Nutrition Diet: What alcohol is not vegan friendly?

October 7, 2025 •

4 min read

Over 5 million people in the United States alone follow a vegan diet, yet many are unaware that animal products can be used in the production and clarification of alcoholic beverages. Understanding what alcohol is not vegan friendly is crucial for maintaining a strictly plant-based lifestyle, as many common drinks hide non-vegan ingredients or processing aids.

Quick Summary

Not all alcoholic drinks are vegan, as animal-derived ingredients or fining agents are often used in their production. This guide outlines the common culprits in beer, wine, spirits, and cocktails and explains how to find vegan-friendly options.

Key Points

Hidden Ingredients: Non-vegan ingredients are often used as processing aids for clarification and may not be listed on the label.
Fining Agents: Common animal-derived fining agents include isinglass (fish bladders), gelatin (animal bones), albumin (egg whites), and casein (milk protein).
Certain Beer Types: Traditional cask ales often use isinglass, while 'milk stouts' contain lactose.
Wine Production: Many wines are fined with animal products like egg whites or gelatin to improve clarity, making them non-vegan.
Cocktail Components: Cocktails can contain non-vegan ingredients like egg whites, cream, milk, honey, and anchovy-based Worcestershire sauce.
How to Check: Use online resources like Barnivore, look for certified vegan labels, and contact the manufacturer to verify vegan status.

Unexpected Animal Ingredients in Alcohol

While the base ingredients for many alcoholic beverages—such as grapes for wine or grains for beer—are plant-based, a number of animal-derived products can find their way into the final drink. These are most often used during a process called 'fining' or 'clarification,' which removes impurities to create a clearer, brighter liquid, or added as flavourings. Since alcohol labelling regulations are not as strict as those for food, these animal products may not be listed, making it difficult for consumers to identify non-vegan drinks.

Fining Agents

Fining agents are added to liquids to attract particles that cause cloudiness, helping them clump together and settle at the bottom of the tank. The fining agent is then filtered out, but traces can remain in the final product. Common non-vegan fining agents include:

Isinglass: Derived from the dried swim bladders of fish, traditionally sturgeon but now often catfish. It is frequently used in traditional cask ales and some white wines.
Gelatin: A protein obtained by boiling animal skin, bones, and tendons. It is used to clarify wine, beer, and cider.
Albumin: A protein from egg whites, most commonly used in fining red wines to soften tannins.
Casein: A protein derived from milk, used to clarify wine and give white wines their polished clarity.
Chitin: A fiber derived from the shells of crustaceans like crabs and lobsters, sometimes used as a fining agent.

Flavorings and Additives

Beyond fining, certain non-vegan flavourings and additives can be included directly in the recipe:

Honey: Used to sweeten mead, beers, and some spirits. Any product with 'honey' in its name is almost certainly non-vegan.
Lactose/Whey: These dairy-derived products are often added to 'milk stouts' and some craft beers to add sweetness and creamy texture.
Carmine: A red dye made from crushed cochineal insects, used to colour some red spirits and cocktails.

Beer: Not All Pints Are Created Equal

While most mass-produced lagers are vegan-friendly, the traditional British cask ale often uses isinglass for fining. The rise of craft beer has also introduced a wider array of non-vegan options, such as stouts brewed with lactose or specialty beers flavoured with honey. The hazy appearance of many modern craft beers is often a good sign, as it can indicate an unfined, and therefore potentially vegan, product.

Wine: The Challenge of Unlisted Ingredients

Wine is a particularly tricky area for vegans because fining agents do not have to be listed on the label. A winemaker might use egg whites, casein, or gelatin, but since these are considered 'processing aids,' they are filtered out and not disclosed as ingredients. Consumers must rely on products specifically labelled as 'vegan' or 'unfined/unfiltered'. Many wineries are moving towards using vegan-friendly fining agents like bentonite clay or charcoal, or forgoing fining altogether.

Spirits, Liqueurs, and Cocktails

Unflavoured, clear distilled spirits like vodka, gin, and rum are generally vegan. The distillation process naturally removes impurities, eliminating the need for animal-based fining agents. However, flavoured varieties are where caution is needed, as they can contain honey, cream, or other non-vegan additives.

Cocktails present their own set of challenges, often containing non-vegan ingredients:

Egg Whites: Used to create a foamy head in classic cocktails like a Whiskey Sour or Pisco Sour.
Cream or Milk: Found in cocktails like a White Russian or Grasshopper.
Honey: Used as a sweetener in many cocktails, such as a Bee's Knees.
Worcestershire Sauce: Traditionally contains anchovies and is an ingredient in a Bloody Mary.

Fortunately, there are vegan alternatives for many of these, such as using aquafaba (chickpea brine) instead of egg whites for foam.

Identifying Non-Vegan Alcohol: A Comparison

To simplify how to spot non-vegan alcohol, here is a comparison of common drinks and their potential animal-derived components.


Drink Type	Common Non-Vegan Ingredients / Processing Aids	Vegan Alternatives / Indicators
Cask Ale	Isinglass (fish bladders) for fining.	Most bottled or kegged beers, hazy craft beers, or beers explicitly marked as vegan.
Stouts	Lactose (milk sugar) in 'milk' or 'cream' stouts.	Vegan stouts using alternative ingredients for body and sweetness.
Mead	Honey (fermented).	Fruit-based ciders or meads clearly labeled as vegan.
Wine	Gelatin, casein, egg whites, isinglass for fining.	Wines labeled 'unfined' or 'unfiltered'; look for a vegan certification or check the manufacturer.
Cream Liqueurs	Milk or cream (e.g., Baileys).	Plant-based alternatives, often made with almond or oat milk bases.
Certain Red Spirits	Carmine (crushed cochineal insects).	Spirits that use plant-based colourings or are naturally coloured.
Cocktails	Egg whites, milk/cream, honey, anchovy-based Worcestershire sauce.	Use aquafaba for egg whites, plant-based milk/cream, maple syrup, and vegan Worcestershire sauce.

How to Find Vegan-Friendly Alcohol

Several methods can help you ensure your drink is vegan:

Check for Certification: Some products carry a vegan certification logo, such as the Vegan Trademark from The Vegan Society.
Use Online Resources: Websites and apps like Barnivore.com maintain an extensive, user-generated database of vegan alcohol products.
Contact the Manufacturer: If in doubt, the most reliable way to confirm vegan status is to directly ask the producer.
Read the Label Carefully: While not exhaustive, labels are required to list common allergens like milk and egg, which can offer clues. In the U.S., cochineal must also be listed.

Conclusion

The perception that all alcohol is vegan is a common misconception rooted in the fact that many of the non-vegan ingredients are not part of the final recipe but are used in the production process. From the isinglass in traditional beers to egg whites in certain wines and cocktails, animal products are surprisingly prevalent. By understanding the fining process and being aware of common non-vegan additives, consumers can make informed choices to align their beverage consumption with their vegan principles. Always remember to check for vegan labels, consult online resources, or contact the manufacturer to be certain your drink is animal-product free. The growing demand for vegan products means there are now more plant-based alternatives available than ever before.

Frequently Asked Questions

Some beers, particularly traditional cask ales, are not vegan because they use fining agents like isinglass, derived from fish bladders, to clarify the liquid. Other types, such as milk stouts, may contain lactose from dairy.

No, not all wines are vegan. Many winemakers use animal-derived fining agents like egg whites, casein (milk protein), or gelatin to remove sediment and create a clearer final product. The fining process is often not listed on the label.

Isinglass is a type of gelatin obtained from the dried swim bladders of fish. In brewing and winemaking, it is used as a fining agent to hasten the clarification process by attracting yeast and other particles, causing them to settle at the bottom.

Unflavoured distilled spirits like vodka, gin, and whisky are almost always vegan because the distillation process removes animal byproducts. However, check flavored spirits and liqueurs for ingredients like honey, cream, or carmine dye.

Many cocktails can be vegan, but many classic recipes contain non-vegan ingredients. Avoid those made with egg whites (like sours), cream (like White Russians), or honey. Ask for vegan substitutions, such as aquafaba instead of egg whites.

Mead is typically not vegan because it is an alcoholic beverage made from fermenting honey, which is an animal byproduct.

Yes, a cloudy craft beer is more likely to be vegan. The haze indicates that the brewer may have skipped the fining process entirely, allowing the beer to clarify naturally over time or opting for a purposefully unfiltered product.