Beer is usually made from grains — malted barley, wheat, etc. — but it doesn’t have to be. Introducing Meli, the first 100% quinoa-based beer made in the U.S. Before you say it, quinoa is a seed, not a grain. Launched this Spring, the gluten-free, organic beer brand was founded by Samara Oster. Ironically, she was not a beer drinker, but while traveling in Peru in 2019 she tasted a light beer that changed everything. "It tasted great; crisp and light, without the typical maltiness or bitterness I associated with beer,” said Oster. The Harvard and MIT grad began experimenting with quinoa fermentation with a team of MIT food scientists. Three years and 100+ formulations later, she’s created Meli. Brewed with ethically sourced organic quinoa, the brew is sugar-free, offers protein, essential vitamins and 7% of your daily potassium. That said, it does still contain alcohol at 4.4% ABV. Meli Quinoa Beer is available now via their website for $18.99 for a 4-pack and $99.99 for a case (24 cans).
