# How can scotch be gluten free? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 10, 2009, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-scotch-be-gluten-free/485277 "2009-02-10T21:04:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-scotch-be-gluten-free/485277/1 "2009-02-10T21:04:54Z")
[Scotch whiskey is made from barley.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch_whisky) [Barley has gluten in it.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten) [Yet Scotch Whisky is considered “gluten free.”](http://www.celiac.com/articles/222/1/Gluten-Free-Alcoholic-Beverages/Page1.html) How can this be? ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-scotch-be-gluten-free/485277/2 "2009-02-10T21:09:20Z")
Distillation leaves behind the gluten. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-scotch-be-gluten-free/485277/3 "2009-02-10T21:09:54Z")
Scotch is distilled. To distill something you boil it and condense the vapor. I assume that there is little or no gluten vapor to get condensed. This is different for things like beer. Beer is merely filtered to get rid of large annoying crud from the mash. From your link. > [@](#): > > All distilled alcohols are gluten-free. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-scotch-be-gluten-free/485277/4 "2009-02-10T21:10:40Z")
Whiskey is distilled. Gluten doesn’t evaporate, only the alcohol. It’s then put in charred barrels to age and leech flavor elements from the wood. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-scotch-be-gluten-free/485277/5 "2009-02-10T21:17:35Z")
Mmmmmmmmmmmm. Wood. ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-scotch-be-gluten-free/485277/6 "2009-02-11T17:03:12Z")
Thanks! Very interesting. Good to know. I am trying to figure out why I hate scotch so much (despite a lot of effort to develop a taste for it). I recently discovered a gluten allergy so I thought it might have been that, but I’ll have to keep looking. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-scotch-be-gluten-free/485277/7 "2009-02-11T17:23:08Z")
The tastes of different scotchs can vary tremendously depending on what region they come from and the wood they’re stored in. You might try some that were left in sherry or port casks and see if those appeal to you more. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-scotch-be-gluten-free/485277/8 "2009-02-11T19:23:20Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > Distillation leaves behind the gluten. be very very careful with this, I wont argue the idea at all but many people who are allergic to gluten are still sensitive to hard alcohols made from wheat/barley. I dont know the reason but it may be that something in the process leaves behind whatever it is that specifically makes people sick. as a general rule you can drink Rum, Potato Vodka, and Tequila with no risk. just about everything else may have an undesired effect. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-scotch-be-gluten-free/485277/9 "2009-02-11T19:37:02Z")
> [@Critical1](#): > > be very very careful with this, I wont argue the idea at all but many people who are allergic to gluten are still sensitive to hard alcohols made from wheat/barley. I dont know the reason but it may be that something in the process leaves behind whatever it is that specifically makes people sick. > as a general rule you can drink Rum, Potato Vodka, and Tequila with no risk. just about everything else may have an undesired effect. Did you even read the link - from [celiac.com](http://celiac.com), no less - in the OP? ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-scotch-be-gluten-free/485277/10 "2009-02-12T09:11:27Z")
None of us _likes_ Scotch, we just pretend because it makes us feel superior. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-scotch-be-gluten-free/485277/11 "2009-02-12T12:24:10Z")
> [@susan](#): > > None of us _likes_ Scotch, we just pretend because it makes us feel superior. :eek:Heresy! I love scotch. I know I do because I drink it alone, when everybody is asleep and nobody is watching. (and this happens about 3 times a year, so don’t get funny ideas about my alcoholism) ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-scotch-be-gluten-free/485277/12 "2009-02-12T13:29:40Z")
> [@Critical1](#): > > be very very careful with this, I wont argue the idea at all but many people who are allergic to gluten are still sensitive to hard alcohols made from wheat/barley. I dont know the reason but it may be that something in the process leaves behind whatever it is that specifically makes people sick. > > as a general rule you can drink Rum, Potato Vodka, and Tequila with no risk. just about everything else may have an undesired effect. Fascinating that it could be a possibility. It seems that confirming the presence or absence of gluten can be an art, not a science. Sometimes the experts disagree with each other and individual experiences vary. I will definitely try different kinds of wood - thanks **lieu**! On the subject: A friend of mine once gave his labrador retriever a bit of scotch to try. He loved it, which everyone thought was hilarious. Friend didn’t want to waste his single malt on the dog, so gave him some of the cheap stuff instead. The dog turned up his nose at it. I didn’t know labs had such discerning taste. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-scotch-be-gluten-free/485277/13 "2009-02-12T13:49:34Z")
> [@Critical1](#): > > be very very careful with this, I wont argue the idea at all but many people who are allergic to gluten are still sensitive to hard alcohols made from wheat/barley. I dont know the reason but it may be that something in the process leaves behind whatever it is that specifically makes people sick. > as a general rule you can drink Rum, Potato Vodka, and Tequila with no risk. just about everything else may have an undesired effect. The range of gluten sensitivity is pretty large. True gluten allergies (i.e. shock reactions) are really rare - but happen. From there you have everything from fairly severe gastrointestinal distress from minute amounts of gluten, to people who are gluten free as a measure against autism, to people like me - who are gluten intolerant to the point that if I eat a whole piece of bread or piece of cake I get uncomfortably gassy - but I never bother to ask about flour in soups, tolerate barley fine and will have a bite of my husband dessert - sometimes I even just say “this one is worth it” and go through the pain. There are four of us in my circle of friends that have gluten sensitivities - only one of us can’t do barley. Three of us will have regular soy sauce and don’t bother to check for fillers in spices. I’m the least picky and most willing to risk feeling like crap - which still means I don’t eat pizza crust, cake, bread, cookies - but will have a bite once in a while. My migraines have been reduced since I stopped eating gluten, and I have more energy. But I’m not going to drop dead if I have a piece of bread - just get cranky and a tummy ache - and maybe a migraine. They make gluten free beer - only the one of my girlfriends bothers - the others just drink real beer in moderation. I’ve never had an issue with whiskey or scotch. If I disliked things that had gluten in it, this would be a much easier diet. But alas, I’m a bread and baked goods addict. So I really suspect an adversion to scotch has more to do with the fact that it has a distinct flavor of lighter fluid for people to get past before you can develop a taste for the full flavors of moss, smoke and dirt. (I actually like scotch - but it did take about five years of decided to like it). ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-scotch-be-gluten-free/485277/14 "2009-02-12T14:31:57Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > So I really suspect an aversion to scotch has more to do with the fact that it has a distinct flavor of lighter fluid for people to get past before you can develop a taste for the full flavors of moss, smoke and dirt. (I actually like scotch - but it did take about five years of decided to like it). Great post, thanks! I do have quite a lot of trouble with barley (in fact, the last regular beer I drank, followed by a 2-day “hangover,” was the final proof of my gluten sensitivity). So maybe it’s the barley, and maybe it’s the overwhelming lighter fluid sensation (I think I really would enjoy the taste of moss, smoke and dirt if I could get past all that). For whatever reason, from now on, it is gin for me. More scotch for the rest of y’all!