OK, the reality is when I realized that I need to be gluten-free to be healthy…….one of the first things that worried me was if I could still have an occasional drink!  Silly, I know, but I really do enjoy having wine with dinner or something fun at a party.  So I did some research and here is what I found:

Almost all wines are naturally gluten-free, but watch out for wine coolers where they might add “barley malt”…..which is not gluten-free.

Traditional beers, ales and lagers are not gluten-free.  However, there is a growing number of gluten-free beers available.  In my neck of the woods, Redbridge (made by Budweiser) is readily available at liquor stores and even at my Walmart.  If you are a beer drinker, really check into this (google gluten-free beers), I found reference to almost 30 different ones.

Almost all unflavored spirits are considered gluten-free!  Yes, even those that are distilled from gluten-containing grains, like wheat-and-barley-based vodka.  So yes to vodka, gin, brandy, whisky, tequila etc……

How can it be gluten-free if some of these things are made from wheat?  Distillation removes the gluten.

Read, read, read all labels.  Sometimes they add flavors after distillation.  These additions could have gluten.  If you can’t figure it out by reading the label, check with the manufacturer.

Live, LOVE (and drink) the gluten-free life!