With the rise of gluten intolerance and celiac disease worldwide, beer masters and craft brewers around the world have decided the beer industry needs to produce delicious and tasty gluten-free beer options. In a world where most people who couldn't ingest gluten were limited to drinking wine, a restricted list of spirits, and cider, they now have the option to not only drink gluten-free beer, but drink really good gluten-free beer.
In the United States, mega-industry players like Anheuser-Busch are filling the void with one of the first gluten-free beers to make it into bars and onto supermarket shelves with its gluten-free RedBridge. It happens to be the top-selling gluten-free beer on the market and arguably the most available gluten-free beer at a variety of bars throughout the country.
Other countries like Belgium (who just happen to know a thing or two about beer) are making delicious, gluten-free beers like Green's which is finding its way onto many bar and restaurant's specialty beer lists. In Spain, Estrella Damm Daura is picking up beer tasting awards left and right when it comes to its high quality taste. In fact, many Estrella Damm drinkers (who remember what wheat and barley filled beer tastes like) think it most resembles regular beer.
Smaller home-grown breweries like Harvester Brewing Company in Portland, Ore. are also crafting gluten-free beer to cater to the growing demand. Harvester primarily crafts its beer from certified gluten-free oats and chestnuts. Omission is another beer gaining in notoriety for its lager, IPA and pale ale varieties.
The Daily Meal's Top 10 gluten-free beers show a range of international novelties from Spain to Belgium and back to the United States while ranking them based on flavor, popularity amongst the gluten-free community, availability in the marketplace, and dedication to using gluten-free ingredients.
These beers are merely suggestions and some may not be approved by the TTB ruling. Please consult with a physician regarding your choices before trying one of the following beers, depending on your gluten sensitivity and severity.
#5) Brunehaut
Brunehaut makes several gluten-free varietals including Brunehaut Bio Blonde gluten-free that also happens to be organic and vegan to boot, as is the Brunehaut Amber Ale. These beers are brewed with gluten and then “de-glutenized” during the brewing process, according to its website.
Photo Credit: BrunehautClick Here to see More of The Best Gluten-Free Beers#4) Omission
Omission has a tasty line of three craft beers (lager, IPA, and pale ale) brewed with traditional beer ingredients, and specially crafted to remove gluten. The pale ale is bold and hoppy, containing a floral aroma and delicious caramel malt body. The lager is brewed in a traditional lager fashion and the IPA has notable pine, citrus, and grapefruit aromas and flavors. Photo Credit: Omission Beer
#3) New Planet
The New Planet Beer Company based in Colorado is dedicated to making delicious, gluten-free beer while donating a portion of its profits to environmental efforts. But the planet aside, this line of beer is taking off in the gluten-free community. It offers pale ale, amber ale, blond ale, raspberry ale, Belgian ale, and brown ale. Its pale ale has bold hop flavors coupled with rich caramel, grapefruit notes, and a hoppy finish.
Photo Credit: New PlanetClick Here to see more of The Best Gluten-Free Beers#2) Green’s
If anyone knows their beer, it’s the folks in Belgium. Green’s produces nine different gluten-free beers that range from golden ale to IPA to amber. They are currently being brewed by the best of Belgian craft brewers and have the European accreditation of being gluten-free. Green’s Endeavour is quite popular in the gluten-free community for its double dark beer. Photo Credit: GreensGlutenFreeBeer
1. Estrella Damm Daura
This Spanish gluten-free beer varietal is picking up awards left and right when it comes to its amazing taste. Most recently, the beer won the Superior Taste Award of the International Taste & Quality Institute of Brussels for its third consecutive year. It is the first beer in Spain to guarantee a gluten content below three ppm (products with a gluten content below 20 ppm are suitable for people with celiac disease), according to its website.
Photo Credit: Estrella Damm Click Here to see more of The Best Gluten-Free Beers-- Kristen Oliveri, The Daily Meal
More Content from The Daily Meal:
