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Gluten Free Beer FAQ, is corona beer gluten free

Common Questions About Gluten Free Beer

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gluten free beer brands 2023

Gluten free beer is a complicated topic. I’ve been writing about gluten free beer for nearly 8 years now. Throughout that time, I’ve noticed that certain questions get asked more than others. There is much misinformation in the market, and product labeling is not always ethical or transparent. It’s my hope that this FAQ Guide about GF beer will help demystify some of the common confusions surrounding the safety and quality of gluten free beer these days.

Gluten Free Beer FAQ

Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know About Gluten Free Beer

I have been gluten free since 2010. I started this blog in 2015 to address the lack of trustworthy and accurate information about gluten free beers. Over the years, I’ve created many online resources to help gluten free customers navigate mainstream supermarkets. Here are a few of those gluten free beer brands list and resources:

Below you will find a list of frequently asked questions about gluten free beer and where to buy it. Simply click on a question below to jump to the answer. There is a back to top button at the end of each answer for easeful navigation. If you find any common questions missing from this FAQ page, please comment them below. That way I can get you an answer, and add more common gluten free questions to this list. Cheers friends!

Gluten Free Beer FAQ, is corona beer gluten free

Gluten Free Beer FAQ List

Is beer gluten free?


Many people who suffer from gluten intolerance or celiac disease wonder if they can enjoy a cold beer without experiencing adverse reactions or becoming violently ill. The answer to this question is not straightforward. It depends on the brewing process and ingredients used in each beer.

Most beers are brewed with barley, wheat, or rye, which contain gluten. However, beers CAN be made with gluten-free ingredients like rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat (it’s gluten free!) corn, or sorghum. Alternative grains like the these are capable of making some truly delicious beer. This blog is an excellent resource for learning what makes a beer truly gluten free, and the difference between gluten free and gluten reduced beers. Back To Top

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein that is found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye. It is a common ingredient in many foods, particularly in baked goods like bread, beer and pastries. For many individuals, consuming gluten can cause adverse health effects due to conditions like Celiac Disease, gluten intolerance, or wheat allergy. To learn more about the gluten protein and how it can affect your health, please visit my article “What is Gluten? Understanding Gluten’s Impact on Health”. Back To Top

What is Celiac Disease?

Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease that is triggered by the detection of gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. For those with Celiac Disease, the ingestion of gluten leads to serious damage to the small intestine, specifically the villi, which are little finger-like projections that increase the surface area of the intestine for the absorption of digested food and nutrients. This damage to the intestinal villi creates an environment in which your body can not properly digest food. It’s estimated that 1% of people are affected by Celiac Disease. Unfortunately, it’s likely there are millions of Celiacs out there, unaware that they suffer from symptoms both small and large. Back To Top

What is Gluten Intolerance?

Gluten intolerance, also known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity, is a condition in which individuals experience adverse symptoms after consuming gluten. Individuals with a gluten intolerance often share many of the same symptoms as those with Celiac Disease, although without the autoimmune response that Celiacs will experience. Those with gluten intolerance often experience non-GI symptoms like joint pain and inflammation, headaches, brain fog, and numbness in the extremities. Theses symptoms are not always immediate, and sometime onset days after ingesting gluten. Back To Top

What is a wheat allergy?

A wheat allergy differs from Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance in that it is simply a body’s allergic reaction to a substance containing wheat. When your body’s immune system overreacts to something in its environment, it’s called an allergy. Allergies can be triggered from both internal and external exposure to the allergen. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. They may include hives, itching, swelling, difficulty breathing, and even anaphylaxis. Back To Top

What beer is gluten free?

There are a many gluten-free beers available for those who are sensitive to gluten. These beers are brewed with gluten-free ingredients such as quinoa, millet, buckwheat, gluten free oats, rice, sorghum, or corn. There are some companies that brew with gluten-containing ingredients and then add a clarity enzyme to the beer and call it “gluten free”. This is actually illegal in the USA, but is legal in the UK, making it important to note that the definition of “gluten free” is different in each country.

In the USA, in order to be considered gluten free, a beer must be brewed with 100% gluten free ingredients. In order for it to be dedicated gluten free, it must be brewed in a dedicated gluten free brewery. All beers brewed with gluten and then treated with an enzyme are considered gluten reduced in the USA. (Most often labeled as “crafted to remove gluten” on the can.) To learn more about the difference between gluten free beer, gluten reduced beer, and dedicated gluten free beer, please read my article Gluten Free Beer vs. Gluten Reduced Beer: Here’s The Deal. Back To Top

Is Corona beer gluten-free?

No Corona beer is NOT gluten free. Corona beer is brewed with water, barley malt, non-malted cereals, and hops. Barley malt is not gluten free. It is gluten full. This is one of the most commonly asked questions surrounding the topic of GF beer. I’m not sure if it’s because Corona’s marketing department is actively seeking to confuse consumers, or if it’s because people assume that the imported beer is made from corn.

Please allow me to set the record straight. Corona Extra is NOT gluten free. Corona Light is NOT gluten free. This applies specifically to their beer. You can read the full ingredient list for Corona beers here on their website. Corona recently began producing hard seltzers, and to the best of my knowledge, the seltzers are gluten free. Back To Top

Is Omission beer gluten free?

No, Omission beer is NOT gluten free. Omission beer is gluten reduced. Their beer is brewed with barley, wheat, hops, and yeast. The reason people think Omission is gluten free is because the company’s past marketing tactics have encouraged this misunderstanding. But if you look at the bottle closely, it says “crafted to remove gluten”. This is fancy language for gluten reduced. You can read the ingredients for Omission’s beers here on their website. Omission beer is not safe for Celiacs or for those with high levels of gluten intolerance. It can be a suitable alternative for someone with light gluten sensitivity, or for an individual who choses to be gluten free for lifestyle preferences. Back To Top

Is Redbridge beer really gluten-free?

Yes, Redbridge beer is really gluten free. It is brewed using sorghum alongside Hallertau and Cascade hops. This beer is made with completely gluten free ingredients. Redbridge is probably the most widely available gluten free beer in the United States, and that’s because it’s brewed and distributed by Anheuser-Busch. It can also be ordered online. Please visit the Where To Buy Gluten Free Beer Online page to locate an online distributor. Back To Top

Is there a truly gluten free beer?

Yes, there are two categories of truly gluten free beer. One is gluten free, and the second is dedicated gluten free. Gluten free beers include any beer that was brewed only with gluten free ingredients. (At least, in the USA!) Dedicated gluten free beers are beers that were brewed with 100% gluten free ingredients in facilities/breweries that are 100% dedicated gluten free. This means that no gluten is allowed on the premise, ever. Dedicated gluten free beers are the safest for those with Celiac Disease, because there is no shared equipment and no chance of cross-contamination.

To see a list of dedicated gluten free breweries making absolutely delicious gluten free beer that tastes good, visit my post Dedicated Gluten Free Breweries. These are the best gluten free beers for a Celiac, hands down. Back To Top

Is there a certified gluten free beer?

When you ask if there is a certified gluten free beer, I’m going to suggest that what you’re really asking is “Is there a guaranteed gluten free beer?” The reason for this, is there is no certifying body going around to make sure that gluten free beers brewed in facilities that also use gluten don’t contain contamination, or ensuring that their brewing processes are 100% safe for Celiacs.

However, the answer to your question is yes. You can be certain you are consuming a 100% gluten free beer by choosing to buy the beer produced from dedicated gluten free breweries. Here’s a list of dedicated gluten free breweries. There are also a few dedicated gluten free breweries in Australia, Canada, the UK, and New Zealand. Back To Top

What is gluten free beer made of?

Gluten-free beer is made using alternative grains that do not contain gluten. Instead of brewing beer with barley and wheat, gluten free beers are made with grains such as millet, rice, quinoa, gluten free oats, buckwheat (naturally GF!) sorghum, or corn. Gluten free beer is also commonly brewed with gluten free yeast, water, and different varieties of hops. Back To Top

What is the best gluten free beer?

This is a completely subjective answer to a completely subjective question. If you define the “best” as the safest for Celiacs and gluten intolerant people, then I would say the best gluten free beer is any one that was brewed in a dedicated gluten free brewery. Examples of dedicated GF breweries include Holidaily Brewing (Colorado), Aurochs Brewing (Pennsylvania), Ghostfish Brewing (Washington), and Ground Breaker Brewing (Oregon). All of these breweries have been around for many years and have brewed every style of beer you’ve ever loved! Including harder to find ones like gluten free stouts and pilsners.

If what you’re really asking is “What is the best gluten free lager” or “What is the best gluten free IPA?”, then I’ll happy give you some subjective opinions through my gluten free beer reviews! Back To Top

How do I know if my beer is gluten-free?

It is important to check the ingredients and make sure they do not include barley or wheat. If it is hard to determine gluten free status by looking at the label, then I recommend googling the beer’s ingredients. Source the information from the individual brewery’s website, where you should be able to find all product ingredients listed in their entirety. Corn, rice, millet, buckwheat, gluten free oats, and sorghum are all gluten free. Back To Top

How to make gluten free beer?

Are you a home brewer that wants to make their own gluten free beer at home? Over the years, I’ve teamed up with some master home brewers to create some delicious gluten free beers at home. I even documented the journey! The following resources will help you get started with home brewing gluten free:

Where to buy gluten free beer?

This is a complicated question because your access to gluten free beer will depend largely on what area of which country you live in. Many gluten free breweries are small operations with limited brewing capacities and distribution networks. Sometimes this makes it hard to source beer from breweries that are far away. Since Covid, many gluten free breweries have started to sell beer online, but they are often bound by state liquor laws telling them which states they are allowed to ship to. Back To Top

What kind of beer is gluten free?

Any style of beer can be brewed gluten free and safe for Celiacs. These days, even wheat beers have a gluten free alternative (often brewed with buckwheat, which is natural gluten free) that have striking similar mouthfeel and taste to a gluten-full wheat beer. (I recommend the Holidaily Brewing Buckwit Belgian or the Shrouded Summit Belgian White by Ghostfish)

But to continue on with my point, gluten free beer alternatives can be found for pale ales, IPA, stouts, porters, lagers, sour ales, pilsners, Belgian ales, pumpkin ales, gose ales, brown ales, red ales, blonde ales, and any other beer style you might crave. Back To Top

Where can I find gluten free beer near me?

The best way to find beer near you is to consult my gluten free beer brand lists in your respective country. This United States beer brands list identifies all the gluten free, dedicated gluten free, and gluten reduced breweries in the USA, and tells you which state they’re in. This is a good starting place for finding gluten free beers where you live. Here is a similar list for Canada beer brands, UK beer brands, and Australia beer brands. Back To Top

Where do I find a gluten free beer that tastes good?

I’m going to take this question at face value and give you a list of breweries that brew gluten free beer that tastes good! Scratch that…they brew gluten free beer that tastes GREAT! Here’s a few to look out for: Back To Top

  • Aurochs Brewing (Pennsylvania)
  • Departed Soles Brewing (New Jersey)
  • Ghostfish Brewing (Washington)
  • Ground Breaker Brewing (Oregon)
  • Buck Wild Brewing (California)
  • Divine Science Brewing (California)
  • Holidaily Brewing (Colorado)
  • Burning Brothers Brewing (Minnesota)
  • Neff Brewing (Oklahoma)
  • Glutenberg (Canada)

Is root beer gluten free?


Root beer is typically gluten-free, but it is always important to check the ingredients list before consuming any brand, especially if you have Celiac Disease. Traditional root beer is made with sassafras root, along with other flavorings like vanilla, wintergreen, and molasses. These ingredients do not naturally contain gluten, so root beer is generally considered safe for those with Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance.

However, some commercial root beers may contain additional ingredients like barley malt or wheat, and both of those things contain gluten. It’s also important to note that some small-batch or artisanal root beers may contain unlisted ingredients, so it’s always a good idea to contact the manufacturer or check their website for more information before consuming. Back To Top

Is ginger beer gluten free?

Yes, ginger beer is typically gluten-free, but it’s very important to check the full ingredients list before consuming any ginger beer brand. Most ginger beers are made using ginger root, sugar, water, and sometimes lemon juice or other flavorings. These ingredients do not typically contain gluten, so ginger beer is generally considered safe for those with Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance. If you’re looking for a list of hard ginger beer brands, here is a collection of (alcohol-containing) ginger beer reviews I’ve posted on this blog in the past.

It is important to note that some commercial ginger beers may contain additional ingredients that are not gluten free, such as wheat or barley. Some small-batch or artisanal ginger beers may contain unlisted ingredients, so it’s always a good idea to contact the manufacturer or check their website for more information before consuming. Back To Top

Where can I find a gluten free beer list?

Lucky for you, this blog was made to provide you with gluten free beer lists, crafted by a fellow beer lover (that’s me!) to help you find the best tasting gluten free beers where you live. Here is a collection of gluten free beer lists to get you started: Back To Top

Can you think of a common question I haven’t answered? Please comment it below!

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

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