Oaked aged, coffee fermented, chai tea infused — let’s face it, nowadays craft beers are catering to every palate and preference. I personally enjoy a nice, big bodied, Imperial brew with a hint of figs or currant.
The new brew on the block is not so much made for taste, but for people with Celiac disease (CDF). It is a condition, where in short, people cannot process gluten and must eat a very specialized diet.
Most gluten-free brews are made from sorghum rice, buckwheat and honey. A few GF brands are Red Bridge by A-B and New Grist by Lakefront Brewery, but the only GF brew worth speaking of is Bard’s Gluten Free. Finally, a gluten-free beer that actually has malty sweetness, balance and a nice, even body! It’s a brew that can be enjoyed by everyone, not just people with CDF.
This article appears in Aug 19-25, 2010.