8 Amazing Vegan-Friendly Beers for Oktoberfest

Bottoms up! The vegan beer industry is thriving and vegan beer lovers today, have more options to choose from than ever before. But aren’t all beers vegan friendly? Unfortunately, no. And here’s why.

Why Are All Beers Not Vegan Friendly?

In its basic form, beer contains grain, yeast, hops and water, and is vegan friendly. But during the brewing process, some breweries add finings to clarify the beer. These finings are mostly made of isinglass (dried fish bladder), or gelatine, and make the beer non-vegan.

However, if you’re following a plant-based lifestyle, don’t worry be hoppy, because an ever-increasing number of brands are moving away from animal-based finings and turning to vegan-friendly beers.

So, whether you’re craving a light crusty lager or a deep bitter IPA, there’s a vegan beer out there for you. Here are 8 of our favourite vegan suds to crack right now:

8 Amazing Vegan Beers

1. Einstok Arctic Icelandic Pale Ale

This delicious pale ale is a gorgeous blend of American and Bavarian craft. Tripple hopped with Cascade, Northern Brewer and Hallertau hops, it has a robust bitterness with smooth malty undertones. With the pour comes a clear amber with a frothy top and a citrusy, floral aroma. Its lingering toasty bitterness makes this pale ale refreshingly Icelandic.

ABV: 5.6%

Price: £2.36 for a 33cl bottle

2. Budweiser

Budweiser, arguably one of the most famous beer brands in the world, is vegan friendly! With a subtle sweet rice flavour and a touch of bitter hops, it has a classic pale ale taste and a sweet honey-like aroma that evaporates as soon as it’s poured.

ABV: 5%

Price: £1.80 for a 66cl bottle

3. Propaganda 750 IPA

Depending on your beer preferences, Propaganda 750 can be a hit or a miss. It has a classic IPA taste with a strong tropical fruit flavour from citrus hops. It’s unfiltered and offers a lingering bitterness from a blend of Centennial, Amarillo and Simcoe hops. If you’re a fan of IPA’s then this vegan beer won’t disappoint.

For an added delight, pair this IPA with our spicy Cajun Spiced Jackfruit. The fruity bitterness of the beer intensifies the spicy flavours of the Cajun.

ABV: 6.7%

Price: £2.89 for a 33.5cl bottle

4.    Guinness Draught

Slainte! The classic Irish stout is now vegan friendly. Guinness Draught is a dark beer that offers a long-lasting creamy, frothy top when poured properly. In terms of flavour, a delightful blend of malty sweetness and hoppy bitterness- with undertones of coffee and chocolate - makes Guinness draught one of the most popular stouts in the world.

All Guinness beers are now vegan!

ABV: 4.2%

Price: £2 for a 75cl can

5. Green’s Glorious Pilsner

Each drop of Green’s Glorious Pilsner is vegan and gluten-free. This classic Belgian pilsner has a faint bitter flavour with undertones of vanilla and a refreshing citrusy aroma.

ABV: 4.8%

Price: £2.62 for a 33cl bottle

6.    Kernel London Sour: Raspberry

This one’s a fruity fireball. When pored, the deep red sour has a tart, fruity aroma that pulls you into the frothy delight. When you sip on it, it’s like dry white wine with a delicate hint of raspberry flavour floating in the background. After the initial burst of flavour though, it mellows down into a tangy tonic water-like taste.

 If you’re looking for a mild vegan booze, to take off a little heat (from the weather, or from work), this sour ale is great!

It also goes deliciously well with our cheesy, creamy, Butternut Mac

ABV: 5.5%

Price: £2.90 for a 33cl bottle

7.    La Trappe Blond

With a fresh fruity aroma, this smooth golden blonde is a crowd-pleaser. It has a toasty bitterness which is balanced out by a light malty sweetness, to provide a pleasant, lingering bitter aftertaste.

This classic blonde ale pairs well with Asian dishes with some aroma, like our Tempeh Katsu OnePot.

ABV: 6.5%

Price: £3.39 for a 330cl bottle

8.    Rochefort 10

A genuine Trappist beer, brewed by the monks of Abbaye Notre Dame de Saint-Remy, Rochefort 10 has a nice mingling flavour of caramel and toffee with just a hint of pleasant malty sweetness that lingers long after the beer is finished. It has a strong sherry character with a bit of bite, which makes this vegan-friendly Trappist beer stand out from the lot.

ABV: 11.3%

Price: £4.79 for a 33cl bottle

 

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