What is Gluten Free Beer?
Gluten is found in many common ingredients of today’s diets. Most commonly associated with barley and wheat, gluten is found in beer and other alcoholic beverages as well as anything made from wheat. Until the invention of gluten free beer, it was extremely difficult for someone with celiac disease or gluten allergies to enjoy a beer with family or friends. It is a formidable challenge to find a safe beer for someone with gluten allergies as nearly all other types of beer contain some level of gluten in them.

What is your Gluten Tolerance Level?
Your best course of action would be to speak to your doctor first to find out exactly why gluten irritates your stomach prior to choosing a beer based solely on the level of gluten it contains. Some beers do have lower levels of gluten in them than others that may be possible to drink in small quantities for people with a mild allergy to gluten. Even those with mild allergies to gluten may find that gluten of any kind in their drink causes serious discomfort as drinks lack the bulk of other foods that have gluten. However, people who have Celiac disease could have a serious, or even life threatening, reaction to the smallest trace amounts of gluten. If you are unsure of what causes your gluten reaction, it is safest to stick with beers that are clearly labeled gluten free.

What are the Different Ingredients in Beer and Gluten Free Beer?
Most beers are made from barley and wheat, so it is natural to wonder how gluten free beer can taste as good as regular beer. Rice, buckwheat, and sorghum are the main ingredients in gluten free beer. One of these ingredients, buckwheat, is completely safe, as it is a member of the rhubarb family and completely unrelated to wheat. With these ingredients you might be surprised to find that the taste of these beers is excellent, despite the fact these are not traditional forms of making beer. You will find that doing a little research will greatly reduce the amount of trial and error you will undertake to find the perfect beer and reading the many online reviews of the various types of gluten free beers can help you get started.

Who Sells Gluten Free Beer?
Bars and restaurants typically do not have gluten free beer readily available. When planning a night out it is a good idea to call ahead and find an establishment that carries gluten free beer. You will find that many managers are more than willing to accommodate a request for gluten free options if they do not currently offer any. For home consumption, there are many websites online which offer a wide variety of low gluten and gluten free beer choices in case your local spirits store does not provide what you need.