It is difficult to ascertain exactly whether Stella Artois is a gluten-free beer or not. Very little nutritional information is available online, yet yes and no answers can also be found online. However, as Stella Artois does contain wheat products in barley malt, which is normally used to make beer, it is probably best to steer clear of Stella Artois just to be on the safe side. There are several gluten-free beers available on the market. Estrella Damm Daura is considered to be the best gluten free beer available available and has won a number of awards in the past. Daura was launched in Spain in 2006 and is now available in 12 countries worldwide and is unique amongst gluten-free beers. Unlike other gluten-free options, which use sorghum instead of wheat or grain, Daura uses barley malt to provide a 'real beer taste'. A proprietary brewing process strips away the gluten protein from the barley malt. Because the gluten protein is removed, Daura's gluten level is less than six parts per million, far below the 20 parts per million required for a product to be considered gluten-free. Daura is a two-time winner of the best gluten-free beer award at the World Beer Awards, in 2008 and 2009. Daura is made up of 5.4% ABV and can be purchased in the UK. A pack of bottles will cost around £7 online. Estrella Damm is one of the biggest beverage companies in Spain and has seven beverage production and bottling plants across the country. Other gluten-free beers that are available include Anheuser-Bauch, Bard's, Green's, New Grist, Nick Stafford's Hambleton Ales, and O'Brien. However, many gluten-free drinkers say that gluten-free beer lacks the taste of traditional wheat-based varieties. Most of the popular lager brands such as Foster's, Carlsberg, and Stella Artois have yet to enter the gluten-free beer market.
