Is Beer Gluten Free? What Gluten Free Beer Drinkers Need to Know

Most standard beers are not gluten free. They're brewed from malted barley, wheat, or rye — all of which contain gluten — and unless the producer has specifically removed or avoided gluten-containing ingredients, the finished beer will contain gluten above safe levels for people with coeliac disease.

Does beer contain gluten?

Standard lager, ale, stout, and IPA are all typically brewed from malted barley, which contains gluten. The brewing process doesn't remove gluten — it may actually concentrate it in some cases. A pint of mainstream lager will typically contain 10–20 ppm of gluten (the legal threshold for 'gluten free' labelling in the UK and EU is 20 ppm or less). For people with coeliac disease or non-coeliac gluten sensitivity, mainstream beer is generally not safe.

How is gluten free beer made?

There are two approaches. The first uses naturally gluten free grains — rice, maize, millet, buckwheat, sorghum — in place of barley. The second uses barley but treats the finished beer with an enzyme (Brewers Clarex) that breaks down the gluten proteins to below detectable levels. Both methods can produce beers certified below 20 ppm.

Gluten free beers at DrinkWell

• → Lean Brew IPA — 99 kcal, 3g carbs, 4.5% ABV, gluten free, award-winning. DrinkWell's own-brand. From £17.99 for 12 cans.
• → Tennents Light Lager — 60 kcal, 0.7g carbs, 3.5% ABV, gluten free, vegan. £34.99 for 24 bottles.

Shop gluten free beer and wine

• → Gluten free beer collection
• → Gluten free wine collection — 200+ confirmed gluten free wines
• → Full low calorie beer range
• → Keto beers — under 3.5g carbs per can

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