13 of Great-Tasting Gluten-Free Beers: Omission, Green's, RedBridge, & More

Green's Dubbel Dark Ale

After beer-loving Belgian Derek Green was diagnosed with celiac disease, he set out to make a tasty, allergy-free beer. Fast forward a few years and Green's first creation was copmlete: the Discovery Amber Ale. And while the company's inaugural beverage along with the 10 others that followed all kick most traditional beers' butts, it's the Dubbel Dark Ale (Buy It, $7, totalwine.com) that's considered one of the best gluten-free beers. This dark ale has more depth than most wheat-less brews, but still offers hints of fruit, chocolate, and even candy to make the sipping supurb. Even if it's not for you, at 7 percent alcohol volume, you certainly won't be complaining about a gluten-free beer for long.

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Stone Delicious IPA

Known for brewing some of the finest IPAs in the country, Stone puts the same TLC (and delicious genius) into crafting its Delicious IPA (Buy It, $12 for six-pack, target.com) as it does for the rest of its beverages. The company just employs a certain fermentation process to remove gluten. Here's the thing though: In other to be considered completely "gluten free" and marked as such, the Food and Drug Administration requires the product to have a gluten content of less than 20 parts per million (ppm) and free of any wheat, rye, or barley. And while the Delicious IPA tests at less than 10 ppm — well under the FDA's gluten-free bar of 20 ppm — it's made with barley (and the gluten is then removed using a special enzyme). So, if the FDA asks, it's gluten-reduced. But for the sake of this article, it's one of the best gluten-free beers. After all, the dry-hopped brew lives up to its name, featuring an intense citrus taste with a bitter kick that's balanced with a hoppy spice.

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Estrella Damm Daura

This low-gluten (nearly gluten-free) beer is actually made with barley malt, but the Spanish brewery uses a process to remove the gluten before bottling — which means Daura (Buy It, $10 for six-pack, totalwine.com) tastes as close to a malty brew as any celiac can get. In fact, the best gluten free beer won the Superior Taste Award of the International Taste & Quality Institute of Brussels three years in a row, among a bounty of other prises. With an aroma of sweet, toasted grains and a nice bitter kick, you'll likely agree with those judges on this one.

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Ipswich Ale Celia Saison

ipswich-celia-ipa-gluten-free-beer — Ipswich

It may be from an Eastern Massachusetts brewery, but the Ipswich Celia Saison (Buy It, from $11 for six-pack, drizly.com) was inspired by — and tastes close to — the rustic farmhouse ales of Belgium. Made from sorghum syrup, this best gluten-free beer has a peppery note that pairs well with flavors of Curaçao orange peels and Celeia hops.

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Lakefront Brewery New Grist

America's first gluten-free drink legally allowed to be called "beer," New Grist from Milwaukee's Lakefront Brewery (Buy It, from $10 for six-pack, drizly.com) is a simple, pilsner-style brew that avoids the detested grainy taste of many sorghum beers. With a flavor similar to Ipswich's Saison, the gluten-free beer is crisp and refreshing, with hints of green apple — but still more beer than cider (so don't worry, cider-hating celiacs).

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Ground Breaker Brewing IPA

Harvester Brewing IPA — Harvester Brewing

Oregon-based Ground Breaker Brewing takes locally-grown chestnuts, fruits, and hops to create an array of gluten-free beers, including a citrusy Pale Ale, chocolatey Dark Ale, and a collection of renowned India Pale Ales. The brand boasts five different kinds of IPAs, all of which have different subtleties — such as pine or roasted buckwheat — but bring an intense level of hopiness that most gluten-free beers don't quite reach.

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Omission Lager

Omission was the first craft brewery in the U.S. to focus exclusively on brewing beers with traditional ingredients (like malted barley) that are then specially crafted to remove gluten. And the folks behind the brews do a killer job: The Lager (Buy It, $11 for six-pack, totalwine.com) and Pale Ale (Buy It, $11 for six-pack, totalwine.com) have won the gold and silver medals for best gluten-free beers multiple years at the Great International Beer and Cider Competition. The brand also produces an IPA, but its Lager is arguably the most worthy of a spot on this gluten-free beer list. It retains that great craft beer flavor and, because of the unique brewing process, tastes so close to a traditional lager that most people probably wouldn't even know it's gluten-reduced. Plus, at just 134 calories, it's a particularly low-cal brew — if that is something you're looking for. (Speaking of which, Omission's Light Golden Ale comes in a bit lower at 99 cals, thereby making it one of the best low-calories beers you can buy.)

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Glutenberg IPA

For the folks who truly have celiac disease (vs. those who are sensitive to gluten or just following a g-free diet), this might very well be the best gluten-free beer for you. Montreal-based Glutenberg only makes 100-percent gluten-free beers in a dedicated gluten-free facility. And that's not their only winning attribute. Their libations are quite tasty, especially the IPA (Buy It, $12 for four-pack, drizly.com). Made with millet, buckwheat, quinoa, black rice, and corn, the grain flavors are balanced with a nice floral and fruity tone. Plus, it comes in a can, securing its spot in the beach and backyard BBQ coolers. (See also: The Bubbly Spritzes You'll Be Sipping On All Summer Long)

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Brunehaut Bio Blonde

Brunehaut's Bio Blonde is a Belgian brew with a citrusy aroma and taste, including hints of lemon, orange zest, apricot, pear, apple, pepper, and a nice yeasty earthiness. Using only organic and vegan ingredients, it's a delicious choice — but maybe only for the gluten-sensitive. Even though it measures at the same "less than five parts per million" of gluten that non-barley beers do, it's regulated by a different government agency in the U.S. and can't use the "gluten-free" tag. But with such low numbers, anyone who can handle the chance of potential gluten will be glad they reached for this cold one.

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Anheuser-Busch Redbridge Lager

Anheuser-Busch may not be many folks' first choice for regular beer (sorry Michelob, Budweiser, and Rolling Rock), but the company deserves a pat on the back for its gluten-free creation. RedBridge (Buy It, $10 for six-pack, totalwine.com) is a sorghum-based lager that would seamlessly fit in at any bar and delivers a nice fruity, hoppy, grain-infused flavor.

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Bard's Gold

If a brewery stays in business making only one beer, you better believe that singular creation tastes good. The brainchild of two celiac beer nerds, Bard's Gold (Buy It, $11 for six-pack, totalwine.com) is an American lager that tastes light and goes down smooth — and is guaranteed to be 100-percent gluten-free. With a nice crisp finish, most reviewers agree that it's one of the most authentic-tasting gluten-free brews out there. (Looking for a nosh to go with these best gluten-free beers?

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Sufferfest Flyby

Sufferfest's beers — another "crafted without gluten" situation — were created to appeal to the active crowd. (Just take a cue from their slogan, "Will Sweat for Beer.") Their award-winning Flyby pilsner has less than 10 parts per million of gluten and is perfect for sipping after an long day of cycling, running a race, or hiking to the top of a peak.

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New Planet Pale Ale

From the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, comes one of the best gluten-free beers you can buy — trust. Just looking at New Planet's Blonde Ale (Buy It, $14 for six-pack, totalwine.com) is enough to put a smile on your face. But the brew's cheery vibes don't stop there: Inside the colorful can is an equally bright beverage that boasts subtle hints of citrus and a crisp finish. Although a bit lower in ABV than the rest of the picks on this list of gluten-free beers (4.8 percent), the refreshingly light drink pairs well with plenty of dishes, any day of the year.

Updated by Elizabeth Bacharach

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