In most cases, cider is usually naturally gluten free because it is made from apples rather than gluten-containing grains that go into making beer and lager.
Drinking gluten free alcoholic drinks is important for anyone with gluten sensitivity, especially those with coeliac disease, which is an inflammatory health condition where your immune system starts to attack your body after consuming gluten.
Coeliac disease causes damage to the small intestine making it difficult for your body to absorb nutrients from the food and drink you consume. It is also a painful condition that causes the sufferer to feel strong abdominal pains, cramping and bloating, often causing severe diarrhoea too. This is why it is so important for Coeliacs to take great care about what they eat and drink, paying special attention to ingredient food labels and checking for gluten-containing ingredients.
As a lot of alcoholic beverages are made using wheat, barley and rye, which are all gluten-containing grains, they need to stick to gluten free beers that go through a process where they have all the gluten removed from the drink.
Those following a gluten free diet don't need to miss out on enjoying a drink with their family and friends at family gatherings and social occasions. Instead, they can choose to drink gluten free alcoholic drinks such as cider, which can be a great alternative to grain-based drinks such as beer and lager.
Naturally Gluten Free Cider
As cider is made from apples that are naturally gluten-free and is made by fermenting apple juice with yeast and sugar, it is a safe drink for anyone with a gluten sensitivity. Unlike brewers yeast which is a by-product of beer brewing, the yeast used for fermenting cider is naturally gluten free.
Even though cider is a drink of choice for many people wanting to avoid gluten, you still need to be careful and pay attention to what other ingredients may have been added to the drink that could contain gluten.
For example, some cider ranges add flavourings that may contain gluten. Also, another thing to check is whether the cider has been produced in a facility that also brews beer or other grain-based drinks. There could be a risk of cross-contamination from the processing equipment used, so it is worth choosing a brand of cider from a dedicated cider-making company that only brews cider and other drinks made from fruit juices.
What Drinks To Avoid
When choosing a good gluten free alcoholic drink, it will pay you to steer clear of any generic, widely available, mass-produced alcoholic drinks that you know or suspect may contain grain-based ingredients. These may include standard beers, lagers, ales and stouts that you will see lining many supermarket shelves.
In general, there are two types of gluten free alcoholic drinks you can buy – those that are naturally gluten free, such as Brothers cider, and those that have had the gluten removed, such as gluten free beer. Even if you choose to drink gluten free beer you need to check the label carefully.
By law, drink manufacturers can only label a beer as gluten free if it contains 20 ppm or less of gluten, so there still may be a trace of gluten in the beer that can cause a reaction in those with severe gluten sensitivity.
Plus drinks with an alcoholic strength by volume (abv) of more than 1.2% are not required to list all of the ingredients. However, if the drink contains any allergens, such as gluten-containing cereals, this must be declared on the label.
In most cases, it can be easier to completely avoid any risk by choosing to drink a naturally gluten-free drink, such as Brothers cider.
Brothers Naturally Gluten Free Cider
At Brothers, we like to make cider the right way! This means that all of our cider ranges are naturally gluten free. Our cider range starts off using 100% pressed apple juice and is fermented using naturally gluten free yeast.
From natural goodness to reduced sugar and a sessionable 3.4% ABV, our new range is a bold, refreshing take on cider. It's not just change; it's an exciting, tasteful transformation inspired by you that deliver a variety of delightful and complex flavours, along with a very refreshing hit of tangy apple that is perfect for enjoying on a hot summer day.
Brothers cider is ideal for those with gluten sensitivity, especially Coeliacs that need to avoid any gluten-containing drinks. Because cider is naturally gluten free, we like to keep it this way. We also enjoy creating different varieties to give our customers more choice and we think our range of fruity ciders can delight drinkers all year round – we firmly believe that cider isn't just for summer!
No matter whether you are looking for the refreshing taste of a traditional apple cider, or you want to experiment with our carefully blended range of fruity ciders, we have plenty to offer the gluten free tippler.
Our gluten free ciders are also not just for people that are sensitive to gluten. While around 3% of the population is gluten sensitive, many people are now following a gluten free lifestyle for the health benefits it can bring and often report that they feel much healthier with more energy and less bloating.
Why not take a look at our range of naturally gluten free ciders! With mouth-watering flavours such as Un-Berrylievable, Best of the Zest, Berry Sub-Lime and App-Solutely Pear-Fect you can see why Brothers Premium Fruit Cider has such huge appeal.
