| A lot of people with celiac disease and gluten | | | | acetaldehyde and tannins -very simple chemical |
| intolerance are afraid of distilled alcohol because | | | | compounds that have no similarity to gluten |
| they are afraid that some grain proteins will be | | | | proteins. |
| mixed in with the alcohol. This is one of those | | | | Finally, distillation separates the ethanol from the |
| fears that makes life harder for people with celiac | | | | rest of the mash and collects it in a separate |
| disease and reduces their choice in food and | | | | container. Ethanol has a very low boiling point (173 |
| beverages, even though it has no basis in fact. | | | | degrees F or 78.4 degrees C) so it boils off at a |
| First, some basics. | | | | lower temperature than water (212 degrees F or |
| The alcohol in beverages and flavorings we eat or | | | | 100 degrees C). The ethanol vapor is directed |
| drink is ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol. It is a | | | | away from the mash and then cooled to |
| clear, colorless liquid. | | | | condense it back to a liquid. Some of the |
| Distillation is a way to separate mixtures based on | | | | congeners also boil at a similar low point. |
| differences in their boiling point. When you make | | | | The resulting product will be a mixture of ethanol, |
| alcoholic beverages, you use distillation to separate | | | | water, and congeners and it may be distilled again |
| the ethanol from the starches and proteins in the | | | | to increase the concentration of ethanol. (The |
| grains. | | | | reason why you get a mixture and not just pure |
| Commercially, alcohol is made from a variety of | | | | ethanol requires more explanation that this article |
| grains and cereals including gluten-containing | | | | can contain. If you would like a relatively simple |
| substances like wheat and rye and gluten-free | | | | explanation, check this article.) |
| substances like corn, rice, grapes and potatoes. | | | | The important piece of information for people |
| There are four basic steps to make alcohol from | | | | with celiac disease or gluten intolerance is that the |
| one of these substances: milling, mashing, | | | | grain particles, including any gluten proteins, are |
| fermenting and distillation. | | | | left behind in the fermented mash. They are |
| First, the base substance is crushed or milled into | | | | much heavier than the ethanol vapors and do not |
| a coarse meal. This gets rid of any hard outer | | | | get carried into the condensation tubes along with |
| shells to make the starch and sugar in the | | | | the vapors. Commercial distillation equipment is |
| product available for processing. | | | | large and designed so that the leftover mash |
| Then the meal is cooked with added water to | | | | cannot accidentally slop into the condensed ethanol |
| convert the starch into sugar. This is called | | | | as it is removed. |
| mashing. | | | | The distilled ethanol may be aged in barrels for a |
| Next, yeast is added to the mixture. It converts | | | | number of years to develop its taste, aroma and |
| or ferments the sugar into ethanol and carbon | | | | color and it may also be blended with spirits of |
| dioxide. This generally produces a mixture with | | | | other ages or made from different grains. |
| 5-10% ethanol, depending on the amount of | | | | Distilled ethanol is used to make a variety of |
| added water and how long fermentation is allowed | | | | products including spirits like brandy,, gin, rum, |
| to proceed. | | | | tequila, vodka and whisky, liqueurs like schnapps, |
| Fermenting also produces tiny amounts of | | | | amaretto and kahlua. Please note that wine and |
| congeners, chemical compounds that are | | | | beer are not distilled. Distilled ethanol is also used |
| responsible for the taste, aroma and color of | | | | for a variety of flavoring extracts including vanilla. |
| alcohol products. These congeners are acetone, | | | | |