It can be — but not every cider is.
Cider starts with something pretty straightforward: apple juice and fermentation. But what happens during the making and clarification of the cider can determine whether the finished drink is suitable for vegans.
So if you’re looking for vegan cider, it’s worth checking rather than assuming.
Why Isn't All Cider Vegan
The ingredients on the can or bottle don't always tell the whole story.
Some drinks can use animal-derived processing aids during production, particularly when they're being clarified or filtered. That means a cider can start with apples and still not necessarily be suitable for vegans. The easiest way to know? Check the producer's information or look for recognised vegan certification.
How Can You Tell If A Cider Is Vegan
Look for a clear vegan statement from the cider maker or independent accreditation such as the Vegan Trademark from The Vegan Society. Third-party accreditation gives you something more concrete than simply assuming a drink is vegan because its ingredients look plant-based.
Vegan-friendly cider processing
Many alcoholic beverages are produced using fining agents such as egg whites, fish swim bladders, isinglass, chitin from crab shells, collagen and gelatine from animal sources to filter and clarify the drink to make it look more attractive.
However, these days it is much easier to enjoy vegan alcohol drinks that are entirely plant-based, such as vegan beer, real ale, wine and fruity ciders. You just need to check the drink manufacturers website for details about their vegan range.
Smaller breweries are now using vegan-friendly alternatives in their drink processing such as Bentonite clay or cellulose filter sheets for the filtration and clarification process.
Is Brothers Vegan?
Yes. The current Brothers Cider range is vegan friendly and carries accreditation from The Vegan Society. So whether you're reaching for Pineapple & Passionfruit, Dark Berries, Festival Apple, Toffee Apple or something else from the current range, you'll see our vegan credentials clearly stated on the product information.
And yes, Brothers Cider is gluten free too.
What Does Vegan Society Accreditation Mean?
The Vegan Trademark is an independent certification from The Vegan Society.
Products carrying the accreditation are checked against The Vegan Society's vegan standards, including requirements around ingredients and production.
We've written more about what that means for Brothers and why our Vegan Society accreditation matters in our guide to Brothers' Vegan Society accreditation.
Vegan Cider Doesn't Have To Be Complicated
Really, it comes down to knowing what's in your drink and how it's been made. We're happy to make that bit easy.
Brothers Cider is vegan friendly, Vegan Society accredited and made in Somerset — so you can spend less time studying the can and more time deciding which flavour you're having.
