Ultimate Vegan Alcohol Guide

Not sure what counts as vegan alcohol? This quick guide makes it easy to understand what to look for and why it matters. From wine to beer to spirits, you’ll learn how to spot vegan alcohol so you can sip with confidence. Salut!
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Two glass of a vegan alcohol cocktail, garnished with fresh herbs.
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Ready to discover some awesome vegan alcohol options? Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned pro, there are tons of tasty drinks out there that don’t use any animal stuff. From crisp beers to smooth wines and bold spirits, the vegan alcohol world is way more exciting than you might think.

This vegan alcohol list guide will hook you up with the best brands and options so you can sip, share, and celebrate without any worries. We’re talking about all the good stuff—beers that taste great, wines that impress, and spirits perfect for mixing up your favorite cocktails. Plus, we’ll share tips on how to spot vegan-friendly drinks when you’re out and about. If you’re ready to up your drink game and enjoy every sip guilt-free, this guide is your new best friend.

Let’s raise a glass to delicious, cruelty-free fun!

Vegan Alcohol Guide to Beer Wine and Spirits

Why Isn’t All Alcohol Vegan?

The biggest source of hidden animal products in alcohol comes in during the final stages of filtration. Many traditional methods use animal-derived ingredients as processing agents, which aren’t listed on labels. Here’s a breakdown of common culprits.

Filtration Agents (Not Labeled)

These ingredients are used during processing—not added to the final product—so they’re usually invisible to consumers:

  • Isinglass: This is the most common filter still being used today, made from the dried bladders of various fish, mostly cod and sturgeon.
  • Gelatin: Sadly, this is the same stuff that gives conventional marshmallows their bounce and gummies their chewy texture. Definitely dump this stuff; who would willingly eat the skin, tendons, and bones of pigs and cows?
  • Casein: You might already be familiar with this one since it’s a common cow’s milk protein and found in abundance in most cheeses. Beyond basic food application, it’s also used in adhesives, paints, and other industrial products.
  • Egg Whites: Historically used in wine clarification; less common today.
  • Dried Blood & Chitin: Rare but still used occasionally, particularly in non-U.S. markets.

Since these ingredients are only used to process the beverage in question, not directly added to it, it’s not mandatory to include them on the bottle. These are the trickiest things to avoid and vary by every brand. Your best bet is to contact the manufacturer directly when in doubt.

Hidden Animal-Based Additives to Watch For

Unlike filtration agents, these ingredients are often listed and easier to avoid:

  • Cream and Milk: Thick, dessert-like liqueurs, which typically have “crème” in the title, get their richness from dairy fats.
  • Eggs: A classic example of this is eggnog, which might use the whole egg or just the yolk. Similar spirits, such as Advocaat, are guilty of the same tasteless inclusion.
  • Honey: Sweetening the deal in a way that harms the bee colonies in traditional ales and wines, this outdated addition can be traced back to the days of the Vikings. We’ve come such a long way since then; there’s no reason to stay stuck in the past!
Cheersing Vegan Drinks at a Wedding

Naturally Vegan Spirits

Most distilled spirits are vegan by nature, as the distillation process doesn’t require animal-based filters:

  • Vodka – Uses fermented grains such as sorghum, corn, rice, rye or wheat, or potatoes — check out our article: Is Vodka Vegan?
  • Bourbon and Whiskey – Uses a fermented mixture of corn and grains
  • Rum – Uses fermented sugarcane
  • Gin and Schnapps – Made from fermented grain, such as wheat or barley with added juniper and/or herbs for flavoring
  • Tequila – Created with fermented agave cactus

Just check for flavor infusions or added ingredients that could change their vegan status.

kind of wild bottle of organic vegan wine illustrated with grapes vines and a butterfly.

Vegan Wine Brands

When it comes to wine, there are a number of easy go-to options that should be on any well-stocked shelf. Some easy vegan wine options include:

  • Kind of Wild (certified organic and vegan)
  • Proudly Vegan Wines
  • Charles Shaw (red varieties only)
  • Decoy and Duckhorn Vineyards
  • Frey Vineyards
  • Red Truck & Green Truck Wines
  • Yellowtail (red wines only)

There are too many to list here, but check Barnivore, where you can enter any brand name to see which specific wines are vegan.

Vegan Beer Brands

Many of the most popular beers are “accidentally” vegan, so you should always be able to find something to order at the bar. A few easy mainstream vegan alcohol selections include:

  • Anderson Valley
  • Ballast Point (all vegan except the Calm Before the Storm Cream Ale)
  • Budweiser and Bud Lite
  • Busch
  • Corona, Corona Extra, and Corona Light
  • Coors and Coors Light
  • Deschutes
  • Heineken
  • Lagunitas
  • Lone Star and Lone Star Lite
  • Michelob (except those with honey)
  • Miller Lite, Miller High-Life, and Miller Genuine Draft
  • Modelo
  • Natural Light
  • New Belgium
  • PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon)
  • Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
  • Yuengling

Vegan-Friendly Alcohol Brands

Many alcohol brands have a huge array of accidentally vegan options, as most hard alcohol is vegan. However, we love to vote with our dollars here at World of Vegan, so we want to point out some more conscious, ethical, and sustainable brands you might turn to instead of the most mainstream options. Plus, some mainstream brands that offer really cool vegan products—like the Vegan Baileys Almande!

Vegan Drinks and Cocktails MosCarrot Mule

Easy Vegan Cocktail Recipes

If you’re looking for some delicious vegan drink recipes, we’ve got several creative concoctions for you. The following recipes are inspired by plants or traditional recipes made vegan. Cheers!

Refreshing Vegan Mocktails

For some virgin vegan mocktail recipes and inspiration, check out these delightful drinks. They provide a perfect alternative to alcohol:

You can also find non-alcoholic spirits from brands like Lyres.

Alcohol Swaps in Cooking

When cooking, you can easily swap out wine for grape juice, pomegranate juice, vegetable stock, or just plain water, depending on the recipe. If you’re making something like beer bread or a beer batter, you can use seltzer water instead for that same effervescent lift.

Vegan Drinks Events — Social Happy Hour Meetups

Looking to connect with like-minded folks over a cruelty-free cocktail? Vegan drinks events and happy hour meetups are popping up in cities across the country—from New York to Portland. They’re a fun way to explore new vegan-friendly bars, try plant-based drinks, and meet people who care about what’s in their glass and on their plate.

Search “Vegan Drinks” plus your city on platforms like Facebook or Meetup to find local events near you!

Please Drink Responsibly!

If you choose to drink, do so with care. Alcohol affects your health, relationships, and safety, and sober fun is always a great option too. Water, tea, and creative mocktails are delicious alternatives.

We hope you found this vegan alcohol list guide helpful! If we missed any of your favorite vegan alcohol brands, please share them in the comments!

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6 comments
  1. Janaye Stanley says:

    Wow this was super informative thank you

  2. Fascinating and super informative as always! Who knew we had to pick and choose alcohol brands?

  3. Well, this is useful 🙂 Thanks!

  4. I’m definitely a water girl but this is so good to have handy for special occasions! The orange creamsicle cocktail also sounds so delicious!

  5. Until recently, I had no idea that alcohol could be made with animal products. This is an amazingly helpful guide for anyone who enjoys spirits and alcoholic beverages. Thank you!

  6. This vegan alcohol guide is so handy! I’m glad to see many of my favorite beers are already vegan! Woohoo!

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