I first became interested in gluten-free beer, and gluten-free generally, when my son was diagnosed as autistic. The autism spectrum is very wide and as my wife and I learned all we could about it, we discovered that many kids with ASD have what’s called a “leaky gut” which causes abdominal and/or intestinal problems. It is often treated by modifying their diet and restricting glutens, among other things, like caseins. As it happened, Porter never developed that symptom so it was never something we had to deal with, but it stuck with me.
So when Celiac Disease (CD) started becoming more common, and with it gluten-free diets, I was immediately intrigued by the idea of gluten-free beer. I attended a seminar at a Craft Brewers Conference four years ago on gluten-free beer and was surprised to find it standing-room only. Obviously, I was on to something and wrote an article for New Brewer magazine in 2006. In the course of researching the story, I discovered that Anheuser-Busch was developing a gluten-free beer, to be named Redbridge. I obtained a bottle from a test batch from UC Davis professor Michael Lewis, who I also discovered had recently developed CD himself. At that point, only three or four gluten-free beers were being packaged, though many other breweries were experimenting with draft versions.
But here’s the other weird thing I discovered, which was that these beers were not allowed to say “gluten-free” on the label. In Europe they’d adopted a standard as early as 2000, but the U.S. didn’t have one. Here’s what I wrote at the time:
What makes a product gluten-free is not without controversy, however. Generally, of course, it means products without glutens. But as with N/A beers, some trace amounts may be acceptable. The EU, in the Codex Alimentarius, adopted standards in 2000 that “gluten-free” could have either 20 ppm or 200 ppm, depending on the method of manufacture and the raw ingredients selected. The U.S. has not yet established a standard. In July of 2004, Congress passed the Federal Allergic Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, which required the FDA to write a definition of “gluten-free” for labeling. To date, they have not yet done so.
This means that currently beers cannot have “gluten-free” on the label. The TTB is presently waiting for the FDA’s definition, which they are currently working on with celiac organizations and other interested parties. Brewers currently work around this using marketing materials and through distributors and retailers, since they may put “gluten-free” on shelf talkers and the like.
So apparently we had to wait through the Bush years — five years — for the FDA to decide, which as of Monday, what they decided finally went into effect. According to the USA Today’s account:
Brewers of gluten-free beers have until Jan. 1, 2012, to begin adding nutrition labels to their products, including a declaration of major food allergens, which includes wheat. That’s the information people with celiac disease have been waiting for.
Up until now, they couldn’t be certain that a beer that claimed to be gluten-free really was. Under FDA regulations, there’s a standard for it.
Gluten-free beer makes up less than 0.1% of the beer market, says Paul Gatza of the Brewers Association in Boulder, Colo. The biggest players in the gluten-free beer market are Anheuser-Busch’s Red Bridge, Klisch’s Lakefront in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Bard’s Tail from Norwalk, Conn., he says.
Celiacs have been buying these gluten-free beers for years, says Elaine Monarch, executive director of the Celiac Disease Foundation in Studio City, Calif. But accurate labels will be nice and the new FDA regulations may make it easier for European gluten-free beverages to enter the market, she says.
The standard they adopted is the 20 ppm one, the more rigid of the two used in Europe.
Hopefully this makes it easier for people who have a restricted diet. I know there are a lot of people who are so happy that at least some beers are available that won’t cause them grief, and perhaps with the changes there will be even more choice.
Bravo on the Government red-tape and foot-dragging. (that’s a shock)
Did they mention that most of the beers stink? Just curious
“Gluten-free beer makes up less than 0.1% of the beer market,”
“Celiacs have been buying these gluten-free beers for years,”
I personally know a few folks with Celiacs, who were surprised to learn that gluten-free beer existed at all. I’d be willing to bet that now that the standards are ratified and proper labeling and advertising can be pursued, this figure should go up.
Considering how slow the Feds implemented the health privacy rules during Clinton years I suspect it’s less an Administration based problem and more of the nature of the Federal bureaucracy to take it own long time.
Strikes me funny how many people call for more federal involvement in the health care but issues like this really show how it’s the Feds are the ones who drag these issues out.
There’s been quite a bit of work going on into developing gluten-free strains of barley in Australia so that barley-based beers can be made, rather than beers made with substitute grains… http://bit.ly/tPzdC
I’ve been a celiac for about 8 years. Prior to that I was a beer aficionado, former homebrewer, constant and vocal critic – a beer snob. Loss of craft beer was hideous. There was effectively nothing, but vague wisperings of some honey brew from Ramapo, some guy was trying to malt sorghum, a beer in Italy. Slowly it changed. I found three beers in England and made a trip. All were brewed in Belgium and exported. I brought some home. Bard’s came on the scene and then a friend brought me La Messagere. I probably had the best GF beer selection assembled in my fridge as could be had at that time. Now we have Redbridge – a real comeuppance for this beer snob. All in all, they suck, at least by prior standards; somewhat sourish, little depth, no viscosity, tiresome after taste – a yeasty wet beverage with an alcoholic punch. You don’t want to down many at once, but – they exist. That is, there is a “beer” I can drink. For eight years out of real beer world… close one eye and it reminds me of beer. It’s a miracle. A drink for bar-b-ques and spicy foods and lawn mowing. Not much for sitting around and contemplating its virtues, but in a way, drinkable. I must confess I’m grateful. Thanks to all who labored to bring it to us who need it.
I have been drinking Redbridge for a few years now. As soon as I read about it I called Anhauser Busch and they were very helpful in making sure I could get it delievered in my area. Hard to get use to, but at least it is beer. Putting a lime in it really helps.
It does not matter. The ruling is not a very good one. For one, the FDA cheated and just ‘adopted’ what others were using. For two, for those of us that have to be gluten-free, that means NO gluten, not just a teeny-tiny little amount.