There is a lot of controversy around Corona Beer and whether it is gluten free. If you also wonder Is Corona Gluten Free and if it is safe for those with Celiac disease to drink, keep reading to find out!
What is Corona Beer?
Corona is a Mexican beer company that makes four different beer flavors, plus a line of hard seltzers. Some gluten free people claim that Corona is gluten free and that they can drink it without any issues. These people say the distillation process eliminates the gluten during the brewing process.
If you have health problems, have gluten sensitivity, or just are not eating gluten, is Corona safe? Does Corona have gluten in it? Is Corona Light Gluten Free? Is Corona Extra Gluten Free? These are all important questions.
Check out my other articles to see which alcohol is gluten free.
Answer: Is Corona Gluten Free?
The answer is no; Corona is NOT a gluten free beer. This goes for other light beers, including Michelob Ultra, Bud Light, Stella Artois, Coors Light, Michelob Light, and other light pale ales as well. None of these companies can measure the gluten content of their beers.
Many argue that this light beer tests below the 20 ppm gluten requirement for something to be labeled gluten free. But does it really? There is a lot of misinformation about Corona being gluten free, and the fact is, this beer is not gluten free.
If you like to drink, find out whether Champagne Is Gluten Free.
Let’s look at the facts.
First, let’s look at the ingredients. The number two ingredient is barley malt. The three main gluten-containing grains are wheat, barley, and rye. Barley malt, a gluten protein, is on Corona’s ingredient label, makes it a definite “NO” ingredient for anyone who is Celiac or gluten free.
Gluten is not safe, and whether you feel gluten symptoms or not, gluten will damage your intestinal tract if you are Celiac.
Second, if you don’t believe me, this is straight from Corona’s website FAQ. Corona states on its website that its beers have traces of gluten. If Corona says their product is not tested for gluten, I take them at their word.
Some people say they can drink Corona Beer, which doesn’t affect them, but if they are Celiac, the gluten damages their intestines whether they notice it or not. For those who have gluten intolerance, it probably will depend on their sensitivity level and if they have other autoimmune diseases that are affected by inflammation.
Can Beer Be Accurately Tested For Gluten?
The testing methods for gluten in beer are inaccurate, and this is where the problem lies. The current test for beer is called an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or ELISA. This test is supposed to identify those antigens that trigger an immune response. It uses antibodies to identify antigens by shaping and binding to them.
The problem with these test results is that the fermentation process for beer can disguise those antigens from ELISA. If testing beer isn’t accurate, then Corona can’t accurately test the gluten content of their beer. They pretty much state this on their website.
If current testing can’t tell if a beer, like Corona, is gluten free, how can anyone say with any accuracy that Corona tests under the 20 ppm FDA guidelines level? Can you say false negatives? This is what is happening. Forbes “A New Test To Make Sure Your Beer Is Gluten Free.”
Gluten Free Beer Brands:
If you miss a good beer, plenty of craft breweries make pretty incredible gluten-free beers. The good news is these beers are not brewed with gluten-containing grain, making them a safe alternative.
These beers are usually brewed with sorghum or brown rice instead of wheat or barley. Some of these breweries have several flavors of beer, including stout. (Thank you, Ground Breaker!) Here are some brands of beer to try:
- Bard’s
- Ground Breaker
- Armoured Cow
- Red Bridge
- Glutenberg
- Alt Brew
- B.C. Brewery
- Buck Wild
- Burning Brother’s Brewing
- Ghostfish Brewing
You can also enjoy non-beer alternatives like hard ciders or Corona Hard Seltzer, which are truly gluten-free. (In case you haven’t tried canned seltzer, they are tasty spiked seltzer water that usually comes in delicious flavors.
Check out the Corona Web Story too! Find out Is Wine Gluten Free?
