Gluten-free.
It’s a buzz phrase, a lifestyle choice for some, and an issue with crippling health consequences for others. Most of us know someone who’s reducing gluten in his or her diet or who suffers from celiac sprue and can’t consume it, but for beer drinkers this has always posed a challenge.
If you’re like us, you’ve probably been handed a gluten-free beer at some point in your life for a variety of reasons. If you took a sip, your reaction might have been similar to ours … a mix of suspicion, doubt, and maybe even a hint of frustration. If you reacted that way, you’re not alone—it was the same reaction Twila Henley of Grouse Malting experienced after being diagnosed with a GI disorder that prevented her from consuming gluten, and that lack of satisfaction with the status quo led her to launch her own malting business to produce gluten-free malt for craft brewers and homebrewers (story on page 70). The same drive pushed the brewers behind the Brasserie Sans Gluten in Montreal to concoct what they felt were more beer-like recipes for gluten-free drinkers (reviews, page 101), and the results astonished our blind tasting panel.
For those who are less sensitive to gluten but still want to reduce their consumption, a parallel development has been working its way into the craft-beer world—the use of clarifying enzymes (such as White Labs’ Clarity Ferm) to reduce gluten levels in “regular” beer brewed from barley (story on page 64).
Taking the gluten-free theme one step farther, we delve into mead making with Kyle Byerly’s primer (page 74) that will have you making honey wine in no time. And if you’re more interested in drinking it than making it, the story will help you decipher the difference between a cyser and a pyment.
Reducing or eliminating gluten in your diet doesn’t mean giving up great taste in your beverage of choice. Whether you’re brewing it yourself or enjoying the fruits of others’ labors, we hope you enjoy this issue. We made it for you.
John, Jamie & Steve
Cofounders Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine®