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Buyer's Guide for Beer Lovers

The New Standard

Specialty Beer Evolution and Revolution

Gluten-Free Ale

Specialty Beer is, practically speaking, a catchall tasting for beers that don’t fit neatly in an existing category. However, if enthusiasm for a particular innovation grows, an emerging style may come to warrant its own, new category, as was the case for the Imperial IPA or Barrel-Aged categories. Simply put, Specialty Beers may be flavored with or affected by unusual ingredients (ginger, chipotle peppers) or fermentation agents (Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus), or brewed with unusual fermentables (buckwheat, sweet potatoes, maple syrup). In addition, the base beer may be related to almost any classic beer style. Given the variation possible in this category, there are no established standards for appearance, aroma or flavor. Instead, judges look for a pleasing combination of the beer’s elements, and overall drinkability.

Interpreting the 100-point Scale

Consumers can translate the point score to the following quality bands:

Point Range Quality Band
96-100 points Platinum
90-95 points Gold
85-90 points Silver
80-84 points Bronze
Less than 80 Not Recommended
Legend
  • = Brewpub
  • ABV = Alcohol by volume
  • Date denotes the date on which the beer was tasted

93 Gluten-Free Quest Tripel Blonde Ale, Green’s Brewery (Belgium). 8.5% ABV (9/11)
Golden amber color. Bright sour apple cream pastry and peach yogurt aromas with a crisp, frothy medium-full body and a rich, clementine, don’t know what Clementine refers towhite strawberry and radish sprout -accented finish. A very tasty take on a slightly sour Belgian triple.

88 Gluten-Free Discovery Amber Ale, Green’s Brewery (Belgium). 6% ABV (9/11)
Lightly hazy copper color. Aromas of buttery praline, stewed fruits, floral talc with a crisp, airy dry-yet-fruity medium body and a tangy, citrus, pepper dust and nectarine pit -accented finish. A tasty beer for the table.

86 Gluten-Free Endeavour Dubbel Dark Ale, Green’s Brewery (Belgium). 7% ABV (9/11)
Dark brown with a garnet cast. Attractive aromas of berry and apple compote, baklava, and caulk with a supple, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a quick, tangy peppered jicama, dried jackfruit, and chalk eraser -accented finish.

83 Brunehaut Blond Gluten Free Ale, Brasserie de Brunehaut (Belgium). 6.5% ABV (9/11)
Hazy golden color. Aromas of yeasty triple cream cheese and lemon preserves with dryish light body and nettle, candied nut and faint phenoliccarbolic acid? notes finish.

82 Brunehaut Amber Gluten Free Ale, Brasserie de Brunehaut (Belgium). 6.5% ABV (9/11)
Hazy golden amber color. Aromas of stinky blue cheese, varnished wood and fruit pastries with a very sour, soft dryish medium body and a quick sweet potato skin and moldy cheese finish.

81 Sorgham Beer, St. Peter’s Brewery (England). 4.2% ABV (9/11)
Golden color. Aromas of white chocolate nougat bar, cole slaw, bologna, and peach cobbler with a supple, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a hazelnut brittle and chutney -accented finish.

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