Great News for Gluten-free Gin, Whiskey and Vodka Lovers

You need to try Maui Ocean Vodka...it's gluten free and organic. It's made in Maui, Hawaii.

Caprock Gin out of Colorado is made from Apples and is certified Organic. It's a little too strong of botanical tastes for me (I used to love Saphire for G&Ts). In the UK there is William Chase Gin which is made from Apples as well and it's amazing.

It's fine that these brands are available to those who want to buy them, but there is no brand of distilled spirit of any kind that has anything other that the most minute amount of gluten in it. To say otherwise is to suppose that the vapor generated during distillation contains significant amounts of proteins. That's pure voodoo.

Gin and vodka have always been gluten free. Gin is made from juniper berries and vodka from potatoes . However it is good news about the Scotch--the bad news is it would be far too expensive to buy in Australia.

Another very good gluten-free vodka is Blue Ice, made in the USA from russet potatoes. It is available at CVS pharmacies among other places.

Gin and vodka have always been gluten free. Gin is made from juniper berries and vodka from potatoes . However it is good news about the Scotch--the bad news is it would be far too expensive to buy in Australia.

Gin is not traditionally distilled from juniper berries. It is traditionally flavored with juniper berries. Distilled gin is made from any neutral spirit of agricultural origin, which often includes barley and other grains, then flavored with botanicals.

It's fine that these brands are available to those who want to buy them, but there is no brand of distilled spirit of any kind that has anything other that the most minute amount of gluten in it. To say otherwise is to suppose that the vapor generated during distillation contains significant amounts of proteins. That's pure voodoo.

You are correct that all distilled alcoholic beverages are free of gluten unless it is added after distillation. However, some folks feel better knowing that there is no gluten anywhere in the production process, and that the products are labeled as "gluten-free."

I read that all distilled spirits are considered gluten-free.

@R.Sosinski. You are correct. All distilled spirits are gluten-free. That is a fact that is simply beyond dispute. What, if you buy some kind of rum or vodka that has been altered with some flavoring agent, there is at least the theoretical possibility that the manufacturer cluelessly introduced some kind of gluten-containing ingredient. Other than that, if you drank it and got sick, that's what's known as a hangover. I do take gluten-free foods seriously, have had 3-4 years when I was extremely gluten-sensitive (NOT self-diagnosed, by the way) with symptoms I'll politely not describe here. I just wish that spirits producers did not put "Gluten Free" on their labels. It's exploitative. They are playing those with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity for suckers, and you are utterly gullible if you take their "we're the safe choice" schtick seriously.

@R.Sosinski. You are correct. All distilled spirits are gluten-free. That is a fact that is simply beyond dispute. What, if you buy some kind of rum or vodka that has been altered with some flavoring agent, there is at least the theoretical possibility that the manufacturer cluelessly introduced some kind of gluten-containing ingredient. Other than that, if you drank it and got sick, that's what's known as a hangover. I do take gluten-free foods seriously, have had 3-4 years when I was extremely gluten-sensitive (NOT self-diagnosed, by the way) with symptoms I'll politely not describe here. I just wish that spirits producers did not put "Gluten Free" on their labels. It's exploitative. They are playing those with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity for suckers, and you are utterly gullible if you take their "we're the safe choice" schtick seriously.

saying all distilled spirits are gluten free is like saying all medicine is gluten free. I , myself do not think that my reaction to drinking the spirit was a hang over. Many spirits have added ingredients added after the distilling process including the addition of extra wheat, barley, or malt, hence the double malt process of some whiskeys. As I have been an avid consumer of distilled spirits for 30+ years, and diagnosed celiac sprue for 10 years. As always read labels , watch for cross contamination, the labeling is not for suckers its to help determine whether there is gluten containing ingredients during the making & bottling process , and in that aspect the glue that holds the labeling on to the bottle contains gluten. this is life for me not a fad diet what irritates me is the government saying gluten free is 20 ppm or less. I happen to react to less than 5 ppm.

Excellent article. Now I'm off to enjoy my Moscow Mule!

"... what irritates me is the government saying gluten free is 20 ppm or less."

Yes; they should differentiate between gluten free and low in gluten.