Beers produced with millet, rice, sorghum, buckwheat, and corn are called gluten-free beers.
Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. It’s also in many processed foods like bread, pasta, noodles, and cereals.
Gluten deficiency is often common in those who have celiac disease, an autoimmune condition in which your body triggers an immune system response when you eat gluten.
People with this condition will largely avoid drinking beer. As a result, some companies resolved to produce beers without gluten grains. Let’s see what gluten-free beers are.
What are gluten-free beers made from?
Gluten-free beer is a beer made from grains such as oats, rice, maize, teff, millet, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, and sorghum.
Some manufacturers also produce these beers with barley or rye and reduce the level of gluten to below 20 ppm. This is achieved with Brewers Clarex, an enzyme that breaks down gluten proteins in beer.
Gluten levels in the beer chart
The gluten level in a beer largely depends on how the beer was made, most especially the grain from which the beer is made.
Therefore, a beer chart shows the raw materials used in making a beer. If you drink a beer made of the following here are the gluten levels for each.
- Ales – 3,120 ppm
- Wheat beer – 25,920 ppm
- Lager – 63 ppm
- Stout – 361 ppm
How is gluten-free beer made
Gluten-free beers are produced in two ways. One method uses malt from naturally gluten-free pseudo-cereals such as sorghum, millet, buckwheat, rice, quinoa, or maize. This may affect the aroma and flavor of the beer but would give the desired outcome.
The second method uses an enzyme during production that can reduce the gluten content of malt to 20 ppm or less.
What beers are gluten-free in the US?
Here is a compilation of some of the gluten-free beers made in the USA. You can search for other brands on amazon or ask at any of the convenience stores around you.
Evasion Brewing Oregon, USA
The company produces fresh gluten-free beers in different flavors. You can check online and in stores to get one of the beer flavors of your choice.
Ghostfish Brewing Company
This is a beer company based in Washington, USA. These healthy beers come in different varieties such as Grapefruit IPA, Watchstander Stout, Vanishing Point Pale Ale, Shrouded Summit Witbier, Peak Buster Imperial IPA etcetera.
Holidaily Brewing co.
Based in Colorado, USA, Holidaily Brewing Company is a large producer of gluten-free beers.
They make beers in different essences, such as Favorite Blonde Ale, Buckwit Belgian, Red Rocks Amber Theatre, Fat Randy’s IPA, Wild Bill’s Nonbarley Wine, Riva Stout, Patchy Waters Pumpkin Ale, Beulah Red Ale, Adventure Series: Vienna Lager, Oreo Cookie Stout, Big Henry Hazy IPA.
Living The Dream Brewing Company
Living the Dream Brewing Company, located in Colorado, USA, makes beers that are rich in flavor but easy on the stomach of gluten-intolerant people.
Alt Brew
Alt brew, Wisconsin, USA, produces gluten-free beers manufactured in a 100% gluten-free facility with no additives.
B.C. Brewery
Situated in Maryland, USA, B.C. brewery is a manufacturer of gluten-free beer across Maryland.
They are the makers of Ceal Team Pale Ale, Ceal Team Amber Ale, Ceal Team Belgian Quad, Ceal Team Saison, Ceal Team Blonde, Ceal Team Cantaloupe Sour, Ceal Team Stout, and Ceal Team Session IPA.
Anheuser-Busch
Known for its Redbridge Lager, Anheuser-Busch is a brewing company in Missouri, USA, that manufactures gluten-free beer.
Aurochs Brewing Company
Aurochs Brewing Company is the maker of the following gluten-free beers; Session IPA, Porter, Blonde Ale, Amber Ale, Hazy IPA, Light Lager, and Winter Ale.
Bard’s Tale Beer
It is one of the breweries in Minnesota, USA, that is recognized for making gluten-free Bard’s Gold lager.
Buck Wild Brewing
When you visit California, look out for Buck Wild brewing products if you are prone to react to beer that has gluten in it.
These beers are gluten-free and good. They have numerous variations like Pale Ale, Kolsch, Amber, and West Coast IPA that you can choose from to avoid getting a gluten-induced beer.
Coors
This is also a gluten-free beer brand you can try if you live in Colorado, USA.
FAQs
Are gluten-removed beers made from what?
Grains that have a lot of gluten in them are used to make beer. As a result, the gluten isn’t as removed as it is termed to be.
Are gluten-free beers low-carb?
Although not common, you will find gluten-free beers with low carbs. They are majorly for people who are gluten deficient and have celiac disease.
Nonetheless, one of the most common types of low-carb gluten-free beer is the Omission Ultimate Light beer.
What IPA beers are gluten-free?
Brewers make this Indian pale ale by adding more hops to their beer, which results in a more robust flavor. There is no standardized threshold at which beer is considered an IPA – it depends on the brewer.
What does gluten-free beer taste like?
It tastes like Hoegaarden Belgian white ale because it is naturally made of chestnuts, buckwheat, and millet.
Conclusion
There are three major types of beers, which are standard beer, reduced gluten beer, and gluten-free beer. You should always go for a gluten-free beer if you have a gluten deficiency.
However, this isn’t easy to achieve because of the many delicious and fast-making foods and drinks with gluten in them.
Nevertheless, health is wealth, and you need to ensure that you do everything possible not to trigger your health condition.
Thank you for reading. I’ll recommend you also check out this article on gluten-free ginger beer.
