Guinness' Beer Recipe Uses Fish

[MIKA27]

Yes, Guinness' Beer Recipe Uses Fish... And That Shouldn't Bother You

Guinness recently announced that they were making a change to their two century-old recipe, one that wouldn’t make any use of fish bladders. Wait, said many people. Guinness has fish in it?

“There’s fish in Guinness’ beer” has been a popular food rumour for a long time now — and it’s sort of true, sort of not true. According to Guinness, their recipe is a four-ingredient mix of barley, water, hops and yeast. So just where does fish come in?

Through the filtration process.

Just-brewed beer can be pretty cloudy. One very common way brewers clear it out is with a collagen called isinglass, which is made from sturgeon bladders. Isinglass is added to the cloudy beer, where it reacts with yeast. When it is filtered back out it takes yeast with it, leaving the beer clear. It’s a process called fining — and you’re just as likely to find it in juice and wine as in beer.

So why after all these years is Guinness swapping it out? The problem, according to the company’s statement to the New York Times, appears to have been not one of problems with the recipe, but one of marketing to a growing vegetarian market:

“Because of its use we could not label Guinness as suitable for vegetarians and have been looking for an alternative solution for some time.”

The substance is removed from the beer after it has fulfilled its filtration role. Zsoka McDonald, a spokeswoman for the company, said that only “trace amounts” ever make it into the final product. That has been enough, however, to keep most vegan drinkers away.

Of course, that begs the question, if not isinglass, what does Guinness plan to use next to keep beer nice and clear? Various studies have tested out other filtration additives — from avian collagen to pea proteins — with fairly good results, though certainly avian collagen would be unlikely to make it anymore vegetarian friendly.

Though Guinness hasn’t revealed their plan for the switch, it actually sounds like they may intend to move to a mechanical filtration system. (In that same interview, Guinness’ spokesperson was also talking up a new filtration system they had bought.) We’ll have to wait till the end of next year when the new recipe starts rolling out to see if we can taste the difference.

[Ryan]

Ahh sure it's nothing without the sturgeon!

Most wine and beer makers have used some animal fining product over the years.

Whether it's gelatine (pig skin), egg white, isinglass (fish bladder), even blood.

Very little of it gets left behind in the finished product.

I dated a vegan 25 years ago would only drink Pernod because of this.

That picture of those pints settling is making me thirsty!

[JoeyGunz]

I personally think they should serve us the beer cloudy, save them money, taste isn't altered anyway.

[MIKA27]

I personally think they should serve us the beer cloudy, save them money, taste isn't altered anyway.

One of my most favourite beers is rather cloudy: Hoegaarden White beer. I can't see making Guiness cloudy being any different. Flavour will still be amazing.

[sengjc]

Probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference, a good pint of Guinness Draught on tap is opaque as anyway.

[SmittyinAZ]

Fish!? Awesome, just another reason why drinking beer is healthy!

[jwr0201]

Why not use Irish Moss? I've used both in homebrewing with good results.

[TCContender]

One of my most favourite beers is rather cloudy: Hoegaarden White beer. I can't see making Guiness cloudy being any different. Flavour will still be amazing.

Actually, like good bottle-fermented hefeweizen, the taste may be better with the yeast still in the bottle!

[Ken Gargett]

Most wine and beer makers have used some animal fining product over the years.

Whether it's gelatine (pig skin), egg white, isinglass (fish bladder), even blood.

Very little of it gets left behind in the finished product.

absolutely. fully agree.

check the back of aussie wine labels and you often find 'contains fish' or fish products. if not on wines from other countries, only because of less stringent labelling laws. all manner of things get used. these days, there is so little left that it is effectively undetectable.

egg whites were often used. indeed, the stories go that anyone visiting burgundy during the period when they were fining was forced to eat endless egg yolk omelettes. the most common thing these days is bentonite clay.

as for leaving it cloudy, the argument in favour is actually that there will be more flavour. many believe fining strips flavour, even if only minute amounts.

the argument against is that the vast majority of consumers will not go near something if it is cloudy.