Big Drop Thoughts: how are our beers gluten free?
Beer is made from grain, and grain contains gluten. Brewing to 0.5% means starting with a lot less of it.
The gluten-free question pops up in our inboxes a lot — and for a very good reason.
Beer is traditionally made using water, hops, yeast and barley: a grain that contains gluten.
People with gluten intolerances, including coeliac disease, should avoid gluten, as it can damage the lining of the small intestine and prevent it from absorbing nutrients.
Since 2012, food and drink manufacturers have had to comply with laws which stipulate that a “gluten free” label can only be used on products containing less than 20 parts per million of gluten. This is also the level considered safe by Coeliac UK.
In our brewing process we use over twenty speciality grains to give our beer extra body and flavour, including barley, rye, wheat and oats. However, thanks to our top-secret brewing techniques, the gluten level is reduced to a certified safe level.
One of the reasons we can brew our beers naturally to 0.5% ABV, without removing the alcohol afterwards, is that we use a lot less grain in our recipes than other beers do. So there’s simply a lot less grain to start with.
Most of our beers are gluten free and therefore coeliac safe, at under 20 parts per million. Please check the relevant packaging to confirm — each can states its own dietary status, and every beer page here carries the full ingredient list with allergens in bold, exactly as they appear on the label.
We are committed to producing an amazing variety of beers for everyone to enjoy, no matter what their circumstance.