Mike's Hard Lemonade Co. Introduces New 'Crafted to Remove Gluten' Seal on All mike's Products

15 Oct 2014 --- Mike's Hard Lemonade Co., best recognized for its iconic mike's hard lemonade that defined the Flavored Malt Beverage category (FMB), announces the launch of 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 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 "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 and the manufacturing process," said Manuel Villacorta, MS, RD. "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 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 5 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, 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."

Consumers can learn more about the crafted to remove gluten ruling as well as gluten sensitivities by visiting one of the following government or nonprofit organizations' websites:

   - Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
    - National Institutes of Health and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
    - National Institutes of Health Celiac Disease Awareness Campaign
    - U.S. Food and Drug Administration
    - Celiac Disease Foundation
    - Gluten Intolerance Group

Mike's Hard Lemonade Co. encourages consumers to consult their doctors if they have extreme sensitivities since mike's hard lemonade products may contain gluten traces. Mike's hard lemonade is fermented from barley, a gluten containing grain, and is specially crafted to remove gluten. The gluten content cannot be verified and products may contain gluten.