What's in Your Beer?

[Thesauron]

If someone asks you, what's in a beer, you'd probably say something like this: hops, malt, barley, water and yeast. And you'd be right most of the time. But then there's something else that's likely not stated on the bottle: isinglass.

Isinglass is a gel made from the bladder of fish. It makes the beer clear, bright, and generally more attractive. Most breweries use this, including smaller crafts breweries.

The fact is that in most EU countries you can add a lot of additives to beer, and you would not be required to list them on the bottle.

Sources:

What exactly is in your beer?

The fishy ingredient in beer that bothers vegetarians

[Ahuvah]

Yes in fact it's in wine too - some wines - if you look at the labelling often it says: May contain fish. at least in NZ they do.

[tekmantwo]

Well,  since my favorite beer(TsingTao) is bottled in only one place,  China, it's most likely got things in I don't really want to know about...ewwwyuck. 

[Thesauron]

Yes in fact it's in wine too - some wines - if you look at the labelling often it says: May contain fish. at least in NZ they do.

When it comes to wines, it might be difficult to find natural wines without additives. Most are not stated on the label. In fact, the EU has a very long list of additives you can use without telling the customer, such as sugar, egg white, dimethyl dicarbonate (which, incidentally, is also used in fresh juice).

[Thesauron]

Well,  since my favorite beer(TsingTao) is bottled in only one place,  China, it's most likely got things in I don't really want to know about...ewwwyuck. 

You probably don't know half of the stuff they put in to make the pint seem palatable. Considering this, Coca Cola is a more honest drink - at least they tell you what poison they put in their bottles (well, to a degree).

[tekmantwo]

26 minutes ago, Thesauron said:

You probably don't know half of the stuff they put in to make the pint seem palatable. Considering this, Coca Cola is a more honest drink - at least they tell you what poison they put in their bottles (well, to a degree).

I totally agree. 

The one thing I am really concerned about is the 

Dihydrogen Monoxide, that stuff will  kill you....

 

http://www.dhmo.org/truth/Dihydrogen-Monoxide.html

Edited September 15, 2016 by tekmantwo

[Thesauron]

I totally agree. 
The one thing I am really concerned about is the 
Dihydrogen Monoxide, that stuff will  kill you....
 
http://www.dhmo.org/truth/Dihydrogen-Monoxide.html

Their water is probably the best thing they put in.

[Tortuga]

14 minutes ago, tekmantwo said:

The one thing I am really concerned about is the 

Dihydrogen Monoxide, that stuff will  kill you....

Did you know that when you break that down into it's two basic components that you have an extremely flammable gas and an oxidizer? Both are extremely combustible!

(actually the oxidizer makes everything else combustible ) 

 

[tekmantwo]

31 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

Did you know that when you break that down into it's two basic components that you have an extremely flammable gas and an oxidizer? Both are extremely combustible!

(actually the oxidizer makes everything else combustible ) 

 

I actually did know that,  I have had personal experiences with that combination of gases, along with some others. 

One of those instances was when I  mixed  C2H2 with O2 in a plastic 5 gallon container.  The results, when using  electric initiators , are rather spectacular to say the least....you should really be far enough away to maintain safety.  Blast radius of 8-10meters...

[AH173]

All the above and BUBBLES (carbonation)! LOL

[Ahuvah]

Not sure why it would bother vegetarians, they allow things like fish eggsand milk etc in their diets and some even allow white meat like chicken. Vegans are the ones who don't allow animal products or by-products - even honey.

[Ahuvah]

5 hours ago, Thesauron said:

When it comes to wines, it might be difficult to find natural wines without additives. Most are not stated on the label. In fact, the EU has a very long list of additives you can use without telling the customer, such as sugar, egg white, dimethyl dicarbonate (which, incidentally, is also used in fresh juice).

The word fresh juice in commercial products are oxymorons to me. The only fresh juice i trust is the stuff i squeeze myself.

[Thesauron]

Not sure why it would bother vegetarians, they allow things like fish eggsand milk etc in their diets and some even allow white meat like chicken. Vegans are the ones who don't allow animal products or by-products - even honey.

À strict vegetarian will not eat fish. Some vegans will eat honey and figs.

[Ahuvah]

44 minutes ago, Thesauron said:

À strict vegetarian will not eat fish. Some vegans will eat honey and figs.

i see so there are sub categories of vegetarians then? I understand figs - but why honey if they don't eggs or drink milk?

[Thesauron]

i see so there are sub categories of vegetarians then? I understand figs - but why honey if they don't eggs or drink milk?

There are a gazillion different types of vegetarians (including, yeah, some can do fish, shrimp, anything from the sea, basically, except whales and sea gherkins). Some vegans refuse milk and eggs, but will eat honey (because honey-roasted figs are awesome, and some don't know what honey is).

[Ahuvah]

Ah  hah.  

[retroHelen]

Isinglass is used in wine-making too. It's sticky and heavier than the water, so it's dropped in the casks and goes through the liquid picking up the particles that's making it cloudy and takes them to the bottom, so that they form on the dregs or sediment at the bottom, whilst clearing the liquid.

 

It saves time of waiting for the liquid to clear naturally, or if the liquid has been moved and the dregs have mixed a bit. 

 

I wouldn't think there's much, if any left in the liquid if it's poured/filtered off the dregs by the time it's bottled.

[trottigy]

I saw this headline and thought of this thread:

 

Ultra Runner Karl Meltzer Sets Appalachian Trail Record, Fueled by Beer and Candy http://nyti.ms/2cQVthI

[seagull]

On 16/09/2016 at 5:30 AM, Stormswift said:

i see so there are sub categories of vegetarians then? I understand figs - but why honey if they don't eggs or drink milk?

*** steps on  soap box ***

No there aren't subcategories.  Someone is either vegetarian or not.

There are people who claim to be vegetarian but then eat fish or whatever  but then they are not vegetarian.

A person, by definition, cannot eat fish, chicken, beef or anything else that was an animal and call themselves vegetarian.  Some people might have a vegetarian diet during the week but then eat meat at the weekends or when they go out socially but that does not mean they are vegetarian.

It's simple.

By their works you shall know them....

*** steps off soap box ****

 

Vegans are a whole different ballgame since there is always a better (aka more fundamental) vegan than yourself.  It's a bit like someone owning a supercar - there'll always be someone else with a more expensive, faster, more exclusive car than you.

 

[Thesauron]

*** steps on  soap box ***
No there aren't subcategories.  Someone is either vegetarian or not.
There are people who claim to be vegetarian but then eat fish or whatever  but then they are not vegetarian.
A person, by definition, cannot eat fish, chicken, beef or anything else that was an animal and call themselves vegetarian.  Some people might have a vegetarian diet during the week but then eat meat at the weekends or when they go out socially but that does not mean they are vegetarian.
It's simple.
By their works you shall know them....
*** steps off soap box ****
 
Vegans are a whole different ballgame since there is always a better (aka more fundamental) vegan than yourself.  It's a bit like someone owning a supercar - there'll always be someone else with a more expensive, faster, more exclusive car than you.
 

The original meaning of 'vegetarian' is someone who eat does not eat meat. However, lately some people have preferred to call themselves vegetarians even though they might eat seafood and/or white meat, properly semi-vegetarian.

[Shawnster]

In addition,  from what I understand,  vegetarians may eat animals products like milk,  eggs, honey,  etc.. Whereas a vegan avoids anything and everything related to animals. 

[seagull]

11 minutes ago, Thesauron said:

The original meaning of 'vegetarian' is someone who eat does not eat meat. However, lately some people have preferred to call themselves vegetarians even though they might eat seafood and/or white meat, properly semi-vegetarian.

Then they are not vegetarian.  They are pescitarian or, to use the trendy phrase, "flexitarian", choosing to eat fish and/or meat when it suits them.

 

A fish is not a vegetable or fruit.  Neither is a chicken.  Someone may wish to eat a strictly vegetarian diet 99% of the time however if they choose to eat some form of meat then they are not vegetarian.  I am married.  If I slept with my wife 99% of the time but 1% with another woman would I be faithful and monogamous or not?  I can't be faithful except when I am not.  I have no issue with someone calling themselves "semi-vegetarian" if they wish other than it's a wishy washy term for something that already has a definition (e.g. pescitarian or omnivore) but there really is no such thing as a vegetarian who eats meat.

[carlos]

Some vegetarians eat eggs, butter, milk or the like, while others find unacceptable anything with an animal origin, so they only eat vegetales.

 

But then there are some who won't eat anything cooked, just raw vegetables (raw vegans). And yet others won't take a fruit from the tree or "kill" any plant, but only eat ripe fruit that falls naturally from the tree (fruitarianism).

 

I have the impression that those extreme diets are incompatible with living a normal and useful life.

 

EDIT: By extreme I meant the last two variants, especially the last one that forces someone to spend their day going from tree to tree looking for some fallen fruit. I am not calling vegetarians extremists. Just in case.

 

 

Edited September 20, 2016 by carlos

[Ahuvah]

hmmm notice that  fish aren't included in the meaning of meat: (which may be where some get confused). - I class it as meat - all of it ... but even fruit is described as having flesh, so it's down to context and how individuals interpret it. 

 

I'm a pescatarian, poultry vegetarian who eats cheese, milk and honey.

 

1. the flesh of an animal, typically a mammal or bird, as food (the flesh of domestic fowls is sometimes distinguished as poultry ).

   "pieces of meat"

   synonyms:

   flesh, muscle

   •  

      
   •  

      
   •  

      
2. 2.

   archaic

   food of any kind.

   synonyms:

   food, nourishment, sustenance, provisions, rations, fare, foodstuff(s), nutriment, daily bread, feed;  informalgrub, eats, chow, nosh, scoff;  formalcomestibles, provender; archaicvictuals, viands, commons;  rarealiment "meat and drink"

[New World Explorer]

On 9/16/2016 at 5:15 AM, Stormswift said:

Yes in fact it's in wine too - some wines - if you look at the labelling often it says: May contain fish. at least in NZ they do.

Well good ! no need to order side dish while having glass of wine LOL