Double checked about 4 years ago, first checked March 2013
What the company told us
Correspondence on record, with the date of each entry.
Company email
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"Guinness Draught and Harp, whether in a keg, can, or bottle, has removed the use of isinglass as a means of filtration, making our beer vegan friendly. Other variants that are now considered vegan friendly include Guinness Extra Stout and the Foreign Extra stout."
Company email
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"Isinglass, which is a by-product of the fishing industry, is used as a fining agent in Harp- 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 Harp is suitable for them.
"Production processes in Ireland and the UK are subject to strict EU legislation and at present isinglass is the only fining agent suitable for stout, which has been approved that is suitable for our needs. Any new fining agent, especially synthetic substitutes, would not be approved for food without rigorous testing both in Europe and by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States. As yet there are no suitable alternatives available."
Update
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"According to the email I received, there is no Veg friendly product in their lineup nor are there any current plans to have one."
Company email
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"You will be pleased to hear that we do not use any animal products in our beer or the production of it.
The fine beers we brew (and import) are brewed with these all-natural ingredients: water, barley malt, hops, yeast, and cereal grains.
The water we use is drawn from the municipal drinking supply and carbon filtered for astounding purity. Our brewing water must free of any taste, color, or aroma before brewing.
Barley malt is the “soul” of beer. Our beers are brewed with pale two or six row barley malt. Roasted barley gives the color to our beers – lightly roasted barley makes pale golden beers like Labatt Blue or Budweiser. For Keith’s Red we use barley roasted a little longer, until the sugars start to caramelize. Roast them yet more? Keith’s Dark.
Hops are the female flower bud of a perennial climbing vine, and are known as the “spice” of beer. Hops are added in different stages of the brew kettle’s boil to give the beer aroma, bitterness, and to balance the flavor.
Yeast is the life of the brewing process. We use our own pure-cultured yeast strains for fermentation – the yeast breaks down sugars into carbon dioxide and alcohol. Our lagers use a bottom-fermenting yeast for a crisper, cleaner flavor. Ales use a top-fermenting yeast for a more fruity, floral, lingering notes.
Most of our beers are also brewed with a cereal grain, also known as an adjunct. Some are brewed with corn for a sweeter taste. Some use rice for a crisp, clean finish.
Beyond this, some beers use special flavorings or spices for a truly unique flavor – like the essence of lime found in Bud Light Lime, or the coriander and citrus peel found in Keith’s White."