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Celiac.com 02/22/2020 - We get a lot of questions about which alcoholic beverages are gluten-free and safe for people with celiac disease. The safest answer is that alcohol that is brewed or distilled using no gluten ingredients and which is labeled gluten-free is the safest bet. That said, the actual answer is more complex. According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA) all distilled spirits are gluten-free, that is, there is no gluten in the final product of any distilled alcohol. ADA guidelines indicate that all 100% distilled spirits are safe, including whiskey, bourbon and gin. Also, some people with celiac disease claim to be sensitive to distilled alcohols made with grains, while many tolerate them just fine. The solution is to know your alcohol. Beware of anything that seems to provoke an adverse reaction. Trust your gut and your own judgement. If you prefer whiskey and tolerate it well, then carry on. If something bothers you or upsets your stomach, then maybe consider another choice. Here are some helpful tips and some links to help you figure our which alcoholic beverages are gluten-free and gluten-safe for people with celiac disease. Why Are Some Alcohols Labeled Gluten-Free and Others Not? If all distilled spirits are gluten-free, then why do some have a gluten-free label and some do not? What's the difference? The main difference in the U.S. is that products labeled "gluten-free" must contain no gluten ingredients from start to finish (for distilled alcohols this ban ends on 9/14/2020). So, beer, wine, or distilled alcohol made from corn, sorghum, millet, sugarcane, rice, grapes, or anything else that doesn't contain wheat, barley or rye, can be labeled "gluten-free." Gluten-Free Alcohols Alcohols distilled or fermented from non-grain ingredients, and which contain no gluten additives or flavorings are the safest choice, as they are naturally gluten-free from start to finish. These products can also be labeled as "gluten-free." Examples include Rum, Sake, Soju, Tequila, Potato Vodka, Corn Vodka, Sorghum Whiskey, Wines, Beers brewed without wheat, rye, or barley. Gluten-Safe Distilled Alcohols Again, many people with celiac disease easily tolerate whiskey, gin, grain-based vodkas, and other alcohols distilled from grains, with no complaints. Others claim sensitivity to these products. Technically, because they are distilled, these products contain no gluten in the final product, and beginning 9/14/2020 can be labelled "gluten-free" in the United States. Unsafe Non-Gluten-Free Alcohols Traditionally brewed Beers and Ales must be avoided, since nearly all traditional beers and ales are brewed with barley malt. Even many rice beers use malt, but there are a dozens of gluten-free beers on the market today. Beware of Gluten in Additives & Flavorings Please note, that any type of wheat, rye, or barley that may be added after distillation, such as adding some of the original mash back into the product to enhance flavor might change that equation. The same is true of things like barley malt in some wine coolers. Flavorings added after distillation can include gluten, so be careful. Resources for Gluten-Free and Safe Alcoholic Beverages Gluten-Free Alcohol - Here's our extensive list of Gluten-Free and Safe Alcoholic Beverages Gluten-Free Beer - Here's our Oktoberfest Beer Guide! Gluten-free vs. Gluten-removed Beers Gluten-Free Wine - Gluten in wine is extremely rare these days. Here's some helpful information on the subject. Read about or readers' personal wine experiences here. Gluten-Free Safe Foods and Ingredients - This list of gluten-free, SAFE foods and ingredients is helpful for knowing which foods and ingredients are safe for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Non-Gluten-Free Unsafe Foods and Ingredients - This list of non-gluten-free, UNSAFE foods and ingredients is helpful for knowing which foods and ingredients to avoid. Celiac Disease & Gluten-Free Forum - Our forum is a great place to ask questions and get answers about gluten-free alcohol and other issues from real people with celiac disease.

Celiac.com 10/11/2021 - We get a lot of questions from celiac community members wondering if certain products are gluten-free. We especially get a lot of questions about beverages, like soft drinks and other non-alcoholic drinks. Specifically, what brands of soft drinks are gluten-free and safe for people with celiac disease? The vast majority of soft drinks are made with carbonated water, sugar, flavorings and preservatives. Very few soft drinks contain any gluten ingredients, and, if they contain wheat, those ingredients will be labeled as allergens, by law. Nearly all major soft drinks are made without gluten ingredients. That means that unless a soft drink lists gluten, or wheat as an allergen or ingredient on the label, it is likely gluten-free. However, it's not all that common to see a gluten-free label on soft drinks that are, in fact, gluten-free. That means that big sellers like Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, and nearly every soft drink brand on your supermarket shelf is considered gluten-free and safe for people with celiac disease. That includes ginger ales, colas, lemon-limes. Root beers might warrant a bit more scrutiny, as they can contain a number of additives and flavors. As always, read ingredients and choose carefully. The following brands of soft drinks are either labeled gluten-free, or else considered gluten-free and safe for people with celiac disease: Gluten-Free Soda List 1893 Original Cola 1893 Original Cola from PepsiCo. is considered gluten-free, including: 1893 Original Cola 1893 Ginger Cola 7UP 7UP considers all of its sodas naturally gluten-free, including: 7Up Diet 7Up 7Up Cherry Diet 7Up Cherry A&W Root Beer All A&W Root Beer flavors are considered naturally gluten-free, including: A&W Original Root Beer A&W Diet Root Beer A&W 10 A&W Cream Soda Diet Cream Soda Barq's Made by the Coca-Cola company, all Barq's products are considered gluten-free in both the U.S. and Canada. Barq's Root Beer, Barq's Diet Root Beer Barq's Creme Soda Barq's Red Creme Soda Coca-Cola According to the Coca-Cola Co., the following Coke-branded products are considered naturally gluten-free in the U.S.: Coca-Cola Caffeine Free Coca-Cola Coca-Cola Cherry Coca-Cola Cherry Vanilla Coca-Cola Orange Vanilla Coca-Cola Vanilla Coca-Cola Cherry Zero Sugar Coca-Cola Cherry Vanilla Zero Sugar Coca-Cola Orange Vanilla Zero Sugar Coca-Cola Vanilla Zero Sugar Coca-Cola Cherry Vanilla Coca-Cola Cherry Vanilla Zero Sugar Coca-Cola Energy Coca-Cola Energy Zero Sugar Coca-Cola Energy Cherry Coca-Cola Energy Cherry Zero Sugar Coca-Cola with Coffee Dark Blend Coca-Cola with Coffee Vanilla Coca-Cola with Coffee Caramel Coca-Cola with Coffee Dark Blend Can Coca-Cola with Coffee Vanilla Zero Sugar Dr. Pepper All Dr. Pepper products are considered naturally gluten-free, according to the company, including: Dr. Pepper Dr. Pepper and Cream Soda Dr. Pepper Made with Sugar Dr. Pepper Cherry Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar Dr. Pepper Cherry Zero Sugar Dr. Pepper Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper Cherry Vanilla Zero Sugar Caffeine-Free Dr. Pepper Caffeine-free Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar Fanta Fanta is made by Coca-Cola and is considered naturally gluten-free, including: Fanta Grape Fanta Orange Fanta Orange Zero Fresca Fresca has zero calories and is caffeine-free. All flavors of Fresca are considered gluten-free in both the United States and Canada, including: Fresca Original Citrus Fresca Peach Citrus Fresca Black Cherry Citrus Mist Twist Formerly known as Sierra Mist, Mist Twist is considered gluten-free, including: Mist Twist Diet Mist Twist Mountain Dew Mountain Dew is available in a variety of flavors, all of which are considered gluten-free, including: Mountain Dew Mountain Dew Kickstart Mountain Dew Voltage Live Wire Code Red Major Melon Major Melon Zero Sugar Mug Root Beer Made by Pepsi, both Mug and Mug Cream Root Beer are considered gluten-free. Pepsi All Pepsi-branded carbonated sodas are considered naturally gluten-free, including: Pepsi Diet Pepsi Pepsi Wild Cherry Pepsi Zero Sugar Diet Pepsi Wild Cherry Pepsi Zero Sugar Wild Cherry Pepsi Real Sugar Pepsi Caffeine-Free Diet Pepsi Caffeine-Free Sprite All varieties of Sprite are gluten-free, including: Sprite Original Sprite Cherry Sprite Tropical Mix Sprite Lymonade Sprite Zero Original Sprite Zero Cherry Sunkist All Sunkist products are considered naturally gluten-free. Do you have a favorite soda that we missed? Share it in the comments below, and we'll add it to our list.

Celiac.com 06/05/2020 (Updated. originally published 02/20/2015) - There's a lot of confusion about which alcoholic beverages are gluten-free, and safe for people with celiac disease. Here's Celiac.com's latest list of gluten-free, gluten-safe beer, wine and alcohol. Gluten-Free Beer In the United States, products labeled gluten-free must not contain or be made from wheat, rye or barley. That means many beers cannot be labeled gluten-free. Beers made with gluten-free ingredients and are gluten-free and can be labeled gluten-free. Gluten-Removed Beer A number of beers are treated with enzymes to break down gluten. These beers are typically filtered to remove any stray proteins. Such beers can be labeled Gluten-Free in EU, but not in Canada or the US. Distilled Spirits Distillation removes gluten proteins from the final product, and starting 9/14/2020 distilled alcohols can be labelled "gluten-free" no matter their source. That means all distilled spirits are technically gluten-free. However, some people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity have adverse reactions to spirits distilled from wheat, barley or rye. Many people with celiac disease have no problems at all with such spirits. The best advice we can give is to trust your gut. Avoid eating or drinking things that upset your stomach. However, unless they have added gluten ingredients, such spirits do not contain gluten, and are safe to drink. If you tolerate them well, you can be comforted by the fact that they are likely just as safe as spirits made from gluten-free ingredients and labeled 'Gluten-Free." Gluten-Free and Gluten-Safe Spirits, Beers and Wines include: Naturally Gluten-free Beers Anheuser-Busch Redbridge Bard's Gold Bard's Tale Beer Brasserie Dupont Forêt Libre Brasseurs Sans Gluten Glutenberg Blanche Brunehaut Bio Ambrée Brunehaut Blonde Bio Brunehaut Blanche Burning Brothers Brewing Coors Peak Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales: Tweason'ale Departed Soles Brewing Company Drummond Gluten Free Epic Brewing Company: Glutenator Ghostfish Brewery Glutenberg American Pale Ale Glutenberg Blonde Glutenberg Belgian Double Glutenberg India Pale Ale Glutenberg Rousse Green's Discovery Amber Ale Green's Endeavour Green's Enterprise Dry-Hopped Lager Green's India Pale Ale Green's Quest Tripel Blonde Ale Ground Breaker Corsa Rose Gold Ale Ground Breaker IPA No. 5 Ground Breaker Dark Ale Holidaily Brewing Company Ipswich Ale Brewery: Celia Saison Joseph James Brewing Fox Tail Lakefront New Grist Ginger Style Ale Lakefront New Grist Pilsner Style Minhas Lazy Mutt Gluten Free Mongozo Premium Pilsener New Planet Belgian Style Ale New Planet Blonde Ale New Planet Pale Ale New Planet Raspberry Ale New Planet Seclusion IPA New Planet Tread Lightly Session Ale Nickel Brook Gluten Free Nouvelle France La Messagère Nouvelle-France Messagère Aux Fruits Nouvelle-France Messagère Red Ale Schnitzer Bräu Hirse Lemon Schnitzer Bräu Hirse Premium Sprecher Brewing Company's Shakparo Ale Steadfast Beer gluten-free Blonde and Pale Ales Steadfast Beer Company's Oatmeal Cream Stout To Øl Reparationsbajer Gluten Free Whistler Forager Gluten-Removed Beers Alley Kat Scona Gold Kölsch Brunehaut Bio Tripel Estrella Damm Daura Estrella Damm Daura Marzen Lammsbräu Glutenfrei Lager Beer Mikkeller American Dream Gluten Free Mikkeller Green Gold Gluten Free Mikkeller I Wish Gluten Free IPA Mikkeller Peter, Pale And Mary Gluten Free New Belgium Glutiny brand Golden and Pale Ales Short's Brewing Space Rock Stone Delicious IPA Sufferfest Brewing Company Pale Ale and Lager Widmer Omission Lager Widmer Omission IPA Widmer Omission Pale Ale Wold Top Against The Grain Wold Top Marmalade Porter Wold Top Scarborough Fair IPA Gluten-Free Hard Cider Most ciders are fermented from apples or other fruits. Most are safe, however, some add barley for enzymes and flavor. Read labels! Brands of Gluten-Free Hard Cider Ace Ciders Angry Orchard Blue Mountain Cider Company Blackthorn Cider Bulmer's Hard Cider Crispin Cider (including Fox Barrel products) Gaymer Cider Company Harpoon Craft Cider J.K. Scrumpy's Organic Hard Cider Lazy Jack's Cider Magner's Cider Newton's Folly Hard Cider Original Sin Hard Cider Spire Mountain Draft Cider Strongbow Cider Stella Artois Apple and Pear Hard Cidre Woodchuck Woodpecker Cider Is Wine Gluten-Free? All wines, including brandy, champagne, cognac, port wine, sherry, and vermouth are safe for celiacs. Gluten-Free Distilled Alcohols Unless gluten is added after distillation, all distilled alcohols are free of gluten. However, US labeling laws prohibit beverages that use cereal grains at any point in the manufacturing process from advertising themselves as 'gluten-free.' So, when you do see a 'gluten-free' label on a distilled beverage, it means that no gluten ingredients have been used at any point in the production process. Is Gin Gluten-Free? Most gins are made with gluten-containing cereal grains. The final distilled product does not contain gluten, but cannot be advertised or labeled as gluten-free. Many people with celiac disease choose to avoid these beverages, while many others drink them with no adverse effects. Brands of Gluten-Free Gin Cold River Gin—distilled from potatoes Brands of Standard Gin Aviation American Gin Beefeater Bombay Bombay Sapphire Boodles British Gin Booth's Gin Gordon's Leopolds Gin New Amsterdam Gin Seagram's Tanqueray Is Rum Gluten-Free? Distilled from sugar cane, most rums are gluten-free and safe for celiacs. Beware of pre-made drink mixes, such as those intended for piña coladas — many of these contain gluten ingredients as flavoring. Brands of Gluten-Free Rum Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum Bacardi—only Gold, Superior, 151, and flavored Bayou Rum Bundaberg Rum Captain Morgan Rum Cruzan Rum Malibu Rum Montanya Distillers Mount Gay Rum Meyer's Rum Gluten-Free Sake Fermented with rice and Koji enzymes. The Koji enzymes are grown on Miso, which is usually made with barley. The two-product separation from barley, and the manufacturing process should make it safe for celiacs. Is Tequila Gluten-Free? Distilled from the agave cactus, all 100% agave tequilas are gluten-free and safe for celiacs. Brands of Gluten-free Tequila 1519 Tequila 1800 Tequila Cabo Wabo Casamigos Cazadores Chimayo Don Julio El Jimador Herradura Hornitos Jose Cuervo Patrón Sauza Is Vodka Gluten-Free? Vodkas distilled from potatoes, gluten-free grains or other gluten-free ingredients contain no gluten ingredients and can be labeled as gluten-free. Brands of Naturally Gluten-Free Vodka Broken Shed Vodka Corn Vodka—Deep Eddy, Nikolai, Rain, Tito's, UV Grape Vodka—Bombora, Cooranbong Potato Vodka—Boyd & Blair, Cirrus, Chase, Chopin, Cold River Vodka, Cracovia, Grand Teton, Karlsson's, Luksusowa, Monopolowa, Schramm Organic, Zodiac Rice Vodka—Kissui Sugar Cane—Downunder, DOT AU Many vodkas are made with gluten-containing cereal grains. The final product does not contain gluten, but cannot be advertised or labeled as gluten-free. Many people with celiac disease choose to avoid these beverages, while many others drink them with no adverse effects. Vodkas distilled from cereal grains Barley Vodka—Finlandia Grain Vodka—Absolwent, Blavod, Bowman's, Fleischmann's, Orloff, Polonaise, SKYY, Smirnoff, Stolichnaya, Wheat Vodka—Absolut, Bong Spirit, Danzka, Grey Goose, Hangar One, Ketel One, P.i.n.k Vodka Rye Vodka—Belvedere, BiaÅ‚a Dama, Platinka, Sobieski, Starka, Wisent, Wyborowa, Xellent Swiss, Å»ubrówka Gluten-Free Whiskey Nearly all whiskeys are made with gluten-containing cereal grains. The final product does not contain gluten, but cannot be advertised or labeled as gluten-free. Many people with celiac disease choose to avoid whiskey, while many others drink it with no adverse effects. Gluten-free Whiskey Brands Queen Jennie Whiskey, by Old Sugar Distillery is made entirely from sorghum Gold Spur Corn Whiskey by Cowboy Country Distilling is made with corn, millet and oats Whiskeys Distilled from Cereal Grains Bourbon—Benjamin Prichard's, Booker's, Buffalo Trace, Jim Beam, Early Times, Ezra Brooks, Jefferson's Bourbon, Knob Creek, Makers Mark, Old Crow, Old Forester, Old Grand-Dad Canadian Whiskey—Alberta Premium, Black Velvet, Canadian Club, Crown Royal, Tenesse Whiskey—Jack Daniels, George Dickel. Irish Whiskey—Bushmills, Jameson, Kilbeggan, Redbreast, Tullamore Dew Japanese Blended Whiskey—Hibiki, Kakubin, Nikka, Japanese Single Malt Whiskey—Hakushu, Yamazaki, Yoichi Rye Whiskey—Alberta Premium, Bulleitt Scotch Whiskey Blends—Ballentine's, Bell's, Black Grouse, Chivas Regal, Cutty Sark, Dewar's, Famous Grouse, Johnnie Walker, Teacher's, Whitehorse Scotch Whiskey Single Malts—Bowmore, Glenfiddich, Glen Grant, The Glenlivet, Glenmorangie, Highland Park, Knockando, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Macallan, Monkey Shoulder, Singleton, Talisker Taiwanese Whiskey—Kavalan Classic Are Wine Coolers Gluten-Free? The majority of wine coolers are made from barley products, and so contain gluten. There are a few exceptions. Gluten-Free Wine Coolers Bartle & Jaymes - all EXCEPT malt beverages Boones - all EXCEPT malt beverages Other Gluten-Free Alcoholic Brews, Wines and Spirits Brandy Campari Champagne Cognac—made from grapes Cointreau Grappa Jaegermeister Midori Prosecco Khalua Coffee Liquer Kirschwasser (cherry liqueur) Old Deadly Cider Sambuca Vermouth Gluten-Free Drink Mixes Club Extra Dry Martini (corn & grape) Club Vodka Martini (corn & grape) Coco Casa and Coco Lopez Brands: Cream of Coconut Jose Cuervo Brand: Margarita Mix and All Jose Cuervo Blenders Master of Mixes Brand: Tom Collins, Whiskey Sour, Strawberry Daiquiri, Sweet & Sour Mixer, and Margarita Mix Mr. & Mrs. T—Except Bloody Mary Mix TGI Friday's Brand: On The Rocks, Long Island Ice Tea, Margarita, Mudslide, Pina Colada, and Strawberry Daiquiri. TGI Friday's Club Cocktails including: Gin Martini, Manhattan, Screwdriver, Vodka Martini, and Whiskey Sour mix. Other Gluten-free Beverages Mixes & Cooking Alcohol Club Tom Collins—made with corn Diamond Jims Bloody Mary Mystery Holland House - all EXCEPT Teriyaki Marinade and Smooth & Spicy Bloody Mary Mixes Mead—made from honey Mistico: Jose Cuervo Mistico—agave and cane Ouzo - made from grapes and anise Spice Islands - Cooking Wines - Burgundy, Sherry and White Also Godiva products contain gluten as do Smirnoff FMB's, Twisted V, and Smirnoff Ice Additives Are Sometimes Used in Alcohols/Spirits Certain spirits use chemical additives and preservatives such as glycerin to create a specific "mouth feel" and texture in an alcoholic beverage. Propylene glycol is used in foods and spirits, and although these ingredients are gluten-free, some people do have allergic reactions to them. Sulfites are often added to red wines, and many people are allergic to them.

Celiac.com 09/16/2019 - Here are some of the most common questions we get about gluten-free alcoholic beverages. Gluten-Free Distilled Alcohols Unless gluten is added after distillation, all distilled alcohols are free of gluten. However, under US labeling law, beverages made from ingredients containing wheat, rye, or barley, cannot be labeled or advertised as 'gluten-free.'So, when you do see a 'gluten-free' label on a distilled beverage, it means that no gluten ingredients have been used at any point in the production process. You'll find an extensive list of gluten-free alcohol, booze and liquor here. Gluten Sensitivity Can Vary Many people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity can tolerate whiskey, gin and other liquor distilled from grains, but many cannot. Use your own judgement and trust your gut when it comes to choosing alcohol. If something disagrees with you, it's likely best avoided. That said, we've tried to provide some depth and nuance to the answers here. Where possible, we reference truly gluten-free alternatives. Is Whiskey Gluten-Free? As a distilled beverage, whiskey contains no gluten. However, as a beverage made from gluten-containing cereal grains, whisky cannot be advertised or labeled as gluten-free. Many people with celiac disease choose to avoid whiskey, while many others drink it with no adverse effects. Gluten-free Whiskey Brands Queen Jennie Whiskey, by Old Sugar Distillery is made entirely from sorghum Gold Spur Corn Whiskey by Cowboy Country Distilling is made with corn, millet and oats Is Bourbon Gluten-Free? Bourbon is a kind of whiskey made exclusively in the United States. Recognized by Congress in 1964 as a "distinctive product of the United States," Bourbon sold in the U.S. must be made in America from at least 51% corn and stored in a new container of charred oak. Other rules apply. As a distilled beverage, bourbon whiskey contains no gluten, unless added after distillation. However, as a beverage made from gluten-containing cereal grains, bourbon cannot be advertised or labeled as gluten-free. Many people with celiac disease choose to avoid bourbon, while many others drink it with no adverse effects. Many brands of bourbon add a portion of the original mash back into the finished product to retard bacteria that could taint the whiskey, and to create a proper pH balance for yeast growth. In part because of the strict rules governing bourbon production, there are no bourbons currently labeled 'gluten-free." Is Bailey's Irish cream gluten-free? Baileys Irish Cream is a liqueur blended Irish whiskey and dairy cream. If you can tolerate whiskey and dairy, you can likely tolerate Bailey's. Is Gin Gluten-Free? As a distilled beverage, gin does not contain gluten. However, as a beverage made from cereal grain ingredients, gin cannot be labeled gluten-free. Brands of Gluten-Free Gin Cold River Gin—distilled from potatoes Is hard cider gluten-free? Most ciders are fermented from apples or other fruits. Most are safe, however, some add barley for enzymes and flavor. Read labels to be sure! Is Rum Gluten-Free? Most rum is distilled from sugar cane and is gluten-free. However, be careful about additives. Read labels, especially for flavored or premixed products, just to be sure. Brands of Gluten-Free Rum Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum Bacardi—only Gold, Superior, 151, and flavored Bayou Rum Bundaberg Rum Captain Morgan Rum Cruzan Rum Malibu Rum Mount Gay Rum Meyer's Rum Is Scotch Gluten-Free? Scotch is a type of whiskey. As a distilled beverage, Scotch is gluten-free. However, as a beverage made from ingredients containing wheat, rye or barley, Scotch cannot be labeled gluten-free. Is Tequila Gluten-Free? Distilled from the agave cactus, all 100% agave tequilas are gluten-free and safe for celiacs. Is Wine Gluten-Free? Yes. All wines, including brandy, champagne, cognac, port wine, sherry, and vermouth are safe for celiacs. Are Wine Coolers Gluten-Free? Are Wine Coolers Gluten-Free? The majority of wine coolers are made from barley products, and so contain gluten. There are a few exceptions. Gluten-Free Wine Coolers Bartle & Jaymes - all EXCEPT malt beverages Boones - all EXCEPT malt beverages Is Vodka Gluten-Free? Some vodka is labeled, some is not. Vodkas distilled from potatoes, gluten-free grains or other gluten-free ingredients, and which contain no gluten ingredients, and can be labeled 'gluten-free.' Vodka distilled from grain contains no gluten, but cannot be labeled 'gluten-free.' Many people with celiac disease drink either one without issues. Many prefer vodka made with no gluten ingredients and labeled 'gluten-free.' Is Beer Gluten-Free? In the United States, products labeled 'gluten-free' must not be made from ingredients containing wheat, rye or barley. That means many beers cannot be labeled gluten-free, including both traditional gluten-containing beers, and gluten-removed beers. Gluten-Free Beer Beers made with gluten-free ingredients, and which test below 20ppm gluten, are gluten-free and can be labeled gluten-free. Gluten-Removed Beer A number of beers are made with traditional wheat or barley and treated with enzymes to break down gluten. These beers are typically filtered to remove any stray proteins. Such beers can be labeled Gluten-Free in EU, but not in Canada or the US. See a long list of gluten-free and gluten-removed beers here. Is Ale Gluten-Free? Ale is a kind of beer. In the United States, products labeled 'gluten-free' must not be made from ingredients containing wheat, rye or barley. That means many ales cannot be labeled gluten-free. See our list of gluten-free and gluten-removed beers for more information. Is Jaegermeister gluten-free? Jägermeister is an herb liqueur made from 56 herbs, roots, fruits, and other natural ingredients. The company says that Jägermeister can be considered free from gluten, starch and lactose. The actual recipe is secret, so no one can know for sure, so we'll have to take the company at its word.

Celiac.com 07/16/2013 - Gluten has a way of popping up in some very unexpected products. Peers (whether online or otherwise) are sometimes our best resource for information regarding these oft-overlooked gluten-containing products, but sometimes speculation gets passed along the grapevine as fact. This has led to some very believable, but ultimately questionable rumors. Alcohol in particular has some of the most persistent rumors regarding gluten content. This is likely because the processes involved with alcohol production are confusing and widely misunderstood. With this article, I hope to address and clear up a few of the most persistent gluten-free alcohol misunderstandings that you've certainly heard before. Misunderstanding #1: “Not all wine is gluten-free: some vintners age their wine in barrels that are sealed with a wheat paste. This paste contaminates the wine, making it dangerous for consumption by celiac disease sufferers.” This is a big one. Wine is naturally gluten-free, but the fact that some vintners use wheat paste to seal their barrels has led many to cut wine out of their diets as a precautionary measure. It's a plausible idea, as some vintners do in fact use wheat paste to seal their barrel heads. However, there are a few key points here that you should consider before cutting wine out of your diet entirely: Because the Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau currently disallows gluten-free labeling of alcoholic beverages if the producer used “storage materials that contained gluten,” any wine that is labeled gluten-free was aged using a barrel alternative and carries no risk of contamination. Wines that aren't labeled gluten-free might still be aged using barrel alternatives. Roughly speaking, the more expensive ($12+) Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots, Zinfandels and red blends are more likely to be aged in oak barrels (and for a longer period of time). The amount of wheat paste used to seal barrel heads is minimal. It is not the staves of the barrels that are sealed with a wheat flour paste, but the barrel heads. Furthermore, most wineries thoroughly pressure wash all barrels with boiling hot water before they are used. The last thing vintners want is a contaminated product. In order to lay this contamination issue to rest, Tricia Thompson tested a single winery's Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which she was told by the winery were their two wines that spent the most time in wheat-sealed oak barrels. She tested each wine four times: twice with the Sandwich R5 ELISA test, and twice with the competitive R5 ELISA test. The competitive R5 ELISA is the current standard for detecting hydrolyzed (broken down) gluten, while the sandwich R5 ELISA is the current standard for detecting non-hydrolyzed gluten (1). Combined, the tests can reliably test for any possible form of gluten contamination. Both extractions of both wines came back with the lowest possible results for both tests: Cabernet Sauvignon Sandwich R5 ELISA extraction 1: < 5 ppm gluten Sandwich R5 ELISA extraction 2: < 5 ppm gluten Competitive R5 ELISA extraction 1: < 10 ppm gluten Competitive R5 ELISA extraction 2: < 10 ppm gluten Merlot Sandwich R5 ELISA extraction 1: < 5 ppm gluten Sandwich R5 ELISA extraction 2: < 5 ppm gluten Competitive R5 ELISA extraction 1: < 10 ppm gluten Competitive R5 ELISA extraction 2: < 10 ppm gluten Conclusion: Wine that is aged in oak barrels contains less gluten than we are currently capable of testing for, whether hydrolyzed or not. At this point, a lot of people will begin to shake their heads: “If wine is gluten-free, then why do I get sick when I drink __________ wine?” The likely answer is that you are reacting to something else! Many winemakers use egg whites as a clarifying agent. The amount of egg used is far more substantial than any wheat paste that might have leaked into the wine, so if you know eggs are a problem, this is likely what you are reacting to. If you don't have a problem with eggs, you could also be reacting to sulfites. Many people have problems with them, and some winemakers use them as preservatives. Sometimes, it's best to go out and get information directly from the winemaker. They can tell you more about their aging process, and shed light on what may or may not be making you sick. Misunderstanding #2: “Distilled spirits that are derived from gluten-containing ingredients can be contaminated with gluten. Only distilled spirits made from non-gluten-containing ingredients, like potatoes, are safe for consumption by celiacs.” This idea was likely propagated due to a misunderstanding of the distillation process. Here, I will refer to Megan Tichy, Ph.D's highly informative and clearly written description of the distillation process (2). It is a great read for those who are unclear on the process, and makes it very evident why all distilled spirits are gluten-free by definition. To borrow Dr. Tichy's analogy, the distillation process is like boiling a kettle of water with sand at the bottom of it. Let's say you were to collect the water that boiled away as steam using a condensing tube. After boiling the entire kettle away, you would be left with a kettle with nothing but sand at the bottom of it, and a second container of pure distilled water. There is no way the distilled water could contain any sand, as sand doesn't evaporate. In the same way, gluten doesn't evaporate, and gets left at the bottom of the 'kettle' during distillation. The likelihood of distilled alcohol being contaminated with gluten is about the same as the likelihood of you getting sand in your new cup of perfectly clean water: it would almost have to be intentional! Also keep in mind that many spirits are double, or even triple distilled. Gluten contamination over the course of a single distillation is already highly unlikely, but after consecutive distillations, it is virtually impossible. To this, you might ask, “But what if they were to add other ingredients afterward? Those might contain gluten, right?” That's a perfectly valid concern, and yes, you should be concerned about any added ingredients. However, distilled spirits are almost always marketed based on their purity; this is why they go to all the trouble of double and triple distilling in the first place! Manufacturers of spirits want the most concentrated alcoholic product possible, so it is not exactly in their best interest (nor in common practice) to go adding more ingredients. Even so, you should always be mindful of ingredients lists, and cross check them against a reliable gluten-containing ingredients list (such as ours [3]). Despite the fact that distilled spirits derived from grains are necessarily gluten-free, some people still seem to have problems with them. I don't have a ready explanation for this, as scientifically, it doesn't make sense. Celiac disease is triggered by gluten, and distilled alcohol contains no gluten. Here is a quick checklist to help rule out reasons why you may or may not react to such drinks: [ ] Have you checked for cross contamination possibilities (glass, container, ice cubes, dish washing liquid, drying towel, etc.)? [ ] Are you sure that you do not react to distilled alcoholic beverages that are not derived from grains (e.g. potato vodka)? (It could be a reaction to potent alcohol in general.) [ ] Did you pour the drink yourself? [ ] Are you sure you are not adding anything to the drink that could be cross contaminated or contain gluten? [ ] Have you checked the ingredients list against a reliable gluten-containing ingredients list? [ ] Have you considered any other allergies you have or might have? [ ] Have you contacted the manufacturer for their official response regarding gluten content? Oftentimes (especially soon after adopting GFD), the gut is still sensitive and cannot handle alcohol at high proof levels. If you had a bad experience with distilled spirits derived from grain early on in your GFD regimen, you might want to consider giving it another try after your villi have had a chance to heal. You really should not have a reaction once your gut is adjusted to the gluten-free diet. I know it is hard to trust a product derived from wheat, but distillation really, truly does remove all gluten, and it does so every single time. Misunderstanding # 3: “'Low gluten' or 'gluten-removed' beers are unsafe, as gluten tests underestimate gluten content in beer. This is because the brewing process breaks the gluten molecules down into pieces that are too small for gluten tests to detect, but are still harmful.” This is a point of fierce contention in the gluten-free community, and probably the most confusing argument to follow, as it all surrounds the validity of a variety of super scientific testing procedures. There isn't even a clear answer or 'winner' here, but I'm going to try and break all the information down for you, so you can make an informed decision about these products for yourself. The main beef that people seem to have with gluten-removed beers is that they are derived from gluten-containing ingredients, and the gluten removal process is oftentimes undisclosed. This is an offshoot of the same distrust people feel toward distilled spirits, though perhaps a little more warranted given the fact that distillation is a very well documented and 100% reliable form of gluten removal, whereas as far as we know, these brewers are removing gluten using magic and fairy dust. The reality is that these brewers (Widmer Brothers, Estrella Damm, Lammsbraeu, to name a few) are removing the gluten from their beer using one or the other, or perhaps a combination of two methods: filtration, and enzymes. Superfine filters can remove gluten particles from the beer, while added enzymes can target gluten particles, causing them to break down to a harmless state more quickly. Whatever their methods, these beers need to have their gluten content verified using scientific testing procedures in order to be considered safe for consumption by celiacs. This is where things start to get murky. As Tricia Thompson, MS, RD writes on her blog, Gluten-Free Dietitian, the current standard for testing gluten content in foods is a sandwich ELISA test (4). The R5 and omega-gliadin versions of the test are the most widely used, and both have been validated in collaborative trials. While sandwich ELISA tests are reliable for detecting gluten in heated and non-heated food items, they are notoriously unreliable for detecting hydrolyzed gluten. Many see this as reason not to trust gluten-removed beers: the fermentation process hydrolyzes gluten in beer, so sandwich ELISA tests cannot accurately quantify their gluten content. If the test is unreliable, we are back where we started, with a once-gluten-containing product that has supposedly been rendered gluten-free by unexplained and unverifiable means; it's a hard pill to swallow! However, the sandwich R5 ELISA's weaknesses are well documented and widely known. Most of these brewers are using an entirely different test that was specifically designed to detect partial gluten fragments (peptides) that may still be harmful to the gluten-sensitive. The competitive R5 ELISA is the standard test used to detect these peptides, and although it has not been validated yet, many published studies have found the competitive R5 ELISA to be a reliable indicator of hydrolyzed gluten (5) (6) (7). This would all seem well and good since many of these beers test well under the proposed FDA limit of 20ppm gluten content with the competitive R5 ELISA. (As an aside, studies have shown 20 ppm to be an adequately conservative standard for most celiacs [8]). Unfortunately, the discussion doesn't end there. A recent Australian study tested a broad range of both beers brewed from alternate grains (sorghum, millet, etc.), and gluten-removed beers, and found that most gluten-removed beers contained significant levels of barley gluten (hordein) fragments, while beers brewed with alternative grains did not (9). Many have inferred two things from this study: 1) gluten-removed beers are unsafe, and 2) R5 ELISA testing under-reports, or is incapable of testing for the barley gluten, hordein. I would posit that these are both hasty conclusions to make, as the study begs the following questions: How much gluten are we talking about? It isn't entirely clear from the study what 'significant' levels are, as it quantifies hordein levels on a relative scale, but not in terms of ppm. Yes, it is clear from the study that truly gluten-free beers contain less hordein than gluten-removed beers. It would also seem that some hordein families are just as present in gluten-removed beers as in standard beers whose brewers make no claims as to their gluten content. But this does not mean that any of the beers are over the 20ppm standard. The study actually states that the gluten-removed beers were tested to under 10 ppm, but then indirectly implies that they were not actually under that threshold. This is not necessarily true though! One recent study found that around 50% of standard beers on the market actually test to under 20 ppm gluten content (10). In other words, the average gluten content of beer is lower than you might think. Just because gluten-removed beers may be closer to the average on the study's relative scale than might look safe, this does not mean they contain gluten at levels that would be harmful to the average celiac. Furthermore, the toxicity of hordein and hordein peptides for celiacs still hasn't been conclusively quantified (11). Is R5 ELISA really that unreliable? The study also makes some interesting claims about the limits of R5 ELISA testing procedures. Specifically, it claims that “The R5 antibody is unable to accurately detect and quantify barley gluten (hordeins) in beer.” This is a slightly misleading statement. It is true that the sandwich R5 ELISA can be inaccurate when detecting hordein levels, but it actually overestimates them, so long as they are not hydrolyzed. Furthermore, that is the sandwich ELISA; there is much evidence to suggest that the competitive R5 ELISA provides an accurate measurement of hordein peptides (6) (7) (12). Conversely, this study employed multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry, a testing procedure that has not been validated for gluten testing of foods or fermented alcoholic beverages. I would say that the competitive R5 ELISA has a more proven track record when it comes to testing for hydrolyzed gluten in beer. What does it all mean then? Should I drink gluten-removed beer or not? Well, that's up to you, of course. As I said before, this is a hotly debated and highly contentious issue in the gluten-free world right now, so I'm hesitant to take one side or the other. If you suffer from refractory sprue, or some other severe form of gluten intolerance, I would advise you to stay away, as the risk simply isn't worth it for you. For more mild sufferers of celiac disease or wheat sensitivity though, if you really miss the taste of beer and gluten-free beers just aren't doing it for you, there is no solid evidence to discredit the results of competitive R5 ELISA testing. Find a beer that is batch tested to under 20 ppm using this test (not sandwich R5 ELISA, though it wouldn't hurt if it was tested by both), try a few sips, and see if you react. I've tried to provide all the key information so you can make an informed decision about these beers for yourself, but it never hurts to do your own research! Just know that there are a lot of biased and outdated sources out there; the more recent and scientific the study, the better! References: (1) Thompson, Tricia, MS, RD. “Wine Aged in Oak Barrels Sealed with Wheat Paste: Test Results for Gluten Contamination.” GlutenFreeDietitian.com, 10 Oct. 2012. Web. 20 Dec. 2012. (2) Tichy, Megan, PhD. “Distilled Spirits (Grain Alcohols) and Vinegar: Are they Gluten-Free?” Celiac.com, 26 Aug. 2009. Web. 20 Dec. 2012. (3) Adams, Scott. “Unsafe Gluten-Free Food List (Unsafe Ingredients).” Celiac.com, 27 Nov. 2007. Web. 20 Dec. 2012. (4) Thompson, Tricia, MS, RD. “Standards for testing food for gluten: Issues that need addressing.” GlutenFreeDietitian.com, 6 Aug. 2012. Web. 20 Dec. 2012. (5) Thompson, Tricia, MS, RD. “Beer: Why it is so hard to assess fermented and hydrolyzed products for gluten.” GlutenFreeDietitian.com, 24 Jul. 2012. Web. 20 Dec. 2012. (6) Gessendorfer, Benedict, et al. “Preparation and characterization of enzymatically hydrolyzed prolamins from wheat, rye, and barley as references for the immunochemical quantitation of partially hydrolyzed gluten.” Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 395.6 (Nov. 2009): 1721-1728. Web. 20 Dec. 2012. (7) Haas-Lauterbach, S, et al.”Gluten fragment detection with a competitive ELISA.” Journal of AOAC International 95.2 (2012): 377-381. Web. 20 Dec. 2012. (8) Thompson, Tricia, MS, RD. “How much gluten is 20 parts per million?” GlutenFreeDietitian.com, n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2012. (9) Colgrave, Michelle, et al. “What is in a Beer? Proteomic Characterization and Relative Quantification of Hordein (Gluten) in Beer.” Journal of Proteome Research 11.1 (2012): 386-396. Web. 20 Dec. 2012. (10) Cane, Sue. “Gluten-free beer 2011. How is it made? How is its gluten content tested? And is it really safe for coeliacs?” FoodsMatter.com, 2011. Web. 20 Dec. 2012. (11) Thompson, Tricia, MS, RD. “Barley enzymes in gluten-free products.” GlutenFreeDietitian.com, Jun. 2009 (updated 3 Feb. 2011). Web. 20 Dec. 2012. (12) Guerdrum, Lindsay, Bamforth, Charles. “Levels of gliadin in commercial beers.” Food Chemistry 129.4 (2011): 1783-1784. Web. 20 Dec. 2012.