Guinness, the famed Irish brewery, is changing its recipe for the first time in 256 years. Beer-loving vegans will now be able to sip, or chug, the black stout, starting in 2016 when fish guts will be removed from Guinness ingredients, according to the Independent. Guinness contains isinglass, a gelatinous fish by-product used to clarify the beer and help yeast settle. While most of the isinglass is filtered out during brewing, traces of fish bladder still exist in the final pint. This is news to us, since the isinglass doesn’t affect the taste of the beer.
The brewer’s use of fish bladders seems unappetizing, but it's far from unusual: Other brewers have been using isinglass for centuries to clarify both beer and wine. But recently, the tradition has seen a decline as new technologies have appeared. The Guinness change comes after months of protesting by vegan beer enthusiasts. Guinness has never had to report just how much trace fish bladder exists in its brew, but the centuries-old company is building a new fish-free filtration center to keep isinglass out of its beer entirely. Anheuser-Busch, Heineken, and Miller are already deemed vegan-friendly. While Guinness may be Ireland’s most famous beer, the country's burgeoning craft-beer and -cider scene has taken a cut of the monolith’s recent sales.
For those who turn to a vegan lifestyle, due diligence is incredibly important. You never know where animal products will turn up. Gummy bears, red foods (Natural Red #4 is actually made from insects), and Worcestershire Sauce all can sneak up on you. Looks like Guinness isn’t the only company with some fishy ingredients.