Now, this is a question we get asked fairly often: What's the difference between gluten-free beer and gluten-reduced beer?

It's a great question, as there are some important differences. So, we've spoken to our team of brewing experts, and here's what we know.

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in common cereal grains like wheat, rye, triticale, and one of our favourite ingredients... barley.

Gluten is a stretchy, sticky protein that helps bind foods together and is commonly found in everyday foods like bread, pasta, pastry, cereal, and, of course, delicious beer.

Most people would agree that gluten-containing foods are delicious.

But, for people with coeliac disease, gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity, consuming gluten can have serious health consequences.

If diagnosed with gluten-related health conditions, many people assume their beer-drinking days are over. The good news (fantastic news, really) is that their beer-drinking days are not over. In fact, far from it.

There are two main ways brewers can make beer suitable for people avoiding gluten:

• The first is to brew beer completely devoid of gluten, naturally gluten-free.
• The second, produce a traditional pint, but remove the gluten.

Let's look at both options in more detail.

Naturally gluten-free beer

Unlike traditional recipes, 100% naturally gluten-free beer is brewed with non-gluten-containing ingredients such as quinoa, buckwheat, or rice.

Sounds great. But, because these are not typical beer ingredients, they can create flavours and textures that differ from what beer drinkers expect.

We're not saying all 100% gluten-free beers are bad, but they are different.

/What is gluten-reduced beer?

Then we have gluten-reduced beer (also labelled as gluten-free).

This is the beer we produce at Triple Point Brewing.

We don't miss out any of the core ingredients: yeast, water, hops, and malt – we brew our beer the traditional way. Why? Because it tastes the best.

Our grain bill is primarily malted barley, usually Maris Otter from our good friends down at Simpsons Malt.

We do occasionally use other grains, such as oats, to achieve desired flavours and a fuller mouthfeel. For example, our Astral is a 10-grain nitro stout, featuring a variety of grains for a smooth drinking experience.

How do we make sure our beer is gluten-free?

During the brewing process, we add a special enzyme, which is a form of protease. This prevents gluten proteins from forming and reduces the overall gluten content to less than 20 parts per million (PPM), in line with UK official gluten-free regulations.

For the most part, our beers fall well under 10 PPM. But if, for whatever reason, we produce a beer above 20 PPM, we will not release the brew.

How do we know the gluten levels in our beer are safe?

Through rigorous testing!

Once brewing is complete, we send samples to our friends at Murphey & Sons in Nottingham for independent batch testing.

The experienced laboratory team analyse each sample and confirms its gluten content.

As long as the beer is below the 20 PPM threshold, we receive a gluten-free certificate, and we're good to go. The beer is ready to leave the tanks, hit the canning line, then your fridge.

Because it was initially brewed with gluten, some people refer to this beer as gluten-reduced, though it is safe to consume.

Gluten-reduced beer

Researchers, including Coeliac UK, agree that beer with less than 20 parts per million (ppm) is safe for most people with gluten-related health conditions to consume.

But, because beer like ours is brewed with malted barley, some people describe it as "gluten-reduced" rather than naturally gluten-free.

Can coeliacs drink our beer?

That very much depends on the individual.

While all our beers are tested to ensure they contain less than 20 PPM gluten, we always recommend speaking to a doctor or healthcare professional if you're a coeliac or have strong gluten intolerance.

Our range of gluten-free beers

At Triple Point Brewing, all our beers are gluten-free. So, you're pretty much spoiled for choice.

From crisp gluten-free summer pilsners to our gluten-free pale ales, there's always an exciting beer to try from our range.

Check out our full range of cans here.

If you fancy trying a few different gluten-free beers, why not take advantage of our build-your-own box offer and enjoy 20% off your order? You'll get free delivery when you spend over £50 - so happy shopping!