Find out if Grand Marnier contains gluten and if folks on a gluten-free diet can safely enjoy this orange-flavored liqueur.
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Grand Marnier is an orange liqueur that is made in France. This liqueur has a base of cognac and has a distilled essence of bitter orange and sugar added to it.
This liqueur was created in 1880 just outside Paris in a city called Neauphle-le-Château. According to the Grand Marnier website, the name comes from Cesar Ritz, the founder of the Ritz Hotel, who was quoted as saying “A grand name for a grand liqueur!” in response to his friend Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle’s new liqueur.
Read on: What is Grand Marnier?
Read on: What does Grand Marnier taste like?
What is gluten?
Gluten is a protein that’s found in wheat and wheat-related grains. This can include wheat, barley, rye, kamut, farro, and spelt. For folks who cannot break down this protein in their diet, it’s important to know which types of alcohol are safe to consume regularly.
Some alcohol contains gluten while others don’t, which is why it’s helpful to look at each type of alcohol and brand with a close eye. Beer contains gluten and should be avoided on a gluten-free diet, but some other alcohols like whiskey, gin, scotch, and bourbon are generally okay to drink while gluten-free.
This is due to the fact that gluten gets distilled out of the final alcohol and what gluten was present in the malted barley in the beginning gets completely removed during distillation. This is helpful to know with all alcohol you might be drinking on a gluten-free diet.
As for liqueurs, this can be a little more tricky. Since there are no regulations around disclosing ingredients in alcoholic beverages, liquor producers don’t have to share what goes into their final products.
Is Grand Marnier gluten-free?
Grand Marnier is made with distilled cognac, bitter orange essence, and sugar. We know that all three of these ingredients are naturally safe for a gluten-free diet, so we can say for certain that this liqueur is gluten-free and okay to enjoy if you are trying to stay away from gluten in your diet.
If you are gluten intolerant or Celiac, this is one liqueur you can feel confident about adding to your home bar without issues.
What drinks can I make with Grand Marnier?
If you’re excited to know that Grand Marnier is in fact gluten-free, look no further than these 40 Grand Marnier cocktails that make the most of this delicious orange liqueur.
Find recipes for Amaretto Sidecar, Cadillac Margarita, Cosmopolitan, and Grand Champagne Cocktails – among many more.
I hope if you follow a gluten-free diet that this information has been helpful for you. Know that with any liqueur, you can do your own research at home to find out if a brand has gluten and if you can’t find out from the manufacturer themselves, then ask around in the gluten-free community to help you get an answer from others who have navigated this already.