Whiskey - Gluten free?

Lucifer-0

Hi there.

I've recently found out I have coeliac. So I can't drink beer (well not any they sell in most pubs). I've read that anything distilled is fine, so vodka, whiskey etc should be ok?

I don't drink often but when I do it is usually pints of guinness, maybe a few bottles of beer, or whiskey. Beer and guinness are now no-gos. I've emailed Jack Daniels, Jameson and Southern Comfort - all short drinks I enjoy, asking them can they confirm their products are gluten free. None have replied.

Anyone have any info on this?

Thanks in advance.

Red Cortina

Check out one of the last posts in this thread for some info:
http://coeliac.ie/webboards/viewtopic.php?t=3447

FTGFOP

Gluten won't be in whiskey. It's left behind in the still pot along with the sugars in the distillation process, while the alcohol, some water, and volatile flavour compounds are evaporated and then condensed to give you the spirit.

El_Dangeroso

Yes, completely gluten free thank god! I couldn't contemplate a life without Jameson.

jdivision

All spirits are gluten free, cider other option in pubs as most of the wine is muck. Some of the gf beers aren't bad, I like GFA and GFL from Hambleden and they'll deliver to Ireland so if you like it you can buy a bunch much cheaper than from the offie

rubadub

FTGFOP wrote: »

Gluten won't be in whiskey. It's left behind in the still pot along with the sugars in the distillation process,

True it is left in the still so the only way it can be introduced is after this. People mentioned wine barrels being sealed with flour paste, which could be a problem. e.g. Jameson store whiskey in used sherry barrels. I emailed them twice before to see if that sherry was cleared using animal based finings -in which case the Jameson would not be vegan -I got no reply.

I am not vegan but was interested to see if they fully realised and thought about their entire process. They (and other distillers/brewers) did say it was vegan to other people who emailed, but did not get into specifics.

If the whiskey is stored in barrels with flour paste it could have tiny traces and cause trouble if you are very sensitive.

FTGFOP

There was some whiskey afficionado on youtube saying that some whiskeys have caramel added (post distillation). So given that sugar (feeding the caramel production) isn't neccesarily vegan (use of bone char in some sugar purification processes) some whiskeys might not be vegan for a second reason.

Have a vegetarian friend who just won't hear that Guiness isn't, in the strictest sense, vegetarian.

professore

There is one big difference in being vegetarian / vegan and coeliac of course. If you're veggie and unknowingly eat or drink something you shouldn't you won't get violently sick and/or suffer painful joints for days.

FTGFOP

So, are some coeliacs worse than others? Sounds like it's up there with nut allergies in severeness of reaction.

jdivision

FTGFOP wrote: »

So, are some coeliacs worse than others? Sounds like it's up there with nut allergies in severeness of reaction.

yeah, some people more sensitive than others. I get:
Dislocated kneecap
Bleeding
Bruising
Bloating
Diarrhea
Fatigue
Pins and needles
Sometimes narcolepsy
A rash on my legs
I projectile vomit - like in Team America
Mouth ulcers
Used to get muscle spasms a lot before I found out
Can also cause depression

FTGFOP

Holy crap! I knew someone with it a few years ago but they said they just got mild tummy trouble. Had no idea.

jdivision

Yeah, I didn't know until two years ago thanks to the wonderful Irish health system - I was taken for the test as a baby but they wouldn't do it because I had a runny nappy - one of the main symptoms. Ridiculous. By the time I found out I could barely walk.