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In two recent posts about the 9th International Symposium, Marge Johannemann
has asserted that distilled alcohols are all GF, without providing
corroborating evidence. With all due respect, I do not believe these claims
are supported by any scientific evidence we currently have in hand.

I have the utmost respect for Don Kasarda's research, and I agree with him
completely in his findings that the distillate used in making distilled
vinegar is GF. But this cannot be applied across-the-board to all distilled
spirits. It simply does not work that way.

Vodka in the US is a "neutral spirit", distilled at 190 degrees or above and
having no distinctive character, aroma, taste or color. It must be bottled
at not less than 80 proof, but otherwise the distillate is indstinguishable
from the food grade distillate used in making distilled vinegar. So vodka is
GF.

But virtually all other distilled spirits are required to be distilled at
less than 190 degrees. The impurities from distilling at less than 190
degrees, called "congeners", pass into the final distillate. They are
supposed to; they are what gives each of these various distillates its
characteristic taste and aroma. Bourbon, for example, must be distilled at
no more than 160 degrees, and in such a manner that the distillate possesses
the characteristics generally attributed to bourbon.

The *critical* question is whether or not these congeners could contain
gluten peptides. No research on food grade distillate deals with this
question, because congeners are never present in food grade distillate. Two
months ago I presented this and other related questions to the product
manager of one of the three largest beverage distillate suppliers in the US.
He agreed to have his chemists research the matter and provide an opinion. I
have not yet received an answer, and when I do, it may or may not be
definitive.

If anyone can provide scientific research to specifically answer this
critical question, please speak up. If not, I think it serves us ill to make
broad assertions without corroboration.

Dave Westheimer
Minneapolis, MN, USA