Commercial Gluten Free (Malt) Beer Available

[Doc]

Fantastic news for those with gluten intolerance, or celiac disease. Hopefully there will be more examples of this to come along. Also hope that it tastes great

Doc

Finnish brewery makes world's first gluten-free malt beer
Wed Oct 5, 2:50 PM ET

HELSINKI (AFP) - Finnish brewery Laitilan said it had made the world's first malt beer that does not contain gluten, a substance found in wheat and other grains that provokes a serious allergic reaction in millions of people around the world.

"Until recently, real beers have been prohibited from celiac (gluten-intolerant) patients' diet ... Today they are allowed to enjoy the full-malt Kukko Pils beer from Laitilan brewery," the company said in a statement.

"Laitilan Kukko Pils is the world's first ever full-malt beer brand to receive the international gluten-free product trademark," it added.

Gluten intolerance, or celiac disease, is a chronic nutritional disturbance caused by the inability to metabolize gluten, which is found in all wheat, rye, barley and oat products.

The disorder, which can only be controlled by completely eliminating gluten from one's diet, can result in malnutrition, a distended abdomen and heightens the risk of cancer.

Obtaining the gluten-free product trademark "opens up new sales channels abroad," Laitilan managing director Rami Aarikka said in the statement, pointing out that as many as one percent of Europeans and Americans suffer from celiac disease.

"We intend to commence exports as soon as we've gathered the right partners," he added.

 

[sluggerdog]

good news for all. Hopefully an aussie company can follow in their steps for all the unlucky ones here.

 

[Scotty]

That sounds awesome as I was recently diagnosed with coeliac disease.

Scotty

 

[T.D.]

Check this out: http://www.obrienbrewing.com.au/index.htm

 

[Malnourished]

Any idea what they mean by "all-malt"? Are they using barley malt and somehow removing the gluten? I have no idea if that's even possible...
Seems like there are a fair few gluten-free beers going around at the moment, so how is this different?

 

[bradmcm]

See also http://www.sillyyak.com.au/beer/index.html


Mal, it's all marketing-speak.

Laitilan Kukko Pils is the world's first ever full-malt beer brand to receive the international gluten-free product trademark

Perhaps all the others don't have this trendy sticker?

 

[PostModern]

bradmcm, the product you linked to has brewed 3 batches, two of which were tipped and one is still fermenting.

Mal, they use malted gluten-free grains like sorghum and buckwheat.

 

[n00ch]

Pretty big call if all they are using is sorghum and buckwheat. As T.D. pointed out Obrien brewing have a GF beer for sale and they are selling it to the public because i have had one before.

 

[Malnourished]

I suspected it was all marketing but I wasn't 100% sure.
There are numerous commercial gluten-free beers in production (I think Huyghe was first but I could be wrong,) I don't know how they thought they could get away with such a claim.
The only thing I could think of is that they might be the first to do it without the use of additional enzymes, but you'd reckon even that wouldn't be right.

 

[T.D.]

n00ch,

What did you think of the beer? A good friend of mine is a celiac and I keep telling her I will brew her a beer. I tried once and just used rice malt extract and honey. The result was tolerable but not very beer-like (turned out more like soft drink). I have seen that Grain and Grape sell gluten free grains and think I should give a full mash version a go. I imagine the beers are quite light bodied, which adds another spanner to the works... We were actually both doing a Malt Shovel Brewery tour today (funnily enough!) and she really liked the look and smell of the porter. How in God's name would I make a gluten free porter!??! Home-roasting the grain would be the only way I would think!

 

[Andrew]

I have a suspicion that the O'Brien gluten free beer is made at Bintara in Rutherglen. Anyone confirm?
Cheers

 

[Linz]

yup, brewed at Bintara. It was in last wednesdays (SYD) Daily Telegraph.

Available at Strand cellars, Croydon NSW or on line for $80 a case (330ml Bottles)

 

[n00ch]

I thought the beer just didn't taste like beer... I supose i would drink it if i had no other option. It had no body what so ever and as you said it does taste like soft drink more then beer.
I'm thinking of giving a AG FG beer a go with the grains from G&G for someone i work with. Any one happen to have a good recipe?

 

[T.D.]

The gluten-free beer thing sounds like its pretty much a losing battle. I certainly don't like my chances of brewing a gluten-free James Squire Porter clone!!!

 

[Malnourished]

I'm thinking of giving a AG FG beer a go with the grains from G&G for someone i work with. Any one happen to have a good recipe?

[post="81501"][/post]​

Not a recipe as such, but I'm pretty sure you need to use a fairly intensive mash regime with these malts. It's one thing that's always put me off having a crack at it...

 

[Robert the gluten free brewer]

A but late but, some comments on the thread.

The Finnish beer that claims to be gluten free cannot be labelled as gluten free in Australia. The problems is that it will not be gluten free, the currently used test does not detect gluten from barley malt properly.

If you are looking for instruction and recipies for making gluten free beer follow the links from the Homebrew section at http://www.sillyyak.com.au/beer

You can make decent gluten free beer, but it is not easy (otherwise everybody would be doing it).

In fact Andrew from Ballarat took out a third place in the recent VicBrew comps with his gluten free beer.

If anyone needs help in getting started with making a gluten free beer.... please ask

Robert the gluten free brewer