New Planet Off Grid Pale Ale

So for this post I did something a little different. My mom recently found out she is gluten intolerant. She, like many of us, enjoyed a good beer from time to time but no longer can. I've been on a bit of a mission to find a decent gluten free beer and this one caught my eye on my last trip to the beer store.

New Planet's Off Grid Pale Ale boasted a higher hop rating from the store I was in than other beers I usually drink. So considering they also boast being a gluten free beer, I was very much intrigued. I bought two, one for myself and one for my mom to see if it satisfied her craving for real beer. Neither of us were disappointed. 

As you can see, the beer is a dark amber color and poured with a nice, cream colored head. The nose was light but fruity with a few malt notes evident across it. The mouth feel was very similar to a regular beer. It wasn't thin like some other gluten free beers I've had. The flavor was what really sold it though. While not identical to beer, it did bear a strong resemblance to beer. It had a hoppy, slightly bitter flavor to it with a strong hop finish. There was a slightly unpleasant aftertaste to it but it wasn't unpalatable. It was on par with a normal beer's finish. So for any one out there looking for a good gluten free beer, I would strongly recommend this one. 

I found it at Half-Time Beverage store in Poughkeepsie, NY. It was $2.59 a bottle which is on the pricey end for beer for them but definitely worth it as an alternative to regular beer for those who can't have. 

Brooklyn Summer Ale

So life got a little crazy these past few months and despite the fact that I tried some wonderful beers, I just didn't have the time to write about them. Things are calming down now so we're going to try to start things up again here.

About a week ago, my sister and I were on our way to get some beer for a party we were going to when we got distracted by a display of this year's summer beers. Among them were several cases of Brooklyn Brewery's Summer Ale which we scrambled to purchase. This is a beer we both enjoy a great deal and look forward to every year.

Brooklyn's Summer Ale is an English style Pale Ale which tends to have more malt notes than its American and Indian counterparts. Brooklyn's holds true to this in the actual flavor of the beer. I put this beer into my standard pint glass and it poured a gold color with a bright white head. The nose of the beer was hoppy and floral with just a hint of fruitiness. The flavor of the beer was surprisingly mild with a good mixture of hop and malt notes. There was a bit of citrus to it as well giving it a very crisp texture. The finish was clean and left you looking for more.

A very solid beer, in my opinion, that is accessible to both people who enjoy and do not enjoy the hoppy IPAs. A great start to summer and I look forward to continuing this blog for awhile to come.