This infographic from the naturally gluten-free Coors Peak beer is a great reminder of the differences between gluten-free and gluten-reduced beers. Please note, there are differences! Many of the gluten-reduced beers (also known as crafted to remove gluten, gluten-removed, less gluten, etc.) have very deceiving marketing which could be confusing even to the most gluten-free savvy consumer. Don't let the ads fool you. Know the differences.
If you are noticing gluten-reduced beers in the gluten-free section of your store, print this out and show it to the manager. Let them know that outside of Oregon, the beers cannot be legally be labeled gluten-free if they are only gluten-reduced. For more information about labeling laws for beer, click here. Please share with others.
I am excited to announce the first annual Gluten-Free Oktoberfest in New York City on November 7, 2015. According to the GFOktoberfest website, this is "the first gluten-free event of its kind on the East Coast. GF Oktoberfest was created so that people with gluten intolerance or celiac disease could safely come together and mingle while enjoying a selection of over 45 gluten-free ciders and beers and an unlimited amount of gluten free food. To add to the fun, meet some of the cider makers and brand ambassadors! Feast on a full gluten-free Oktoberfest menu with traditionally mouthwatering sausages, meatballs, pizza, desserts, and much more."
For anyone that has attended a "regular" Oktoberfest in the past, you know your gluten-free options are almost non-existent. This event is unique is that people with celiac disease can eat and drink EVERYTHING! The beers, the ciders, the food are all gluten-free. Now is your chance to toast the season and not have to worry that you cannot eat anything because you can.
There will be two sessions to allow for the most attendees possible. Early bird tickets are only $45 for the first 50 tickets and $55 after the early bird special is over. This is a 21 and over event and tickets will NOT be sold at the door. Buy your tickets today!
Thank you for featuring gluten-free cuisine on your YouTube channel. I appreciate you taking the time to interview the chefs of The Curious Fork and Senza Gluten. These people are making a huge difference in the lives of people living with celiac disease, myself included. To be a celiac and go into a restaurant and be able to eat anything and everything on a menu is a wonderful feeling. I have personally dined at Senza Gluten many times and love the "freedom" I have when ordering.
Unfortunately, your video immediately lost credibility when you featured a gluten-removed beer. Many people living with celiac disease, such as myself, cannot tolerate food or drink originally derived from gluten. This beer is made from barley and the gluten is removed through a special process. Once the gluten is removed, the beer is tested by the producer for the parts per million of gluten left in the beer. "Gluten detection isn't a particularly straightforward process, and there are several methods in use that can produce different results when used to test the same product."(Source) While the beer you featured says they are transparent with their test results, they also choose which tests to perform on their product. I believe that until these tests are regulated by the TTB or FDA across ALL products, individual companies will continue to use tests that are most convenient to their 20ppm or less regulations.
My question for you Zagat is why didn't you choose to feature a 100% gluten-free beer derived completely from gluten-free ingredients in a video about gluten-free options getting better? There are many delicious gluten-free beers on the market now that were not even for sale a few years ago. Breweries are now using gluten-free ingredients from start to finish in a dedicated gluten-free environment. I think it was a huge mistake on your part to feature a beer that is not actually gluten-free. The beer in the video can only be labeled gluten-free in the state of Oregon and outside of the United States. Featuring this gluten-removed beer made from barley (a gluten-filled grain) is misleading and confusing to the gluten-free customer.
In a video called "Gluten-Free Gets Good," all of your featured companies or restaurants should have been truly gluten-free. Perhaps a better title for this video would "Gluten-Free Food Gets Good While Some Beers are Gluten-Removed" or something a little bit more reflective of what you are actually showing. Yes, you do let the brewer explain his gluten-removal process but you fail to mention that people are having negative reactions to this type of beer or that it cannot legally be labeled gluten-free.
Zagat, you really could have done better with this video. More thorough research on gluten-free beers, a better title, and less misleading information would have made a huge difference. Maybe next time...
Sincerely,
Erin Smith Living with celiac disease for 34 years
A few weeks ago, I was sent an advanced copy of Gluten-Free Brews: The Guide to Gluten-Free Beer. This e-book is all about gluten-free beer. My first thought was "wow, there are actually enough gluten-free beers for sale that someone can actually write a book!" My next thought was "will they address the gluten-removed beer craze?" in this book and they did.
This book is interesting and unlike anything I have seen before. I do think some of the beginning information needs to be tweaked slightly. When I spoke to the author, he was very responsive to my feedback about the proper celiac diagnosis. I really liked the catchy chapter names and the variety of brew masters the authors interviewed for this book.
To me, the most interesting part of this book is the part about gluten-removed beer. The scientific process to "remove" gluten is explained in thorough detail. As a personal rule, I do not ingest foods that are derived from gluten. This means beers like Omission are off limits for me. The authors take a really close look at the process and even explore the controversy of proper labeling of these gluten-removed beers. This is an extremely hot topic in the gluten-free community so I was happy to see this topic addressed.
For a very limited time, Gluten-Free Brews: The Guide to Gluten-Free Beer is available for free download on Amazon.com. It is worth a read, especially if you want to learn more about gluten-free beer, the history of gluten-free beer, and the process of removing gluten from "crafted to remove gluten" beer. Click here to download your own copy of this book today. Don't delay, it won't be free for long!
I would love to hear your thoughts about this e-book. It's an easy read and shouldn't take you more than an hour. Leave your comments below.
