An Answer To What Is Gluten Free Beer?
By Joe E Walker
If you've been diagnosed with gluten intolerance or celiac disease, you have undoubtedly become uncomfortably familiar with the phrase "I can't" as in "I can't eat wheat bread, I can't eat chicken nuggets, I can't drink beer." As a Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist, and the husband of a wife with gluten intolerance, I understand the frustration that comes with big dietary restrictions. No one likes to be told they can't have something that they really want.
One piece of great news for you; you can still have beer. Yes, you can still have beer! If you enjoy a beer in the evening and you have to eliminate gluten from your diet, you are very fortunate to have some great options available to you. Of course, I'm referring to gluten-free beers.
The term "gluten-free beers" does have some controversy surrounding it due to the German Purity Law for beer, which was defined in the Reinheitsgebot (also called just Gebot) in 1516 and later went into effect throughout Germany in 1871. In short, the purity law states that true beer can only contain 3 ingredient other than yeast; water, barley, and hops. If you are new to avoiding gluten, barley is a grain that must be avoided because it is a significant source of gluten. Obviously, if beer was kept strictly to the standard set forth by the purity law, gluten-free beer wouldn't exist. How is it possible to have GF beer then?
Beer in the united states doesn't have to strictly comply with the purity law to be labeled as beer. According to the Alcohol, Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (ATTTB), beer is defined under the 1991 United States Internal Revenue Code as follows:
"Beer, ale, porter, stout and other similar fermented beverages (including sake or similar products) of any name or description containing one-half of one percent or more of alcohol by volume, brewed or produced from malt, wholly or in part, or from any substitute thereof." Further, the Association of Brewers revised 2005 Beer Style Guidelines - state: "... as much as it is possible, beer character is not described in terms of ingredients or process. These guidelines attempt to emphasize final evaluation of the product and try not to judge or regulate the formulation or manner in which it was brewed, except in special circumstances that clearly define a style."
This is great news for those who must avoid all gluten, but if gluten-free beer doesn't utilize barley then what does it use? The answer to this can vary, but sorghum is one grain commonly used to make beers that don't contain gluten. This is a grain that is commonly used throughout the world, but generally takes a backseat to wheat and other grains in the United States. If you aren't familiar with how beer is made or how to brew beer, consider reading Beer Making Brief.
Thank goodness for sorghum! Thanks to this grain, beer lovers with celiac disease or gluten intolerance can still enjoy a brew. Other ingredients may work their way into gluten-free beer, such as corn and various flavoring agents. Some spices can be used as well. Nevertheless, gluten free beer is, by United States standards, gluten free. One part of these standards is that the food or beverage item must not contain more than 20 parts per million of gluten. This is an incredibly small amount of gluten and anything at this level or lower should not pose problems for those who must avoid gluten for medical reasons.
To answer the question that is the title of this page, gluten-free beer is beer that has no more than 20 parts per million of gluten and is made from a grain or grains other than barley, wheat and rye. As with any beer recipe or style, some GF beers are rated better in flavor than others. Some of these beers have a significant aftertaste that some people find unpleasant. Other gluten free beers can be found that will appeal to nearly anyone who likes beer in general.
With the increased rates of diagnosis for celiac disease and gluten intolerance, we are sure to see an increase in gluten free products to meet the increased demand. Beer is among many products that have been modified from traditional ingredients to become gluten-free options. For a person with celiac disease who enjoys beer, gluten free beer can be a blessing, a gift, a treasure, and a symbol of hope that living gluten free is not the end of life as they know it.
I am a Registered Dietitian and I brew my own beer, including gluten-free beer. For info on how to start brewing your own gluten free homebrew and reviews of beers void of gluten, Visit GlutenFreeBeerBrew.com.
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