Is Redd's Apple Ale Gluten-free?

Find out what Redd’s Hard Apple and apple ale is, if it’s considered a beer or cider, and if this drink is gluten-free.

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Have you seen Redd’s Hard Apple or apple ale on a menu at a restaurant or on draft at your favorite bar lately? Or have you just seen this option in the beer section at your grocery store recently?

If so, you may have wondered if a “hard apple” or “apple ale” product works for a gluten-free diet. I’ll be the first to admit, when I saw this product, I for sure thought that it must be gluten-free. An apple ale must be made from apples, right?

Well, let’s just say I’m glad I did my research first. If you follow a gluten-free diet like me, you know that looking at every food and drink that goes in your body makes a difference. You know that even small amounts of gluten can make you feel sick, so it’s worthwhile to look into the details of a food or drink before buying it.

Find out in this post if Redd’s Hard Apple (otherwise known as apple ale) is safe for your gluten-free diet, what it’s made of, and if it’s considered a cider or a beer. Plus find out some alternatives for Redd’s apple ale for your gluten-free diet.

This post is part of the Gluten-free Alcohol Series, where we’re going to discuss different types of alcoholic drinks and how they fit into a gluten-free diet.

What is Redd’s apple ale?

Redd’s Hard Apple is a brand of beer or apple ale that comes in four different flavors. This drink is made by Redd’s Brewing Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a subsidiary of Molson Coors.

While the apple flavor of Redd’s Hard Apple may make you think that it’s a hard cider, an alcoholic beverage made from apple juice, the brand makes it clear that they are indeed a beer that adds apple flavor after brewing.

Redd’s Hard Apple is available in both bottles and on draft throughout the U.S.

Is Redd’s Hard Apple a cider? Is it beer?

Redd’s Hard Apple makes no qualms about it being a beer, an apple-flavored beer more specifically. They state on the FAQ page of their website that they are a “refreshing beer plus the crisp taste of apples.”

They also state that “Redd’s is an ale, getting its alcohol from fermented and malted grain. Ciders get their alcohol from fermented apple juice.”

Read on: Is malt gluten-free?

What products does Redd’s Hard Apple make?

Redd’s Hard Apple comes in four different varieties: hard apple, hard apple peach, hard apple strawberry, and hard apple black cherry.

What is Redd’s Hard Apple made from?

According to the Redd’s Hard Apple website, their original flavor of apple ale contains the following ingredients:

“Water, corn syrup (dextrose), barley malt, yeast, hop extract, sucrose, citric acid, natural flavor, caramel color, sodium benzoate & potassium sorbate (added for freshness).

Depending on the variety you buy, other ingredients may be added, like elderberry juice and other natural flavors.

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in most wheat products, and acts as the “glue” that helps to hold wheat, barley, kamut, spelt, farro, durum, bulgur, rye, and semolina together to maintain their shape. You can create a malt from any of these grains.

Gluten is naturally occurring, and therefore is impossible to strip away from the grain. If a grain naturally has gluten in it, there’s no way to make that food gluten-free.

Is beer gluten-free?

Most beer is made with malted barley – and sometimes with wheat. Barley and wheat are both gluten-containing grains, making most beer not a good choice for a gluten-free diet.

That said, there are some brands that make gluten-free beer with dedicated machinery and ingredients. Other brands make “gluten-removed” beer that may be suitable for some folks on a gluten-free diet, but others may react to the trace levels of gluten.

Read more about gluten-free beer.

Is Redd’s apple ale gluten-free?

According to the Redd’s Hard Apple website, “Redd’s Hard Apple is not gluten-free, but it is delicious.”

If you follow a gluten-free diet, opt for a different type of beer that is gluten-free or better yet, choose a gluten-free hard cider that’s made with no gluten ingredients.

Read on: Is hard cider gluten-free?

Read on: Gluten-free beer list

If you’ve been wondering if Redd’s Hard Apple is safe for your gluten-free diet, I hope this post has given you the answers you’re looking for.

This brand is not a good option for folks avoiding gluten, but there are many other gluten-free beer brands and hard ciders available that are naturally gluten-free.

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