SLO LIFE Magazine Apr/May 2018

| BREW
SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS
SUDS
Beer is made with three basic ingredients, at least according to the Reinheitsgebot, the “German Beer Purity
Law” of 1516: water, hops, and barley. This law is so old they didn’t even know that yeast was the magic
doing all the work! I don’t see any mention of chicken wings or tri-tip on that list, so why do I keep seeing
vegan beers touted by the more socially conscious breweries? The answer may surprise you.
BY BRANT MYERS
Having just returned from a beer tourism conference
in Vermont, you can believe that the 300+
international attendees consumed a fair bit of beer
either purchased locally, driven in, or flown to our
hotels. I may be in the minority, but I had a beer
made with lobsters and one with oysters in the
same night (think lemony and salty). More commonly, you might find a
beer with maple syrup and bacon at your more adventurous bottle shops,
or even lactose (milk sugar) used to sweeten up a stout much like creamer
in your coffee, but a very common ingredient could be as seemingly
innocuous as honey. At this point, we are all at least vaguely familiar with
the general definition of veganism: the non-consumption of any foods
that are a product, or by-product, of animal origins. Even small amounts
of adjuncts used for subtle flavors, such as honey or milk, can deter vegans
from enjoying a beer. However, there is one animal by-product that can be
found in many beers, but you would never know it.
What do Skittles and parchment paper have in common? If I had a dollar
for every time someone has asked me this question, I could buy a bag of
Skittles. The answer is that they both utilize animal by-products during the
brewing process. Refining agents help in achieving clarity of your beer by
attaching themselves to flocculates and weighing them down to the bottom
of the fermenter, essentially leaving only clear beer left for consumption.
The most widely applied one being gelatin, which is used in many foods
and especially chewy candies. Gelatin is created from the bones of animals
and is definitely not vegan-friendly. A lesser utilized method is a product
of fish bladders called isinglass. Naturally a bit more difficult to process,
isinglass is traditionally used in British cask ales, so we don’t see much
stateside. Same goes for its use in parchment paper reconstruction and
repair. If I had a dollar for every ancient manuscript I’ve repaired…
So, what is the alternative and who is using it? Despite the eightfold
price increase over the aforementioned methods, many breweries are
opting for a synthetic product called BioFine Clear. 7Sisters Brewing in
San Luis Obispo, near Trader Joe’s, has recently partnered with SLO
Vegan Guide to showcase themselves as a completely vegan brewery,
ensuring that every beer they make is accessible to all visitors, regardless
of dietary restrictions. If vegan beer wasn’t enough of a draw, then check
out their food samplings that includes a grilled cheese sandwich made
with cashews, vegan chili, and my favorite—their house-made pickled
vegetables. Just the right amount of tang and salt to pair with any of
their beers. Fun fact: If you eat veggies while drinking, they pretty much
cancel each other out.
Although not advertising their vegan-friendly beers, you can head over
to Libertine Brewing on Broad Street where they also exclusively use
BioFine for their beer clarification and have tater tots to die for. Plus,
they use locally sourced fruit in many of their beers, so it’s practically
health food. Central Coast Brewing’s head brewer Brendan Gough
creates vegan beers during this part of the process, but you may also
see some lactose used in certain beers. Noelle DuBois of Bang the
Drum Brewing also confirmed that they use
BioFine in most of their beers, but use other
agents particularly to help remove gluten
from their gluten-free beers; and I’m pretty
sure I’ve seen some Milk Stouts on their
menu board. Check out their core beers,
King Mate, Das Weiss, and Draca to see how
good vegan can taste.
It’s very likely you’ve had a vegan beer
without even knowing it, so don’t let it
dissuade you in your choices. And if you still
want to get your carnivorous fix, we have good
intel that IPAs pair well with beef jerky. So,
grab a vegan friend and head to your local
brewery because you have a strong social
consciousness—and a stronger thirst. SLO LIFE
BRANT MYERS is owner
of Hop On Beer Tours, a
concierge service for craft
beer enthusiasts along the
Central Coast.
92 | SLO LIFE MAGAZINE | APR/MAY 2018