In terms of popular American beverages, beer is practically equivalent to water. In this respect, being diagnosed with a gluten intolerance might seem like a death sentence to some. But not to worry! A growing need for allergy products has prompted many breweries, both new and old, to begin producing gluten-free beer – and guess what, it actually tastes good. Awesome, right?
Now, you may be asking yourself – why did it take so long to get gluten-free beer on the market? The answer is rooted in 16th century European history. In an effort to regulate the explosively new brewing industry, German officials instated the Beer Purity Law of 1516, which required that beer be made exclusively using four ingredients – water, yeast, barley, and hops. Despite the tendency of modern American brewers to be more experimental with their concoctions, these four ingredients remain at the core of most beer recipes work.
Thankfully, the prominence of gluten free food and allergy products has encouraged breweries across the country to use alternative ingredients in their beer. Although making drinkable, gluten-free beer is clearly the primary objective of these companies, they also strive to make good-tasting, quality brew. After testing tons of different gluten alternatives, brewers found the most effective solutions to be buckwheat and sorghum.
The most renowned gluten-free beers so far are Bard’s Tail, Dragon’s Gold, Ramapo Valley, and Tavern Ale. The majority of these brews are produced by individuals with gluten intolerances themselves.
Tags: gluten free alcoholic beverages, gluten free beer, gluten free food
