United Nations of Beer

Sprecher Shakparo Gluten-Free Beer

by Ashley Cotter-Cairns
(UNOB HQ)

Sprecher Shakparo Gluten-Free Beer (5.7% ABV)
Sprecher Brewing, WI, USA
Visit the UNOB's Wisconsin beer guide

Once more, thanks to Dave Oplinger for this beer!

The only previous experience I've had of a gluten-free beer or lager was the frankly dire La Messagere from Quebec. So my expectations were fairly low to begin with. However, so far all the Sprecher beer I've tasted has been amazing, so I felt it only fair to keep an open mind for this one.

I can report that sorghum and millet CAN brew a palatable brew. Shakparo pours reddish amber with a small frothy head. It smells sweetish and fruity, not dissimilar to many of the yeasty Quebec "big" beers. There the similarity ends.

It's lacking that freshness of hoppy wheat that is so familiar in "regular" beers. In its place, there's a soft, sweet, almost musty, harvesty taste. It has almost all the balance of a regular yeasty beer, but there's an old jolt of taste at the swallow. Almost, but not quite, as good as a Unibroue beer, which is really saying something. Celiacs need not weep anymore.