Guinness, that famous dark stout of a beverage, loved by the Irish and people around the world, is a drink not for the fainthearted. Deep and rich, with a flavor note of caramel, this is not your typical beer beverage. Smoother and full-bodied, this beverage has a lively history and a present-day following of the masses.
Guinness is not gluten free as it is made from malted barley. Barley, along with wheat and rye, contain gluten. For those who have celiac disease, sensitivity or intolerance to consuming gluten, Guinness should be avoided. The best gluten-free alternatives to Guinness include Forager Gluten Free Lager, New Grist Gluten Free Pilsner, Glutenberg Blonde, and Kick Step IPA.
In this article, we’ll look at what celiac disease is, and why gluten is bad for those who have it. We’ll also look at the history of Guinness and how it’s made, and some fun facts about the drink. We’ll dive into the ingredients and some recipes you can make using Guinness. And we’ll also provide you with some gluten-free alternatives to the Guinness beverage.
Contents
What is celiac disease?
With celiac disease, your small intestine cannot absorb nutrients from food. When you eat foods which contain gluten, your body’s immune system will start to attack the tiny bumps, or villi, which line your small intestine. The villi is what helps your small intestine move nutrients through your body, and when the villi has been attacked by the immune system, they are not there to work with this body’s process.
The history of Guinness
Arthur Guinness opened his first brewery in Dublin, Ireland in 1759. In the late 1770s, he began to brew a “porter” ale, which was made using roasted barley, giving the ale a dark red color and rich aroma. This drink became so successful that Guinness stopped brewing ales altogether and instead focused on the porter beverage. For five generations, the brewery produced beverages under the same family leadership. At the turn of the 20th century, the Guinness brewery was the largest in the world.
In 2014, the Brewhouse 4 opened at St. James Gate in Dublin. It is one of the most technologically advanced breweries in the world, along with being one of the most environmentally sustainable. It uses over 100k tons per year of barley, is the largest stout brewery in the world, and contributes heavily to the Irish economy.
How is Guinness made
Barley grains are harvested from farmers who have been growing them for over three generations. This barley is then malted by crushing it and mixing it with water, straight from a lake in nearby County Wicklow, Ireland. Heated water is then added to the malted barley and then this mixture is mashed to get out the brewing sugars. This mash is then separated – the grain from the liquid.
The barley is then roasted, which gives Guinness its rich taste and dark-red color. The roasting temperature is important. Two hot or too cold, and the barley is not roasted properly. Then the hops are added, and the mixture is boiled for 90 minutes, before it cools and settles.
Yeast is then added, a recipe which has been handed down through generations. The beer is then just left alone for a while. Nitrogen is then added, which is what makes Guinness famous for its iconic creamy head of foam, and contains about 3 million bubbles in each pint. Finally, each batch of Guinness is tested to make sure that it is precisely brewed as it was intended.
Fun facts about Guinness
- The original Guinness brewery was leased for 9000 years.
- It takes about 120 seconds to pour the perfect pint of Guinness.
- Even though it looks dark brown, the official color of Guinness is ruby red.
- Guinness is brewed in 49 different countries.
- Britain is the largest consumer of Guinness, and over 10 million glasses are consumed a day worldwide.
- The Guinness company was one of the first employers to ever offer employee benefits.
- During World War II, Guinness gave a glass of their stout to every British soldier.
- The first Guinness Book of World Records was published to settle arguments in pubs.
Ingredients and nutrition facts of Guinness beverages
All the Guinness beverages contain roasted barley, malted barley, hops, yeast and water. The ingredients of the specialty beverages are not published, nor are very many nutrition facts.
Guinness Draught
Ingredients:
- Roasted barley
- Malted barley
- Hops
- Yeast
- Water
Nutrition facts (per 12 ounce serving):
- 125 – Calories
- 9.9 grams – Carbohydrates
- 0.3 grams – Protein
- 0 grams – Fat
Guinness Extra Stout
Ingredients:
- Roasted barley
- Malted barley
- Hops
- Yeast
- Water
Nutrition facts (per 12 ounce serving):
- 96 – Calories
- 0 grams – Carbohydrates
- 0 grams – Protein
- 0 grams – Fat
Guinness Foreign Extra Stout
Ingredients:
- Roasted barley
- Malted barley
- Hops
- Yeast
- Water
Nutrition facts (per 12 ounce serving):
- 270 – Calories
- 5 grams – Carbohydrates
- 0.8 grams – Protein
- 0 grams – Fat
Guinness Nitro Cold Brew Coffee
Ingredients:
- Roasted barley
- Malted barley
- Hops
- Yeast
- Water
- Coffee
- Natural coffee flavors
Nutrition facts (per 12 ounce serving):
- 114 – Calories
- 8.5 grams – Carbohydrates
- 1.1 grams – Protein
- 0 grams – Fat
Guinness Baltimore Blonde
Ingredients:
- Roasted barley
- Malted barley
- Hops
- Yeast
- Water
Nutrition facts (per 12 ounce serving):
- 98 – Calories
- 10 grams – Carbohydrates
- 1 grams – Protein
- 0 grams – Fat
Drink recipes with Guinness
Newly Minted
- 1 ounce White Creme De Menthe
- 1 bottle Guinness Extra Stout or one can of Guinness Draught
Pour the creme de menthe into a glass filled with ice. Pour in the Guinness and garnish with mint leaves.
Parts Unknown
- 1.5 ounces Zacapa Rum
- 0.5 ounces lemon
- 0.75 ounces Creme de Cassis
- 0.25 ounces Orgeat
- Guinness Draught
Put all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, except for the Guinness Draught. Shake it and strain it over fresh ice. Top with the Guinness.
St. James’s Flip
- 1 ounce Black Strap Rum
- 0.5 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 of a fresh egg
- 1.5 ounces Guinness Foreign Extra Stout or Guinness Draught
- Nutmeg, grated
Combine the liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker, without ice. Then add ice to the shaker and shake it until it’s smooth and frothy. Strain it into a goblet and garnish it with the nutmeg.
Dean Swift
- Dean Swift
- 1 ounce Johnnie Walker Whisky
- 2 ounces Guinness Foreign Extra Stout
- 1 ounce Claret wine
- 0.25 ounces Demerara syrup
- 1 teaspoon Allspice Dram Liqueur
- Grated nutmeg
A warm cocktail served in an Irish coffee goblet. Put together all the ingredients except the whiskey and nutmeg into a saucepan. Heat until warm and then pour it all into a heated glass and add the whisky. Garnish with the grated nutmeg.
Gluten-free alternatives
Glutenberg
The Glutenberg company, located in Canada, brews 100% gluten-free beers, stouts and IPAs.
Glutenberg Blonde
Ingredients:
- Water
- Millet
- Corn
- Demerara sugar
- Hops
- Yeast
Nutrition facts (per 12 ounce serving):
- 115 – Calories
- 8 grams – Carbohydrates
- 0 grams – Protein
- 0 grams – Fat
Whistler Brewing Company
Founded in 1989 in British Columbia, Canada, is a brewery which contributes to the local economy of the small town of Function Junction.
Forager Gluten Free Lager
Ingredients:
- Sorghum
- Rice
Nutrition facts (per 12 ounce serving):
- 126 – Calories
- 0 grams – Carbohydrates
- 0 grams – Protein
- 0 grams – Fat
Lakefront Brewery
Brewed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin since 1987, the Lakefront Brewery is a Certified-B corporation, meaning they consider their profits along with balancing their responsibility to people and purpose.
New Grist Gluten-free Pilsner
Ingredients:
- Sorghum
- Rice
- Hops
- Water
- Gluten-free yeast
Nutrition facts (per 12 ounce serving):
- 166 – Calories
- 14 grams – Carbohydrates
- 0 grams – Protein
- 0 grams – Fat
Ghostfish Brewing Company
No gluten-containing ingredients are allowed in the plant and none of their beers contain any gluten. The Ghostfish Brewing Company uses natural ingredients, and will experiment with unrefined sugars, like agave and honey, to see what unique flavors they can get.
Kick Step IPA
Ingredients:
- Water
- Malted millet
- Malted buckwheat
- Malted rice
- Brown rice syrup
- Hops
- Yeast
Nutrition facts (per 12 ounce serving):
- 186 – Calories
- 20 grams – Carbohydrates
- 0 grams – Protein
- 0 grams – Fat
Final Thoughts
Guinness beverages are made from gluten-containing ingredients, including barley. The line of Guinness beverages cannot be considered gluten-free and are not acceptable for those who have celiac disease, or experience gluten intolerances or sensitivities. There are a lot of gluten-free alternative beverages you can try instead of Guinness.
Related Questions
Is Guinness keto-friendly?
A pint of Guinness can have up to 18 grams of carbs per serving, making it a beverage which is not keto-friendly.
How is Guinness different from beer?
Most beers are carbonated using carbon dioxide, but Guinness uses CO2 and nitrogen for their carbonation, which makes for a smoother beverage.
Is Guinness vegan?
Isinglass, a gelatin obtained from fish, used to be a part of the process to make Guinness. They have since refined their filtration process and no longer use this product, making Guinness a completely vegan-friendly beverage.