Gluten-free Gourmand

You know that one thing that you keep missing, even though there are so many great GF products out there?  For those of us who love dark beer, finding a gluten-free version that satisfies our craving for that smoky, malty, liquid goodness is our personal search for the holy grail.  While I'm not saying that my search is over, I am saying that I have found a cup that looks an awful lot like that grail. Any dark beer lover would have already tried Green's Dubbel Dark Ale  knows that it's a solid choice for GF dark beer.  However, that light fruity Belgian style is just not the same thing as a lush, malty dark beer.   Ground Breaker Brewing's Dark Ale  comes a little closer to satisfying that craving.  However, this Seasonal Squash Ale is even better than the brand's Dark Ale.  Something about the squash in the recipe smooths it out and mellows the flavors. Maybe that's because of the process.  From the Ground Breaker press release ...

A few weeks ago I posted a review of the brand-new Omission Gluten-free Pale Ale from Widmer.   It only took a short time for me to find the beer in a number of different locations, which you can find on the Find Omission page of their website.  Since I have a gluten eater and beer lover as a resource, I will start with my boyfriend's response to the Omission Gluten-free Lager.  He sipped, then said: "What style of beer is this?" "A lager," I replied. "Oh, this is pretty good for a lager.  I've had plenty of lagers that weren't nearly as good as this." In this quote, I may have left out a few expletives that referenced other lagers.  But there were no expletives referencing this one.  You heard it from the expert: Omission Gluten-free Lager is pretty good for a lager.  In some of the other reviews I've read about Omission, bloggers have commented that they prefer the Pale Ale. I, for one, am not one of those bloggers.  I pr...

One of the only things I miss about eating gluten isn't about eating at all: it's about drinking beer.  I'm always on the lookout for new gluten-free beers, which is why I was eager to try St. Peter's. I enjoyed drinking this beer.  It stands out against other gluten-free lagers for being higher quality, hoppier, and cleaner.   The hoppiness plays nicely against the inevitable metallic flavor that sorghum imparts on a beer. The description on the bottle reads: "A clean, crisp beer with a pilsner style lager finish and aromas of citrus and mandarin from American Amarillo hops.  Made from Sorghum, not wheat or barley.  Brewed with skill and patience in Britain's finest small brewery." I've found St Peter's Sorghum Beer at various GF-friendly grocery stores in the Portland area selling for $6.99.  When weighing the price, keep in mind these factors: 1) It's gluten-free. 2) It's imported. 3) It's from the UK.  They not only ma...

In my previous post I promised to give you a description of the Gluten-free Ale once I could get my hands on it.  Well, I never got one.  What I could get was a description of an even newer gluten-free beer: the Gluten-free Pale Ale. 100% Gluten-Free Ale!  This beer is made with sorghum, brown rice, and carmelixed sugar syrup for a smooth gluten-free experience.  The juicy hop aromas come from Cascade, Centennial, Crystal and a touch of Citra.  Tell your friends! IBU's: 49     Alcohol Content: 5.0% I learned a few things from a helpful server that I hadn't realized before: - The gluten-free beers are all brewed in the Bend facility. - The gluten-free beers are all made in a dedicated gluten-free brew kettle and fermentation tank to avoid cross-contamination. - The Gluten-Free Ale I had last week may have been one in a series of small experimental batches of gluten-free beer. - Deschutes is trying to perfect various recipes in the ho...

Deschutes Brewery in Portland, Oregon, out-does itself again with their new gluten-free beer, the Gluten-free Crystal Weiss. Deschutes is really perfecting their gluten-free beers - each one is better than the last. Each one also seems to come closer to traditional beers, and sidesteps some of the pitfalls of the typical gluten-free beer. The Gluten-free Crystal Weiss is very drinkable. The ingredients of maple syrup and molasses come through in the flavor and aroma. This one is very pleasant and smooth, with none of the metallic aftertaste that is the signature of other gluten-free beers die to the sorghum malt.  It has a bit of a fruit quality to it but it holds back from being actually sweet. The aroma is what really stood out for me with this beer. Gluten-free beers often have an unusual odor. While I could smell the sorghum in this beer, the scent was surprisingly pleasant. They don't have it posted on their website yet, but the brew is listed on their beer menu: ...