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December 11, 2020  |  By Todd Summers

Is My Beer Kosher? A Look at Purity Laws

One of my favorite words in the beer language is ‘Reinheitsgebot’—the word for the most famous of the German Beer Purity Laws, which was enacted in 1516. The law stated that beer can only contain 3 things: water, barley, and hops (1516 was way too early for Germans to know that yeast was a key ingredient in beer—thank you, Louis Pasteur!).

What does this sneeze-sounding word have to do with Kosher beer?

Well if you dig into the recesses of your Hebrew school memory, you’ll remember that keeping Kosher refers to consuming foods that are fit for consumption according to Jewish law.  The good news is water, barley, and hops are considered Pareve, which means they contain no dairy or meat and are fit for consumption according to Jewish law! 

Before I continue, I’d like to make it clear, I’m by no means a rabbi, and if you have any concerns on whether a specific beer is safe to consume please consult your rabbi. If you’re more religious and are looking for certification from Rabbinical groups that certify food and beverages, there are certainly options! Star-K, one of the largest Kosher certification groups in the country, also certifies breweries and specific beers! It is a relatively expensive process for breweries to get certified, but some do. Notably, Leikam Brewing, Southern Tier Brewing Co., Samuel Adams and Oskar Blues Brewery all offer certified Kosher beers.

As the beer-making process has evolved, so have the ingredients. One of my favorite beers is Switchback Brewing’s Smoked Oyster Stout, which is brewed with fresh oysters and real wood-smoked barley. Beyond the fact that I’m allergic to shellfish, oysters are most certainly NOT Kosher—so no oyster stouts if you want to keep Kosher.

The best practice for those looking to adhere to Kosher-like rules is to ask the brewers about the ingredients that were used in the brewing process. These days, many breweries include lactose, gelatine, fish Isinglass (a clarifying agent derived from fish bladders), goat brains, and different fruits in their beers. We are not following German beer purity laws too closely in 2020!

In summary, most beer is technically Kosher even if it hasn’t been officially certified. If you are trying to play it safe, a good rule of thumb is to look for German lagers. If these beers are brewed to the traditional style, you are good to go! I’ll be at your Purim party with a 4-pack and a freshly baked challah.

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