gluten-free Beer

[nvsmom]

I'm going away to the beach on vacation and I'd like to bring some beer along...especially since my hubby has increased his beer consumption in the evenings by 400% since I was diagnosed celiac... I swear! Can anyone recommend a gluten-free beer that is pretty good? I've yet to try any (I'm very newly diagnosed) and I'd hate to buy (or order) a 6 pack and discover it's no good. I have heard of Bards, New Grist, Messagere, Nicklebrook's Gluten-free, Schnitzer Br

[kareng]

Ciders are nice when its hot. If you really liked beer, you might want to wait a month or two more before trying the gluten-free ones. They are different. Its good to let your taste buds "forget" sometimes.

[beachbirdie]

I'm going away to the beach on vacation and I'd like to bring some beer along...especially since my hubby has increased his beer consumption in the evenings by 400% since I was diagnosed celiac... I swear! Can anyone recommend a gluten-free beer that is pretty good? I've yet to try any (I'm very newly diagnosed) and I'd hate to buy (or order) a 6 pack and discover it's no good. I have heard of Bards, New Grist, Messagere, Nicklebrook's Gluten-free, Schnitzer Bräu's Hirse-Premium and Hirse-Lemon 2.6%ABV...any comments on those or others?

I tend to like darker beers but I'll take a pale ale during these hot summer days.

I'm in western Canada... I don't know if that affects availability.

Thanks a bunch.

Can you get Green's (Open Original Shared Link) or St. Peter's? They have become my favorites though I don't buy them often because they are more expensive than others (about $6.99 USD for a 500 mL bottle). Green's has everything from dark ("Dubbel Dark Ale") amber to "Tripel Blonde".

New Grist, it is VERY pale and very light on taste. On the other hand, it doesn't have the heavy sorghum flavor of some others. Great icy cold after a long day weeding the garden.

In case no one comes along soon enough to give their own opinions before you leave, I've seen other Canadians speak highly of Nicklebrook gluten-free.

If you need to have a lot on hand for your husband, and don't want to spend a lot, Redbridge and Bard's are probably the budget choices if available in Canada.

There's another thread around here somewhere where people talked a lot about different beers...ahh...here it is! Beer!

[~**caselynn**~]

I'm a RedBridge girl all the way LOL it's my favorite, but when I'm thinking cider, which is awesome on a hot day, I go for Original Sin. It's a bit pricey but well worth it in taste. Just try a few over time and you'll find a favorite too!

[RonSchon]

I'm a RedBridge girl all the way LOL it's my favorite, but when I'm thinking cider, which is awesome on a hot day, I go for Original Sin. It's a bit pricey but well worth it in taste. Just try a few over time and you'll find a favorite too!

I just bought a 4 pack of New Planet - well, several.... - but at $7 a 4 pack, what would you call expensive for the Original Sin?

[~**caselynn**~]

I just bought a 4 pack of New Planet - well, several.... - but at $7 a 4 pack, what would you call expensive for the Original Sin?

Last time I purchased it was $11 for a 6 pack. Where as the Angry Orchard cider or Mich Light Cider are around $7-8 for 6. (I hated the Mich Light Cider, just tasted like watered down apple juice to me lol, my non gluten-free friends love it though) The redBridge here runs about $7.99, I think that's pretty standard I guess.

[~**caselynn**~]

I should add I'm in Maine, I know prices run different all over, especially country to country.

[nvsmom]

Can you get Green's (Open Original Shared Link) or St. Peter's? They have become my favorites though I don't buy them often because they are more expensive than others (about $6.99 USD for a 500 mL bottle). Green's has everything from dark ("Dubbel Dark Ale") amber to "Tripel Blonde".

New Grist, it is VERY pale and very light on taste. On the other hand, it doesn't have the heavy sorghum flavor of some others. Great icy cold after a long day weeding the garden.

In case no one comes along soon enough to give their own opinions before you leave, I've seen other Canadians speak highly of Nicklebrook gluten-free.

If you need to have a lot on hand for your husband, and don't want to spend a lot, Redbridge and Bard's are probably the budget choices if available in Canada.

There's another thread around here somewhere where people talked a lot about different beers...ahh...here it is! Beer!

Oooh Thanks for the information and the link (I don't know how I missed that one, and I went searching and only found old info ).

Green's sounds like it would suit my taste. I don't drink beer often, but when I do I like a dark beer... a porter or stout. Ugh! My mouth is watering just thinking about it! I don't know wheteher to laugh or cry. LOL Alcohol content is similar to the local brewery too...Hmmm... I wonder if I can get it up here.

I need to look up Nicklebrook soon (I keep wanting to call it Nickleback LOL).

I drink cider on occasion but I've never been a big fan of it. Maybe I will be if these beers don't pan out, eh? Or if the cost is too high (we pay more for everything up here...yah, I'm bitter. LOL

Thanks for your advice, everyone. If you have any other suggestions I'll add them to my list.

[beachbirdie]

Last time I purchased it was $11 for a 6 pack. Where as the Angry Orchard cider or Mich Light Cider are around $7-8 for 6. (I hated the Mich Light Cider, just tasted like watered down apple juice to me lol, my non gluten-free friends love it though) The redBridge here runs about $7.99, I think that's pretty standard I guess.

I just found the cider section of a new market that opened near us. I never knew there were so many different ones! Up until now I've only found Hornsby's.

I picked up a bottle of Angry Orchard yesterday (the ginger one), haven't opened it yet. What can I expect?

[~**caselynn**~]

I just found the cider section of a new market that opened near us. I never knew there were so many different ones! Up until now I've only found Hornsby's.

I picked up a bottle of Angry Orchard yesterday (the ginger one), haven't opened it yet. What can I expect?

It's pretty good, It's quite different from Hornsby's if I remember correctly. (been a while since I had Hornsby) it's got a definite ginger kick to it which I love! Let me know what you think! Good choice!! I love a good cider, but I'm got a RedBridge going at the moment to wind down the day LOL

[beachbirdie]

It's pretty good, It's quite different from Hornsby's if I remember correctly. (been a while since I had Hornsby) it's got a definite ginger kick to it which I love! Let me know what you think! Good choice!! I love a good cider, but I'm got a RedBridge going at the moment to wind down the day LOL

I just popped open my Angry Orchard and sipped it down after a long, hot labor in the strawberry bed. I am so impressed. It was delicious and refreshing. I'm a fan! This cider is really, really good! It will definitely be in the regular rotation for hot-weather quenching!

[RonSchon]

I tried Angry Orchard - the Traditional Dry - It was ok, but had a little bit of an after taste that didn't quite taste right.

I liked Wood Chuck, that I tried a last week, but it was awful sweet.

I saw RedBridge at Sprouts, but didn't get any.

I'm starting to wonder if there isn't something in both beer and cider that I'm reacting to, or just bad luck. I was poisoned again. I had 2 ciders last night, one to try it, and one to confirm the aftertaste... and today I have bloating and brain fog. However, I don't think I woke up with that, I think it was right after eating a cooked turkey drumstick that I also bought at Sprouts. It didn't say gluten-free, but the ingredient list didn't look like it had anything of concern - maybe 5 or 6 things besides the obvious turkey and water and salt. I noticed bloat, fog, and being tired right after eating it.

A very difficult week for me.

[Pegleg84]

I'm not sure what you can get in Alberta, but if Nickelbrook is available, it's my go-to gluten-free beer, and passes my "actually tastes like beer" test. And made in Ontario. Even my Mom likes it (and she never drank beer before going gluten-free)

La Messagiere and New Grist are pretty bland, so if you were a dark/amber/favourful beer person, they're not worth it.

If you can get your hands on some, New Planet is by far the best I've had (thank you beer-snob boyfriend hauling things back from the US for me). Also, Green's is great.

As someone commented, cider might be a better thing to go for at the moment, since gluten-free beers are different, and you do have to "forget" and retrain your taste a little.

Also, a warning, there are a few new "gluten-free" beers out there made with some mysterious process of removing gluten from barley. (what the what!!??) Allegedly they can get it to under 5ppm, but that's still like getting cross-contamination for some people. My BF, wonderful man that he is, brought back one (Brunehaut) and I tried it last weekend just to be brave. Not only was it really not that great (maybe I've gotten to used to sorghum), i definitely was feeling off the next day and still recovering a bit.

In any case, there are some great gluten-free beers out there

Here's a link to some reviews:

Open Original Shared Link

Cheers!

[Aims51]

A Portland brewer just came out with a good gluten free beer. It is called Omissions. They have a pale Ail, which was the one I got and they have a darker brew. I thought it tasted just like beer, although I am not a huge beer fan. :-)

[~**caselynn**~]

A Portland brewer just came out with a good gluten free beer. It is called Omissions. They have a pale Ail, which was the one I got and they have a darker brew. I thought it tasted just like beer, although I am not a huge beer fan. :-)

Portland Oregon or Portland Maine? LOL if it's Maine I'll be in the look out for it!!

[beachbirdie]

Omissions is one of the beers made from low-protein barley, then "de-glutenized". They say they test every batch to below 20 ppm but some super-sensitive celiacs have reported (example Open Original Shared Link) reacting to it.

I'd approach that one with caution.

[~**caselynn**~]

Omissions is one of the beers made from low-protein barley, then "de-glutenized". They say they test every batch to below 20 ppm but some super-sensitive celiacs have reported (example Open Original Shared Link) reacting to it.

I'd approach that one with caution.

Hmmm, I'm leary of it being made of barley, I doubt i try it for that reason I guess. I'm pretty sensitive so I try to avoid at all cost lol