Alcohol labelling in the EU – key rule

Alcoholic beverages with more than 1.2% alcohol usually do not have a mandatory ingredients list. Nevertheless, one of the most important rules applies:

all allergens, including gluten, must always be clearly labelled if they are present.

This means: If a drink contains gluten, this must be clearly stated.
If gluten is not listed, it is not present as an ingredient.

This rule also applies to all additives, such as flavourings, colourings, additives and E-numbers.

Distilled drinks: safe even if they originate from cereals

Spirits such as vodka, gin or whisky are often made from wheat, barley or rye. Nevertheless, after distillation they are gluten-free.

The reason lies in the process itself:

-gluten is a protein that does not evaporate,
-distillation separates alcohol from solids,
-gluten remains in the raw material residue.

The final distillate therefore does not contain detectable amounts of gluten.

This is also confirmed by EU legislation, which states that cereals used for distillation are no longer considered allergens in the final product.

Fermented drinks: an important difference

With fermented drinks, the situation is different, as fermentation does not remove gluten.

Safe are: wine, cider, fruit-based drinks.

Not suitable (unless specifically labelled):

beer, malt drinks made from barley or wheat.

For people with coeliac disease, only beer clearly labelled "gluten-free" is suitable.

Important specifics

The "gluten-free" label in the EU means a maximum of 20 mg of gluten per kilogram (20 ppm), as specified by Regulation (EU) No 828/2014.

Alcoholic beverages have special labelling rules, so the "gluten-free" label is not always present, even when the drink is safe.

Distilled drinks are often not specifically labelled as gluten-free, even though they are safe due to the production process.

If a drink contains gluten, this must always be clearly labelled as an allergen. If gluten is not listed, the drink does not contain it as an ingredient.

Drinks labelled "gluten-reduced" or "with reduced gluten content" are not suitable for people with coeliac disease.

Summary

Safe: distilled spirits, wine and cider.

Avoid:

beer (unless certified gluten-free),
malt drinks (e.g. barley, wheat).

Key rule:
gluten must always be labelled – if it is not listed, it is not present as an ingredient.