Lion has revealed why it invested millions of dollars in creating its new gluten-free Hahn Ultra Crisp.

Hahn Ultra Crisp – a full-strength 4.2% ABV that is lower carb, 99% sugar free and preservative free – launches at leading retailers around the country next week.

Lion Brand Director for Classic and Contemporary beers Amy Darvill, said: “As many as one in every 10 Australian adults avoid or limit their gluten intake, and these consumers are looking for products which suit their lifestyle, so we started exploring new ways to create gluten free beer.”

It’s the first gluten-free beer in Australia to be brewed entirely with rice, instead of gluten-free grains such as sorghum, buckwheat and millet. 

“These ingredients typically create heavier beers, but we’ve seen an increasing number of consumers looking for lighter ways to enjoy full strength beer, so we wanted to create a beer that was pure and crisp tasting,” Darvill explained. 

Ground-breaking technology was used during five years of experimenting and refinement at the Hahn brewery, including cooking the rice separately to extract the carbs and solubilise it to convert it into fermentable sugars. 

“Rice behaves quite differently in the brewing process to barley or wheat,” Darvill added. “After years of research and development, and a multi-million dollar investment in our brewhouse, we’ve perfected the process and created a beer that delivers a crisp, cleaner flavour.”

Darvill predicts Ultra Crisp will be “truly incremental “to the beer category.

“Just as the low carb beers like Hahn Super Dry did over 12 years ago, Hahn Ultra Crisp will change consumer expectations around beer and bring hundreds of thousands of Australians with a gluten intolerance into the beer category,” she said.

Coeliac Australia shows its support

Endorsed by Coeliac Australia as gluten free and appropriate for those with coeliac disease, all the ingredients in Hahn Ultra Crisp are also naturally gluten free with additional testing ensuring no traces of gluten are present.

Michelle Laforest, Chief Executive Officer of Coeliac Australia said: “Australians with coeliac disease know they can trust a product to be genuinely gluten free when it is endorsed by Coeliac Australia. We congratulate Hahn for its innovation and for recognising the needs of the gluten free consumer.”

Members of Coeliac Australia are eagerly awaiting the release of the product, which they note is well-priced compared to other beers on the market. It will have an RRP from $17/330mL 6-pack and $47/330mL 24-case (plus CDS if applicable).

But how does it taste?

Jeff Potter, Lion’s Brewing Research and Development Director explained that the design of Hahn Ultra Crisp was driven by demand for great tasting beer that meets the evolving needs of Australian beer drinkers.

“The challenge for us was to work out how to make Hahn Ultra Crisp taste great without using the traditional grains which usually produce the flavours of beer as we know it,” he said.

“Once we figured that out, it was a matter of creating the perfect combination with aromatic hops and a specially chosen yeast, and the result is a crisp, dry beer with light citrus aromas and a clean finish that holds its own when it comes to flavour.” 

According to Darvill, the response to gluten-free Ultra Crisp from early taste tests has been very positive.

“From our research we know that 72% of beer drinkers are intending to buy the new beer once it hits the shelves, which gives us confidence that Hahn Ultra Crisp will appeal to all beer drinkers, as well as being safe for those with coeliac disease or a gluten intolerance,” she said.