This is the first gluten-free beer I’ve had in years; the last one I had did not taste at all like beer, but this brew does indeed taste like malt, hops and yeast, which is probably a refreshing change for those seeking a gluten-free beer. Off the pour, the beer is beautiful – pouring a gold color with excellent clarity and a frothy, off-white head. The retention is moderate, and lasts a few minutes before dissolving into a thin layer. The aroma is sitting very comfortably in the hop-forward camp – I get a lot of citrus, with grapefruit being the dominant player. It should be noted that there is some light tropical fruit notes in the background as well. The malt aroma is light and clean with a bit of a toasty grain. The flavor is very nice, especially for a gluten-free beer, and reflects the aroma fairly closely. I perceive some more white grapefruit along with some toasty grain, just like in the aroma. There is very little (if any) sweetness that I'm picking up. The bitterness is a bit higher than I was expecting, and there is a hint of mineral water in the finish. But all in all, this is a very good beer. Where the beer is lacking for me is in the mouthfeel. It’s quite a bit thinner in body than what I’m used to in an American Pale Ale, but for someone with a gluten intolerance, I would imageine this is a tradeoff they can live with.
I’m going to be 100 percent honest with you. For me, this a tough one to score because of my inexperience with gluten-free beers, but based on the one I had previously, this one is much more palatable and tastes like beer as I've come to know it. This one is, in all senses of the phrase, a real beer.