Mike’s Hard Lemonade Co. is rolling out new packaging featuring an exclusive “Crafted to Remove Gluten” seal. The “Crafted to Remove Gluten” seal was specially developed to educate and inform consumers and is used exclusively on Mike’s products with permission from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), which oversees gluten labeling for alcoholic beverages in the U.S.
Mike’s says it is dedicated to crafting the best-tasting hard lemonades using natural ingredients and a proprietary and unique filtration process to create the superior neutral malt base and clean, natural taste for which its products are known. One of the advantages of this rigorous filtration process is that the gluten is naturally removed, the Chicago-based company says. The “Crafted to Remove Gluten” seal was specially developed with permission from the TTB to communicate this status on the packaging of all Mike’s products, including Mike’s Lite hard lemonade and Mike’s Hard Smashed Apple Ale.
“Mike’s Hard Lemonade Co. has undertaken an industry-leading initiative to test and label its products to appropriately educate and inform consumers of ingredients used in the manufacturing process,” said registered dietitian Manuel Villacorta. “The addition of the ‘Crafted to Remove Gluten’ seal on Mike’s packaging allows consumers to better identify beverages they may be able to enjoy based on the spectrum of their dietary needs.”
This seal is the first of its kind for a fermented malt beverage made from a gluten-containing grain (in Mike’s case, barley). The new packaging enhancement follows a ruling by the TTB that enables manufacturers to highlight products that are crafted to remove gluten, as long as a disclaimer is provided stating that the products may contain trace amounts.
Mike’s says it is working on behalf of consumers to ensure every batch meets its high standards for quality and taste. All Mike’s products are tested and approved by an independent agency to confirm gluten has been removed to less than five parts per million, as measured by the R5 Competitive ELISA test, which is recognized as the industry standard for gluten-free testing.
“From our classic Mike’s hard lemonade to our new Mike’s Lite hard lemonade and Mike’s Hard Smashed Apple Ale, we cater to the expanding flavor palates of our loyal consumers, while continuing to meet the high-quality standards we’ve had in place since day one,” said Phil Rosse, president of Mike’s Hard Lemonade Co. “We are proud to be able to place this revolutionary seal on all our products to help educate and inform consumers when making important lifestyle decisions at the store shelf.”
