Would you drink cloudy vegan beer?

[VeryPC]

Hi all,

 

As I'm sure many of you already know, most beer is not vegetarian. It uses in the brewing process a product called Isinglass, made from the swim bladder of fish, which helps clarifies beer by precipitating fine particulates making them easier to filter. However, the step of clarifying beer is not essential, it's only done for aesthetic purposes because the general consensus is that clear beer is more appetising in appearance.

 

This BBC news story popped up in my Google recommendations on my tablet and got me thinking. I thought I'd try and find out what the EduGeek community thinks about this as I know for a fact we have plenty of real ale fans (I've even had the pleasure of enjoying a glass or two of the golden brown stuff with some of you at events).

 

The fishy ingredient in beer that bothers vegetarians - BBC News

 

Vegan breweries propose that eschewing isinglass by leaving the clarification step out of beer brewing does no harm to the beer and may even result in a better tasting beer because none of the flavour particles get removed. Other breweries use alternative non animal products to clarify their beer instead, but is this even necessary - should we care if our beer is cloudy?

 

I, personally, have no problem with a cloudy ale. It only took my first tasty german weissbier to rid me of the prejudice that cloudy = gone off. I've also learnt, via a couple of very unpleasant sour mouthfuls, that bad beer lets you know about it via taste, not apperance. I should point out that I am an omnivore, so I have no particular agenda in this argument, but I figure why add an animal product just for aesthetic purposes and exclude vegetarians and vegans from your customer base? If all beer was vegan we could all drink it - seems like a good result to me.

 

Yeah, I get that big breweries are going to be squeamish about not clarifying their beer, afraid to lose customers because they reckon they all want a nice clear beer, but what is your personal opinion? Ale drinkers of EduGeek - vote above and chime in below please.

 

A personal contribution from Al at VeryPC - opinions my own etc etc yadehyah.

Edited September 19, 2016 by VeryPC
Correction: Beer does not 'contain' Isinglass, it's used in the brewing process

[Joanne]

I would be fine drinking cloudy beer. I think it makes it more interesting if it's cloudy!

[VeryPC]

Agreed - interesting beers please.

 

Al

[3s-gtech]

For many of the little old fashioned breweries, cloudy beer should be much more popular. It hides the bits of badger, pigeon and mouse that fell in the vat during the processing, giving it that special tang when you wake up the morning after drinking it.

 

/Idoactuallylikebeer

[Joanne]

Having had numerous tours at my local brewery, I know that this wouldn't happen!

[korifugi]

As someone who's profile on Untappd looks more like a pokemon go profile - I've no problem with beer being cloudy.

 

Certainly as it's a purely aesthetic thing. True, it'll mean golden ales may be less golden (I'd suspect a move to isinglass alternative there though), but for the sake of some browns or darks, it'll barely be noticeable.

 

I suspect the general populace may prefer clear beer though.

[mjk]

A couple of points

 

Beer does not 'contain' isinglass. The point of isinglass is that is causes yeast/proteins to precipitate with the isinglass. Thus isinglass is used in the process of brewing but isn't in the final product. This affects vegetarians decisions differently.

 

With a decent (cool) cellar and proper care settling you should be able to clear even the cloudiest beers (not withstanding wheat beers). Unfortunately publicans like this are few and far between so breweries are forced to add some sort of clearing agent. It's usually a rushed processes (not tapping a lively beer sufficiently far in advance) that causes the cloudiness.

 

So IMO you don't 'need' the finings but they WILL help to sell beer - or stick to making stouts.

[crispybits]

It's usually a rushed processes (not tapping a lively beer sufficiently far in advance) that causes the cloudiness.

 

Just out of curiosity do you know how far in advance tapping should be before the pulling of the frist pint from the barrel? The only ever pub I worked at many many moons ago used to insist on 36 hours at least but I don't know if that would count as sloppy or over-cautious or just about right?

[mjk]

it really depends upon the beer, 36 hrs should be fine - but if you've got something lively or unfined you'd have to leave it longer if you have space and you know you'll sell it in a couple of days it's not going to hurt leaving it longer.

[VeryPC]

A couple of points

 

Beer does not 'contain' isinglass. The point of isinglass is that is causes yeast/proteins to precipitate with the isinglass. Thus isinglass is used in the process of brewing but isn't in the final product. This affects vegetarians decisions differently.

 

With a decent (cool) cellar and proper care settling you should be able to clear even the cloudiest beers (not withstanding wheat beers). Unfortunately publicans like this are few and far between so breweries are forced to add some sort of clearing agent. It's usually a rushed processes (not tapping a lively beer sufficiently far in advance) that causes the cloudiness.

 

So IMO you don't 'need' the finings but they WILL help to sell beer - or stick to making stouts.

You're correct of course - "used in the brewing process" is what i should have said rather than "contains" (I'll edit that).

 

The article does contain a contribution that states most beers can be cleared by standing for longer yes, but it seems that a bit of cloudiness does no harm anyway. I don't want to be drinking barrel bottom sludge, but I'd be happy with something lke a cloudy pale ale with a similar appearance to weissbier for example.

 

Al

[CAM]

Can't say it's ever crossed my mind, but I do tire of people wanting to deny themselves something then insisting others follow their lead and complaining when they can't have everything they want. In which case I'll take a medium rare steak with my crystal clear beer please.

[localzuk]

As my favourite beer is Erdinger, I have no issue with this! Then again, I don't drink alcohol now, so I'll stick with the Alcohol Free Erdinger!

[sted]

Can't say it's ever crossed my mind, but I do tire of people wanting to deny themselves something then insisting others follow their lead and complaining when they can't have everything they want. In which case I'll take a medium rare steak with my crystal clear beer please.

i kind of see where you are coming from but the abundance of people who will only eat gluten free food has really helped those who for genuine reasons need to there is a heck of a lot more choice and its a lot cheaper than when mum was first diagnosed with it and its possible to actually eat out without it being a total pita.

[hardtailstar]

I'll drink clear or cloudy beer.

 

I dont mind just as long as it tastes good.

[Garacesh]

I dont mind just as long as it tastes good.

 

Basically, this.

I'm not a massive beer drinker (I'm not a massive anything drinker, really..) and I'm not going to la-de-da about what I'm knocking back. But I'd give it a swig if someone had a pint and went "'ere, try this."

If it tasted a'ight and was a reasonable price, I might buy it, depending on what else was on offer.

 

Full disclosure though, I'm a filthy carnivore. The fact that it's vegan makes no odds to me, just like the fact that 'normal' beer isn't vegan makes no odds to me.

Edited September 19, 2016 by Garacesh

[sonofsanta]

On similar grounds of "hot diggy DANG weissbier is delicious", I have no issue with cloudy beer whatsoever. I mean, my head has issue with it the following morning, but in terms of the drinking I'm all good

[VeryPC]

I'll drink clear or cloudy beer.

 

I dont mind just as long as it tastes good.

Yes, ▲this.

 

I feel the same way my friend. Don't care what it looks like or what it's called or whatever. If it's a good pint, it's a good pint.

 

Cheers,

 

Al