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Is Fireball gluten-free? I rarely drink because I believe I’m alcohol intolerant, but a close friend seemed to be obsessed with this alcohol and wanted to know if it was gluten-free. To help them out… I got to researching
Fireball is a Cinnamon Candanian Whisky made by Sazerac Company. Per their website, if you want to know what Fireball Whisky is like “[j]ust imagine what it feels like to stand face-to-face with a fire-breathing dragon who just ate a whisky barrel full of spicy cinnamon. Tastes like heaven, burns like hell”.
Basically, it’s a warming sweet and spicy whisky (yes, whisky not whiskey, because that’s how the Canadians do it).
So is Fireball gluten-free? It’s whisky made from wheat which would be an automatic “no” for many people with celiac. However, whiskey is a distilled alcohol, and as long as no gluten is added after distillation, then Fireball and other distilled alcohols are safe.
In the case of Fireball, the label says “whiskey and natural cinnamon flavor”. When I contacted them via email they confirmed that they do not add any gluten-containing ingredients after distillation.
Some people may not feel comfortable with distilled alcohols even though scientifically they are safe. Your comfort level and judgment matter here. So obviously, do what makes you most comfortable.
Please note: Fireball sells a Fireball Cinnamon malt-based drink which is not gluten-free due to it being malt-based. Be careful and always check the label of what you’re buying.
If you’re not sure how to check alcohol for safety in the USA, check out the Celiac Crash Course where I show you how complete with practice problems and simulations.
Want to order a gluten-free cocktail made with fireball from the bar? There are a lot of yummy ways to drink Fireball.
Mix it with Coke. Yes, Coke and Pepsi Cola are both gluten-free in the USA.
Enjoy it with Hot Chocolate. Cinnamon + chocolate is such a delicious and warming pairing.
Add it to Apple Cider. Get an extra kick from your apple cider by mixing it with a shot of Fireball.
Mix it with Ginger Beer. Is there anything better than ginger and cinnamon together? So warming, cozy, and refreshing at the same time.
Want a list of other gluten-free drinks to order at a bar? Check out this blog post!
So we know Fireball is gluten-free but you got sick drinking it. Here’s the thing, a lot can play into someone’s reaction.
If your body still reacts to Fireball Whisky you should trust that and work to get to the bottom of it! And remember that it can take the body anywhere from a few minutes to a few days to cause symptoms from eating gluten. I say this because often people think they must have been glutened by the last thing the ate but when working with clients we often find the culprit was actually from much later in the day to even 2 days ago.
Also remember, celiac disease can cause other food intolerances that can cause similar symptoms to gluten. For me, I am alcohol intolerant. I get very sick when I drink alcohol (even just a few sips). This might be something to discuss with your dietitian if you’re having trouble figuring out what’s going on.
Lastly, alcohol is a GI irritant. So it could worsen whatever might be going on your gut which might feel like you’ve been glutened but is really just alcohol irritating your digestive system.
And all of that to say, I’m not saying you absolutely have to drink Fireball whisky. I’m merely presenting the information to help you make an informed decision. Ultimately, your comfort level and the way your body reacts matter.
Making note that gluten-free fireball whisky is spelled without an E due to its Canadian roots, whiskey is usually gluten-free. You might be extremely confused by this since whiskey is often made from wheat, and other gluten grains, so let me explain!
When we make distilled alcohols like whiskey, we are boiling off the alcohol and we leave the impurities and flavorings behind. Essentially, we are taking the whisky alcohol (which evaporates off from the wheat), and bottling it up. Gluten, the protein people with celiac react to, is too large of a protein to evaporate so it gets left behind, making pure distilled alcohols safe.
The key here is that pure distilled alcohols are safe. You need to make sure that no gluten was added in after the fact. This can be tricky with TTB regulations in the USA. I’ll teach you how to do this in the Celiac Crash Course if you need help.
That said, people do find they react specifically to gluten-derived alcohols, or they react to all alcohols. There’s a lot to factor into alcohol and tolerance, so trust your body and work with a specialized dietitian to get to the root cause of what’s going on.
So how do we know if alcohols like Fireball are gluten-free? A lot like I shared in this post, we need to check the label, check the company website, and may even contact the company to make sure that everything looks safe.
If you need help with this, check out the Celiac Crash Course, where this is one of many essential celiac safety topics I cover to help you simplify celiac safety.
The Celiac Crash Course is a self-paced course designed to give those diagnosed with celiac the simple tools and strategies they need to stay safe in the USA.
If you were recently diagnosed with celiac and find yourself googling if things are safe a lot, this course will save you so much time and worry.
Check out the course by click the button below.