Plant-Based Diet: Beer And Wine - Friend Or Foe?

Wine and beer are typically made from plant sources, such as grapes, yeast, wheat, barley, hops and water. However, during the fining process, animal products are often added to remove molecules that cause cloudiness, and unwanted textures, aromas and flavours. These animal products can include fish bladder, gelatin, chitin, egg whites, and isinglass. A trace of these animal products may remain in the wine or beer, making it unsuitable for those on a plant-based diet. However, some winemakers and brewers use plant-based fining agents, such as pea gelatine, moss, silica gel, silica clay, or kaolin, making their products suitable for those on plant-based diets.

Wine and beer can be processed using animal products, such as isinglass, egg whites, or gelatin

Wine and beer are often assumed to be vegan because they are made from grapes and yeast, or wheat or grain, respectively. However, animal products are sometimes used in the fining process, which clarifies and stabilises the drink, removing molecules that cause cloudiness and unwanted flavours and aromas.

Wine and beer can be processed using animal products such as isinglass, egg whites, or gelatin. Isinglass is a substance derived from the dried swim bladders of fish, and gelatin is often made from boiled animal bones, flesh, and ligaments. Egg whites are sometimes used in the fining process, and these are likely to come from chickens kept in cages and deprived of sunlight.

Vintners and brewers will use these animal products to ensure their wine or beer is crystal clear and smooth, with no unwanted textures, aromas, or flavours. While the fining agents are removed, a trace of the animal product may remain, making the drink unsuitable for those on a plant-based diet.

Some winemakers and brewers will use alternative fining agents, such as pea gelatine, silica gel, silica clay, or kaolin (a clay mineral). These wines and beers are suitable for vegans and those on plant-based diets.

Fining agents are added to wine to make it clear, fresh, and smooth

Fining agents are added to wine to remove molecules like phenolics, tartrates, and tannins, which are natural but can make the wine cloudy. These agents bind with the molecules in the wine, causing them to precipitate out of the wine, resulting in a clearer product. While some fining agents are plant-based, such as pea gelatine, silica gel, silica clay, or kaolin, others are animal-based. Animal-based fining agents include fish bladder gelatin and chitin (a crustacean shell polymer). Even if these animal-based agents are removed after the fining process, trace amounts may remain, making the wine unsuitable for those on plant-based diets.

The use of fining agents is not just about improving the appearance of the wine. They can also enhance the colour, odour, flavour, stability, and mouthfeel of the final product. For example, isinglass, derived from fish swim bladders, is a positively-charged fining agent that improves the mouthfeel of wine and effectively removes polyphenolic compounds, resulting in a clearer, polished wine. On the other hand, negatively-charged bentonite clay attracts and binds to positively-charged particles like dead yeast cells, and it can be added before or after fermentation.

While fining agents offer benefits, there is a risk of removing valuable aromatic molecules along with the undesirable matter. Premium wine producers may avoid or delay fining to retain more flavour and aroma from the phenols. Additionally, some countries, like Australia and New Zealand, require wine labels to disclose the use of fining agents that may be allergenic.

Some wines don't involve the fining process and use clay-based agents instead

Wines are made from grapes and yeast, and many people assume that all wines are suitable for plant-based diets. However, some wines contain animal products, which are added during the fining process. Fining agents are added to the wine to ensure it is clear, fresh, and smooth, and to remove any unwanted textures, aromas, and flavours. Many of these fining agents contain animal products, such as fish bladder gelatin and chitin (a crustacean shell polymer).

Some wines, however, do not involve the fining process and, therefore, do not contain animal products. Instead, these wines use clay-based agents to clarify and stabilize the wine. One such agent is bentonite clay, a type of very fine clay made from aluminium-silicate. Bentonite is highly effective at absorbing proteins and some bacteria, and it is commonly used in both red and white wines. It is particularly recommended for white wines as it inhibits haze caused by naturally occurring proteins in the juice. Another clay-based agent is silica clay, which is also suitable for plant-based diets.

It is important to note that while these clay-based agents are suitable for those following a plant-based diet, they may have other effects on the wine. For example, bentonite can reduce the colour of red wines by adsorbing anthocyanins. Therefore, it should be used in limited quantities in red wines.

Beer can be clarified using vegan-friendly moss

It is a common misconception that beer is entirely plant-based. In reality, many beers contain animal products. These are often added during the fining process, where clarifying agents are added to the beer to ensure it is clear, fresh, and smooth. Some brewers use animal products such as gelatin, chitin, or isinglass (made from fish bladder). However, strict vegans can still enjoy a beer, as brewers may use vegan-friendly moss as a fining agent.

Moss, specifically Irish moss, is a type of seaweed that has been used as a brewing additive for nearly 200 years. It is typically dark red, purple, or brown, and grows along the rocky Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America. During the brewing process, Irish moss is added in the last 10-20 minutes of the boil. The moss contains carrageenan, a thickening agent that attracts and binds to proteins and polysaccharides, causing them to coagulate and fall out of suspension. This results in a clearer beer.

When using Irish moss, it is important to carefully measure the recommended quantities in relation to the boil volume. Adding too much can negatively affect the small proteins responsible for head retention and reduce free amino acid levels, which are crucial for healthy yeast growth and clean fermentation. It is also important to note that while Irish moss can help clarify beer, it may not always result in a completely clear beer.

In addition to Irish moss, there are other vegan-friendly alternatives for clarifying beer, such as Biofine Clear (a vegan alternative to gelatin), silica gel, and silica clay. These options ensure that beer can be enjoyed by those following a plant-based diet without compromising on clarity and quality.

Hard liquors like bourbon, whiskey, vodka, gin, and rum are usually vegan

It is important to note that alcoholic drinks can contain surprising ingredients that make them unsuitable for vegans. Drink producers may incorporate animal derivatives in one of two ways: as an ingredient in the drink itself, or in the filtering process. This lack of transparency poses problems for those choosing to live cruelty-free.

The full extent of animal products in drinks is hard to quantify, as manufacturers in the UK are not required to list their ingredients for alcohol content higher than 1.2%. However, it is known that many wines are fined with animal products such as isinglass (fish bladder), egg whites, and milk protein.

Cream-based liquors, on the other hand, typically contain animal products unless stated otherwise. Baileys and Advocaat, for example, are well-known to contain dairy.

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