Estrella Damm Brewing - Daura
When we think of iconic beers and the countries they come from, our minds go to the stouts of Ireland, the ales of Britain, the lagers of Germany and Vienna, and back on home to the IPAs of America. But we often forget about the other countries. They like beer too, right?
Well, they sure do in Spain, where Estrella Damm has been brewing beer with natural ingredients since 1876, starting with their Mediterranean lager Estrella Damm. And, as iconic as they are, I must admit that I had never heard of them. That is, until they popped up on the shelf at the right time to meet our needs.
Presenting, Daura, Damm’s award-winning, crafted to remove gluten lager. And it’s no wimp, touting 5.4% ABV and 26 IBUs. Quite admirable for a lager. It all begins with the same ingredients, barley included, they use to brew their original Estrella, then Damm reduces the gluten using hydrolyzation and filtration to drop the gluten content down to 3 parts per million, making it essentially gluten-free without compromising on the flavor.
Well, I’m sold. Let’s see how it tantalizes the first impressions.
First Impressions:
On the Eyes– Golden color, and Damm promises hints of green, which it has. It is clear with a cream-colored head to top it off.
On the Nose– The clean aroma gives hints of spice and toasted malt. Very approachable and crisp, as a lager should be.
On the Palate– The aroma doesn’t lie. It is quite smooth and clean. The spiciness clings on through the mildly bitter finish. Light on the palate, it has some floral notes that linger. It has classic lager flavor with toasted malt notes, crisp bubbles, and an easy bitter finish.
I tend to avoid reading reviews of beers before I’ve had a chance to try them, but I must say that the beer world is divided on Daura. Some really enjoy it and some do not. After having a couple, I lean more toward the really enjoyable side of the debate. As far as gluten-reduced goes, you really aren’t going to find a much better lager. It is clear, crisp, and brings that classic malt flavor. I could see myself sitting on a Mediterranean coast using one of these to cool me down. And if you don’t trust me, trust all the awards it has won in its less than two decade span.
Check out Estrella Damm’s Daura if you’re trying to reduce your gluten intake this year. And if you’re not, try one of their many other offerings. You can’t go wrong with a brewery that’s been cranking them out since 1876.
Cheers!
Mr. Brew