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Beer!

Pegleg84

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Pegleg84 Collaborator
Pegleg84
Posted

Hello All

One of the hardest things for me to give up when I went gluten free was beer. For the past three years I've more or less given up on there ever being an adequate substitute. Living in Canada (even in Toronto), access to anything resembling beer has been highly limited.

There are 3 we can get: La Messagiere (this is like beer how?), New Grist (ok, I taste hops, but its like a substitute for bad light lager), and more recently, Ontario-brewed Nickle Brook Gluten Free, which I actually approve as resembling beer enough for me to drink it regularly. It's not spectacular, but it'll do.

However, recently my beer-enthusiast boyfriend, who makes frequent trips across the border, has been bringing back gluten-free beers I didn't even know existed! And that actually taste like beer! Greens is amazing! the Dogfish Head strawberry might not be really beery but still delicious, and there's a long list yet to sample.

So, I have a few questions for other gluten-free beer lovers out there:

What is your favourite? which is the worst? and are there any that have given you trouble (ie: beer made from malted barley but with the gluten somehow removed... how?)

My favourite (so far): Greens Blonde (even though it made me more than a little tipsy)

My go-to beer: Nickel Brook Gluten Free (even my mom likes this one!)

The worst: Messagiere. (bleh!)

Want to try: Ommission, or another low-gluten barley beer... though I'm skeptical and will not be having more than 1 bottle at once

Weigh in with your opinions, recommendations, or advice.

Thanks

Peggy

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ldymistic Newbie
ldymistic
Posted

honestly i like ciders now that i have celiac disease. my fav is Angry Orchard.

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

I have been gluten-free since 2000. At that time, there was no gluten-free beer at all. Bard's tale was the first, in the US.

The first to become available in Ontario was La Messagere in the original blonde brew. It was definitely not the Guinness that I once loved, but after years with nothing, it was a start. I have tried the New Grist, and prefer it to the original La Messagere, but my personal preference among the three I have tried is La Messagere Rousse. The taste reminds me of a dark ale. Of course, it has been so many years since I have actually had a dark ale that my mind may be playing tricks on me. But on a hot evening, after a long day at work, sitting on the back deck, well, it works for me. :)

I haven't run into Nickle Brook Gluten Free. I gather it is new. Where can I find it to try?

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

honestly i like ciders now that i have celiac disease. my fav is Angry Orchard.

Ciders are a good option for many with celiac disease. Since I also have diabetes, they are too sweet for me to have.

Pegleg84 Collaborator
Pegleg84
Posted
  • Author

I've become quite the cider drinker myself. that's a whole other topic.

I heard about La Messagiere Rousse, but still haven't had chance to try it (next visit to Quebec?)

Nickel Brook is an Ontario brewery, and they just started making it last year sometime. It's become pretty common in Ontario (GTA at least), and comes in cans as well as bottles. Not sure if it's available outside the province yet.

The only US beer I've had previously was the New Grist, which I agree is better than the Messagiere blonde, but is only tolerable when there's nothing else around...

Keep it coming!

rosetapper23 Explorer
rosetapper23
Posted

I favor Redbridge and Bard Tale's Dragon's Gold.

Greyhound Rookie
Greyhound
Posted

I tried one for the first time on Sunday. Was really nice - much betetr than expected. I was so happy. But I had (and am still getting over) a reaction to it so that's that :(

I don't understand - I can tolerate (as far as I know) barley malt extract in my breakfast cereal but I can't tolerate 'gluten free' (<20ppm) beer :(

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Cathey Apprentice
Cathey
Posted

Ciders are a good option for many with celiac disease. Since I also have diabetes, they are too sweet for me to have.

Dh is always looking for options for me and brought home a new cider, "Michelob Ultra Light Cider". Just tried the one and it's a little fruity and very light not too sweet. 12 oz serving 10g carb 6g of that is sugar. Don't know if that would work for you.

killernj13 Enthusiast
killernj13
Posted

Greyhound - what brand of low gluten beer did you have? If it is the Spanish one (Estella - I believe is tne name) I reacted to that big time.

Red Bridge is my favorite but I was a Bud guy in my pre Celiac days so I am not a beer snob. No offense to those that are.

I tried two of the varieties of New Planet (non Raspberry flavored)and they were OK. The Pale Ale was still very sweet to me, which is the reason I did not get the Raspberry flavored one (I didn't want sweet). I then read the ingredients and it has molasses in it. The Tread Lightly and that was better.

New Grist is good as well but still prefer Red Bridge over it.

Greens are for those with dark beer tastes but they are expensive.

Ciders are a good alternative as others have stated.

Also, I have always read that things such as Mikes Hard Lemonade and Smirnoff bottled drinks are not malt based in Canada. Wouldn't those be options as well?

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

- I can tolerate (as far as I know) barley malt extract in my breakfast cereal but I can't tolerate 'gluten free' (<20ppm) beer :(

People with Celiac should not have barley malt even if they experiance no noticeable immediate reactions. Even a small amount of gluten causes an immune reaction, whether you can tell or not.

JNBunnie1 Community Regular
JNBunnie1
Posted

My favorite is Green's, the amber and the dubbel dark, I find the dubbel dark a bit sweet but still very good.

Pegleg84 Collaborator
Pegleg84
Posted
  • Author

I tried one for the first time on Sunday. Was really nice - much betetr than expected. I was so happy. But I had (and am still getting over) a reaction to it so that's that :(

I don't understand - I can tolerate (as far as I know) barley malt extract in my breakfast cereal but I can't tolerate 'gluten free' (<20ppm) beer :(

What kind of beer did you have? I'm kind of skeptical about the "gluten-removed" barley beer (hence the "sketchy") and if you had a reaction to it, that's not a good sign

(and agreed. Barley malt is gluten, even in small doses. Probably shouldn't be having it. Who knows, that could have contributed to your reaction to the beer?)

Cheers

Peg

pricklypear1971 Community Regular
pricklypear1971
Posted

You know, I've gotten pretty skeptical of gluten-free beers lately since the de-glutened stuff is out there.

I found the gluten-free section at Total Wine and when I started seeing barley in the ingredients list I backed off and grabbed cider.

Unfortunately, inthinkbim going to have to create a list on my phone of safe and not safe beers - so that when I'm out I don't mess up. Very sad.

I wonder why people aren't up in arms about this like the Domino's thing? It makes me a bit angry, really.

At least I'd probably be sober ordering a pizza, but if I'm at a bar and they say "gluten-free beer" I'd probably drink the stuff and ask questions later.

All that said, I've tried New Grist, Red Bridge and Bard's. I keep Bards around for cooking different things, New Grist fir drinking. I was a honey wheat fan Pre gluten-free.

Cathey Apprentice
Cathey
Posted

I have had Redbridge (drink it all the time), Greens (dark, heavy), New Grist (light almost lemony), Bard's (little heavy, bitter), Estrella Damm's Daura (medium light on the tongue taste of honey). You have to make sure it is Daura has 3ppm.

Very rarely I find gluten-free beer out and when I do it's Redbridge.

beachbirdie Contributor
beachbirdie
Posted

I just tried one called "Open Original Shared Link" (not my flickr account, but has a nice pic of the bottle) and it was really good. I can't find that exact one on the Open Original Shared Link, though they have one they call gluten-free. I liked it better than Redbridge. Made in UK, might be hard to find, some Whole Foods markets carry it. Beer snobs at Open Original Shared Link didn't think much of it, but as far as I'm concerned it's one of the better gluten free brews out there.

I also liked a local one, from Open Original Shared Link. The dark one was kind of bitter, but I liked the "experimental" one.

I'm not a beer snob, so I don't know how to describe what I'm drinking, I just know what I like.

Green's Dubbel is really good as is their blonde.

New Grist in a pinch, for the fact that is LACKS the bitterness or heavy sorghum taste of some. Of course, it also lacks a lot of flavor. :P Nice for drinking with barbecue hot dogs and potato salad.

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

NEW PLANET

GREEN's

NEW GRIST

(hub's favs)

I LIKE GIN. :)

beachbirdie Contributor
beachbirdie
Posted

Yikes.

Just re-read my post and realized it could be terribly offensive referring to beer aficionados as "beer snobs". That's actually a term used affectionately in my household for people who have discriminating taste buds and like to talk about what they taste!

I could have and should have simply said "beer fans" or something. I apologize if I offended anyone!

:P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P

beachbirdie Contributor
beachbirdie
Posted

NEW PLANET

GREEN's

NEW GRIST

(hub's favs)

I LIKE GIN. :)

ROFL!!!!! I love your sense of humor!

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

Yikes.

Just re-read my post and realized it could be terribly offensive referring to beer aficionados as "beer snobs".

I dunno...I think "beer snobs" works just fine!!! :lol:

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

ROFL!!!!! I love your sense of humor!

Humor saved me from from swan-diving off a bridge for 3 years while I searched for what made me so ill.

Without that, we're all doomed. :P

oh, and beer and gin helps....

Salax Contributor
Salax
Posted

I also like Greens (blonde, I think), I am not really a drinker though but if I want one it's there. It's also great to make gluten free beer battered fish or shrimp.

JNBunnie1 Community Regular
JNBunnie1
Posted

I dunno...I think "beer snobs" works just fine!!! :lol:

I'm a food snob. I admit it. I guess I'm a beer snob too. I don't like most gluten-free beers. I just like Green's. And

VODKA!

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

I'm a food snob. I admit it. I guess I'm a beer snob too. I don't like most gluten-free beers. I just like Green's. And

VODKA!

ditto! Food snob right here! guilty! :lol:

DougE Rookie
DougE
Posted

Actually I like Messagere rousse. Here we get Bards (made in NY state?) which is OK. On a trip to Boulder, I tried New Planet - excellent beer...wish I could get it here.

Missandi Newbie
Missandi
Posted

I have been gluten-free since 2000. At that time, there was no gluten-free beer at all. Bard's tale was the first, in the US.

The first to become available in Ontario was La Messagere in the original blonde brew. It was definitely not the Guinness that I once loved, but after years with nothing, it was a start. I have tried the New Grist, and prefer it to the original La Messagere, but my personal preference among the three I have tried is La Messagere Rousse. The taste reminds me of a dark ale. Of course, it has been so many years since I have actually had a dark ale that my mind may be playing tricks on me. But on a hot evening, after a long day at work, sitting on the back deck, well, it works for me. :)

I haven't run into Nickle Brook Gluten Free. I gather it is new. Where can I find it to try?

P - I LOVE dark brews!!! But all i can find here in Houston is Bard's and Redbridge and only the lighter versions. I would love to try the La Messagere Rousse...any idea where you can get it in the states?? Ahhh, I just thought there were no dark gluten free ales!! Hooray there's hope!! :)

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