Gluten Levels in Beer Chart (by Brands & Grain Types)
Most beers available on the market nowadays contain different gluten levels. Furthermore, a beer’s gluten content could vary significantly between brands or even types of grain used.
So, we provide 2 types of gluten level charts for you in this article: The gluten levels by beer brands and by grain types.
You can download all tables (beer brands and beer grain types) for FREE by clicking the button below. You can print the PDF file or just read it on your phone. We will explain how to use the PDF in the last section of the article.
Disclaimers:
- Some beers can show inconsistent gluten indications. This can happen due to differences in the content of the active enzymes contained therein, contamination during the harvest process, or cross-contamination.
- The independent tests are done and analyzed using EZ Gluten. The results obtained can vary for each person who tests it. The results of Tester X are not necessarily the same as Tester Y.
- The EZ gluten test kit may show different results depending on the age of the tool. Reagents or test strips purchased simultaneously can degrade over time if used at different times. The test results may be different, even though the reagent has not reached its expiry date.
- Gizigo only compiles and presents information from research and other sources. Our content should not be construed as medical advice, and we cannot guarantee that the information is always up to date. You understand that you are using any and all information available here at your own risk.
- For those interested in gluten-free baking, we also wrote a conversion chart for gluten free flours.
Gluten Levels in Beer Chart (by Brands)
The first table is the beer brands’ gluten level done independently by self-published testers.1 2
The beers inside each level from this table are NOT sorted by the highest/lowest amount of gluten content. It’s sorted by alphabetical order, so you can quickly find what brands you are looking for.
BEER | CATEGORY |
---|---|
Bud Light NEXT | Very low |
Burning Brothers Irish Ale | Very low |
Duvel Golden Ale | Very low |
Duvel Tripel Hop Citra | Very low |
Truly Hard Seltzer | Very low |
Carlsberg Pilsner | Low |
Corona Extra | Low |
Daura Damm | Low |
Dechutes Lil Squeezy | Low |
Modelo Negra | Low |
Omission Ultimate IPA | Low |
Omission Pale Ale | Low |
Omission Golden Light | Low |
Omission Lager | Low |
Pacifico Clara | Low |
Sol | Low |
Stone Delicious IPA | Low |
Amstel Light | Moderate |
Bud Light Platinum | Moderate |
Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale | Moderate |
Maudite | Moderate |
Michelob Ultra | Moderate |
Brooklyn Lager | Significant |
Bud Light | Significant |
Budweiser | Significant |
Busch | Significant |
Chimay Premiere | Significant |
Coors Light | Significant |
Corona Familiar | Significant |
Corona Premier | Significant |
Duvel 6,66 Blond Ade | Significant |
Fat TIre | Significant |
Firestone Pivo Pils | Significant |
Heineken | Significant |
Hite | Significant |
Keystone Light | Significant |
Miller Lite | Significant |
Pabst Blue Ribbon | Significant |
Sam Adams Boston Lager | Significant |
Stella Artois | Significant |
Summit EPA | Significant |
Tecate | Significant |
Tsingtao | Significant |
Yanjing | Significant |
https://cookingaldante.com/2023/02/05/ez-gluten-beer-testing-and-research/
http://gluteninbeer.blogspot.com/
Here is the simple breakdown of the independent tests’ gluten amount per level:
CATEGORY | ESTIMATE |
---|---|
Very low | <10 ppm |
Low | 5-30 ppm |
Moderate | 20-60 ppm |
Significant | 30-120 ppm |
FDA requires that a beer that claims itself as “gluten-free” should have less than 20 ppm (<20 ppm) gluten content.3 Following the United States, Canada and many European countries have adopted this amount as a standard for gluten-free beers.
The second table is the beer brands’ gluten level by Swedish National Food Agency (NFA) research from November 2009.4 Yes, it’s the famous, now-inaccessible “Gluteninnehåll i de öl som analyserats vid Livsmedelsverket“ paper discussed by many blog posts and internet articles.
MANUFACTURER | NAME | Gluten ppm (mg/L) |
---|---|---|
AB Åbro Brewery, Sweden | Åbro Original | ND |
AB Åbro Brewery, Sweden | arton 56 | ND |
AB Åbro Brewery | Anderssons Starköl | 47 |
AB Åbro Brewery | Småland | 41 |
Artur Guinness Son & Co, Dublin, Ireland | Guinness Draft | 48 |
Artur Guinness Son & Co, Dublin, Ireland | Guinness Extra Stout | 62 |
Brau Union Österreich AG | Zipfer | 23 |
Carlsberg, Denmark | Carlsberg Beer 2.8% | 15 |
Carlsberg, Denmark | Carlsberg Beer 3.5% | 21 |
Carlsberg, Denmark | D. Carnegie & Co Porter | 20 |
Carlsberg, Denmark | Saxon glutenfri | ND |
Cerveceria Modelo, Mexico | Corona extra | ND |
Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma, Mexico | Sol | ND |
Erdinger Weissbräu, Germany | Erdinger Weissbier | 1188 |
Erdinger Weissbräu, Germany | Erdinger Weissbier dunkel | 1224 |
Eriksberg | Julöl | 33 |
Falcon Breweries, Sweden | Falcon | 28 |
Falcon Breweries, Sweden | Falcon Ale | 22 |
Falcon Breweries, Sweden | Falcon Extra brew | 24 |
Falcon Breweries, Sweden | Falcon Pilz | 67 |
Falcon Breweries, Sweden | Falcon Bayerskt | 55 |
Falken Falkenberg | Jul Öl | 49 |
Grolsche Bierbrowerij, Holland | Grolsch Premium lager | 15 |
Harboes Brewery, Denmark | Den Glada Dansken | 25 |
Harboes Brewery, Denmark | Dansk Pilsner Premium folköl | 42 |
Harboes Brewery, Denmark | Dansk Pilsner Premium folköl | 34 |
Harboes Brewery AB Denmark | Julöl | 31 |
Harboes Brewery AB Denmark | Bjørne Bryg | 49 |
Hartwall PLC, Tornio, Finland | Lapin Kulta | ND |
Hartwall PLC, Tornio, Finland | Lapin Kulta Premium lager | ND |
Heinecken Brouwerijen, Holland | Heineken | 45 |
Hofbräu, Germany | Hofbräu Oktober-festbier | 26 |
Inbev UK Limited | Murphys Irish Strout | 43 |
Jämtlands Brewery AB | Julöl | ND |
Kopparbergs Brewery | Fagerhult Export III | 93 |
Kra´sne´Březno | Zlatopramen | 47 |
Kronenbourg Strasbourg, France | Kronenbourg 1664 | 97 |
Krönleins Brewery AB Halmstad | Julöl export | 33 |
Löwenbräu, Germany | Löwenbräu Oktober-festbier | 21 |
Mariestad Brewery AB [Spendrups] | Mariestads | 40 |
Mariestad Brewery AB [Spendrups] | Mariestads | ND |
Mariestad Brewery AB | Julebrygd | 60 |
Pivovar Nová Paka, Czech republic | BrouCzech | ND |
Pivovary Staropramen | Staropramen | 21 |
Pripps Sweden | Pripps Lättöl | 17 |
Pripps Sweden | Pripps Blå Special lager | 32 |
Pripps Sweden | Pripps Blå Pure | 28 |
Pripps (Carlsberg) | Julöl | 33 |
Pripps (Carlsberg) | Pripps Blå | 66 |
Shepherd Neame Faversham Kent | Bishops Finger | ND |
Singha Corp. Thailand | Singha Premium lager beer | 17 |
Slottskällans Brewery | Uppsala Julöl | 23 |
Slottskällans Brewery AB | Vit Weissbier | 67 |
Slottskällans Brewery AB | Wien | ND |
Slottskällans Brewery AB | Imperial Stout | 50 |
Spendrups Brewery AB | Gammeldags Svagdricka | ND |
Spendrups Brewery AB | Spendrups Premium lager | 31 |
Spendrups Brewery AB | Norrlands Guld | 21 |
Spendrups Brewery AB | Norrlands Guld | 35 |
Spendrups Brewery AB | Spendrups Premium Gold | ND |
Spendrups Brewery AB | Spendrup Bright Brew | 28 |
Spendrups Brewery AB | Odin Pilsner | 46 |
Spendrups Brewery AB | Spendrups Premium lager | 53 |
Spendrups Brewery AB | Julöl | 24 |
Spendrups Brewery AB | Mariestads Export | 45 |
Spendrups Brewery AB | Norrlands Guld | 38 |
Spendrups Brewery AB | Norrlands Jul | ND |
Spendrups Brewery AB | Spendrups Premium Gold | 35 |
Spendrups Brewery AB | Julbock | 34 |
Starobrno Brewery Czech | Starobrno Premium lager | 21 |
St Peter’s Brewery & Shop, UK* | St Peters G-free (gluten free) | ND |
Tuborg Copenhagen, Denmark | Tuborg Premium Beer Gold | 28 |
Zeunerts AB, Sollefteå | Julöl | 37 |
https://web.archive.org/web/20140622020601/http://celiakir2.episerverhotell.net/Global/K2_olsorter2009.pdf
ND = Not Detected, less than 10 mg of gluten per liter
*According to the ingredients list on the brew sorghum
We had to cut some data (alcohol strength, color) to accommodate the limited width of the mobile phone’s screen. You can see the more complete data on the downloadable PDF.
How did the Testers Check the Gluten Level in Beers?
According to the sources, some tests used the EZ Gluten test kit, while others used R5 ELISA.
So far, gluten tests by independent testers usually use EZ Gluten as it’s relatively easier to use by laypeople. So, you might want to consider this brand of testing kit if you plan on doing some testing yourself at home.
Here’s how to measure gluten level using EZ Gluten:5
- Determine what you want to measure and take as much as 1 full spoon (0.5 gram) of sample using the spoon provided.
- Put the measured sample (a spoonful or 0.5 gram) in the extraction solution’s vial.
- Cover the extraction solution and gently shake in inversion (rotate to the right and left) for 2 minutes.
- Place the bottle in an upright (cap on top) and let the contents settle for 5 minutes.
- Transfer 10 drops of the extraction solution (the clear solution at the very top of the vial) into a test tube using the pipette provided. To help the test tube stand upright, use the cap of the extraction solution bottle to hold it in place.
- Remove the test strip from the silver foil pouch and place it in the test tube with the pointer arrow pointing downwards at the end of the strip.
- Leave the test strip for 10 minutes (without touching it or giving it any other movement). Early removal of the test strip could result in invalid test results.
- Remove the strip from the test tube and lay it flat for 5 minutes before reading the results. Place a strip next to the result key to make it easier to read the results, then compare them.
- If you see a pink line, even faintly visible, it’s a positive result. The intensity of the bar that appears does not indicate the gluten concentration.
What Tools Are Available in the Market to Check the Beers’ Gluten Level?
In case you want some alternatives for measuring the gluten content in your beer, there are other brands of test kits available. Setting ELISA aside, here are the testing kits you could use to measure the gluten content of your foods:
- EZ Gluten. EZ Gluten testing kit is the easiest tool to use independently. It can quickly determine the presence of gluten in food or drinks. Its sensitivity level can detect gluten levels as low as 10 ppm (parts per million). This testing kit has been certified by AOAC Performance Tested Methods. EZ Gluten is intended for individuals so that they can test the gluten content of the food/drinks they wish to consume and avoid accidental exposure to gluten.
- Reveal 3-D for Gliadin. This testing kit can show results within 5 minutes. Intended for surface and liquid testing with the ability to detect gluten levels reaching 5 ppm gliadin (10 ppm gluten).6
- The AgraStrip Gluten dan AgraStrip Gluten G12. Testing kit that can be used on-site with a time of testing food samples in just 11 minutes (including extraction and reading of results).7
What Are the Categories for Beer’s Gluten Level in US?
Gluten is found naturally in wheat, rye, barley, and their cross-bred grains. In general, gluten helps provide structure in food processing. Examples give shape, strength, and texture to the bread, pasta, noodles, and other grain products.8 9
Unfortunately, gluten is not only contained in the ingredients mentioned, but some foods and drinks contain hidden gluten. One of them is beer.10
Based on Food and Drug Administration regulations, beer is a fermented drink made from barley or malt (grains containing gluten).
Barley, wheat, and rye are the raw materials used in making beer. The proportion of these ingredients in alcoholic beverages will differ depending on the brand,11 so the gluten value will also vary.
Beer brands can claim their products are gluten-free if they meet the specified requirements. The “gluten-free” label is defined when beer meets the criteria for gluten content of less than 20 ppm.12
The beer level gluten categorization in the US is:13 14
Gluten Reduced Beer (Gluten Removed Beer)
This type of beer is still made using grains that contain gluten, such as barley, wheat, or rye. The gluten content in beer is not entirely removed but is reduced through enzyme activity. This process aims to break down the gluten protein into smaller sizes.
Beer producers cannot claim that their products are gluten-free because the content is still present, even though it has been reduced. This type of beer is still not recommended for people with celiac disease.
Gluten-Free Beer from Dedicated Breweries
Only certain breweries produce 100% gluten-free beer; unfortunately, there are still a limited number of them. The entire beer-making process is guaranteed to be gluten-free. From the original recipe, the production line, to the finished product is designed to not involve any gluten.
The raw materials are made from sorghum, millet, quinoa, and buckwheat to get a gluten-free beer. The resulting taste may differ from the usual beer due to the absence of gluten content.
Some examples of breweries that produce gluten-free beer are Eckert Malting & Brewing (California), Holidaily Brewing Co. (Colorado), Burning Brothers Brewing (Minnesota), Rolling Mill Brewing Company (Ohio), Ground Breaker Brewing (Oregon), Aurochs Brewing Co. (Pennsylvania), Ghostfish Brewing Company (Washington), and Alt Brew (Wisconsin).
Gluten Levels in Beer Chart (by Grain Types)
What Factor Affect the Amount of the Gluten Content in Beers?
The value of gluten content in beer varies widely. Still, it mainly depends on the type of raw material, not the alcohol content (as shown previously in the NFA’s 2009 results table).
Below is the list of gluten content in beer based solely on their grain types, regardless of their brands. The research was titled “Measuring Hordein (Gluten) in Beer – A Comparison of ELISA and Mass Spectrometry.”
BEER | GRAIN | Ppm (based on ELISA) |
---|---|---|
Ale | Barley | 0.05 – 35.0 |
Ale (wheat) | Wheat/barley | 920 – 16,811 |
Dark lager | Wheat/barley | 325 |
Gluten free | Barley, sorghum, or millet | 0.05 – 1.95 |
Lager | Barley | 0.06 – 341 |
Light | Barley | 152 |
Light lager | Barley | 0.07 – 1.82 |
Low alcohol | Wheat | 258 |
Low carb. lager | Barley | 191 |
Low gluten | Sorghum | 0.07 |
Pilsner | Barley | 0.1 – 0.8 |
Stout (barley) | Barley | 220 – 470 |
Stout (wheat) | Wheat | 13,530 |
Strong stout | Barley | 464 |
Wheat | Wheat | 7,700 – 20,200 |
Wild type | Barley | 40,800 – 42,300 |
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3585340/
The results are as follow:
- Half the commercial gluten-free beers were free of gluten by Mass Spectrometry (MS) and ELISA.
- Two gluten-free and two low-gluten beers had zero ELISA readings, but contained significant gluten levels, or near average gluten levels, by MS, respectively.
- Six beers gave false negatives, with zero ELISA readings but near average gluten content by MS.
- Approximately 20% of commercial beers had ELISA readings less than 1 ppm, but a near average gluten content by MS.
- Several barley beers also contained undeclared wheat proteins.
Explanations on Gluten Levels in Beer Chart
As a registered dietitian, I’d like to add some information about beer’s gluten content. However, the tables don’t have space for that, so I’ll put it in this section.
What is the Beer Gluten Level Chart?
Beer’s gluten level comparison chart is a tool to help you choose which beers to drink based on their gluten contents. You can check which beer at the store contains a safe amount of gluten for you to consume.
If you haven’t downloaded our PDF yet, I’ll show the table for self-published tests once again.
For more beer brands, especially those of European origin, you can browse the NFA’s research results below. Please note that some of the beers in this list might not be available anymore in the market (they are data from November 2009, after all). I’ll try to include the more up-to-date findings for the next time.
If you need more broad, generalized information about beer types, you can check the beer’s gluten contents based on their grains.
Why You Should Use the Gluten Contents in Beer Chart?
A gluten-free diet is a lifetime commitment for many people with particular conditions. A small intake could cause digestive problems or even intestinal damage. Yet, drinking alcoholic beverages is often hard to miss in everyday life.
Not all people with CD, gluten allergies, and gluten intolerance have the opportunity to test the gluten content every time they get the chance to consume beer. Moreover, only some manufacturers provide complete information regarding the gluten content.
Using the gluten-level table on this page lets you quickly determine whether you can still consume this beer. Checking the table is the least you can do as preventive action so that your symptoms do not occur.
Now, you don’t have to miss the opportunity to relax with a beer. Even if you have reduced gluten intake or other health conditions, you can still enjoy your time with your drinks.
Who should Use the Gluten Amount in Beer Chart?
The gluten level table is intended for people who want to consume beer but need to watch their intake of gluten. For example:14
- People who suffer from celiac disease (CD),
- People with non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS),
- People who have gluten ataxia (GA),
- People who have dermatitis herpetiformis (DH),
- and people with gluten allergies.
How to Use the Tables of Gluten Level Contents in Beer?
Here’s a simple made-up case to showcase how you’d use the tables:
- Junny’s closest friends want to host a bachelor party in 2 weeks for the groom-to-be. The thing is, Junny has a gluten allergy.
- It’s hard not to drink beers at your own bachelor party, right? Junny doesn’t want to miss the party, even with his allergy. It might be his last moments of freedom, after all.
- There’s no way you’d only prepare one kind of beer. It’d be boring, so his friends bring all kinds of beer brands. However, nobody has the time to check whether the beers are gluten-free. Bachelor party preparations, work stuff, life happens. You know the drill.
- Suddenly, it’s already time for the party. Knowing that checking for gluten levels is Junny’s best option, he decided to find some information about different beer brands’ gluten levels on the internet.
- It doesn’t take long for Junny to find our tables, which display the beer brands and their gluten content levels.
- He can browse the lists displayed in this article while checking what beers his friends have prepared. Or he can download the PDF file to use it again.
- Junny can now choose several beers with low gluten or gluten-free content. The bachelor party goes well without the symptoms of gluten intolerance flaring up.
What are the Benefits of Checking the Beer Gluten Level Tables?
The benefit of checking the table is finding beer brands you can consume based on gluten content more quickly and easily.
It’s faster because you don’t have to test the beers around you one by one yourself. It’s easier because you just need to browse through the list based on the brand or grain used.
If you have only been drinking particular brands so far because you don’t know what you’d get, now is the right time to explore new brands. Try several other beers without the frightening feeling of poking around in the dark!
References for Our Gluten Levels in Beer Chart
- https://cookingaldante.com/2023/02/05/ez-gluten-beer-testing-and-research/ Accessed April 28, 2023.
- http://gluteninbeer.blogspot.com/ Accessed April 28, 2023.
- https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/questions-and-answers-gluten-free-food-labeling-final-rule Accessed April 28, 2023.
- https://web.archive.org/web/20140622020601/http://celiakir2.episerverhotell.net/Global/K2_olsorter2009.pdf Accessed September 03, 2023.
- http://www.elisa-tek.com/wp-content/testkits/EZ%20Gluten%20Instructions.pdf Accessed April 28, 2023.
- https://thermalindo.com/neogen-reveal-3-d-for-gliadin/ Accessed April 28, 2023.
- https://www.romerlabs.com/en/analytes/food-allergens/gluten-test-kits/ Accessed April 28, 2023.
- https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-education-resources-materials/gluten-and-food-labeling Accessed April 28, 2023.
- El Khoury, D., Balfour-Ducharme, S., & Joye, I. J. (2018). A review on the gluten-free diet: Technological and nutritional challenges. Nutrients, 10(10), 1410.
- Aljada, B., Zohni, A., & El-Matary, W. (2021). The gluten-free diet for celiac disease and beyond. Nutrients, 13(11), 3993.
- Tanner, G. J., Colgrave, M. L., Blundell, M. J., Goswami, H. P., & Howitt, C. A. (2013). Measuring hordein (gluten) in beer–a comparison of ELISA and mass spectrometry. PLoS One, 8(2), e56452. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3585340/
- https://renegadebrewing.com/is-beer-gluten-free/ Accessed April 28, 2023.
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-gluten-free-beer#gluten-free-vs-gluten-removed Accessed April 28, 2023.
- El Khoury, D., Balfour-Ducharme, S., & Joye, I. J. (2018). A Review on the Gluten-Free Diet: Technological and Nutritional Challenges. Nutrients, 10(10), 1410. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10101410