Good news for those who have celiac disease – two American brewers now offer gluten-free beer.
– Passover Honey Beer is made by the Ramapo Valley Brewery of Hillburn, N.Y. It contains no barley nor any grain. It’s brewed with just honey, a “hint” of molasses, hops, kosher-certified yeast and water.
That may sound more like mead than beer, but Ramapo’s co-founder, Egon Lizenberg, insists that Passover Honey is a beer. “I haven’t seen any wine with hops yet,” he said. The federal labeling authorities apparently have agreed.
– Milwaukee’s Lakefront Brewery last fall began selling New Grist, an all-sorghum beer. In releasing the beer, the brewery noted: “New Grist is the first ‘official’ gluten free beer in the U.S., although it cannot technically be called ‘gluten-free’ until established governmental guidelines are determined for all products claiming ‘gluten-free’ status. In the interim, this Celiac-safe beer can be called ‘barley-free.’ ”
Ramapo Valley Brewery, according to my telephone conversation this a.m. is not (contrary to dozens of internet articles) producing Passover Honey Beer this year. If anyone knows where to get a Passover Beer let me know. Thanks