Yes, it’s possible to enjoy a great tasting gluten-free beer.

Gluten-free beers are truly a thing now. In recent years, the number of options has risen sharply (thank god) and it’s down to classic supply and demand. More people are opting for a gluten-free diet – partly because it’s estimated that one in 70 Australians are living with coeliac disease, and partly because of Gwyneth Paltrow.

The spotlight on gluten sensitivity has helped make gluten-free options – from bread and pasta to beer – better than ever. There’s now a wide range of full-flavoured gluten-free beers available from well-known brands and craft brewers alike. Using innovative brewing methods and alternative ancient grains, these producers are creating refreshing beers that are just as good as traditionally crafted brews.

Whatever your reason for trying a gluten-free beer, here’s our pick of five of the best that are worth grabbing next time you fill the esky.

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1. Hahn Ultra Crisp

There’s a lot to love about Hahn’s Ultra Crisp: it’s gluten free, lower carb, 99% sugar free, and preservative free. But the best thing about it? It still tastes like an authentically refreshing beer. It took five years of experimenting to come up with this brew, which is made using rice rather than the standard wheat or barley. It’s brewed with a specially selected yeast and fermented at cool temperatures to produce a unique crispness that won’t weigh you down.

2. Two Bays Brewing Co. Gluten Free Pale Ale

When Two Bays founder Richard Jeffares was diagnosed with coeliac disease in 2015, one of the first things he missed from his newly gluten-free life was craft beer. And so in 2018 Richard launched Two Bays, Australia’s first dedicated gluten free brewery. These days Two Bays produce a range of different gluten-free beers, but the best place to start is with their Pale Ale. It’s a delicious, easy-drinking beer that’s full of subtle citrus aromas that any craft beer lover will enjoy.

3. O’Brien’s Pale Ale

Another beer innovator who got called to action by a coeliac diagnosis is John O’Brien of O’Brien Beer. John was told by his doctor “no more beer” more than 20 years ago, but these days his range of products have earned their place as Australia’s most awarded gluten-free beers. O’Brien’s Pale Ale is one of those award winners, a delicious medium-bodied American-style ale with hoppy, tropical fruit aroma, super subtle sweetness, and mildly bitter finish.

4. Two Bays Brewing Co. Gluten Free XPA

Victoria's Two Bays Brewing Co. is so committed to crafting gluten-free beers that it's actually their whole reason for being. As Australia's first dedicated gluten-free brewery and taproom, the team behind this Mornington Peninsula operation knows what they're doing. This can be seen in their Gluten Free XPA, which is bright and punchy, with citrus aromatics and a crisp finish. This is one refreshingly tasty drop that's sure to keep all beer lovers happy.

5. Schnitzer Bräu Gluten Free Premium

Germans take their beer very seriously, and this gluten-free Brau from Schnitzer is no exception. It’s a 100% gluten-free and organic beer that’s slowly brewed to exceptional standards in the famed Black Forest region of Germany. Featuring all of the rich, malt-forward characteristics of classic German beers, this is a flavourful brew worthy of your time.

6. Wilde Gluten Free Pale Ale

The shaka on the label is a good preview of how you’ll feel after finding a gluten-free beer that tastes this good. Wilde’s Gluten Free Pale Ale is made in their state-of-the-art brewhouse – a strict GMO and gluten-free zone, with the official tick of approval from Coeliac Australia to prove it. It’s also certified FODMAP and vegan friendly, preservative free, low in carbs and best of all, somehow still actually tastes like really good beer.