Is tequila gluten free? Yes, it’s naturally gluten free. However, there is always a risk of cross contamination. If you’re sensitive to gluten but still want to enjoy tequila, here's the answers to all your questions. Plus, a list of gluten free tequila brands.
How is tequila made? The basics of tequila making.
Tequila is a type of distilled alcohol made from agave that is unique to Mexico with origins that can be traced back 250 years. There are 5 different types of tequila (reposado, Joven, blanco, añejo, and extra añejo). The most popular and well known are resposado, blanco and añejo. In 1974 the government deemed tequila the intellectual property of Mexico and only allows it to be made in certain Mexican states. There’s even a regulatory council that maintains tequila standards. Tequila production is not quick or easy and can be divided into 6 steps.
Harvesting
Tequila starts with very specific type of agave called the Weber Blue Agave. Agave is a type of succulent like aloe vera but much larger. The agave plant can only be harvested when they are 5 to 7 years old. And they can only be harvested once. When the agave is ready to be harvested, the leaves are removed to expose the bulb or piña.
Baking
The piña’s are then baked to extract the juice or mosoto. Traditionally, they were baked in pits but today the process has been modernized with brick or stainless-steel ovens.
Juicing
After the piña’s are bake then they are crushed or shredded to extract the remaining juice from them.
Fermentation
Yeast is then added to the mosoto and then allowed to ferment which turns it into alcohol.
Distillation
After the mosoto ferments then it’s time to distill the liquid. This process creates a much higher alcohol content. Most tequila is distilled twice. The first distillation creates a cloudy liquid called ordinario. The second distillation creates the clear sliver or blanco tequila.
Aging
All tequila is aged for a minimum of 2-3 weeks. However, the length of the aging process is dependent upon the type of tequila being made.
- Añejo means aged in Spanish. Añejo tequila is aged for at least 1 year while extra añejo is aged at least 3 years.
- Extra añejo is rare due to the length of time it’s been aged.
- Reposado is also aged but for only 2 months up to a year.
- Blanco tequila is aged the shortest amount of time.
- Joven is different because it’s created from a combination of aged and unaged tequila.
What is celiac disease and gluten sensitivity?
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease where your immune system reacts to exposure to gluten. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, and barley.
Gluten sensitivity or intolerance is a non-allergic reaction to gluten. It can cause a lot of the same symptoms as Celiac Disease however it doesn’t cause damage to the digestive tract nor is it life threatening.
Is tequila gluten free and sugar free?
Pure 100% agave tequila does not have gluten or sugar in it. However, the Mexican government does allow 4 different types of additives: glycerin, caramel color, oak extract, and sugar-based syrups. To avoid sugar and these additives, look for bottles labeled ‘100% agave.’ You can also search by ‘additive free’ tequilas at the tequilamatchmaker.com.
Are tequila mixers gluten free?
It’s hard to say as each mixer would need to be assessed on its own.
Are margaritas gluten free?
Classic margaritas are generally made from lime, salt, tequila, and triple sec. Beyond the conditions that the drink was made (risk of cross contamination) and the tequila, the main concern would be the triple sec. Cointreau is a popular triple sec brand which also maintains that their product is gluten free. If you're looking for a Gluten Free Margarita on the rocks, try this recipe.
Is Reposado tequila gluten-free?
Like I mentioned above, Reposado tequila is a type of aged tequila. When shopping for reposado tequila, look for the same things as you would any other tequila. It should say ‘100% agave.’ And then investigate the brand to see how they handle their product after distillation. Some brands are very clear that they do not claim their product to be gluten free while others are certified gluten free. I’ve already done some of the leg work for you by reaching out to some of the most popular brands.
Is mixto tequila gluten free?
Mixto tequila is defined as 51% distilled tequila and 49% other sugars. Mixto tequila can contain a variety of additives or sugar such as colorings or flavorings. Alcohol companies don’t need to disclose ingredients like a food product because it doesn’t fall under the FDA but the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). Additionally, they aren’t labeled as mixto either, so keep this mind when shopping.
Mixto tequila brands
Please note that just because these brands are listed, doesn’t mean they are gluten free. With the exception of Jose Cuervo, we did not reach out to these brands.
- Jose Cuervo Especial Gold: According to their customer service, their tequila products are tested and proven to be gluten free. Please see their gluten free statement below.
- Jose Cuervo Especial Silver: According to their customer service, their tequila products are tested and proven to be gluten free. Please see their gluten free statement below.
- Sauza Silver
- Sauza Gold
- Hussong's Reposado
- El Tequileno Platinum Blanco
- Montezuma
- Juárez
Gluten Free Tequila List
- Is Avion tequila gluten free? According to customer service:
‘Tequila Avión is certified gluten free by GFCO. Our facilities and products are low risk for gluten contamination.’
- Is Teremana tequila gluten free? According to their website, their products are certified gluten free.
- Is Jose Cuervo tequila gluten free? According to their customer service:
‘Our products are all produced under sanitary conditions outside of exposure from outside elements. That being said, our standard tequilas are tested, and proven to be gluten free. Unfortunately, our ready to drink products cannot be verified as gluten-free, and should be avoided if you have any sensitivities to gluten.’
- Is Patron gluten free? According to their website, ‘tequilas are made from 100% Weber Blue Agave, which naturally does not contain any gluten.’
- Is Casamigos tequila gluten free? According to their customer service:
‘We do not test for gluten. Tequila is not only gluten free due to the distillation process but also the raw ingredient, agave, doesn’t contain any gluten.’ Additionally, they said: ‘The facility is not a gluten free certified facility.’
- Is Casa Noble tequila gluten free? According to their customer service:
‘We wanted to take a moment to share with you that Casa Noble tequila is meticulously crafted using 100% agave, ensuring unparalleled purity without any additives such as artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, or glycerin.
Our commitment to quality extends to being certified kosher and organic, reflecting our dedication to sustainability and excellence.
Please note, while our tequila is gluten-free, we do not conduct gluten testing.’
- Is Don Julio tequila gluten free? According to their customer service:
‘The following Don Julio variants have been verified to contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten. This meets labeling guidelines set by the Alcohol Tobacco and Trade Bureau (TTB) as being gluten free for the U.S. market. If you have any concerns related to consuming this product, we suggest that you speak with a doctor.
Don Julio 1942 Tequila
Don Julio 70 Añejo Claro Tequila
Don Julio Añejo Tequila
Don Julio Blanco Tequila
Don Julio Reposado Tequila’
- Is Lunazul tequila gluten free? According to the Lunazul website, their tequila is made with 100% Weber Blue Agave. Therefore, we can assume that it’s naturally gluten free. However, we contacted the company and never heard back regarding a gluten statement.
- Is Herradura tequila gluten free? According to tequilamatachmaker.com the tequila is made from 100% blue agave. The Herraduras website doesn’t explicitly say it but we can assume that the tequila is naturally gluten free. However, we contacted the company and never heard back regarding a gluten statement.
- Is Cazadores tequila gluten free? According to the Cazadores website, their tequila is made with 100% Weber Blue Agave. Therefore, we can assume that it’s naturally gluten free. However, we contacted the company and never heard back regarding a gluten statement.
- Is 1800 tequila gluten free? According to the 1800 website, their tequila is made with 100% Weber Blue Agave. Therefore, we can assume that it’s naturally gluten free. However, we contacted the company and never heard back regarding a gluten statement.
- Is Espolon tequila gluten free? There is no information about gluten on the website. There isn’t any contact information either, so it wasn’t possible to reach out and get details. However, we can assume that the tequila is gluten free due to it being made from 100% weber blue agave.
What tequila is not gluten-free?
- Is Hornitos tequila gluten-free? According to their customer service:
‘Unfortunately, we are unable to share the gluten free status of our Hornitos products at this time, as the product and/or processing line has not been validated as gluten free.’
Popular Gluten Free Tequila Cocktail Recipes
- Tequila Shot: Swipe a wedge of lime around the top of a shot glass. Dip shot glass into salt to rim the glass. Pour 1 1/2 ounces of tequila into the shot glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
- Paloma: Pour 3 ounces grapefruit juice, 2 ounces reposado tequila, 1 ounce lime juice over ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake until cold. Strain into an old-fashioned glass then top with 2 ounces sparkling water. Garnish with a lime wedge.
- Tequila Soda: Pour 3 ounces reposado tequila over ice in a highball glass. Squeeze half a lime into the glass. Top with 5 ounces of sparkling water then stir to combine. Garnish with a few lime wheels.
- Bloody Maria (variation on the Bloody Mary): Swipe a wedge of lime around the top of a highball or pint glass. Dip the glass into a mixture of flakey salt and smoked paprika to rim the glass. Pour 4 ounces tomato juice and 2 ounces tequila, juice from 1 lemon, juice from 1 lime, 1/4 teaspoon tabasco (or other hot sauce), ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, pinch of ground pepper, pinch of salt, pinch of smoked paprika over ice in a cocktail shaker. Stir, taste then adjust seasonings, if necessary. Pour into the prepared glass. Garnish with lemon and lime wedges, olives, pickle spear, cucumber spear, carrot stick, pepperoncini and celery stalks, if desired. Please note that this recipe is not shown in the photos.
- Classic Margarita: Here's a gluten free margarita on the rocks recipe.
Thoughts on gluten free tequila
It’s very important that you always read the ingredients on the products that you purchase. Just because something like tequila would logically only include one ingredient, doesn’t make it so. You’d think that you wouldn’t need to dig deeper into the ingredients. But every company has a different way of handling and flavoring their products which allows for cross contamination.
Brands can and will change their manufacturing process/ingredients without notice so it’s best to be vigilant regarding ingredients and packaging.
If you have a gluten intolerance or suffer from celiac disease, then it’s best to read labels, research brands and use only those products which you trust.
Please keep in mind that this isn't a complete list of gluten free brands. I reached out to dozens of brands, and these are the brands that either responded or had gluten free statements on their websites by the time of publishing this post.
If you’re concerned about other products being gluten free, check out these posts.
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Drinks that are Gluten Free
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