Ok…see if you can following the bouncing ball.
Corona is not a gluten-free beer.
But it has been tested to under 20ppm, so it is a gluten-free beer.
Yet it’s made with barley, so it’s not a gluten-free beer.
But according to the FDA, since it’s under 20ppm, it is a gluten-free beer.
But then according to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, it can’t be labeled gluten-free because it’s made with barley.
I think I speak for all celiacs when I say…HUH??
Let me make one thing perfectly clear here. I will never drink Corona. Or Bud Light. Or Heineken. Or any of the other beers that some celiacs are convincing themselves they can drink.
Why? BECAUSE IT HAS GLUTEN IN IT.
The bigger questions I have are:
- How are some of these beers testing to under 20ppm?
- How does the FDA feel about beers made with barley testing to under 20ppm, the limit that they set as safe for celiacs?
- Why would any celiac risk it when there are other awesome gluten-free beer options on the market now?
Let me jump around a bit and start with question number 3.
I have researched this topic a bit and am astounded at the number of celiacs who drink this beer. And simply because they “don’t feel too bad afterwards”, they’re convinced it’s safe to drink. My god…is it that important to have a Corona that you’d risk your health for it? I simply do not understand the need to feel normal by drinking “regular” beer. We’re not normal. Get over it.
Heck…the Corona manufacturers themselves don’t even recommend it for celiacs!
And the problem is that it has a domino effect. One person reads that Corona is safe to drink, so they drink it and tell other celiacs and so on and so on. And before you know it, it’s a whole celiac Corona beach party, hopefully with a bathroom and a lymphoma center nearby.
And then when somebody asks me why I don’t drink Corona when their celiac friend drinks it all the time, I look like the picky celiac.
There’s a great back and forth on this topic on this page. It starts about half-way down the comments.
Me! I’ll stick with my Ghostfish…and Glutenberg…and Ground Breaker…and of course, there’s always Uncle Titos!
Ok…onto question 1. How is a beer made with gluten testing so it’s below 20ppm?
One obvious answer is that the tests are not accurate. But I’ve read multiple test results. One test even showed NO GLUTEN at all. How is that possible? How is something that’s made with gluten, and has no special process to remove the gluten, be gluten-free? It’s a rhetorical question, because frankly, I don’t have an answer.
And if something that is made with gluten can test so low and theoretically be safe for us, what does that say about our system?
As for question #2, I don’t want this to get into a whole argument about the FDA’s 20ppm ruling. There’s a whole lot of passion on both sides of the fence.
Do I wish it were lower as it is in other countries? Absolutely. Do I think it protects the food companies more than it protects the celiac community? Yes I do. But it’s a start and I’ll take it as a sign of progress. And just so we are all on the same page, there is no possible way to test to 0ppm.
I would love to hear some feedback from the testing experts out there and of course from you. If you knew Corona were below 20ppm, would you drink it?
Nothing is ever easy in the celiac world.
I need a drink…
No beer is worth it! But I didn’t even like beer before my diagnosis, so maybe I’m not the one to ask.
I swear, it’s like people constantly want to poke fun at the “picky celiac.” What other diagnosis leaves people feeling defensive about their health on a daily basis?
This is my first comment on your site. Thanks so much for being there. Or here. 🙂
Here and there…thanks!
What is “uncle titos”? Is it a gf mexican beer? Where can I get my hands on it?!?! 🙂
It’s a delicious vodka made in Texas. It’s made from corn so it’s naturally gf
the proteins in corn, sorghum, rice, dairy, soy and egg are that similar the intestine does not the difference. can’t believe ppl think otherwise. corana has less grain proteins than a harmful, so called non gluten free beer. I can drink a couple of coronas with no symptons, unlike high protein so called gluten free beers.
This is interesting.
I spent quite a while trying to figure out what I could and couldn’t drink. As someone who has loved beer for ages, I find it interesting that Corona has actually the less protein part. I’ve had problems with proteins for ages, went GF 5 years ago, and until today have not had another really bad episode. I drank a cider last night, figuring that well, it’s apples right? But nope it definitely has put me back years. Will have to be very careful for about a month in order to make sure I am well enough to overlook simple situations where there could be contamination. I try to be “flexible” when with others. They make fun of me when I have my own butter container so there are no wheat crumbs in it!
So far this is the first time in 5 years that I’ve been so ill. So guess I will enjoy my Corona, since finding any good GF beers in LCBO stores is almost impossible.
Also with the above info I will enjoy it even more, knowing that it is the protein component that is missing.
Also, fyi, since Corona has a short shelf life it has very few if any preservatives, sulfates anyone? Not for me!
I’m a celiac I can drink corona with no adverse effects. I have tasted my fill of so-called gluten free beers. They all taste like crap
Before I was diagnosed with coeliac I would drink corona when ever I was out. I wouldn’t risk my health but if Corona want to try and make a gluten free version I would be most grateful
I believe you may have been misled. I have celiac and drink Tito’s vodka. My guess is that someone referred to Mr Tito as Uncle Tito ?
I read a few articles stating that it was safe for people with celiacs and I am just intolerant. So I tried two last night and I have been suffering since and will continue to suffer for another week or so. I should have done more research first I admit but I was excited at the prospect of being able to drink them again.
I think the answer to number one is that since it is fermented, the equipment is not accurately measuring the gluten. Correct?
Okay so a few questions about GF beer. I have celiac and I thought that Omissions and Daura and some others were actually brewed using Barley? I understand they use a processes to remove the gluten protein but it was STILL made with Gluten, even though the PPM were extremely low. The reason I bring this up is because you said “Why would any celiac risk it when there are other awesome gluten-free beer options on the market now?”. Well I will tell you why, because all of the other GF beers are awful. I too was a big beer drinker, mostly IPAs, and I still have not found a good replacement. Only thing I have found is whiskey or cider (Reds Apple Ale isnt that bad actually).
Bro… Redd’s Apple Ale is NOT gluten free, not even a little, not at all. It is beer (ale) mixed with cider. It will tear up your celiac insides.
And, try Harvester’s beers. They’re really, really good.
Red bridge sucks, but probably less than intestinal lymphoma
“Red bridge sucks, but probably less than intestinal lymphoma.”
One of the best sentences ever.
nearly spit out my cocktail on that one…excellent!! 😉
red bridge? might as well drink water
Am I the only one here who likes Redbridge?! lol never really was much of a beer drinker anyways :p Wine is fine!
When I could drink I actually liked Red Bridge. However, I will admit to being someone who did not like beer prior to being gluten free.
heeheehee. good one!
I’ve read studies that 50/60 “gluten free” beers tested for gluten, gliadin, horedin, and other gluten reactive proteins when using MSM methods. Barley based, ‘gluten removed’ beers had just as much horedin as regular beer in MSM tests!! They did not reveal which beers were tested.
Basically, ELISA assays don’t work with fermented products.
Don’t go with your gut – you may be less symptomatic. Instead, go with quarterly iG panels, Vit D, VIt B, iron, etc. and then adjust your habits to get those numbers corrected.
For Omission, which I think is total BS and makes everyone I know violently ill, if you have to spend this much time & PR defending your product, something is not right about what you are doing as a company.
I don’t have celiac but I do have a strong intolerance (I tested positive for celiac in the blood test and have a genetic marker, but the endoscopic test was negative). I get bad migraines – daily, bad migraines – from gluten. Having been GF for a year and a half, I now also get stomach issues and shaking from even a little. I can drink Omission with no side effects. I only have 1, and not daily, but I so enjoy the taste of a real beer!
If you tested positive with the blood test and genetic marker, I think you can call yourself Celiac. The endoscopy used to be the gold standard test. I was diagnosed over a decade ago. I had to insist upon having the endoscopy before flipping my whole life on its ear. My gastroenterologist who is quite an expert on celiac said it wasn’t necessary. The blood test is extremely sensitive and is considered to be diagnostic. If you decreased your exposure to gluten prior to having the endoscopy, it could give the tissue in the intestine a chance to begin healing and result in a false negative biopsy result. Just suggesting that you not fool yourself into thinking that you are just “sensitive.” There are quite a number of maladies that can stem from even minute amounts of gluten exposure. Research gluten ataxia – immune response to gluten can attack your nervous system and cause long term damage.
I have gluten Ataxia it Is
Not fun
Charles,
If you are ever in the Denver area go to Rickoli’s Brewery. They use the same process as Omission, Brunhaut and Dara but are a micro brewery. There beer’s register below 10ppm and are amazing, half the menu are IPA’s. I am Celiac and can attest to no pain and feeling great after every visit.
Before gluten free I was a hardcore IPA beer drinker and have not found a good replacement, if you do find one please share.
Thanks
Amyi
Amy if you have a Trader Joe’s near you I found an AWESOME GF Strawberry IPA there.
This is because gluten is a protein which is composed of polypeptides, which themselves are specific chains of different amino acids bonded together. A specific sequence of amino acids makes gluten toxic to people who are intolerant to gluten. There are two ways that gluten can be removed from food, the peptide bond holding gluten together can be broken apart by fermentation, thus destroying the protein’s structure transforming it into chains of amino acids which are not gluten, or because gluten is a relatively large chemical co pound it can be filtered out during the brewing process (which is presumably the case with corona.) Many of the tests for gluten actually test for some of the more toxic polypeptide fragments. I have been gluten free for 14 years, I can personally attest that the diet is a huge pain in the ass, if you can drink a normal beer without feeling adverse effects, by all means do it! It is easier on your wallet and on your friends when you go out for a drink.
Is there a gluten free whiskey??? I just got diagnosed with celiac disease (4 months ago) and I work at a brewery. It is really fun explaining the taste of the beer when I can’t drink it anymore….. I love beer and miss it, but I do like whiskey too. If there is a GF whiskey please let me know. Thanks
Your best bet is to check directly with a distillery.
all distilled spirits are gluten free.
But the bottle doesn’t necessarily contain only distilled spirits. Apparently some places add some of the mash in at the end, to add flavour. And then there’s things like the spices added into some drinks. I don’t know if cross-contamination is ever an issue, but it is at least in theory.
Watch out for Ciders. There are many that are NOT gluten free. Omission and Daura are both made with gluten and then they are filtered after brewing to remove the gluten. They meet EPA standards to be considered gluten free but are simply not. I got sick the two times I stupidly believed “Gluten Free” on the label. As for good beers….I’m a beer drinker. The best gluten free (and truly gluten free) beer on the market (in my opinion) is glutenberg. They have five flavors (or so). They have something for everyone!! A red ale, an IPA, a blond ale, a white beer and an American pale ale. I love them all.
In general (what out, I’m about to rant) the industry has been tainted by the growing numbers of people who have a sensitivity. It’s made the industry lax. This is ok, but those of us with celiacs truly need to embrace Caveat Emptor because there is too much money to be made otherwise.
I get picked on for my “made up disease” and pickiness ALL the time. I just don’t care. A day in the life of someone in the midst of their months of recovery aftet contamination would be convinced it’s 1) not made up and 2) necessary to be picky!!
Try Green’s… Seriously. I am with you. A beer drinker and I just can’t stand anything else.
If you like IPA’s, try “Delicious” by Stone Brewery! It’s delicious. Also I was told there is no such thing as a gluten free beer, so it’s termed Gluten Reduced. Go to their website, it will even give you batch test results, gluten levels are minuscule 🙂
I thought I was safe drinking Omission. As “GF” beers go, it wasn’t so “chewy” as other GF beers I’ve tried. Couldn’t figure why I was still sick. So I’m done with Omission. Drinking The Bridge beer. I miss a good 90 min IPA… 😔
Can’t agree with you more. I drink Corona with no effects and Im a celiac . Some one please make a “Gluten Free Beer” that do not taste like Crap.
No effects does not mean no damage. Just something to be aware of Frank.
Our favorite bartender announced the other night that Corona is GF, I am drinking my tequila and eating a lettuce wrap taco, look it up he says. Last night our local beer maker comes in, we re-start our conversation about the GF beers and enzymes that make it “safe”. Still I am drinking tequila. I LOVED beer before celiac, flat loved it. I am glad I had my share before diagnosed, no way I am “testing” beer for gluten. Sorry Corona
Michelle….I’ve had open heart surgery, and this gluten problem, found out about 5 mmonths ago, is much worst than that surgery . I certainly understand where ur coming from. I’M at whitts end with this. Mind u I’m abig beer boy always was . Have a great week…….Gee.
When I heard this, I couldn’t have been more excited about having a beer again… Unfortunately after 3 largish sessions getting on the corona’s I’ve noticed that it isn’t working for me. For me it give me the terrible GAS!!! I’ve heard some coeliacs are fine with it, but I’ll be sticking with my vodka sodas & red wine, until a quality GF beer come onto the market
I read a few articles stating that it was safe for people with celiacs and I am just intolerant. So I tried two last night and I have been suffering since and will continue to suffer for another week or so. I should have done more research first I admit but I was excited at the prospect of being able to drink them again.
I have Never got poisoned by Corona but twice by O’Mission!
I am sipping my whisky as I read this so maybe I dont have any room to talk since whisky is made of grains but I have convinced myself that the science of distalation is acurate and the resulting liquor is gluten free. I have not had a beer since being daignosed nor would I if it is made with barley, even it is testing to less than 20ppm. As people with celiac we just have to be more careful than others. For those people who claim to need to be gluten free because it gives them migrains (started a new job and a women with the same name as me is making me crazy claiming to need to be gluten free because her acupuncterist told her it was causing her migrains…she had chicken noodle soup and a roll for lunch not gf. I want to unleash all my celiac rage on this women but I would rather not out myself as having celiac at this time.) For all of the non celiac trend followers (not the people with genuine NCGS) drink up, enjoy that corona and shut the F***k up when you are at work the rest of the office dosent care to hear it.) As for peopple with celiac it blows my mind how people will risk their overall well being for trivial things but I see it as akin to a type two diabetic who eats cupcakes and ice cream regularly. Some people just dont care or dont have the will power to put their health first. It is sad realy a beer nor a cupcake is worth risking your health. Thankfully this beer can not be labled gf, at least not at this time.
Dote to self:dont post on blogs while drinking 🙂
Love your passion Jazz…booze-fueled or not 😉
I felt the same for the longest time. As someone with celiacs my whole life (my mom was diagnosed in 1954, this is nothing new!), I felt the same annoyance hearing Corona was gluten free. I agree that Red Bridge and Bard’s are horrible.
I am a very sensitive celiac and have reactions from even cross contamination; I would never “cheat” or decide to eat something that clearly contained gluten. I have never felt bad or had a reaction from Omission – “gluten removed” – which tests under 10 parts per million and is similarly made from barley. After hearing this for years, I did some research and found Corona was less than 20 ppm (legally gluten free) so decided to give it a try.
I drank 2 out of a frosty mug at a Mexican restaurant which was amazing. I usually break out in hives immediately and can feel it in my mouth immediately after eating gluten and then have severe symptoms later on. Nothing happened. I am drinking another one right now.
I’m not going to dismiss that they might cause a-symptomatic damage but don’t see any difference than Omission at this point. I’ll see if I do some heavy Corona drinking how I feel 😉
Hi! Did you heavy drink corona? Do you have any updates to share?? Thanks in advance!!
You hit the nail on its head! Only the food manufacturers benefit. Us Celiac’s have be our own watch dogs. Only 100% gluten free beer & tequila for me!
I’m one of those pesky NCGS people. I rarely drink. But about a month ago I was in LA for a wedding. The day after, we’re walking around Manhattan beach and we stop into this place for a drink, and maybe possibly lunch, depending on how I feel about their GF sensibilities. You know the drill. Turns out they have a great GF menu. I make my food order and I ask for a Ketel and soda, which has basically become my new Bud Light! The waitress says to me, “wait, that’s not a potato vodka, it’s made from wheat, and yet you’re ordering from the gluten free menu.” So I start, with much brevity, explaining distillation and Ketel tests for gluten yada yada yada. Halfway through my explanation I’m noticing in her disdainful eyes that she’s not listening to a word I’m saying. At that very moment, two things occur to me: this waitress thinks I’m totally full of crap and secondly she just tried to call me out on it. She doesn’t think I’m really serious about being gluten free. All because of some other a – hole before me that ordered from the gluten free lunch menu and then paired it with a Guinness. I tried to educate her but the damage was done. She’s been ruined forever because someone else was being a gluten free jackass. Oh, the humanity.
Sounds like she had amazing intent and info – I’d tip her big time. Her delivery might be a bit off. Frankly, I don’t touch anything that is distilled from grains. I react and my iG numbers show the damage I’m doing very clearly.
Oops sorry, I went off on a tangent. I do need to be very carefully GF, I assure you. And no, I’m never drinking Corona again.
No need to apologize…we’re all about going off on tangents here.
I’m actually looking for a tangent to go off on.
me too, Ken…see any around?
Just been diagnosed. Not happy but trying to adjust! Very frustrating. I’m feeling everybody’s the same. Got a fridge full of corona too!
Hey Ray,
I miss beer the most of all. The fake ones suck. Tequila is my new friend. The first part of going GF is the hardest, but worth it, it never gets “fun”, you just have to roll with it. If you don’t cook, learn to and get really good at it. Processed anything is not your friend. Best wishes, Nora
I really only drink when I’m out with friends, but it would be nice if more places had gluten free beers like Redbridge as readily available as they do Bud Light, Coronoa, Miller Lite, etc. And don’t even get me started on places that say, when you ask if they have GF beer, “Yes–we have Angry Orchard!” Umm…just becauase it LOOKS like beer doesn’t mean it TASTES like beer.
I looked into this a while ago and my understanding was that the gluten tests were not sensitive enough to test for Hordein, which is the barley form of gluten, and that’s why people with gluten related disorders can’t handle those beers.
http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/glutenfreegrains/f/Is-Barley-Gluten-Free-Or-Does-Barley-Contain-Gluten.htm
I thought. Or the way it’s done in the UK. They add something that eats the gluten. Thus why the short shelf life on gf beers
Eats the gluten?
The additive they add to light beers is one that prevents clouding. A side “benefit” is that it also eats up the gluten rendering most light beers virtually gluten-free. Does that mean I drink them? Nope. But I have friends who aren’t celiacs, but sensitive to gluten and it doesn’t bother them one bit. To each their own.
Well gets rid of it. Iam at the brewery on Saturday. I will ask him
This is not that complicated. If it tests less than 20 ppm, that’s less than 0.002% gluten, so it’s safe for celiacs. Sure I’ll have a corona. Whether or not the FDA knows what they’re doing.
This is simply not the case, and demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of the mechanism by which damage is done to celiac’s insides. It takes 1 protein, 1 gluten to trigger the autoimmune disorder that flattens intestinal villi. Even .0002% means many thousands of gluten proteins.
Gluten Dude – if you had a Gluten intolerence and were not celiac, would you drink Corona?
If gluten were harmful to my body, celiac or NCGS, I would absolutely not.
Well, it’s kind of like Ommission. If I remember correctly, the owners of that brewery have celiac and wanted a beer that tastes like beer. To do that, you usually need barley. So they treat the barley with some sort of enzyme that destroys the gluten protein in the barley (or something like that, I’m no expert). They test every batch of beer and post the results online for you to look up. Tests under 10ppm. So is it safe? Is the testing accurate? That’s up to each person to decide on their own. I’ve tried it. It’s pretty good beer. I won’t have more than 2 in a sitting though. And it’s not something I’d drink every day if I was a daily drinker. There’s still gluten in it and if enough gets in me, I assume I’d react. What I’d like to know is how Cronona ends up being under 20ppm. Do they just use a teeny tiny amount of barley in the brewing process? Do they treat it somehow? Do they distill it like liquor? Wondering minds want to know! I still don’t think I’d try it though. Maybe that’s silly considering I’ll have the occasional Ommission beer, but it is what it is.
So…. first off, I used to be a beer drinker. LOVED my microbrews, Guinness, Fat Tire, no mamby pamby regular beer for me. As a matter of fact I just sold my home brew set for $20. Ugh. Over $200 worth of beautiful brewing gear for $20. Anyway, gluten free beer sucks. I’ve tried many of them and they all pretty much taste the same, like sorghum. I’ll stick to my Captain and coke, thanks. Although, I have tried Omission and they taste pretty good and I’ve not had a reaction. I have to admit I do have a mixed kitchen because half in my house are gluten intolerant and half aren’t. I don’t react often (maybe I’ve just been lucky) but I think I’m not as sensitive as some. I definitely don’t cheat on my lifestyle like my daughter does but I’m not as careful as other people.
Give New Planet, Harvester Brewing and Glutenberg a shot.
Is New Planet available in Australia?? The Gluten free beers here are about $80 a box (24) so makes things pretty pricey when Corona etc $40 – $50. I am a Coeliac and wouldn’t touch the Corona at this point although is tempting especially when the GF options are just!!
I live in Australia too, and I emailed them about it. They said it’s not and that “We need a distributor and a representative in Australia.”
Yeah, not to get too political, but the government’s record on looking out for consumers over corporations is spotty at best. That’s a lie. It’s miserable. So am I going to trust the US government’s standards on gluten testing so someone can sell their product? No.
I’m not a scientist, but I know that if there’s an ingredient in a product that is going to affect my celiac, I’m not going to take a chance on that product, no matter how much I miss it.
And Corona wasn’t worth drinking even pre-diagnosis.
Amen. The FDA regulations are nonsense, and the GFCO standards are now equally bad. We haven’t gained any material improvements on our quality of life with these upcoming changes – it is actually making things worse!
So here’s my problem with this, how many “20ppms” can I have? If I can drink one Corona and have less than 20ppm, fine, but who the hell can drink one? I am that beer guzzling chick that used to be on the beach all day and drink eight or nine, (after five o’clock somewhere) so, no, I won’t drink a Corona. Because I know I can’t drink “a” Corona, I would drink many many more. I know because I have seen me do that!
Hysterical Crystal 🙂
Crystal, not only is your comment hilarious, but a bit of reality (at least in my case too). I think you summed it up well.
Crystal!!!I hear you on that one~~~I could never just have ONE so how many of those under 20 p.p.m.’s would add up?? Not worth it!
If you all would read about the standard and how it was made and what it means to your life, you would know its probably 18 or more a day. I posted the link. I hoped a few would head it and learn a little from a Celiac center.
Kim64. If I would have been a little wiser in my early twenties I would have figured out that after any beer, and I tried all, I had stomach issues. I loved my beer and cigarette! Gone are those days and I don’t get even tempted, I would not drink any beer, please no more bad stomach aches. A fine wine and no cigarette does the job:) there are so many choices to find alcohol that are enjoyable and I can’t deny a little buzz now and then is fun!
Omg this is just scary!
I keep in mind that beer is almost all water, that 20ppm is only a ratio, different individuals have different tolerances for gluten, and most celiacs are in fact ingesting a little bit of the bad stuff with the processed food they eat. So maybe a Corona isn’t noticeable for a segment of the population. That said, my beer is one part Tito’s Vodka mixed with White Rock sparkling water(only CO2, not soda added) and a few drops of lemon. Pour, squeeze, and repeat as directed.
I wouldn’t drink a beer or any product that has 20ppm because the FDA said that’s safe . If 20ppm was safe I wouldn’t of been in emergency room with my 8 year old Sunday hooked up to a iv from cross contamination at school lunch Friday . Anything over 10ppm me and my daughter react . Yes I get there are some who don’t show immediate reaction I have a 18 yr old son like that. But celiac disease is the same for me my son and that person who would drink the beer that has barley or eat a bite of gluten here and there . ITS A LIFE LONG DISEASE! So yes that corona or other foods that contain gluten taste good now and just because you don’t have a reaction right away doesn’t mean it can affect you later damage takes time .now that’s your choice but here my question , if a portion of celiac community will eat a cookie or drink a corona because you either don’t have reaction , don’t care what it’s gonna do to health later or for what ever reason . And a portion follow a gluten free diet and do react to foods like chex and other foods that claim 20ppm. As a whole celiac community what does that look like to the non celiac community ? Fad diet picky eater wants attention , oh one bite won’t hurt , it’s not a real disease these are just a few I’ve heard . How can we as a celiac community educate teach , advocate and get changes with such mixed messages being sent . This doesn’t end with us , what about our next generation and next . I would love it if my next family member loved one friend who ever not have to go trough the trials we had with celiac disease . But if from looking from outside in it looks like we as a community don’t care about out health why would rest of non celiac world care ? Eduction change acceptance advancement starts with us . This is only my opinion on this . As I teach my children this disease can’t hold us hostage unless we let it were not victims unless we choose to be and we won’t advance unless we educate . That starts with our selfs . Gluten dude thank you for taking time everyday to do this.
I hear you! I think every one of the 4 Celiac members in my family reacts to like 0.5 ppm—we’re that ridiculously sensitive! It’s a tough road with so many different sensitivities out there and seemingly no research or answers telling us why.
I agree! There are also many of us with fewer symptoms or no symptoms at all. I feel for them because the medical management of our situation doesn’t include quarterly iG panels and malabsorption tests for adults. If those with fewer symptoms used data from their blood instead, maybe they would want to be as strict as those of us whose bodies go bonkers right away.
Chex says gluten free on the box. How do you get its not?
Having “gluten free” on the box, sadly does not always mean it’s safe.
“If you knew Corona were below 20ppm, would you drink it?”
NOPE
(yes, I know. I am being very brief today, but it’s a simple question with a simple answer)
Sometimes brief is good 😉
I wouldn’t drink it. I react to Bob’s Red Mill flours can’t imagine what drinking a Corona would do to me. And Crystal’s comment is hysterical. Just like her I would want more than one!
I just ordered 6 pints from Harvester brewing got it yesterday. I wanted a safe beer to drink so badly that I paid over $90 bucks to have 6 pints shipped to me. I’ll be on the beach guzzling those puppies down! Oh wait, I may have to savor every sip.
Lets vote:
1.) Should I guzzle em down?
2.) Should I sip lazily and savor 6 pints of beer that cost me $145 bucks?
Yes, it sounds crazy I paid that much but damn it I wanted some cold beer. Glasses are in the freezer. I will not share, I will not!
Wow…that is some determination. I’m all for sipping and savoring.
Jules, I would vote for “sip and savor”
but I am not exactly known for moderation when it comes to enjoying the finer things in life. eh, now that I think about it, maybe I am not the best one to ask at all …..:)
Cheers, Jules!! Enjoy, hon. Life is for enjoying the simple things like a nice cold beer.
No way—at least not these days! About 3 years ago, while family was visiting for the summer, we decided to try out Bud Light (supposedly GF made with rice) one night at the Rodeo. BIG mistake!! I got a dizzy spell the next afternoon so bad I could barely stand up. My husband got his first gout attack. We can’t do the ‘GF’ grain alcohols either—the last time we ended up making emergency trips to the toilet. In fact, every single person we know IRL who lives with this cannot seem to tolerate any distilled grain alcohol either.
My own personal theory is that there are other molecules, and not just gluten, that play a role in the sickness process. Since the tests only test for gluten, it’s claimed safe for all, even though so many still get sick.
Different things affect people differently. But just to be clear…distilled hard alcohol is gluten free.
If I may add, in my experience interrogating the good people at Gordon’s vodka, they will admit that even though distillation is mighty tough on big molecules like gluten, there is still a chance that some will make it into the final product. Distillation is statistical. I’ve been OK with Tito’s vodka, which is distilled six times and begins with certified GF corn as its grain stock. I’ve had more than a few at a sitting, and haven’t had a problem beyond what the whole rest of the world already expects from over doing it.
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I have never had a single problem with distilled grain alcohol–nor have any of the other celiacs I know. It’s gluten free unless a gluten grain is ADDED BACK IN for some strange reason.
Read this informative article and the leading celiac experts’ opinions on the distillation process.
“Anything distilled cannot possibly contain gluten. Distillation is the process of separating alcohol from everything else in the mash, and unless gluten can travel with vapor, there’s no physical way that it could be found in the distillate.” So what happens after a product has been distilled is much more likely to be responsible for adverse physical responses in consumers. It is also important to mention that alcohol is a poison and human being’s reactions to it are as varied as we are diverse. While some people have extremely high tolerances to alcohol, others are drunk after one drink. Some people turn red when they drink and others fall asleep. With such an immense number of physical, chemical and psychological variables, it seems absolutely ridiculous to me to blame gluten for an undesirable reaction to alcohol.”
ww.alcoholprofessor.com/2013/04/what-really-makes-a-spirit-gluten-free/
The University of Chicago Celiac Center
“Only specific gluten-free beers (Bard’s Tale, New Grist, Green’s, Redbridge, to name a few) are appropriately gluten free. As for pure spirits, (vodka, gin, scotch), the distillation process makes these beverages safe because the protein is removed. However, flavored spirits may contain malt, and should be avoided.”
Well, clearly every Celiac has different reactions and tolerance levels. It’s great that you have never had a problem, but it certainly doesn’t mean that no one else will have a problem.
The 4 people that have definite, clear gluten reactions to distilled liquors that were specifically made from gluten grains include myself, my husband and 2 other Celiacs who have specific reactions to gluten. We all have tried numerous times with distilled liquors (gin and vodka) and each time came up the same. We don’t find it ridiculous that we react, just take it in stride as we have understanding, as mentioned previously, that distillation is not a 100% guarantee that gluten can’t get into the final product.
I’m not making any claims that the liquors are not indeed GF, because they all meet FDA standards.
All I’m trying to get across Katie is that it’s now always gluten that’s causing the problem. Could be something else that’s bothering you. Distilled booze is indeed gluten free.
Actually, I get DH and it flared the last couple of times we tried vodka. There was nothing else new that was added these times specifically so I could be a guinea pig. I was told by my doctor that my DH is specific to gluten, which I have proven again and again.
I know a headache could be caused from many different things, but not my DH. Sorry.
I too have had various vodkas from grains and had a sore stomach the next day ,i just stick to Smirnoff vodka my safest bet by far.
When talking about gluten and spirits from gluten containing ingredients, I believe you also need to consider cross contamination of gluten in the manufacturing of the spirit.
There’s a reason that many of these spirits are not pursuing gluten certification. Everyone gets the science, but they couldn’t or wouldn’t want to guarantee the absence of cross contamination in their manufacturing process.
‘zactly. A local distiller of vodka here in NY claims their vodka is GF, but when you interrogate them, you hear that the same equipment that makes the vodka is also used to make other spirits that begin with wheat and rye. I’ll skip this round thanks, because I want to see them absolutely gluten clean their equipment. I really want to see that.
Aren’t you saying that its made with corn? so even if they left the corn in it in chunks, it would be gf.
As I have read/heard it -> any alcohol that is triple distilled will start of being gluten free as any trace of gluten is removed in the distillation process… The problem occurs when manufacturers then add flavor and/or colour afterwards PLUS the dreaded “cross contamination” after distilling… Some wine makers use a gluten paste to seal their barrels – makes it hard to trust a glass of vino…
bud light may be made with rice but it is also made with barley malt–why would you drink that?
My wife is gluten intolerant, but steers away from anything with gluten just in case. I, however, am not, but I can’t drink Bud Light without having the symptoms that you describe. Growing up in the Funeral business, I used to hear the old-timer’s talk about “Budweiser has enough formaldehyde in it to use to embalm in an emergency”. I have no idea how that could be true, and I doubt that it is. The way it makes me feel after just one does make me wonder though!!
“And then when somebody asks me why I don’t drink Corona when their celiac friend drinks it all the time, I look like the picky celiac.”
YES THIS. UGH.
My basis for not drinking a corona is three fold – 1: not safe, my system is frankly still doing something wonky so despite having not intentionally eaten gluten in 4 years (Sadly, CC’d loads, which is why I’m so dang paranoid) I haven’t yet seemed to get to a point where even ‘just’ being CC’d would only make me sick for a brief period. Still hits me like a runaway train each time, and is actually getting worse for reasons that baffle me. So it just isn’t worth risking it on any level for me. 2: my belief in just ‘how’ gluten free something is based on the government is frankly nil. I tend to look at it like death or pregnancy. You either ARE or you AREN’T. Gradations aren’t really allowed in my life in these areas. Added to that, not too long ago, I got a Corona splashed over my hand and it took 3 days for what ultimately looked like a chemical burn to fade (on the positive side – it’s really hard for someone to act like a total tool, attempt to publicly mock your health issue ‘because maybe if there is enough of a spotlight placed on antisocial behavior it might force you to drop the nonsense’, tell you it’s all in your head and all someone needs to do is “spike your food for your own good so you can’t be such a hypochondriac over what you ‘think’ is in your food” when, after they pour the drink over you to ‘playfully’ make the point… to their horror within seconds a large red welt forms. So… there’s that I suppose.) so… as getting apple jack or wine poured over me doesn’t do the same thing OR make me ill, I think I’ll just stay away.
Lastly though? Thankfully for me, Corona was, to my taste anyway, a pretty vile thing to drink. Now, if someone walked up to me and swore that GUINNESS was under the legal US limit to count as Gluten Free…. that might be a temptation I couldn’t resist. At least once I might give in and make some proper beef stew with some, served with a loaf of Guinness bread and a tall ice cold Guinness to drink. Maybe. Possibly.
Oh heck. Who am I kidding? I still feel so incredibly crappy so much of the time that even THAT wouldn’t likely make me risk it. I likely am just going to stick to the no doubt paranoid rule of only eating things I know don’t contain any shred or form of gluten and are made in places that don’t handle any gluten holding ingredients.
If you still have problems on the gluten free diet after 4 years, try the SCD Diet.
To me, you don’t look like the picky celiac, you look committed to your health.
I’m wondering why I am bothering here, as common sense often avoids the internet, but, this is a good explanation of the 20 ppm. If you read the whole study, 20 ppm is a conservative number. Also, what people seem to not realize is – just because the test says <20 ppm that does not mean 19 ppm. There are 20 numbers (counting 0) <20 ppm.
http://www.massgeneral.org/children/assets/pdf/gluten-labeling-release-080213.pdf
Beer, is another matter as there is some thought that the tests used to test beer for gluten may not work for several reasons.
Also – Bud Light is not a gf beer – it has barley in it and no attempt has been made to make it gf. I don't think it is made with rice, either. But that would be easy to check with the company.
Distillation is a very basic science experiment done in grade or middle school. Easy to find info about it on the web. Heavy things do not rise up into steam. Never seen a fat guy in a sauna float.
Once again, I urge people to use a little sense and to think before believing everything they hear on the internet.
http://www.budlight.com/us/ourbeers.aspx#budlight
It is indeed a rice beer. It was totally stupid of us to drink it—but we had heard it was as ‘GF’ as Corona per testing, so we took a chance. It was VERY tasty, but the reactions were not worth it. The only person with diagnosed Celiac I know who drinks Bud light and Natural Light with no reactions actually doesn’t even get overt reactions, so does he really know he’s not reacting?? I wouldn’t take the chance personally.
It also has barley!
While I have never received a diagnosis as having celiac disease, a few years ago I started having stomach aches when I drank beer. Nothing else with gluten bothers me, so go figure. I discovered gluten free beer about a year ago and had fun trying all the options. I do drink Corona when I am out, since it is available, and GF beer usually isn’t. It doesn’t give me a stomach ache, at least so far.
As a side note, I stopped off at a different liqueur store then my normal one to see if they had a brand I hadn’t been able to find. I had to laugh when I saw the Omission. Next to the price, they had hand written a note “sorta gf”.
Oh! This would almost be so tempting to try drinking Corona! Except I didn’t like Corona before I kicked gluten out of my life. I was a Guiness girl. But I live in a small town and there are no gluten free beer options available to me. Once, I found Redbridge – once. I’ll just avoid the pain and avoid the beer isle all together. You all think being gluten free is hard? Try doing it in rural America where no one has a clue what you are talking about – they just shoot you looks like a glazed donut. ummmm….. donuts. Can’t get those gf either.
I’ll preface my comments: I’m allergic to brewers yeast so I can’t drink beer anyway, to the frustration of well-meaning friends who buy g/f beer for me (once!)
I am not (diagnosed with) Celiac; I have a wheat allergy. As I’ve learned more, I’ve decided that I don’t drink (or eat!) anything wheat based. Some may think I’m overreacting but I can’t understand how you can take the wheat out of something.
Everyone can make their own choice but I know that I have a harder time justifying my choices when “normal” people see people with CD making different choices.
Then again, I am not one to care what people think about how I take care of MY health. 🙂
Provided the testing is accurate, I think it is time to understand that because items are made from barley and because barley has gluten does NOT mean that all items that are made from barley have gluten and especially gluten that will test higher than the standard recommended for celiacs. Yes, picture those grade school circle intersection graphs.
okay, you guys can all hold fast to your theories and opinions, but I go with the science, the chemistry, the medical literature and the celiac specialists.
I also rely in the unwavering truth that every single celiac I know–GD and myself included–has had biopsy or blood-test proven follow-up testing that says we’re in remission !
No evidence of active celiac disease— which means no exposure to gluten or cross contamination from alcohol or certified GF products with an under 20 ppm certification. This has nothing to do with “super sensitivity” –it has to do with adherence to the GF diet and eliminating any other food sensitivities or health problems.
We enjoy good health after diagnosis ….and we ALL drink distilled spirits, wine and GF beer.
Do what you want, it;s your life! —but please people–stop saying it isn’t gluten free or it isn’t gluten free enough–because you guys are absolutely wrong.
CONSIDER THAT SOMETHING OTHER THAN gluten may be causing your lingering symptoms.
Anecdotal evidence of one person saying “well, I had a reaction” is not proof. It’s pure and simple fear-mongering among the celiac community and I find that troubling. You all admire Gluten Dude for his honesty and his attempts to provide solid info–well, he’s giving it to you!
This is why there is so much misinformation on the internet and why some celiacs stop living their lives. Instead, they live in unfounded fear.
Argh, I’m so over people telling me stuff is gluten free when its not! I’m going back to my sensible days of eating meat and veg with no sauces when out because I am sick of being poisoned by so called gluten free meals! I have no faith in anyone at the moment! Sorry, just needed to vent!
Great post! This was a hot topic by the pool this summer. I completely admit that I fell for the hype and had a corona. No bueno. I won’t make that mistake again. My GF beer rec … Glutenberg!
just A simple comment, How do people know if it “bothers them” to drink Corona? Our Bodys reaction isnt exact, we can’t see the damage that’s been done inside. you may get a stomach ache or you may not but if there’s gluten it is still doing some damage. Only time can tell how much. I wouldn’t drink it until I can tell that the research is accurate for the benefit of celiacs not to try to make money
IG panels and absorption blood work every 3-4 months like a pre-verbal celiac child would probably be good for asymptomatic adults. Also, learn about the other symptoms like depression. It isn’t all in your gut/butt!
Not worth it to me. If I get desperate, I reach for a Redbridge. Otherwise its Uncle Tito’s for me or a good Cab. I like feeling good and like living—-a lot!
Gluten Dude, what do you think about Daura?
Daura the Explorer? I think she’s adorable.
Daura the beer? I’m sticking to gluten-free beer, not gluten-removed beer (though I’ve heard it’s good stuff).
It’s the only gluten free beer we find easily in Brazil! So I’ll stick Caipirinha and wine, not bad!
Only gluten free beer made with gluten free ingredients will pass these Celiac lips. New Planet has some tasty beers (I’m a fan of the pale ale and the Belgian). I’m waiting for a delivery of the new Brown ale at my local store (the anticipation is like waiting for Christmas morning….that’s right Santa is a beer delivery guy and I’m getting him some gluten free cookies too!). I’m also lucky enough that a dedicated gluten free brewery is opening just a few miles from my house (hopefully some time this fall). Burning Brothers Brewing can you please open sooner?!?!?!! That is like Christmas, Easter and my birthday all wrapped up in one. I’ll probably get the nickname “Norm” for the frequency I’ll be visiting that taproom. OK, my babbling is over, because all this talk makes me want to go have a new planet pale ale. Cheers.
I love beer, but I will not drink ANY beer made with barley. How stupid is the assumption that it could be gluten free?
Unfortunately here in Australia we don’t have an abundance of gluten free beers yet. Not that this would be reason enough to recommend a Corona. Does anyone know how the Schnitzerbraeu http://www.schnitzerbraeu.de/ compares to the varieties you have in the US? We also have a local Australian gluten free brewing company called O’Brien if you are ever over this way and hoping to find a good GF brew.
I’ve been gluten too many times by accidentally consuming beer (twice to be exact), so there’s no way I would try it. In fact, now that I think back on my gluten free days I would always feel crappy the day after drinking beer. I loved beer though, and just assumed my symptoms were normal. Now I know that they were not. I was constantly plagued by tummy problems, but they were always worse after beer.
I will say that grain based spirits have never bothered me. After going GF I went through a period where I only drank none grain based liquors, but I don’t notice any difference between when I do and when I don’t.
Beer, however, has wrecked my world after going gluten free. But it’s also taught me to never trust anything someone else gives me, ever, lol.
For the last year I’ve been suffering from random side pains. I couldn’t tell if it was kidney stones, a hernia, something pinching my digestive system or what? All I know is that occasionally my side would hurt after partying and eating too much.
I’m usually pretty darn healthy (most of my diet being raw fruits and veggies & splurging on whatever when I drink) so the idea of a gluten intolerance really didn’t seem like it was the culprit. Plus I had a hard time imagining giving up beer.
Anyhow I decided to 100% cut gluten out of my diet and for 7 days I felt great. Didn’t have a single side pain during that week. And then I drank 1 Corona, and 3 Omissions and the next day I experienced the side pain again while on a walk.
Now I’m not definitively saying it was the beers that brought back the side pain, but I’d wager a large sum that it was. I’m still monitoring, testing and experimenting with keeping gluten out of my diet but my gut is telling me to stay away from the Corona’s and Omissions and anything that isn’t totally void of gluten.
Having celiac disease doesn’t mean one must also be illogical, paranoid and irrational. Corona is not certied as gluten free but has no gluten. Or let me rephrase. As of testing this spring it contained zero or at least less than 10 ppm of gluten. This is consistent with earlier testing but this time around three diffferent manufacturing dates were used to see if the beer really was so low in gluten.
The testing was done in Sweden by Livsmedelsverket (SLV) which is the Swedish Food Adminisration. Sweden is very far ahead of US when it comes to gluten. Diagnosis is fast and efficient. Support from hopsitals and organizations is fantastic. All kids under 18 years old receive 50 lbs of gluten free products of their choice every 2 months (flour, bread, pasta, bread mixes) from the hopsitals. No beer though…:-) Products are the usual main brands but kids don’t have to pay.
Insurance companies pay out funds as invalidity since we are discussing a disese. This is all standard stuff. It’s thankfully very different from the US system.
In this test 50 of the most common beers were tested. Around a quarter were found to have 20 ppm or less. There are lots of discussions on this site and others about how how much or little gluten people tolerate.
It’s not surprising that people feel sick and have upset stomach since most seem to eat extremely boring food and basically the same every day. It’s not surprinsing that one feel sick after having a greasy meal at PF Changs when the daily dinner always is gluten free pasta and chicken breast. Or similar.
My wife does not have Celiac disease but eat very little meat. Her stomach is upset after having greasy food at PF Changs or similar those few times it happens since her stomach is not used to it.
Being sick for many months after some contaminated food is not normal. There are then other factors/diseases and/or psychologial issues in play. Even those who work very hard at eating only gluten free food do eat gluten and contaminated food. Of course without knowing it. It’s therefore a little silly to be too jusdgemental about food which may have a tiny bit of contamination when otehr kids of foods are regularly ingested.
Some of the items certified as gluten free do occasionally, of ooften, have gluten. One example is the Saxon beer in the test which tested for 20 ppm for one manfucaturing date. Since it’s gluten fee I’m sure people would drink it and be fine. But drinking a Corona, which has less cluten, would not be fine. It’s seems to be a common thinking among people with Celiac disease. Lot of psychological issues.
I personally drink wine instead of Corona although I don’t have any kind of reaction to Corona. For the record, me and my daughter have Celiac disease. My wife and son don’t have it. Our experiences seem very different than most here since we enjoy great and delicious normal food every day which happen to be gluten free. My daughter only finds traveling an issue since finding good gluten bread then is sometimes complicated. And we do travel a lot all over the world.
Ah Guero,
Psychological issues huh? So your logic is that because I want to avoid things that may make me sick, I’m crazy. By that logic I can say people who pass judgment like that are assholes; or that people who don’t proofread are idiots. But I don’t want to devolve into name-calling.
Here’s the simple fact: I avoid corona, and any other beer made with anything on the celiac no-no list because I don’t know what the long term effects of consumption will be. If reading a label gives me psychological issues, then I’m a loon.
….and I’m as mad as a hatter.
Ken, thank you!.
(you saved me a butt load of typing time this morning)
It’s the holidays…I think I’ll pass on a sarcastic response. But then again…I’m crazy!!!!!!!!
Let’s show some compassion. We all know what poorly treated people in a high iG, low serotonin gluten-rage feel about blogs. This person may not know about asymptomatic cases, the shortcomings of gluten testing, and the long term costs of poor treatment. It’s his body, and thank you for letting us know that we have a range of choices about our short and long term lives. If I could drink a Corona or go out to eat symptom free, I might risk long term impact to have a life, to be connected again. We all choose to pay now or pay later. Corona would make me sick, depressed, and unable to fight infections almost immediately. I’ll out live ’em all!
We are in the process of testing the gluten levels in beer now using EZ Gluten test strips. We have 4 beers posted now, including Corona Extra. We have 6 more beers already tested and will be posting soon. We are getting surprising results for beers like Stone IPA, Negra Modelo, and as you can see on the site, Heineken. Feel free to check it out and let us know what you want us to text next. Thanks.
http://gluteninbeer.blogspot.com
These strips are not designed for fermented products, test only a narrow range of offending proteins, and are prone to error. Not a great process.
Thank you…
SB,
Thanks for your note of caution. EZ Gluten stands by their product’s suitability for testing beer. I found this response on another website “…I would say that for your purpose, testing traditional beers or gluten-free beers with the EZ Gluten should be sufficient.” You can read the whole note from the company rep below.
http://ultimateglutenfree.com/2013/07/assay-gluten-barley-flawed-implications-gluten-free-labeling-foods-gluten-free-beer/#comment-23916
Still not buying it and not interested. Based on the research I’ve read on the shortcomings of the ELISA assay and other tests, I feel that what you are doing is totally misleading for our community and dangerous.
I’m inclined to agree with SB. You’re results are from an OTC test strip. You write that you don’t have any kind of gluten reaction, but have you done any research into what the long-term effects of beer can be on a person with a gluten intolerance?
I can understand your excitement. At one time I was looking for any excuse I could to continue to drink beer/ eat pizza/ slowly kill myself, etc. If you want to do that, I can’t tell you not to.
I think if you want your results to be taken seriously, submit them for peer review. Otherwise your experiments are invalid.
You test on yourself- not a sample group. There are too many varying degrees and unknowns to conclude anything from that. You also speak of “accounts” but I don’t see any references.
This feels more like wishful thinking than actual science. Maybe put a disclaimer at the top of the site?
*Your. That typo would haunt my sleep.
…..and .I see Ken also lives in my special grammarian hell ….;)
.And now, that stray . is going to haunt me.
Dude! We need edit buttons.Thank you. Love, Me
I hear ya…but it means a whole new commenting system and if it ain’t that broke…well, you know the rest 🙂
ok then, that meens Ken and me will have to proofreed moor carefilly befor posting …gunna be moor work Ken…sigh… 🙂
Totally kidding. I know I misspelled Ken.
i’m with you I have had so many waiters tell me its gluten free and then half hour later my stomach is tight and I’m feeling like oh here we go again.
Anhieser bush…..I am from Cornwall Ont. Canada…and I also know you company is closind a brewery in Hamilton Ont. This year….now , I’ve tried your Redbridge, and u know that’s probably my favorite gluten free beer, and its also one of the cheaper gluten free beers. Now, I have tried this beer only because I live right at the N.Y. State border. Is it posible to get this beer here in Cornwall Canada ? I believe your company is associated with Labatts breweries here…Q. Could you not go through them somehow to get it here? Or change the Hamilton Brewery into A redbridge brewery. ?.You know this could be a pretty good idea. Eh ? Thank u 4 acknowledging….yours. G. E. Amelotte…please send me an answer !
Maybe you could clean this post up a bit so it made sense and email it to Anheuser Busch?
…..unless…..Dude! Are you one of the Busch kids?
I wouldn’t even know where to start 😉
I meant Garry should email AB about it – not you.
Lyma Bean……what the hell is aBush Kid . I never mentioned my celiac problem, but its alittle different than most other gf people, My symptoms are in my skin…and I itch and stratch until I’m bleeding underneath the skin. My Dermatologist said she had never seen celiac act in this manner, and she went on to say I am about 1 in 100, 000 that has it in this way. Now, if I eat or drink something with gluten , I pay dearly for it. Being a huge beer boy…would u have any idea of a (close to real ) beer for me? Thank bud ………Gee.
You wrote that post like you were talking to Anheuser Busch ( owned by the Busch family. I was joking that the Dude was one of the family.
Lima…..didn’t mean to get hostile about this , but I’m kinda new at this celiac and this tablet I have …please have a great day…Catch u later……….Gee .
Garry there’s a little GF brewery in Albany, NY called Steadfast and their pale ale and blonde ale blow Redbridge away. And they answer their email! I’m sure they can find a way to get some brews across the border for you.
(No I don’t work for them but I wish I did. I like seeing the little guys who make a good product do well.)
I had a Steadfast when I was still up in NY near Albany! It’s pretty good, but I am not really a beer person… my hubs was not entirely thrilled with it (but he’s a beer snob like the Dude) lol
I’m a total beer snob…
Me three. Sigh.
AHA! I knew it 😉
Thank you Ken for this info…..I’m still trying to find this little brewery with some freinds help…but having hard time. To find this brewery…If u dont mind Ken..would. it be possible 4 u to find out and let me know approximately where this place is in Albany…..thank u again…….hoping 2 hear from u…….Gee.
You can get all their info here:
http://steadfastbeer.com
Happy hunting!
Thanks again……..hane a great day Ken !
I opened a few bottles of Bard’s and Greens with the Monk’s Toolbox crew. Greens passed the test! They especially liked the Greens Double Dark.
Oh, and to the Austin Texas peeps here – someone is “teaching” bartenders all about the Celiac safe goodness of a Heineken. We need to reeducate in force! I got this at the Speakeasy and The Dive Bar. Dive Bar was cool about learning and have both Omission (*sigh*) and Redbridge so there are a range of safety options. Speakeasy bartenders were pretty d-baggy which is too bad. I emailed them about liability issues, and they did not get back.
Since many of you have tried the gf beer,is there any that taste similar to Corona light? I’m new to the world of gf.
Thanks!!!
Nada one that I have tried. New Planet, Harvester Brewing and Glutenberg get my top 3.
Well gluten Dude….I’ve tried about five or six different kinds and my 3 tops so far are , dont forget I live in Cdn., Redbridge , Messanger, and New Grist in that order. Glutenberg, WOW ….past that one around at aparty one night and evryone almost got sick ?? …………….Gee.
Interesting. I think the Glutenberg Red and Brown are two of the best on the market. Keep in mind…I am a total beer snob who loved a good IPA pre-diagnosis. New Grist was one of the first good ones I found years ago, but have moved on. Redbridge…not for me.
But that’s what makes the world go round.
Cheers!
Like a fool I took someones advice on this beer, and I’ve been on the loo none stop for a week, felt dizzy & nauseous , I only had 2 bottles, so no it’s definitely not gluten free. We live and learn. Next time, I’ll do my own research, it’s so not worth it.
FYI – somehow I must have missed this one, but the FDA does not approve hydrolyzed/ fermented from gluten grains at the moment so the FDA point isn’t correct.
But I’m glad you cover this issue.
i just want to point out that ten years ago us celiacs were told we couldn’t drink most liquors because they too are made with barley and rye. however, years of subsequent testing have shown that triple distilled liquors are safe for celiacs as the triple distillation process removes impurities, including gluten. i don’t think it’s impossible that something similar is happening with some beers. in fact, some research has suggested that the gliadin is broken down in the brewing process into smaller amino acid chains. these smaller chains don’t show up on the ELISA test (thus showing no gluten). the problem is that no one knows for sure if the smaller broken chains still active the celiac response. as has been said above, feeling “fine” isn’t always indicative of what’s going on inside your body. i am very hopeful that ongoing research will give us some definitive answers in the near future.
Does anyone one out there know a Vodka thats gf.and if so…..please let me know…..thnx……gee !
All plain unflavored vodka is gluten free.
You really think so…..just last week I picked up a bottle of vodka and it very plainly said in writing…….made with the finest RYE…..it was a Polish vodka???
yes, seriously, I know so.!..the distillation process renders the gluten grains harmless.
Trust me, if there was any gluten in vodka, I’d be dead by now.
Cheers!
I am a sensitive coeliac and I have to watch what vodka I drink, the one’s made from wheat hit me big time. I don’t believe its gone through distillation.
sorry when I drink vodka its plain old Smirnoff. I don’t get sick on that. recently when drinking down the pubs I stick to gin because the pubs serve you anything.
Well….thanks folks for that info…..much helpful ….Eh !
Why would you trust an outside source, especially those owned by corporations, to tell you how much gluten is safe for you to consume; having celiac or even sensitivity to gluten?! Listen to your bodies, people!! I don’t even have to look at the label, to know that I have consumed gluten, because I feel it right away! Even if you consume an “acceptable” amount, is it worth it? I wonder what the “acceptable” amount of other toxins, like arsenic, would be? I guarantee that, even with the outside source’s approval of a certain amount, I would not, knowingly, consume it! As far as I’m concerned, no one, with known reactions to gluten, should be consuming gluten at all! It’s only important, if you care about living a healthy life; healthy inside, shows on the outside!
There is arsenic in rice and many other foods. Naturally occurring. There is an acceptable amount. Did you know there is also an acceptable amount of rodent feces in our spices? The more you know! LOL
I will stick to my Glutenberg for now…..I dont need a Corona that bad
“How is something that’s made with gluten, and has no special process to remove the gluten, be gluten-free?”
Naturally fermented soy sauce, for example.
You should try and calm down, dude. If you yelled less, you might learn these things.
I’ll take it under advisement.
I drink cider, but get sick of heartburn and acidic stomach that wakes me up early and can last for a few days. If I drink beer recover time is about the same , having read all the stuff about Corona and think I will just give it a go and see how it effects me. I stick to my diet 100%when it comes to food , but drinking is a hard one. If I have not drank beer for a few weeks and then I drink some I can be ok , but drinking ever week is no good.
I do have a question though and know there is no magic solution , but if gluten is a protein that we have an reaction to , has anybody come across anything that helps with the symptoms or speeds up the recovery process. I know you can home test yourself for protein , but is there home testing you can do for levels of protein that relates to coeliac
I’m seriously dating someone for the first time since diagnosis and we have had a couple discussions about him drinking beer, eating gluten and then kissing me. I found this post in doing some research this morning because I glutened myself last night most likely packing my non-gf son’s lunch and then my own or snacking before my run and again that damn gluten lunch I packed. The stomach pain right now is almost unbearable. In talking on the phone last night, my bf could not understand how I can get so sick from minute crumbs but have not been sick from kissing him. I don’t necessarily understand it either. I know I should be more careful and ask him to brush his teeth but so far I have not gotten sick. It’s a hard thing to demand of someone all the time in a new relationship. And I know, it’s my health and all that but it’s still hard to do. This disease is isolating enough. He usually eats what I eat though, we cook at one of our houses for the most part when together or he’s ordered something gf when out to dinner. Last week was the first real test with food as he ate pasta and had a beer for dinner. He usually does drinks beer while we’re together. Does anyone have any insight on why him drinking beer does not affect me but I can be so sick right now from what is likely a very small amount of cross-contamination? I’m guessing that it’s due to the small amount of gluten in beer and even though I’m not physically sick it could still be causing intestinal damage. I know I need to evaluate my lack of protecting myself and I’m sure he will do whatever I ask. It’s been pure avoidance up to this point and that is my fault. Any advice would be appreciated.
Use caution and common sense, but don’t live in fear. Best advice I could give. As for the beer, Mrs. Dude won’t kiss me is she just had gluten. At least I hope that’s why she won’t kiss me.
Good advice and so true. I lived in fear for the first few years and probably need to get a small amount of that back. I’m so careful in some ways and then overlook other things. I too hope gluten is the reason he won’t be kissing me now!
By two cents and experience is that anyone who can’t give you the courtesy of not getting you sick is going to be inconsiderate and resentful in many areas. It’s a deal breaker and a red flag.
He’s never been inconsiderate when it comes to me being gf. He is always extremely careful when cooking and himself lives in fear of “hurting me”. The cross-contamination and possibility of me getting sick just from kissing him was not something he even realized until I explained it to him. I have not done so prior to glutening myself this week. He asked me how I could be so sick from touching something and then eating or whatever I did to get myself and not be sick from kissing him. I then explained that I should get sick but didn’t know exactly why I hadn’t. When we talked about the research I’d done yesterday he was the first to say he needed to be more careful. I take complete responsibility for not doing so up to this point. Now that we’ve talked about just how little it takes to make me sick, it becomes both of our responsibility. No red flags here, just a matter of someone who has no idea how complex this damn disease it.
maybe if he went on a gluten free diet too it might help, I had never thought of kissing causing problems but its possible, my wife is basically on the diet so there is no issue for me.
My experience is that even those with the best intentions can only hang on an at-home gluten free diet for 4 – 8 weeks. There are so many ways to connect with someone that they don’t have to accommodate that they think they can trade up and try to find someone who is more like themselves.
I’ve never had any problems drinking beer, in fact I am an avid home brewer with awards to show for it. Then the week before Christmas, I was diagnosed with coeliac diseaese!! What a christmas present! So naturally I’ve been doing lots of time on the www researching gluten free life, but more especially, gluten ffree beer. And have just stumbled on this site.
My observations so far – its easy to eat gf at home. Don’t bring home anything with gluten. Eating at restaurants is fairly easy, I went out last night and just rang beforehand to make sure they had a gf selection. Eating at lunch time is hard – most of the sandwich shops around my office sell mainly, well, sandwiches. WHite bread, sour dough, multigrain, rye, etc etc – if i ask for a salad sandwich and throw away the bread then i guess I’m OK. But drinking beer – that is really the hardest thing to manage.
I am drinking lots of scotch and coke. And those people who react to spirits – that’s called a hang over. I know that the Dude understands this, but a few other people need to understand that gluten will stay behind during the distillation process. Fact.
But beer is a problem. I’ve been drinking gluten free beer. We don’t have a big range in Australia. O’Briens is even worse than Corona. Wilde gf beer is a new one I just found. The fist few were awful, but getting close to the end of a slab and I’m getting used to it. Its got a high level of hoppiness to disguise the lack of tasty barley. (Note – I’ve been drinking the slab over the last 2 weeks. Not all in one sitting). Dan Murphy sells SchnitzerBrau but I’m not too impressed.
I’ve not been able to find the gluten-treated beers eg Ommission in Australia. This whole debate is fascinating. Yes, gluten can be hydrolysed. But are the constituent amino acids and peptides safe? Or do they themselves cause coeliac reaction? I am an engineer, I prefer a scientific answer and it is clear that there is, as yet, no scientific proof one way or the other. Some people claim a reaction; yet some claim a reaction to spirits. What I’m going to do is brew a batch of barley beer and trerat it myself (the enzyme used for gluten reduction is readily available at home brew stores). Then I will conduct a scientific test on myself.
Which brings me back to Corona. My 18 year old son drinks Corona. That’s because he has too drink beer to fit in, but he doesn’t like beer. So is Corona gf? It doesn’t look like beer, it doesn’t taste like beer – so sure, these results don’t surprise me. But then again, it does taste better than the official gf beers so maybe I should try one. One six pack I mean, gosh I miss drinking beer.
I have only just been diagnosed and researching beer was first on my list. I’m curious Hazard, did you conduct research and conclude anything? I’m also in Australia but in a small town and there are barely GF food options so no hope for GF beer. How can we follow your research, do you have a blog of your own or anything?
I miss beer too. But we are getting there. And I’d seriously advise ditching the Omission and Corona. Just not worth the risk. Cheers.
I feel for folks with CD, my sister has it and has ended up at the hospital couple of times, it is no fun. I do not have it, I’m actually ALLERGIC to wheat. As in eyes, lips and throat swelling allergic. I carry an Epi-pen, and pay close attention to labels. So as you can see, my situation is quite different. My poor s-i-l has terrible reactions to wheat, her husband actually licked her cheek a couple of years ago (I know, eew, gross), and you could track the route his tongue made by the giant hive that came up. I find that I can drink a couple of Coronas or Heinekens but more than that and I minimally get clogged up respiratory wise. Even Omission will affect me if I have more than a couple. I also can’t do it several days running, it seems to have a cumulative affect. I’ve actually only recently developed the full blown danger zone allergy, but I noticed a couple of years ago that half of any nice beer would turn me into a Snuffaluffagus. So it seems that it was a gradual thing…until it wasn’t. I mostly stick to wine and scotch now, and the occasional rum and coke, but I miss good beer, you know the stuff you could actually eat with a knife and fork…I really miss my Sam Smith’s Oatmeal Stout. Honestly, I find that some GF stuff still clogs me up, so I’m not sure which protein in the wheat is an issue for me, but the GF label still gives me a starting point. I would never suggest that my sister or s-i-l should try those beers though, I wouldn’t want to be responsible for the awful potential. I feel for all of you, this is a difficult way to go through the world, avoiding the “staff of life” and all of it’s relatives. All in all, I wish that I’d never tasted beer…you can’t miss what you don’t know.
You might want to re- think your ” diagnosis”. I don’t think any of those beers ( Corona, )Heiniken or Omission) have any wheat in them. The problem for a Celiac with those beers is the barley in them.
True, there isn’t wheat in those things, but like people with CD, I react to them the same way that I do to the gluten protein found in wheat itself. The thinking is that I am reacting to the same proteins that CD sufferers do. I didn’t really see the need to go into all of that, since this discussion was about beer and reactions or lack thereof to certain beers. I’m not certain why you felt the need to say “diagnosis” as if I am making something up. Or perhaps your tone is just not carrying well in this format and I’m reading too much into it ? I can tell you that if I want to have some real fun, I can repeat my last sandwich experience (homemade pastrami on rye) because having my eyes and lips swell up, accompanied by the hives on my face was a blast. *NOT* For me, following a gluten “restricted” diet has made my life so much better. My psoriasis (also an autoimmune disease), and the arthritis in my hands has nearly disappeared. If I do eat the wrong things, my hands hurt the next day, and though it can take days, if I keep cheating, my psoriasis goes nuts. I try to be clear that I do not have CD because I don’t want to be misunderstood about something at a later date, or to seem like I’m trying to fit in with the “cool kids” by trying to pass as one of them. I do like to get on some celiac sites for information regarding food tolerances and intolerances since so many of my reactions over lap with CD sufferers reactions.
All I’m saying is – you said you had a problem with wheat – there is no wheat in those. Maybe you do have Celiac if you are reacting to barley?
Gotcha.
All that my doc and I were able to come to before I ran out of insurance is the allergy. He said that I was experiencing classic and potentially dangerous allergic responses. Since I had been able to pin it down through an elimination diet, he said go with that and carry the epi-pen. Perhaps when I get insurance again I will do the whole celiac thing. I know that there is a genetic factor and since my sister has been diagnosed the likelihood of me being positive is pretty strong. Of course, to test for celiac, I have to consume gluten…that’s gonna take a lot of benedryl …. I’m a benadryl light weight, I’ll be in a coma, alive, but in a coma. Regardless, abstinence is working for me whether it’s just an allergy or celiac, so all’s well :).
try dogfish head tweasonale water, sorghum syrup strawberries hops buckwheat honey (not related to wheat from my understanding) and yeast. its delicious. but expensive
Your problem is that you trust the FDA. FFS don’t you realize that government agencies are sold to the highest bidder? The FDA could rule 20 PPM or 0 PPM or 10,000 PPM and it wouldn’t make a difference to me. A government agency is not qualified to protect you at the behest of our good will. The only thing that matters is what you choose. Do you choose to drink corona? Yes? Great! No? Great! Just choose what you feel is acceptable. Putting your personal choices in to the hands of the state is not the answer in any case, not just gluten free cases.
i used to think that way too dude. theyre only. i have no wording to tell you there ‘thing’ is there being paid is servicing. there fucking working for america. no ones ‘out to get you’ what do they rub there hands together laughing goibg ‘hehehe fuck em. hehe heres some more gluten for ya!’ or something? they see something that ‘needed effort put forth towards it’ and they do it
I understand that scotch is gluten free. Then why do I react to johnny walker black and even some single malts? Rum and Titos is fine. I would love to find a scotch I can drink. Any ideas?
I react as well. Here’s my guess.
1) We react to incomplete protein chains. That’s why oats, quinoa, and booze can be an issue.
2) The tests are narrow. We have a saying in education, “A test assesses the ability to take the test.” We need better science in order to develop better tests. I think the current tools are limited in scope and effectiveness.
3) I can barely tolerate booze anymore. The gut permeability makes it all hit my bloodstream at once, and I’m toast in about a half a drink. Other friends with Celiac’s, autoimmune disease, and leaky gut confirm that this is a thing for them, too.
My Celaic Guy tried it years ago when there were no good beers out. He didn’t see any affects, but I did. On the 3rd day he was an @hole. When he gets brain fog he just becomes, mean. It was one six pack and I pulled the plug on that.
At the time he would drink mixed drinks, Woodchuck, or we would drive into Philly to get Greens.
Now the problem is solved because our local place carries New Grist which is his “go to” beer. I’d rather have a cider.
New Grist is the first decent beer I found. Now there are several great ones on the market. Cheers.
Have you tried New Grist Ginger Ale? If you don’t like ginger beer, don’t go there. We didn’t care for it much.
Thanks Gluten Dude. I’ve been GF since 2009. Somewhat recently(less than a year ago) I too began believing that Corona would be ok for me. I have one every now and then with no immediate noticeable problems. I am NCGS and also have an allergy to wheat specifically. Never did the genetic testing for Celiac but my blood test was negative 6 years ago. If I eat wheat I have symptoms within 30 minutes… other glutens seem to take some time to have their way with me, so I’m not always sure what I’m reacting to. Over that past couple of days however, I have had 3 Corona Extras and the diarrhea has been at least twice a day with continuous gas and bloating plus I’ve been getting weird and painful foot and legs cramps again. I’m going to give the other 3 away. I can’t think of anything else that could be doing it. I think I’m done with Corona forever..which makes me a little sad, but I like wine,Titos Vodka and agave tequila better anyway.
love this site. need one of those ‘getting excited because someone else is on my level about something. hope you read posts on older posts. dogfish head tweason ale is (to me anyway nectar of the gods) i have been diagnosed with hashimotos thyroiditis (underactive thyroid) and im not allowed things like gluten sweetners and things like that, one thing i use to help my metabolism is dextro-amphetamine sulfate (not adderall, dexedrine, only scripts now) i wouldent actually feel emotion without it, wanted people to know that. my food choice, is more dangerous than street drugs, gluten has ruined my life, attitude, and ethic. i stopped eating gluten and ive NEVER BEEN BETTER. i wish i had actually understood food DOES hurt you. i currently dont have the ability to recognize i even want a quality of life, but everyday as my eating habits get better so do i! everyone has the ability to do what they want to if they do what they need to! just gotta make it fit your life. thanks for the blog. need something to read
I too believed the “Corona is gluten free” lie that I read on a website somewhere. So yesterday I drank a bottle of Corona. Today – aaaaagh. Full blown gluten attack, featuring knee cramps, diarrhea, extreme bloating and flatulence, and a general sense of regret about drinking that Corona beer.
There was nothing else that changed about my standard gluten-free diet. I have otherwise been celiac-symptom free for several months.
I can therefore definitely 100% confirm that Corona beer is NOT gluten-free and is NOT suitable for people with celiac disease.
I hope my pain is useful to someone else in preventing them having the same experience. 🙂
Next time I’ll stick to the genuinely gluten-free forms of alcohol, such as champagne, cider, whiskey, vodka, red wine, white wine, rose wine, gin, rum, soju or sake – it’s not as if there’s a lack of choice really. 🙂
I am celiac, and had one Corona each night this week without any reaction. I guess its important to have regular tests with the Gastroenterologist to determine any damage in these cases of changes to diet.
I cannot understand why if there is such debate on the topic, that organisations cannot provide an out and out answer on this.
I am in Australia and have contacted NSW Coeliac Society, and also Coeliac Australia who both stated dont drink it, however they dont do tests on the product and dont know 100%. When I asked why I shouldnt drink it based on no tests, they replied “too be safe”.
So I believe that with great results thus far on my pathology, introducing one item and retesting and confering with the Gastroenterologist should provide an idea as to whether internal damage is occuring.
It would however be nice to have the head organisations in my country deliver an answer??
thank you for this post!!! I am a very sensitive Celiac, and i truly was going to try a Corona thinking that just maybe I would be fine after reading and researching. I like beer a lot and some of the GF beers really suck!. Glutenberg White Ale (Blue Can ) is the best out there, but try and find that in the bar, or anywhere lately. Thank you again.
Cheers
Domestic and as well as several Mexican beers use adjuncts such as corn and rice for a majority of the grain bill so that is a possible reason why it can register as less than 20ppm.
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Last I heard, Mexico does not play ball with ‘Monsanto’. Seems there has been an explosion of intestinal disorders since GMO’s hit the market, with me included. The crap needs to go away.
> 3. Why would any celiac risk it when there are other awesome gluten-free beer options on the market now?
That depends on where in the world you live.
Most places that sell takeaway alcohol here don’t have any gluten-free beer at all.
And if you go out drinking, at a licensed restaurant or a bar, it’s basically impossible to ever find gluten-free beer.
So I think 3. is a poor argument. Not commenting on the other points, though.
As a food scientist I can understand why something made with gluten does not necessary contains it. You say there is no process that breaks down the gluten, but that is not true. In the case of beer, fermentation breaks down the gluten. It depends on the type of yeast and efficiency of the fermentation how much gluten is left. That is why some brands, like corona, contains much less gluten than others. Same goes for other fermented products like soy sauce. Every brand will be different. And how sensitive the person whether they still react to it. Some react to yeast rather that the no longer present gluten. To try if it works for you personally you need to experiment, thatis the only way. But if chemical analysis shows repeatedly that no gluten is present, that means no gluten is present. If people claim to be fine with it that makes total sense. If other prefer to take no chances, that is fine too.
I understand you are ANTI-anythingatallwiththepotentialofgluteninit (which is not a bad thing) but you did not really touch on the fact that Bud Light and Corona are a lot less damaging to the wallet – especially in Canada – than Gluten free beers. I love Glutenberg but it cost ~$5 more for 8 tall cans of it than a dozen of Bud Light. So thats 4206 mL of beer versus 3808 mL of beer which is close to ONE EXTRA TALL CAN of beer for $5 less.
Yeah…but they are not gluten-free so I’m not sure I understand your point.
Had the corona “argument” last night for the millionth time. The worst part was it was with a non celiac. Nothing infuriates me more when people question me about something that almost killed me. I was diagnosed in 1988 (after more than 6 months of testing and dropping over 50 pounds) when nobody even knew what it was, including all the “specialists” that couldn’t figure out why I was so sick. They said i would never drink beer again (screw that). So after many years of trying and testing, Corona does not bother me period. A lot of other beers gives me DH so they are not worth it and I am not impressed with any of the new gf beers.
My suggestion is due your diligence and find what works for you. We all have different reactions to this disease. In 1988 only 1 in every 2500 had it and now it is in the 1 in every 133. I am grateful for the public awareness now.
Cheers
I was diagnosed last year with Celiac’s, and i am a very sensitive Celiac who was a lover of Corona beer. I too JTF was so sick and no one knew why it took almost a year to figure it out. Going out to eat is always a treat, because of people who say “oh your doing that diet” grrr!!!! Thank God my husband and family support me 100% and will get me whatever I want and explain to the waitstaff my problem. Bars and most Restaurants do not carry GF beer so I am always with a Wine, Titos and Club and or Ciders. ANNOYING.
I will say i have tried every GF beer out there and some of them REALLY SUCK. I found that Glutenberg White Ale (blue can) is the best!!!. But do you know how hard it is to fine that now? almost impossible. Omission Beer gives me a very big belly ache and the unmentionables. Omission has a great marketing department that is for sure because they say that you can drink Omission and be safe Yeah Ok!!!
janjan, I’m curious whether you’ve tried Corona, and if it has given you any problems?
Not yet. I have to wait for the weekend. It takes a few days to recover after I have been glutened!! So working gets in the way during the week. Lol. I will post the results if I can bring myself to do it lol
I’m new here, also I was diagnosed with a non-celiac response to gluten 4 years ago. I stopped drinking beer because the GF options tasted awful, but on a trip to Ireland, my in-laws bought a round of Guinness to celebrate the day. I was fearful of the consequences but drank it and enjoyed it. To my surprise I had no negative reactions to the drink, I don’t drink it often but I save it for special occasions knowing that I can have a nice real beer and not suffer.
Agreed. I’ve tried many Sorgum based beers and most leave a horrible after taste. Redbridge is one of the few “tolerable” GF beers.
So, as a Celiac gal who loves to travel, I have relied on Corona (since lets face it – we can’t always find these delicious and special GF beers in the middle of South America.
I’ve always been okay with Corona …. Until Recently.
I heard that something has changed with their brewing . Maybe it has something to do with
Fear of the Trump Border Tax … causing stock to plummet for Constellation Brewery:
http://money.cnn.com/2017/01/17/investing/corona-trump-constellation-brands/index.html
And so now … I’ve heard anecdotally that Corona is actually brewed in the US .
If you look at the eczema on my face and my digestive pains this week – with Corona the only possible culprit… Im guessing this new brewing location has caused a change in Corona.
Anyone know if its still under 20 ppm???
Hell.. its a controversial topic.. I have refractary celiac… and yes I drink a small corona from time to time with no apparent symptoms.
I am a beer lover. Have always been a beer lover. I miss my old beers but not enough to touch them and make myself sick. My favorite since my diagnosis is Bard’s with Glutenberg 2nd and the Green’s line next. I do not allow any barley, wheat, oats or rye products in my diet. The disease basically killed my gall bladder and screwed up my pancreas so that digestion and metabolization of some foods has been compromised. Intestinal issues were not in my bag of symptoms. Rather, I had migraines, canker sores, anemia, calcium and iron deficiencies and vitamin deficiencies which led to a whole host of undiagnosed problems. Since removing all the offending foods I’ve been able to recover and maintain a healthful existence. What I see now, with issues of cross contamination, is an immediate reaction with all my lifelong symptoms – these come upon me sometimes within hours of contamination, sometimes in days of exposure. It happened with a beer that had oats in it, it happened when someone served me a Daura by mistake, it happened in some highly recommended restaurants while on vacation. It will be a while before we have enough answers to the questions of food reactions and what will cause response but it is important to honor this diet and not consume the grains that aggravate this condition because the levels of inflammation that could be happening might not be immediately apparent but the inflammation may still be present. The FDA does not regulate alcohol or its labeling. The regulating agent for alcohol does not have a test for gluten in distilled beverages and spirits and relies on these companies to self test and report. It is a sham and a disgrace.
And it looks like I’ve found an answer to my question. Damn. I’m a really cheap drunk and have a really hard time with hard liquor and wine. Corona has always been my “safe” choice. They sell it pretty much everywhere, I can have 2 or 3 while I’m out at a show without feeling headache-y or nauseated, and then I can function like a normal human the next day. I guess I should just stick with Diet Coke and water.
Hey GF folks, as an M S lady. I have been GF for 42 years. Greens Ale from europe is the only safe beer for me. New Grist assured me on the phone that they test for 20 ppm but it gives me M S symptoms when touching my tongue. proving that ony GF ingredients at the start can be safe. I asked if they have a dedicated GF facility on the phone and they said no BUT the FDA tested them OK. Nix that! >>I also find that any grain based liquor even Sherry and many cordials are fortified with grain alcohol. Compari and good saki are ok. yum! Wine used to be pretty safe but are now being fermented with brewers yeast to speed the process and to market earlier. Beware of wine from anywhere else than France and Italy or Israel and buy only high quality bottles from those places. Hope this helps.
Thanks for the info. Side note, rhetorical means you DO know the answer.
Hey, interesting read, I’ve also picked up a few other articles about this and also bud light (over 20ppm).
I’ve been coeliac (British spelling) since day one, I’m now 30. I started drinking around 16 and mainly cider. This is not good on the enamel – I now suffer with sensitive teeth!
Thankfully, there are now a lot of GF beer options (praise the lawd!) and I’m enjoying working my way through them.
Back when I was 19, I travelled the world – GF beer didn’t exist back then so I opted for the “light” beers. Before this point I had a strict non-gluten diet. Being young and reckless I tested these beers, night by night to see the effects. Now, I’m not saying this was a great move and do not recommend it but the effects were no where near that of eating say, bread. Quite manageable after a night out.
I would say, if you find yourself in a rare scenario (maybe in a strange part of the world) where cider and GF beer isn’t an option, one or two Corona’s probably wouldn’t hurt (depending on your tolerance).
I think the grain is harvested differently outside of the US. Spraying the grains with roundup just before harvest to make more Yield is a bad idea! It brings out the gluten in the plant. I have celiac disease and have no problems with Corona but all other beers are ready bad for me. So I say to anyone, try it in moderation. If you react to it, well don’t drink it.