Desnoes & Geddes is NOT vegan friendly

Address: Jamaica
Phone:
Fax:
Email: redstripe@consumer-care.net
URL: http://www.redstripebeer.com/
Checked by: Bianca
Double checked by: Allison, Alastair, Ryan, Angela, Gabrielle,Katie, Henry, Sami, Ethan, Clare, Sid, Kane, Devin
Added: about 16 years ago
Double Checked: over 9 years ago

Products by Desnoes & Geddes:

Company email (November 2014):
"We value loyal consumers such as yourself and we appreciate your enthusiasm. Please be advised that Red Stripe does not contain any animal by-products, dairy, eggs and fish. However we do not test for the presence of these ingredients in any of our products.
Regarding your other inquiry; it is our policy not to provide proprietary information to external parties for private or commercial purposes."

Company email (September 2014):
"In answer to your query however, we do use isinglass, a by product of the fishing industry, for fining our Red Stipe beer and Dragon Stout. Isinglass is used widely in the brewing industry although it is extensively refined before use. Its sole purpose is as a fining agent to help remove yeast from our beer, while we accept that some minor traces of isinglass may subsequently remain in the finished product."

Company email (November 2012):
"Isinglass is occasionally used in production of Red Stripe in Jamaica but is not used when product is brewed on contract in Europe. You can tell where the product was brewed by the contact details on the can itself.

Isinglass, which is a by-product of the fishing industry, is used as a fining agent in some beers i.e. used during processing to clarify beer. There should be little residue in the finished beer. Findings are removed (by sedimentation and centrifugation) so vegetarians may consider that Red Stripe brewed in Jamaica is not suitable for them."

[Editor's Note] I don't know what is causing the confusion? Could the North American enquiry line be giving a consistently different response than the European enquiry line? To be safe I've left all Red Stripe as NOT vegan-friendly.

Company email (May 2012):
"Isinglass is occasionally used in production of Red Stripe in Jamaica but is not used when product is brewed on contract in Europe. You can tell where the product was brewed by the contact details on the can itself." [be aware that it is possible for Jamaican Red Stripe to be imported and therefore could be available in other countries.]

As you can see, the answers go back and forth on this

Company email: March 2012

In regards to your inquiry, please be advised that Red Stripe is not considered to be Vegan. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. If there is anything else we can assist you with in the future feel free to contact us.

Company email: Nov 2011

"Isinglass is occasionally used in production of Red Stripe in Jamaica but is not used when product is brewed on contract in Europe. You can tell where the product was brewed by the contact details on the can itself."

Company email (diageona@consumer-care.net): Oct 2010
"In regard to your inquiry, because Red Stripe has not been certified, we can't make the claim that we are vegan, but we do not use any animals or animal byproducts in production (including isinglass, beef, chicken or pork.)"

Company email (diageona@consumer-care.net): Oct 15, 2010
"In regard to your inquiry, please note that unfortunately we cannot confirm Red Stripe as being vegan

Company email (diageona@consumer-care.net): Aug 2010
"In regards to your inquiry, please be advised that at this time, Red Stripe is not Vegan-friendly. "

Company email (Yvonne.Haynes@Diageo.com): Jan 2010
"All the Red Stripe beers exported to North America, as well as Australia are manufactured at Red Stripe Diageo in Jamaica. Just as an update, as a regulatory requirement Red Stripe for Australia, in particular, had always been produced without any finings (fish products. Since last year, the use of finings in the manufacture of ALL Red Stripe beer has ceased. This was therefore the premise on which my response to Brad was based on September 1, 2009. Note that emails from Brad have been routed directly to my attention at Red Stripe Diageo in Jamaica and we both have been in discussion since 2008, before the change in the manufacture/processing of Red Stripe beer was initiated."

Company email (Yvonne.Haynes@Diageo.com) : Sept 2009
"Red Stripe has completely changed their filtering process and no longer uses any filtering aid. So you can now start drinking our brand."

Company email (Redstripe@consumer-care.net): Sept 2009
"In regards to your inquiry, please note that Red Stripe is not vegan."

Sept 2008:
This is one of those cases where international distribution and licensing can lead to different manufacturing processes (or just plain old wrong answers) - when in doubt, double check (and send us the responses!)

We're waiting for confirmation from Well & Youngs as Alastair didn't forward the email.
Alastair says:
"Just to say that Red Stripe is suitable for vegans in the UK, I recently contacted Well & Youngs Brewery and received an email back confirming its suitability for vegans."

Company email:
In regards to your inquiry, please be advised that at this time, Red Stripe is not Vegan-friendly. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. If there's anything else we can do for you, now or in the future, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Company email:
"With regards to your inquiry, Red Stripe is not vegetarian friendly."