Following a vegan diet can be challenging, partly due to the fact that many foods and drinks are made with animal byproducts. Although most liquor is naturally vegan-friendly, there are some technicalities that make many brands non-vegan. Knowing which are vegan-friendly can be tricky, so we’ll get the easy parts out of the way first: Spirits that are spiced or that have honey and cream among their ingredients are off-limits for vegans, as these are made from animal byproducts. While most liquors have moved away from using animal byproducts in their filtration process, some still do. Additionally, while the Vegan Trademark isn’t required by law to appear on alcohol labels, some liquor products do include it. This is an internationally recognized verification with the Vegan Society indicating that the labeled products are vegan-friendly.
It’s also worth noting that while most unflavored liquors are vegan-friendly, makers aren’t required to list or verify if they’re vegan-friendly or not. While the Vegan Trademark is helpful, it’s also entirely voluntary. This makes knowing which liquors are vegan-friendly a bit hazy since companies like Jack Daniels uses animal byproducts such as isinglass (a gelatin clarifier made from dried fish bladders) in their filtration process. Thankfully, there are also sites like Barnivore that maintain a convenient, up-to-date listing of vegan-friendly alcohols.
Vegan-friendly alternatives to popular cocktails
Following a vegan diet while enjoying an alcoholic beverage can seem a bit challenging, but it’s easier than you might think. Many classic cocktails like mojitos and tequila sunrises are already vegan-friendly since they contain citrus juices, grenadine — which is generally vegan-friendly, although some manufacturers use refined sugar processed with bone char — and mint leaves. When it comes to brands, Ketel One Vodka, its Botanical line, Drake’s Organic Spirits, and Teremana Tequila are all highly rated vegan-friendly options to enjoy.
When it comes to swapping alternatives, fear not — vegans have excellent choices here, too. For cream-based mixed drinks, like White Russians, oat milk works as a vegan-friendly replacement for heavy cream. Aquafaba, the brine water commonly found in cans of chickpeas, can be used as an emulsifying substitute for egg whites in vegan whiskey sours. Fans of spiked java mixes like Irish coffees will love coconut whipped cream as a seriously game-changing topper. You’ll just need a chilled batch of full-fat coconut milk or cream, as well as a preferred way of beating it until it’s light and fluffy with stiff peaks.
