One of the most common questions asked at Happy Harry’s is, “Do you have any Gluten Free Beer?” There are an increasing number of people who are finding out that they are gluten intolerant, have Celiac Disease or have decided to live a gluten free lifestyle. Here is a quick breakdown of some options for you to ponder:
GLUTEN FREE-BEER
Redbridge: Redbridge is a rich, full-bodied lager brewed from sorghum for a well-balanced, moderately hopped taste.
New Planet: New Planet Beer is brewed from 100% gluten-free ingredients, processed with care to avoid cross contamination, and tested regularly to be assured of compliance.
Omission: Handcrafted beers made from barley, hops, water and yeast, brewed using a proprietary process to remove gluten. Omission is not labeled as gluten free, but has undergone independent lab testing to prove that their finished product meets federal standards to be considered gluten free.
Burning Brothers: Brewed from start to finish with gluten free grains.
GLUTEN FREE-CIDERS
Ciders that are made from fermented apples and apple juice are gluten free. Be careful because there are some apple flavored beers out there that are malt based. (Redd’s Apple Ale is malt based.)
GLUTEN FREE-WINE
All “grape” wines including Port and Sherry are gluten free. There is a lot of discussion pertaining to whether or not wine is gluten free. Sometimes wine barrels are sealed with a flour paste before using and then thoroughly cleaned before they are filled. To be safe, I recommend checking the various winery websites or contacting the winery directly.
Otherwise, purchase wines that have not been aged in oak barrels such as Sauvignon Blanc, White Zinfandel, Riesling, Champagne or Unoaked Chardonnay.
Wine Coolers like Bartles and James are NOT GLUTEN FREE. They are malt based which means they are essentially flavored beer. Beverages like Mike’s Hard Lemonade and Smirnoff Ice are NOT Gluten Free because they are made with malt.
GLUTEN FREE-DISTILLED SPIRITS
Tequila: Any Tequila labeled “100% Agave” is gluten free since it is distilled from the Agave plant.
Rum: Rum is distilled from sugar cane and molasses.
Vodka: Vodkas that are distilled from potatoes or grapes are gluten free.
Chopin Potato Vodka
Glacier Potato Vodka
Spud Potato Vodka
Ciroc Grape Vodka
Brandy and Cognac: Brandy and Cognac are distilled from grapes and other fruits.
Note: There is some debate in regards to distilled spirits. Some research says that the distillation process removes all the gluten even from grain based products, while others have stated severe reactions from grain based spirits. All of the distilled products above are safe for people.
GLUTEN FREE-SAKE
Sake is brewed using rice, therefore it is gluten-free. Some less expensive Sake has a distilled grain spirit added before bottling, so always look for the word “Junmai” on the Sake bottle. Junmai means pure with no additional ingredients added.
Recent Comments