Hard Mountain Dew’s launch in February 2022 has sparked questions about its gluten content, particularly among people with celiac disease. The alcoholic version of this popular beverage shows promising growth, generating $1.3 million in sales from just five states.
The beverage uses a malt base without wheat, barley, or rye. People with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity need absolute certainty about gluten content. This new drink features 5% ABV and zero sugar, which creates a unique twist on the classic Mountain Dew formula.
We will get into Hard Mountain Dew’s ingredients in this piece and assess its gluten risk to provide clear safety guidelines for celiac patients. The information will help you decide if this drink fits your dietary needs safely.
What’s Inside Hard Mountain Dew
Green Rebel Brewing Co. in Boston, MA crafts Hard Mountain Dew, a unique flavored malt beverage [1]. Every variety packs a 5% alcohol by volume punch [2].
You’ll find five distinct flavors in the lineup. Each one combines Mountain Dew’s signature taste with different fruit blends [2]. The classic citrus flavor guides the range, while Baja Blast brings tropical lime notes. Black cherry, watermelon, and the latest addition – Livewire with its orange citrus kick round out the collection [3].
This boozy version skips the caffeine, unlike its non-alcoholic cousin [4]. The drink uses artificial sweeteners instead of regular sugar. You’ll find Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K) in the mix [5]. A 12-ounce can gives you just 2.2g of total carbs and 100 calories [4].
Let’s break down what’s inside this drink:
- Natural flavors
- Artificial sweeteners (Sucralose & Ace-K)
- Certified colors including FD&C Yellow #5
- Zero grams of added sugar [5]
The malt base really shines through in the original flavor [6]. The watermelon version brings juicy notes that set it apart from the black cherry flavor, which many say tastes like Jolly Rancher candy [6].
Hard Mountain Dew’s production process works much like beer brewing [4]. This detail is vital for people watching their gluten intake. The fermentation naturally creates a single gram of sugar [7].
The drink hit shelves on February 22nd, 2022, and its availability keeps growing [8]. Yellow 5 dye helps maintain Mountain Dew’s familiar color, especially when mixed just right [9]. Even without regular sugar, taste testers say it matches the original Mountain Dew flavor pretty closely [9].
Gluten Risk Assessment
Research shows a significant finding that needs clarity: Hard Mountain Dew contains gluten [4]. The drink goes through a brewing process just like beer, which makes it dangerous if you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
The Boston Beer Company makes Hard Mountain Dew and confirms all their styles have gluten because they brew it like beer [4]. The company stresses how they manage ingredients carefully to keep their product quality and safety standards high.
People with celiac disease need to understand cross-contamination risks. Gluten proteins stick around when gluten-free products touch ingredients containing gluten [10]. These proteins don’t die from heat or disinfectants because they’re proteins, not bacteria [10].
Here’s what you should know about gluten exposure:
- Facilities that handle both gluten and gluten-free items risk cross-contamination
- Sensitive people can react to tiny amounts under 20 ppm
- Equipment needs deep cleaning between gluten and non-gluten products
Scientists have made progress with enzymes like Tolerase® G and Aspergillus niger prolyl endoprotease (AN-PEP) [11]. These enzymes break down gluten proteins well at stomach pH levels [11]. The enzymes shouldn’t replace avoiding gluten drinks completely.
U.S. safety rules say gluten-free products must have less than 20 ppm gluten content – that’s FDA law [10]. Regular Mountain Dew meets these rules, but Hard Mountain Dew doesn’t qualify as gluten-free because it uses a malt beverage base.
Some people got sick after drinking Hard Mountain Dew because they thought it was gluten-free like hard seltzer [12]. The marketing created confusion, even though the package says it’s a malt beverage [12].
The gluten in Hard Mountain Dew means you should stay away from it completely if you have celiac disease. The potential risks aren’t worth it, whatever enzyme supplements or treatments you might have available.
Safety Guidelines for Celiac Patients
Making smart choices about alcoholic beverages becomes a priority if you have celiac disease. Recent FDA guidelines state that alcoholic beverages must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten to carry a gluten-free label [13].
Pure distilled spirits give you safe drinking options. Vodka, gin, rum, whisky, brandy, and tequila are gluten-free, even when made from wheat or barley [14]. The distillation process removes all gluten proteins from the final product [15].
Wine is another safe choice because it’s naturally gluten-free. In spite of that, you should check labels on flavored wines or wine coolers since they might contain gluten-based additives [14].
These safety practices will keep you protected:
- Know your brands before drinking
- Check ingredient labels
- Stay away from drinks marked “may contain traces of gluten”
- Watch out for mixed drinks and cocktails
- Verify all flavorings or mixers [16]
Hard Mountain Dew’s manufacturer states that their brewing process matches beer production, which means all styles contain gluten [4]. This makes it unsafe if you have celiac disease.
Label terminology helps you make safe choices. The FDA allows “gluten-free” labels only on packaged foods with less than 20 ppm of gluten [13]. Note that “wheat-free” products aren’t always gluten-free [13].
Mixed drinks need extra attention because many mixers use barley malt or hydrolyzed wheat proteins as fillers [17]. Each cocktail component needs checking since hidden gluten sources can sneak in anywhere.
The TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) sets its own labeling rules. Their policy permits gluten-free claims only on products made without wheat, barley, rye, or crossbred varieties [15]. Therefore, manufacturers must keep their raw ingredients and finished products free from cross-contamination [15].
These guidelines help you make safer alcohol choices with celiac disease. Your healthcare provider can address specific concerns about alcoholic beverages [18].
Conclusion
Hard Mountain Dew sounds like a fun spin on the classic soda, but celiac patients should stay away from it. Many people think this drink follows regular Mountain Dew’s gluten-free recipe. However, its malt beverage base makes it dangerous for anyone with gluten sensitivity.
Celiac patients have several safe options to choose from. Pure distilled spirits and wines are reliable choices that won’t trigger gluten reactions. Label reading becomes crucial when dealing with flavored beverages and mixed drinks.
Hard Mountain Dew’s rising popularity highlights why we need clear details about gluten content in drinks. This piece should help you pick the right alcoholic beverages while dealing with celiac disease. Your health matters most – picking gluten-free options will give a safe and enjoyable drinking experience.
References
[1] – https://www.hardmountaindew.com/flavors/mountain-dew
[2] – https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/hard-mountain-dew/?srsltid=AfmBOooUNQrZQOL19uZHfZ20aytJifF5isDTkY96XHUSJe2ve4lraV2L
[3] – https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/hard-mountain-dew/?srsltid=AfmBOoowyUOcCVppRBZ50HrxijAye5fZUTDTNFAEd6xpWp8eGcVPYXwK
[4] – https://www.hardmountaindew.com/faq
[5] – https://mountaindew.fandom.com/wiki/Hard_Baja_Blast
[6] – https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/hard-mountain-dew/?srsltid=AfmBOorDAtgWhYDd9NFC2QUMD5jXgI9E_0wjXxq23x0qXJGCKQa8Gx4A
[7] – https://www.reddit.com/r/mountaindew/comments/ylkv54/hard_mountain_dew_ingredients/
[8] – https://mountaindew.fandom.com/wiki/Hard_Mountain_Dew
[9] – https://fromthe108.com/2022/11/18/seltzer-review-hard-mountain-dew/
[10] – https://www.beyondceliac.org/gluten-free-diet/cross-contact/
[11] – https://littlehelpers.com/blogs/gluten-free/is-hard-mountain-dew-gluten-free/?srsltid=AfmBOorUiDhKtwZt4XmYacY7bSjTNkF5IjCUu7yMTnUKBkiBvfip2ENy
[12] – https://www.reddit.com/r/mountaindew/comments/vkrwiy/hard_dew_isnt_gluten_free_dont_fuck_up_like_me/
[13] – https://celiac.org/gluten-free-living/gluten-free-foods/label-reading-the-fda/
[14] – https://www.celiac.ca/gluten-free-alcohol-guide-celiac-disease/
[15] – https://nationalceliac.org/alcohol-on-the-gluten-free-diet/?srsltid=AfmBOop1TjSCReStZ-KvBpEjZVH8DpbApRDmc9bP-6XAPsU0_lDtFSTD
[16] – https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-alcohol-is-gluten-free
[17] – https://gfjules.com/alcohol-gluten-free/
[18] – https://littlehelpers.com/blogs/gluten-free/is-hard-mountain-dew-gluten-free/?srsltid=AfmBOopyTsw4sKcPmPvkMSLJP-It0SzS8ULCZBIqdxra9ikbc7KmJTFT