Bourbon Whiskey:

[CarlaB]

I've been wanting to try it out myself ... maybe tonight. Glad it made your day! And WELCOME!

Glad the drinks worked out great for you Jen.

[Lillyth]

Apparently the distilllation process removes the gluten. I was happy to find out that Jack Daniels was gluten-free, but have not yet been brave enough to try it again.

I must say I don't trust it. I have had reactions to every grain alcohol out there, regardless of what they say. ESPECIALLY whiskey.

(Bad enough to have a hangover and still taste the whiskey the next day, even off of one drink, and I'm NO lightweight)...

Oh well, maybe I'm either just super sensitive, or allergic to something else in grain alcohols...

[jenvan]

Lilly-

You may not be able to tolerate it for some reason...however, I will mention after going gluten-free and healing it is not uncommon to find your body's reaction to alcohol changed--simply b/c your body is absorbing more. I used to be able to have several drinks and not really feel an impact...now I notice effects at one drink.

[CarlaB]

Me, too. I used to be able to drink two or three cosmopolitans. Now, I avoid martinis altogether because they have so much alcohol in them. It depends on whose making my drinks, but at a stingy bar/restaurant I can have four if we're there for the evening and the drinks are weak; at a bar that makes what others would think was a decent drink, two is all I can handle no matter how long I'm out ... but no big fancy drinks, just rum and cokes or wine (two glasses since this is a more consitent way to go!). Years ago I could keep up with the guys, I guess it was because I didn't actually absorb it!

I have not sampled grain alcohol yet so I don't know if I can handle it or not. Still don't have the courage to trust it.

[penguin]

I must say I don't trust it. I have had reactions to every grain alcohol out there, regardless of what they say. ESPECIALLY whiskey.

(Bad enough to have a hangover and still taste the whiskey the next day, even off of one drink, and I'm NO lightweight)...

Oh well, maybe I'm either just super sensitive, or allergic to something else in grain alcohols...

Some people have a yeast problem and they react to distilled alcohols and vinegars.

Distilled liquids (regardless of their grain of origin) are gluten-free because the gluten protein is too large to make it into the steam that makes up the liquid. It's not possible for the gluten to make it in. Unless they add some of the mash back in, it is by definition gluten free.

Here's a link Open Original Shared Link

[Lillyth]

Lilly-

You may not be able to tolerate it for some reason...however, I will mention after going gluten-free and healing it is not uncommon to find your body's reaction to alcohol changed--simply b/c your body is absorbing more. I used to be able to have several drinks and not really feel an impact...now I notice effects at one drink.

I only get problems from GRAIN alcohol. I can drink a whole bottle of wine & be fine. I had 8-10 rum drinks a month ago & was fine, it's just the grain alcohols.

My sister had ONE vodka drink and got a huge zit on her forehead less than an hour later & was so sick she couldn't go to work the next day.

I'll check out the link below tomorrow, maybe that will yield something.

[LqrMan]

I only get problems from GRAIN alcohol. I can drink a whole bottle of wine & be fine. I had 8-10 rum drinks a month ago & was fine, it's just the grain alcohols.

I got a reaction after drinking a shot of Vodka for experimental purposes. Also, I went to a bar and ordered a couple Smirnoff and Sprites, but aparently the bar did not have Smirnoff, so instead of telling me this, the bartender just gave me some other cheap vodka. I definitely was bloated and had a pain on the left side of my stomach. I have been gluten free for a while and my body will usually tell me when I ingest gluten into my body.

By the way, Woodford Reserve (the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby and Breeder's Cup) is definitely one of the best small batch bourbons values out there. It is about $30 for a 750ml bottle.

Also, the guidelines for Bourbon are as follows:

At least 51% corn, aged for at least 2 yrs in new charred, white oak barrels, distilled at 160 proof or less, and it can be made in more states than just Kentucky (I forget exactly which ones, but most of them are down south).

Jack Daniel's is a Tennessee Whiskey, not a bourbon because it is charcoal mellowed. It is just another refining step in the whiskey making process. JD drips its whiskey through large vats with 10 feet of hard packed charcoal to get the taste profile it has.

[Lillyth]

Some people have a yeast problem and they react to distilled alcohols and vinegars.

Distilled liquids (regardless of their grain of origin) are gluten-free because the gluten protein is too large to make it into the steam that makes up the liquid. It's not possible for the gluten to make it in. Unless they add some of the mash back in, it is by definition gluten free.

Here's a link Open Original Shared Link

I read through it all and something in the description triggered my "alarm bells":

"By the nature of the process, it is theoretically impossible to completely purify the components using distillation, as distillation only tends to approach purity, never reaching it. This is comparable to dilution, which never reaches purity. If ultra-pure products are the goal, then further chemical separation must be used."

I also read some of the related links too.

Anyway, long story short, from what I remember of chemistry, etc., those definitions just didn't "jibe" with what I keep hearing (reading) on this forum. So I asked my husband's best friend who is a molecular biologist who specializes in proteins (which gluten is), about the distillation process removing the gluten. According to him, IT DOESN'T!

This is not to say that it gluten is never removed by the distillation process, it can be - it is just that distillation is an imperfect process at best, and DOES NOT NECESSARILY REMOVE GLUTEN!

It can remove gluten, but it doesn't always. He said basically that whether or not the distillation process removes the gluten is a crapshoot. We have a better chance of getting gluten-free grain alcohols when we shell out for the really expensive stuff - that is essentially what we pay for when we pay for top-shelf stuff -- their distillation process...

He says if we want to chance it and try some of the more expensive grain alcohols, they have a much better chance of being gluten-free. But if we want absolute certainty, we need to educate ourselves about what kind of distillation process the alcohol maker uses, and assure ourselves that their process is intensive enough for our needs.

Just wanted to pass this along before anyone else tried a distilled grain alcohol on the basis of "all distillation removes all gluten", and ends up poisoned like my sister & I have both been...

[grrtch]

I have a fantastic doctor who is all for adults enjoying their cocktails, but she emphaticly ruled out all whiskeys, which does include bourbon... sadly my choice liquor. Sez that the gluten in one shot of liquor is equivalent to eating a whole loaf of bread. From reading around through the other alcohol thread, I'm assuming that you can't trust a distiller NOT to add some mash back in for flavoring. I mean, of course teh yare gonnasay they are gluten free so as not to eliminate a whole scope of consumers.

[Eric]

I read through it all and something in the description triggered my "alarm bells":

"By the nature of the process, it is theoretically impossible to completely purify the components using distillation, as distillation only tends to approach purity, never reaching it. This is comparable to dilution, which never reaches purity. If ultra-pure products are the goal, then further chemical separation must be used."

I also read some of the related links too.

Anyway, long story short, from what I remember of chemistry, etc., those definitions just didn't "jibe" with what I keep hearing (reading) on this forum. So I asked my husband's best friend who is a molecular biologist who specializes in proteins (which gluten is), about the distillation process removing the gluten. According to him, IT DOESN'T!

This is not to say that it gluten is never removed by the distillation process, it can be - it is just that distillation is an imperfect process at best, and DOES NOT NECESSARILY REMOVE GLUTEN!

It can remove gluten, but it doesn't always. He said basically that whether or not the distillation process removes the gluten is a crapshoot. We have a better chance of getting gluten-free grain alcohols when we shell out for the really expensive stuff - that is essentially what we pay for when we pay for top-shelf stuff -- their distillation process...

He says if we want to chance it and try some of the more expensive grain alcohols, they have a much better chance of being gluten-free. But if we want absolute certainty, we need to educate ourselves about what kind of distillation process the alcohol maker uses, and assure ourselves that their process is intensive enough for our needs.

Just wanted to pass this along before anyone else tried a distilled grain alcohol on the basis of "all distillation removes all gluten", and ends up poisoned like my sister & I have both been...

So, should we worry about our Vinegars that are suppose to be gluten-free thru the distillation process ???

[brendygirl]

Jack Daniels. They say right on their website that they're gluten-free! Nothing like a good Jack and Coke! How's that for a ladylike drink? It was a happy day when I found out that my favorite alcoholic beverage was also gluten-free!

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! THANK YOU! I had it and didn't react to it and thought I was just being hopeful. Now I know it IS ok! Yippee! I had a list that said only certain gins and vodkas.

You made my day!

Bren

[gburdett]

I went to the Bushmills website (Open Original Shared Link), and looked at the FAQs. They say that "All Bushmills whiskeys are gluten free". This would include the single malt and blended whiskies. Personally, I like the Bushmills whiskies - the triple distilling gives them a very light, smooth flavor. While I prefer single malt Scotch, with more bite to it, the Irish whiskies like Bushmills can be appealing to people who like something lighter. Drink it at room temperature, add a little splash of water to release the flavor, and for heaven's sake don't stick Coke or soda in it - sacrilege!

[ravenwoodglass]

So, should we worry about our Vinegars that are suppose to be gluten-free thru the distillation process ???

Yes. You should wait and challenge them when you are symptom free. Challenge like you would a suspect food, have some daily for a week while consuming nothing else that would be suspect before you decide for sure whether you are someone who can tolerate. I know it sounds like a pain but it is easier in the long run IF you are one of us who reacts to distilled grains.

[ravenwoodglass]

I went to the Bushmills website (Open Original Shared Link), and looked at the FAQs. They say that "All Bushmills whiskeys are gluten free". This would include the single malt and blended whiskies. Personally, I like the Bushmills whiskies - the triple distilling gives them a very light, smooth flavor. While I prefer single malt Scotch, with more bite to it, the Irish whiskies like Bushmills can be appealing to people who like something lighter. Drink it at room temperature, add a little splash of water to release the flavor, and for heaven's sake don't stick Coke or soda in it - sacrilege!

Be sure to check out post # 33. I am glad for you that you can consume this with no ill effects but unfortunately it is not the case for all of us.

[larry mac]

....Sez that the gluten in one shot of liquor is equivalent to eating a whole loaf of bread.

Amazing that a doctor could be so stupid. If that were true, I guess I could eat a loaf of bread every day.

best regards, lm

[noucha]

i love my bourbon. and ive always been told that all bourbon whiskey is gluten-free. But recently have found out that this is untrue. Im not a bi drinking but i do enjoy bourbon on the rocks with

southern comfort, jack daniels,johhny walker,jim beam and a few others that i just cant even remember the names of right now.

I was wondering if anyone knew if these were gluten-free , and which bourbons or scotches i can drink which are gluten-free as i dont want to take the risk without knowing!would be much appreciated thanks!

[crazy-freak4321]

well on the jack daniels website states that it is gluten free in the FAQs