Tecate

Beer: Tecate

Style: Pale Lager

Brewing location: Monterrey, Mexico

Originating country: Mexico

Alcohol by Volume: 4.5% 

Ingredients: Yeast, water, hops, malts

Format tested: 12 oz. can Los Angeles, CA

Beeradvocate rating: 61/100

Ratebeer rating: 1/100

Test kit: E-Z Gluten

Miscellaneous

• Named after the city of Tecate, Baja California, where it was first produced in 1943
• The custom of squeezing a lime into Mexican beer began with Tecate beer. The original Master Brewer was of Scottish descent (last name Lorimer), who brought the idea from Great Britain where sailors would be given limes with their daily ration of grog to stave off scurvy (this is where the expression "limey" came from.
• Tecate has the highest canned beverage sales of any import to the U.S. 

Test result photo

Test result

Very High Positive at 20 parts per million (ppm), meaning it is more than 20 ppm. Though standards vary from country to country, according to the FDA, "In order to use the term 'gluten free' on its label a food must meet all the requirements of the definition, including that the food must contain less than 20 ppm gluten." It is said that products with a gluten content below 20 ppm are suitable for people with celiac disease.

My experience drinking Tecate

Certainly not a memorable beer or one I would choose to drink. It's a step above the mass produced American domestic beers but not by much. Watery, fizzy, forgettable. Nevertheless, it's a disappointing result given that until now Mexican beers were 3-0 under 20 ppm gluten. 

I am not sure where I fall in the gluten tolerance spectrum; I am gluten intolerant but not celiac. I definitely know what it feels like to be “glutened” i.e. gluten exposure, but I have not deliberately pushed my gluten consumption limits with any food or beer. I consumed this 12 oz. can in 45 minutes and felt no gluten effects.

La Fin du Monde

Beer: La Fin du Monde

Style: Belgian-Style Tripel

Brewing location: Chambly, Canada

Originating country: Canada

Alcohol by Volume: 9% 

Ingredients: yeast, water, malts and hops

Format tested: 750 ml Los Angeles, CA

Beeradvocate rating: 96/100

Ratebeer rating: 99/100

Test kit: E-Z Gluten

Miscellaneous

• Unibroue was founded by business partners André Dion and Serge Racine who had acquired 75% of La Brasserie Massawippi Inc. of Lennoxville in 1990.
• The brewery was bought by Canadian brewer, Sleeman Breweries Ltd., in 2004. In turn, Sleeman, in turn, was purchased in 2006 by Sapporo.
• The beer has been the winner of many medals since its introduction in 1994.
• La Fin du Monde is French for "The End of the World." The name is claimed to derive from the European explorers' belief that they had reached the end of the world when they discovered America.
• Most of Unibroue's beers are bottled "on the lees", or containing yeast sediment (or lees). This practice provides additional fermentation after bottling. The result is a beer which ages well if kept in the dark and unrefrigerated, and allows it to be shipped relatively cheaply to international markets.
  
  

Test result photo

Test result

Very High Positive at 20 parts per million (ppm), meaning it more than 20 ppm. Though standards vary from country to country, according to the FDA, "In order to use the term 'gluten free' on its label a food must meet all the requirements of the definition, including that the food must contain less than 20 ppm gluten." It is said that products with a gluten content below 20 ppm are suitable for people with celiac disease.

My experience drinking La Fin du Monde

Despite the high alcohol content it is barely noticeable because this beer is so well-balanced. It has a flowery aroma and a delicious taste of malts and spice combined with that distinct Belgian yeast flavor. My only criticism is that it is slightly over-carbonated. 

I am not sure where I fall in the gluten tolerance spectrum; I am gluten intolerant but not celiac. I definitely know what it feels like to be “glutened” i.e. gluten exposure, but I have not deliberately pushed my gluten consumption limits with any food or beer. I consumed this 750ml bottle in 2 hours and felt no gluten effects.