GF brewing

Sorry if this is a topic that has been posted before but I have not found a thread yet.

I am not brewing GF beer for myself, I have several family members that require GF beer so here is my question. I know that some people are highly gluten intolerant or down right allergic, and that cross contamination can be a problem, is this the same for beer with the boiling and alcohol involved. I have used all of my gear to brew regular beer with the exception of one primary bucket. If they are overly sensitive to gluten, will they see affects of it in a beer that I brew with gf products? How careful does one have to be to make sure those that cannot have gluten are safe?

It really depends on the person and your cleaning methods. Even amongst celiacs (who are allergic to gluten) there is a wide variation. My wife and her sister are both celiacs and can eat at the same place and have much different experiences. My wife might be fine because all the ingredients are gluten free and the pans and utensils used to cook were clean. Her sister might get sick because the spatula used scooped a gluten product a few dishwasher cycles back. I would talk to the people you plan to serve to and ask about their sensitivity. I use a dedicated gf fermenter and racking/bottling lines for my wife's beers, but there are probably some people who could react to the end product I make because I have brewed gluten products on the equipment before. People tend to know how sensitive they are. If they have separate cookware/utensils from non gf house members for regular cooking, then I'd take similar precautions for brewing.

I know my uncle says he can actually eat small amounts of gluten products before he begins to feel the effects of his celiac but I will have to ask my cousin how he reacts. I can do a primary only batch since I have a primary that has not been touched but all my lines and kegs have had regular beer in them so I am not sure if that will matter much. Now to find a good recipe!

Most of your plastic pieces are a no-no. Aluminum and stainless steel should be ok as long as you clean them well. I would recommend new bottles as well. (If you bottle)

In all honesty, its not wise to use the same equipment. Ask your relatives first. Use your best judgement.

I get gluten poisoned on a regular basis. Its just not worth it for me to chance it. Some can handle their gluten.

As far as gluten equipment goes, brewing and cooking are really the same. Is it OK for them to use a well-cleaned stockpot or plastic storage container that had gluten in it? Those would be pretty comparable to your brewkettle and fermenter. If you wash things properly there should be little to no gluten remaining.

Also consider one of my personal philosophies; if you can't get the gluten (or old coat- I also apply this to stripping paint!) off when you're really actively trying to remove it, then having it spontaneously slough off into the next brew (or under the next coat of paint) isn't likely. If you're really worried, wash and scrub everything out really well and then soak with a nice strong oxiclean (or similar) solution. Even the most gluten-sensitive people I know (and I know a lot these days) don't have a problem using dishes and silverware that have been cleaned properly. As has been said, sensitivities vary widely; Mdsram's sister-in-law would definitely be the most sensitive person I'd ever met.

My sister has celiac disease as well, but she won't be drinking age for almost a decade, but I'm curious, do the GF ingredients get milled like non GF grains?

Sure. Just finer and with a dedicated GF mill.