Christmas is a time to eat, drink and be merry – the vegan way! If this is your first vegan Christmas, you may be wondering what you can drink this festive season. If you’re a fan of beer, you’ve come to the right place – we have the lowdown on why some beers are not vegan friendly alongside some great recommendations for ones that are…
Why is some beer not vegan-friendly?
The ingredients typically found in beer are hops, water, yeast, and barley malt. All these ingredients are vegan friendly, so you might assume all beers are vegan friendly. However, this is sadly not the case.
Although beer is naturally vegan by ingredients, some producers choose to add finings, which are not vegan friendly, during the brewing process to filter the beer. The purpose of this is to remove organic compounds or improve clarity, aroma and flavour.
Finings are typically derived from animals and are therefore not vegan or cruelty-free. Substances used as finings include isinglass, which is derived from fish bladders, as well as casein from mammal milk, gelatine, egg whites, blood and other animal derived ingredients.
As well as finings, some beers also contain non-vegan ingredients such as honey, milk or eggs.
Where to buy vegan-friendly beers this Christmas
There are plenty of vegan-friendly beers available in supermarkets, convenience stores, pubs, restaurants and online. For a list of common vegan-friendly beers, check out our previous post, which goes into more depth on whether beer is vegan.
If you’re looking for something a little special, why not consider buying direct from a brewery?
Our recommendation: Joseph Holt Brewery
Joseph Holt has been brewing beers since 1849 and, as such, are experts at their craft. We love this brewery because almost all of their beers are vegan friendly. Of the nine bottled beers available to buy online, just one – Humdinger – is not suitable for vegans because it contains honey. All of the mini-kegs are vegan-friendly, with the exception of the mini bitter cask ale.
The great thing about Joseph Holt is that they care about being accessible to vegans. All of the product listings clearly state whether the item is vegan-friendly or not – and the vast majority are!
The brewery stocks something for every taste, including lagers, bitters, stouts and ales. Here are some of our top picks, click the image to find out more:
Joseph Holt Bitter Mini Keg
This popular 5L bitter mini keg is the original Holt’s Bitter. It’s big on bitterness with a deep clear amber colour and full white head. Available to enjoy at home for just £25.
Crystal Gold Lager 5L Mini Keg
This light, refreshing continental style lager is specially chilled in the brewery for three weeks, giving it a crisp and fresh taste. It’s available in a CO2 pressurised 5L mini keg to buy online for £29.
Northern Hop Pale Ale Mini Keg
Northern Hop pale ale has hoppy notes and a good deal of bitterness. It’s a crisp golden ale that marries conventional ale taste with a citrusy modern flavour perfectly. This 5L mini keg can be yours to enjoy at home for £30.
Diamond Lager Bottles
Diamond is a refreshing premium lager that is golden and clear with a crisp, sparkling head. It’s light and malty with a touch of sweetness combined with a hoppy bitterness. These bottles are priced at £16 for 8 x 500ml.
Manchester Brown Ale Bottles
Manchester Brown Ale is a beautiful chestnut brown colour with a nutty taste. It has a unique blend of roasted malt with a hint of molasses which gives it sugar and caramel notes. You can buy 8 x 500ml bottles for just £15.
Christmas Beer Cracker
This delightful Christmas beer cracker comes with a Joseph Holt bottle of your choice and a bottle opener keyring for just £5! With eight vegan-friendly beers to choose from, you can be sure to find the perfect bottle. Using the code: CRACKER, you can also get 3 for 2 on all beer and gin crackers – what a bargain!
If beer isn’t quite your thing, they also stock this range of vegan-friendly wines by Tall Horse, with a special offer of 4 bottles for just £33. There’s something to suit everyone here with red, rose and white wines.
Whether you’re a Merlot fan or prefer a sip of Sauvignon Blanc, there is something in this range of vegan-friendly wines to suit your palette.
With Joseph halt brewery, you can sit back and order your Christmas beers from the comfort of your own home online. For the full range of Joseph Halt beers, check out the online shop here.
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