New Belgium's Glütiny Ale Shows a New Way to Do "Gluten-free"

Not exactly a new process. I believe Omission has been doing this for quite a while now.

It is ironic that celiac.com is promoting gluten-reduced beers since they are not recommended for those with celiac disease.

Jefferson, thank you for your ongoing coverage of topics in celiac disease. Please consider correcting significant factual errors in this article that give the erroneous impression that gluten-reduced beer is accepted as safe for people with celiac disease to consume. Gluten-reduced beer manufactured like Glutiny Ale is not new; it has been on the market since 2012, when Omission was introduced by Craft Brew Alliance. The federal government does not allow gluten-reduced beer to be labeled gluten-free because the gluten content cannot be verified. The primary test brewers use to measure the gluten level, the R5 Competitive ELISA, is not scientifically validated for this type of use; it is defeated by the enzyme used to degrade the gluten. Further, results from mass spectrometry, another test cited by gluten-reduced beer manufacturers with respect to the gluten level of their products, are not considered useful or valid until they are published in a peer-reviewed journal. Brewers have had years to do so and the results have not been published. When brewers post the unvalidated test results on their websites, send them to journalists and print them on packaging, it creates confusion for consumers and the media. Please note that beers brewed with traditional ingredients like barley are not regulated by FDA, but by TTB, which harmonizes its gluten-free rule with FDA. In 2013 the FDA explicitly rejected Craft Brew Alliance's bid to change the gluten-free rule to accommodate its gluten-reduced product. The TTB subsequently also ruled that barley-based gluten-reduced beer cannot be labeled gluten-free. Scientists and doctors recommend that people with celiac disease avoid gluten-reduced beer until the gluten content can be determined. The position of the federal government and celiac experts is backed by rigorous science. True gluten-free beer made from gluten-free ingredients is still the safe choice for people with celiac disease.

Jefferson, thank you for your ongoing coverage of topics in celiac disease. Please consider correcting significant factual errors in this article that give the erroneous impression that gluten-reduced beer is accepted as safe for people with celiac disease to consume. Gluten-reduced beer manufactured like Glutiny Ale is not new; it has been on the market since 2012, when Omission was introduced by Craft Brew Alliance. The federal government does not allow gluten-reduced beer to be labeled gluten-free because the gluten content cannot be verified. The primary test brewers use to measure the gluten level, the R5 Competitive ELISA, is not scientifically validated for this type of use; it is defeated by the enzyme used to degrade the gluten. Further, results from mass spectrometry, another test cited by gluten-reduced beer manufacturers with respect to the gluten level of their products, are not considered useful or valid until they are published in a peer-reviewed journal. Brewers have had years to do so and the results have not been published. When brewers post the unvalidated test results on their websites, send them to journalists and print them on packaging, it creates confusion for consumers and the media. Please note that beers brewed with traditional ingredients like barley are not regulated by FDA, but by TTB, which harmonizes its gluten-free rule with FDA. In 2013 the FDA explicitly rejected Craft Brew Alliance's bid to change the gluten-free rule to accommodate its gluten-reduced product. The TTB subsequently also ruled that barley-based gluten-reduced beer cannot be labeled gluten-free. Scientists and doctors recommend that people with celiac disease avoid gluten-reduced beer until the gluten content can be determined. The position of the federal government and celiac experts is backed by rigorous science. True gluten-free beer made from gluten-free ingredients is still the safe choice for people with celiac disease.

You are mistaken Jennifer, the R5 Competitive ELISA is the standard for detecting hydrolyzed gluten. Further, mass spectrometry has been a gold standard in detecting and analyzing peptides for well over 50 years, and would be considered the gold standard in analyzing beers for specific peptides: "A mass spectrum is a plot of the ion signal as a function of the mass-to-charge ratio. These spectra are used to determine the elemental or isotopic signature of a sample, the masses of particles and of molecules, and to elucidate the chemical structures of molecules, such as peptides and other chemical compounds." Further, it is not up to beer manufacturers to validate mass spectrometry or other accepted scientific tests to prove their beer is gluten-free. They have used the proper tests, which are accepted by the scientific community, and those tests show that their beers are gluten-free.

It is ironic that celiac.com is promoting gluten-reduced beers since they are not recommended for those with celiac disease.

Celiac.com reports news related to celiac disease and the gluten-free diet...we are not promoting this any more than any other news that we report. We have no financial connection with this company, and all of our advertising is disclosed as advertising.

What about the other so-called gluten free beverages like gluten free hard ciders ie: apple, cherry, mango and the rest. I blame myself for this but I consumed 2 bottles of gluten-free cider on Super Bowl 50. Within an hour I was vomiting copious amounts and missed the last 5 minutes of the game. The labels were double checked and they said gluten free. I am extremely allergic to gluten and take very great care on what I eat and drink. I have to wonder just how stringent testing is done on gluten-free hard ciders. I have put hard on my do not consume list for now!!!!!

If I was limited to beers brewed with non-gluten ingredients I would just quit beer altogether.

Omission, on the other hand, is as good as regular beer. I expect New Belgium Glutiny Pale Ale to be similar to Omission Pale Ale. I will be on the look out for it.

I won't drink the gluten reduced beers until a definitive source declares them safe. The sorghum based beers are uniformly awful! But... I recently found the beers made by Glutenberg and they are pretty good. They are made from millet, not sorghum, and taste very much like barley beers.

Jefferson, thank you for your ongoing coverage of topics in celiac disease. Please consider correcting significant factual errors in this article that give the erroneous impression that gluten-reduced beer is accepted as safe for people with celiac disease to consume. Gluten-reduced beer manufactured like Glutiny Ale is not new; it has been on the market since 2012, when Omission was introduced by Craft Brew Alliance. The federal government does not allow gluten-reduced beer to be labeled gluten-free because the gluten content cannot be verified. The primary test brewers use to measure the gluten level, the R5 Competitive ELISA, is not scientifically validated for this type of use; it is defeated by the enzyme used to degrade the gluten. Further, results from mass spectrometry, another test cited by gluten-reduced beer manufacturers with respect to the gluten level of their products, are not considered useful or valid until they are published in a peer-reviewed journal. Brewers have had years to do so and the results have not been published. When brewers post the unvalidated test results on their websites, send them to journalists and print them on packaging, it creates confusion for consumers and the media. Please note that beers brewed with traditional ingredients like barley are not regulated by FDA, but by TTB, which harmonizes its gluten-free rule with FDA. In 2013 the FDA explicitly rejected Craft Brew Alliance's bid to change the gluten-free rule to accommodate its gluten-reduced product. The TTB subsequently also ruled that barley-based gluten-reduced beer cannot be labeled gluten-free. Scientists and doctors recommend that people with celiac disease avoid gluten-reduced beer until the gluten content can be determined. The position of the federal government and celiac experts is backed by rigorous science. True gluten-free beer made from gluten-free ingredients is still the safe choice for people with celiac disease.

A very complicated, technical post but helpful. Does anyone know if Budweiser's Redbridge is gluten-free? I tried Glutiny and thought it was terrible. I must have forgotten what 'real' beer tastes like after all these years. Again, thanks for the post.

What about the other so-called gluten free beverages like gluten free hard ciders ie: apple, cherry, mango and the rest. I blame myself for this but I consumed 2 bottles of gluten-free cider on Super Bowl 50. Within an hour I was vomiting copious amounts and missed the last 5 minutes of the game. The labels were double checked and they said gluten free. I am extremely allergic to gluten and take very great care on what I eat and drink. I have to wonder just how stringent testing is done on gluten-free hard ciders. I have put hard on my do not consume list for now!!!!!

It would be a very poor cider brewer that added anything containing gluten to the brew. It's apples, yeast and maybe some sugar. It's more likely either:

A) tummy bug

something you ate.

You are mistaken Jennifer, the R5 Competitive ELISA is the standard for detecting hydrolyzed gluten. Further, mass spectrometry has been a gold standard in detecting and analyzing peptides for well over 50 years, and would be considered the gold standard in analyzing beers for specific peptides: "A mass spectrum is a plot of the ion signal as a function of the mass-to-charge ratio. These spectra are used to determine the elemental or isotopic signature of a sample, the masses of particles and of molecules, and to elucidate the chemical structures of molecules, such as peptides and other chemical compounds." Further, it is not up to beer manufacturers to validate mass spectrometry or other accepted scientific tests to prove their beer is gluten-free. They have used the proper tests, which are accepted by the scientific community, and those tests show that their beers are gluten-free.

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0056452

Might want to check this out

A very complicated, technical post but helpful. Does anyone know if Budweiser's Redbridge is gluten-free? I tried Glutiny and thought it was terrible. I must have forgotten what 'real' beer tastes like after all these years. Again, thanks for the post.

Redbridge is labeled as gluten free and is gluten free. From their website: "We select only the highest quality ingredients and take every measure to ensure the beer contains no wheat or barley. How is that possible? Simple. Redbridge is made from sorghum, a safe grain for those allergic to wheat or gluten, and no blending or mixing of the ingredients takes place in order to preserve its purity. We then apply the true art of brewing – from the brewhouse process through fermentation and aging – to give Redbridge its hand crafted quality and specialty beer taste."