I've been studying this grain and using it in some recipes (bread) It seems to me that it would be a natural for beer. I found not much by searching, but I wonder if it's on any brewers radar?
It might not have a good enough conversion of starch > sugar, so that might be why it hasn't been used? Just a guess.
Mongozo brews a pale ale with quinoa: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/24926/21214/ That's the only one I've heard of personally. A quick search suggests that Half Acre, Church Brew Works, 1516 (out of Austria), and Søgaards Bryghus have released beers featuring quinoa.
I think this grain has been used in gluten-free beer recipes, although it does not seem to have had much success to become popular.
I heard recently of someone working on a quinoa beer, especially targeting observant Jewish beer drinkers for the Passover holiday, during which grain products may not be consumed. Had quinoa sushi once on Passover and it was blech.
Quinoa is a grain alternative (I'm not speaking in beer talk but nutrition so apologies if I'm using incorrect terminologies). However, quinoa is a gluten free alternative carbohydrate source with a very low glycemic index and high in protein. Definitely a great replacement for oatmeal or pasta etc.
Dogfish used to make a beer called Pangaea. The concept behind it was to brew a beer made with ingredients from all seven continents so they supposedly used quinoa from South America. Not only did the beer suck but, since they also used ginger from Australia, basmati rice from Asia, Muscovado sugar from Africa, North American corn, European yeast and water from Antarctica (yeah right), there was no way to "get" any quinoa from it because there were (surprise, surprise) too many other ingredients.
Wit's End in Denver has made a beer with quinoa - I want to say it was a porter, but I don't remember for sure. My buddy was drinking it without knowing what it was and didn't like it. Said it reminded him of quinoa and that he hated quinoa, and I told him it had quinoa in it. Admittedly, he has a pretty amazing palate but I still can't believe he picked out that flavor in it...I thought it just tasted like a normal beer.
Could be good I guess, but it just sounds like an expensive replacement for oats or another common adjunct. I don't think you'd get much of a unique flavor from it either.
In Emsworth, PA there is the Auroch's Brew Company that brew all gluten free beers. They use Quinoa in brewing and I feel that they have a very competative taste. I highly recommend their Pale Ale.
