Gluten Free Alcoholic Beverage 5.8% ABV Tall Can 473 ml.
$2.95 (Canadian) At LCBO.
I was quite surprised when I was going through the statistics of my blog. I had wanted to see what beers people were reading about so I could try similar beers for future blogs. My number one beer was Aguila, from Columbia, however the big surprise was that the second most read about beer was from Milwaukee Wisconson: New Grist, Gluten free. Now Celiac Disease, or gluten intolerance is getting a lot of press time. It is estimated that upwards of 1 in 1000 people have a sensitivity to the proteins in wheat. (if you suspect you have a gluten intolerance PLEASE GO to www.celiac.ca or www.celiac.com and seek professional help. A gluten free diet SHOULD ONLY be prescribed by a trained physician ) The beer industry, obviously, uses grains in the production of their product so people began to seek ways of making a beer tasting product without using barley or wheat. Tonight's tasting uses three fermentables in it's production: sorghum, pear juice and demerara Sugar. Sorghum is a grain used around the world in more tropical areas than Canada. Related to sugar cane, it can be used as a cereal, a grain, a starch or fermented into a beer-like substance. I say beer-like as most countries define beer as a beverage that must contain either barley wheat, or both.
Nickel Brook is the beer line of Better Bitters. It started life as a beer and wine making store and still carries that aspect to today. At some point the owner John Romano began to brew his own line of beers to be sold directly from the store. They have since expanded and now serve restaurants and are placing their products in the LCBO.
Onto tonight's tasting.
Light copper in colour, little to no head. Sugary fruity pear and grape like nose. First sips strikes me more as a wine, fruity, giving over to mild bitterness and herbal hops. Sweet but not cloying. Dry mildly bitter finish reminiscent of a pale. Aeration brings out the wine flavour, tastes like an unfinished merlot.
I was quite surprised when I was going through the statistics of my blog. I had wanted to see what beers people were reading about so I could try similar beers for future blogs. My number one beer was Aguila, from Columbia, however the big surprise was that the second most read about beer was from Milwaukee Wisconson: New Grist, Gluten free. Now Celiac Disease, or gluten intolerance is getting a lot of press time. It is estimated that upwards of 1 in 1000 people have a sensitivity to the proteins in wheat. (if you suspect you have a gluten intolerance PLEASE GO to www.celiac.ca or www.celiac.com and seek professional help. A gluten free diet SHOULD ONLY be prescribed by a trained physician ) The beer industry, obviously, uses grains in the production of their product so people began to seek ways of making a beer tasting product without using barley or wheat. Tonight's tasting uses three fermentables in it's production: sorghum, pear juice and demerara Sugar. Sorghum is a grain used around the world in more tropical areas than Canada. Related to sugar cane, it can be used as a cereal, a grain, a starch or fermented into a beer-like substance. I say beer-like as most countries define beer as a beverage that must contain either barley wheat, or both.
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| Sorghum |
Onto tonight's tasting.
Light copper in colour, little to no head. Sugary fruity pear and grape like nose. First sips strikes me more as a wine, fruity, giving over to mild bitterness and herbal hops. Sweet but not cloying. Dry mildly bitter finish reminiscent of a pale. Aeration brings out the wine flavour, tastes like an unfinished merlot.
Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional
Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: N/A
Re-Order: 1/6 FAIL
Experience: 3/6 SO-SO
Final Thoughts:
Well as I said in my earlier post about New Grist. The battle rages on whether a gluten free alcoholic drink, can be called a beer. I'm open to it as beers have been made from rye cake, millet, sorghum, and just about anything our ancestors could get their hands on. However, tonight's tasting, leans me the other way. This does NOT taste like a beer. It tastes like a wine made from pears. the hop character is incidental and of little consequence. That being said. This product tastes good, I won't knock it on flavour. However, It is not a beer.
Cheers
CJT
Well as I said in my earlier post about New Grist. The battle rages on whether a gluten free alcoholic drink, can be called a beer. I'm open to it as beers have been made from rye cake, millet, sorghum, and just about anything our ancestors could get their hands on. However, tonight's tasting, leans me the other way. This does NOT taste like a beer. It tastes like a wine made from pears. the hop character is incidental and of little consequence. That being said. This product tastes good, I won't knock it on flavour. However, It is not a beer. Cheers
CJT
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