Frequently Asked Questions
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Last Update: 3/12/2004 |
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| If you have any questions you would like to see included, please email us. |
What is special about your beer?
Our beers are high quality premium beers which are designed not to make Coeliacs
sick, unless of course if you drink too much, and then it's your own fault.
We use sorghum as the major grain to make the beer, sorghum has been used for
thousands of years to make beer in Africa, our innovation is to use it to make European style beers.
What ingredients do you use?
The grains we use are all gluten free: sorghum, buckwheat, amaranth, corn and rice.
We also make sure that the yeast used has not been grown in gluten containing medium, and use no sugars derived from wheat.
As you do not use barley or wheat, is it actually beer?
You bet! Beer has been brewed using many diffierent grains in various parts of
the world. In fact, is likely that the first beers brewed were made in Africa using sorghum.
Does it taste like beer?
Just as wheat beers do not taste the same as beer brewed with barley,
as our beers are made with sorghum they do not taste exactly the same either. But make no
mistake, our beers taste and look like real beer because it is real beer.
Will you cater for homebrewers?
Once our production of malted sorghum and buckwheat is going properly, we will make these malts available through homebrew shops and instructions on how to
brew gluten free beer will be available soon on the Australian Craft Brewing website.
Why are you doing this?
Silly Yak Foods manufactures gluten free bakery products.
It soon became obvious that one of the things Coeliacs do miss is a nice cold beer, especially on a hot Aussie summers day. So we thought we would do something about it.
How can we be sure that your beer is gluten free?
Firstly, we do not use any gluten containing ingredients and secondly equipment
which cannot be completely cleaned is not used. It is replaced by dedicated equipment used only for making gluten free beer. So this way we can be sure
that the beer produced is completely gluten free and there is no risk of contamination.
Doesn´t the brewing process destroy the gluten in beer?
Contrary to what some beer producers claim, the answer is NO. It is true that
some of the gluten is broken down, but it has never been proved that it is all
broken down to the stage where it is safe for Coeliacs. Also the commercially used test for gluten does not work for beer. In Australia, beer made from
barley and wheat is not allowed to be labelled as gluten free for this very reason.
Isn´t it true that some Coeliacs in Europe drink normal beer?
Australia has much stricter requirements for food and drink that can be labelled
gluten free than Europe. Also there is no reliable commerially available test to measure the amount of gluten left in normal beer, so while some of the
less sensitive Coeliacs can probably get away with drinking normal beer, it is not without risk. The Australian Coeliac Society advises Coeliacs not to drink normal beer.
Are any of you Coeliacs?
One of the directors of Silly Yak Foods is a Coeliac, and since we commenced producing gluten free food in 2001, there has not been any occasion to recall
food due to contamination from gluten.
How many Coeliacs are there?
It is estimated about 1% of the population suffer from Coeliac disease.
Is there a cure for Coeliac Disease?
Currently the only cure for Coeliac Disease is to avoid all foods containing
gluten. Research for a cure is going on in Australia and overseas but no cure has been found yet. Silly Yak Foods will donate part of the profits from
making beer to Coeliac research in Australia.
Why can´t I find your beer?
Simple, we have not started commercial production yet.
We have been researching and developing gluten free beer since the beginning of 2003,
and are currently setting up to produce gluten free beer commercially.
When do you think you will move into production?
We are getting ready for production and we anticipate having our first batch ready for sale early 2005.
What styles of beers will you be making?
We will start by making only one style of beer, and then release other styles
as they are finalised. So far, we have developed three styles.
The first to be released is Aztec Gold, an ale brewed using sorghum and amaranth.
Are you looking for distributors?
Our aim is to market our beers in all states in Australia, and to New Zealand. We would be happy to talk to any distributors interested in supporting our products. Please contact us at info@sillyYak.com.au
What about retailers, restaurants, bars and hotels?
We are more than happy to talk to any establishment interested in carrying our products.
Which events will you attend?
Our beer has been available for sampling at a number of Coeliac Society events
for the last two years. A trial brew was also entered in the Victorian Amateur
Chamionships in 2003, while it did not win in its category, it did get a very respectable score. We also intend to enter our beers in the Australian International Beer Awards in 2005 and to exhibit there as well.
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