As the demand of non alcoholic beer and alcohol free beer increases, the choice of gluten free non alcoholic beer is limited.
The reason for the limited choice of gluten free non alcoholic beer is because most beers are made from malted barley – a source of gluten.
The other gluten-containing ingredients found in beer, include rye and wheat. Even the yeast used in the brewing process (saccharomyces cerevisiae) also contains gluten.
However, this doesn’t mean you can’t buy gluten free non alcoholic beer made from barley malt.
Let’s get started with our guide for gluten free non alcoholic beer.
What is Gluten?
Gluten is a family of proteins found in grains, including barley, wheat, rye and spelt. Wheat being the most common gluten-containing grains.
When mixing flour with water, the gluten proteins form a sticky glue-like consistency. The glue-like property of wet dough is where the name gluten derives from.
Problem With Gluten
The majority of people can tolerate gluten with no adverse effects. However, it can cause problems for people with certain health conditions. Which includes gluten sensitivity, wheat allergy and celiac disease.
The most common symptoms of celiac disease are:
- bloating
- constipation
- diarrhea
- tiredness
- headache
How is Gluten Free Beer Made
It’s known that beer contains gluten, but what about non alcoholic beer? How do brewers make gluten free beer?
Gluten Free Ingredients For Beer
Below are ingredients used to make gluten free beer, that do not contain gluten
- millet
- rice
- sorghum
- buckwheat
- corn (maize)
There is another method to make gluten free beer, which includes using gluten-containing malt such as wheat, barley or rye, and then introduce a process to reduce the gluten content. An example of the product used in this process is Brewers Clarex®.
The process includes lowering the gluten levels below 20 ppm, so it can be labelled as gluten free.
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Calories in Gluten Free Beer
When producing gluten free non alcoholic beer, the enzyme brewers use has little to no effect on the flavour, body or calories, carb and sugar content of the beer.
Buy Gluten Free Non Alcoholic Beer
When it comes to buying gluten free non alcoholic beer, Ambar 0.0% by Spanish brewery Ambar is the most widely available gluten free alcohol free beer.
The choice of gluten free alcohol free beer has increased, with brands such as Drop Bear Beer, Big Drop Brewing and Rok Soba all offering a choice of gluten free alcohol free beer.
Five of The Best Gluten Free Non Alcoholic Beers
We’ve put together five of our favourite gluten free alcohol free & non alcoholic beers. All containing less than 20 ppm, and under 0.5% ABV.