Is Beer Vegan?

Be it lagers or stouts, humans have been enjoying the comforts of ice-cold beer for over 6,000 years and counting. Intoxicating, tasty, and refreshing, this sharable libation is for everybody. Or is it? The vegan diet is a lifestyle dedicated to consuming only plant-based foods and beverages, which means vegans should be able to drink beer with their carnivorous counterparts. Surprisingly though, not all beer is vegan.

A barebones beer is made of water, hops, barley, and yeast, all of which are vegan foodstuffs. However, in the age of craft beers and flavor-infused brews, additional ingredients are often incorporated to infuse those hops with a trim of sophistication that appeals to the discerning drinker. However, those added ingredients aren't always plant-based. Some brews contain lactose — the sugar present in milk — to give it a smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Although it makes for a uniquely delicious sipping experience, it's not vegan-friendly. Other beers might contain gelatin, which is derived from animal collagen, to clarify the brew during the fining process. Bone char — animal bones that have been heated at high temperatures — is occasionally used to filter out any impurities in beer. Brews may also include honey as a sweetener, which isn't considered vegan because it is an animal byproduct. And watch out for milk or oyster stouts!

Although not all beers are appropriate for vegans, many of them are. However, the American Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Trade Bureau doesn't require breweries to include nutrition labels or ingredient lists on their product packaging, which makes finding vegan beer tricky. Luckily, regardless of not having the official labeling, there are plenty of beers that have been certified as vegan.

Many affordable domestic beers like Miller Lite, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Coors Light, and Budweiser aren't just vegan, but they're total American classics that never go out of style. If you prefer the zesty kick of a Mexican beer, Dos Equis, Modelo, Pacifico, and Tecate are all plant-based brews — just don't forget a lime. Feeling crafty? Opt for Guinness (the most popular beer in America), which removed isinglass — fish collagen — from its recipe in 2016, making it 100% vegan. If you prefer the strong stuff, grab a Lagunitas IPA, which doesn't use any animal products and contains enough hops to be mistaken for a garden.

The reality is that more beers are vegan than not, and this humble list of plant-based beers is a drop in the bucket. If you're unsure if your favorite brew is plant-based, Barnivore is a vegan alcohol guide available online and in the app store that gives you the cold-hard facts on your favorite hard beverages. And if you're surprised to find that not all beer is vegan, just wait until you hear about wine.