Is Gin A (Gluten) Sin?

[zentex]

Is gin gluten free? My own research remains inconclusive.

[psawyer]

As a distilled spirit, gin is generally accepted as gluten-free. I drink gin with no problems. Cheers!

The olives and vermouth are gluten-free too.

[T.H.]

I once came across an answer to this kind of question on a blog that I thought was very reasonable and addressed both the distillation and the fact that some celiacs report reacting to spirits distilled from gluten grains:

The distillation process will eliminate the grain used to make the alcohol. But, the grain used to make the alcohol will, by necessity, be in the same facility as the alcohol being made from it. So gin would have a higher gluten cc risk than, say, rum or tequila. I'm sure that the risk level would differ depending on how careful a particular company is with their cleaning and anti- contamination processes.

I'd say for most people, if you stay away from foods that carry a 'also processed in a facility that processes wheat' label, you should stay away from gin. If foods processed in the same facility as wheat don't usually seem to bother you personally, than it's likely fine.

[glutenfreeinminnesota]

I have been drinking Tanqueray and tonics all summer!!

[kareng]

I think gin is made from juniper berries not anything resembling wheat. At least it used to be.

[ravenwoodglass]

I think gin is made from juniper berries not anything resembling wheat. At least it used to be.

Yup. Gin is a safe alcohol for even those that react to gluten distilled alcohols.

[zentex]

Thank you all so much for your responses! I haven't tried gin in the three months that I've been gluten free--maybe I'll imbibe a bit and see how it goes. I surely do love Bombay Sapphire Gin and tonic. It's astringent-ness is so summery good to me!

In my research I found that juniper berries flavor the alcohol, but were not the source of it. I read that gin was a neutral(I surmise that neutral means unflavored) spirit distilled from various grains.

I'm just now learning (from y'all) that distillation removes the reactionary part of gluten? Is that correct?

One of the most difficult parts of going gluten free for me was giving up dark beers. I'm actually not a heavy drinker, but I like what I like and dark beer was one of my favorite alcoholic beverages. It was something that I had in common with a group of friends and family members that I enjoyed exlporing and sharing with them. I guess I'm mourning the loss more than the actual thing...and I'm remembering that beer isn't the only adult beverage that I enjoy.

Thanks again for the help!

[Skylark]

I think gin is made from juniper berries not anything resembling wheat. At least it used to be.

I think you'd get turpentine if you tried to distil juniper berries. Gin has always been grain neutral spirits flavored with juniper berries and other botanicals.

Try Hendrick's gin. It's really good.

[kareng]

Gin is grain neutral spirits FLAVORED with juniper berries. It's never been a distillate of juniper berries. You'd get turpentine.

Don't know how its made! But at least the turpentine is gluten-free!

[Monklady123]

It's been about 182 degrees for what seems like months and months, at least where I live. Nothing tastes quite like that gin and tonic when it's hot.

[zentex]

It's been about 182 degrees for what seems like months and months, at least where I live. Nothing tastes quite like that gin and tonic when it's hot.

I'm in that same heat wave and really looking forward to a nice cool G and T! I ha ve lots of gin in the bar, but I must remember to buy some more diet tonic and maybe a lemon or two...