Imported Lagers

Here is an excursion into the hit-and-miss production of gluten-free beers, which contain neither wheat nor barley.

Green’s Dubbel is made with millet, buckwheat, rice and sorghum, and like its brethren, it is defined by a cider-like sharpness. The reaction between yeast and barley is significant in creating the beer flavor and aromas that define styles because the grains used in this ale result in nothing that tastes like a Belgian-style dubbel.

It starts out promising, looking great with a thick tan, fluffy head and dark brown body. But there is none of the fruity, bubblegum yeast aroma, no exotic aromas of spices, no chocolate or roasted character that would normally be present from dark-roasted grains.

Hop flavor is low, and the sweetness and carbonation are medium, but the cider character is ever-present and makes it difficult to pick out other flavor profiles in the beer.

Like many other gluten-free beers, Green’s Dubbel does not taste like the real thing and, as I’ve commented before, if you’re going to drink a beer that tastes like cider, why not just drink cider?

If Green’s continues its gluten-free endeavor, there is one Belgian style that might go well with the cider component from the grains: the sour brown style exemplified by beers such as Rodenbach. Their mix of fruity sweet and sour would embrace the cider aspect, although I don’t know if the reaction between the yeast and the gluten-free grains would have the same result as in a barley-based beer.

Green’s also makes a tripel and an amber ale, and its products are imported by Merchant du Vin. It should have a fairly wide distribution in the U.S.

Of the admittedly few gluten-free beers that I’ve sampled, the one that still tastes the most like a barley-based beer is Sprecher’s Shakparo, which has a malt-like background and subdued cider flavor.