Is Isinglass Vegetarian?

Not Vegetarian

Obtaining it requires the animal to die, so it falls outside a vegetarian diet as well as a vegan one.

The two diets, side by side

A vegetarian diet excludes animals that were killed. A vegan diet excludes animal products entirely, whether the animal survived or not. Isinglass fails both tests on the same fact, so the two diets agree here.

Isinglass is not vegan. Brewers and winemakers clarify beer, wine, and cider with collagen taken from dried fish swim bladders, historically sturgeon and now often cod. Guinness used it until 2016, and since it counts as a processing aid no label has to mention it, which is why drinkers check Barnivore.com.

Relevant to: Fish

What it is

Comes from: Derived from the dried swim bladders of fish (particularly sturgeon, cod, and tropical fish). Used as a clarifying agent.
Which animal: fish, historically sturgeon and now often cod
Requires slaughter: Yes
Where you meet it: Beer, wine, and cider. Used during the brewing/winemaking process to remove yeast particles and sediment.
What replaces it: Irish moss (carrageenan), bentonite clay, activated charcoal, or unfiltered/naturally clarified beer.

Editorial notes

Not listed on ingredient labels in most countries because it is a 'processing aid' not a final ingredient. Many mainstream beers (e.g., Guinness until 2016) used isinglass. Use Barnivore.com to check whether specific beers and wines are vegan.

Frequently asked questions

Is Isinglass vegetarian?

Not Vegetarian. Obtaining it requires the animal to die, so it falls outside a vegetarian diet as well as a vegan one.

Is Isinglass vegan?

Not Vegan. Isinglass is not vegan. Brewers and winemakers clarify beer, wine, and cider with collagen taken from dried fish swim bladders, historically sturgeon and now often cod. Guinness used it until 2016, and since it counts as a processing aid no label has to mention it, which is why drinkers check Barnivore.com.

Is isinglass vegan?

No, isinglass is not vegan. Collagen from the dried swim bladders of fish is an animal product. Isinglass is also unsuitable for vegetarians, and beverages clarified with it are not considered vegan even though little to none remains in the final drink.

Is isinglass in beer?

Some beers use it, others do not. Isinglass is traditional in British cask-conditioned ales and was historically used by many large breweries, while most mass-produced lagers rely on filtration instead. Because it is a processing aid, it will not appear on the label, so check Barnivore.com or the brewery's website to confirm a specific beer.

Does Guinness still use isinglass?

No. Guinness switched to a new filtration process, making draft Guinness suitable for vegans in 2016, with bottled and canned formats following afterward. Before that change, the stout had been clarified with isinglass for most of its history.