The 2017 Gluten-Free Beer Guide

Last summer, we published our guide to gluten-free beers. Well we’re back to update, review and rank the best GF brews 2017 has to offer. We did the dirty work of tasting some of the most buzzed about gluten-free beers out there so we could report back with our findings. We’re also shining a spotlight on up-and-coming beers from smaller breweries and the much-debated “gluten-removed” beers. Here’s your quick and dirty guide to this year’s gluten-free beers.

 

Gluten-Free Ales

Glutenberg India Pale Ale – ★★★★☆

• Grainy, toasty beer
• Floral, fruity tones
• Hints of cereal and boozy caramel

Notes: millet, buckwheat, black corn, grainy, floral, fruity, medium body.

 

St. Peter’s Sorghum Beer  – ★★★★☆

• Brewed in the U.K., but sold in the U.S. anywhere you’d buy craft beer
• Ale with a pilsner-lager twist
• Clean, crisp, citrus that goes down easy

Notes: orange marmalade, zesty, tropical, pale, grassy.

 

Lakefront New Grist – ★★★☆☆

• The first certified GF beer
• Pilsner-style beer
• Crisp and refreshing

Notes: light body, rice, sorghum, green apple, tart, pale, sweet finish.

 

Gluten-Free Lagers

Redbridge – ★★★☆☆

• Sorghum-based lager from Anheuser-Busch
• The gluten-free equivalent of a Bud Light – nobody’s clamoring to get to it, but you’re glad it’s there

Notes: Grainy, pale, balanced, moderate hops, fruity.

 

Joseph James Fox Tail Pale Ale – ★★★★★

• A canned gluten-free beer (!)
• Bitter hops balanced with notes of pear

Notes: rice-based, solid, bitter, dry cider profile, citrus, nectars.

 

Gluten-Free Fruity Beers

New Planet Raspberry Ale – ★★★★★

• Perfectly balanced and delicately sweet
• Pairs perfectly with a spiced-based meal or a dark-chocolate dessert

Notes: Raspberries, orange peel, clean, crisp, refreshing.

 

Green’s Quest Tripel Blonde  – ★★★★☆

• Belgium-brewed ale
• Sweet, fruity beer
• Dry, appley finish

Notes: Cider-style, sweet, green apple, edgy yeast, fruity lemon, grape, grainy notes.

 

Sprecher’s Shakparo Ale – ★★★★★

• West-African style beer
• Light and crisp
• Pairs perfectly with sandwiches and summer salads

Notes: Cider/fruit profile, dry finish, sorghum, millet, comparable to wheat beer.

New Gluten-Free Beers on the Scene

While these beers may not be offered nationwide, they’re earning good reviews and making a name for themselves. Seek them out if you can!

Ghostfish Brewery Peak Buster – ★★★★☆

• Made in a dedicated gluten-free brewery in Seattle, WA
• One of Ghostfish’s most popular flagship beers
• Extra hoppy double IPA
• Pine and passionfruit flavors, dry finish

Notes: hoppy, millet, buckwheat hops, buttery, pine, passionfruit, dry finish.

 

Minhas Boxer Lager – ★★★☆☆

• Canned, classic Candian-style dry lager with sorghum base
• Crisp and refreshing with a light body
• Moderate hops and a light sweetness

Notes: citrus, sorghum, moderate hops, slightly sweet, malty aroma, light body.

 

Groundbreaker IPA No. 5 – ★★★★★

• Made in a dedicated, gluten-free brewery in Portland, OR
• Dry-hopped IPA with crystal and santiam hops
• Brewed with roasted chestnuts and roasted lentils
• Full, smooth body with a dry, fruity finish

Notes: hints of tropical and stone fruits, pine, citrus, nutty, earthy, grainy, light spiciness.

 

What’s the deal with “gluten-removed” beers?

• Gluten-removed (also known as “gluten-reduced”) beers are not proven to be safe for those with Celiac Disease.
• Craft breweries are now able to brew traditional-tasting beer and add an enzyme that breaks down the gluten into much smaller fragments.
• It’s up to each gluten-intolerant individual to decide if gluten-removed beers are right for them.

Omission Lager– ★★★☆☆

• The first brewery to focus solely on crafting gluten-reduced beers
• Transparent and persistent in their testing, research, and education
• Refreshing, crisp lager

Notes: pale, malty, tropical, crisp, sweet, light hops.

 

New Belgium Glutiny Golden Ale – ★★★★☆

• Full-bodied profile of flavor and aroma
• Golden glow, tastes just like the “real thing”
• Pro tip: don’t miss Glutiny’s Pale Ale equivalent

Notes: tropical hops, piney, floral, crisp, clean.

 

Stone Delicious – ★★★★★

• Intense tropical and citrus fruit notes
• Hoppy and bitter
• Rich and heavy

Notes: dry-hopped brew, citrus, caramel malt, hoppy spice, assertive, bitter.

 

Short’s Space Rock – ★★★★★

• Notes of florals and citrus
• Light, hoppy, and refreshing ale
• Made with “nuggets of alien technology” (no idea, but sounds fun, right?)
• Bonus: it comes in both bottles and cans

Notes: light, citrusy, thin body, warm, tart, balanced, crunchy hop.

That’s our 2017 Summer Beer Guide – which GF beers make your list? Shout out your area’s best GF beers in the comments below and let us know which brews we should add to our list!