Is Mead Gluten-Free?

Yes. Mead is naturally gluten-free. Mead is made by fermenting honey with water and yeast, rather than grains such as wheat, barley or rye.

This makes mead different from beer. Coeliac New Zealand explains that regular beer is produced by fermenting malt barley or wheat malt, while wine and cider [and mead!] can form part of a gluten-free diet.

Why is mead gluten-free?

Gluten is a group of proteins naturally found in wheat, barley and rye. The US Food and Drug Administration's explanation of gluten identifies these grains as the principal natural sources of gluten.

Traditional mead doesn't use them. At its simplest, mead is made from:

• Honey

• Water

• Yeast

The yeast ferments the natural sugars in honey into alcohol. Grain isn't required to make mead.

Is Undisturbed Mead gluten-free?

Yes. Undisturbed Mead is gluten-free.

Our meads are made from honey. We don't use barley, wheat or rye to produce them.

Is mead a good gluten-free alternative to beer?

For someone avoiding gluten, mead provides a naturally gluten-free fermented alcoholic drink. Mead is its own category, with styles ranging from light and refreshing to rich, wine-strength drinks.

Health New Zealand lists wine, cider and a range of other alcoholic drinks as gluten-free, while regular beer, ale, lager and stout are listed among the drinks to avoid for people with coeliac disease.

Mead provides another option: alcohol made by fermenting the sugars in honey rather than sugars from grain.

At Undisturbed, that's where we start — New Zealand honey, water and yeast.