Gluten-free non-alcoholic beer · compared
Gluten-free non-alcoholic beer, from the grain up
Most “gluten-friendly” non-alcoholic beers are barley beers treated to reduce gluten. Freedom is brewed from millet, buckwheat and certified gluten-free oats, with no barley, wheat or rye. Here's how they compare, with sources.
Facts checked October 24, 2026 · sources below
The short answer
If you avoid gluten, check the grain, not just the label. Freedom is one of the only non-alcoholic beers in the U.S. brewed entirely from gluten-free grains. It tests below 5 ppm gluten (the FDA limit is 20 ppm), and more than 12,000 customers have ordered it from us since 2023.
Malt isn't the problem. Barley is.
Malt is just grain that's been sprouted and dried (Montana State University). Most beer malt is barley, so “malt” usually means gluten. The gluten itself comes from proteins in barley, wheat and rye (FDA).
Millet and buckwheat can be malted too, and they're naturally gluten-free. That's what Freedom is brewed with, plus certified gluten-free oats. No barley, wheat or rye, from the grain up.
Most “gluten-friendly” NA beers are brewed from barley and then treated to reduce the gluten. Under U.S. rules they can't say gluten-free; they say “crafted to remove gluten” and “may contain gluten” (TTB Ruling 2020-2). The Celiac Disease Foundation and Beyond Celiac say gluten-removed beer may not be safe for people with celiac disease.
Our honest part: Freedom is brewed in a facility that also brews with barley, so we don't claim it's certified gluten-free. We take the precautions instead: separate gluten-free handling, full sanitation between batches, and every Freedom batch tests below 5 ppm gluten, the lowest our test can measure. The FDA's gluten-free limit is 20 ppm.
More than 12,000 customers have ordered Freedom from gobrewing.com since 2023, plus thousands more on Amazon, and hundreds of their reviews come from people avoiding gluten, many with celiac disease.
How gluten-free is it, really?
Per 12 oz. Gluten status as each brand or its label describes it.
| Beer | Go Brewing Freedom Hazy IPA | Go Brewing Freedom California Pale | Go Brewing Freedom Amber | Athletic Brewing Upside Dawn | Partake NA beers | Bravus NA beers | Best Day Brewing NA beers | Heineken Heineken 0.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free? | Gluten-free grains, tests below 5 ppm | Gluten-free grains, tests below 5 ppm | Gluten-free grains, tests below 5 ppm | Gluten-reduced (“crafted to remove gluten”) | Gluten-reduced | Gluten-reduced | Gluten-reduced | Contains gluten |
| Grains | Millet, buckwheat, certified GF oats, corn | Millet, buckwheat, certified GF oats | Millet, buckwheat, certified GF oats | Barley, wheat | Barley | Malted barley | Barley | Malted barley |
| Calories | 81 | 69 | 68 | 69 | — | — | — | 69 |
| ABV | Under 0.5% | Under 0.5% | Under 0.5% | — | — | — | — | — |
Where Freedom wins, and where it doesn't
Go wins
No barley, wheat or rye
Freedom is brewed from millet, buckwheat and certified gluten-free oats. Athletic Upside Dawn, Partake, Bravus and Best Day start with barley.
Go wins
Below 5 ppm
Every Freedom batch tests below 5 ppm gluten, the lowest our test can measure. The FDA's gluten-free limit is 20 ppm.
Go wins
Gluten-free, not “gluten-reduced”
Barley beers treated to reduce gluten must say “crafted to remove gluten” and “may contain gluten” under U.S. rules. Freedom starts with gluten-free grains.
Go wins
12,000+ customers
More than 12,000 customers have ordered Freedom from gobrewing.com since 2023, plus thousands more on Amazon.
They win
Price and shelves
Athletic Upside Dawn is $10.99 a 6-pack and in more stores. Freedom is $14.99 a 6-pack, shipped from gobrewing.com.
From people who can't have gluten
Verified buyers on gobrewing.com and Amazon. Unedited, trimmed for length.
★★★★★
“This is by far the best alcohol free & gluten free beer I have ever tasted! … I am on my third order”
★★★★★
“I have celiac disease and must avoid gluten. I also do not want alcohol. Freedom Amber allows me to enjoy the taste of beer … I really like it and have become a regular customer.”
★★★★★
“While alcohol-free beer is pretty easy to find these days, gluten-free beer is a whole different story! … It was SO nice to finally be able to enjoy a beer again!”
★★★★★
“This NA, gluten free beer actually tastes like beer. This beer tastes like a regular amber so much so that people are surprised it is NA and gluten free.”
★★★★★
“I am so thankful that Go Brewing offers something to someone who can't drink and has celiac.”
★★★★★
“Born in Germany and a well experienced Beer Drinker, converted to Non Alcoholic and Gluten free Beer, this is the only beer I like and drink!”
★★★★★
“The options for AF GF options out there that give you the real beer experience is limited especially one that tastes awesome. Go has hit it out of the park.”
★★★★★
“No need to drink beer with gluten or alcohol after tasting this!!!!”
Try Freedom
Start with all three in the Gluten Free Starter Kit, or go straight to the Hazy IPA.
Gluten Free Starter Kit – Non-Alcoholic, Gluten-Free Beers
Four 6-packs of Freedom: Hazy IPA, California Pale and Amber.
$59.96
Freedom Hazy IPA – Non-Alcoholic, Gluten-Free
Millet, buckwheat and gluten-free oats. Citra hops. 81 calories.
$14.99
Questions
Is non-alcoholic beer gluten-free?
Most isn't. Nearly all non-alcoholic beer is brewed from barley, and often wheat, which contain gluten. Some are treated to reduce gluten, but under U.S. rules those can't be called gluten-free. Freedom is brewed from gluten-free grains: millet, buckwheat and certified gluten-free oats.
Is malt gluten-free?
Malt is just grain that's been sprouted and dried. Most malt is barley, which is why “malt” on a label usually means gluten. The gluten comes from proteins in barley, wheat and rye (FDA), not from malting itself. Millet and buckwheat can be malted too, and they're naturally gluten-free.
What's the difference between gluten-free and gluten-reduced beer?
Gluten-reduced (or “crafted to remove gluten”) beer is brewed from barley and treated afterward. U.S. labels must add that it “may contain gluten” (TTB Ruling 2020-2), and the Celiac Disease Foundation and Beyond Celiac say gluten-removed beer may not be safe for people with celiac disease. Gluten-free beer starts with grains that never contained gluten.
Is Freedom certified gluten-free?
No, and we don't claim it is. The grains are certified gluten-free, but Freedom is brewed in a facility that also brews with barley. We take precautions: separate gluten-free handling, full sanitation between batches, and every batch tests below 5 ppm gluten, the lowest our test can measure (the FDA limit is 20 ppm). If you're highly sensitive, talk to your doctor.
Does Freedom contain oats?
Yes, certified gluten-free oats. Most people with celiac disease tolerate gluten-free oats, but a small number react to them, so check with your doctor if oats are a concern.
Which Freedom beers are there?
Three: Freedom Hazy IPA (81 calories), Freedom California Pale (69 calories) and Freedom Amber (68 calories). The Gluten Free Starter Kit has four 6-packs of them.
Sources
- Freedom Hazy IPA:
gobrewing.com; checked Oct 24, 2026.
- Freedom California Pale:
gobrewing.com; checked Oct 24, 2026.
- Freedom Amber:
gobrewing.com; checked Oct 24, 2026.
- Upside Dawn:
Athletic help center (gluten status, grains); athleticbrewing.com (calories); checked Oct 24, 2026.
- NA beers:
well.ca listing (“Contains: Barley”); checked Oct 24, 2026.
- NA beers:
bravus.com FAQ (“we cannot technically call them ‘gluten-free’”); checked Oct 24, 2026.
- NA beers:
retailer listing (“gluten-reduced”; “Water, Barley, Hops, and Yeast”); checked Oct 24, 2026.
- Heineken 0.0:
Heineken product page (“not gluten-free”); heineken.com (calories); checked Oct 24, 2026.
Competitor gluten status is as each brand, its FAQ or a retailer listing describes it. Freedom's grains are certified gluten-free; Freedom is brewed in a facility that also brews with barley and isn't third-party certified. Customer count: distinct gobrewing.com customers who ordered Freedom, July 2023–October 2026. Brand names belong to their owners; this page isn't endorsed by them.
