Confirmed: Jameson Whiskey is Vegan

sweet-rasmus

I wrote to them ages ago and just got a reply. They hadn't been listed on barnivore.com so that's why I got on to the company themselves. I thought some of you might be interested it was veggie/vegan

Hi <sweet-rasmus>,

Thanks for your email and apologies for the (extremely) late reply.

We hope our delay in replying didn't stop your enjoyment of Jameson.

Jameson Irish Whiskey is suitable for vegans. No animal products of any
description (including milk, eggs, honey, gelatin, isinglass etc) are used
in the manufacture of Jameson.

It is a good idea to state the suitability of the drink for vegetarians or
vegans. It is an idea we are considering at the moment.

Best regards,

The Jameson Team

Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard
Ballsbridge
Dublin 4
Ireland

info@jamesonwhiskey.com
www.jamesonwhiskey.com
www.facebook.com/jamesonwhiskey

entropi

Awesome thanks!:)

Just let a vegan friend of mine know, who happens to like her whiskey...she will be pleased:D

Tar.Aldarion

Will try some of this interesting new beverage tonight.

I'll have to google it to see what it is though.

efb

As a Jameson drinker (but a meat eater) I heartily endorse this product and may you enjoy it as much as I

Tar.Aldarion

efb wrote: »

As a Jameson drinker (but a meat eater) I heartily endorse this product and may you enjoy it as much as I

It's the best drink ever. Although I may be shunned for my OJ + jemmy habits

efb

OJ? Wow I thought I was sinning with 7up!

henryporter

Hallelujah! Jameson straight up for me - mixers are for softies!

sweet-rasmus

I checked my records, I contacted them on the 2nd of January Anyhow, it's great to know you can drink it with peace of mind knowing that no animal was involved in its making.

I think that would be great if they state that it is suitable for vegetarians and vegans on the bottle and if anyone would like to support this, I highly recommend you let Jameson know.

Edit: my email reply to them bounced back. Very odd. Anyhow, if anyone wants to contact Jameson I recommend the contact form on their website: http://www.jamesonwhiskey.com

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

Yay! I wish more booze would label itself, I can never be arsed finding out and the very rare ones that are labelled just remind me that most of it isn't

Tar.Aldarion

efb wrote: »

OJ? Wow I thought I was sinning with 7up!

Only if it is 7up free, ew.

henryporter wrote: »

Hallelujah! Jameson straight up for me - mixers are for softies!

One day I'll be man enough heh. I can only drink the older ones straight thinking that they taste good

Getwellsoon

I LOVE Jamesons! I haven't had it for ages though, I'm too broke. It's been Tescos own rum for me for a good while - hope that's vegan

Absurdum

Lamar Shrilling Rhinoceros wrote: »

Yay! I wish more booze would label itself, I can never be arsed finding out and the very rare ones that are labelled just remind me that most of it isn't

I wish wine was properly labelled

Mellor

Why was there any doubt about Jameson?

Slaphead07

sweet-rasmus wrote: »

if anyone wants to contain Jameson ....

I know I do.

OJ sounds disgusting though and 7-Up not much better! Water is vegan too so just a drop of that to 'cut' the spirit. Ice is acceptable but unnecessary.

sweet-rasmus

I've fixed my spelling.

I tried Jameson with 7-up (out of desperation!). Not recommended

entropi

Jameson aint too bad with white lemonade...still wont cut the mustard though compared to having it straight

Tar.Aldarion

Slaphead07 wrote: »

I know I do.

OJ sounds disgusting though and 7-Up not much better! Water is vegan too so just a drop of that to 'cut' the spirit. Ice is acceptable but unnecessary.

Some hate, some love. I was a doubter too!

Mellor

Mellor wrote: »

Why was there any doubt about Jameson?

Anyone




Also, Cola>Lemonade, if you are going to mix it with a soft drink.
Ginger ale or Dry is better again,
Water good,
Ice is good if at home, not viable in pubs n clubs

Tar.Aldarion

No idea, good to check things I suppose.

I would not put cola in it, it makes two great drinks, my favourite drinks, worse than they are separately. Maybe downing one, then the other. :pac:
Ginger ale is great, you are right there.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

Spirits with cordial is nice, make it with the water and all and plenty ice. Bloody lethal as well, don't know what the scientific/magical reason for that is but the addition of water effs you up. Plus it's good for those of you who mightn't like to taste your alcohol too much. Personally I drink it straight most of the time :cool:

Tar.Aldarion

Straight impresses me so much! Heh.

Getwellsoon

I am very very very very bad for alcohol. I can easily share a whole bottle of whiskey, rum or vodka with the boyfriend over one short evening of casual drinking and wake up with a clear head. I've begun drinking my whiskey straight to try and slow me down, thinking it would be harder to drink it fast this way. Trouble is, I still love it and drink it even faster and we end up drinking even more than a bottle haha

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

Thread makes me want to drink...

Getwellsoon

Lamar Shrilling Rhinoceros wrote: »

Thread makes me want to drink...

Litre bottle of Tescos rum at the ready as I type, waiting for 10pm to head over to a mate's house for some fun! hehe. If only I could afford a litre of Jamesons I'd be laughing (or puking - one or the other - or both).

Absurdum

:eek:

get well soon indeed!

Peanut

Mellor wrote: »

Anyone

Yeah I think I know why it could be suspect. Don't especially want to share it though!

rubadub

Mellor wrote: »

Why was there any doubt about Jameson?

I would still be doubtful, in other threads I have said the emails/questions might have to be very specific, they might not even realise things themselves. e.g. jameson is matured in oak barrels in which sherry was used, are they certain that these winerys are making vegan wine/sherry? They also use bourbon casks from the US which again could be contaminated.

When it comes to maturation age is important but equally for the Master Blender, is the type of cask used in the mix. At Jameson we use casks which have already been seasoned in order to remove the undesirable wood compounds.

A lot of casks come from the USA, where they were used in the Bourbon industry, and a significant portion are sourced in Jerez in Spain, having been seasoned with Oloroso Sherry. Not that we are control freaks or anything but we do like to know exactly what is going on with our casks. That is why we keep a tight control on cask management and actually choose the wood and commission the casks used to mature the Oloroso Sherry.

It is the interaction of the Bourbon Cask and Sherry Cask styles which ultimately result in the various flavour profiles of each of our brands. We typically use each cask three times (there's that number three again!) and the product from each cycle produces whiskey with differing flavour characteristics. It is with the careful use of all these variations that the blender can manage to produce the range and diversity evident within the Jameson family.

This week I'm off to Madeira to check on our casks being seasoned. I'll update you on my trip when I get back!

Peanut

rubadub wrote: »

I would still be doubtful, in other threads I have said the emails/questions might have to be very specific, they might not even realise things themselves. e.g. jameson is matured in oak barrels in which sherry was used, are they certain that these winerys are making vegan wine/sherry? They also use bourbon casks from the US which again could be contaminated.

As far as I know Bourbon is 100% veg. Maker's Mark is quite nice :pac:

Getwellsoon

Absurdum wrote: »

:eek:

get well soon indeed!

Today I am not hung over, I was up at 9.30am! I'm just a little dazed and confused... and possibly still drunk! hehe.

rubadub

Peanut wrote: »

As far as I know Bourbon is 100% veg.

Well bourbon is just a type, so is Oloroso Sherry, so it would be like saying lager is 100% vegan.

http://www.barnivore.com/liquor/183/Makers-Mark

NO animal products are used in the distilling, filtering or bottling of Maker's Mark.

There is no mention of the wash previous to distillation, the wash being the fermented grains sort of like a beer. I brought this up before in other threads. Animal based finings could be used in the wash to clear it prior to distillation, of which none will transfer over into the final product. You only have to see the threads where professional chefs do not know the real meaning of vegan so it is likely others are confused too. Since no finings pass over during distillation many people could think that it is vegan.

It would be good if companies were told of instances where products are not vegan, like using finings prior to disillation, or non-vegan glue on their bottle labels. It might get them thinking more, I am just shocked to see so many alcohols listed as vegan and wonder if they really are. Here is one instance of a company being told they were wrong.

http://www.barnivore.com/liquor/884/B-n-dictine-Liqueur

Benedictine Liqueur Not Vegan Friendly

Email from Rebecca:
"BENEDICTINE is not vegan. We went to the distillery in France last year and it contains honey. Ancient recipe so I can't see them changing it."

Company Email:
"Bénédictine is fully suitable for Vegans ; Nothing ,during all the process, is used coming from animal sources. " (To which we emailed about honey clarification)

Company Email:
"Bénédictine contains honey but among vegans this is still very controversial ; in fact my response was based on Kosher regulations very strict in terms of animal derivatives ;
It is said that honey is not (unlike Gelee Royale ) , bees carry pollen exactly like birds carry seeds , and for birds botanicals often are a production coming from animal regurgitation !"

Peanut

rubadub wrote: »

Well bourbon is just a type, so is Oloroso Sherry, so it would be like saying lager is 100% vegan.

Ok I wasn't aware that finings might possibly be used in the wash. I thought distillation and subsequent chill filtering would take care of most of that. The vegetarian society doesn't mention it on their page here, although there is contradictory information from Jameson again here. I'm not convinced that there would be a widespread process of clearing the wash when it's going to be distilled anyway.

From Bushmills -

All our whiskeys are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. They are made from barley (and other cereal grains for our blended whiskeys: Bushmills Original and Black Bush), water and yeast. They are distilled and then matured in oak casks, which only previously contained spirit (typically, whiskey) or fortified wine (typically, sherry). No animal product is used in their production. There is no Isinglass in Bushmills products.

I think that's fairly clear cut when they say "No animal product is used in production."

With respect to Bourbon, the difference between it and Scotch for example is that they only use new oak casks for aging, so there is no mixing with sherry or other used casks. This is a requirement for a product to be legally called "Bourbon", at least in the States. (Where else would you get it from..)

There are also non-sherried scotches which only use Bourbon casks for maturation.

rubadub

Peanut wrote: »

Ok I wasn't aware that finings might possibly be used in the wash. I thought distillation and subsequent chill filtering would take care of most of that.

I used to have a still myself and have read a lot about the subject, most people will clear a wash before distilling, this is since the burning/heated yeast can impart flavours into the final distillate. Absolutely no solids will pass over during the distillation process so no yeast or finings etc are in the distillate. This is why I think some will call it vegan, as they wrongly think vegan means no animal products in the actual drink (or is this what some would actually consider vegan?).

Peanut wrote: »

The vegetarian society doesn't mention it on their page here, although there is contradictory information from Jameson again here.

Is that a contradiction? there is no animal products in the end product it so it is vegetarian, that pages own definition says

A vegetarian does not eat any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish or crustacea, or slaughter by-products.

They would not be eating/drinking the finings as they are left behind upon distillation.

The barnivore sites says

"I wrote Jameson at least a year ago and inquired about the use of gelatin, isinglass, or other animal products in the whiskey. I received a personal email from an administrative employee who researched the matter. She thoroughly explained that isinglass was indeed used for clarification of the liquid, and though it was filtered out completely with the impurities from the clarified whiskey, that yes, technically, that meant that it did not fit my definition of vegan. She did state that that was the only animal-derived product in the process."

Peanut wrote: »

I'm not convinced that there would be a widespread process of clearing the wash when it's going to be distilled anyway.

Most distillers I knew did it, though they were hobby distillers. There is a lot of cleanup required after distilling yeasty washes so I would be surprised if the majority of commercial ones were not clearing, also I mentioned it imparts off flavours. This does not mean they are all using animal based finings/methods of course. They also mention the bone activated charcoal used for filtering by some distillers.

Peanut wrote: »

I think that's fairly clear cut when they say "No animal product is used in production.".

I would disagree, if professional chefs are confused these distillers could well be too. It was easy to find 2 cases where the spirits were not vegan, the one using honey and now jameson is questionable too. I would contact jameson with that email and ask them to clarify if their process has changed since then.

This line is questionable

There is no Isinglass in Bushmills products.

But is there any isinglass USED in its production. I would be certain there is no isinglass in the actual products, that is not in doubt.

I said earlier it might be a suggestion to inform them of how others fail, and provide a big checklist of things. e.g.Were animal based finings in any stage of the production of the beverages stored in the barrels prior to your spirits being stored in them?

Were animal based products used in the clearing of the wash before distillation? (this also applies to spirits produced and stored in the barrels before your product)

And put notes in like "NOTE: Vegan does not mean no animal products in the final distillate/product, if finings were used at any stage the product is not vegan."

Peanut wrote: »

With respect to Bourbon, the difference between it and Scotch for example is that they only use new oak casks for aging, .

I was not thinking of barrels with the bourbon, again it was the fining prior to distillation.

Peanut

I agree there is room for weasel words from manufacturers about exactly what goes into their products, and as you say a lot of it is just down to confusion about their own product.

But there comes a point where you have to give them benefit of the doubt -
If their line is "No animal product is used in production." then I think it's reasonable to take that at face value, especially if they also mention something like Isinglass etc. which gives some suggestion that they are aware of how it might be used.

I think the idea of a checklist is a good one, it's essentially the idea behind something like the vegetarian society symbol. I'm pretty sure this would also cover the case of animal products used in production but not in the final product - their accreditation criteria includes a cross-contamination requirement which would not make sense if non-vegetarian products were used in manufacture,

No cross contamination during the production process

This extends to all associated machinery, equipment, utensils, surfaces and clothing, which must remain free from non vegetarian ingredients before vegetarian products are touched, prepared, produced or packaged.

ToniTuddle

Jameson is vegan! This is good news....apart from the fact I have to avoid most wheat products -.-

Peanut

rubadub wrote: »

I used to have a still myself ...

Nice...:pac:

ToniTuddle wrote: »

Jameson is vegan! This is good news....apart from the fact I have to avoid most wheat products -.-

Do you think the Jameson's would be a problem?
You could try Redbreast or Green Spot, I think they just use barley malt ("pure pot still") and don't blend with spirits from other grains.

rubadub

Peanut wrote: »

You could try Redbreast or Green Spot, I think they just use barley malt ("pure pot still") and don't blend with spirits from other grains.

Yeah, most whiskeys & beers are brewed from barley, though could have wheat. But you are distilling the alcohol, so I doubt any allergens from wheat would pass over in the process, it is just pure alcohol going over, the colour & taste comes mainly from the barrels (i.e. it is not like beer) -though obviously you would want to speak to your doctor if it is a serious allergy.

I emailed jameson yesterday, no reply yet.