Lakefront New Grist Sorghum Beer

Brewed by Lakefront Brewery
Style: Specialty Grain
Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA

Bottle: The aroma is rather sweet and fruity with moderate apple and a hint of lemon. Pours a transparent yellow with a small soapy white head that dies quickly. I’ve seen worse, so I’ll give it a 2 by default. The flavor starts with some light apple that lingers throughout. The finish has sort of a faint bubblebum, vanilla, and sour grape combination that is really weird at first. The more I drink it, the more I get used to it, and the more it begins to resemble a pale lager with a hint of sourness in the finish. Has a light vanilla aftertaste. Not my thing, but if your a BMC drinker and need this as an gluten-free alternative, I’m sure it would suffice...it’s probably even a slight upgrade.

12 oz bottle from Woodmans on Gammon Road in Madison, WI (October 2006), consumed at a bit above fridge temperature from a Fitgers pint glass. Fizzy pale totally clear yellow body, lots of big suspended bubbles, moderate frothy head dies away very quickly; looks pretty much like any macro lager....faintly sugary, citrusy aroma has a certain staleness and old gym sock character to it, not enough to be nauseating, just dull and vaguely unpleasant.....the body is also just lightly sweet, a bit salty, and soda-like; hints of maple and lemon do little to enhance things, there is absolutely no malt flavor or fullness to this....I’m a bit surprised by the vituperative quality of some of the reviews; yes, this is fairly bad as "beer" but I find it drinkable, I guess, and not bad as mildly alcoholic soda-pop. Not that I’ll ever buy it again, or even finish this glass....

I avoided this beer until I saw how many votes it got in a recent "worst beer of the year" thread. That thread inspired me to grab a bottle on my last trip to BOTW. I grabbed my trusty pint glass and a bucket, fully expecting to be induced into vomiting. Pours pale golden colored with a head that disappears almost as soon as it forms. Strangely fruity aroma of sour peaches, apple cider, and white grapes. Flavor of tainted apple cider, initial slight tart qualities gives way to a sickly sweet flavor, it almost tastes like they used corn in this, but I admit to not knowing the flavor qualities of sorghum, so it could be that. Very fizzy, light mouthfeel. Not something I would buy again, but surprisingly enough, I could drink a few of these if no other options presented themselves.

Slight malt aroma. Very pale yellow, just a couple of bits of foam that disappeared quickly. Pretty bland flavors with a hint of hops in it and a slightly citric aftertaste. If I was unable to have gluten, this would at least provide some of the concept of beer, so I can’t really pan it, but it isn’t something I’ll look for. I applaud the initiative.

It pours with a billowing white head, but thats the best part of the appearence by far. the color is thin yellowy color, that doesnt look appitizing. Although there was some serious carbonation throughout. The aroma is nice ... when you strain to find it. Its carboard, grass, wheat, rice, lemon/citrus, etc. The palate is nice and smooth, almost like a cream/vanilla beer. and the flavor is ... interesting. Not like (m)any beers I’ve had before. Its creamy, yet at the same time wheat and grassy. Not a whole lot of normal beer flavors, but its a soghum beer, what can you expect I guess.

For some reason I’ve always wanted to try this brew ever since it came out. Thanks to a bonus bottle sent by awaller05, I finally got my chance. Thanks Andy! -- Lakefront New Grist Beer "Made from Sorghum and Rice Extract" pours a clear light gold color and has a bubbly white head. There is a moderate amout of visible carbonation. The aroma and flavor a unique and difficult to pin down since I haven’t had much sorghum before. The aroma reminds me a little of butterscotch or toffee. The flavor is like a generic white wine with some light apple cider qualities. There is a little bit of a sourness toward the finish. This beer is light bodied and fairly smooth. Overall it is different and somewhat refreshing. I’m glad that I finally tried this brew, but will probably not revisit it again. 12 oz bottle (MAR WK1 2006) from awaller05.

This really isn’t terrible, if you consider what it is. I wouldn’t recommend this for the average person, but if you have celiac, then by all means have at it and have a beer. And for those people, here’s the rating I’d do for a normal beer: From the bottle, pours a pale yellowish color with a decently foamy head. Smells almost like a hefe--bananas, some grapes and raisins too. Taste is also similar to a non-descript hefe at first, and finishes without a great aftertaste. Bananas, bubblegum, which gives way to raisins, grapes, kind of like a cheap boxed chardonnay. Again, not something I’d choose to drink again, but if you can’t drink normal beer, learn to love this one.

Pours clear pale with a small white head. Aroma of bread with citrus and sorghum. Taste follows aroma which is not necessarily a good thing. Made me cringe toward the end. Not sure I want to make a sorghum stout now.