The gluten free beer of choice at Chez CWET (Can We Eat That) is Redbridge. A sorghum beer made without wheat or barley by Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis. Partnered with the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) here is what they have to say on their website:
"Redbridge beer doesn’t need to make promises to stand out from the crowd; its very essence sets it apart. Redbridge is made without wheat or barley, so the approximately 3.2 million consumers who are unable to drink beer made with barley due to Celiac Disease or because they follow a wheat-free or gluten-free diet can once again enjoy a great tasting beer. Redbridge is a rich, full-bodied lager brewed from sorghum for a well-balanced, moderately hopped taste."
In my opinion, it's the best of the lot for *my* palate. My husband prefers it, too. And best of all, it's sold locally all over the place here in Atlanta.We've tried them all by now. Bards Tale is good, too.
Even typing this now is revolutions away from my initial life as a gluten free college student and then graduate student in the late 90s and early 2000s. Kegs weren't on the menu, so I would bring wine to a party so that I could feel a part of the festivities. When we moved to NYC in 1999, we started seeing Woodchuck Draft Cider in the beer aisle and it is delicious in all of it's flavors. My favorite is the Granny Smith. I felt so NORMAL again being able to hold a bottle at a party like everyone else. Here is what Woodchuck has to say on their website:
"We take Celiac Disease seriously, and since Woodchuck has always, and only, been made from apples (not wheat, barley or rye) none of our cider varieties have ever contained gluten. Further, we have all our ciders tested by an independent lab and we maintain a completely gluten free facility."
In the 10 years or so between my diagnosis and when Anheuser started making Redbridge beer, I can recall hundreds of posts on the celiac listserv I was on from people trying to brew their own gluten free beer in the basement! So clearly, I wasn't alone in missing such a simple thing that the general population takes for granted. Today in 2011, it's much less relevant to my life; but if the need arises, we bring a six pack of gluten free beer or cider to the party.
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