Booze News

There Are Fish Bladders Lurking in Your Wine (and Beer)

“I’m getting notes of fish bladder.” Photo: Getty Images

Vegans, not only should you forsake delicious jelly beans, but also probably most wine and beer. You see, as you’ve been merrily getting drunk over tofu nuggets amid fierce debates over the most sustainable local CSA, know that the bold red you’ve been throwing back probably contains traces of fish bladders, pig hooves, and even egg whites. Say what???

Yep, that’s right, seeing as wine and beer has been around since, oh, forever, people developed filtering methods back in the day that used what they had around — namely animal parts. So isinglass (sturgeon bladders), gelatin (animal hooves), and Albumin (egg whites) are still used to filter impurities from wine and beer. Time to cancel Michael Pollan book club till you figure out what’s acceptably potable, or you could just order all your vino from the Vegan Vine (beer drinkers, for now, you’re on your own). Hey, whatever turns out to be in our booze, it can’t be worse than semen in your spicy tuna sauce. Though we suppose if you’re vegan that wouldn’t be a problem anyway.

Meatless Monday: A Toast To Vegan Wine [HuffPo]

There Are Fish Bladders Lurking in Your Wine (and Beer)