You might know that animal products find their way into many of our day-to-day food items but wow – alcohol too? It’s unexpected but true that certain animal byproducts may be used in the processing of various alcohols, or as ingredients themselves. From milk to egg whites to fish bladder (yes, you read that right!), you’ll see the list is long and unusual! Let’s talk about what to watch out for when choosing your next drink.
Ingredients to avoid:
Dairy (including milk, cream, whey, casein, lactose)
Dairy products are sometimes added to liqueurs, cocktails, and other blended alcoholic drinks for a creamy, rich flavour.
Honey
Honey is sometimes used to sweeten cocktails. It’s also used in mead – a mildly alcoholic beverage made from fermented honey water.
Carmine
Look for phrases like “contains carmine” or “contains cochineal extract” on the label of your drink, because this means that the beverage contains cochineal dye, derived from… crushed insects. Yep.
Egg Whites
Albumin, a protein sourced from egg whites, is sometimes used in the fining of wine. Eggs are also added to some cocktails such as Whiskey Sours and Gin Fizz, so make sure you know your drink before taking a sip!
Isinglass
Isinglass is a type of gelatin obtained from the bladders of fish and used in the fining of ales. Strange as it may sound, it’s true. With advances in filtration technology, the use of isinglass has largely declined. However, just be aware that some craft breweries might still be using it.
Gelatin
Many people aren’t aware that gelatin is derived from animal bones and cartilage. It’s sometimes used as a fining agent in alcohol production, but the most obvious way to avoid it is to refrain from those jello shots!
Drinks to avoid:
When it comes to beer, avoid milk stouts, meads, honey beers, and cask ales as they contain some of the above ingredients.
When it comes to wine, avoid buying from the following brands as they are mostly non-vegan: Apothic, Barefoot Wine, Black Box Wines, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Franzia Wines, Sutter Homes, Robert Mondavi, and more. It’s always best to do some quick research on the brand before buying.
When it comes to spirits, be careful with cocktails as they can contain dairy, eggs, or cream. These are some of the classic cocktails that are not vegan: Grasshoppers, Mudslides, Bailey’s Irish Cream, Rumchata, White Russian, Eggnog, Whiskey Sour, and Gin Fizz.
Having read this list, you might be feeling a bit taken aback. But worry not, there are many vegan-friendly beers, wines, and spirits that you can still enjoy! Some companies even use the vegan symbol or text on the label to indicate that the drink is vegan. Barnivore is by far THE BEST community-run directory with an exhaustive list (over 47,000) of all the vegan and non-vegan alcohols in the market.
If you’re out at a bar, you can always ask your bartender whether any of the drinks on offer are vegan-certified or vegan-friendly. At the very least, it might lead to an interesting discussion.
Cheers!
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