Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?

[Rejoicephd]

Hi everyone

do you know whether when you get a draft cider if there is a chance that it runs through the same tubing as a beer did sometime prior? 

the reason I’m asking is that I’m trying to eliminate a source of hidden gluten that I think hits me about once a month. And I have a suspicion it might be cider from the draft at certain bars. When I am out, if I decide to drink, I usually order a cider brand that I know is gluten free. 
 

what I’ve noticed is that a couple times when I got a draft cider, I got symptoms of being  glutened that night and the day after. This doesn’t seem to happen with all times I drink cider. I had a draft at a very clean brewery and I didn’t react from that, which is what made me start to wonder. Does anyone know if this is a possible source of getting glutened? I am like 99% sure that this is the cause and I think I’ll switch to bottle/can only from here on out, but would be interested if others experienced the same thing (or work in a bar and know how this works). Thanks!

[Rogol72]

I've never had an issue this side of the pond. If I'm out I drink Bulmers Cider. Sometimes draft and sometimes bottled. The draft cider lines are for Cider only. 

[Scott Adams]

Your suspicion is almost certainly correct, and you are wise to be cautious. Draft cider is a very common and often overlooked source of cross-contact because the same tap lines are frequently used for both beer and cider; unless a bar has a dedicated line for gluten-free beverages, which is rare, the cider will run through tubing that has previously contained gluten-containing beer, contaminating your drink. The fact that you didn't react at a clean brewery suggests they may have had more meticulous practices or separate lines, but this is the exception, not the rule. Many in the community have had identical experiences, leading them to strictly avoid draft cider and opt for bottled or canned versions, which are poured directly from their sealed container and bypass the contaminated tap system entirely. Switching to bottles or cans is the safest strategy, and your plan to do so is a smart move to protect your health.

PS - here are some articles on the topic:

 

 

[Rejoicephd]

Thanks very much for confirming my suspicion @Scott Adams! That helps a lot because I'm really trying to track down and get rid of these sources of cross-contact and so I'm going to just rule out the draft ciders and hope that helps. Also @Rogol72 its nice to hear you haven't had a problem on that side of the pond - draft cider lines being used for cider only certainly sounds like the right way to do it, but I think that must not always be practiced over here! 

[Rogol72]

A friend of mine is in the bar trade most of his life and has never heard of lines being mixed for different type of beers and ciders. Better to stick with cans.

[knitty kitty]

@Rejoicephd

Getting glutened and gastrointestinal Beriberi have very similar symptoms!

Drinking alcohol cleaves thiamine in half making it useless.  

A twenty percent increase in dietary thiamine produces an eighty percent increase in brain function.   Symptoms seem to wax and wane mysteriously, depending on how much thiamine you absorb from your food on any particular day.  Thiamine deficiency is on a sliding scale.  The lower your thiamine , the worse you feel.  This can drag along for years.  Alcohol depletes Thiamine further.   Occam's razor.

A Must Read:

Gastrointestinal Beriberi and Wernicke's Encephalopathy Triggered by One Session of Heavy Drinking

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6739701/

[Rejoicephd]

That and my nutritionist also said that drinking cider is one of the worst drink choices for me, given that I have candida overgrowth.  She said the combination of the alcohol and sugar would be very likely to worsen my candida problem.  She suggested that if I drink, I go for clear vodka, either neat or with a splash of cranberry.  

So in summary, I am giving ciders a rest.  Whether it's a gluten risk or sugars and yeast overgrowth, its just not worth it.

[Scott Adams]

I'd go with a vodka tonic, but that's just me😉

[Rejoicephd]

@Scott Adams That's actually exactly what I ended up asking for— vodka tonic with Titos.  I saw on their website that Tito's is certified gluten-free (maybe many of the clear vodkas are, I don't know, I just happened to look up Tito's in advance). I should have actually specified the 'splash' though, because I think with the amount of tonic she put in there, it did still end up fairly sweet.  Anyway, I think I've almost got this drink order down!