Be it a match day or a warm day on the beach, you can never go wrong with some chilled beer. It is one of the most widely consumed alcoholic beverages. In fact, after tea and water, it is the third most popular drink! You can find it in a can, a bottle, and even in a cask (draught beer)!
Heineken is one of the most globally recognized beer brands. But is Heineken gluten free?
Heineken is brewed from barley, hence it is not really gluten free. It might contain lesser amounts of gluten, when compared to other brands. But this does not rule out the fact that the gluten content is not nil as well.
Most beer brands contain gluten. And so does Heineken. In this article, we will tell you more about this brand by breaking down the facts. Keep reading and enjoy!
A man who lies about beer makes enemies.
Stephen King
Table of Contents
Is Heineken Gluten Free?
We will be brutally honest while saying that Heineken beer is not gluten free. Heineken brews its beer from barley which contains gluten. It prevents this beer from being gluten free.
The makers have said,
“Brewing beer with barley leaves only traces of gluten in the beer, while wheat contributes considerably more. The brewing process can also affect gluten content. Generally speaking, the clearer and blonder the beer is, the less gluten it contains.”
Being a pale lager beer, Heineken might contain less gluten (below the 20ppm) than other beers. But, this does not change the fact that it does contain gluten. If you are mildly allergic to gluten, this beer might not cause many issues. But it is always better to be safe than sorry!
Related Post:- Is Creme Brulee Gluten Free?
Heineken Lager Beer History
To begin with, let’s first know the history of this brand- Heineken Lager Beer. Heineken N.V. is the Dutch brewing company that produces this beer. Gerard Adriaan Heineken, in 1864, bought a brewery in the city of Amsterdam.
In 1869, bottom-fermenting yeast was being used to produce this beer. In 1886, Dr. H. Elion developed “Heineken A-yeast,” which is still used today! By 2007 or 2008, it had become one of the most consumed beer brands. It has an alcohol content of about 5%.
In 2014, Heineken became the official beer of MLS. Since 1994, it has also been a sponsor of the UEFA Champions League. In 2017, they even produced their first non-alcoholic beer and named it “Heineken 0.0.” It has a 0.05% alcohol content.
Are Beers Gluten Free?
You might be wondering now if it is just Heineken, which contains gluten, or is it the case for most beers? To answer this, we can say that almost all beers contain gluten. Most beers are brewed from grains like barley and wheat. Hence, there is no denying the fact that most beers have gluten in them.
We have been brewing beer for a long time, but the brewing process has not evolved much. We can find references to beer parlors in the “Code of Hammurabi.” You can also find a prayer to Ninkasi, the goddess of beer, in this code. Now, you know how significant the usage of beer has been for ages!
Unlike many other alcoholic beverages, in the case of beer, the gluten does not get distilled out. But does that mean that gluten-sensitive people cannot consume beer? The short answer to this is NO! We do have gluten free beer brands in the market. We will go through that list in a while!
Also, different types of beer have different gluten levels in them.
- Lager: 63 ppm
- Stout: 361 ppm
- Ales: 3,120 ppm
- Wheat beer: 25,920 ppm
Hence, wheat beer contains the most gluten. But, the gluten amounts vary.
Can You Test Beer For Gluten?
Also, you cannot be very sure of the results after testing beer for gluten. The main reason behind this problem is that fermentation breaks down gluten. This test can identify gluten that is still intact. Hence, the test can often give false results! There is no full-proof way to measure the amount of gluten in beer!
People who are gluten sensitive or are on a gluten free diet should avoid beers brewed in conventional methods. They should instead prefer gluten free beers!
Let’s go through the list below!
Gluten Free Beer Brands:
Gluten free beer does not contain barley or wheat. It instead is brewed from grains that are gluten free themselves. These grains include rice, gluten free oats, millets, sorghum, quinoa, maize, etc.
You can find plenty of gluten free options of beer in the market. Some of the most easily-available ones are:
- Daura Damm Gluten Free Beer: It is a gluten free, smooth beer. Daura Damm is a Spanish lager beer. It has a mildly hopped finish and gives more of a thirst-quenching feeling. The alcohol content is 5.4% in this gluten free beer.
- Green’s Amber Ale: Green’s beer has always been a preferable choice for those who do not want to consume gluten. Amber Ale is one of the best beers that they have. It has about 6% alcohol content. The grains used in this beer are sorghum, millet, brown rice, and brown rice.
- Celia Saison from Ipswich Ale Brewery: This beer has 6.5% alcohol and originates from Massachusetts, United States. The primary ingredient in this beer is sorghum (gluten free). It has a spicy and citrusy flavor (due to orange peels).
- Prairie Path Golden Ale from Two Brothers Brewing Company: This beer is straw yellow in color and has an alcohol content of 5.1%. It is bitter and has a full flavor. You can pair it with chicken, salmon, lemon tarts, and mandarin cake. It is a gluten-reduced beer.
We also have Stone Delicious IPA (gluten-reduced), Omission Lager, Glutenberg IPA, and Neumarkter Lammsbräu Glutenfrei Pure Lager.
In some beers, gluten is present during the brewing process. It is later removed, but some fragments might just get left behind. Some beers are also categorized as gluten-reduced beers. Thus, it is better to check for the labels.
Gluten Free Alcoholic Drinks
Most alcoholic beverages are gluten free, even if they use materials containing gluten. It is because the distillation process removes all the gluten. On the other hand, beer is not distilled. Hence, traditional beer has gluten, and celiacs should avoid it.
According to the “Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau” of the USA,
“Distilled alcohol, even when made with a gluten-containing grain, can be labeled gluten free.”
Liquors like whiskey, tequila, rum, scotch, absinthe, cognac, vodka, brandy, and gin are gluten free once the distillation process finishes. Most wines are gluten free in their natural state.
Conclusion:
We can conclude by saying that conventional beer has gluten. But now you know about gluten free options. So, you can still enjoy chilled beer without any worries.
You have got options of both gluten free and gluten-reduced beers. Don’t forget to check the label before buying them. The gluten free options do not contain grains like wheat, rye, and barley.
So, what are you waiting for! Grab a chilled bottle of beer without any hesitation and enjoy!
