There arguably can't have been a better time to enter the world as a gluten free brewer. Not only is their greater awareness of coeliac disease and gluten intolerance, and thus more options and ingredients to play with, but brewers are laying their hands on all manner of ingredients in the desire to create something new, ancient grains, odd adjuncts and all. As an example, this mid-strength from TWØBAYS was one of two separate lentil-based beers I tried from Aussie brewers in the space of a month (the other being from Al Turnbull at Lobethal Bierhaus in the Adelaide Hills).
For TWØBAYS, while most of their beers are built upon a mix of rice, millet and buckwheat, they're keen to see what they can achieve elsewhere so, with lentils sharing some common characteristics with barley, they came up with Experilentil. It pours golden with a good head and really impressive mouthfeel for such a low ABV, while it combines orangey hop aromas with a dry and spicy finish. Totally lentil, man.
James Smith
