Is Corona gluten free?
By Simon ยท Updated 4 June 2026
No. Corona Extra is brewed with barley malt. The maize in the recipe is gluten free, but the barley is not, and Corona has never been gluten reduced or tested safe, so it is not suitable for coeliacs.
Corona is one of the most common gluten free mix-ups I come across, almost always because of the maize. Maize is gluten free, but it does not make Corona safe for anyone with coeliac disease. Corona Extra is brewed with barley malt as well as maize, and barley contains gluten. The maize lightens the body and the flavour, but it does not make the beer safe for coeliacs.
What is actually in the bottle
Corona is brewed from water, barley malt, maize, hops and a few processing aids. Barley malt is a primary grain, and it is the gluten source. There is no enzyme treatment, no gluten reduction, and no gluten free certification. The packaging carries the standard contains barley allergen statement.
The manufacturer has been clear about this. AB InBev has confirmed directly to Coeliac UK that its Corona beers are not gluten free. That is the position that matters, not the assumptions made from the ingredient list.
The maize myth
This is one of the most persistent and most dangerous misconceptions in gluten free beer. The logic runs: maize is gluten free, Corona uses maize, therefore Corona is gluten free. The flaw is that Corona does not use maize instead of barley, it uses maize as well as barley. A beer is only safe for coeliacs if it is brewed without gluten grains in the first place, or if the gluten is deliberately removed and the beer is tested below 20 parts per million. Corona is neither.
You may also see people pointing to home test strip results. These strips are not a validated method for testing beer, the readings are unreliable, and no coeliac should base a safety decision on them.
What to drink instead
If you want that light, crisp, easy drinking lager without the gluten, the answer is a lager brewed gluten free from the start, or made gluten reduced and tested below 20ppm. A few from our directory worth trying:
- Celia Organic Lager, 4.5%. A clean, crisp organic lager and a natural swap for a pale, refreshing beer like Corona.
- Bellfield Craft Lager, 5.2%. A pale, easy drinking lager from a fully gluten free brewery.
- Thornbridge Snake Lager, 4.2%. A crisp, sessionable lager for everyday drinking.
For more, see our guide to gluten free lagers, or browse the full beer directory.
Frequently asked questions
Is Corona gluten free?
No. Corona Extra is brewed with barley malt alongside maize. Barley contains gluten, and Corona is not gluten reduced and has no gluten free certification. The brewer, AB InBev, has confirmed directly to Coeliac UK that its Corona beers are not gluten free. The pack carries a contains barley allergen declaration.
Doesn't the corn make Corona gluten free?
No, and this is the most common mistake people make about Corona. Maize (corn) is naturally gluten free, but Corona is not brewed from maize alone. It also uses barley malt, which is a gluten grain. The presence of a gluten free ingredient does not cancel out the gluten from the barley.
Why do some people say Corona is low in gluten?
Some home gluten test strips have returned low or negative readings for Corona, which has led to claims that it is safe. These strips are not clinically validated and cannot be relied on for coeliac safety. Corona has not been tested and certified below the 20 parts per million gluten free threshold, and the manufacturer does not market it as gluten free.
Is there a gluten free version of Corona?
No. AB InBev does not make a gluten free or gluten reduced version of Corona. If you want a light, crisp, easy drinking lager without the gluten, you need to switch to a beer brewed gluten free or made gluten reduced and tested below 20ppm.
What gluten free lager is most like Corona?
For the same light, refreshing, easy drinking character, Celia Organic Lager and Bellfield's Craft Lager are good gluten free swaps from our directory. Both are crisp, pale lagers that suit the same occasions as a cold Corona.
How we checked
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