Image Credit: Lucie Jung
After 256 years, the once untouchable brewing process of the world’s best-selling stout will finally change to be suitable for vegans.
If you tend to go for a beer after work, you’ve probably noticed that cask ale beers such as Guinness are poured twice. The reason for this is that before being served in the bar, they need to go through a filtration process.
This is where isinglass comes into play. Isinglass is a collagen obtained from fish bladders, which is used as a fining agent to make the components of the beer heavier, which helps them to fall to the bottom of the glass.
Even though the quantity of this fining agent is minimal in beer, Gillian Tulett, who works in consumer relations at Diageo, the British multinational company producing Guinness, explains that because its use Guinness could not be labelled as suitable for vegetarians.
This has meant that Guinness no longer uses isinglass in its brewing process. “We are now pleased to have identified a new process which, once in place, will remove the use of isinglass in the brewing process” Tulett confirmed.
However, most interesting of all are the reactions of those who faithfully drink “the black stuff”. Guinness lovers, such as Ethan Raoof, are wondering if the stout beer will taste different after the change in process is introduced.
“It’s a fear but I really hope they will keep it the same,” Raoof said, “as long as it doesn’t taste too different, I’ll be happy.”
One of the biggest challenges of this change in the brewing process will be to encourage vegan people to drink Guinness too, as vegans are still somewhat sceptical about drinking Guinness.
Chantal Denny, Founder and Managing Director of Vegan Lifestyle Association said: “I would be tempted to try it. I never really liked it much in the old days, but it’s funny you know… just because something becomes vegan you feel like you should try it.”
Diageo consumer relations have announced that they hope to have the new system up and running by late 2016. Therefore, vegans will have to wait a little longer to be able to try – and enjoy – a pint of Guinness without it interfering with their way of living.
published in MAZE magazine: http://maze-mag.com/guinness-for-all-even-vegans
