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We want to hear from visitors to the site. Vote for the beer we should test next. The poll closes on March 1, so hurry up and vote!
This poll features four American-style Pale Ales. At the moment I think it is fair to say with over 2,500 craft breweries, the United States is experiencing a beer revolution and we want to celebrate Pale Ale because this style signaled the rebirth of American beer as we know it. We have four excellent choices from Sierra Nevada, Firestone, Deschutes and Stone.
Beer: Duvel
Style: Belgian Golden Ale
Brewing location: Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat, Puurs, Belgium
Originating country: Belgium
Alcohol by Volume: 8.5%
Ingredients: not published but likely to be malted-barley, yeast, hops, water
Format tested: 11.2 oz bottle purchased in Los Angeles, CA
Beeradvocate rating: 95/100
Ratebeer rating: 99/100
Test kit: E-Z Gluten
Miscellaneous
- Duvel means 'devil' in Flemish, a surprising choice of name in the devoutly Catholic Flanders of 1923. This was a reference to its potent aromas.
- In the 1960s the Duvel glass became the first tulip-shaped beer glass
- During World War One Belgium developed strong ties with England and Albert Moortgat created Duvel based on the English ale model
- in 1918 Albert Moortgat traveled the length of the UK to get the specific yeast strain that Duvel still uses today
Test result
Negative at 20 parts per million (ppm), meaning it is less 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 Duvel
What a result! This is one of my favorite beers and I am overjoyed that it tests under 20 ppm gluten. When poured into a tulip glass its yellow hue and large frothy white head resembles a delicious slice of lemon meringue pie. It has mildly citrusy nose. The taste is delicate but sophisticated; just the right amount of hops with a hint of spice. Surprisingly at 8.5% ABV alcohol does not overpower the taste but gives it a certain sweetness. The high carbonation tickles the tongue and gives the ale its perfect roundness. 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 11.2 oz bottle over an hour period (drinking nothing else) and felt no gluten effects. Definitely felt buzzed though!
Bad news for gluten-removed beers: Omission (Pale Ale, Lager and IPA), Estrella (Damm Daura), Two Brothers (Prairie Path Ale) and Bruneheut (Biere Blonde and Biere Ambree). The TTB (US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) has updated their ruling on the labeling of gluten-removed beers. Gluten-removed beers still cannot be called gluten-free. The TTB may revise this policy after the FDA issues a final rule or other guidance with respect to fermented and hydrolyzed products.
Read the press release here
http://www.ttb.gov/announcements/gluten-announcement.pdf
And the full report here
http://www.ttb.gov/rulings/2014-2.pdf
Beer: Sapporo
Style: Pale Lager
Brewing location: Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Originating country: Japan
Alcohol by Volume: 5%
Ingredients: malted barley, water, yeast, hops (website says "Sapporo Premium is not a gluten-free product")
Format tested: 22 oz can purchased in Los Angeles, CA
Beeradvocate rating: 67/100
Ratebeer rating: 8/100
Test kit: E-Z Gluten
Miscellaneous
- Founded in 1876, it is the oldest beer brand in Japan.
- The company has five breweries in Japan as well as the Sleeman brewery in Canada.
- It was first brewed in Sapporo, Japan in 1876 by the German-trained brewer Seibei Nakagawa.
Test result
Very High Positive at 20 parts per million (ppm), meaning it is well over 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 Sapporo
I love this beer. With its elegantly sculpted steel can and enticing malty nose on opening, it speaks quality even before drinking. Sapporo has great body and the taste is perfectly balanced between the maltiness and sharp bitter from the hops. Most lagers fail to meet the mark but to me this is up there with the best that continental Europe has to offer - and this can was brewed in Canada! 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 22 oz can over an hour period (drinking nothing else) and must admit I felt slightly bloated afterwards, but I had had a large dinner and this may have contributed. Feeling bloated is on the milder end of my gluten symptoms and not really what I would consider as being "glutened".
Beer: Coors Light
Style: Pale Lager
Brewing location: Golden, Colorado
Originating country: USA
Alcohol by Volume: 4.2%
Ingredients: brewing water, hops, barley, grains and yeast
Format tested: 24 oz can purchased in Los Angeles, CA
Beeradvocate rating: 50/100
Ratebeer rating: 0/100
Test kit: E-Z Gluten
Miscellaneous
- The Coors Brewing Company is a regional division of the world’s seventh-largest brewing company, the Canadian Molson Coors Brewing Company and is the third-largest brewer in the United States.
- In 1873, German immigrants Adolph Coors and Jacob Schueler established a brewery in Golden after buying recipe of a Pilsner style beer from a Czech immigrant William Silhan.
- In 1959, Coors became the first American brewer to use an all-aluminum two-piece beverage can. Coors currently operates the largest aluminum can producing plant in the world
Test Result Photo
Test result
Negative at 10 parts per million (ppm), meaning it is less than 10 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 Coors Light
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 24 oz can over an hour period (drinking nothing else) without experiencing any kind of gluten reaction.
Thank you for voting
The votes are in and the next beer to be tested is Coors Light. To be honest, I don't really consider Coors Light a beer, more a fizzy yellow water. But the people have spoken!
Thank you all for taking the time to vote and share your comments - your feedback is important. And please participate the next time we have a beer poll.
Stay tuned. Coors Light results coming soon.
