For someone who likes to drink alcohol after a long day and also likes the taste of tea, you must have heard of Twisted Tea. For those who don’t know, it is a malt beverage manufactured by the Boston Beer Company for those who don’t like the taste of beer. Since it is a malt beverage, it contains gluten, but that is not always the case.
People who like a gluten-free diet must know the importance of gluten-free food. However, drinks also contain gluten; many ignore this fact and face problems like celiac disease. Let’s go ahead and see what twisted tea is, where it comes from, and its gluten-free alternatives.
What Is Twisted Tea?
The original version of twisted tea contains hard iced tea with a slight twist of lemon. Some varieties of twisted tea are composed of malt, and thus they have gluten. They also contain whiskey, so you can expect some alcohol in them. The main reason why people prefer twisted tea over beer is because of its flavor. Compared to beer, twisted tea is less bitter, sweeter, and fruitier—something everyone would like in a refreshing drink.
While it can be an excellent alternative to beer, you won’t get the same alcoholic effects from twisted tea. If you want to get wild at a party, drinking this tea won’t help much. This drink is more suitable for those who like to spend their evening with family and have a barbecue.
Common Ingredients of a Twisted Tea
The main ingredient of twisted tea is the tea itself, made from the Camellia sinensis plant. It is gluten-free, so if you try the original twisted tea, it won’t contain any gluten. The second ingredient of this alcoholic beverage is maltodextrin; corn, rice, and potatoes are the main ingredients of this carbohydrate. And this is also gluten-free, so you can enjoy the refreshing taste without problems.
The third component is citric acid, which preserves and enhances the drinks’ flavors. Also, its sour taste reduces the sweetness of drinks because of the sugar that companies add to them to make them sweet.
You can find different flavors in twisted tea, most of which are gluten-free. As long as this drink has no malt, it stays gluten-free. However, the taste of all these ingredients is not great for your taste buds. So, companies brew wine and malt to add to this drink and make it worthy of being a beer alternative.
In other words, if you add malt alcohol to your regular twisted tea, you’ll get an alcoholic beverage that you can drink easily. Remember that it is not just this particular beverage; all malt beverages contain gluten.
Twisted Tea Side Effects
Even if you get a gluten-free variant of this tea, it still has some side effects you should be aware of.
- The first thing to watch out for is the caffeine in twisted tea. If you drink lots of it, you might get dehydrated. So, drinking lots of water after consuming twisted tea is better. Additionally, do not drink twisted tea at night, as caffeine will cause sleeplessness.
- Headaches are also common after drinking twisted tea but not severe. Also, they will go away once you start eating something. Additionally, anxiety and jitters are not common side effects, but they might happen.
- Also, twisted tea has alcohol, and you’ll get high if you drink lots of it.
What Is Gluten?
It’s not that gluten is harmful to health, but many people have an immune reaction, and gluten is responsible for triggering it. Gluten is a protein naturally occurring in wheat and other grains. It acts the same way as glue, holds things together, and won’t let them separate.
Since there is no way to remove gluten from food, any beverage with wheat or other grains will contain gluten. The only way to avoid this is to opt for naturally gluten-free foods and alcoholic drinks made from those foods.
Why Is Gluten Dangerous?
Commonly, people think gluten is dangerous, but it is not harmful to everyone. Those with a weak immune system can have problems consuming gluten regularly. The most common problem is celiac disease, a long-term immune disorder.
On the other hand, if you don’t have such problems, you should decrease your consumption of foods and drinks containing gluten. Ever wonder why many supplements specifically mention that they are gluten-free? Because they want to assure their customers about the safety of their products.
What Is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease occurs when gluten enters your small intestine and damages its intestinal lining. It results in fatigue, bloating, diarrhea, weight loss, and many other problems. Anyone experiencing the symptoms of celiac disease must avoid gluten since it is the main reason behind it.
Furthermore, people experiencing celiac disease might also face inflammatory and autoimmune responses. However, it all depends on how much gluten you consume and how long you have consumed it. A gluten-free diet is best to treat these problems.
What Is Malt?
Cereal grains are the main ingredients of malt (malted barley) and are one of the most common components in alcoholic beverages. However, many drinks have distilled malt, which is gluten-free, making them safe for those sensitive to gluten. The problem is that this tea has gluten, regardless of which flavor you try, unless you get the original flavor without malt, which will be non-alcoholic.
Is Twisted Tea the Same as Beer?
Twisted tea might have the same effects as beer because of the alcohol in it, but it won’t be that strong. It is carbonated, but it won’t hit your throat like beer. Additionally, it has a much better taste and is available in multiple flavors.
Twisted tea has a maximum of 4% alcohol, which is not enough to make you drunk. However, consuming four or five cans of this beverage can do the job. And this can be the best drink for beginners, especially those who want to party but don’t want to get drunk.
Do Twisted Teas Have Vodka in Them?
You can find two variants of twisted tea. The stronger version has 5% alcohol, and the lighter version has 4% alcohol. Since the main idea of this beverage is to enjoy the fruit flavors with little alcohol, people prefer to drink the 4% version. You might not be able to find a twisted tea with vodka, but you can make one if you want.
For this, you’ll need sweet tea, vodka, and water. Add lemon and ice to a bottle with sweet tea vodka to create twisted tea. It will be much more robust, but you can use low-concentration alcohol to reduce the drunken effect.
Does Twisted Tea Get You Drunk?
Many people try this tea at the end of a weekend to relax, but they don’t reach that level of losing their senses. The number one reason is using less than 5% alcohol. On the other hand, if you aren’t a lightweight, twisted tea can’t get you drunk, even after six or seven bottles. Since this drink contains lemon and mint for freshness, it is better enjoyed as a refreshing drink while enjoying your time.
Check out: Does Tea Help With Hangovers?
Do All Twisted Tea Flavors Contain Gluten?
Twisted tea has different flavors like blueberry, original, extra sweet, mango, peach, light, and more. Having one beverage in multiple flavors is excellent, but the bad news is that they all contain gluten. What’s more, you don’t have any way to remove the gluten from this beverage.
On the other hand, if you want to enjoy twisted tea for its refreshing taste, try the original flavor. However, the mango flavor is the best if you crave extra sweetness in your drinks. Additionally, the half-and-half flavor is for those who like a mixture of sweet and tangy tastes.
Twisted Tea Alternatives
People like this tea mainly because of its taste, which makes it the best beer alternative. However, the gluten in these drinks makes them the worst option for people with a weak immune system. Even a single bottle of this drink can cause them problems. So if what they like is an alternative that contains alcohol, is sweet, and doesn’t have any gluten, we have the perfect options for them.
- Owl’s Brew
Owl’s Brew is the best drink if you don’t want something extra sweet but refreshing. This freshly brewed organic tea contains alcohol from fermented sugar, fruit juices, and cane sugar. Don’t worry; even after this much sugar, it doesn’t taste extra sweet. You can easily drink four or five cans of this beverage without getting drunk. However, it does contain 5% of alcohol, so yeah, after five cans, you’ll feel yourself getting light.
- Lemonade Spiked Tea
Fishers Island is famous for its cocktails, which are mainly available in cans, but in 2021, they started selling this beverage without gluten. It contains 7% ABV, making you lose yourself after four cans. However, you can eat something to keep yourself in check or take a break between drinks to stay in your senses.
- Whiskey Peach Tea
Another beverage with 7% alcohol and a bit of mint and fuzz, this tea is perfect for summer, a barbecue, or a beach party. As long as you have something good to eat with this tea, you’ll have a fantastic time enjoying its freshness and flavor.
Final Words
All flavors of twisted tea contain gluten, but you can find some gluten-free variants. Furthermore, you can check the tea’s label; if it contains whole grain, it will have gluten. The best is to avoid such beverages if you are a heavy drinker and try their alternatives with different flavors.
