Estrella Daura Gluten-free Lager



Daura is one of my favorite gluten-free beers.  It's in my top three in my Beer Guide.  Why?  Because it tastes like beer.

I didn't miss much when I went gluten-free.  I felt so good, I couldn't wait to rid gluten from my life forever.  There was one little thing, though, that I couldn't get from the gluten-free lifestyle, and that was beer.  Way back in 2005 when I swore off gluten for good, the GF beer selection at the grocery store didn't have much to offer.  Eventually there was Redbridge, which filled a function.  But something was missing.

Before I went gluten-free, I loved a good stout.  Why stouts?  I think it was the roasted barley flavor that got me.  So rich and creamy, that barley malt just spoke to me in a way the hoppy ales never did.  I was just starting to get over this loss of barley malt flavor, just starting to forget what it even tasted like after five years, when Daura came onto the scene.

I tried it, and suddenly I remembered what barley malt tasted like.  This award-winning lager is so clean.  It's nothing like a stout, really.  It's refreshing.  But it reminded me of a stout or a porter because it has a beautiful barley malt flavor.

It's not complex.  It's not remarkable among other glutenous lagers.  It is, however, distinct among gluten-free beers in that it tastes right.  It tastes like barley because it's made from barley.  The gluten is extracted afterward to give it a low enough gluten content to be acceptable for most celiacs.

It's beautiful.  If I'm looking for hops, I'll go elsewhere.  But if I'm looking for a beautiful barley malt flavor, I'll get an Estrella Damm Daura every time.
Location: Portland, OR 97213, USA

Comments

Mamun said…
A great post with some much personal things revealed for us. Thank you for sharing and participating along with me too

diabetics
September 7, 2012 at 1:05 PM
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