Spring 2026

No one would argue that we are living in the Age of Information, one that has greatly benefited the kashrus world. Thirty years ago, we did not have access to the information highway known as the internet because the highway was still under construction. Ferreting fact from fiction was the mainstay of our research process, one that involved finding the right people to speak to who could share their expertise so that we could create reliable kashrus standards for the tzibur.

In that era, our knowledge of the kashrus of beer and liquor was very much in its embryonic stage. Few, if any, beers carried reliable kosher certification. Using the information then available to us, we developed an educated kosher beer policy which stood the test of time for three decades. In 1996, the Kashrus Kurrents published its first beer article, “Is Something Kosher Brewing?”

But today, we are light years away from the information vacuum we were working in then and so much better positioned to do truly solid research and to track the beer making process from field to loading dock.

Here, we will begin by revisiting the beer making process and re-introduce our readers to an industry with a distinguished history going back over 500 years. We will then provide context for the recent beer policy change implemented by STAR-K and why it marks a significant milestone in our decades-long involvement in the beer and liquor industry.

The Process

Beer’s ingredients – water, barley, yeast and hops – bear no resemblance to the finished product. These natural ingredients undergo a series of simple yet fascinating processes to convert them into one of the world’s most popular beverages. The four steps of beer making are roasting, mashing/malting, brewing and fermenting.

►Roasting. This is the most vital step in the beer making process, in that it helps to determine the beer’s color and flavor through adjustments to the roasting time and temperature. A longer, hotter roast produces a darker, more flavorful barley – hence a darker, more flavorful beer – while a shorter, cooler roast produces a lighter, less flavorful beer.

►Mashing/Malting. In this process, the starches in the roasted grains are converted into sugars. First, the kernels are ground into a grain mixture called a grist. (Sometimes, with blander beers, the barley is mixed with other cereal grains – such as corn, wheat or rice – to produce the grist.)

Next, the grist is mixed with hot water to form a porridge-like mixture called a mash. The hot water triggers an enzymatic process that “awakens” the germ – the living part of the barley – which lies dormant until the grain is planted or comes in contact with hot water. The wetted germ secretes an enzyme that breaks down the starch in the endosperm into simple sugars.

The sweet, unfermented liquid extracted from the mash is called a wort. Hops – dried flowers from the spice-like hops plant – are added to the wort to create a hopped wort.

► Brewing. Next, the hopped wort is heated in a copper or stainless steel kettle to impart a unique aroma and cooked flavor to the wort. The brewed liquid is then ready to be converted into beer through the process of fermentation.

► Fermenting. This is the final step in the beer making process. During fermentation, yeast – a fungus found in nature – converts sugar into carbon dioxide and alcohol. In beer production, yeast converts the sweetened hopped wort into beer.

Though there are literally thousands of yeasts, the two most frequently used for fermenting are Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which produces ales, and Saccharomyces uvarum, which produces lager. Other ales and lagers can be light or dark, strong or weak, more flavorful or bland, depending upon the temperature, ingredients and brewing methods.

The Beer Making Craft

While beer making has been practiced for centuries, over time it became elevated into an art form. Today, dozens of varieties of beer, each with a full spectrum of flavors and colors, have been developed. How do the beer meisters do it? By varying beer’s natural ingredients – grains, hops and yeast – and modifying the roasting and brewing methods, they are able to create new flavorful varieties.

As has always been in the case – no less in our world of new technologies – the keys to successful brewing are consistency and uniformity. In recent decades, scientific discoveries have facilitated these objectives, enabling beer meisters to significantly enhance the simple centuries-old process of beer making. But new is not always better. Technological research has demonstrated that while additives and processing aids can help deliver a consistent and uniform product, they do not necessarily create a beer with more character.

How do these revelations impact the kashrus status of this generically kosher beverage? Are there any additives that may compromise the kashrus of beer?

Processing Aids

In all, over 59 chemicals, many requiring reliable kosher certification, are legally permitted to be used as beer additives. Here are some of them:

• Hydrogen peroxide or other alkalis – can be used to accelerate malt germination.
• Natural enzymes (such as papain or bromelain) or industrial enzymes (such as amyloglucosidase or Aspergillus niger) – can supplement an enzyme-deficient mash to help break the starches into sugars and facilitate brewing.
• Hops extracts – can be added for flavor.
• Tannins – can assist in the removal of unwanted protein to deliver a clearer brighter beer.
• Natural and synthetic clarifiers, such as isinglass finings[1] (prepared from ground tropical fish), gelatin or silica gel – remove dark particles from the beer after brewing to give the final product a crystal-clear appearance. A clarifier only acts as a filter and is not present in the final beverage.
• Caramel color – may be added for coloring.
• Extra carbon dioxide – may be added for carbonation.
• Alginates – may be added for head retention.

Flavorings

Traditional beers do not have added flavorings. Cherry and other fruit flavorings and spices are used to make flavored products and by law must be labeled “flavored beers.” Such products definitely require kosher certification.

New Developments in the World of Beer

Two new developments have emerged in contemporary brewing: non-alcoholic beer and microbreweries.

► Non-Alcoholic Beer: The production of non-alcoholic beer is similar to regular beer but with one additional step: After the wort is fermented, the alcohol is distilled off through boiling or other distilling techniques. The product that remains is non-alcoholic beer.

►Microbreweries: These produce beer on a far smaller scale than the giant breweries. Usually, a smaller operation is more cause for concern. A microbrewery is typically more devoted to “natural” beer making than its larger counterparts. They are often strict adherents to traditional, additive-free brewing methods. This tradition – “Bavarian Reinheitsgebot” – dictates that beer can be made with only barley, yeast, water and hops.

A Metamorphosis in Kashrus: From Acceptable To Certified

In the world of science, a metamorphosis refers to a remarkable biological process of transformation. A familiar example of this process is the transformation of an aquatic tadpole into a terrestrial (or semi-aquatic) adult frog. The world of kosher food certification may not be as dramatic but is no less amazing.

In the formative years of food processing, when certification of products was in its infancy, a consumer either did without or scanned the ingredient panel on the label (if it even had one) hoping to rule out any glaring treif items such as lard. Barring any objectionable ingredient appearing in the listing, the consumer would then deem the item fit to eat. In hindsight, this was a regrettable practice, but it was the status quo of kashrus in “the olden days.”

The metamorphosis of the world of kashrus began with the establishment of trusted kosher certification agencies, whose role was to certify products through a deep understanding of ingredients and processes and by establishing kashrus parameters in both the field and the office. What emerged was the advent of a small but growing group of reliably certified kosher products which provided the conscientious consumer with kosher options that did not rely on assumptions based on reading ingredient panels.

Slowly but surely, the kosher consumer was becoming an educated kosher consumer, fully aware of the potential pitfalls of ingredients and processes. As the few certified products grew into many, and the many into a plethora, over time, making assumptions about products has become almost unthinkable. Who would buy a candy bar today without looking for the hechsher? How many of us can relate to that feeling of confidence – and relief – when shopping for a particular food item – be it a pastry, energy bar, cookie, potato chip, hot sauce, salad dressing, bagel, cream cheese or lox – and finding the kosher symbol prominently displayed on the label? The hechsher has become an indispensable part of the kosher shopping experience.

But not entirely, yet. Until very recently, consumers have continued to rely on an “acceptability” standard on certain products – beers chief among them – instead of seeking out brands that are reliably kosher certified. The kosher beer consumer should be aware that there are now over one thousand varieties of reliably kosher certified conventional and flavored beers with no compromise in terms of their quality or availability.

The Bottom Line

Kashrus does not vibrate in place; it moves on. As my father a”h used to say, “I want to go up in kedusha.” What we took for granted as kosher “acceptable” has morphed into a new, higher, kashrus standard: that of kosher “certified.” Based on the new realities on liquor store shelves, STAR-K has set a certified kosher beer standard for its establishments and food service events. While kashrus agencies do not have the right to dictate or establish the kashrus standard for individual consumers, it does assert the right to establish standards which meet the requirements and dictates of the agency’s rav hamchsir, whether it be for Cholov Yisroel, Yoshon, Pas Yisroel or Bishul Beit Yosef. Certified beer is no different.

The  STAR-K certified beer policy is a milestone which represents a true metamorphosis in the evolution of kosher certification. It demonstrates how far the world of kashrus has come from the days when consumers relied on guesswork when going shopping, to now when we turn to our mashgichim who work intimately alongside industry professionals to validate every step of the production process. It is a phenomenal credit to the world of kosher certification that we have reached this milestone. L’Chaim!

STAR-K reminds readers of the importance of consuming alcohol responsibly and in a “kosher” manner.

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[1] Gelatin and isinglass clarifiers are not used in domestic beers. Isinglass finings is a traditional British beer clarifier that has been used for centuries in the United Kingdom. It is fascinating to note that over two hundred years ago, the great halachic authority, the Nodah b’Yehudah, permitted the use of the isinglass clarifier (Y.D., Teshuva 26).