The Beer List returns for another week with a review on a specialty beer that was given to me as a joke. I’ve always harbored considerable disdain for the gluten free movement, as over the last handful of years, California yoga moms began condemning themselves and their children to lives without bread without any direction from, you know, DOCTORS. I have the utmost sympathy for people who actually have celiac disease or some other medically viable diagnosis of gluten intolerance, especially that which leaves those people with more than just temporary abdominal discomfort but rather poses long-term danger to their health. However, armchair physicians nationwide have made the gluten-free diet fashionable without any real consensus from the medical community at large. I have heard that going gluten-free does wonders for your mood, but even if that’s true, I for one would rather still continue eating what I want (within reason, of course) and be moderately pissed-off all the time.

Now that we’ve gotten through that little rant, let’s get to why we’re here – the beer. When I first popped the can of Fox Tail Gluten-Free Ale open, a rush of foam flowed forth from the mouth of the can, but that may be because it was finally opened after surviving a trip in a suitcase on the way to New Jersey from California. Brewed and canned by Joseph James Brewing in Henderson, Nevada, Fox Tail Gluten-Free Ale is, to me, surprisingly good. Once the overflow settled, I poured it into a glass and gave it a smell. The aroma was a bit off-putting at first, but this was my first experience with a gluten-free beer, so I may have simply not been used to it. The ale poured a transparent golden color, which looked not unlike a standard light American beer, or a carbonated apple juice.

Fox Tail is brewed with organic rice instead of gluten, and the flavor profile is split between a decent hoppiness and the essence of pear, which makes the brew taste much like a cider. In general, I’m not a huge fan of ciders, but this beer was not heavy to that end, and was therefore not offensive and bitter as ciders can be. Fox Tail has but a flat 5% alcohol-by volume, a balanced taste and a decent carbonation level, making it quite easy to drink. Joseph James Brewing recommends pairing the Fox Tail Ale with arugula salads, fish tacos, Stilton cheese, or Indian cuisine.

For a beer that was gifted to me as a joke by my friend and California transplant Chris Aballo, who knows very well how I feel about the whole misguided gluten-free obsession that has unnecessarily swept over the country, Fox Tail was a pleasant surprise. Despite my feelings on that movement, and my lack of predilection towards ciders, Fox Tail was actually quite enjoyable. I won’t always be able to get my hands on this, and I have no medical need to, but if it were offered to me again, I would gladly drink it. If you do have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance and can’t fathom giving up beer, this could be a great go-to for you. Fox Tail can be found in 12-ounce cans and 22-ounce bottles out in Nevada and on the West Coast.

That does it for another edition of The Beer List here at The No Seatbelt Blog. Check out this series every Sunday at noseatbeltblog.com! Cheers!