Beer lovers, a plea for help

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dclegg

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#191252 29-Jan-2016 13:28

I was diagnosed Coeliac last year, and the thing I've missed the most is beer (followed closely by Vegemite :-)).

Currently there is only one gluten-free beer brewed in New Zealand (Scotts), and while it'll do at a pinch, it's no match for the lovely stuff I used to enjoy.

Kereru used to have a gluten free drop that was very well regarded by both Coeliacs and the gluten abled (for want of a better term). Today they've launched a PledgeMe campaign to see if there is enough interest to brew another batch of this. They need to sell 275 cases to make this viable.

I know there are a lot of beer lovers here, so I'm hoping you may be able to help out by pledging to sample a case yourself.

robjg63

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#1481234 29-Jan-2016 14:11

I have been there and done that.

Also a Coeliac - so welcome to the difficult world of Coeliacs.

The Scotts beer is ok - but a bit heavy on the buckwheat and as a result has a bit of a bitter marmalade sort of taste - in my opinion.

There is really a lack of GF beer on the market.

When I got diagnosed 6 years ago would you believe there were 3 brands available - Scotts, Estrella Daura (Spanish) and a German one that countdown sold.

There are 2 ways of doing a GF beer

1) Use GF ingredients - definitely safe

2) Use Gluten containing ingredients (barley is the only one) and 'remove', brew out (break down) the gluten - Contentious.

Scotts is (1) many brands overseas are (2) including Estrella Daura and Peroni (launched last year and endorsed by Coeliac Italia) and sampled by me while on hols.

The jury is out on method 2 - there is plenty of evidence to suggest that the brewing process can 'usually' break the gluten down to less than 20ppm - the safe level for Coeliacs. I tried some of the method 2 beers (initially by accident) and didnt seem to react. Though I dont think I get aggressive/immediate symptoms of exposure. Pretty sure they didnt actually do me any harm.

Of course method 2 beers taste like real beer because they are.

I have tried the Kereru beer and was not super impressed - but would buy it if I saw it again.

What I would suggest is that if you like beer and have ever played with making homebrew (its not difficult - though a little bit of lead time is involved) you check out the Brewers Co-op in Penrose Auckland. They have created their own GF beer kit which uses white Sorghum Syrup instead of Barley Malt. I made several batches of this - they have a lager and an ale style recipe. Gave samples to regular beer drinkers who described it as very drinkable. I gather they created the recipes dues to requests by some homebrew customers who got diagnosed coeliac. It is definitely the nicest completely GF beer I have tasted and for a kit cost (thats not the fermenter and bottles) of around $60 you can make 23L of lovely beer.

I just got lazy and didnt make any this season - actually found a wine I like!

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

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dclegg

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#1481263 29-Jan-2016 15:05

@robjg63 Thanks for the awesomely informative reply!

Like you, I'm a reasonably silent Coeliac, so it's not always easy for me to tell when I've been glutened. That is making the process of finding safe things to consume a bit more challenging.

ACK on the contentious gluten removed beers. Hallertau have one (No. 1, Luxe), which I'm hoping I'll be able to try soon. I've just had a blood test to follow up on my Coeliac blood levels. If they've gone down since my initial test, I intend to periodically drink it between now and my next blood test. That way I may have a reasonably scientific gauge as to whether it's aversely affecting me or not.

Thanks for the home brew advice too. Thats something I've considered doing. Right now I can't, as we're living in temporary rental accomodation while work is done on our house. But I may investigate it further when we move back home.

blackjack17

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#1481273 29-Jan-2016 15:30

here is a whole forum section devoted to homebrew recipes and advice

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=164

plus you could try making dry ciders, etc

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robjg63

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#1481444 29-Jan-2016 19:35

The GF homebrew is definitely wort the effort if you are hanging out for a safe beer - I have been dreaming of a cold crisp lager ever since your post popped it into my head today.

Cant see that the Hellertau beer pretends to be gluten free - what info have you got on that?

I am actually surprised there arent at least a couple of GF beers on the market - apart from our 'selfish' coeliac requirements other people seem to want GF things these days - I suspect there may be a market for a reasonably lagerish style GF beer for the wider population. Found several beers in France (and France is not a great country for Coeliacs) as well as Italy - which oddly is truely the best place in the world to go it you are Coeliac.

Anyway - Vegemite? Buy this stuff http://shop.countdown.co.nz/Shop/ProductDetails?stockcode=181790

Would be very surprised if it didnt make you smile at your GF toast in the morning and its absolutely GF....

English marmite is sold here under the name 'our mate' - dumb name but they can not use the name marmite as sanitarium have dibs on that brand name in this part of the world. Quite a lot of people claim its safe for Coeliacs. I tried it - seems ok - but then I discovered the Freedom foods stuff (above) which is saltier and more like real vegemite (from memory) anyway and no trace of Gluten.

When I was diagnosed there was a publication from one of the health boards about GF products and some of the mainstream lagers were actually listed as being under the 20 parts per million threshold - ie safe for Coeliacs - but it seems an area of dispute as to whether the brewing process does actually break the gluten down to a safe level or not. Probably best not to risk it.

If you are looking for any advice on GF things - ping me a message. I am in Auckland but have picked up a lot of info (useless cr*p) over the last few years.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

robjg63

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#1481466 29-Jan-2016 19:40

@dclegg have you seen this : http://www.coeliac.org.nz/announcement/clinical-study-for-people-with-coeliac-disease

Decided it was a bit time intensive for me - but you might get a free cure - and they pay you as well!

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

dclegg

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#1481540 29-Jan-2016 22:26

robjg63:

Cant see that the Hellertau beer pretends to be gluten free - what info have you got on that?

They reached out to me via Facebook and told me about it. Their Luxe has an enzyme added to it to remove gluten. When I researched this, they confirmed that they use the same technique that the contentious gluten removed beers do.

robjg63:

Anyway - Vegemite? Buy this stuff http://shop.countdown.co.nz/Shop/ProductDetails?stockcode=181790

Would be very surprised if it didnt make you smile at your GF toast in the morning and its absolutely GF....

Yeah, that's what I'm currently using. It reminds me of a poor mans Marmite. I've always been a Vegemite guy :-)

robjg63:

When I was diagnosed there was a publication from one of the health boards about GF products and some of the mainstream lagers were actually listed as being under the 20 parts per million threshold - ie safe for Coeliacs - but it seems an area of dispute as to whether the brewing process does actually break the gluten down to a safe level or not. Probably best not to risk it.

Yep, that matches up with what I've found. There is also some concern that the test for gluten may not actually pick up gluten proteins remaining in beer. This is why I'm hoping my Coeliac bloods may help to tell me if Luxe (and other similar beers) are actually safe for me to drink.

robjg63:

If you are looking for any advice on GF things - ping me a message. I am in Auckland but have picked up a lot of info (useless cr*p) over the last few years.

Thanks for the offer. I'm starting to find my feet. The hardest thing I'm finding is eating out. I naively initially believed that it was as simple as choosing something that was labeled as gluten-free. But I've since learnt that general ignorance in the hospitality industry (especially WRT cross-contamination) makes it a pretty dodgy proposition. Mulder was right; trust no-one :-)

dclegg

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#1481541 29-Jan-2016 22:27

robjg63:

@dclegg have you seen this : http://www.coeliac.org.nz/announcement/clinical-study-for-people-with-coeliac-disease

Decided it was a bit time intensive for me - but you might get a free cure - and they pay you as well!

Yeah, I'd heard about that trial. But as they're looking for people who have been diagnosed > 12 months ago, I didn't qualify. As it turns out, the time requirements were also too intensive for me.