Best Beer for Acid Reflux: Top Choices for Reflux and Heartburn

Those who search for the best beer for acid reflux have probably suffered from this after taking a particular food or beverage, including beer.

If you’ve had acid reflux, heartburn, or GERD, you need to avoid acidic alcoholic drinks, carbonated beverages, spicy food, and red wine.

Luckily for beer lovers, some brews won’t cause reflux when you drink them. These are mostly barley malt lagers and barley wines, and we have compiled the best choices for you in this extensive guide.

The Best Beer for Acid Reflux

After extensive research, we discovered that the best beers for acid reflux are made with barley, Vienna, pilsner, and similar malts. We have put together the top beers for acid reflux below.

1. Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Our top beer for acid reflux is the Samuel Adams Boston Lager, a famous barley lager known for its delicious taste. The lager not only tastes great but will also soothe your gastroesophageal reflux disease.

The Samuel Adams Boston Lager is made with two-row barley and German Noble hops, giving you a unique and complicated but flavorful beer. You will notice the slightly sweet flavor with hints of honey and caramel and some citrusy bitterness from the hops. The ABV is 5 percent, and it has a dry finish.

2. Pilsner Urquell

Widely known as one of the best pilsners right now, the Pilsner Urquell is made with pilsner-style malts, which are recommended for those with gastroesophageal reflux disease. It was first brewed in 1842 in Plzen, Czech Republic, and has remained a favorite of beer drinkers until now.

The Pilsner Urquell is a Bohemian-style beer with delicious flavors of caramel and lemon and slightly floral and bready notes. This thirst-quencher also has natural carbonation, which makes it refreshing, so this pilsner is a great idea for hot days. The alcohol content is 4.5 percent, and its unique Czech style makes it stand out.

3. Sierra Nevada Barrel-Aged Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale

Barley lagers aren’t the only beers that would do the trick for heartburn and reflux. You can also go for a delicious barleywine like the Barrel-Aged Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale. The famous Sierra Nevada brews it so that one can expect high quality from this barleywine.

The beer was first introduced in 1983 and is a cult classic for those who enjoy barleywine ales. It has a robust body with an intense flavor that would remind you of wine. Also, the beer ages very well, offering you more exciting flavors without affecting your health. The ABV of the beer is 9.6 percent.

4. Anchor Brewing Company Old Fog Horn

The Old Fog Horn from Anchor Brewing Company is a top barleywine ale on our list. It’s an excellent choice for those with acid reflux who want to reduce their alcohol intake as it has an ABV of only 3.94 percent.

The ale was first brewed in 1975 and followed the same style as British ales. The beer is made with three mashes with all malt for each batch. It is a very hoppy ale, brewed with top-fermenting ale yeast and then carbonated through a bunching process to give it bubbles similar to champagne.

5. Heater Allen Pils

Pilsners do a fantastic job of not triggering your acid reflux, and another recommended beer is the Heater Allen Pils. The American pilsner features an ABV of 5 percent and tasting notes of cereal, grass, and hops.

Despite being an American pilsner, it is inspired by the Pilsner Urquell, so that you will notice a traditional Czech style in its brewing process. This includes letting the beer lager for at least eight weeks, which gives you a rich, malty brew dominated by pilsner. There is also a hint of bitter hoppiness which lingers after swallowing.

6. Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Pivo Pilsner

Firestone Walker Brewing Co. is very popular among beer lovers, so you can be sure that its take on a pilsner is an amazing one. The Italian-style pilsner is a good choice for those avoiding beer acid and offers delicious hints of lemongrass and spice.

The 5.3 percent ABV drink is inspired by a dry-hopped Italian pils and is known for giving a very forward hoppy character. It also has a floral character in the aroma and beer taste. This is one of the best pilsners for those with reflux.

7. Bell’s Brewery Third Coast Old Ale

One of the popular alcoholic beverages that won’t trigger acid reflux is the Third Coast Old Ale from Bell’s Brewery. The barleywine is a perfect choice for those that like bitter-tasting ales. It is made by a Michigan-based brewery that is popularly known for its IPAs and craft brews.

With the Third Coast Old Ale, you can enjoy a delicious aroma of caramel combined with rye or bourbon. It also has a deep red color with a hazy appearance. You can expect a complex flavor of dark fruit and bread mixed with hoppiness, which fades slowly after swallowing. The ABV is 10.2 percent.

8. Weyerbacher Brewing Co. Insanity

If you’re looking to drink alcohol that won’t trigger your reflux, the Insanity barleywine from Weyerbacher Brewing Co. is an ideal choice. This famous brewery is well-known for having diverse takes on its beer, especially with the use of barrel aging.

The Insanity beer was previously called Blithering Idiot and had a dark brown, hazy appearance. Its aromas will please your nose with bananas, nuts, and bubblegum. The flavor follows the nose, combined with the refined taste caused by barrel aging. The beer has an 11.1 percent ABV and is a more traditional barleywine.

9. Jever Pilsner

Those who want to drink beer without triggering acid reflux can also go for this German-style pilsner. Dominated by the right malts, you don’t have to worry about the beer acidic character with the Jever Pilsner. It has tasting notes of bread and lemon with dominant hops.

The Jever Pilsner might be more bitter than what you’re used to if you’re a frequent drinker of pilsners. It also has a dry, crisp and nuanced character that will appeal to different beer lovers. The later hop additions make it bitter, and the alcohol content is 4.9 percent.

10. Idyll Days Pilsner

The Idyll Days Pilsner is also made with barley, which is recommended for those that have acid reflux. The Belgian-style beer is made with floor-malted European barley and flaked corn and fermented with a Belgian lager strain. You get a hazy pilsner after a cold month of fermentation and lagering.

With an earthy and floral character, the Idyll Days Pilsner will give you delicious flavors of honey-flavored biscuits. The Czech Saaz hops provide a floral scent, and the beer has a 5 percent alcohol content. All in all, it’s a crushable pilsner that is worth trying.

11. Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Helldorado

Another ale from Firestone Walker is the Helldorado, and this barleywine is a fantastic way to see the skill and quality of this renowned brewery. The brewery uses the old-school Burton Union system to make its beers, so they ferment the brews in oak barrels.

This sweet barleywine has a super high ABV of 13.2 percent, which is excellent for those planning to get drunk, although it’s best to watch alcoholic consumption for your health. It has a sweet aroma of ginger, banana, and lemon drops, while the taste is best described as a combination of cotton candy, vanilla, nuts, and orange sorbet.

12. Dovetail Vienna Lager

It’s also recommended to take lager beers made with Vienna malts if you have acid reflux symptoms, and the Dovetail Vienna Lager is a fantastic place to start. The delicious brew has a refreshing character and only 5.1 percent alcohol, making it easy to gush it down and enjoy the taste.

The Dovetail Vienna Lager has a bright copper appearance, flavors, and aromas of toasted bread, minerals, and herbs. The taste is dominated by a sweet bready malt flavor, while the hop bitterness is mellow and well-balanced. It has a dry finish, but the flavor of sweet bread will linger on your palate.

13. Alesmith Old Numbskull

All year-round, you can purchase the delicious Old Numbskull barleywine from Alesmith. This is the famous brewery’s experiment with IPA and dark ale, and you can expect excellent quality as they have won multiple awards for their beers before.

The Old Numbskull stands out from other barley wines with its flavor, but the appearance is similar. It has a clean look and red color, with a decent head to enhance its aromas. The aromas are dominated by sweet bread and hops. You will notice the lessened fruit flavors and a roast character that caresses your tongue when you drink this ale.

14. Goose Island Beer Co. Bourbon County Brand Barleywine Ale

With a 12.1 percent ABV, the Bourbon County Brand Barleywine Ale is perfect for drinkers with reflux who want a boozy drink. The Bourbon County brand from Goose Island Beer Co. has been trendy since 1993, known for aging its beers in bourbon barrels.

This Barleywine Ale was made the same way except more mellow, with a delightful and bright flavor that makes you feel like you’re having dessert. It has a brown appearance, while the aroma offers scents of caramel, prunes, and grapes. There are some hints of tart pear and toffee in the flavor.

15. August Schell Firebrick

The August Schell Firebrick is another lager made with Vienna malt and is a classic from one of the oldest independent breweries in America. The malt-forward beer won’t trigger your acid reflux, so that you can drink the 4.8-percent ABV brew without worry.

The August Schell Firebrick retains a light and drinkable character that draws beer lovers to it despite its complex flavor. The Vienna-style amber lager has a hint of hops combined with the maltiness and creamy white head that enhances the aroma. It features a medium-full body, a clean taste, and a sweet finish.

16. Grains of Wrath Vienna Lager

We’re rounding up our list with the Grains of Wrath Vienna Lager, a delicious Vienna-style lager with 5 percent ABV. The beer has won multiple awards at the Great American Beer Festival and is excellent for reflux, so that’s two wins for you.

It features a bright amber-gold appearance, while the flavor is mainly sweet, wet grain. The beer tastes nutty and toasty, with a balanced flavor and dry finish. Most of the sweetness is noticeable from the aroma before you taste it, and the beer is highly drinkable despite its elegant character.

Conclusion

With our list of the best beers for acid reflux, you can easily enjoy a can of a delicious brew while being assured that your health is taken care of.

• Barley malt lagers, Pilsners, Vienna-style lagers, and Barleywines are the best for acid reflux.
• The best beer for reflux is the Samuel Adams Boston Lager.
• The best pilsner for reflux is Pilsner Urquell.
• The best ale for reflux is Barrel-Aged Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale.
• The best Vienna-style lager for acid reflux is the Dovetail Vienna Lager.

Even with acid reflux, you can still enjoy beers. Just strictly monitor your alcohol consumption and watch what you eat.

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