Buckweat Beer without gluten - Spalter Buchweizen

Spalter II
Buchweizen
0,33l
2,5%

Now this..... I have been warned of this brew..actually by the dude who sold me the beer in the brewery (see last post for more about Spalt and their brewery).
I think I can't repeat his words but let's say they were R-Rated.
They made this brew to have a gluten free beer which is a very worthy cause I'd say. What they did is using Buckwheat-malt instead of Wheat-malt for the brewing itself. I somehow always have had a wonder some relationship with buckwheat since I was a kid and always wondered what tasty dishes one could make out of it. I am, however, not sure why that is. Maybe because my Nanny (RIP Love you Lisa) experienced WW2 and had to make food out of what was left. I dunno really. Buuuut anyways so yes, brewed with buckwheat and thus gluten free... It comes in a clear glass bottle which is a bad decision, as the brew itself looks.... vile.... unfiltered apple juice  mixed with a bad urine sample is the best I could describe its texture and color with. The label is trendy and in, black and golden, also depicting the buckwheat plant itself, respectively its flowers.

A beer lives from taste and not from the looks I guess and hell I have had weird Sahti that looked worse so let's keep it coming!

It pours very milky as if there is a lot of sediment/ yeast/ I dunno what in it and produced a lot of foam when I opened the bottle but then dissipated fast. The head itself is of a dirty cream color - again not really appeasing me but hey. I'm a bit sad that this only has 2,5% but I guess it is a product for a special market and thus it is a great idea.

The aroma actually isn't bad. Very tart, a bit like bread dough that's just expanding. Spicy and faint herbal tones are also recognizable mixed with a yummy yeast tone that was to be expected. Obviously I imagine smelling buckwheat though I have no idea what buckwheat smells like so maybe disregard that idea...:P

I must say that he color is still putting me off... it looks as if I'm about to slurp some dirt water or ... even worse..

Tastewise this is interesting. I do like the buckwheat  as it adds a fruity new addition to the well known beer taste. The yeast isn't bad either. It starts very mild almost lactic mild, starts to develop a slightly medicinal, herbal fruit taste which then doesn't fully develops but ends with a ping of bitterness.

Now the taste isn't as bad as I was told. I actually would prefer this over a lot of wheat made beers that I loathed. It's a nicely crafted beer with a new addition to taste. I prolly wouldn't buy a case of it but it was really worth trying. I am happy that people with celiac can now also enjoy a beer.

While writing this Ratebeer doesn't have a rating out for it... maybe check it out whenever youa re here dear reader.



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DMW