Is it Vegan? Cruelty-Free Beer, Wine, and Liquor

Animal rights enthusiasts and activists know that shopping and dining out can be a hassle from time to time when it comes to finding options that are free of animal based products. As society progresses vegan options are becoming more abundant, but it is still incredibly easy to overlook some common processes that involve the use of animal. The number of alcoholic products adopting these animal-dependent filtration processes is relatively small, however vegans and vegetarians should be on the lookout for beer, wine, and various types of liquor that are made through the use of gelatin, isinglass, or egg whites. Luckily, most major alcohol brands implement cruelty-free practices, so here are some of the non-vegan products to watch out for.

Guinness

Isinglass is made from swim bladders found in fish, and it is used in the production of the famous dark stout known as Guinness. Isinglass is utilized in the filtration process to catch any impurities that might otherwise be present in the beer.

Barefoot Wine

Barefoot Wine is known for its affordability to the common wine drinker, however the brand is no stranger to the use of animal products in the manufacturing process. Barefoot has been known to use gelatin along with other types of animal protein in the refinement of the wine.

American Honey

Some vegans will choose not to be as strict about honey as other animal based products, however technically speaking, Wild Turkey American Honey whiskey is not vegan by definition. Most types of alcohol will display the use of honey directly on the label, or in this case, the name.

Four Roses Bourbon

While the ingredients in Four Roses Bourbon are seemingly cruelty-free, the bottle and packaging is not. Even things such as a leather label can classify a brand as non-vegan and is something to consider when making your next animal friendly purchase.