Vegetarian Beer?

[Tapsucker]

So much hoopla. If you are really so worried about the lifeforms in a beer, it's only a matter of time before Molbats synthesises a beer like beverage from petroleum products.

[Belgian]

Nope.

Petroleum is made of plants and animals that died a long time ago. Murderers!!!

[dhurtubise]

I hope you realize just how little isinglass is used to clear beer. It's in the order of 1/3 tsp for every case of 24 bottles. Then it attaches itself to protein and yeast cells and increases the rate of sedimentation. It has all but left the product by the time the beer is ready for drinking. It doesn't to my knowledge remain in solution.

is there any study info or facts to base this on? just curious. how does it leave? does it get bored, evaporate and leave on its own?

For hardcore vegans, it doesn't matter if any of the isinglass is left in the beer. Even if they're not actually consuming it, the fact that an animal product is simply being used as part of the production process is a problem for them.

how could you say/commit that 100 percent of it is no longer there? there would always be a trace unless you de-isinglass.

It leaves the product by gravity. It will bind several large molecules that causes turbidity in the beer and haze and make them settle to the bottom of the vessel. Since it is bound the particulates, it also settles to the bottom. Since the purpose of isenglass is for clarifying, the trub (or deposits at the bottom of the vessel (including practically all of the isenglass) is separated from the beer you will consume. Trace amounts of anything (including flies and worms) will always be present in the beer. The fact remains that isenglass reprensents a totally benign amount, completely inconsequential in your consumption, even if you considered it prior to being overwhelmingly removed in the sedimentation process.

[dhurtubise]

(If you ever see 'beer soup' on a menu don't order it though.)

Why not? I make beer based soups all the time and they're great.

[Belgian]

(If you ever see 'beer soup' on a menu don't order it though.)

Why not? I make beer based soups all the time and they're great.

You are making a soup based on quality, finished beer. Different. I'm talking the horrid sour/mealy unfinished beer-made-into-soup type of abomination I tried in Bavaria which had strange blobs in it - NOT enjoyable, even if very historical.

[dhurtubise]

(If you ever see 'beer soup' on a menu don't order it though.)

Why not? I make beer based soups all the time and they're great.

You are making a soup based on quality, finished beer. Different. I'm talking the horrid sour/mealy unfinished beer-made-into-soup type of abomination I tried in Bavaria which had strange blobs in it - NOT enjoyable, even if very historical.

Old beer (even soured beer) can make good soup. Even if it weren't a good base for soup, it's availability for non-brewpubs is likely a huge deterent for making "beer soup". Thus the likelyhood of one of us encountering a kitchen that uses soured beer in their soup is not very high. My guess is that your experience requires a higher end value.

I wholy recommend beer based soups. It would be nice to see more restaurants use beer as a base.

[djskip]

It leaves the product by gravity. It will bind several large molecules that causes turbidity in the beer and haze and make them settle to the bottom of the vessel. Since it is bound the particulates, it also settles to the bottom. Since the purpose of isenglass is for clarifying, the trub (or deposits at the bottom of the vessel (including practically all of the isenglass) is separated from the beer you will consume. Trace amounts of anything (including flies and worms) will always be present in the beer. The fact remains that isenglass reprensents a totally benign amount, completely inconsequential in your consumption, even if you considered it prior to being overwhelmingly removed in the sedimentation process.

thanks for this. this was the answer i was looking for.

when in doubt, i will just avoid the bottom of the keg. i'll now get back to ordering freely!

[liammckenna]

Although beer usually has some sulfites naturally present (different yeast strains give rise to differing amounts), finings (gelatin or isinglass) are often preserved with sulfites.

When finings are hydrated (to a very snot-like consistency), these sulfites piggyback into the beer. I've seen difficult to fine cask ales (read infected or tired yeast) cleaned up nicely by trebling the recommended level of finings.

Have nothing philosophically against their use. I feel no guilt about being at the top of the food chain. Just happen to be sensitive to sulfites.

Pax.

Liam

[djskip]

thanks Liam! that info was the best present ever! i'll add it to my conclusion.