FOR a select few people who are gluten intolerant, this has meant missing out on a wide range of beers and usually having to search for a brew that is gluten free.
Paulo Brewer from the Pickled Pig Brewery at the Tweed Heads South has come to the rescue with a gluten free beer that is outstanding.
He has made his beer using sorghum instead of barley and adding plenty of hops to develop the flavour with the end result being an ale not unlike Little Creatures.
It is rust red in appearance with a tight white head and a wonderful citrus/floral aroma.
In fact the aroma threw me for an instant because I was expecting a far more bland beer (I don't know why because I haven't tasted gluten free beer before).
It has good body and plenty of flavour with the hops offering a fruitiness which isn't overpowering nor not too sweet.
It is clean and crisp and leaves the palates with a slight bitterness in its aftertaste.
This drop It has all the qualities of a class pale ale and is a beer which I would happily recommend to any beer lover, whether you are gluten intolerant or not.
Paul has even shown his quirky sense of humour calling it Silly Yak (a play of words).
Being 4.3 percent, it is considered a full strength and with good sessionability, it's an ideal drop on a hot day (or any day).
However Paul has found that it doesn't have a long shelf life though I doubt whether it would be around anyway, it's that easy to drink.
It costs around $20 per 330ml six pack due to the processes involved in making it.
"We have to ensure that all our brewing equipment and lines are completely clean of anything with might contaminate the beer in terms of being gluten free," Paul said.
"When you make a beer and advertise it as a gluten free product, it has to be has.
"Add to that, the fact that sorghum is much more expensive than barley and it's easy to see where your costs go."
Paul said he had done plenty of research into the Silly Yak before producing a batch and he know hopes to cater for a small corner of the market.
"It's not a beer we make all the time but if we get orders for it, we can meet the demand," he said.
And being an on-site do-it-yourself brewery, you could even have a go at making some yourself.
I don't care that it is gluten free, I just think he has produced a quality pale ale and one definitely worth trying – there's nothing silly about it!
MY TIP
Serve this up nice and cold and preferably in a tulip shape glass so you can appreciate the aroma. At $20 a six pack or $65 for a carton, I sure there are gluten intolerant beer lovers
out here would who would be in very interested in giving it a go. You can find out more about the Pickled Pig Brewery though the website at www.pickledpigbrewery.com.au
Comments (1)
LOve it!!
As I said above:):)