I have to confess, I’m not a beer drinker, but there’s someone in my household that loves it, so I had to figure out the truth. Is beer really healthy? Why are the ingredients not listed on the label? Which brands can we trust? Which brands are trying to slowly poison us with cheap and harmful ingredients? All of these questions were going through my head at once at lightning speed. So a year ago, I started to research what was really in beer and after questioning several beer companies, reading books about food science, and talking to experts, the information I discovered was downright shocking.
I see it all the time. Someone who eats organic, makes the right choices at the grocery store, is fit and lives an extraordinarily healthy lifestyle but then drinks beer like it is going out of style.
Caring about what you eat doesn’t necessarily translate into caring about what you drink and this is a HUGE MISTAKE.
Before we get into what exactly is in beer that you should be worried about, let’s talk about how body reacts to alcohol in general.
Alcohol is metabolized by the body differently than all other calories you consume. Alcohol is one of the only substances that you consume that can permeate your digestive system and go straight into your bloodstream. It bypasses normal digestion and is absorbed into the body intact, where it goes straight into the liver.
Your liver is your main fat-burning organ. If you are trying to lose weight or even maintain your ideal weight, drinking alcohol is one of your worst enemies. The liver is going to metabolize alcohol first vs. the fat you want to get rid of – making weight loss even harder. Additionally, one of the primary functions of the liver is to remove environmental toxins from your body – if it is overtaxed with alcohol, the normal removal of these toxins becomes extremely diminished and can result in rapid aging, loss of libido, and other diseases.
The one thing that has gotten me before and I’m sure many of you – is the health marketing claims on alcohol products making drinking them seem like a good idea and an added “benefit” to your health. The low alcohol content of beer makes it appear as an innocuous beverage and something people throw back without even thinking about it. Who hasn’t seen those studies that say a beer a day is great for you (I want to ask who ever stops at just one beer?)?
So, inherently, alcohol by itself is not a healthy person’s best friend – but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Beer, especially American beer, is made with all sorts of ingredients beyond the basic hops, malt and yeast. There are numerous other ingredients used to clarify, stabilize, preserve, enhance the color and flavor of beer.
When you drink beer, there is almost a 100% chance that you don’t know what you are drinking (unless you quizzed the beer companies like I did). The ingredients in beer are not required by law to be listed anywhere on the label and manufacturers have no legal obligation to disclose the ingredients. For regular beer, calorie levels and percent alcohol are optional and for light beer calories are mandatory but alcohol levels are optional.
Michele Simon, a public health lawyer, author of Appetite for Profit, and president of Eat Drink Politics told me the reason that beer companies don’t disclose ingredients is simple: they don’t have to.
“Ingredient labeling on food products and non-alcoholic beverages is required by the Food and Drug Administration. But a whole other federal agency regulates beer, and not very well. The Department of Treasury – the same folks who collect your taxes – oversees alcoholic beverages. That probably explains why we know more about what’s in a can of Coke than a can of Bud. You can also thank the alcohol industry, which has lobbied for years against efforts to require ingredient labeling.”
I figured if the beer companies aren’t required to tell us the exact list of ingredients, I needed to investigate this for myself and asked them the pointed questions until I got the truth.
First of all, I was able to obtain a baseline list of “legal” additives allowed in beer from the book “Chemicals Additives in Beer” by the Center of Science and Public Interest. This list allowed me to ask specific questions about each beer I investigated. For example – beer sold here in America can contain several of the following ingredients:
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Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) – alcohol is already addictive with some people, but with MSG?! Holy smokes.
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Propylene Glycol (an ingredient found in anti-freeze)
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Calcium Disodium EDTA (made from formaldehyde, sodium cayanide, and Ethylenediamine)
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Many different types of sulfites and anti-microbial preservatives (linked to allergies and asthma)
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Natural Flavors (can come from anything natural including a beavers anal gland)
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High Fructose Corn Syrup
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GMO Sugars – Dextrose, Corn Syrup
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Caramel Coloring (Class III or IV made from ammonia and classified as a carcinogen)
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FD&C Blue 1 (Made from petroleum, linked to allergies, asthma and hyperactivity)
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FD&C Red 40 (Made from petroleum, linked to allergies, asthma and hyperactivity)
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FD&C Yellow 5 (Made from petroleum, linked to allergies, asthma and hyperactivity)
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Insect-Based Dyes: carmine derived from cochineal insects to color their beer.
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Animal Based Clarifiers: Findings include isinglass (dried fish bladder), gelatin (from skin, connective tissue, and bones), and casein (found in milk)
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Foam Control: Used for head retention; (glyceryl monostearate and pepsin are both potentially derived from animals)
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BPA (Bisphenol A is a component in many can liners and it may leach into the beer. BPA can mimic the female hormone estrogen and may affect sperm count, and other organ functions.)
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Carrageenan (linked to inflammation in digestive system, IBS and considered a carcinogen in some circumstances)
During my investigation, I couldn’t get a single mainstream beer company to share the full list of ingredients contained in their beer. But I did get some of them to fess up to the use of these ingredients in writing so I’m going to share this information with you now.
Carcinogenic Caramel Coloring
Newcastle, a UK brand, confessed to using what I would consider one of the most controversial food additives. Toasted barley is usually what gives beer its golden or deep brown color, however in this case, Newcastle beer is also colored artificially with caramel color. This caramel coloring is manufactured by heating ammonia and sulfites under high pressure, which creating carcinogenic compounds. If beer companies were required by law to list the ingredients, Newcastle would likely have to have a cancer warning label under California law because it is a carcinogen proven to cause liver tumors, lung tumors, and thyroid tumors in rats and mice.
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
Many of the beers I questioned contained one or more possible GMO ingredients.
- High Fructose Corn Syrup (Guinness – unable to provide an affidavit for non-GMO proof)
- Corn syrup (Miller Light, Coors, Corona, Fosters, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Red Stripe)
- Dextrose (Budweiser, Bud Light, Busch Light, Michelob Ultra)
- Corn (Red Stripe, Miller Coors Brand, Anheuser-Busch Brands)
Most beers brewed commercially are made with more GMO corn than barley. Many of the companies I contacted dodged the GMO question – however Miller Coors had a very forthcoming and honest response. They stated “Corn syrup gives beer a milder and lighter-bodied flavor” and “Corn syrups may be derived from a mixture of corn (conventional and biotech.)”, admitting their use of GMOs.
Pabst Blue Ribbon responded saying their corn syrup was “special” and “made of carbohydrates and some simple sugars like dextrose and maltose. The sugars are fermented into alcohol and CO2, and the carbohydrates, both from the corn syrup and the malt, remain in the beers as flavor, color and body components.”
Dextrose and maltose can come from a variety of substances that are sweet, but likely are derived from GMO corn because it is super cheap for a company to use corn instead of fruit or other non-GMO sources. With cheap beer – you are not just getting a cheap buzz, you are getting the worst of the worst. Just like with cheap fast food – if you don’t invest in your beer – you will be drinking a lower quality product like Pabst Blue Ribbon that is made from GMO Corn and Corn Syrup.
In 2007, Greenpeace found unapproved and experimental GMO Rice strain in Anheuser-Busch (Budweiser, Bud Light) beer. Anheuser-Busch responded saying their US-grown long-grained rice “may have micro levels” of a genetically engineered protein called Liberty Link, but added that the protein is “substantially removed or destroyed” during the brewing of beer sold domestically. Don’t you think it’s hard to trust any beer company that gets caught using experimental food made in a laboratory? GMOs have not been tested long term on human beings and one of the main pesticides (Roundup) they spray on GMO crops are linked to inflammation, cancer and other diseases.
High Fructose Corn Syrup & Fish Bladders
Speaking of trusting companies, let’s get one thing straight, Guinness beer is no longer owned by the Irish, they are now owned by a large beer conglomerate called Diageo and manufactured in over 50 different countries. No matter how many St. Patty’s Day celebrations you’ve had with this dark stout, it’s time to stop because they use high fructose corn syrup in their beer (4/2/14 Update: Guinness Beer claims they do not use high fructose corn syrup any longer, but refuses to disclose ingredient affidavits or full of list of ingredients.) But, Guinness beer also contains isinglass, a gelatin-like substance produced from the swim bladder of a fish. This ingredient helps remove any “haziness,” solids, or yeast byproducts from the beer. Mmmmm… fish bladder sounds delicious, doesn’t? The sneaky thing this beer company does like many of the companies mentioned here today is create an illusion of using the best ingredients when in actuality what they tell you publicly on their websites is a complete farce. On Guinness FAQ’s – they have a question that states: “What are the key ingredients in Guinness” and the answer doesn’t reveal the whole picture – it only states “Our key ingredients – other than inspiration – are roasted, malted barley, hops, yeast and water.” What BS, right? You have to call, email, question and know the right things to ask to even have a chance at getting the truth. This is insanity.
So What Beers Are Additive and GMO Free?
If you enjoy the occasional beer and wish to maintain your healthy lifestyle, choosing one without GMOs and additives is ideal. Unfortunately, most of the mainstream beers available have additives, but luckily, there are a few that don’t. For example, Sierra Nevada, Heineken, and Amstel Light (7/31/13 UPDATE: It has come to my attention that Heinken USA has changed their formula to use GMOs – I called their customer service line 1-914-681-4100 to confirm and asked for the list of ingredients – the man told me “water, yeast, malted barley and hops” – then I asked if their beer contained any genetically engineered material and he confirmed “YES,” but wouldn’t tell me what ingredients are genetically engineered. They recently changed their formula after my initial research that started in late 2012.) (8/1/13 Update: Heineken reached out to me personally to say their customer service department made an error in telling me and others who called their beer has GMOs. I met with a head brew master and have viewed affidavits from the company and confirmed Heinken and Amstel Light do not contain GMOs – they apologize for the confusion.) appear to be pretty clean (but these companies still wouldn’t disclose the full list of ingredients to me. They did say they use non-GMO grains, no artificial ingredients, stabilizers or preservatives).
German Beers are also a good bet. The Germans are very serious about the purity of their beers and enacted a purity law called “Reinheitsgebot” that requires all German beers to be only produced with a core ingredient list of water, hops, yeast, malted barley or wheat. Advocates of German beers insist that they taste cleaner and some even claim they don’t suffer from hangovers as a result.
An obvious choice to consider is also Certified Organic Beers. They are required by law to not include GMOs and other harmful additives. Organic beers also support environmental friendly practices and reduce the amount of pesticides and toxins in our air, support organic farmers – which is a huge plus. (To this day, the beer drinkers in my family haven’t found one they love so if you have suggestions, please let us know in the comments!)
Craft & Microbrews Beers – For certain local craft and micro beers, you can ask those companies for a list of ingredients and many of them will be up front with you. However, companies like Miller Coors are slowly closing in on craft beers and buying them up one by one… like they did when they created the unique popular variety called Blue Moon (the beer you drink with an orange) and Anhesuer-Busch did this with Rolling Rock and Goose Island Brewery. Make sure your favorite craft and microbrew is still independently owned and controlled before taking a sip.
In the end – if you decide to drink beer, you are definitely drinking at your own risk for more reasons than just the crazy ingredients that could be in them. The key point to remember is – if you like to drink beer and want to be healthy, drink it infrequently and quiz the beer companies for the truth. Find a beer that you can trust and stick with it.
For your reference, here are some important questions to ask your favorite beer company:
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What are the ingredients in your beer – all of them from start to finish?
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Are any of your ingredients GMO?
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Do you use any soy, corn, or rice processing ingredients? (Examples include: dextrose, corn syrup, etc.)
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Do you add any natural, artificial flavors or colors to the beer? (Examples include: yellow #5, caramel coloring, red #40, MSG, natural flavors)
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Are there any additional preservatives, stabilizers and/or clarifying agents added to your beer during processing? (Examples include: propylene glycol, Calcium Disodium EDTA, anything ending in “sulfite” like sodium metabisulfite, Heptylparaben, isinglass)
If you know someone who drinks beer – share this post with them.
These ingredients are no joke. We must inform and protect each other from these industrial chemicals, untested and potentially harmful ingredients and it starts by sharing your knowledge with the ones you love.
Bottoms up!
Food Babe
http://uszwbc.org/news/13-uszwbc/certification/129-uszwbc-1stplatinum-sierranevada
Here’s a beer company that puts its money where your mouth is!
Fining agents are filtered out or discarded, and therefore there is no fish in beer nor carrageenan. As far as the GMO sugars, if there are any, they are digested and transformed in Alcohol and CO2 by the yeast.
Thank you for reminding us too much alcohol is bad for you and makes you fat.
Have a California Microbrew, sounds like you need it. Most likely will be made following the Reinheitsgebot….If you know what that is….
…..We can legitimately ask why Bill Gates and the Rockefeller Foundation along with the major genetic engineering agribusiness giants such as DuPont and Syngenta, along with CGIAR are building the Doomsday Seed Vault in the Arctic.
Who uses such a seed bank in the first place? Plant breeders and researchers are the major users of gene banks. Today’s largest plant breeders are Monsanto, DuPont, Syngenta and Dow Chemical, the global plant-patenting GMO giants. Since early in 2007 Monsanto holds world patent rights together with the United States Government for plant so-called ‘Terminator’ or Genetic Use Restriction Technology (GURT). Terminator is an ominous technology by which a patented commercial seed commits ‘SUICIDE’ after one harvest. Control by private seed companies is total. Such control and power over the food chain has never before in the history of mankind existed.
This clever genetically engineered terminator trait forces farmers to return every year to Monsanto or other GMO seed suppliers to get new seeds for rice, soybeans, corn, wheat whatever major crops they need to feed their population. If broadly introduced around the world, it could within perhaps a decade or so make the world’s majority of food producers new feudal serfs in bondage to three or four giant seed companies such as Monsanto or DuPont or Dow Chemical.
That, of course, could also open the door to have those private companies, perhaps under orders from their host government, Washington, deny seeds to one or another developing country whose politics happened to go against Washington’s. Those who say ‘It can’t happen here’ should look more closely at current global events. The mere existence of that concentration of power in three or four private US-based agribusiness giants is grounds for legally banning all GMO crops even were their harvest gains real, which they manifestly are not.
These private companies, Monsanto, DuPont, Dow Chemical hardly have an unsullied record in terms of stewardship of human life. They developed and proliferated such innovations as dioxin, PCBs, Agent Orange. They covered up for decades clear evidence of carcinogenic and other severe human health consequences of use of the toxic chemicals. They have buried serious scientific reports that the world’s most widespread herbicide, glyphosate, the essential ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide that is tied to purchase of most Monsanto genetically engineered seeds, is toxic when it seeps into drinking water.9 Denmark banned glyphosate in 2003 when it confirmed it has contaminated the country’s groundwater.10
Just because you’re not actually eating the GMO ingredients (which is arguable), doesn’t mean you should support companies that are destroying our planet.
You might still get some GMO ingredients, even if they are “filtered out” or “transformed…by the yeast”. Large companies are sloppy. I have Celiac disease and technically gluten is supposed to be destroyed by the brewing process. Unfortunately, this is not what happens. It’s not hard to believe that other ingredients have similar issues. While I acknowledge that this speculation does not take the place of hard science to confirm, until someone does that, I will just assume that they are GMO. Of course, I can’t drink them anyway, but we will all stand or fall together.
Kayden as a brewer I can tell you that gluten is not supposed to be destroyed by fermentation as most sugars. Gluten is a protein which is not consumed by yeast as sugar is. Unfortunately you have to find gluten free beer.
do you have any evidence against using isinglass??? it is commonly used in wine production as well……yeah its from a fish bladder but would you prefer using chemicals rather than a natural compound????????? I completely agree with everything about your article other than the hatred to a natural ingredient……yeah i suppose if your vegan you might not like it but plants are living organisms too, what right do you have to kill them????
What makes you think anyone uses unnatural chemicals for beer filtration? Your better options are to drink beer that has been filtered with diatomaceous earth (fossilized algae) or, even better, with a centrifuge alone. This is how most American-made beers are filtered anyhow. Many craft breweries serve unfiltered beer, too!
Mike, Here is a 3rd grade lesson for you (as it appears you must have skipped this grade)! Plants do not feel because they do not have a central nervous system. Animals feel pain just like you do. A child can distinguish the difference between the two….maybe you skipped elementary school all together??????
I am not sure I get that logic, Kerri. Does that mean if there were a breed of cow that had a genetic mutation that left it unable to feel pain that it would be ok to breed and slaughter that specific breed of cow? Or that if you deadened the pain of animals then slaughter would be ok? Lots of “pest” animals that do have central nervous systems die in the harvesting of crops. Should you eat plants and grains made by producers that can’t demonstrate humane harvesting practices? I understand the reasoning of vegans of conscience and think it is totally cool if someone doesn’t want to eat animals out of concern for their pain and suffering, but we live in an era where those concerns can soon be addressed through science. Once we can grow meat or fish bladders for that matter in a lab (unconnected to a nervous system) will it be ok to use them?
As a public sector plant breeder who knows that there is absolutely nothing wrong with GMO corn, I find the fear-mongering of the anti-GMO world is totally out of control and really becoming quite depressing. Similar to the banning of evolution text books, it is just another sign that the vocal public does not understand science… : (
Absolutely nothing wrong with GMO corn in my beer…can’t imagine anything wrong with fish bladders either…
You really shoud educate yourself Seth!!!. Here is an article I read earlier that might help you http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-10524/why-i-just-say-no-to-gmos-a-cardiologist-explains.html
I’d rather not eat Roundup. It is also FACT that Monsanto is ruining local farmers and being subsidized by the government. That’s not “fear mongering” .
If not- then prove who you are, troll.
It’s a moron minion.
No GMO for me and my family. I recently read a study that link the GMO with the Bt toxin to IBS. What does bt do to insects? Research it – it destroys there digestion.
Then add the gluten to permeable gut and you have autoimmune problems (there was a Gluten Summit with numerous researchers presenting less than a month ago).
You do realize the health risks are only required to be 90 day trial in the U.S.?
And the tests are done on chickens – hardly a physiological match for humans.
You seem to be sincere but I’ve adopted the saying “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it”
Mr. Seth Murray,
I read an average of 65-70 books a year. You need to familiarize yourself with the Seralini papers/controversy, and that alone will open your eyes if you have any sense left in you. ….unless, of course, you are one of those paid disinformants.
Paid trolls are everywhere. Truth is no one wants to eat GMO’s the few that do can deal without. They need to be destroyed.
LOL @ Olympia Beer being any different from PBR et al. It hasn’t been brewed in Tumwater (or in Washington State) for many years. Hence, it hasn’t been “the water” for equally as long…
Thank you for this great article. I love beer but need to make some changes. I watch what chemicals I eat and what chemicals I put on my skin. The next step is to watch what chemicals I’m drinking.
What about wine? Can you do an article about wine?
I’m not a beer drinker but I live in Las Vegas and I visited once Tenaya Creek Brewery, they don’t use GMO’s or artificial colors, they are in Whole Foods Market as well and they have like 9 different styles of beer, so I’m sure the beer drinkers will find one they like, the owners are super nice as well. Btw this article is fantastic, definitely sharing it with friends!!
I am a fan of Mill St. Organic beer; but now having read this post am curious if they are all they claim to be! Anyone else a fan or know of anything sneaky with them?
Hi Jessica,
Mill Street is uses 100% non-GMO ingredients. Nothing sneaky, we promise.
Cheers,
Steve Abrams
co-founder
Mill Street Brewery
peaks organic IPA from maine is very tasty
have you checked sam adams boston beer co. for any harmfull additives to their brews? thanks for all your great work!
I sent them an email asking them, when I get a reply I’ll post it. I really hope they don’t use GMO’s I love Sam Adams.
Lots of stuff here that’s wildly overstated. Even going political ? that’s wrong. The american light beer catagory and beers made by those companies are mostly garbage. People buy these because they are cheap to drink daily. Some of those bad chemicals are non toxic, you brush your teeth with them daily. I look at ingredient lists on everything and don’t trust them much. Craft beer is great but I see 4 packs of ale selling for $10.00 and that is a ripoff.
You want to talk about carcinogens… how about the sulfur dioxide used to sterilize the barrel that your glass of wine came from.
Just another reason to detox! http://www.blacktolife.com
Thank you! I so much appreciate this information.
Brewing your own beer isn’t that hard. Getting enough appropriate bottles might be difficult or expensive if your boycott before gathering a supply.
Fish-bladder is the least of my worries.
I live in Vermont, we have more locally owned craft micro breweries than anywhere- AND a FANTASTIC organic beer is: Wolaver’s organic ales. It is the organic branch of Otter Creek brewing company which is from Middlebury, VT- They have a wide variety of organic beers and are owned by Long trail now (which is still local and independent in VT, just more successful) and they are really yummy (i.e. oatmeal stout, pumpkin ale, IPA, ect) Cheers!
Gmo is good for the environment, good for people and saves money. Gmo’s save lives, therefore your fight against them kills people. People die because of your misinformation and propaganda sponsored by organic farmers.
Edna works for Monsanto.
Even I did not know ALL of the $#/+ dear Vani,
BUT I must correct you concerning Heineken.
As a brerwmaster myself I KNOW these things.
Many beers (and years) ago I had the only hangover in my life, until Wednesday that was. My mother (she was a Doctor of chemistry and such) laughed when I called her the next Thursday and told her that my Dutch friend and I drank Heineken during 4 days from Thursday till Sunday. She told me that they put some “E” stuff in their brewski to make it taste the same, no matter where you infuse yourself with it, Australia, Europe, the Americas etc.
Cheers und prosit!
Wolfgang
– Frothy Beard Brewing Company –
Here is a cool list!
Organic Beer and Beyond:
10 Eco-Friendly Breweries
http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/latest/organic-brewery-0625#slide-1
I’m personally a big fan of Great Lakes and New Belgium
Anyone know the record for Canadian beer companies and/or Canadian beers? What about yuengling?
I’ve created an official petition on this matter, on the government ‘We The People” website (and I linked this site). Please feel free to sign it at the following URL:
http://wh.gov/l0RI2
The approved ingredients was once read into the Congressional Record, a list of 99, was once 101. A friend knew the date and searched libraries for it, but that page was always missing.
Have you asked Whole Foods why they carry all these beers? especially guinness?
Just found the food babe today. Much appreciated! Being a South Side Milwaukee native, Pabst Blue Ribbon a hometown favorite, but a friend in my adopted home state if AZ recently suggested it had something fake in the taste. This proves it! It’s all made by Miller now and I never liked Miller Lite. Boycotted Miller Park till just a couple years ago! Just say NO to GMOs!
TY Vani, I just read this and even now I have some cheap Guiness black lager in my fridge. It appears to me that America’s microbrews love IPAs and for whatever reason have forgotten about lagers. Since you asked, my favorite beers are Spaten from Germany which proclaims to be brewed under the Reinheitsgebot. It is a sweet lager, I hope you look into it. Usually it is around $10 for a 6-pack, which always made me look elsewhere, but perhaps I should focus on their beer. Another I had to seek out is “Hopf. Helle Weise.” (written in funny German letters). Brewed and bottled by WEISSBIERBRAUEREI HOPF, Miesbach Germany (www.hopfweisse.de). Along the base of the label “Brewed according to the German law of purity of 1516”. I have found it at BEVMO (who I am sure is the devil). This is the best Hefeweisen I have tasted, contending with the (sometimes astounding) fresh brewed Hefeweisen at Gordon Biersch (downtown San Jose), and the Hefeweisin at a local brewery Los Gatos Brewing Company). A REQUEST, could you make it possible to view all comments on one page? Your following is too large and I drink too much beer to go through 11 pages of comments looking for the commenters’ input on beers I have been drinking lately.
yo. just like to point out Guiness is a stout not a lager.
Looking for organic beers….uinta brewing in Salt Lake City Utah makes great beer. Not all of which are organic, but many are..
http://www.uintabrewing.com/brews.php
Hey i’m talking about Corona beer because my favorite band drinks it and i don’t want them to get sick. What are the ingredients in Corona beer?
You forgot a few things good babe! Your smoking hot! …..wait that’s not what I was going to say.
The Water they use will have Flouride in it! And good chance of Chlorine or Chloromine. Also if it’s Tao water that is filtered it still has flouride and other possible Pharmacieticals.
Can you add that to your list? 😉
Also hops are estrogenic and what about Gluten?
Time for an update please!
Thanks hottie! I mean good babe!
Have an official response from Guinness.. they do not use GMO or High fructose corn syrup.
Dear Valued Consumer, Thank you for taking time to contact Guinness. Your feedback is important to us. All Guinness Draught enjoyed in the United States comes from the home of Guinness – St. James’s Gate in Dublin. While the Guinness Beer produced in some markets may use non-GMO Sorghum and sugar syrups, we can confirm that there is no high fructose corn syrup and no GMOs in any Guinness Beer distributed in the United States. Once again, thank you for contacting Guinness.
received this from Newcastle Brown Ale:
Newcastle Brown Ale: Thanks for sharing your concern. Rest assured – the level of caramel coloring in Newcastle Brown Ale is safe. In fact, the ingredient amount is 15 times below the California disclosure threshold, which is the most strict in the country. Please share this information with anyone else who is concerned about the issue. We hope you will continue to enjoy a nice glass of Newcastle.
Isinglass (the fish bladder additive mentioned in the part about Guinness) has been used in brewing beer and wine for hundreds of years. It is ignorant to put this in the same category as other modern chemical additives which have no historical backing.
In saying that, Guinness should do a better job at labeling.
Heniken is lying, I would pick trucks loads of it up at the ports, they would crack the doors 180 to 200 degrees f in containers of the ship, then into back of a truck could sit for a week on a yard in trailers, how could it not go bad in that kind of heat? Have to have a stabilizer or preserving agent in it?
I drink scotch or vodka. Occasionally beer.
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Flying Dog Brewery is all natural and vegan except for the oyster beer.
Really useful info, totally turned me off beer!! Scary stuff. So is wine any better? If I drink, I make it organic white, vegan labelled. But what about if I want a drink when I’m out? Vodka? I live in Australia and the choices at the local pub usually don’t include organic beers or wines!
There are a lot of errors in this report. Roundup is not a pesticide, but rather a herbicide, and, it degrades rapidly once it is applied. I’m no fan of industrial chemicals, but you should at least get your facts straight.
You asked, “Whoever stops at one beer?” I usually do. As a very thin person with <3% body fat, I'm literally and figuratively a "light weight". So I buy a six-pack and it takes me 2 weeks to finish it, because I average a beer every two days or so. I don't drink to get drunk, but for the relaxation effect, the refreshing effect of cold, carbonated liquid, and for the good taste of QUALITY beers from microbreweries such as Shiner, and Blue Moon, Sam Adams, and others. Anyone who drinks Miller, Coors, Budweiser, or any of the other mass-produced American and Mexican beers, is probably drinking to get intoxicated, rather than flavor (since these beers taste watered-down urine), and therefore has to drink more, because these beers have a lower alcohol content than most mircrobrews.
As with most things in life, it's all about quality and moderation.
Sam Adams and Shiner are still independent, but Blue Moon is owned by Coors and always has been.
You need to try Mill Street Original Organic. Great test!
Does Bud Light have formaledyde in it? It sure tastes like it does.
http://origin-www.budweiser.com/en/us/content/king-of-beers/article/our-five-ingredients
looks like blogger didn’t try to hard to find ingredients in budweiser. :-Z
BUT I LOVE BEER! Ah man! I never knew I had no idea beer companies are trying to kill us with all the garbage they put in there product!
Todd, I just looked it up. You would be surprised!!!!
I am both a healthy eater, professional brewer, and beer lover.
The beers you have listed are “macro-brews”, mostly in the Big 5. Smaller craft breweries take far more pride in their product, and usually try to locally source their ingredients. Sierra Nevada have their own organic farm and produce their own malt and hops (many smaller breweries are also doing this). To use corn or rice in beer is a violation of the German purity law Reinheitsgebot. Budweiser and Pabst starting doing it at the turn of the century to cut grain costs, and it has been in practice ever since. These are called adjunct beers.
I agree that macro beers should not be consumed, and I encourage beer lovers and beer curious folks to find their local microbrewery and do some tasting. Employees there will be more than happy to talk about their ingredients.
Cheers!
Yes Cat – Sierra Nevada Brewing Company ROCK !!! – they are 70% self sufficient providing their own electricity (will be 100% soon), are 98% recycle/compost and NO GMO’s Its all I drink these days…
Where can I buy them?
To Kris, I am on the left coast but if you go to their website http://www.sierranevada.com you can enter their mailing list & get the closest store that stocks them. I dont know where you are but maybe try Whole Foods ?? They are opening a new brewery in North Carolina soon to accommodate East Coast.
do you know of anything negative about Stella, or other Belgian beers?
Stella is made by InBev, the company thought bought Budweiser in 2008. Yep, Bud is not even an American corporation anymore.
Because InBev cranks out crap beer, I would assume Stella is not made well.
Many of the top brewing corporations have started to acquire smaller craft breweries instead of producing quality beers themselves. For example, InBev also owns Kona Brewing co., Goose Island, and Redhook. Blue Moon and Leinenkuehgel (I can’t spell that) are owned by MillerCoors. There are so many more. It is becoming more and more common to think you are purchasing a a local or craft beer only to find out they are owned by a giant corporation.
North American Breweries (now a Costa Rican based company)just shut down their Pyramid brewery because their workers in Berkeley organized a union. They also own Magic Hat and Portland Brewing Co.
As a brewer, and beer enthusiast, I work very hard to not support these companies for their poor manufacturing and business practices.
I am proud to say that Chico, Ca (where Sierra Nevada is based) is my hometown! I have been been to the brewery more times than I can count, for food, drinks, and even school field trips, and if you ever get a chance to visit it is well worth your time. My dad actually used to brew with the owners before the company even existed. And besides being environmentally friendly, they are also very involved in the community. Great company to support, and fantastic that they are getting such great publicity!
Kyle Jones, do you really think your going to get honest, truthful information from the government run website “Pub Med”?!! The ADA has been pushing the fluoride lie for decades. Your comments are very revealing as a “Dentist”. Much like the Pediatricians who push the idea that there is no difference in giving children multiple vaccines at once as opposed to administering them on a scheduled one at a time basis, as well as limiting the number of vaccines taken. I find many of the people in he medical field are quite content to drink the kool-aid given out by the AMA and the ADA and do little if any research on their own as to the contrary. If it doesn’t come from the pharmaceutical sponsored Medical Journals, then it must be a conspiracy theory. I believe it is you who are the fool.
Chuck, where does your information come from? Maybe you could provide links?
First time I have ever commented on anything on the internet. But perhaps this may help my German brothers. Who love to drink, da’ Beer. An interesting study on when, how and why, Hops were added to Beer. Double speak, would have you believe it was for flavoring. But it was actually added as a preservative, due to Cost. Check out History of beer – Wikipedia. That’s why I pursue the future, home brew. Where I can boost alcohol as preservative instead. Or just drink it faster.
Everyone of the comments that I have read about the substances in either Beer or Wine are forgetting one thing, it’s not just up to the Food Babe to tell you these things. You are all adults and you have a mind, use it! Do the homework, check different sites out to include the Food Babe and look for yourself at how these things are manufactured. WAKE UP people, take the Flouride out of your toothpasts (use Jason’s flouride Free) and water (use Purpro water purifier products) and get a clear mind and clear heart so that you all can make informed statements. Check on things, the information is out there, so GO GET IT!!!
Looks like the Infowarriors found this website (great interview with Alex Jones Vani !!!)and naturally I was attracted to the beer section. Dang My beer is poisoning me along with my buzz is unacceptable. Goin local – spending my money local -its the only way to beat these brands.Good Luck everyone!!!
What about Sam Adams? Does anyone know if Sam Adams uses GMO? or anything else unhealthy?
Dan-
I am with you. Favs are Sam Adams and Leininkugels. Leinies has been bought by MillerCoors, though I don’t know if either have GMO’s or other carcinogens.
I am curious as well. Sam Adams is mine and my hubs beer of choice. Thankfully we don’t like most of the beers listed here. I also wonder if Guinness is just the American version that is crappy. I have never been a Guinness fan but most of my friends who like it swear that the European version is way tastier and different.
reinheitsgebot. Sam Adams and a lot of other craft breweries follow that standard
Here is a chart with what the Brewer’s Association considers NOT to be craft breweries. Some of these you may think of as craft, but that is just the big guys trying to make you think they are local and quality. Stay away from this list and you will negate all of the concerns in the original article.
http://joesixpack.net/documents/NotCraft.pdf
As a beer lover and a hater of GMOs I struggled to find an organic beer that I really liked until I found Peak Organic. I LOVE all of their beer! Their Summer beer is especially delicious. I’m not sure that they distribute all over the country, the brewery is located in Portland, Maine – but, here is their website and hopefully you can find some near you! I highly recommend it 🙂
http://www.peakbrewing.com
Peak Organic was JUST certified by the Non-GMO Project this week…go Maine!
Samuel smiths is organic and has many different types from IPA to stout to fruit beers and a cider. My favorite beer by far and organic!
think I have had their cider – really nice!
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