Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Record is Archived

    This article is now archived and is closed to further replies.

    Jefferson Adams
    Jefferson Adams

    Oktoberfest Beer Guide! Gluten-free vs. Gluten-removed Beers

    Reviewed and edited by a celiac disease expert.
    Oktoberfest Beer Guide! Gluten-free vs. Gluten-removed Beers - Gluten-free beers are more popular then ever this Oktoberfest. Photo: CC--Maria Eklind
    Caption: Gluten-free beers are more popular then ever this Oktoberfest. Photo: CC--Maria Eklind

    Celiac.com 10/14/2016 - It's almost October, and that means beer, or, at least it means Oktoberfest is near. And in so many ways, gluten-free beer lovers have never had it better, with dozens of selections now available commercially, and more on the way every month, it seems.

    So grab a beer, and celebrate Oktoberfest. But before we get to the list of beer purveyors, let's quickly review some basics of gluten-free versus gluten removed.

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A12):
    Naturally Gluten-free Beers—Naturally gluten-free beers are made with all gluten-free source ingredients, and use grains like sorghum instead of barley. This is important to many people, especially those with high sensitivity, or the belief that gluten-removed beers may trigger celiac-related problems.

    • Pros: Guaranteed gluten-free from start to finish. As close to 100% gluten-free final product as it gets.
    • Cons: Beers made without barley can taste tart, or have a shallow flavor profile. Aren't considered beer under German standards.

    Gluten-removed beers—Use traditional source ingredients like barley to brew beer traditionally, then use various enzyme processes to break down the gluten.

    • Pros: Traditional source ingredients. Traditional beer flavor. Test under 20 ppm gluten. Can be labeled as beer according to German purity laws.
    • Cons: While many people with celiac disease seem to be able to tolerate gluten-removed beers, many claim that these beers trigger adverse symptoms. The jury is still out on whether gluten-reduced beers are safe for people with celiac disease.

    From a purely technical standpoint, beers brewed from all gluten-free source ingredients cannot be called beer in Germany, due to strict labeling laws in effect since the 14th century.

    The standard set by the FDA for gluten-free labeling in the United States requires that products be made with gluten-free ingredients, and must contain less than 20ppm of gluten.

    The standard set in Europe allows manufacturers to use gluten, rye, or barley in the manufacturing process, so long as the final product tests below 20 ppm gluten.

    Many European beers follow that method, and use wheat and or barley to brew their gluten-free beers. The beers are then treated with enzymes to break down and filter out any gluten. The result is a beer that looks and tastes like a traditional beer, but which is also gluten-free, according to the European labeling standard.

    A List of Naturally Gluten-free Beers

    • Anheuser-Busch Redbridge
    • Bard's Gold
    • Bard's Tale Beer
    • Brasserie Dupont Forêt Libre
    • Brasseurs Sans Gluten Glutenberg Blanche
    • Brunehaut Bio Ambrée
    • Brunehaut Blonde Bio
    • Brunehaut Blanche
    • Burning Brothers Brewing
    • Coors Peak
    • Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales: Tweason'ale
    • Drummond Gluten Free
    • Epic Brewing Company: Glutenator
    • Ghostfish Brewery
    • Glutenberg American Pale Ale
    • Glutenberg Blonde
    • Glutenberg Belgian Double
    • Glutenberg India Pale Ale
    • Glutenberg Rousse
    • Green's Discovery Amber Ale
    • Green's Endeavour
    • Green's Enterprise Dry-Hopped Lager
    • Green's India Pale Ale
    • Green's Quest Tripel Blonde Ale
    • Ground Breaker Corsa Rose Gold Ale
    • Ground Breaker IPA No. 5
    • Ground Breaker Dark Ale
    • Ipswich Ale Brewery: Celia Saison
    • Joseph James Brewing Fox Tail
    • Lakefront New Grist Ginger Style Ale
    • Lakefront New Grist Pilsner Style
    • Minhas Lazy Mutt Gluten Free
    • Mongozo Premium Pilsener
    • New Planet Belgian Style Ale
    • New Planet Blonde Ale
    • New Planet Pale Ale
    • New Planet Raspberry Ale
    • New Planet Seclusion IPA
    • New Planet Tread Lightly Session Ale
    • Nickel Brook Gluten Free
    • Nouvelle France La Messagère
    • Nouvelle-France Messagère Aux Fruits
    • Nouvelle-France Messagère Red Ale
    • Schnitzer Bräu Hirse Lemon
    • Schnitzer Bräu Hirse Premium
    • Sprecher Brewing Company's Shakparo Ale
    • Steadfast Beer gluten-free Blonde and Pale Ales
    • Steadfast Beer Company's Oatmeal Cream Stout
    • To Øl Reparationsbajer Gluten Free
    • Whistler Forager

    A List of Gluten-Removed Beers

    • Alley Kat Scona Gold Kölsch
    • Brunehaut Bio Tripel
    • Estrella Damm Daura
    • Estrella Damm Daura Marzen
    • Lammsbräu Glutenfrei Lager Beer
    • Mikkeller American Dream Gluten Free
    • Mikkeller Green Gold Gluten Free
    • Mikkeller I Wish Gluten Free IPA
    • Mikkeller Peter, Pale And Mary Gluten Free
    • New Belgium Glutiny brand Golden and Pale Ales
    • Short's Brewing Space Rock
    • Stone Delicious IPA
    • Sufferfest Brewing Company Pale Ale and Lager
    • Widmer Omission Lager
    • Widmer Omission IPA
    • Widmer Omission Pale Ale
    • Wold Top Against The Grain
    • Wold Top Marmalade Porter
    • Wold Top Scarborough Fair IPA

    Resources:



    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    Guest Carol

    Does Samuel Adams have a gluten free beer?

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Jesse

    Harvester is the former name of Ground Breaker Brewing. The Corsa hasn't been made in ages. Their year-round beers are Dark Ale, Pale Ale, IPA No. 5 and Olallie. They have a more recent list of seasonals on their website as well.rnrnhttp://www.groundbreakerbrewing.com/seasonal-gluten-free-beers/

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Julie Anderson

    Posted

    You are missing the line of naturally gluten free beers from Ghostfish in Seattle.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Arlys

    I am curious why you did not include the Coors Peak gluten-free beers on the list. They are made with brown rice and Pacific Northwest hops and are certified gluten-free. And even better, I did not get a headache from them as I normally do with the sorghum beers.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Jessica

    Posted

    Burning Brothers in Minnesota.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest MarkB

    You say: "use various enzyme processes to break down the gluten... Can be labeled as beer according to German purity laws."Is that true? I thought the only allowed ingredients were water, barley, hops, and yeast. I second Jessica on Burning Brothers - also available in Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Nebraska. Steadfast also produces gluten-free Blonde and Pale ales. Estrella Damm Daura also brews a "Marzen", a true Oktoberfest-style beer. I had it last year and it was great. New Belgium offers gluten reduced Glutiny brand Golden and Pale ales. The Pale is my favorite - very drinkable.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest admin
    You say: "use various enzyme processes to break down the gluten... Can be labeled as beer according to German purity laws."Is that true? I thought the only allowed ingredients were water, barley, hops, and yeast. I second Jessica on Burning Brothers - also available in Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Nebraska. Steadfast also produces gluten-free Blonde and Pale ales. Estrella Damm Daura also brews a "Marzen", a true Oktoberfest-style beer. I had it last year and it was great. New Belgium offers gluten reduced Glutiny brand Golden and Pale ales. The Pale is my favorite - very drinkable.

    Yes, there are various ways to remove gluten from beer, and they do qualify as "beer" in Germany, including but not limited to this one: Lammsbräu Glutenfrei Lager Beer

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest JustinDurden

    Posted

    I am curious why you did not include the Coors Peak gluten-free beers on the list. They are made with brown rice and Pacific Northwest hops and are certified gluten-free. And even better, I did not get a headache from them as I normally do with the sorghum beers.

    It's on there.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Jefferson Adams

    Posted

    I am curious why you did not include the Coors Peak gluten-free beers on the list. They are made with brown rice and Pacific Northwest hops and are certified gluten-free. And even better, I did not get a headache from them as I normally do with the sorghum beers.

    My mistake. I'll note it.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Stephen

    Posted

    What about gluten free non alcoholic beer in Canada

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites


    Guest
    This is now closed for further comments

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Donate
  • About Me

    Jefferson Adams

    Jefferson Adams is Celiac.com's senior writer and Digital Content Director. He earned his B.A. and M.F.A. at Arizona State University. His articles, essays, poems, stories and book reviews have appeared in numerous magazines, journals, and websites, including North American Project, Antioch Review, Caliban, Mississippi Review, Slate, and more. He is the author of more than 2,500 articles on celiac disease. His university coursework includes studies in science, scientific methodology, biology, anatomy, physiology, medicine, logic, and advanced research. He previously devised health and medical content for Colgate, Dove, Pfizer, Sharecare, Walgreens, and more. Jefferson has spoken about celiac disease to the media, including an appearance on the KQED radio show Forum, and is the editor of numerous books, including "Cereal Killers" by Scott Adams and Ron Hoggan, Ed.D.

    >VIEW ALL ARTICLES BY JEFFERSON ADAMS

     


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Related Articles

    Jefferson Adams
    Celiac.com 04/22/2016 - To label a beer 'gluten-free' it must contain no gluten ingredients from start to finish. But, without wheat or barley, how does a brewer create the foundation for the beer?
    One problem gluten-free beers have is that, because they are brewed without wheat and/or barley, they are technically not beers under German beer laws, whatever their legal status here. Another issue is that since purely gluten-free beers must be brewed with all gluten-free ingredients, they have been often regarded as lackluster in the taste department, especially by beer connoisseurs, gluten-free or not.
    In an effort to provide a genuine, high quality beer for those suffering from celiac disease, and get beyond the taste limitations of totally gluten-free beers, a new generation...


    Jefferson Adams
    Celiac.com 06/17/2016 - What role does individual sensitivity play in celiac disease severity and reactions to gluten?
    Researchers in Italy reported on an interesting case of a of a man with a clear diagnosis of celiac disease who nevertheless drank gluten-containing beer, with no physical symptoms, and no clinical issues.
    The research team included Fabiana Zingone, Ilaria Russo, Angelo Massari, and Carolina Ciacci. They are variously affiliated with the Department of Medicine and Surgery, and the Department of Clinical Pathology and Transfusion Medicine at AOU San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi D'Aragona in Salerno, Italy.
    The team found that a 4-week period of drinking gluten-containing beer did not provoke significant changes in the intestinal mucosa of this patient with celiac disease...


    Jefferson Adams
    Germans Brewing Beer with New Gluten-free Barley
    Celiac.com 07/15/2016 - Germans are particular about their beer. Since the 14th century, they have had a beer purity law, called Reinheitsgebot. That law says that beer must be made with wheat or barley, if it is to be called beer.
    That means that many gluten-free beers brewed without wheat or barley cannot be considered beer in Germany. Now, German brewers are using special "ultra-low" gluten Australian barley to brew the first gluten-free beer that conforms to the strict requirements of the law.
    The barley is called "Kebari" barley, and was developed by Csiro, an Australian government scientific research agency, which used conventional breeding to reduce the gluten levels to 10,000 times less than regular barley, which more than meets the World Health Organisation's recommendation...


    Jefferson Adams
    Celiac.com 07/29/2016 - There's a great little story by Open Original Shared Link about his visit to the Zatec brewery in the Czech Republic. Officially known as Zatecky Pivovar, but called Zatec, the brewery offers both an interesting war history, and a great dark beer that just happens to be gluten-free.
    Zatec makes both their main brand, the light 11° pilsner, and another brand called Celia Dark. The company used to make a dark beer called Xantho, but now sells only Celia Dark as their main dark beer because, says Martin Kec, managing director, "no one can tell the difference."
    Most gluten-free beers are made with non-barley grains, such as sorghum, which is naturally gluten-free. The problem is that many of these beverages cannot be considered beer under German law, and many ...


    Jefferson Adams
    More Brewing Classes Teaching the Art of Gluten-Free Beers
    Celiac.com 12/23/2016 - As gluten-free beers gain in popularity, it's not unusual that more beer schools are offering lessons in the art of gluten-free brewing.
    From just a few products ten or so years ago, there are now dozens and dozens of commercially available gluten-free beers. Taking note of the trend, more beer schools are beginning to tailor new classes on the art of crafting fine gluten-free beers.
    This summer, for example, students at a beer school run by Edmund's Oast pressed into three new classes, including one aimed at drinkers with celiac disease and gluten-intolerance. Taught in summer 2016, Oast's class, "Gluten-be-Gone!" covers gluten-free beers and other brewed options for celiac sufferers.
    In addition to making gluten-free beers from ingredients rice, sorghum...


    Jefferson Adams
    Carlsberg Launches Two Gluten-free Czech Beers in UK
    Celiac.com 12/02/2016 - Plenty of folks commenting on our story about Žatecky Pivovar, a storied Czech brewery that crafts gluten-free beers, thought the beer sounded like a good idea.
    The fans include the folks at beer giant Carlsberg, which has announced that Carlsberg UK is teaming up with premier Czech brewer Žatecky Pivovar to offer gluten-free Czech lager Celia in the UK.
    The Carlsberg UK is introducing Celia Organic, a 4.5% ABV beer made with 100% Saaz hops and Moravian malt, and Celia Dark, a 5.7% ABV dark lager made with 100% Saaz hops and Toffee Bavarian malt plus sand-filtered water from the Žatecky foothills. The beers are produced at Žatecky Pivovar, which dates from 1801, and is housed walled town of Žateck in the north of the country. It is one of several microb...


    Jefferson Adams
    Sufferfest, San Francisco's Gluten-Removed Beer of Champions
    Celiac.com 12/30/2016 - The San Francisco Bay area is home to a rich heritage of running and athletics, including more than a few folks who like to do extreme things. Whether it’s a swim to Alcatraz and back, ultra-long distance running, zany single speed mountain biking, or a combination of all three, San Francisco has it all. And now it has a gluten-removed beer for those folks.
    For all the people who think a muddy six mile hike is best done twice, and at a jog, there is now a beer for you. For anyone who likes to push their body to the extreme and then sit down with friends and revel in the suffering, there is Sufferfest. Sufferfest beer was created by lifelong athlete, and gluten-intolerance sufferer Caitlin Landesberg to capture the feeling of accomplishment and comradery that f...


    Jefferson Adams
    Somebody Finally Tested Celiac Reactions to Gluten-free, Gluten-removed, and Regular Beers
    Celiac.com 02/28/2017 - A number of commercial brewers are opting to use enzymatic digestion, or hydrolysis, for treating gluten-containing foods and beverages to make them safe for people with gluten sensitivity, including those with celiac disease. However, some have questioned whether the process is safe for all people with celiac disease, as some celiacs complain that they experience gluten sensitivity when they drink these beers.
    Currently, there are no validated testing methods for quantifying levels of hydrolyzed or fermented gluten peptides in foods and beverages that might be harmful to celiac patients. This makes it difficult to determine the safety of hydrolyzed products for people with celiac disease.
    Some researchers finally tested the clinical response by celiac...


    Jefferson Adams
    Say Hello to Ireland's First Gluten-free Stout
    Celiac.com 04/07/2017 - If watching all those pints of Guinness being downed on St. Patrick's Day left you wishing that someone, somewhere in Ireland, would brew a tasty gluten-free stout, your wish has come true.
    The people at the 9 White Deer brewery have heard your whispered wishes and responded with Stag Saor. Ireland's first gluten-free stout, a beer that puts a fresh twist on the Emerald Isle's long stout-brewing tradition.
    Now, a gluten-free stout was not always part of the plan. Less than a year after found the 9 White Deer microbrewery, co-founder, Don O'Leary was diagnosed with a gluten intolerance. Rather than view this development as a setback, however, O'Leary and his partners used it as fuel to drive their business.
    Working with his partner, the former marine engineer, ...


    Jefferson Adams
    Can a New Malting Technique Turn Witkop Teff into Great Gluten-free Beer?
    Celiac.com 07/28/2017 - It's no secret that nearly all traditionally brewed beers contain barley. The flavor and body barley imparts on traditional beers is partly responsible for their rich, full taste.
    Finding alternatives to barley that are suitable for brewing gluten-free beer has been a challenge. One solution has been to brew beers with traditional barley ingredients, and then use a combination of enzyme action and filtration to render a final product that test below 20ppm gluten required for gluten-free products.
    However, that solution is problematic, partly because some countries, like Canada, do not consider such beers to be gluten-free.
    That may be set to change, a team reported recently in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that beers made with Witkop teff...


  • Recent Activity

    1. - Wheatwacked replied to Dhruv's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      8

      Confused with test results

    2. - Jean Shifrin replied to Jean Shifrin's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      16

      Severe joint swelling from Celiac

    3. - Beverage replied to Jean Shifrin's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      16

      Severe joint swelling from Celiac

    4. - knitty kitty replied to jmiller93's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      8

      What do my test results mean?

    5. - trents replied to Dhruv's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      8

      Confused with test results


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      125,745
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Nightowl2024
    Newest Member
    Nightowl2024
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      120.8k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Popular Now

    • Dhruv
      8
    • Sking
    • jmiller93
      8
    • MomofGF
    • Louise Broughton
      4
  • Popular Articles

    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
  • Upcoming Events

×
×
  • Create New...