Spring 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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<\/em> published its first beer article, \u201cIs Something Kosher Brewing?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beer\u2019s ingredients \u2013 water, barley, yeast and hops \u2013 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\u2019s most popular beverages. The four steps of beer making are roasting, mashing\/malting<\/em>, brewing<\/em> and fermenting<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u25baRoasting.<\/strong> This is the most vital step in the beer making process, in that it helps to determine the beer\u2019s color and flavor through adjustments to the roasting time and temperature. A longer, hotter roast produces a darker, more flavorful barley \u2013 hence a darker, more flavorful beer \u2013 while a shorter, cooler roast produces a lighter, less flavorful beer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u25baMashing\/Malting<\/strong>. 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<\/em>. (Sometimes, with blander beers, the barley is mixed with other cereal grains \u2013 such as corn, wheat or rice \u2013 to produce the grist.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, the grist is mixed with hot water to form a porridge-like mixture called a mash<\/em>. The hot water triggers an enzymatic process that \u201cawakens\u201d the germ \u2013 the living part of the barley \u2013 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The sweet, unfermented liquid extracted from the mash is called a wort<\/em>. Hops \u2013 dried flowers from the spice-like hops plant \u2013 are added to the wort to create a hopped wort<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u25ba Brewing.<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u25ba Fermenting.<\/strong> This is the final step in the beer making process. During fermentation, yeast \u2013 a fungus found in nature \u2013 converts sugar into carbon dioxide and alcohol. In beer production, yeast converts the sweetened hopped wort into beer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Though there are literally thousands of yeasts, the two most frequently used for fermenting are Saccharomyces cerevisiae<\/em>, which produces ales<\/em>, and Saccharomyces uvarum<\/em>, which produces lager<\/em>. Other ales and lagers can be light or dark, strong or weak, more flavorful or bland, depending upon the temperature, ingredients and brewing methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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\u2019s natural ingredients \u2013 grains, hops and yeast \u2013 and modifying the roasting and brewing methods, they are able to create new flavorful varieties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As has always been in the case \u2013 no less in our world of new technologies \u2013 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How do these revelations impact the kashrus status of this generically kosher beverage? Are there any additives that may compromise the kashrus of beer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n In all, over 59 chemicals, many requiring reliable kosher certification, are legally permitted to be used as beer additives. Here are some of them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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 \u201cflavored beers.\u201d Such products definitely require kosher certification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Two new developments have emerged in contemporary brewing: non-alcoholic beer<\/em> and microbreweries<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u25ba 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u25baMicrobreweries: 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 \u201cnatural\u201d beer making than its larger counterparts. They are often strict adherents to traditional, additive-free brewing methods. This tradition \u2013 \u201cBavarian Reinheitsgebot<\/em>\u201d \u2013 dictates that beer can be made with only barley, yeast, water and hops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the world of science, a metamorphosis<\/em> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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 \u201cthe olden days.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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<\/em>? How many of us can relate to that feeling of confidence \u2013 and relief<\/em> \u2013 when shopping for a particular food item \u2013 be it a pastry, energy bar, cookie, potato chip, hot sauce, salad dressing, bagel, cream cheese or lox \u2013 and finding the kosher symbol prominently displayed on the label? The hechsher<\/em> has become an indispensable part of the kosher shopping experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But not entirely, yet. Until very recently, consumers have continued to rely on an \u201cacceptability\u201d standard on certain products \u2013 beers chief among them \u2013 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<\/em> of reliably kosher certified conventional and flavored beers with no compromise<\/em> in terms of their quality or availability.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Beer Making Craft<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Processing Aids<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Flavorings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
New Developments in the World of Beer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A Metamorphosis in Kashrus: From Acceptable To Certified<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n