Anyone tried Redbridge Beer?

[julirama723]

I'm finding that I cannot handle wheat products, or possibly gluten. If I consume wheat, I bloat, I get cravings, I feel lethargic. This really saddens me because I enjoy beer. On the few occasions I've had beer (even "low carb" or "light" beer) I've gotten these same wheat symptoms, even with non-wheat beers which contain a grain with gluten.

I was doing some research today, looking for gluten-free beer. Anheuser-Busch makes a gluten-free beer called Redbridge, made from sorghum. There are other gluten-free beers out there, but this is one that's actually available where I live.

Has anyone tried this? Does it taste like "real" beer? I realize it's NOT low-carb, but my main concern is avoiding wheat/gluten. I haven't found my CCLL yet, but it's at least 75g or higher, so the carb count is not an issue. (I believe it's about 20g per bottle.)

Any info you have would be great! Thanks!

[Miss Phode]

Re: Anyone tried Redbridge Beer?

I haven't tried it but it sounds interesting. Isn't sorghum a type of molasses?

[julirama723]

Re: Anyone tried Redbridge Beer?

Sorghum is a safe, old world grain (sorghum bicolor) for those allergic to wheat or gluten, several varieties of which are widely cultivated as grain and forage or as a source of syrup. In fact, beer made from sorghum has a long and established international history. The reason for the crop’s popularity abroad is a result of the large quantities of sorghum produced and consumed in Africa (where the beer is specifically available in many countries). Sorghum is also cultivated in Southern Europe, Central America and Southern Asia.

This is from the A-B website...

[Miss Phode]

Re: Anyone tried Redbridge Beer?

Ohhhhh...so I guess Sorghum is the grain from which the molasses is produced, but it itself is not molasses. See, I'm always learning new things.

[not2late]

Re: Anyone tried Redbridge Beer?

I never heard of this one! I'll look around and see what I can find in the liquor store. Beer can be used in cookin'.

Anyhow, Juli, I have the same problem with wheat as you do. But I've been experimenting on myself---trying to build up a tolerance to the stuff. I started off with very small amounts, like a quarter of a whole wheat cracker, and I've been building myself up. I can tolerate 1/2 a slice of wheat bread. More than that and I bloat and get a runny nose.

[julirama723]

Re: Anyone tried Redbridge Beer?

Here's a link to the website:

http://www.redbridgebeer.com/default.aspx

My biggest problems are bloating (I mean, SERIOUS abdominal bloating, I feel like I gain a good 10 pounds!) and cravings. I feel "clean" when I don't eat wheat and very sluggish when I do. I haven't been tested, but I'm wondering if it's a gluten allergy rather than just wheat...

Anyway, back to the beer--I am amazed that this stuff is actually carried in the town where I live. There are a lot of other beers out there (made for those with Celiac) but this is the only one that's available to me. I'm wondering if it tastes any good, considering it's made by Anheuser-Busch...

[TitianWasp]

Re: Anyone tried Redbridge Beer?

I wonder about the Japanese beers - I had heard that they were brewed from rice, but I have no hard evidence. Lemme ask the omniscient web.

[TitianWasp]

Re: Anyone tried Redbridge Beer?

Ok - according to beer purity laws, most should not include any wheat (good beer is only allowed to contain water, hops, yeast and barley). Is it possible that you are having a reaction to gluten instead? Many different grains have this protein. Of course not all beers ascribe to the purity laws.

I think Samuel Adams does, if wheat is the culprit. Otherwise, here is an article about non-gluten beers: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art30583.asp

[julirama723]

Re: Anyone tried Redbridge Beer?

I'm finding that I cannot handle wheat products, or possibly gluten. If I consume wheat, I bloat, I get cravings, I feel lethargic. This really saddens me because I enjoy beer. On the few occasions I've had beer (even "low carb" or "light" beer) I've gotten these same wheat symptoms, even with non-wheat beers which contain a grain with gluten.

I know that not all beers are made with wheat--but I react especially "violently" to wheat beers (hefeweisens, etc.). True beers are made with water, hops, yeast, and barley. Barley contains gluten. Even when I drink beer that is NOT a wheat beer (even something like a brown ale or a porter) I get the same symptoms.

I do not get these symptoms when I drink spirits, wine, or even sake! Just beer. I believe it's from the gluten, but they mimic my "wheat" symptoms as I call them.

[TitianWasp]

Re: Anyone tried Redbridge Beer?

That does limit your choices substantially. If you try the Redbridge, let us know how it is. Otherwise, you are henceforth a martini girl.