Is Root Beer Gluten-Free? I Researched the Top 5 Brands to Find Out

Root beer is a confusing ingredient for the gluten-free community. While beer is off-limits since it’s made from barley and hops, root beer is typically made from similar ingredients as soda and is non-alcoholic. In this post, I discuss whether or not root beer is safe for people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance, as well as share what the leading root beer brands say about gluten. Please see my disclosures.

Root beer is a carbonated, sweetened beverage typically made from water, sugar, and other flavorings and spices distinct from root beer.

Most people assume that root beer is always gluten-free because it doesn’t contain any grains or wheat products – two common sources of gluten.

However, you can’t know for sure that a rogue root beer brand wouldn’t try to sneak gluten into its formula in the form of flavorings or cross-contamination.

I contacted each of the leading root beer brands – A&W Root Beer, Barq’s Root Beer, Dad’s Root Beer, IBC Root Beer, and Mugs – to determine their take on gluten and confirm whether each brand is gluten-free.

Remember, food and beverage labels will always contain the latest and most accurate information about a product.

A&W Root Beer

Keurig Dr. Pepper owns A&W.

Ingredients: Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, sodium benzoate, citric acid, yucca extract, and natural and artificial flavors.

A&W Root Beer says on its packaging that it’s made with “aged vanilla,” but the ingredient list doesn’t contain vanilla as far as I can tell.

Is A&W Root Beer Gluten-Free? According to the company’s online allergen guide, all A&W Root Beer varieties are free from gluten.

Barq’s Root Beer

The Coca-Cola Company owns Barq’s.

Ingredients: Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, sodium benzoate (to protect taste), citric acid, caffeine, artificial and natural flavors, and acacia, which is a natural gum added to root beer to give it a smooth, foamy head on top of the beverage

Is Barq’s Root Beer Gluten-Free: I asked Barq’s if its products are gluten-free. A company representative says Barq’s Root Beer, caffeine-free Barq’s Root Beer, and Barq’s Diet Root Beer are all gluten-free with this caveat:

“Some minor ingredients in these [Barq’s] products are manufactured from plants that gluten-sensitive people could react to, so we are unable to state categorically that they are totally gluten-free even though they may have undetectable levels of gluten in them. However, extremely gluten-sensitive individuals should discuss consumption of these products with their health care provider.​”

Dad’s Root Beer

Dad’s Root Beer is a family-owned company based in Jasper, Indiana.

Ingredients: carbonated water, pure cane sugar, caramel color, sodium benzoate (a preservative), citric acid, and natural and artificial flavors.

Is Dad’s Root Beer Gluten-Free? I emailed the company to determine if Dad’s Root Beer is gluten-free. I haven’t heard back from them after numerous attempts. I will update this article when I know more.

That said, Dad’s Root Beer doesn’t contain any gluten ingredients, so it’s likely safe to consume on a gluten-free diet.

IBC Root Beer

Keurig Dr. Pepper manufactures IBC Root Beer.

Ingredients: Carbonated water, cane sugar, caramel color, sodium benzoate (a preservative), natural and artificial flavors, modified corn starch, citric acid, and quillaia extract.

Is IBC Root Beer Gluten-Free? According to the nutrition and allergen data on the company’s website, IBC Root Beer doesn’t contain any gluten and is gluten-free.

Mug Root Beer

PepsiCo owns Mug Root Beer.

Ingredients: Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, sodium benzoate (a preservative), citric acid, natural and artificial flavors, modified food starch, calcium disodium EDTA (to protect flavor), and quillaia extract.

Please note Mug Root Beer is one of the few root beers that contain modified food starch. In the U.S., the most common source of modified food starch is corn.

Is Mug Root Beer Gluten-Free? A spokesperson for Mug Root Beer said in an email that Mug Root Beer is gluten-free. Specifically, she said it’s free from wheat and gluten ingredients and safe to consume even if you have celiac disease.

Does Root Beer Contain Gluten?

Root beer is, for all intents and purposes, gluten-free and does not contain any gluten ingredients.

Before enjoying a cold root beer, check the label and ingredient list for hidden gluten.

Some brands of root beer will state on their packaging whether or not they are gluten-free.

If you can’t find a “gluten-free” claim, check the ingredient list for any potential sources of gluten, such as barley malt or wheat syrup.

Use the FIG app to quickly scan the UPC on the beverage. FIG will quickly scan the ingredient label and flag any questionable ingredients.

Contact the manufacturer directly if you can’t find a list of ingredients on the label. I contacted each company to confirm that each was gluten-free; however, I recommend you always do your own due diligence.

Finally, look for added flavors. Root beer comes in many flavors, so you’ll want to double-check the ingredient list to ensure it doesn’t contain any gluten ingredients.

The Bottom Line: Rest assured, root beer is generally considered gluten-free and contains no ingredients derived from wheat, barley, or rye. You can enjoy this nostalgic treat without the worry of getting glutened.

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