Is vodka gluten-free?
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Distilled vodka is gluten-free regardless of the source grain, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Distillation separates gluten proteins, which are large and non-volatile, from the alcohol vapor. Vodka made from wheat, rye, or barley therefore leaves the still gluten-free. TTB Ruling 2012-2 restricts which labels may display the phrase 'gluten-free'.
What the FDA says about distilled vodka and gluten
Distilled vodka is gluten-free, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). During distillation, the grain mash is heated and the alcohol vapor is collected, while the gluten proteins — which are large molecules and non-volatile — stay behind in the spent mash.
Per FDA guidance on distilled spirits and gluten labeling, the distillation step removes gluten proteins from the finished spirit. The agency treats distilled alcoholic beverages as gluten-free in the absence of post-distillation gluten-containing ingredients or cross-contact.
This means vodka distilled from wheat, rye, or barley leaves the still gluten-free, the same as vodka distilled from corn, potato, grape, or sugar cane. The starting grain does not determine whether the finished distillate contains gluten.
Brand-specific grain source
Brand-specific grain source data is not currently available in TTB COLA filings. Most TTB COLA records list spirits as "vodka" or "distilled spirits specialty" without specifying the source grain.
We are tracking this as a future enrichment workstream. Because distillation removes gluten proteins regardless of grain source, the brand-by-brand grain identity does not change the gluten-free status of the finished distillate.
TTB Ruling 2012-2 and on-label gluten-free claims
Under TTB Ruling 2012-2, only vodka produced from inherently non-gluten sources — such as potato, corn, grape, or sugar cane — may carry an explicit "gluten-free" claim on the label. Vodka distilled from wheat, rye, or barley cannot display the on-label phrase "gluten-free" under current TTB labeling policy, even though the finished spirit contains no detectable gluten after distillation.
The regulatory restriction sits on the label copy, not on the underlying liquid. A vodka may be gluten-free in fact, as explained above, yet still be prohibited from stating so on its TTB-approved label when the source grain is a gluten-containing cereal.
Data from the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) Public COLA Registry. FDA position referenced from public guidance on distilled spirits and gluten labeling.