You may think that the beer and wine you plan on having at the weekend does not contain anything from animals, though this is not necessarily so.
Why might it not be vegan?
Aside from the obvious products, like Baileys not being vegan, there are even drinks that aren't considered vegetarian, including not so obvious drinks like beer and cider.
A common animal product is isinglass. Used in the process rather than as an ingredient, its used as a filter in some beer, cider and wine. It comes from fish bladders, often sturgeons.
Egg is sometimes used in the collection of yeast in the production of some wines. Filtering, across other alcoholic drinks too, is done with gelatine also.
An issue that comes up often with other foods is the colour also. Carmines are little insects that are crushed to produce colours across the red and pink spectrum.
How can I tell if my drink is vegan?
The good news is that there are many drinks available that are vegan. Brands like Guinness and Old Mout produce vegan products.
Of course, manufactures change recipes, so its worth checking frequently that your favourite vegan drink still is.
The website Barnivore is most helpful in this pursuit. Its huge database outlines what drinks are vegan, so its very useful as a resource. Its free to use to.
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