gluten free beers that are increasingly being brewed to satisfy the tastes of sufferers of disorders such as coeliac and others with an intolerance to many grains.
2. Many people are gluten intolerant and have to be careful about what they
eat and drink. But the exact numbers are unknown as many that think
they are gluten intolerant may not be.
For those that may not be medically intolerant they do in any case feel
healthier by avoiding these complex proteins and feel genuinely unwell if
they return to them. The common symptoms are digestive problems and
testing for potential sufferers is relatively simple.
3. This can be done with a blood test and a follow up biopsy or inspection of
the lining of the colon.
It’s known that the proteins that cause problems, most notably in coeliac
sufferers, are found in most grains such as wheat, barley oats and rye.
So that rules out porridge for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and beer
in the evening.
But humans are far too inventive not to find some way around this
problem especially if they enjoy a pint of beer. And there are still plenty
of wholesome foods left to choose from and others that are good
substitutes for all the above.
4.
5. Gluten free beers are increasingly easier to find and also improving all the
time. For someone that always enjoyed usual barley or wheat produced
beer and now has to avoid gluten, it may take a bit of adjustment.
The gluten free versions have a slightly different taste and it has to be said
that some commercially produced brands taste far better than others. But
that’s true also with standard beer taste where one man’s favourite is
another man’s poison.
The only way to find out is by trial and error. Buy a bottle or two of six or
seven well established brands and then spend the weekend with the
arduous task of sampling the lot.
6. Alternatively it’s possible to find recipes to make your own beer free of
gluten. Just like mainstream home brewing for non-coeliac sufferers, this
requires some skills that will be learnt over a few sessions.
There are a number of alternatives to wheat or barley that can be used in
gluten-free beer and the most often used is a plant called sorghum. This is
part of the family of wild grass that grows over many hot continents from
Africa to India and Australia.
If home brewing does not appeal then don’t worry as there are plenty to
choose from. These may not be found readily in shops and supermarkets
but they can be sourced and bought online from outlets such as the Gluten
Freeshop.
7. As may be expected, that great beer brewing country Belgium that has a
long history of using alternative ingredients in beers to great effect from
wheat, barley and cherry, produces some particularly tasty examples.
But as more people are diagnosed coeliac sufferers around the world
including the UK, there are plenty of brewers of gluten free beer closer to
home.
8. Email - orders@gluten-freeshop.co.uk
Phone - 01530 482723
Enquiries - Monday - Friday 8.30am - 5.00pm (the office is closed at
weekends)
Postal Address –
Gluten-Free Shop Limited
14 The Croft, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire. LE65 1FP
