Everyone enjoys a pint of delicious beer, whether it’s at the end of a long day at work or at a gathering with friends. However, for those who are vegan, it can be difficult to know what beer is suitable to drink because not many beers are vegan-friendly. So how can you tell what beer is vegan-friendly? Read on to find out the answer to that question, as well as more information about the ingredients used to make beer.
So, is all beer vegan? In short no, not all beer is vegan. Predominantly the ingredients used in beer are vegan, such as wheat, grain and barley, but the ways in which certain beers are created make them non-vegan-friendly. Beers may use products such as fish, dairy or gelatin so it’s important to check for vegan certification before consuming.
Read on to find out which beers are vegan, what makes them not vegan and some delicious examples of vegan beers.
Can Vegans Drink Beer?
Yes, vegans can drink some beers but only the ones that have been vegan-certified. Beers are commonly made from a mixture of water, barley, yeast and hops which are all vegan but the brewing process that some breweries use includes products that are not vegan-friendly.
Why Isn’t Lager Vegan
Lager isn’t vegan because during the brewing process certain types of lager will use animal products. There are certain products that you should look at when choosing your beer; we’ve highlighted below some of the most common ones found in beer brewing:
Isinglass
This is not a commonly known non-vegan product but it is used within the brewing industry. Isinglass is a substance which is taken from the dried swim bladders of fish and is used for fining alcoholic beverages helping to leave beer clear. Isinglass is commonly used as a fining agent as it works to settle beer and yeast proteins quickly and repeatedly.
Gelatin
Gelatin is another example of a non-vegan product used within the beer industry for the brewing process. It is also a type of fining and is used exactly the same as isinglass.
Dairy
Although not often the case, some forms of lactose can be found within beers in order to increase the richness of the drink. Lactose is especially common in dark beers such as cream stouts and milk stouts.
What Beer is Suitable for Vegans?
Skinny Lager and Skinny IPA are amongst the few beers in the UK certified vegan by The Vegan Society. While beers such as Cobra, Estrella, Tiger, Budweiser and Stella Artois are sometimes reported as vegan in articles across the internet, they are NOT certified vegan by the Vegan Society.
Additionally, if you are looking for a beer that covers other dietary requirements or are looking for a health-conscious beer it’s important to check its contents. This is because the beer may be vegan but this does not guarantee that it will be lower in calories or cover other benefits such as being gluten-free. If you’re looking for a beer that covers all these areas, our Skinny Lager and Skinny IPA are vegan, gluten-free and have a lower calorie content as we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy a delicious pint of beer.
How To Tell If Beer is Vegan?
The easiest way to check whether a beer is vegan or not is to refer to the The Vegan Society’s website or the beer’s label. If the beer is vegan it should have an approved vegan certification on the label. However, if the beer does not contain the label it can be trickier to be sure. This is because the ingredients list will most likely not include finings products which are where a lot of the non-vegan products are used.
Therefore, checking The Vegan Society’s website is the best way of ensuring you are drinking vegan beer. The rigorous testing beer goes through to get the vegan certification guarantees its credibility.
Vegan-Friendly Lager at SkinnyBrands
At SkinnyBrands we’re proud to offer a delicious lager that is vegan, gluten-free, kosher and only 89 calories per bottle. Brewed using the finest ingredients we use vegan-friendly methods to brew our lager making us vegan-certified by the Vegan Society.
If you want to try our lager, check out our products.
