6 of the best gluten free beers you can buy

Published by Finn Hayden

If gluten doesn't bother your stomach in any way then you probably don't realise how much of the food and drink we consume every day actually contain this protein. We've written recently about gluten free bread and gluten free pasta, but very few people realise that most beer actually contains gluten too. This is because most beers are made using wheat, rye, or barley, which are all sources of gluten, so for anyone with a gluten intolerance, beer is usually off the menu.

But that isn't to say there is no beer which is free from gluten - in fact, as the demand for gluten free products continues to rise, more beer brands are launching gluten free versions of their beers. We've tried a number of these now and thought it would be useful to round up the best gluten free beers that we've tried which are available to buy in the UK. Let's get into it:

Bellfield

Founded by 2 friends who both have coeliac disease, Bellfield is quickly emerging as one of the best gluten free beer brands in the country. The range of beers produced by this brand is impressive, with everything from IPA, lagers, and pilsner. All of the beers are certified by Coeliac UK, and Vegan Society approved too. This beer brand only produces gluten free beer, and because of the personal experience of the owners we think they definitely know what they're doing. The team are very transparent about the brewing process they use to create the beer too, using low gluten barley malt to create the beer. Learn more and buy the beer here - bellfieldbrewery.com

Arbor Ales

Arbor Ales is a brand based in Bristol which predominantly sells beer which contain gluten, but also has an excellent range of gluten free beers that we've been really impressed by. The Magic Mountain beer (pictured) is a very tasty IPA brewed with Citra and Sabro hops, and it's totally gluten free as well as being vegan. The entire gluten free range from Arbor consists of 7 different beers, one of which is gluten free. Learn more and buy the beer here - arborales.co.uk

Green's Beer

Green's Beer is another brand which only sells gluten free beer, and the range is extensive with an impressive 11 different types of beer to choose from. This includes quite obscure types of beer such as dark ales and amber beer, which we've not seen many gluten free versions of elsewhere. The only downside to Green's Beer is that their beers aren't stocked in many places, but you can buy a crate from their website. Learn more and buy it here - glutenfreebeers.co.uk

Punk IPA Gluten Free

Brewdog doesn't need much of an introduction as they're easily the biggest craft beer brand in the world. But not many people realise that the brand has quite a good selection of gluten free beer, including a gluten free version of their flagship Punk IPA beer. We have to say, having tried both the normal version and gluten free version of this beer, we can barely tell the difference. Punk IPA is the only Brewdog beer we've seen a gluten free version of in the supermarkets, but you'll often find more on tap if you visit one of the Brewdog bars. Learn more and buy it here - brewdog.com

Peroni gluten free

Peroni is another brand which needs no introduction, but this brand is definitely what we'd describe as a mass market brand, so it's really interesting to see that a big brand like Peroni has also launched a gluten free beer. Perhaps this is because Peroni is often served with gluten rich food like pasta and bread, so having a gluten free beer can make things a little easier on your stomach! We really enjoyed it and didn't notice much of a difference from the normal Peroni. Learn more and buy it here - sainsburys.co.uk

San Miguel gluten free

San Miguel is another mass market brand which is offering a gluten free version of their main beer, and we're impressed with it. It's not particularly flavoursome, especially compared to the other craft beers we've included in this list, but it's nice and light and perfect to pair with a meal. Learn more and buy it here - tesco.com

Hopefully this guide helps to prove that you enjoy a delicious beer without gluten! Let us know if you've tried any of these or if you have any other recommendations. If you'd like to read a similar guide, check out our guide to the best non alcoholic beer we've tried.