Oh, celiacs (heretofore referred to as “you” and if you click that link, it takes you to Wiki and I actually did a double-take at the frequency amongst Americans. Oh, what are we doing to ourselves that we don’t know how to control this until it’s too late?). My heart aches for each of you. For anyone to tell me I could no longer have my beloved grains, pastas, breads and beers would be the end of days. Take my eyes, take my sense of smell, take my pinkies but do NOT take my lasagne. I can only imagine the sad day when the news is broken to you, especially you beer drinkers. I’d pour one out for you but it would just make you bloat.
I’d had two gluten-free beers to date, one was great and the other was just ok. Both made by Green’s, they were the only gluten-free options that many bars carried so like it or lump it, if you’re boozing then that’s what you boozed with. The amber was actually fairly tasty, honestly. I’d never have known it was an odd duck based on the flavor. The Ale was a little more off kilter, flavor-wise. Sort of like well-disguised Sucralose – you know something’s up but you can’t put your finger on it. It was tart, it felt heavy-handed like a cider but had a yeasty finish that standard, not-too-hoppy beers should. I wish I’d have tried the dubbel but I’ve never seen it sold. Green’s are still hard to find, though more bars seem to see the need now more than ever. I bet most bars would let you bring your own bottle in if they don’t carry it, and I never say that about anything when it comes to bars and restaurants. Being that you all have a special case, I imagine you could bring a special case.
On we go. For today’s offering, I selected Dogfish Head’s “Tweason’ale“. 6% ABV, $2.34 loose bottle price, it typically comes in a four-pack.
Their description of it as is as follows: “we replaced the classic barley foundation of beer with a mild sorghum base. The hints of molasses and pit-fruit are balanced by vibrant strawberry notes and a unique complexity that comes with the addition of a malty buckwheat honey.”
Ok see, now I don’t love the taste of sorghum even when my chefs were doing cool things with it. It IS piney but it’s also sort of… weedy. It doesn’t have that round, malty, rich base that the barley would have brought. I don’t pick up molasses though, and the combination of the strawberry and the sorghum lends a tart, sour, somewhat imbalanced edge. It finishes dry with the honey notes coming in right before the end. It could easily be passed as a mutant lambic or strawberry cider, even. It does have a yeasty finish, but it’s very passive like an easy-drinking wheat beer (minus the wheat, clearly). Their talking site is right when it says that it’s wine-comparable to a rose´. It’s tart, I imagine it’s a rosy-pink in color but I forgot to pour it out before finishing it. Me and my classy self just drinks them straight out of the bottle these days but I promise, I’ll try to remember to put it in a glass and do the whole swirl and twirl in the future.
So the verdict is this: for all you poor suffering souls, this is an interesting option. I can’t imagine making a night out of them, or even having more than one given the distinctly strong flavors involved, but it’s a very nice break from the norm especially if you’re not a big fan of beer-tasting beers such as the ones Green’s offers. It was the only gluten-free alternative that I saw at my local shop but I’ll try to keep an eye out for more and pick some up to compare/contrast. I know St. Peter’s does a sorghum and a gluten-free beer but whenever I see those bottles I just want to go for the cream ale. I know where to get it, I’ll see what I can do. In the name of research, you know.
PS – Click on the Dogfish Head link, whatever that Cinemagraph thing is, is fantastic.
Penny and the Beers 