When you want to have a gin martini on a gluten-free diet, it’s essential to understand if this spirit contains gluten and if it’s safe enough to consume. Many people with celiac disease or a high sensitivity to gluten wonder whether gin is gluten-free or not.
Well, is gin gluten-free? Yes, a majority of gins on the market are 100% gluten-free. This is because the base for fermentation and distillation is juniper berries. However, you do have to be careful because some brands do also use things like wheat, rye and barley in the fermentation process.
Even still, if it’s pure juniper berries contained in the gin, a company will mark their product as such. So, you’ll want to pay attention to labels and do a bit of research.
About Gluten in Gin & Its Taste
The Celiac Foundation tells us there is no gluten in gin because of the distillation process it undergoes. Even if fermentation includes a gluten-filled no-no like wheat, barley, rye or oats, distillation removes most of it. This makes it much safer to drink than things like beer or whiskey.
Gin is a very pungent spirit that has quite a kick. Depending on the brand, it can taste like a spiky Christmas tree to a wonderful array of herbal and citrus notes. Because of the juniper, it can have a very dry and sharp flavor but makes for a refreshing beverage in the spring and summer months.
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Gin on a Gluten-Free Diet
The level of tolerance you have for gluten will determine how much you have to scrutinize a bottle of gin. For those who don’t have an allergy or won’t have adverse reactions from consuming any kind of gin, the sky’s the limit here. However, people with celiac disease and severe intolerances should be a little more discerning.
Regardless, there is a plethora of gin on the market that’s most often going to be safe. Even if you do get a reaction from drinking it, it shouldn’t be nearly as dire as consuming something like beer. When in doubt, take a few sips of the gin in question. Pay attention to your body’s reaction and what it does.
If you notice an impact to digestion, then you’re going to have to do your due diligence and engage in deeper research on the subject.
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Gluten-Free Gin Brands
In the event you are the kind of person with a severe gluten intolerance or have celiac disease, then you have to go with a gin based in something like grapes or potatoes. The good news is there are many brands that don’t use any grain in their formulations, which make them quite safe for gluten-free people.
This means you should pay attention to labels and look up ingredient lists. Oftentimes, most of these brands will label their spirits “gluten-free” right on the bottle. But, you always want to check to be sure first.
However, the list below contains gin made with things like wheat, rye and barley as its base but most people do not struggle with sensitivity from them. You can find these at any grocery or liquor store as well as on most shelves in bars and restaurants. The ones labeled with an asterisk (*) are highly suspect, however:
- Seagram’s
- Hendrick’s
- Bombay Sapphire
- Tanqueray *
- Aviation American
- Citadelle*
- Gordon’s
- Beefeater London
- Larios
- Gin Mare
- Martin Miller
Grape-Based
Gins based in grapes are very ideal for a gluten-free diet. These will not contain any grain throughout any stage in production. They make for a very smooth, crisp and clean texture while emphasizing the delicate notes of herbals and juniper. The following brands are some of the more famous for using grapes:
- 269 Gin
- Big Sur Gin
- Blade Gin
- Bummer and Lazarus Gin
- Bush Tucker Gin
- Ebra Gin
- G’Vine Florasion Gin
- G’Vine Nouaison
- Gin 1495 (Verbatim or Interpretatio)
- Ginny’s Gin
- Il Gin del Professore a la Madame
- Lockhouse Barreled Gin
- London to Lima Gin
- Marconi 42
- No Mistake Old Tom Gin
- Nordes Atlantic Galician Gin
- O.R.E 118 Raw Vegan Gin
- Old Hollywood Gin
- Old Young’s Six Seasons Gin
- Porter’s Gin (Tropical Old Tom)
- Sator Square American Dry Gin
- Shramm Gin
- Washtub Gin
- Xoriguer Mahon Gin
Potato-Based
Potato-based gins have an unctuous, musty and dank flavor with a texture that’s rather thick and almost fatty. However, it does make for flavorful martinis and tonics. The gin brands mentioned below are some of the best and most popular to try:
- Ashuelot Gin
- Bradford’s Chesterton Gin
- Brannmastarens Akvavit
- Chase Gin
- Cold River Traditional Gin
- Colorado Gin
- Corgi Spirits Bee Blossom Gin
- Gammel Opland
- Harahorn Gin
- Leopold’s Gin (Batch No. 17-27)
- Levenswater Spring 34
- Linie Aquavit
- Loitens Three Star
- Minions Old Tom Gin
- Monopolowa Dry Gin
- Priory Gin