
Gluten Free Beer Battered Fish n’ Chips
Gluten Free Beer Batter Mix Review
I am excited to bring you an entirely new type of review…a review for the foodies out there! There is a new gluten free beer batter product available at Gluten Free Home Brewing and it perfectly combines my passions for reclaiming foods that have been lost to the gluten free diet, and finding more reasons to consume delicious gluten free beer!

Update: Stovetop vs. Air Fryer
This review was originally published in 2018. Back then, I did not own a fryer of any kind so I made do with a simple frying pan. Fast forward to 2022…I’ve decided to update this gluten free beer batter review because I own an (extremely badass) air fryer now! You could of course use a deep fryer instead.
The updated section of this review utilizes an air fryer made by Ninja. More specifically, the Ninja Foodi with Smart Lid, which was my last birthday present to myself. Honestly, I couldn’t be happier with it. It has 14 different functions:
- Pressure Cook,
- Steam & Crisp
- Steam & Bake
- Air Fry
- Broil
- Bake/Roast
- Dehydrate
- Sear/Sauté
- Steam
- Sous Vide
- Slow Cook
- Yogurt
- Keep Warm
- Proof
I’ve probably only tried half of them so far. Since I added this appliance to my kitchen, I find I rarely need my oven or stove. The Ninja is more efficient and heats up faster. I’ve owned it for about 7 months now and I still use it almost every day.
Jump to:
Gluten Free Fish n’ Chips via Air Fryer
Air Fried using a Ninja Foodi
The first time I reviewed this gluten free beer batter mix, I decided to mix it with Ghostfish’s Grapefruit IPA (more on that below). THIS time I decided to switch it up and use Buck Wild Brewing’s West Coast IPA, which features Citra, Mosaic, and Meridian hops. All you need to complete this beer batter mix is 4-6 ounces of gluten free beer. (Which leaves the other half the can for drinking!)

You can use any kind of fish you want to. I used cod in the first attempt, so this time I decided to use rockfish for the Fish n’ Chips. You will also need two bowls to prepare the mix. This allows you to stage a “wet mix” and a “dry mix” for the coating process.
If you are using a classic set up for the frying, you might consider preheating your oil or fryer. Since I’m using an air fryer, that isn’t really necessary. The Ninja is such a powerhouse, I don’t notice any difference when I fry without preheating the unit.


The other step I took before embarking on the beer battering process was to prep the sides. I chose to make fries in the oven since the Ninja would be filled with the fish. I also whipped together some coleslaw using green cabbage, apple cider vinegar, a touch of mayo, salt, and pepper. I popped that in the fridge so that it could chill while I cooked.
I seasoned the potatoes and through them in the oven at 415 degrees. Those usually take about 45 minutes or so, so they have the longest cook time and I needed to start them before the fish prep. Next I prepped the “dry mix” and “wet mix” bowls as instructed on the back of the gluten free beer batter mix package.

Once I had the mix divided, I poured between 4-6 ounces of beer into the wet mix bowl (honestly, I eyeballed it!) and gave it a good stir. I grabbed the fish, dipped them in the dry bowl and then the wet, before spreading them in a single layer on the air fryer rack. My fryer has a two-level rack, so if I was cooking for a group, I would have double layered the racks in the air fryer, but since it’s just me tonight–a single rack sufficed.

I fried two separate batches–one at 375 degrees and one at 400 degrees, just to test. Both temps worked fine, the 400 just cooked a little faster. I flipped the fish about half way. The cuts of fish were not very consistent. Some were smaller and some were thicker, so I don’t have an exact frying time. I kept an eye on them and pulled the pieces individually as they were done. But they were in the fryer for under 10 minutes total.
Once the fish was done, I pulled the fries out of the oven and plated the coleslaw. I made another homemade tartar sauce (recipe and link below in the first review), and got to work tasting my meal. The gluten free batter turned out crispy and held together much better in the air fryer than it did in a pan.

They came out with a bit more of a “baked” look, since the air fryer doesn’t saturate the fish in oil while cooking. This creates a healthier version of fried Fish n’ Chips (not that I’m against the deep fried kind!) and my stomach seems to respond better to air fried foods than deep fried ones (big surprise, I know).
Gluten Free Fish n’ Chips via Stovetop
My attempt without a fryer, just in a pan with oil.
The gluten free beer batter mix I used calls for the addition of 4-6 ounces of your choice of gluten free beer. I decided to try this recipe out with a classic pub dish…Fish n’ Chips! The only other time I’ve been able to enjoy a plate of Fish n’ Chips since going gluten free was on my visit to Ghostfish Brewing in Seattle. I also have never made them for myself before. So this will be interesting…
(If you are from the south where this is a weekly event, don’t judge me! I grew up in the mountainous desert. The term fish fry is not in my vocabulary. Lol)

I decided to fry some fresh Atlantic cod and went with a Grapefruit IPA for my choice of beer for the batter. I thought the fruity-tartness would compliment the flavors of the meal and that it would also taste good alongside the meal in my glass. ;)
And now for the next requirement…
A good tartar sauce to go with my fried fish. I thought about buying a jar of the store-bought variety, but when I scoped my options, I was unsatisfied with the unhealthy oils and preservatives they contained. I decided to go with a homemade version, and I’m glad I did because it’s damn easy to make, and chances are you already have the ingredients laying around the kitchen. Here’s the recipe I used for a delicious gluten free, dairy free creamy tartar sauce. It takes less than 10 minutes to whip up, and then you just pop it in the fridge to chill.


The first thing I did was prepare the fries for baking. I decided to bake my fries instead of fry them–partly for simplicity, partly for health, and partly because I make DELICIOUS baked fries. Seriously. They are so amazing, they put restaurant french fries to shame.
I prepped the fries by pre-heating my oven to 425 degrees (F) and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. I sliced 3 russet potatoes (red potatoes are even better!) about 1/4″ thick. The thickness is not super important, but it IS important that they are consistent–no matter what your thickness.


I laid the sliced potatoes out on the baking sheet and then drizzled them with olive oil and spices. Today I chose to sprinkle garlic powder, cumin, and turmeric. I mix everything together to disperse the flavor and then lay the fries back out again before throwing them in the over to bake.
This is where I prepared my homemade tartar sauce and then set it in the fridge to chill.
Battering The Fish
The gluten free Beer Batter Mix itself is made up of potato starch, malted amber rice, malted sweet rice, baking soda, and salt. I followed the recipe on the back of the mix, which instructed me to split the flour unevenly between two bowls, one “dry mix”, and one “wet” mix. I then added the Grapefruit IPA to the “wet” mix bowl and stirred until smooth.


Beer Batter Mix Instructions:
- Pour 1/2 cup gluten free beer batter mix into WET bowl. In a separate DRY bowl, pour in 1 1/2 cups Beer Batter Mix.
- Add 4-6 ounces of your favorite gluten free beer to the WET bowl.
- Stir beer batter mix and beer in WET bowl until it is thin and smooth.
- Dip meat, fish, or vegetables in DRY bowl until thoroughly coated with beer batter mix.
- Shake off excess dry mix.
- Dip meat, fish or vegetables in WET bowl until thoroughly coated with beer batter mix.
- Allow excess batter to drip off of meat/vegetables.
- Fry, several at a time, on each side for 2-5 minutes until golden brown. Don’t overcrowd pan.
- If more WET batter is needed, transfer a small amount of beer matter mix from the DRY bowl to the WET bowl and add enough beer until batter is thin and smooth once more.
- Serves approximately 4-6 people.
Note: This package came with enough batter for several servings, and since I only needed enough to feed myself, I halved the recipe in my preparations.



Here’s the thing. I do not have a fryer. So I will tell you right now that having one will make the frying step MUCH easier and likely more successful. I also did not have a deep pan to fill with oil, so I used a frying pan and instead of drowning the battered fish in oil, I let them sit in a puddle of it, and I moved the oil around the pan so that it would fry the sides of the fish too.


This worked…alright. But not awesome. I experienced a little too much sticking to the pan which resulted in thinly battered fish, versus heavily coated chunks. This is probably where you southerners are quietly shaking your head at me.
So I may have fallen a little short on my deep frying supplies and skills, but the final result was still delicious. The Beer Batter Mix from Gluten Free Home Brewing has great flavor. It is light and crispy, although a bit fragile (possibly due to my poor frying skills). I think the cod was a delicious choice, although it too wanted to fall apart very easily when devouring.


I am going to chalk this first attempt at Fish n’ Chips up to a SUCCESS! It sure tasted like a success…but I know I can improve in the areas of batter thickness and fish sturdiness (ha!) in the future.
I still have half the beer batter package left and am planning on giving it a second try with a different meat…or perhaps some vegetables this time. I am open to any and all advice on how to fry successfully without so much sticking. (with the kitchen supplies I already have)
By the way, I shared my experience making this dish via VIDEO on the Best Gluten Free Beers Instagram and Facebook page. The Instagram story has since expired, but you can still view the videos (there’s a Part 1 and Part 2) on the BGFB Facebook page. The live link will take you to the Part 1 video.

P.S. Like what I do for the gluten free beer community? Consider buying me a beer for my efforts! ;)
Yum!