Find out if triple sec contains gluten and folks on a gluten-free diet can safely enjoy this orange liqueur.
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Triple sec is a popular orange-flavored liqueur that’s great in mixed drinks and cocktails. If you’ve ever had a margarita, cosmopolitan, or sidecar, you’ve probably had triple sec in a drink before.
Read on: What is triple sec?
Gluten is a protein that’s found in wheat and other grains that are relatives to wheat. Barley, rye, spelt, bulgur, kamut, and farro are all grains that contain gluten.
If you have been on a gluten-free diet for a while, you might have discovered that not all alcohol is gluten-free. Some drinks like beer contain gluten and aren’t considered safe for people who are on a gluten-free diet.
Other liquors are made with gluten grains like wheat and barley and are considered gluten-free. This is because the liquor has been distilled, removing the gluten from the final product. Whiskey, scotch, gin, and bourbon are all examples of this.
Some liqueurs contain gluten as well, not from the liquor itself, but from the flavoring that’s added to the liqueur to give it flavor.
While many triple secs are made with a neutral alcohol base and dried bitter orange peels, others are made with artificial flavors and no one really knows what the ingredients are in these.
Since alcohol manufacturers don’t need to disclose their ingredients lists, it can be difficult to know which brands are safe for a gluten-free diet and which you’ll want to stay away from. That said, the general gluten-free community tends to agree that most triple sec is gluten-free and safe to enjoy on this diet.
If you avoid gluten, it’s never a bad idea to look at a brand’s website to confirm if they have a gluten allergen statement or make any gluten-free claims on their products.
Since they aren’t required to label allergens, you likely won’t find this for every brand but some will be forthright with this information and you can feel confident enjoying these products while avoiding gluten.
Read on: 50 Triple Sec Brands
For more detailed information on triple sec and following a gluten-free diet, you might find this post useful: Is triple sec gluten-free? There is a list of gluten-free triple sec brands you can choose from to help you stock your bar and make your favorite cocktails with triple sec.
Read on: 25 Best Orange Liqueur Brands to Try