Kosher Beer - Most
U.S., Norwegian, English and German beers are acceptable. Stouts,
flavored beers and "Barley wine" require certification, as do
European, Asian, and other beers about which there is insufficient
information regarding their contents.
Beer is normally made from all kosher
ingredients: Water, barley, yeast, and hops. Isinglass finning (made
from ground tropical fish), gelatin, and other ingredients are
sometimes added to remove dark particles from the beer. Caramel
color is sometimes added for coloring. In all, United States law
allows over fifty-nine chemicals or additives to be used in beer.
isinglass clarifiers are not used in domestic beer in the United
States. Isinglass finnings have been used as a beer clarifier in the
UK for centuries. Over two hundred years ago the great Halachic
authority Rabbi Yechezkel Landau in his work Nodah B’Yehudah
permitted isinglass clarifier (Yorah Deah, Siman 26). A clarifier
only filters unwanted particles and is not present in the final
and spices are used to make flavored beers. By U.S. law, these beers
must be labeled "Flavored Beer." Flavored beer definitely requires
"Barley wine" is a
specialty beer which definitely needs kosher certification, because
it is sometimes fermented with non-kosher wine or champagne yeast.
kashrut status of a product changes with changes in production
methods or kashrut supervision.