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Celiac.com 03/04/2023 - Being diagnosed as a celiac is always a bittersweet moment. On one hand, we are relieved to finally be able to point to the cause of our long-winded illness. On the other hand, we are inundated (or not) with information about the foods that we can no longer eat. For many of us finding out that we can no longer drink beer is quite a shock. Granted, good gluten-free bread seems to top the list of the most requested gluten-free products, and there are now satisfactory substitutes. When it comes to beer, however, there are no substitutes. Yes, we can drink wine and some other alcoholic beverages, but beer has always had a place in the hearts of the millions. Can you really drink a glass of wine while watching a ballgame or eating a pizza? We think not. The key to brewing gluten-free beer is to understand why barley is deemed to be the perfect brewing grain and used as a base ingredient in almost every commercial beer on the world market. Since brewing beer is heavily based upon the principles of chemistry, determining alternative techniques and ingredients is very difficult, though not impossible. As diagnosed celiacs, we felt that by studying the chemical principles of malting and brewing, we could find a suitable gluten-free ingredient mix and brewing process that would result in high quality gluten-free beers. We also feel that using natural ingredients is critical to the beer’s quality, and we would not want to use any processed ingredients even if it meant lower costs. After several years of testing alternative grains and recipes, we were finally able to prove our hypothesis correct—high quality gluten free beer is not only a possibility—but is now a reality! As part of our venture, we feel that it is also important to educate celiacs and non-celiacs about the issues of gluten and alcohol, obviously concentrating on beer. There have been claims by several companies that their beer is safe for celiacs. We have been unable to confirm or refute these claims— but we do know is this: lagers are deemed to have less gluten than ales, with the lighter lagers (such as pilsners) containing the least amount of gluten. Unfortunately, the global medical and scientific communities do not agree on a safe lower limit of gluten that people with celiac disease can ingest on a regular basis. Another area of controversy is based upon the lack of published research on the gluten sub-components known as peptides and their involvement in celiac disease. While most, though not all, gluten proteins are broken into the smaller peptides during the brewing process, it is unclear whether the remaining peptides are problematic for celiacs. More research is needed in this area before being able to recommend barley-based beers to celiacs. After strong showings at The Gluten Free Living Conference of our Pale Ale and at the Celiac Sprue Association Conference of our Blonde Ale, we are extremely confident that commercial production will begin early in 2003. We have received a lot of e-mail inquiring about our beer and expressing the desire to get some as soon as possible. We are working as hard and fast as possible to make this a reality for all beer-drinking celiacs.

Celiac.com 09/15/2022 - Among the many questions we get about products, we've recently seen a bunch of questions about yeast. Is yeast gluten-free and safe for people with celiac disease? Is Yeast Gluten-Free? Yeast is a fungus that grows in nature, and is used to make many different kinds of foods and beverages. Because yeast is often used to make bread, many people with celiac disease wonder if yeast is gluten-free, and safe for them to eat. The short answer is that nearly all types of yeast are gluten-free, however, there are some exceptions. So, can people with celiac disease eat bread made with yeast? Gluten-free bread made with baker’s yeast is safe for people with celiac disease. Many gluten-free breads are made with yeast, and are safe for people with celiac disease to eat. Again, most yeast is gluten-free, but some kinds of yeast do contain gluten. Yeasts that are Gluten-Free and Safe for People with Celiac Disease: Active Dry Yeast Active dry yeast is gluten-free. Baker's yeast Baker’s yeast is commonly used in breads. Active dry yeast and instant yeast are types of baker’s yeast. Baker's yeast is gluten-free. Instant Yeast Most active yeast needs to be dissolved in water, then added to baking ingredients. Instant yeast is similar to active yeast, but is added directly to dry baking ingredients, without needing to be dissolved in water. Instant yeast is gluten-free. Nutritional Yeast Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast, often a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and is gluten-free. Torula Yeast (msg) Torula yeast is gluten-free. Yeast (except brewer's yeast) Most yeasts, except Brewer's yeast, are gluten-free. Yeast Food (msg) Yeast Nutrient (msg) Unsafe Yeasts that Contain Gluten: Brewer’s Yeast Brewer’s yeast, also called saccharomyces cerevisiae, is not gluten-free unless specified on the product label. Most brewer’s yeast is a byproduct of the beer brewing process and contains gluten from the barley used to make beer. There are some brands of brewer’s yeast created using sugar beets and are gluten-free. You should not use brewer’s yeast unless it is labeled gluten-free. Autolyzed Yeast Extract / Yeast Extract Yeast Extract - Autolyzed yeast extract is used primarily as a flavor enhancer in a variety of processed foods such as soups, meats and vegetarian "meats." While not technically yeast, yeast extract and autolyzed yeast extract may contain gluten from barley. Since manufacturers are not required to disclose the source of yeast extract on the label, it's safe to assume that most autolyzed yeast contains gluten, even in small amounts. Regarding Marmite, a spread that are made from autolyzed yeast extract, Wikipedia says "In the case of yeast autolysate, however, the yeast proteases are able to degrade most of the gluten. For example, Marmite contains around 30 part per million gluten according to third-party testing, meeting the EU "very low gluten" limit but not the "gluten free" definition. Uniliver reports that no cases of gluten-related reactions have been reported for Marmite." Vegemite, a similar product from Australia, makes a gluten-free version.

Celiac.com 09/01/2021 - Wondering what beers are NOT gluten-free and unsafe for people with celiac disease? We get a lot of questions from celiac community members wondering if certain products are gluten-free. One question we see a lot is about beers. Specifically, what beers are NOT gluten-free and unsafe for people with celiac disease? The short answer is that nearly every commercially available beer on the market is made with barley, which contains gluten, so unless special enzymes and filtering are used during the brewing process to render them gluten-free, would not be gluten-free. We've written about gluten-free and gluten-removed beers. We've also written about individual non-gluten-free beers, such as Budweiser, but here's an attempt too list as many non-gluten-free beers as possible. Consult wikipedia for a more complete list of traditional beers. A List of NON-Gluten-Free Beers: A AmberBock Anheuser-Busch Augustiner-Brau Ayinger B Beck's Bevo Bitburger Bohemia Boston Beer Company - Samuel Adams, Angry Orchard, Twisted Tea, Traveler Shandies, Angel City, Coney Island Craft Lagers, Concrete Beach Breckenridge Brewery Bud Extra Bud Ice Bud Ice Light Bud light Bud Light Bud Light Cup Series Bud Light Lime Bud Silver Budweiser Budweiser American Ale Budweiser Brewmaster's Private Reserve Budweiser Select Busch Beer Busch Ice Busch NA C Carta Blanca Craft Brew Alliance - Widmer Brothers, Redhook, Kona, Omission, Square Mile cider Coors Coors Light Corona Corona Light D Diageo North America - Guinness, Harp, Red Stripe, Kilkenny, Tusker, Bell, Serengeti, Senator Keg Dos Equis Duvel Duvel Moortgat USA - Duvel, Brewery Ommegang, Boulevard, Firestone Walker F Franziskaner G Gambrinus - Shiner, BridgePort, Trumer Pils Guinness H Heineken - Amstel, Desperados, Sol, Affligem, Tiger, Tecate, Red Stripe and Krušovice, Dos Equis, Amstel Light, Newcastle, Sol, Indio, Carta Blanca, Bohemia, Strongbow cider Hurricane High Gravity Lager K King Cobra (malt liquor) L Land Shark Lager M Michelob Michelob Bavarian Wheat Michelob Golden Draft Michelob Golden Draft Light Michelob Honey Lager Michelob Light Milwaukee's Best Light Miller High Life Miller Genuine Draft Modelo Miller Light N Natural Ice Natural Light Negro Modelo North American Breweries - Genesee, Dundee, Imperial, Labatt (U.S. distribution, owned by A-B), Magic Hat, Portland Brewing, Pyramid P Pabst - Pabst Blue Ribbon, Schlitz, Ballantine IPA, Old Milwaukee, Lone Star, Rainier, Olympia, National Bohemian, Old Style, Primo, Stroh’s, Stag, Schaefer, Schmidt’s, Pearl, Blatz, McSorley’s, St. Ides, Champale, Colt 45 Pacifico Clara Paulaner R Rolling Rock S San Miguel Sapporo Schneider Schöfferhofer Shock Top Singha Spaten Stella Artois T Taiwan Beer Tecate Tsingtao Beer V Victoria W Weihenstephaner Y Yeungling Z Ziegenbock If you're looking for a gluten-free beer, then try one of the many gluten-free or gluten-removed beers on the market. Have we missed some favorite, non-traditional beers of yours? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and we'll update the list as new entries come in.

01/18/2022 - Pretty much every gluten-free beer drinker wants the same thing: a really good beer that just happens to be gluten-free. That may soon become a common thing, if new research has anything to say about the matter. Compared with traditionally brewed beers, gluten-free beers often have an inferior taste and body because they are produced using syrups and sugars introduced during the mashing process. Imparting flavor on gluten-free beers is challenging in the absence of barley malt, which contains key enzymes used to make traditional beers. Producing gluten-free beer from gluten-free malts is challenging because gluten-free malts have lower enzyme activities, points out researcher Darrell Cockburn, assistant professor of food science in the College of Agricultural Sciences. A new mashing process could help to change that. Cockburn and colleagues at Penn State University, including Ryan Elias, professor and associate head of food science, and Helene Hopfer, Rasmussen Career Development Professor in Food Science, have developed a modified brewing procedure using gluten-free malts and lower temperatures to retain enzyme activity, and produce high fermentable sugar concentrations. The process, called the "ExGM Decoction Mashing Procedure" uses malts from gluten-free grains to produce high-quality beers. The process will help brewers using gluten-free grains such as teff, sorghum, rice, millet, corn and buckwheat to produce better-tasting gluten-free beers. By showing that gluten-free grains can produce quality beers, the researchers hope that brewers will use their process to craft higher-quality gluten-free products. Could a simple adjustment to the malting process and temperature lead to major improvements in gluten-free beer quality? It's an exciting prospect. Stay tuned for more on this and related stories. Read more at PSU.edu

Celiac.com 04/06/2011 - The Canadian brewing industry caught a break when their products were exempted from new allergy labeling rules that would have required warning labels to declare beer to contain wheat or barley. Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq introduced new packaging requirements which give brewers a temporary exemption from the regulations. Minister Aglukkaq has said that she will first consult with other countries which have introduced similar labeling rules. The decision was at least a temporary victory for the industry, mainly for smaller beer-makers that claimed that the cost of replacing their painted bottles to conform with the new rules would run into the millions of dollars. The industry has also taken the position that every beer drinker knows that beer contains wheat or barley. “Our intent was never to hold up the entire regulations,” said André Fortin, a spokesman for the Brewers Association of Canada, said the industry group was "pleased with the decision to take into account the particular situation for beer.” The beer labels are of particular interest to people suffering from celiac disease, who suffer an auto-immune reaction when exposed the gluten contained in such grains as barley, wheat and rye. The last minute agreement to exempt beer from allergy labeling requirements disappointed some. Laurie Harada of Anaphylaxis Canada, which represents people with food allergies, said her group was “very disappointed by the last-minute decision of the government to pull the regulations for the beer.” Ms. Harada called on the Canadian government to move quickly make a final decision about beer labels. “They can’t give us any idea of the process or the dates right now, so I would still be asking the question: How are you going to deal with this?” But Ms. Harada said she is extremely pleased with the bulk of the new regulations. “It will certainly help to protect a number of people,” she said. The revised regulations require that manufacturers clearly identify food allergens, gluten sources and sulphites either in the list of ingredients or at the end of the list of ingredients. In addition, an allergen or gluten source must be written in commonly used words such as milk or wheat. Experts estimate that 5 to 6 per cent of young children and 3 to 4 per cent of adults suffer from food allergies, while nearly 1 per cent of the general population is affected by celiac disease. In part because of the complexity of the rule changes, and the shelf life of foods, the new regulations will not be enforced until Aug. 4, 2012.