Back from the Holidays with some GF Beer news!

Hey Everyone!
I'm back from a holiday hiatus. I hope everyone had great Christmas and New Year's GF celebrations!

As I searched around for GF news, I found something that may make many of you smile...
THERE'S A NEW GF BEER COMING!!

Read the article here!

Coming later this January, Dogfish Head brewer has tinkered with a new Gluten-Free beer,  "Tweason'ale," that should go out to stores soon for just under $10.

Dogfish Head employee piling the gluten-free beer, Tweason'ale. / DOGFISH HEAD IMAGE

Company heads said they responded to their customers #1 request on social media -- a GF beer.

In a quote from the article:

Dogfish President Sam Calagione said the beer's inception came from customer feedback. "The No. 1 request that came from our pub regulars, through our website, twitter and Facebook, was to do a gluten-free beer," he said. "We've gladly responded to the requests."

I can't say how common the beer will be on store shelves, but I can say two things for sure after reading this article: GF customers can influence companies if they raise their vocies AND the GF community has taken yet another step in the right direction towards raising awareness.

Let me know of you see this on shelves later this month! @melissaayala12

Gluten Free Beer: Red Bridge

Red Bridge: Gluten-Free Sorghum Beer (Made without wheat or barley)

Red Bridge: 6-pack, 12-oz. bottles about $8

Any beer lover can tell you that barley is the basic cereal grain used in the beer-making process. Barley is combined with water, hops, malt and yeast. Most beers have the same basic ingredients.

Although barley is most commonly used is making beer, it also contains gluten which means  gluten-free drinkers have to sit out when everyone else cracks open a brew. It's usually difficult to find gluten-free beers. It's almost impossible to find next to your mainstream Bud Light or Budweiser at a local convenience store. BUT! There are some specialty stores where you can find GF beer.




The ingredient label tells you the whole story: water, fermented sorghum, hops and yeast.

One, Red Bridge, which offers you the 6-pack you're used to, or she said they had another single-bottle option. In the spirit of sharing, I opted for the 6-pack.
 

In my search, I called over to Twin Liquors in central Austin and put them to the test. I asked the sales person what their gluten-free selection was and she told me they actually do have two brands.

There's no worry of gluten contamination or having any wheat involved. They post gluten-free all over their packaging, on their bottle and bottle cap, making it very easy to ensure you won't be in doubt. Their slogan, "Beer made with you in mind" says it all. Per their website, redbridgebeer.com, the company mission focuses on ensuring safe processing to avoid wheat allergy by preventing blending or mixing with wheat.

They even have a  partnership with the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness to increase awareness about Celiac disease, as they define it on their website:

"Celiac disease is an auto-immune disease, often hereditary, that causes a chronic reaction to gluten in the small intestine which interferes with the absorption of food and then triggers other seemingly unrelated health conditions. Antibodies eventually attach and destroy the small intestine. Currently, the only known cure is to follow a gluten-free diet."

Without the barley you may wonder what a sorghum beer tastes like. It's surprisingly smooth and doesn't have that bitter taste regular beers usually have.

It has a light taste, not too dark or heavy like some beers that leave you feeling extra-full.

Although it's a saving grace for gluten-free eaters wanting to swig one back, it does have a lightly different flavor than barley beer, which you might notice at first. But, that's not to say it's not good. It has a great flavor and I definitely recommend it!

On their website they even offer a retail locator where you can put in your zip code and find the closest locations to try it out on your own: BROWN DISTRIBUTING COMPANY LTD 8711 JOHNNY MORRIS RD, AUSTIN, TX 78724
(512) 478-9353

Gluten Free beer alternatives inspired by Oktoberfest in NY

Beer. Unfortunately for those of you out there on a gluten-free diet, it's not a regular option. Normally, gluten is an ingredient. But, luckily, with the coming of Oktoberfest, I've read a recent article that features four gluten-free beers.

An article from yesterday featured on the Gothamist website includes popular beer alternatives.

Reigning Champ: Estrella Damm Daura
ABV: 5.4% Price: $ 9.99 /4 pack
The Spanish-based brew was recently named “World’s Best Gluten-Free Beer” at the World Beer Awards for the second year in a row - and for good reason. Daura manages to retain the same taste and properties as traditional beer by using a progressive method of brewing that still uses barley (rather than rice, sorghum, buckwheat etc.), but polishes away the gluten from it - giving it a very different taste.
Drinkable: Green's Beers
ABV: Endeavor 7%, Mission 6%, Quest 8.5%, Pathfinder 7%. Price: $5.99 /16 oz. bottle
Inspired by strong European beers and brewed in Belgium since 2004, Green’s offers three gluten-free beers in the U.S. market: Discovery Amber Ale, Endeavour Dubbel Ale, and Quest Tripel Ale. Each variety has its own unique flavor palate and is more widely available than Daura.
Fruity Alternative: New Grist
ABV: 5.7% Price: $9.99 /6 pack
Our taster refers to New Grist as the gluten-free cousin of Magic Hat. A very fruity beer produced using sorghum by a small private brewery in Milwaukee, New Grist has been described as sweet, carbonated, earthy and possessing a foul aftertaste. For those of you who enjoyed Magic Hat before your unfortunate diagnosis, this is the beer for you.
Steer Clear: Redbridge
ABV: 4.8% Price: $8.99 /6 pack
Anheuser-Busch's entry into the GF marketplace, Redbridge tastes like the product it is: mass-produced cheap, light beer. Lacking any real hops flavor, Redbridge is the beer to be avoided unless absolutely necessary. It is, however, pretty much the only GF beer you'll ever come across in a bar.

Personally, I have tried Estrella. Over the summer, I was in Spain and I'll have to say, I didn't even know it was even a gluten-free beer until I read this Gothamist article. It's that good! It has the same taste as regular beer. In Spain, it's one of the cheapest beer, and very common. I'd say if you can find it here in the states, you should definitely try it! Check out the article and let me know if you've tried these or other GF beers before and let me know: @melissaayala12

Happy Oktoberfest!