Once breweries did get into the business of brewing beers for the gluten-free community, two types of non-traditional beers emerged: naturally gluten-free beers made from gluten-free grains (these are safe) and “gluten-reduced,” “low gluten,” “gluten removed,” or “crafted to remove gluten” beers made from barley and other gluten-containing grains (these are not safe for celiacs).
Both kinds of “gluten-free” beers are shown intermingled here: naturally gluten-free beers as well as “crafted to remove gluten” beers. Only naturally gluten-free beers are considered safe for celiacs.
How are “Gluten-Free” Beers Regulated in the United States?
In the U.S., this second kind of beer is not allowed to be labeled as “gluten-free”, although local state laws may differ when the beers do not cross state lines. This distinction is important because like other barley beers, these “gluten-reduced” beers remain under the regulatory umbrella of the TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau), while naturally gluten-free beers are within the FDA’s (Food and Drug Administration) labeling jurisdiction.
Why does this matter? Well, it matters because these regulating bodies treat labeling very differently. FDA regulates NATURALLY gluten-free beers, and FDA requires a nutrition label, so you know the beer is naturally gluten-free if it has a nutrition label on the packaging (pro shopping tip!).
Look for a nutritional label to identify a naturally gluten free beer. Nutritional labels indicate the beer is regulated by the FDA, not the TTB, and that the beer is not made with barley. You should also be able to find a full ingredient label.
Consistent with the new FDA regulations, TTB will continue to consider “gluten-free” label claims for alcohol beverages that are made from gluten-containing grains to be misleading to consumers who are seeking to avoid the consumption of gluten for health reasons. However, products made from gluten-containing grains may be labeled with a statement that the product was “Processed,” “Treated,” or “Crafted” to remove gluten, if that claim is made together with a qualifying statement that warns the consumer that the gluten content of the product cannot be determined and that the product may contain gluten.
Icelandic beer labeled “gluten-free” but containing barley.
Let me repeat that a different way: there is no acceptable test proving that gluten has actually been fully removed from fermented products like beer. So when a beer company says it’s tested its beers and they are shown to have less than 20ppm gluten … understand that those tests are not accurate when testing beer, so their testing means little to nothing.
Not all the beers in this display are naturally gluten free; some are gluten-removed and others are ordinary gluten-full beers. Look for a nutritional label on naturally gluten free beers as a good way to differentiate, as even beer stores may not know the difference.
“The medical and scientific community has not validated or accepted that these low-gluten or gluten-removed beers are safe because available gluten testing methods have not been sufficiently accurate with fermented and hydrolyzed products,” said Cynthia Kupper, CEO of GIG. “That is why we conducted this first-of-its-kind study, because even if one person with celiac reacts to gluten-removed beers, it shows it would not be appropriate to certify this product category according to our standards.”
To hear the podcast interview with two authors of the study to determine the safety of gluten removed beers for celiacs, Cynthia Kupper, CEO of the Gluten Intolerance Group and a registered dietitian diagnosed with celiac disease, and Laura Allred, Ph.D. and GIG’s Regulatory and Standards Manager, click here for the free podcast.
Have Studies Shown Gluten-Removed Beers Still Contain Gluten?
As further evidence of the fact that these treated barley beers still contain gluten, a 2017 Australian report found that “[a]cross the range of commercial beers that have been produced using an enzyme, the application of the enzyme appeared to be inconsistent.
There were some beers that had very low levels of gluten, barely detectable, while others had as much as an untreated beer,” Colgrave says. In their paper published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, study authors found gluten in a dozen beers labelled “gluten-reduced” with this new test.
graphical representation of mass spectrometry versus ELISA testing on gluten-removed beer
Furthermore, tests using a newer test called liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) — scientists believe it is a more accurate way to measure gluten in fermented beers — showed that even though all the tested beers “had been rated by their makers to have gluten levels below 20 mg/kg, according to ELISA”, the new test “found detectable gluten fragments in every sample using LC-MS, and most had much higher levels of gluten than ELISA detected.”
The graphical representation above shows the same gluten-removed beer sample being tested by both ELISA and mass spectrometry, with the latter (bottom) test finding more barley hordein (gluten protein) remaining.
Another 2023 Australian study confirmed these conclusions, finding several so-called “gluten-free beers” made from barley but treated with enzymes which showed equal or even higher barley hordein (gluten protein) content than some of the untreated, control beers.
Fortunately for all of us living without gluten, some brew masters have found amazingly creative ways to create safe actually gluten-free beers we can all enjoy, and have embraced available gluten-free ingredients not as limitations, but as opportunities.
I’ve been waiting for this beer to come to PA. I have celiac and love beer. Unfortunately, it never even got here! How do you know it’s not going to sell, before you even tried to market it or get it available to people?! ????????????
Be interested to know how long they will persevere if it doesn’t hit their volume thresholds. They have a track record of innovating poorly and removing the brands when they don’t sell. Just a hunch but if you want it get it while you can. There won’t be enough volume here for them to sustain it.
The craft guys do it for the love of beer – these guys do it to make a buck
Hi Tom, thanks for your comment. Not sure which brand you’re speaking of, specifically, but it’s sad to note that Dogfish Head recently discontinued their one gluten-free beer, T’weason Ale. For all of us gluten free folks who enjoy beer, I hope it’s not a trend!
~jules
Sorry – wasn’t referring to gluten free – just Molson Coors in general. If it doesn’t sell and sell lots (which is highly unlikely) it will disappear. They’re only doing this for commercial gain and they’ll abandon after year 1 (may be wrong – but their portfolio is littered with failed next big things
Please distribute nationwide, Michigan has so many beer lovers and I personally need Gluten free. If the small micro brewers can I am sure Coors can find a way.
Well it is nice of coors to sponsor the article on there GF beer yet it is only viable in Washington state . So tell coors when it is rolled out nation wide sponsor another article
Todd, I’m holding out hope that Coors Peak will be distributed nationwide SOON! Write in or post on their social media that you want it available in your area too. It couldn’t hurt! 🙂
~jules
I’ve been waiting for this beer to come to PA. I have celiac and love beer. Unfortunately, it never even got here! How do you know it’s not going to sell, before you even tried to market it or get it available to people?! ????????????
I know, Patricia! They did a test market in Portland and Seattle only – so disappointing because it really was a great beer! 🙁
~jules
I am so bummed this beer has been discontinued. I loved it!
Me too, Erica. It was the best, easy drinking American-style GF beer I’d ever had. Really sad to see it go.
~jules
Be interested to know how long they will persevere if it doesn’t hit their volume thresholds. They have a track record of innovating poorly and removing the brands when they don’t sell. Just a hunch but if you want it get it while you can. There won’t be enough volume here for them to sustain it.
The craft guys do it for the love of beer – these guys do it to make a buck
Hi Tom, thanks for your comment. Not sure which brand you’re speaking of, specifically, but it’s sad to note that Dogfish Head recently discontinued their one gluten-free beer, T’weason Ale. For all of us gluten free folks who enjoy beer, I hope it’s not a trend!
~jules
Sorry – wasn’t referring to gluten free – just Molson Coors in general. If it doesn’t sell and sell lots (which is highly unlikely) it will disappear. They’re only doing this for commercial gain and they’ll abandon after year 1 (may be wrong – but their portfolio is littered with failed next big things
Please distribute nationwide, Michigan has so many beer lovers and I personally need Gluten free. If the small micro brewers can I am sure Coors can find a way.
Thanks for chiming in, Roger. I’m sure Coors is listening!
~jules
Well it is nice of coors to sponsor the article on there GF beer yet it is only viable in Washington state . So tell coors when it is rolled out nation wide sponsor another article
Now there are 2 to choose from & still so many of us have not been able to taste 1!!!
Todd, I’m holding out hope that Coors Peak will be distributed nationwide SOON! Write in or post on their social media that you want it available in your area too. It couldn’t hurt! 🙂
~jules