Hennessy Cognac is suitable for vegans. Vegan booze for barnivores.
What is the composition of Hennessy?
(1) Wine is used to make Hennessy. Cognac is a white wine-based brandy that is traditionally exceedingly dry and thin. The spirit is distilled twice and matured in flavorful French barrels.
Is there pork in brown liquor?
Vegan alcohol is easy to come by, but you’ll need to do some research because beer and wine can contain animal components like isinglass, egg whites, or gelatin. Unfortunately, because alcohol is frequently exempt from the labeling regulations of other food products, these substances are never stated on the labels. On Barnivore, which does an incredible job of keeping a current and comprehensive vegan booze list, you can check the vegan status of most popular beers and wines.
Fortunately, nearly all hard liquor brands are vegan, including bourbon, whiskey, vodka, gin, and rum. Except for cream-based liqueurs and items that mention honey on the label, nearly all distilled spirits are vegan.
Here are some of the most well-known vegan beers, wines, and spirits:
Vegan Beers
- Budweiser is a popular beer in the United States (except their horrifying Clamato variety)
- Coors and Coors Light are two of the most popular beers in the United States.
- Genuine Draft, Miller Lite, and High-Life
- Pabst Blue Ribbon is a popular beer in the United States.
- Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (Sierra Nevada Pale Ale)
On our beer page, you’ll find capsule reviews of over twenty of the best vegan brews.
Vegan Wines
- Shaw, Charles (red wines only)
- Yellowtail is a type of fish (red wines only; not white or ros)
More popular vegan wines, as well as information about winemaking and non-vegan fining additives, can be found on our wine page.
Vegan Liquors
Honey is found in some rums and whiskeys, though it is normally listed as part of the product’s name. Veganism can be found in almost every translucent liquor that does not contain honey.
- Bourbon is a type of bourbon (usually made in Kentucky)
- Whiskey from Tennessee
How does Henny come to be?
Cognac is a white wine-based brandy that is normally quite dry, thin, and high in alcohol content. Wine is used to make Hennessy. The spirit is aged in French barrels, which gives the tastes.
Hennessy is a type of whiskey.
Hennessy is a true French Cognac, despite the fact that it was founded by Richard Hennessy, an Irish military commander and merchant. Hennessy left Ireland at the age of 19 and traveled to France, where he participated in the War of the Austrian Succession under Louis XV. Hennessy moved to trade once his military career ended, and in 1765, he launched Hennessy Cognac with the support of his uncle.
No, it’s not a whiskey.
Hennessy is not a whiskey, but rather a sort of brandy, contrary to popular belief. Brandy is a distilled alcohol made from fermented fruit juice, such as grapes or other fruits like apples (used to make apple brandies like Calvados). Cognac, on the other hand, is made predominantly from white grapes (Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, and Colombard) and must be produced in the Cognac region of western France by definition. After fermentation, the liquid is distilled twice before being aged in French oak barrels. The wood has a modest influence on the brandy, bringing nutty and toasted aromas that balance out the richer notes of soft fruit, vanilla, and spice found in Cognac.
The alphabet is your guide to Hennessy.
Hennessy bottles have a mixture of letters to identify the quality (and price tag) of the liquor inside, which is standard to high-end brandies and Cognacs. V.S., which stands for “Very Special,” is the most common. V.S.O.P., or “Very Special Old Pale,” and X.O., which stands for “Extra Old,” are two other labels. Though these indicators may appear perplexing at first glance, this handy guide decodes Cognac’s labeling and makes selecting the proper bottle easier than ever.
There’s a Hennessy for every budget.
Hennessy V.S. is made from a blend of at least two-year-old Cognacs. It’s around $50 and includes overtones of sweet fruit, roasted nuts, and vanilla. Its V.S.O.Ps is at least four years old and has mature notes of fresh fruit, spice, and rich vanilla and tobacco undertones, whereas Hennessy’s X.O. is made from a blend that has been aged for at least ten years and has warming notes of candied fruit, chocolate, and traces of wood and pepper.
Hennessy’s fanciness dates back further than you think.
Hennessy and Mot & Chandon combined in 1971 to establish Mot-Hennessy. Later, the group partnered with Louis Vuitton, laying the foundation of what would become one of the world’s leading luxury goods companies. LVMH now has 75 houses, each having its own line of products in fashion, perfumes, jewels, and beverages.
Special-edition Hennessy can cost a pretty penny.
The Hennessy Richard bottle, which commemorates the brand’s founder and origin, was released to commemorate the brand’s 250th anniversary. The premium spirit boasts silky overtones of nutmeg, leather, and delicate flowers, and is made up of about 100 eaux de vie. The luxurious bottle, which comes in a handblown Baccarat decanter, costs between $3999.99 and $4999.99.
Too much of a good thing led to a shortage.
Hennessy is a multibillion-dollar corporation that owns half of the world’s Cognac output. However, in 2017, the company stated that there was a scarcity of their valued spirit and had to pull items from store shelves. Hennessy demand soared as the company flourished, far outstripping supply.
Henny is deeply rooted in Black culturefor good reason.
Hennessy’s connection to Black culture extends far beyond music. Hennessy is embedded in Black culture because of its commitment to growing it. Rapper Nas was its brand ambassador, and there are innumerable lyrics and rap songs dedicated to the beloved Cognac. The brand vigorously pursued marketing and advertising in Black periodicals during a critical period. It also made an attempt to hire Black persons in senior positions across the board. Former Olympian Herb Douglas was named vice president of urban market development for the company in 1968, making him one of the first African-American vice presidents in corporate America.
Hennessy worked with the artist behind the Obama ‘Hope’ poster.
Hennessy released a limited-edition bottle collection designed by Shepard Fairey, a street artist and social activist, in 2014. With prior collaborations with KAWS, Futura, and Os Gemeos, the partnership with Fairey, best known for his famous Obama ‘Hope’ posters, seemed like a natural fit. With his unique iconography style and striking color palette, the contemporary American artist combined parts of the brand’s past into his bottle design.
Hennessy brought in 2022 with a bang.
Hennessy collaborated with the Asian music ensemble 88rising and Shanghai-based painter Zhang Enli to commemorate the Lunar New Year in February 2022. Jackson Wang performed during the global live-stream event, which also featured the debut of a new, limited-edition bottle of Hennessy X.O. Poetry and Wine Welcome the Tiger is a vibrantly decorated bottle that commemorates the tremendous optimism of the Chinese year of the tiger.
Is cognac vegan?
Cognac is a sort of brandy that is only produced in the Cognac region of France. Almost all forms of cognac, like brandy, are vegan-friendly.
Is cherry brandy vegan?
Tesco Finest cherry brandy, Demijohn morello cherry brandy liqueur, and Ableforth’s cherry brandy are among the vegan-friendly cherry brandies.
Bols cherry brandy and Castle Glen cherry brandy, on the other hand, are not vegan-friendly. Cochineal, a crimson food color produced from crushed beetles, is used in these types of cherry brandy.
Which alcoholic beverages are vegetarian?
Fortunately for all you G&T fans, practically every type of alcohol and liqueur is vegan, including vodka, gin, whisky, and rum. It all comes down to the manufacturing process. Distilled spirits are made by fermenting a grain or sugar to produce alcohol.
What distinguishes alcohol as a vegan beverage?
Water, a grain such as barley or wheat, yeast, and hopsa flower, which gives beer its particular bitter flavor, are the four main ingredients in beer. The grain sugar is fermented and digested by the yeast, which results in the production of alcohol (13, 14).
These ingredients are all vegan. Non-vegan ingredients are used by certain breweries to clarify, taste, or color their beer.
Vegan beer
The majority of commercial beers from well-known breweries are vegan. These are some of them:
- Budweiser and Bud Light are two different brands of beer.
- Corona Extra and Corona Light are two different types of Corona.
- Miller Genuine Draft and Miller High Life are two brands of beer made by Miller.
- Guinness Draught and Guinness Original XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Keep in mind that this isn’t an entire list; there are a plethora of additional vegan beers available, including several artisan breweries.
Vegan status, which is indicated by language or a vegan trademark, may be included on the product label by craft breweries. Alternation Brewing Company, Little Machine, and Modern Times Brewery are among the microbreweries that produce vegan beer.
Whether you have a favorite craft brewery, check to see if any of their beers are vegan.
Non-vegan beer
Fining agents such as isinglass and gelatin may be employed, and substances such as whey, lactose, and honey may be added (15).
Because such components aren’t often specified on the label, it can be difficult to identify when they’re utilized. Some companies make both vegan and non-vegan brews, which adds to the confusion.
Certain types of beer, though there are exceptions, are often not vegan, including:
- Ales aged in barrels. Cask ales, often known as real ales, are a type of traditional British beer that uses isinglass as a fining agent (16).
- Beers made with honey. Honey is used by certain breweries to add sweetness and flavor. Any beer containing the word “honey” in the name is almost certainly not vegan (17).
- Meads. Mead is a honey-fermented alcoholic beverage that tastes like beer (18).
- Stouts made with milk. Despite the availability of vegan alternatives, milk stouts typically contain whey or lactose (19).
Many beers are vegan, however others contain non-vegan ingredients such isinglass, gelatin, whey, lactose, and honey.
Is GREY Goose vodka suitable for vegans?
- Don Julio Tequila: This premium tequila brand makes all of its tequilas without using any animal products, making them vegan.
- Grey Goose Vodka: Hooray for yet another top-tier vodka that is also vegan.
- Hendrick’s Gin: Following our advice, Hendrick’s gin is also a good choice.
- Maker’s Mark: This small-batch bourbon whiskey from Kentucky is generally regarded vegan-friendly, however the manufacturer does warn that severe vegans should avoid it.
- Patrn Tequila: All Patrn Tequila products are vegan, according to business correspondence over the years.
- Pimm’s: The ideal way to enjoy this delightful liqueur is, of course, in a refreshing Pimm’s Cup.
- Tanqueray Gin: When you use Tanqueray Gin, you won’t have to worry about your gin cocktails being vegan-friendly.
Is all bourbon vegan?
Whiskey is a distilled alcoholic liquor manufactured from fermented grains, usually barley, corn, rye, or wheat, that have been malted. It’s normally matured for a lengthy time in oak barrels, with the type and quality of these barrels determining the varied flavors of different whiskeys.
Is whiskey vegan?
Yes, we’re sure you’ll be relieved to learn that most whiskeys are vegan. Whiskey is vegan-friendly because the ingredients are plant-based and the fermenting process does not involve the use of animal products. Honey-infused whiskey products will be an exception.
Is Jack Daniels whiskey vegan?
Because it contains actual honey, you may be surprised to learn that Jack Daniels’ honey whiskey is not acceptable for vegetarians. There’s also the possibility of cross-contamination with their other items, so keep that in mind.
