# Burleigh Brewery - No Carb Beer?



## HoppingMad (11/12/08)

Hmmm, there are a few fans of low carb 'blonde' beers on this site. 

Anyone going to rush out to try this? Myself I'm not sure.

No Carb Beer Article

Hopper.


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## Frank (11/12/08)

HoppingMad said:


> Hmmm, there are a few fans of low carb 'blonde' beers on this site.
> 
> Anyone going to rush out to try this? Myself I'm not sure.
> 
> ...


Isn't alcohol a carbohydrate.... Does this mean it is alcohol free?


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## Adamt (11/12/08)

It may just be flat - no carbonation.


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## Jye (11/12/08)

I understand brewing a beer due to market demand but this is still a sad day


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## kevo (11/12/08)

> I understand brewing a beer due to market demand but this is still a sad day



I agree - to a point.

No doubt that micro-breweries need to make what will sell, no point crafting beers which no-one will buy. 

I guess the proof will be in the tasting.


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## trevc (11/12/08)

I'm going to brew a no-carb beer with spent grain left in the bottles. Eating/drinking it will actually BURN calories. How's that for healthy? crunch crunch crunch....


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## Paul H (11/12/08)

Jye said:


> I understand brewing a beer due to market demand but this is still a sad day



I thought the idea was to offer an alternative to the big 2, I find it a bold business strategy to think you could "out resource & out gimmick" the mega's.

Cheers

Paul


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## buttersd70 (11/12/08)

Am I the only one that sees the irony in the name of the beer? It's called "Bighead".......
View attachment 23182


So....where's the head?


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## brendo (11/12/08)

buttersd70 said:


> Am I the only one that sees the irony in the name of the beer? It's called "Bighead".......
> View attachment 23182
> 
> 
> So....where's the head?



Looks like sparkling apple juice - but without the pleasant taste...

If you wanted no carbs, you could always drink water...


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## beerguide (5/1/09)

The only way I can imagine this is zero-carb is they've distilled the alcohol, which is why most distilled spirits are zero-carb. Alcohol isn't a carbohydrate on its own as I understand, but it does contain calories. However when brewing beer most of the sugars (carbs) are converted into alcohol but some nearly always remain, its the distilling that removes these in the spirit world.

Its got me beat how they've done it. Maybe I've got my science knowledge wrong, but a similar article agrees with me dated August 2004: http://www.wellnessletter.com/html/wl/2004...atured0804.html well before the Aussie low/zero carb fad.


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## Bribie G (5/1/09)

Alcohol is not a carbohydrate. Ethyl Alcohol is, erm, an alcohol along with Methyl Alcohol (in metho) Propyl Alcohol or rubbing alcohol. etc.

For those who came in late, carbohydrates of various forms are present in the mash tun and the enzymes in the malt convert them to sugars which are fermented out. There are various types of carbs ranging from the simple sugars like glucose to the very complex ones such as Dextrins.

Mashed at a high temperature the wort will turn out quite dextrinous and thick. The yeast won't be able to digest those 'higher' carbs and they remain in the finished beer as body, head retention etc. And thus higher 'carb count' At the last BABBs meeting Kram brought along a stout that was so dextrinous it was like engine oil and literally stained the glass!

Mashed at lower temperatures the wort will have more simple sugars = less body but more alc.

With lo carb beers they take this to the ultimate extreme which is why they are lacking in body and head. 

Nothing new, there have been low carb beers around since the sixties, I remember Fourex Dietale, available until recently. Touted as suitable for diabetics. I think Carlton had one as well.


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## Julez (5/1/09)

buttersd70 said:


> Am I the only one that sees the irony in the name of the beer? It's called "Bighead".......
> View attachment 23182
> 
> 
> So....where's the head?



Apparently, it is named after the location of the brewery - Burleigh Heads, something to do with it being previously refered to as Burly Head, meaning "Big Head". More info on the beer here http://www.burleighbrewing.com.au/index.ph...nt01returnid=56

Julez


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## Zizzle (5/1/09)

Don't forget that the Gold Coast is the capital of wank and bling.

So the trendy kids there will be all over this like a fat chick on a cup cake.

Brewing to a market. And knowing Brennan it will probably be a top beer. Maybe not to all of our tastes, but well crafted nonetheless.


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## Paul H (5/1/09)

Zizzle said:


> Don't forget that the Gold Coast is the capital of wank and bling.
> 
> So the trendy kids there will be all over this like a fat chick on a cup cake.
> 
> Brewing to a market. And knowing Brennan it will probably be a top beer. Maybe not to all of our tastes, but well crafted nonetheless.



Sounds like an ad :icon_cheers:


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## HoppingMad (5/1/09)

Hmmm...well crafted no-carb beer. Who'd have thought it possible?
:lol: 

Jokes aside, I tried Burleigh's Wheat beer the other day and it actually was pretty good - like a more flavoursome Matilda Bay Redback. So I can't bag the brewery, clearly they know how to brew - just wasn't sure about this concept as personally I'm over the low carb genre - but I guess those marketing boys need to fill a niche.

Cheers,

Hopper.


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## barfridge (6/1/09)

Serious question: without carbs, what gives the beer any flavour? Obviously hops, but what else is there? Phenols? Esters?

Same for body, with the alcohol, surely the FG must be below 1.000? What does this do for body? How watery is it?

Just as there are carbs that yeast can't process (dextrins etc), are there any in the beer that we can't process?


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## marlow_coates (3/2/09)

Hey guys. Tried this on tap at the Caxton St Hotel in Brisbane the other afternoon.

Not much of a beer describer (?) but it tasted like soda water flavoured with a bit of beer cordial.

Was not impressed, but obviously see the market to pretty boys who want to be seen holding a beer whilst trying to stay slim etc etc etc....

The barmaid said she had been given poor reviews from the majority of people who tried it.

It's a shame because I think thier 'Duke' range are a nice drop.

Good luck to them, and at the very least it will make people think about what their drinking. Imagine going from that lack lustre taste, to a somewhat flavoured megaswill, to something full flavoured from a craft brewer. :icon_cheers: 

Anything that makes people taste and appreciate beer is good as far as I am concerned.

Marlow


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## winkle (4/2/09)

Maybe they are trying to destroy the market from the inside  ?


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## muckanic (4/2/09)

barfridge said:


> Serious question: without carbs, what gives the beer any flavour? Obviously hops, but what else is there? Phenols? Esters?



A brew without residual dextrins doesn't necessarily have no malt flavour. Powdered malto-dextrin is actually quite bland.



> Same for body, with the alcohol, surely the FG must be below 1.000? What does this do for body? How watery is it?



This depends on your definition of "body". Many dry wines are claimed to differ in body, which seems to be a function of fruit intensity, ethanol levels (ethanol is perceived as sweet at high enough concentrations), and congeners like glycerol, fusel oil, etc. On the beer side, dissolved protein, glucans, etc, can increase viscosity and therefore the sensation of body.



> Just as there are carbs that yeast can't process (dextrins etc), are there any in the beer that we can't process?



Dunno whether it strictly qualifies as a carbohydrate, but cellulose and possibly other soluble fibres would be obvious possibilities. Mainly an issue with fruit beers, and most of it I imagine would precipitate. Lactose is another carb that yeast can't metabolise but which we can. Then there are always artificial sweeteners if one wants to play tricks, and even more cunning would be to add synthetic melanoidins and related substances if one could be bothered ...

As for how Burleigh do it, I would imagine dry beer enzyme would be a lot simpler than distillation (which is more appropriate for low-alcohol stuff). BTW, I've had their bottled weizen, and it's as good as it gets. A yeast culture is on my "to-do" list.


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## kram (12/2/09)

This beer is available (apparently the first) at Spiros in Paddington.

Got one now, only low carb beer i've had is Pure Blonde. This is just like a low carb beer. Don't think i'd get it again. Sure is fresh, best before 02.02.10.


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## FreemanDC (12/2/09)

Zizzle said:


> Don't forget that the Gold Coast is the capital of wank and bling.
> 
> So the trendy kids there will be all over this like a fat chick on a cup cake.
> 
> Brewing to a market. And knowing Brennan it will probably be a top beer. Maybe not to all of our tastes, but well crafted nonetheless.




OI !!! leave us alone...... its not all wank and bling.

anyway im going for a crusie to surfers to go clubbing and fight a few randoms at 3am lockout.
might take my skyline with the spinner rims on it.
have to fix my hair as well.

I'll get flammed for not even reading teh linked article, i hope duke brewery isn't releasing this !


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