Is it vegan? Wine, beer & spirits

What 'fining' means

After fermentation, wine and beer contain proteins and yeast that make the liquid hazy. Producers add a 'fining agent' that binds to these particles, then settles to the bottom and is removed. Many traditional fining agents are animal-derived.

• Isinglass - collagen from the swim bladders of certain fish (traditionally sturgeon, though other fish are also used).
• Gelatin - from animal bones / skin.
• Egg whites (albumin) - for red wines.
• Casein - milk protein, for white wines.
• Chitin - sometimes from crustacean shells.

Vegan alternatives: bentonite clay, pea protein, potato protein, silica, activated charcoal and PVPP (a synthetic clarifying agent).

Wine

Many producers do not list fining agents on the label. Use Barnivore, or choose brands that explicitly mark 'suitable for vegans'.

• Vegan-certified wines: an increasing number of producers publish this on the label. Cross-check on Barnivore.
• Imports: look for 'unfined and unfiltered' on the label, or 'suitable for vegans.'

Don't assume organic or biodynamic wines are automatically vegan. They can still use animal-derived fining agents unless the producer states otherwise.

Beer

Many bottled lagers and many modern craft beers are vegan, but it's always worth checking the individual brand. Cask ale and some Belgian beers use isinglass.

• Usually safe: many bottled lagers and many craft beers. Verify on Barnivore for specific brands.
• Check: Guinness (now vegan globally), most British ales.

Vegan-friendly brands commonly available in India

These are widely found across India and are listed as vegan-friendly on Barnivore:

Beers

• Bira 91 - all variants are vegan-friendly (Indian craft beer).
• Kingfisher - the bottled/draught lagers are widely considered vegan-friendly.
• Budweiser - confirmed vegan-friendly.
• Corona - confirmed vegan-friendly.
• Foster's (India) and other SABMiller India brands - the company has stated it does not use isinglass.
• Carlsberg and Heineken - have vegan options, but check the specific variant as not all are confirmed.

Wines

• Sula Vineyards - confirmed vegan-friendly across their range.

Spirits

Pure distilled spirits are almost always vegan - distillation removes everything but ethanol and flavour compounds.

• Safe: vodka (most), gin, tequila, rum (most), whisky (most), brandy.
• Check: cream liqueurs (Baileys contains dairy), honey-infused spirits and some flavoured spirits, which may contain animal-derived ingredients.

Cocktails

• Generally vegan: mojito, margarita, gin & tonic, Old Fashioned, Negroni, Aperol Spritz, Cosmopolitan, espresso martini (with oat milk), Bloody Mary (ask no Worcestershire - has anchovies).
• Often not: White Russian, piña colada with dairy cream, anything with egg white (whisky sour, pisco sour - ask for aquafaba instead), Ramos Gin Fizz, Flip cocktails, Milk Punch.

Barnivore.com

Truly the only source you need. Search any wine, beer, or spirit. They've verified over 64,000 beers, wines and spirits, making it one of the most comprehensive vegan alcohol databases available.

Common non-vegan ingredients to watch for

When checking alcoholic drinks, keep an eye out for these ingredients and processing aids:

• Isinglass (fish swim bladder)
• Gelatin
• Egg albumen (egg whites)
• Casein (milk protein)
• Lactose
• Honey
• Carmine (cochineal)
• Chitin (sometimes derived from shellfish)

If any of these are used, the drink isn't considered vegan.

Why isn't this listed on the label?

Unlike packaged foods, alcoholic drinks in many countries aren't required to disclose processing aids such as fining agents on the label. That means two wines made from the same grape variety can look identical but differ in whether they're vegan. Because of this lack of transparency, resources like Barnivore have become invaluable for checking whether a specific beer, wine or spirit is vegan.

💡 Tip

If you're at a restaurant or bar and can't find a drink on Barnivore, ask whether it's vegan-friendly rather than simply asking if it's "vegan." Many staff know the term vegan-friendly wine or vegan-friendly beer because producers often use that wording.