Gluten Free Beer

From the Netherlands Mongozo B.V. (Brewed at at the Huyghe Brewery) comes their “Mongozo Premium Pilsener” a gluten free, organic and certified fair trade beer.  This gluten-fee beer is unlike other as it still uses barley malts in the brewing process.  They then remove the gluten using an innovative technique that leaves less than 10ppm (parts per million) of gluten.  Being a gluten free beer they also use rice in the brewing process but it is Max Havelaar Fairtrade certified organic rice.  This beer pours a light straw yellow colour with a very small head.  The aroma of this brew is just as any other pilsner with light malts and grassy hops although it does finish with a slight fruity/sweet aroma.  The flavour, like the aroma smells like most pilsners with mild malts and hops but also contains a hint of rice.  The brew also displays a slightly fruity and fairly sweet aftertaste.  The alcohol content of this beer is 5%.  I would rate this Pilsner among my favorite pilsners to date regardless of the gluten free rating.  This is not a style I frequent to often but in the summer this would be a great patio beer for sure!

Commercial Description:  Mongozo Premium Pilsner is a Fairtrade, organic and gluten-fee lager with an alcohol content of 5%.  Mongozo Premium Pilsner is the first lager in the world brewed to combine three unique elements: Max Havelaar Fairtrade, organic and gluten-free in one bottle.  It is also the first fairtrade lager in the world and tastes uncommonly good.  The new beer has a mild, slightly bitter flavour of hops and is easy to drink.  The beer is brewed using only high-grade organic barley malt, organic hops and fairtrade certified-organic rice.

As of February 2013 this beer is available at The Brewery Creek, Viti Wine and Lager, Firefly Fine Wines and Ales and 16th Street Liquor Store in Metro Vancouver or can be ordered directly throught your local BC Liquor Store.