Gluten Free vs. Gluten Removed Beer

What You Need to Know About the Difference Between Gluten Free Beer and Gluten Removed Beer

Have you heard of gluten-removed or gluten-reduced beer? Maybe you have, maybe you haven’t. If you have, maybe you’re confused about what exactly that means. Why doesn’t the bottle just say gluten-free beer? Does the beer still contain gluten, and if so, what’s the point of making it?

Gluten-removed beer has been in the market for a while—some companies since the early 2000s. Until fairly recently, it was just as viable an option for people with gluten sensitivity as gluten-free beer. However, that has changed as the awareness around gluten-free products has increased. So what is the difference between gluten-free and gluten-removed beer?

Gluten-free beer is made using ingredients that are already gluten-free. Commonly used base grains for gluten-free beer are sorghum, rice, and millet, as they are naturally gluten-free. The process of making gluten-free beer is gluten-free from start to finish. Some breweries are 100% gluten-free to avoid the possibility of any cross-contaminants. Breweries that are not 100% gluten-free follow strict guidelines when it comes to sanitation and prevention of cross-contamination. People with gluten sensitivity, minor or severe, do not have reactions to gluten-free beers. If the label on the bottle says “gluten-free,” you’re good to go!

Gluten-removed beer is different in a few ways. Gluten-removed beers use base ingredients that are not naturally gluten-free, such as wheat or barley. Then, once the beer has been brewed, an enzyme is added to the batch. This enzyme breaks down the gluten in the beer—breaks it down, but does not remove it entirely. The enzyme breaks down the gluten molecule itself. In theory, the broken-down gluten should be too minuscule for your body to react to. It is also too small for gluten tests to detect. That being said, studies have shown that people with Celiac have reacted to it, so it is not entirely safe the way gluten-free beer is. Additionally, by the FDA’s standards, gluten-removed beer is not allowed to be labeled as gluten-free.

So why does gluten-removed beer exist if it’s not 100% safe for gluten-free people? Well, some people don’t like the taste of gluten-free beers. Gluten-removed beer has the taste of full-gluten beer, while aiming to be consumable by people who are gluten-free. If your gluten sensitivity is not severe, you should be able to consume gluten-removed beer to your heart’s content—just exercise caution, as there is a possibility you could react to it.

Maybe your local grocery or liquor store has plenty of gluten-free beer options; maybe they have two hidden on the lowest shelf in the back corner. Depending on the severity of your gluten sensitivity, you may be able to have some gluten-reduced beer. But gluten-free beer is safe for you, no matter how sensitive your stomach, so shop and drink away!