Shouldn't Have Had The Mike's Hard Lemonade

[birdie22]

Ok, rookie mistake. Actually no, not rookie mistake, just my willingness to take a chance on something. This is totally not meant to be a debate on the Mike's Hard Lemonade products, nor a claim I was glutened by Mike's. Just my own personal experience that something didn't agree with me after consuming it.

Now, I'll will fully disclose it was a regular (not lite) Mike's Lemonade. I know the lite versions are the only ones tested at gluten-free. But, after reading lots of other info I made the decision to drink a regular version (cause that's what we had on hand) with the thought that the production process/distillation is/was the same as that for the lite products (so if lite is gluten-free and made the same way with same ingredients as the regular than the regular is gluten-free too).

Well all was fine when I drank one last night with food. It tasted GREAT (haven't had one since last summer, long before going gluten-free) and I had no immediate negative reaction. I woke up this morning (~8hrs later) with a yucky feeling belly. I wasn't bloated or distended (which is my usual glutening symptom) just uncomfortable. Then I had several brief occasions of pain like I was being scraped inside by jagged glass. Yes! That feeling many of you have written about but I could never recall feeling. Well, now I know what you are all talking about (unfortunately). This was followed by 2 BMs, the 2nd being many small thin pieces (sorry TMI). I feel ok otherwise (no migraine or fog or heartburn) and think the rest will pass quickly.

So, now I'm banging my head on the table for making such a stupid decision. Again, I'm not going to say I was glutened by Mike's, just that it didn't agree with me. It's too bad, because that's such a fun drink on a warm night.

[lesliev523]

Ok, rookie mistake. Actually no, not rookie mistake, just my willingness to take a chance on something. This is totally not meant to be a debate on the Mike's Hard Lemonade products, nor a claim I was glutened by Mike's. Just my own personal experience that something didn't agree with me after consuming it.

Now, I'll will fully disclose it was a regular (not lite) Mike's Lemonade. I know the lite versions are the only ones tested at gluten-free. But, after reading lots of other info I made the decision to drink a regular version (cause that's what we had on hand) with the thought that the production process/distillation is/was the same as that for the lite products (so if lite is gluten-free and made the same way with same ingredients as the regular than the regular is gluten-free too).

Well all was fine when I drank one last night with food. It tasted GREAT (haven't had one since last summer, long before going gluten-free) and I had no immediate negative reaction. I woke up this morning (~8hrs later) with a yucky feeling belly. I wasn't bloated or distended (which is my usual glutening symptom) just uncomfortable. Then I had several brief occasions of pain like I was being scraped inside by jagged glass. Yes! That feeling many of you have written about but I could never recall feeling. Well, now I know what you are all talking about (unfortunately). This was followed by 2 BMs, the 2nd being many small thin pieces (sorry TMI). I feel ok otherwise (no migraine or fog or heartburn) and think the rest will pass quickly.

So, now I'm banging my head on the table for making such a stupid decision. Again, I'm not going to say I was glutened by Mike's, just that it didn't agree with me. It's too bad, because that's such a fun drink on a warm night.

Aren't they considered "malt beverages"? I thought all malt beverages were NOT gluten free.... even the light ones....

[Jestgar]

Aren't they considered "malt beverages"? I thought all malt beverages were NOT gluten free.... even the light ones....

This was going to be my comment.

[birdie22]

Yes they are. However Mikes has done Elisa testing on the lites and they test at less than 5ppm. They have info on their FAQ page. They have staff with celiac involved in the testing.

[pricklypear1971]

I didn't know that about Mike's. I loved those things - but just the first one. They always give (gave) me a headache. I think it's something else - not gluten, because I could drink a beer without a headache before gluten-free.

Now I'm sure it would be gluten .

Make your own lemonade and spike it. Yum yum!

[sandsurfgirl]

This stuff that contains gluten grains but supposedly is gluten free is being pushed on us and I don't like it. There are beauty products with hydrolyzed wheat protein that are being labeled gluten free, but I got the leave in conditioner on my hands and then ate and was glutened bad by it.

I avoid wheat, barley and rye like the plague. I don't care what their testing says. It's bad for me and I don't chance it.

[deb445]

I thought for a while that I was even being glutened by some wines. How could it possibly be wine? All in my head, I thought. Nope. Tried it again. Same thing. So, a little research revealed that wheat paste is sometimes used to seal barrels. Unless it's "my" tried & true tested label, I don't consume.

[JNBunnie1]

I didn't know that about Mike's. I loved those things - but just the first one. They always give (gave) me a headache. I think it's something else - not gluten, because I could drink a beer without a headache before gluten-free.

Now I'm sure it would be gluten .

Make your own lemonade and spike it. Yum yum!

They're fulla sugar- that'll give you a headache right quick.

[sa1937]

I doubt my inexpensive white wine ever saw a barrel sealed with wheat paste. Really, it's one of the celiac myths floating around out there.

[birdie22]

Below is the response I received from mikes. Use your best judgement.

---------------------------

Thanks so much for contacting mike

[sandsurfgirl]

I still wouldn't touch it. Too scary.

[sandsurfgirl]

I doubt my inexpensive white wine ever saw a barrel sealed with wheat paste. Really, it's one of the celiac myths floating around out there.

I've read long threads about this and it seems to be a celiac myth like vinegar.

[JNBunnie1]

I've read long threads about this and it seems to be a celiac myth like vinegar.

I think it's easy to dismiss something that hasn't affected you directly as a Celiac myth. I personally have never been glutened by wine. I will never dismiss a report of it happening to someone else though. Our world of information very much relies on anecdotal reports like this. Not to mention the fact that there are SO many winemakers out there, and I have personally seen documentaries showing one particular winemaker sealing their barrels with wheat paste. Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe, actually!

As always, it has to be your decision, and you have to investigate any products you choose to use. People with reports of something making them ill should always be welcome here.

[pricklypear1971]

Below is the response I received from mikes. Use your best judgement.

---------------------------

Thanks so much for contacting mike’s. Good news...you've got it right, the following information applies to all of our products, not just the two lite flavors. Enjoy!

mike’s hard lemonade products available in the United States are lemon malt based beverages (fermented barley beer malt). Highly sensitive tests indicate that mike’s products do not contain any traces of gluten. Our malt beer base is fermented and processed using a highly technical and proprietary, multi stage filtration process which removes all gluten.

Our products were sent to the Food Allergy Research Program at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln to be analyzed using the R5 ELISA test which is currently the industry recognized test for gluten. To be considered gluten free, products must test below 20 ppm (parts per million). In this test one ppm is equal to one milligram of gluten per kilogram of sample. The lowest the R5 ELISA test can quantify is 5 ppm. Our mike’s hard lemonade products tested below the limit of quantification, meaning less than 5 ppm, less than the 20 ppm needed to qualify as gluten free.

Because the R5 ELISA tests cannot quantify below 5 ppm, please consult with your doctor if you are extremely sensitive so the best decision can be made for you in the very slight chance that there would be unquantifiable traces of gluten in the product.

Sincerely,

Eliot

mike’s Consumer Relations

*****************************************

Wasn't there something a while back about a beer that was gluten based, filtered, tested and tested ok but that was only on one type of test? If they tested something else they came up with gluten? I don't want to freak people out at all but am I imagining that thread? Could this be the same type of thing?

EDIT: Ok, this is what I was thinking of.... read down about testing for hordein. Open Original Shared Link

[sandsurfgirl]

I think it's easy to dismiss something that hasn't affected you directly as a Celiac myth. I personally have never been glutened by wine. I will never dismiss a report of it happening to someone else though. Our world of information very much relies on anecdotal reports like this. Not to mention the fact that there are SO many winemakers out there, and I have personally seen documentaries showing one particular winemaker sealing their barrels with wheat paste. Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe, actually!

As always, it has to be your decision, and you have to investigate any products you choose to use. People with reports of something making them ill should always be welcome here.

Nobody was made unwelcome. It's a discussion. You say something. I say something. You may disagree. I may disagree. That's fine. If the wine makes you sick don't drink it.

Just as anecdotal accounts can be helpful, you also don't want more restriction on our diets than is necessary. People don't need to be afraid of wine because wheat paste is not a common sealer and even if it's used, it doesn't get into the wine. Wheat would ruin the flavor of the wine.

There have been long discussions about this and consensus is that wine is safe.

Here is an article from a woman who has celiac and used to sell wine barrels.

Open Original Shared Link

[lesliev523]

I thought for a while that I was even being glutened by some wines. How could it possibly be wine? All in my head, I thought. Nope. Tried it again. Same thing. So, a little research revealed that wheat paste is sometimes used to seal barrels. Unless it's "my" tried & true tested label, I don't consume.

That's why I get my wine in a box! LOL

[JNBunnie1]

I thought for a while that I was even being glutened by some wines. How could it possibly be wine? All in my head, I thought. Nope. Tried it again. Same thing. So, a little research revealed that wheat paste is sometimes used to seal barrels. Unless it's "my" tried & true tested label, I don't consume.

I doubt my inexpensive white wine ever saw a barrel sealed with wheat paste. Really, it's one of the celiac myths floating around out there.

I've read long threads about this and it seems to be a celiac myth like vinegar.

Sansurfgirl, my apologies. Perhaps I'm the only one who would interpret this particular statement, and the response to it, as dismissive.

[KMMO320]

I think it's easy to dismiss something that hasn't affected you directly as a Celiac myth. I personally have never been glutened by wine. I will never dismiss a report of it happening to someone else though. Our world of information very much relies on anecdotal reports like this. Not to mention the fact that there are SO many winemakers out there, and I have personally seen documentaries showing one particular winemaker sealing their barrels with wheat paste. Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe, actually!

As always, it has to be your decision, and you have to investigate any products you choose to use. People with reports of something making them ill should always be welcome here.

I have no idea if what I feel after drinking alcohal is related to Celiac or not, but I absolutley cannot tolerate any alcohal at all. I have tried and tried..each time, within 15 mins of sipping, I get horrible pains up my back, in my kidneys and I get extremely dizzy,and a whopping headache comes on. This is only after SIPS. So I just finally said Ok, I must be allergic or something. Wine, Beer, Tequila, doesnt matter.

SO, like I said, no idea if its related, but I know I am extremely sensitive to something so I avoid ALL alcohals altogether. I really dont miss it, Ive never been a drinker.

[GFinDC]

I had reactions to wines also. It seemed to me that the chardonays were the worst, but the red wines also bothered me. In making chardonays they add lots of interesting flavors, using interesting ingredients. I forget what they call it, but sometimes they add a few staves from a whiskey barrel to the chardonay to give it some flavor.

Anyhow, it turned out my real problem with wine wasn't gluten. It was grapes. I finally realized that I react to grapes themselves, in any form. Including raisins, grape juice or wine. Those singing raisins in the underwear commercials really get to me also. Ergh! that's a joke, ha ha. But the grapes are gone from my diet, in any form, and I don't have those problems any more.