Is beer vegan? Why not all beer is vegan and the UK’s top vegan-friendly beers (plus ones to avoid!)

We all know the obvious foods to avoid on a vegan diet such as meat and dairy, but have you ever wondered is beer vegan? You might be surprised to learn that despite seemingly being free of animal products, not all beer is vegan. Here’s why…

Sadly, not all beer is made equal, but thankfully, there’s a high chance your favourite tipple is cruelty-free.

For many people, cracking open a can of beer at the end of a long day is a favourite way to unwind. However, you might be shocked to learn that some beer isn’t suitable for vegans.

As a rule, the main ingredients used to make beer are water, hops (the flowers of the hop plant, humulus lupulus), yeast and grain (usually barley, but sometimes wheat, rice, millet or corn).

However, some breweries may add further ingredients derived from animals – or use manufacturing processes – that make the end product unsuitable for vegans.

In this article, you will learn:

• Why is beer not vegan?
• Which ingredients in beer are not vegan?
• Animal ingredients in beer
• Vegan beer fining agents
• Is lager vegan?
• How can you tell if beer is vegan?
• Which common beers are vegan?
• What beer can vegans not drink?
• Is Guinness vegan?

Why is beer not vegan?

Before you take a refreshing sip, it’s essential you find out how your beer was made. 

There are many stages in the beer brewing process, but filtration plays a key part. Filtering removes any sediment left after fermentation (like yeast, tannins and large proteins) that may alter the taste and appearance of the final product. 

Unfortunately, some companies still use gelatine (a protein made from boiled animal body parts) or isinglass (a type of collagen obtained from the dried swim bladders of fish) as filters, making their product unsuitable for vegans.

Thankfully, this is an old-fashioned method, with many brands now opting for more modern – and cruelty-free – filtration systems.

Dried albumen (from egg whites) was also once used to clarify beer, but this is even less common these days.

Which ingredients in beer are not vegan?

There are a number of animal ingredients lurking in beers that might come as a surprise to beer drinkers. These animal-derived ingredients are used in beer production for various purposes such as clarification, foam stability, sweetness, and flavor enhancement.

Lactose is a sugar found naturally in milk, and it’s sometimes added to beer to make it sweeter. This is because – unlike most other sugars – lactose can’t be fermented so it doesn’t convert to alcohol during the manufacturing process.

Historically, lactose was only added to milk stout, but some craft breweries are now experimenting by using it in other beers to change the flavour profile.

Certain beers can also contains honey – which may not be obvious from the label – but if the beer’s name has ‘honey’ in it, it’s highly likely to contain it.

Occasionally, castoreum (a secretion from the castor sacs of mature beavers) might be used as ‘natural flavouring’ in beer. However, this isn’t standard practice and may be more likely in specialist craft brews. So, be aware if you’re a fan of more unusual beverages.

Animal ingredients in beer

Here’s a list of common animal ingredients found in beer that you need to watch out for:

• Isinglass: Isinglass is a substance obtained from the dried swim bladders of fish, typically sturgeon. It is used in beer production as a fining agent to clarify the beer by removing yeast and other particles, resulting in a clearer appearance.
• Gelatin: Gelatin is derived from animal collagen, often sourced from cow or pig bones, skin, and connective tissues. It is used as a fining agent in beer to help clarify the liquid by binding to particulate matter and yeast, aiding in their removal during filtration.
• Albumin: Albumin is a protein derived from animal sources such as egg whites or blood serum. It is used as a foaming agent in beer production to improve the stability and texture of the beer’s foam head.
• Casein: Casein is a protein found in milk and dairy products. In beer production, it is occasionally used as a fining agent to clarify the beer by binding to suspended particles and yeast, aiding in their precipitation and removal.
• Lactose: Lactose is a sugar derived from milk. While not commonly used in traditional beer production, lactose may be added to certain styles of beer, such as milk stouts, to impart sweetness and creaminess to the finished product.
• Honey: Honey is a natural sweetener produced by bees from flower nectar that is used to flavour beer or to form the basis of mead or honey ales.
• Chitosan: Chitosan is a polysaccharide derived from the shells of crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs. It is sometimes used in beer production as a fining agent to help clarify the beer by binding to yeast and other particles, facilitating their removal during filtration.
• Whey: Whey is a protein-rich liquid that is separated from milk during the cheese-making process. While not a common ingredient in traditional beer production, whey may be used in certain beer styles to give a creamy texture to the finished product

Vegan beer fining agents

With the increasing demand for vegan-friendly products, many breweries are opting for alternative fining agents and additives to cater to the growing vegan consumer base. These include:

• Bentonite: Bentonite is a clay mineral derived from volcanic ash. It is widely used in beer production as a fining agent to clarify the beer by binding to suspended particles and proteins, facilitating their precipitation and removal during filtration.
• Irish Moss: Irish moss, also known as carrageenan, is a type of seaweed. It is used as a fining agent in beer production to help clarify the beer by coagulating proteins and other particles, aiding in their removal during the brewing process.
• PVPP (Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone): PVPP is a synthetic polymer that is commonly used as a fining agent in beer production. It works by adsorbing polyphenols and tannins, helping to reduce haze and improve beer clarity without affecting flavor.
• Silica Gel: Silica gel is a porous form of silicon dioxide derived from silica. It is used as a fining agent in beer production to help remove haze-causing compounds and improve beer clarity.
• Activated Carbon: Activated carbon, also known as activated charcoal, is a form of carbon that has been treated to increase its adsorptive properties. It is used in beer production as a fining agent to remove unwanted colours, flavours, and odors by adsorbing impurities from the beer.
• Pectinase: Pectinase is an enzyme derived from various sources such as fungi or bacteria. It is used in beer production to break down pectin, a complex polysaccharide found in fruits, helping to prevent haze formation and improve beer clarity.

These vegan-friendly fining ingredients serve similar purposes to their animal-derived counterparts, aiding in the clarification and stabilisation of beer without the use of animal products.

Is lager vegan?

Fact fans – beer is either classified as lager or ale. They both start out with the same four main ingredients (water, hops, yeast and grain), but the brewing processes are different – lager is fermented slower, at cooler temperatures, while ale is fermented faster, at warmer temperatures.

When it comes to determining whether lager is vegan, it largely depends on the brewing process and the ingredients used. Traditional lagers, made from barley, hops, yeast, and water, are typically considered vegan-friendly as they avoid animal-derived components.

However, some lagers, such as honey-infused or lactose-containing lagers, may include animal ingredients for flavour.

So, whether you prefer lager or ale (like IPA or stout), you still need to check for additional animal-derived ingredients, or a non-vegan filtration process.

Are you newly vegan? Here’s what you need to know about popular foods:

• Is Nutella vegan?
• Is bread vegan?
• Is pasta vegan?
• Is honey vegan?

How can you tell if beer is vegan?

Frustratingly, UK law states that ingredients don’t have to be listed on packaging for beers stronger than 1.2% ABV. However, allergens must be declared, which includes milk products like lactose.

Although fish is classed as an allergen, it’s exempt when used in the form of isinglass for filtration, so it won’t be obvious from a beer’s packaging if isinglass has been used.

The safest way to check if your beer is suitable for vegans is to go directly to the company. Be aware that some of their products may be vegan-friendly, while others won’t, so confirm each individual product with them.

You can also search on Barnivore, a global vegan alcohol directory, and The Vegan Society has an extensive list of beers which have been trademarked as vegan in the UK.

Heads up – a brand of beer might be vegan in the UK, but not in another country (and vice versa) as local breweries are often used, with differing manufacturing techniques. For example, in the UK Coor’s Light isn’t suitable for vegans, but it is in Canada.

To make matters even more confusing, breweries offer different variants of the same beer which aren’t always vegan. For example, the normal version of Coor’s is vegan in the UK, while the Light version isn’t.

If you’re at a pub or bar, your server should be able to tell you if there any allergens (like lactose) in your chosen drink. However, they’re unlikely to know how the beer was filtered, so it’s best to be prepared and Google for yourself.

Which common beers are vegan?

The following beverages have been confirmed as vegan (in the UK), at time of publishing. FYI, this list is not exhaustive, so get in touch with the manufacturer if your favourite brew isn’t featured.

Love a jazzy pale ale? There are lots of craft beers which are vegan-friendly – there are too many to feature here!

• Amstel
• Bavaria
• Beck’s, Beck’s Blue, Beck’s Gold, Beck’s Vier
• Birra Moretti, Birra Moretti Zero
• Budweiser, Bud Light and Budweiser Zero
• Carlsberg
• Cobra
• Coor’s
• Corona
• Desperados
• Erdinger Weissbier, Erdinger Alkoholfrei
• Estrella Damm
• Grolsch
• Guinness
• Heineken, Heineken 0.0
• Hoegaarden
• Newcastle Brown Ale
• Peroni, Peroni Gluten Free, Peroni 0.0%
• Red Stripe
• San Miguel
• Skol
• Sol
• Stella Artois
• Tennent’s, Tennent’s Light, Tennent’s Zero
• Tiger Beer
• Tuborg
• Tyskie

What beer can vegans not drink?

At time of publishing, the following drinks sold in the UK were confirmed to be unsuitable for vegans, due to their manufacturing processes:

• Carling
• Coor’s Light
• Foster’s
• Kronenbourg

Additionally, if you’re a fan of craft beer, it’s best to check direct with individual breweries whether they offer vegan beers.

While not all beer is vegan, we’ve definitely got plenty to glug, so bottoms up, and don’t forget to drink responsibly…

Is Guinness vegan?

If you enjoy a glass of this Irish dry stout you’ll be pleased to hear that Guinness is now suitable for vegans following a recipe change in 2016.

For over a century, manufacturers Digaeo used isinglass to filter the drink during the manufacturing process, but announced it would be implementing a new filtration system to eliminate this non-vegan ingredient.

Now, all varieties Guinness, including kegs and bottles, are vegan-friendly.

Now you know all about beer, it’s time to find out if wine is vegan.