Ask any beer lover, and they will vouch for the drink’s bitter, malty taste. But one brand thought of stepping up the beer game – by adding a fruity flavor. Thus, the world was blessed with Redd’s Hard Apple, a unique apple-flavored ale. But is Redd’s apple ale gluten free?
Unfortunately for beer lovers with gluten allergy or celiac disease, Redd’s apple ale is not gluten free. This apple ale contains barley malt. Thus, it is loaded with gluten content due to its main ingredient. Its other ingredients may have gluten, too.
Many people mistake Redd’s apple ale for hard cider because of the apple flavor. Since hard ciders are almost always naturally gluten free, it’s normal to think Redd’s apple ale is free from gluten. So then, what’s Redd’s apple ale? Is there a gluten free apple-based drink? Let’s find out!
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Is Redd’s Apple Ale Gluten Free?
The critical ingredient of Redd’s apple ale is fermented and malted barley – just like other beer varieties. Barley is one of the major sources of gluten, a kind of plant protein that naturally occurs in grains like barley, wheat, and rye. So clearly, like all other traditional brews, Redd’s contains gluten.
Thus, this beer’s key ingredient is gluten-rich barley malt. While it has a rich apple taste, the flavor doesn’t come from fermenting the fruit but from natural flavoring agents added to the beer. It’s possible that besides the gluten-containing barley malt, the flavoring agents have gluten.
The brand does not explain the gluten content in any of the other ingredients. However, Redd’s makes it clear on its official website that the Hard Apple is an ale, a type of beer that comes from gluten grains. Hence, this apple-flavored beer is not free from gluten and can trigger allergic reactions.
Apart from the two main ingredients, other possible gluten-containing ingredients in Redd’s Hard Apple include brewer’s yeast. This ingredient is usually the byproduct of the beer brewing process that involves gluten-rich barley grains. So, it is another potential contributor to this ale’s gluten content.
There are other ingredients in the beer, about which you will read a little later. They’re naturally gluten free. But there’s a chance that they have trace gluten due to cross-contamination during manufacturing, processing, and packing. Thus, these ingredients can also add gluten to the beer.
While there are many beer brands that now offer gluten
free or gluten-removed beer options, Redd’s Hard Apple is not one of those options. So if you love fruity beer but have gluten allergy or celiac disease, this apple ale is certainly not right for you and can make you fall sick.
Because of its taste, you may confuse it with hard ciders. But remember that Redd’s apple ale is a beer and not an apple cider as it is made from grains and not fruits. Hence, unlike fruit-based alcoholic drinks, this apple ale contains gluten from grains – and possibly other additives.
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What is Redd’s Apple Ale?
Anyone who has ever tasted Redd’s apple ale instantly falls in love with this beverage because of its rich and crisp apple undertones. Redd’s Hard Apple is an ale, which is a type of beer. What sets it apart is its incredible fruitiness. It has a range of four flavors with a dominant apple taste.
This alcoholic brew is an apple-flavored golden ale derived from fermented and malted barley. Unlike hard cider made from fermented apples, this drink is slightly bitter and malty. As a beer connoisseur, you’ll love the clean and crisp finish of this beverage and the natural apple taste.
This ale range includes three other flavors – peach, black cherry, and strawberry, each of which has a discernible hint of apple. But the plain apple flavor is the most famous. This refreshing beer is a product of REDD’S Brewing Company, located in Wisconsin’s most populous city, Milwaukee.
This company is a subsidiary of Molson Coors – and the beer is now available all over the US. You can find it on draught at all the well-known bars in the nation, including Knickers Bar & Grill, the 19th hole of the luxurious Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club in Florida.
Is Redd’s Apple Ale Healthy?
If you’re a health-conscious person who counts their calories, Redd’s Hard Apple may not be the right beverage for you. After all, it is a beer – and, therefore, quite a high-calorie drink. Plus, it has many ingredients that may not be ideal for your health if you want to drink it regularly.
Redd’s Apple Ale Ingredients
According to the official site of Redd’s, this apple-flavored ale contains the following ingredients:
- Malted Barley
- Brewer’s Yeast
- Natural Flavor
- Hop Extract
- Caramel Color
- Citric Acid
- Potassium Sorbate
- Sodium Benzoate
- Sucrose
- Water
- Dextrose (Corn Syrup) – only during processing
Redd’s Apple Ale Nutritional Facts
Redd’s apple ale is a high-calorie drink with 165 calories in every 12 oz serving of the beer. It contains the following –
- Carbohydrates – 17.1 g
- Fat – 0 g
- Protein – Less than 1 g
- Alcohol by Volume – 5%
Judging by the above metrics, it can be said that Redd’s apple ale is not one of the healthiest alcoholic beverages. While, as a beer, it does contain a few micronutrients, we suggest that you obtain them from a healthier source instead of choosing this high-calorie, high-carb drink.
What is Apple Ale? How is Apple Ale Different from Cider?
To understand apple ales, you must first know what ale is. In simple words, ale is a beer type brewed from malted barley using warm fermentation. It’s an aromatic drink with complex flavors, a full-bodied taste, and a distinct hint of sweetness. An apple ale is simply an ale with an apple flavor.
There are two beer variants – lager and ale. It is the temperature at which the fermentation process takes place that sets the two apart. While lager is fermented at lower temperatures, ale is fermented at a warm temperature. So an apple-flavored ale is also fermented at a higher temperature.
You confuse apple ales with hard ciders – but they’re entirely different. Even though both have a prominent apple taste, the two differ from each other in terms of their ingredients and compositions. While apple ale is a beer made from grains, hard cider comes from fermented apples.
Apple ale tastes like apple because of the flavoring agent and is a brew made of grains and yeast. On the other hand, hard cider is made by fermenting apples, much like wine. It can contain any type of apple. Thus, the taste of apple doesn’t come from additives but from the fruit itself!
So, when you go drinking with your buddies, and someone suggests that Redd’s apple ale is safe because it is a gluten-free hard cider – you’ll know that they are confused. In fact, the manufacturer of what GQ called a beer for bros makes no qualms about being a beer with an apple flavor.
This apple ale comes in four different fruity flavor variants – and in all of them, the clean apple finish is a constant. However, none of these ales contain real apples or any of the other fruits, and their fruitiness comes from flavoring agents added to the beverage for the crisp sweetness.
Top 3 Gluten Free Alternatives to Redd’s Apple Ale
It is evident that Redd’s Apple Ale is an unsafe choice for anyone with celiac disease or gluten allergy. In fact, most brands of apple-flavored malt-based drinks are also unsafe for you. So, as an alternative, you can choose hard cider with no gluten content.
Take a look at our top three recommendations for gluten free alternatives to Redd’s apple ale.
- Strongbow Gold Apple – This apple cider has a complex flavor profile from various apples. Its site makes it clear that it is gluten free, and the product bears the GF symbol.
- Angry Orchard Hard Cider – An apple cider with the combined deliciousness of three apples and the aroma of green apples, this drink has naturally gluten free ingredients.
- Stella Artois Cidre – This hard cider offers a combination of three different apple flavors. This sweet, effervescent drink is gluten free, as marked on the bottle and the website.
Final Words
Just like any traditionally brewed malt-based beer, Redd’s apple ale is not gluten
free. So drinking this beer can lead to health problems. We suggest shifting to apple cider instead of having beer. This will ensure that you can enjoy the real taste of apples – without allergic reactions.
