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Whether you’re newly vegan or long committed to the lifestyle, it’s often the small things that catch you out. While you might not expect beer to contain animal products, the fining stage used to process many types of beer uses a range of non-vegan-friendly solutions to create that bright, high-clarity finish.
If you’re looking for great beer that’s completely vegan, our guide is an excellent starting point. Read on to learn why some beers aren’t vegan, the types of vegan beer and some top tips for choosing the beer that best suits your palate.
The most fundamental components of most types of beer – namely water, malted barley, hops and yeast – are vegan when used by themselves for the production of beer. It’s entirely possible for beer to be vegan, but you’ll need to take the time to research whether a particular brand is. In some cases, additive ingredients are not included on the label of the beer you buy. Processing ingredients are even less likely to be listed, which may lead you to believe a product is vegan when it was actually made with animal products.
There are typically two reasons why a beer may not be vegan. Either additives have been introduced to change the taste or mouthfeel of the beer, or animal-derived fining agents have been used as part of processing.
Common additives in beer include lactose, which is more common in stouts, and honey, which is a popular addition to introduce more sweetness. Carmine can also be introduced to beer to create a distinctive red colour.
The other most common animal-derived additive in beer is fining agents. These are used to clarify the beer in casks, creating a clear finish. Some examples of animal products include:
A beer is vegan when it doesn’t contain any animal products or processing agents. While the fining agents we’ve listed above are popular solutions for maintaining clarity in cask ales and other beers, there are a range of options available that provide an animal-free alternative. These include:
At Birmingham Brewing, we use a unique enzyme to clarify our beer, offering the same bright finish without any animal products. Every beer in our range is both vegan and gluten-free thanks to this enzyme, as it also deglutinates in addition to being completely free of animal-derived additives.
One of the most popular forms of vegan beer is the classic lager, offering a light flavour profile and crisp taste that’s enjoyed in many a beer garden and home across the UK. Many lagers are vegan thanks to alternative filtration methods and plant-based finings being popularised over other traditional options. Stirchley Lager and Mild Brummie are the two classic vegan lagers we recommend from our range.
Vegan ale is a wide category encompassing many different options, from pale ales like our popular Pale Brummie to amber ales with real character, like the Gold Brummie. Like lagers, ales are available in vegan form, with bentonite clay or silica used as common filtration methods – in some cases, finings may even be left out altogether for that rustic finish. Our unique enzyme does twice the work by both clarifying and deglutinating in one.
Hoppy and bitter, India Pale Ale beers are available in a range of flavours, from classic hop-driven variants to fruity, crisp mixes. Many modern craft IPA beers leave behind the traditional fining agents in favour of contemporary solutions, including using silica-based finings or allowing the ale to settle naturally for a more rustic finish.
Deep, heavy and with a complex, roasted flavour, stout and porter are an intense choice for those that want to go beyond lagers and ales. Certain types of stout contain lactose, a milk sugar added during brewing to produce a signature sweet, full-bodied beer. Our Stout Brummie and Sober Brummie Stout give you the classic experience without any of the animal products for a satisfying and silky-smooth feel.
The best way to tell if a beer is vegan is by looking at its packaging. While many beers don’t list ingredients on the can, they typically will want to shout about vegan status – so keep an eye out for a symbol, such as the V-mark, or text stating that the beer is vegan. For cask and keg beer, where you won’t have a label to look at, you can check the brewer’s website to confirm if a particular product is vegan or not.
You can also directly contact the brewery to ask any questions about the composition and processes used for particular types of beer. Our team at Birmingham Brewing Company is on hand to answer any queries you have – get in touch with us directly today.
Choosing vegan beers doesn’t need to be difficult. Plenty of options exist, from light lagers to complex stouts. Some of our top tips for finding vegetarian- and vegan-friendly beers include the following:
Birmingham Brewing Company is the ideal place to find high-quality, locally brewed beer. As an independent brewery, all of our modern and flavourful beers are vegan, gluten-free and brewed using 100% renewable energy. If you’re looking for award-winning craft beer that’s also cruelty-free, we’re a great pick.
Shop our range of beers online today, from classic bitter and pale ale through to unique blends that surprise and delight. Our beers include something to suit all tastes, including alcohol-free options with our sober range.
