Native Americans were brewing a form of beer from corn, likely for ceremonial purposes, in what is now New Mexico some 800 years ago. Humans have been making and drinking beer for a very, very long time-researchers have found evidence for beer brewing in present-day Israel that dates back 13,000 years. In its purest form, beer is a fermented beverage made from water, yeast, hops, and grain, such as barley, wheat, rice, corn, or oats. But it’s just one example of why some beers don’t make the vegan cut. The harmless yeast eventually settles to the bottom of the barrel or keg, but brewers wanted a production shortcut, so in the 19th century many of them began adding isinglass, a fining agent that binds to yeast cells and other floating particles and sinks to the base of the brewing vessel. Isinglass is an old-school solution to the challenge of making beer appear clear once yeast, which converts sugar into alcohol during fermentation, has done its job and remains suspended in the liquid, giving beer a cloudy appearance. To make its thick, creamy stout vegan, the Guinness Brewery rolled out a new filtration process that no longer used isinglass, a substance derived from the swim bladders of certain fishes common in beer making. Back in 2017, beer drinkers with a taste for compassion rejoiced at some wonderful news: Guinness-the famous Irish stout-had finally gone vegan! Those unfamiliar with how beer is made were prompted to ask, “What does this mean? Isn’t all beer vegan?” While beer is often vegan, it’s not the case for all beer.
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