Gluten-free beer styles

Strong, golden Belgian ales (8%+) with fruity esters, peppery phenolics, and a deceptively dry finish.

Light, mild, easy-drinking pale ales. Often the most approachable beer in any gluten-free brewery's lineup.

A dark, hop-forward ale (sometimes called a Black IPA) — pine, citrus, and roast.

Toasty, copper-colored ales — between an amber and a brown.

Bigger, boozier IPAs (typically 7.5%+) with intensified hop and malt character. Rare in gluten-free form but a few breweries do them well.

Rustic Belgian-style ales like saisons and bières de garde.

Beers brewed with real fruit — flavors range from subtle to candy-like.

Bright, dry, lightly hopped — between a blonde and a Belgian.

Tart, lightly salted German wheat beers, often fruited. Refreshing and quenching in summer.

Soft, juicy, low-bitterness IPAs with pillowy mouthfeel. The category many alt-grain brewers excel at — millet and rice play well with tropical hops.

Bavarian-style wheat beers with banana-and-clove yeast character. Soft, cloudy, traditionally low-bitterness.

India Pale Ales — hop-forward, bitter, often citrus or pine. The hardest gluten-free style to nail, and the one with the most great options now.

Crisp, clean, cold-fermented beers. Includes American light lagers, Helles, and Vienna lagers — all approachable and refreshing.

Balanced, hop-forward American pale ales. The bridge between lagers and IPAs — a great gateway gluten-free style.

Dry, lightly bitter, snappy lagers in the German or Bohemian tradition. Notoriously hard to brew gluten-free — when done well, exceptional.

Less roasty than stouts but still dark and malty. Caramel, toffee, and dark fruit notes are common.

Spiced fall-seasonal ales with cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and pumpkin character.

Reddish-amber ales with caramel sweetness and clean hop bitterness. Includes Irish Reds.

Belgian farmhouse ales — peppery, dry, and complex. Funky yeast character is a hallmark.

Lower-ABV IPAs (under 5%) built for drinking more than one. All the hop character, less of the punch.

Intentionally tart beers — fruited, kettle-soured, or wild-fermented. Bright, drying, often summery.

Dark, roasted, often coffee or chocolate-forward beers. Stouts translate beautifully to alt grains.

Higher-ABV ales with rich malt complexity. Includes Scotch ales and old ales.

Big, malty, sometimes spiced cold-weather beers.

Belgian-style wheat beers with coriander and orange peel — light, spiced, and refreshing.