Anyone who knows me knows I enjoy a great drink. Luckily, being Gluten Free has not put a damper on that. I, thankfully, do not like beer, which is loaded with barley, wheat & hops, all an obvious no-no for GF’ers. While you can find delicious GF beer, it tastes just like the real thing…which is why I am not a fan!;-) I decided to do some research, though, on alcohol to watch out for if you’re GF….
*Rum: I am a huge rum lover! & in almost every instance, rum is gluten-free. The few exceptions to this rule include some flavored rums. If you enjoy flavored rums, you’ll need to contact the manufacturer to determine if a particular product is gluten-free.
While pure rum is gluten-free, beware of pre-made drink mixes, such as those intended for piña coladas(which I have not had many of)— several of these contain gluten ingredients as flavoring.
*Vodka: Vodka can be tricky! Some is indeed made from non-gluten sources, such as potato vodka or grape vodka, is always gluten-free. However, there’s some controversy over whether vodka made from a gluten grain source is gluten-free.
Most experts on celiac believe that distillation removes enough of the harmful gluten proteins to render alcohol made from gluten grains gluten-free.
But, many who are very sensitive to gluten cross contamination get truly symptoms from any form of alcohol that started its life as gluten grains … and that includes vodka made from wheat or rye. In fact, the Celiac Association recommends against consuming gluten-based vodkas. But, if you love vodka lemonade like I do, always just check if you must try to have it…I know my friend, Erin, over at http://horsingaroundinla.wordpress.com/ makes a mean one that I heart;-)
*Gin: Thats also a GF debate. I am a not a gin drinker so do not have any personal experience to share. But, usually, gin IS made from wheat/rye/barley, & sometimes, corn….note, I said USUALLY wheat & just SOMETIMES corn!
*Tequila: Blame it maybe on my watching Pee Wee Herman dance in the dive bar to the Tequila song, I LOVE tequila, & margaritas. Usually always my drink of choice, ask anyone. & is normally an ok GF choice as long it is made from 100% agave; if not, it can potentially contain sugar as well as gluten. Alot of marg mixes nowadays have corn, but sometimes wheat.
*Whiskey: Another hot debate if you’re in the GF club. Whiskey is indeed often derived from barley, & even if it is distilled, may cause a GF person grief.
*Wine: YES! Almost all of the time, wine (& that goes for champagne, woo hoo!) IS gluten free. I am a big lover of whites, as well as champagne. Have at it…but carefully!
While I hope this post is informative, it is always important to check when ordering anything if you have a concern, as I am not a Doctor. Happy drinking!
Along Comes Mary.... 