spanish restaurant but I am not sure if it was this variety.

Estrella Damm Daura is the result of a long collaborative research process between Damm and the CSIC (National Scientific Research Council) gluten unit, using the most advanced technology. It is the first beer in Spain to guarantee a gluten content below 6 ppm (products with a gluten content below 20 ppm are suitable for people with coeliac disease).

Estrella Damm

[luvs2eat]

I feel everyone's pain. My first gluten-free beer was a Bards Tale and... for the first beer in about 10 years, it was heaven! I like New Grist but we can't get anything where we live. I'm going to ask our fave liquor store if they can order me a case!