There are plenty of reasons that you might opt to go gluten-free. Maybe you feel less bloated when you eat less gluten. Or maybe you deal with some digestive discomfort when you eat gluten. Maybe you choose to avoid gluten because it works better for your diet plan. Or, maybe you just want to get in on the many delicious gluten-free options out there.
Folks with celiac disease, gluten allergies, gluten sensitivity, or gluten intolerance have been on a gluten-free diet for years. If you fit into any of those categories, you probably skip gluten all (or nearly all) the time. Others might be able to tolerate a bit more gluten in their diets.
Wherever you fall on the spectrum, it’s natural to worry that your options will be limited when it comes to drinking. Luckily, more drinks contain only gluten-free ingredients today than ever — and plenty of your gluten-free beverage options are absolutely delicious.
What about a night on the town? Will you have to give that up to go gluten-free? Nope — there are plenty of gluten-free alcoholic beverages that you can enjoy at local taprooms. So, finding a new gluten-free favorite that does not have gluten-containing grains should be simple.
There are gluten-free alcoholic drinks that fit everybody's preferences, so you don’t have to sweat it when you’re planning an evening out (or even a chill afternoon on the patio). Here are a variety of drink options that bring the flavor with none of the gluten.
Which Alcoholic Drinks Are Gluten-Free? 3 Options
Gluten intolerances often leave you with some uncomfortable GI symptoms. Nobody wants to deal with stomach pain, so it makes sense that the next step would be to look into gluten-free alternatives to beverages like beer.
If you were worried that options would be limited, don’t be! There are so many gluten-free alcoholic beverages that you may actually have to narrow it down a bit.
What flavor profiles do you prefer in your drinks? How do you want to feel during and after drinking them? It’s all about maximizing your experience to fit your preferences. Pick your favorite from the options below, and you can’t go wrong.
Hard Kombucha: Spritzy, Plant-Based Flavors
All of our suggestions are all-natural, gluten-free, and more. That said, there’s even more to love about hard kombucha than just that.
Our hard kombucha is a delicious, uplifting beverage that uses an innovative dry-fermentation process to create flavors that come alive. With zero carbs and zero sugar, it’s Mother Nature’s better buzz.
Fermentation is a process of using natural components to develop enzymes, which contribute to creating alcohol and CO2 emissions. We’re the only Hard Kombucha and Hard Seltzer company that carbonates our products with naturally generated, organic CO2 captured from our own fermentation, which significantly reduces our carbon footprint.
We use organic, plant botanicals to create new, complex flavors. If you prefer a drink with a slightly lower ABV (Alcohol By Volume) that’s easier to sip, we have you covered there, too. Creative mixtures like Grapefruit Thyme and Watermelon Basil are for you. If you want a higher ABV, flavors like Orange Passion Mimosa and Ginger offer even more boldness.
Hard Seltzer: Bubbly, Crisp, and Refreshing
If you’re looking to expand your palate, hard seltzer is worth a sip. This drink is delightfully refreshing, and the invigorating bubbles are exciting enough to get you ready for whatever the night has in store for you.
We hand-craft our drinks using only premium, organic ingredients. The result? Irresistible flavors that get better with every can.
There’s plenty to love in flavors like Blood Orange, Black Lime Juniper, and Cranberry Raspberry, which are all featured in our Botanicals and Bitters Collection. This set of seltzers was inspired by some of the world’s most famous cocktails, including the cosmopolitan, the gin and tonic, and the iconic Italian aperitif.
Variety is the spice of life, and as such, we wanted to create a variety pack with a kick of heat. Our Sweet & Heat Hard Seltzer Pack comes complete with Watermelon Chili, Guava Jalapeño, and Pineapple Cayenne flavors.
As the cousins of hard seltzers, hard ciders are also typically gluten-free (unless they’re made with barley malt). However, it’s important to research the particular brand of cider you pick — it’s not impossible to find gluten in the ingredients.
These varieties have absolutely no gluten content and can be enjoyed on their own or even as a mixer in your favorite cocktails! Our hard seltzers are delicious when mixed with tequila (made from the agave plant), gluten-free vodka, or other gluten-free distilled spirits.
Wine Spritzers: Complex Flavors and Invigorating Bubbles
Wine spritzers are yet another delectable alternative to more traditional alcoholic beverages that have some gluten in them.
We saw red wine, white wine, and rosé as jumping-off points to create something even better. That’s how our Wine Spritzer Collection was born. It’s a new take on old classics (with way less sugar than the wine coolers that were trending in the 80s).
Gluten-free and with an ABV of 6.9%, these refreshing drinks make any night out even better.
Which Alcoholic Drinks Aren’t Gluten-Free?
Although there are (thankfully) more gluten-free alcoholic beverage options than ever before, there are still quite a few drinks made with gluten out there. The key to finding out whether or not a drink has gluten is to look at the distillation process. If a drink was made by distilling glutinous grains, it inherently has gluten in it.
Some of the most common of these include:
- Grain alcohol
- Most beers, including IPAs and lagers
- Some kinds of liquor, unless otherwise specified
When it comes to gluten, liquors can be tricky. In general, you’ll want to be cautious; however, some liquors are typically gluten-free. Cognac distilled from white wine and rum distilled from sugarcane tend to be gluten-free, as well as most liqueurs (like Kahlua or Cointreau) and vodkas. Additionally, tequila is typically gluten-free; however, if you’re making margaritas, be sure to check all your ingredients for gluten.
When in doubt, take a look to see if a specific drink has any gluten-free labeling. This should help significantly in clearing up the matter, but you can also always look it up online. For reference, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) recently ruled that all distilled alcohol is gluten-free.
If you are adjusting to a gluten-free lifestyle for the first time, it might be a worthwhile endeavor to consult with a dietitian for their advice. When it comes to alcohol, though, you are likely to find that the list of gluten-free alcohol is much longer than you might have expected.
Is There Such a Thing as Gluten-Free Beer?
It can be hard to imagine a gluten-free beer since glutenous ingredients are so inherent to the beer-making process. However, there aregluten-free beer options out there — they’re just usually not quite as rich in terms of flavor.
Even better, there are gluten-free beverages that utilize all of the best parts of beer to make something more than the sum of its parts.
What’s the Best Gluten-Free Alternative to Beer?
If you just can’t get enough of the hop-forward taste of IPAs and other beers, we understand. That’s why we crafted our Tropical Hops Hard Kombucha using lively flavors that give you all of the hops you love without any of the gluten.
Our Hard Kombucha: Gluten-Free, Vegan, Keto-Friendly, and Delicious
Our drinks don’t just stop at gluten-free; they’re also vegan and keto-friendly, so everyone in your group can enjoy a can. Our goal is to always create quality, craft flavors without compromise.
Sources:
Gluten-Free Diet Plan: What To Eat, What To Avoid | Healthline
Enzyme Synthesis by Fermentation Method: A Review | TSI Journals