Question 1

What's the difference between gluten-free and gluten-reduced beer?

Accepted Answer

Gluten-free beers are brewed from naturally gluten-free grains like millet, rice, sorghum, and buckwheat — they never contain gluten. Gluten-reduced (or "crafted to remove gluten") beers start with barley or wheat and use enzymes to break down the gluten proteins, but residual gluten can remain and the FDA does not allow them to be labeled "gluten-free." People with celiac disease should avoid gluten-reduced beers.

Question 2

Is gluten-free beer safe for people with celiac disease?

Accepted Answer

Beers labeled "gluten-free" (under 20 ppm gluten) and brewed in a dedicated gluten-free facility are generally safe for people with celiac disease. Beers labeled "gluten-reduced" or "crafted to remove gluten" are not. The safest choice is a dedicated gluten-free brewery — every beer on All Beer No Gluten is from a 100% dedicated facility unless explicitly noted.

Question 3

What grains are gluten-free beers made from?

Accepted Answer

The most common base grains are millet, rice, sorghum, and buckwheat — all naturally gluten-free. Some breweries also use teff, quinoa, corn, chestnuts, or amaranth. Each grain contributes a distinct flavor: millet is soft and grain-forward, rice is crisp and clean, sorghum can be earthy or sweet, and buckwheat lends a nutty roasted character.

Question 4

What is a dedicated gluten-free brewery?

Accepted Answer

A dedicated gluten-free brewery produces only gluten-free beer — no barley, wheat, or rye is allowed in the facility, eliminating cross-contamination risk. This matters for celiac drinkers because shared equipment, even after cleaning, can leave trace gluten that exceeds the 20 ppm threshold. As of 2026 there are roughly two dozen dedicated gluten-free breweries in the United States.

Question 5

Where can I buy gluten-free beer?

Accepted Answer

Most dedicated gluten-free breweries ship direct-to-consumer where state laws allow, and many distribute regionally. Specialty bottle shops and natural-grocery chains (Whole Foods, Sprouts) often carry brands like Glutenberg, Holidaily, and New Grist. Every beer page on this site links to the brewery's beer-finder and online-shop pages.

Question 6

Does gluten-free beer taste like regular beer?

Accepted Answer

Modern gluten-free beer is dramatically better than it was a decade ago. Top gluten-free IPAs, lagers, stouts, and pilsners regularly compete in — and win — major awards like the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup. Style-by-style, the gap to gluten-containing beer has closed to almost nothing for everything except heavily wheat-dependent styles.

Question 7

What's the strongest gluten-free beer?

Accepted Answer

The strongest gluten-free beers are typically imperial stouts and Belgian tripels in the 8–10% ABV range. Notable examples include Lucky Pigeon's Royal Albatross (9% imperial stout) and Orange Bike's Belgian Triple (9.4%). Most flagship gluten-free beers sit in the more sessionable 4.5–6.5% range.

Question 8

Are gluten-free beers more expensive than regular craft beer?

Accepted Answer

Generally, yes — alternative grains like millet and sorghum cost more than barley, and dedicated gluten-free facilities operate at smaller scale. Expect to pay roughly $14–18 for a 4-pack or $16–22 for a 6-pack, vs. $10–15 for a comparable gluten-containing craft 6-pack.

The best gluten-free beers.

Best gluten-free beers by Untappd rating

Guava Sour

Royal Albatross

Eclipse Of The Tart

Blood Orange IPA

New England IPA

Holy Hop Grenade

Recent additions

West Coast Pale Ale

Vanishing Point Pale Ale

WINNER:

GOLD MEDAL Gluten Free Beer, 2015 U.S. Open BRONZE MEDAL Gluten-Free Beer, 2017 Great International Beer, Cider, Mead & Sake Competition

Wingspan

Wave Runnering

Watchstander Stout

WINNER:

BRONZE MEDAL Gluten Free Beer, 2021 New York International Beer Competition

GOLD MEDAL Gluten Free Beer, 2015 Great American Beer Festival

Tantamount Stout

Common questions about gluten-free beer