Alt Grain Co

Microbrewery in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Established in 2020

Contact
100 Park Road, Southend-on-Sea, SS0 7PQ, England
Description
NO BARLEY + NO WHEAT = NATURALLY GLUTEN-FREE

AltGrainCo brew and supply alternative, NGCI craft-beer and beer brewing ingredients to customers wishing to avoid gluten altogether.

The Altgrain Co. is the labour of love for the father and son team, Adam Hall and Barney Hall.

Barney was diagnosed as coeliac at age 1 year and has adhered to a gluten-free diet his entire life, give or take a few moments of denial in his teens! Poor health later led Barney to reaffirm his strict diet of avoiding gluten and looking for alternatives to commercial "gluten-reduced" beers being sold as gluten-free.

Sharing an interest in homebrewing, but unhappy with enzyme based gluten-reduction methods, Adam and Barney started exploring alternative grains, in particular regionally grown millet. Initial experiments were patchy, and it was necessary to learn the entire malting process, while developing specialist equipment and processes to successfully produce consistently high quality gluten-free malts.

Today the pair produce artisanal small-batch malts to brew delicious, naturally gluten-free beers for a growing conscientious customer base.

Moved to new location early 2025.

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6.5/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 6.5 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
Can at Niche, London. Pours a cloudy golden colour with a big off-white head. Aroma of pineapple, grapefruit, tar and grass. Flavour of grapefruit, pineapple, tar and grass. Has a slick mouth feel, medium body and a soft bitterness. Fruity and interesting.
Tried from Can on 13 Mar 2026 at 19:03

6.4/10 Appearance 7 Aroma 6.5 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
Can at Niche, London. Has a hazy straw colour with a big off-white head. Aroma of grapefruit, sweat, pineapple and fruity hops. Flavour of pineapple, grapefruit, fruity hops and grass. Has a slick mouth feel, light to medium body and a light to soft bitterness. Fruity and decent.
Tried from Can on 03 Mar 2026 at 21:31

6/10 Appearance 7 Aroma 5.5 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6
Can at Niche, London. Pours a cloudy straw colour with a medium off-white head. Aroma of lime, white bread, Belgia yeast and herbs. Flavour of herbs, Belgian yeast, white bread and grass. Has a slick mouth feel, medium body and a soft bitterness. Decent Belgian style blonde.
Tried from Can on 03 Mar 2026 at 21:26

5.6/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 5 Flavor 5 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
Sample courtesy of Grumbo, cheers GB. Aroma dominated by grain and yeast. There is also caramel and dried fruit coming through. Taste is very grainy with dried fruit. Weak finish.
Tried on 12 Jan 2025 at 11:07

7.4/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 7.5
330ml can from Taylors Gluten Free Network. Slightly hazy pale gold colour, bubbly white foam head and aroma of tropical fruits, zesty citrus, hoppy. Taste is grains, juicy fruits, passionfruit, citrusy with hop bitterness. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, dry hoppy bitter finish. Nicely drinkable.
Tried from Can on 24 Mar 2022 at 22:13

6/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6
Sample thanks to Danlo: Poured a golden with a white head. Aroma is sweet, malty, soapy, fruit. Taste is sweet malt, caramel, fruity.
Tried on 23 Dec 2021 at 12:15

5.6/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 4 Overall 5.5
7/5/2021. Bottle sample courtesy of danlo, cheers Ed! Pours clear dark gold with a small bubbly white head. Aroma of grain, caramel, malt, fruit, bready yeasty notes and a touch of syrup. Medium sweetness and moderate bitterness. Light body. Fizzy. Not much of a fan.
Tried from Bottle on 02 May 2021 at 19:28

6.4/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
330ml bottle from Alt Grain Co. Gluten Free. Amber colour, white foam head that dissipates away and aroma of grains, fruity. Taste is sweetish, malt & grains, fruity, with some yeasty notes and tangy bitterness. Medium bodied, light carbonation, medium-dry fruity bitter finish. Quite OK
Tried from Bottle on 09 Oct 2020 at 18:06