The 10 Best Gluten Free Beers for Your Celiac Friend

Celiac disease sucks. It's a terrible inconvenience to anyone who has it, as gluten appears in a surprisingly wide variety of food products. The worst part of it all is that those with gluten sensitivities can't even sit back with a beer to help them get over the annoyances of dealing with it! Beer, like so many other products, has a surprisingly high gluten content, thanks in large part to the barley that is commonly used in the brewing process. Luckily, many of the largest craft breweries now offer at least one gluten free beer. Today, there is even a growing number of breweries entirely dedicated to gluten free beers. Most importantly, these brews don't sacrifice flavor, meaning they aren't just for people with celiac: They're for anyone who enjoys good beer!Disclaimer: Some of the beers featured on this list are technically "gluten-removed," and may still pose a risk to those with severe gluten allergies.

Omission Brewing Co. is one of the leading craft breweries dedicated solely to brewing delicious gluten free beers, and this lager is their flagship product. This easy-drinking brew is produced in the traditional lager style, and is mild and approachable while still maintaining a flavorful light hop profile. If you don't know the tastes of the people you're drinking with, but you know you need to provide gluten free offerings, then you can't go wrong with this one-size-fits-all Omission beer.

American beers are one thing, but European beers are their own breed entirely. While some people are Budweiser drinkers and some prefer to only drink craft beers, another sect of beer drinkers prefers refreshing imported brews like Heineken and Stella Artois. Think of Damm Daura as the gluten free alternative for imported beer drinkers. Produced in Spain by Estrella Damm, this beer is a gluten free version of their most popular brew.

As you can easily tell from its name, Glutenberg is another craft brewery designed with gluten sensitivities in mind. This delicious IPA is the perfect choice for gluten intolerant hop heads. This brew is refreshing and light, featuring citrus, lemon, floral notes, and a caramel undertone in its flavor profile. This IPA proves that you don't have to sacrifice that great hoppy flavor you get from the best IPA beer brands in a gluten free beer.

I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that Belgium produces some of the greatest beer on the planet, and I'd hate to know that people with gluten intolerances aren't able to enjoy some of the phenomenal brews coming out of that region. Luckily, they no longer have to, thanks to beers like Green's Endeavour Dubbel Dark Ale. This gluten free beer is filled with delicious notes of toffee and the yeast that is so idiomatic of Belgian beers.

New Planet is another craft brewery specializing in gluten free beers. This award-winning offering from the Oregon-based brewery is an ale flavored with raspberry and citrus. Despite the name, this brew is actually refreshingly dry and not overly-sweet. The primary ingredients in this beer are sorghum, corn, hops, and yeast, but it is also flavored with natural raspberry puree and orange peel.

To give you a bit of a gastronomy lesson, the key to many beers with a reduced gluten content is the use of sorghum in place of the more traditional barley. Sorghum functions similarly to barley in the brewing process, but has a significantly lower gluten content, making it ideal for beer drinkers with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease. While some breweries gloss over this fact, simply saying that their beer has been "crafted to remove gluten," Steadfast's Sorghum Pale Ale embraces this methodology, offering a tasty and full-bodied gluten free beer.

Most of this list touches on the many craft breweries that have developed gluten free beers, but what if you're not in the mood for craft beer? Though it isn't prominently advertised, Redbridge is produced by Anheuser-Busch, the same lovely people who brought us Budweiser and Bud Lite. If you're in the mood for a simple lager like Budweiser but you have a gluten intolerance, then Redbridge Lager is for you.

New Belgium is a household name when it comes to craft beer, especially its flagship Fat Tire Amber Ale. New Belgium was also one of the first mainstream craft breweries to offer a beverage for those with celiac disease in the form of their Glutiny Pale Ale, and goes toe-to-toe with the other highly regarded gluten free beers from major distilleries on the market. Glutiny is a no-frills APA with a tasty hop profile perfect for any occasion. Hopefully New Belgium can continue to expand its gluten free offerings in the future (gluten free Fat Tire, anyone?).

Omission Brewing is certainly one of the leading producers of gluten free craft beers, with a lineup featuring a wide variety of beer styles, all produced without gluten. Much like their flagship lager, Omission's Ultimate Light Golden Ale is refreshing and easy-drinking without sacrificing flavor. Debuting in 2017, it's one of Omission's newest products, and it proves that the gluten free beer movement isn't winding down any time soon. As an added bonus, Ultimate Light only has 99 calories, so go ahead and grab another!

Okay, here's my dark horse pick: a cider. I know it doesn't technically fall under the umbrella of "gluten free beers," but you'd be surprised how delicious and satisfying a nice dry cider can be (which makes sense when you consider how easy it is to make hard apple cider from scratch). The best part is that practically all ciders are gluten free by default. This pear-flavored apple cider is just one of the dozens—if not hundreds—of delicious ciders you can get your hands on. If you're having trouble finding the right gluten free beer, why not give hard cider a chance? You just might love it.