Do American Beers Have Sulfites?

Just yesterday I was in conversation with a guy who likes to educate people and likes to be right. I left quickly.... But before I could he made the statement that "most all American beers" have sulfites while pointing to my Alaskan Winter bottle.

I generally don't believe much of what this fine gentleman says and am inclined not to believe this statement either but I thought I'd ask here.

BrewOnBoard

I'm not an expert per se... But after I understand how to make wine. I thought sulfur compounds such as sulfite, sulfide are coming from sanitizers such as campden tablet to kill the yeasties (good, bad, wild...) It can also be produced naturally from grape and other fruits used in wine during fermentation.

For American beer (with malt, corn, rice, etc), I doubt there are any sulfite unless you intentionally introduced into the solution to kill the yeast....

IIRC packaged food and beverages that contain sulfites in excess of 10ppm or higher have to contain that info on the label...can't recall ever seeing that on a commercial beer label.

FDA Consumer--Sulfites: Safe for Most, Dangerous for Some

brewt00l said:

FDA Consumer--Sulfites: Safe for Most, Dangerous for Some

Click to expand...

Written by a Papazian


Maybe some do to stop fermentation, but I doubt it's common, easier just to chill the yeast and put them to sleep. It's found in the wine world though.

Even if they're treating the brewing water with potassium/sodium metabisulfite because of chlorine/chloramines the reaction results in chloride, sulfate and/or ammonium ions... Though most probably filter anyways...

SPLASTiK said:

Written by a Papazian

Click to expand...

Ha! I didn't even notice that!

IIRC most major breweries do not add chemical preservatives to their beer

It's a preservative, and most commercial brewers pasteurize I think. He's talking out his @ss.

brewt00l said:

IIRC packaged food and beverages that contain sulfites in excess of 10ppm or higher have to contain that info on the label...can't recall ever seeing that on a commercial beer label.

FDA Consumer--Sulfites: Safe for Most, Dangerous for Some

Click to expand...

However alcohol doesn't have to follow FDA labeling rules, otherwise commercial beers would have to carry calorie, carbohydrate and other nutritional info. Alcohol has to be labeled in accordance with BATF guidelines not FDA, or at least that is the way I understand it.

camiller said:

However alcohol doesn't have to follow FDA labeling rules, otherwise commercial beers would have to carry calorie, carbohydrate and other nutritional info. Alcohol has to be labeled in accordance with BATF guidelines not FDA, or at least that is the way I understand it.

Click to expand...

I've read in the past that sulfites is one exception to that (at least in the context of wine). I'd be curious to know if that's the case.

Edit: digging around the TTB site, I found:

The TTB has sulfite waivers on their site and
http://www.ttb.gov/ssd/sulfite_waiver.shtml

Reference to OMB No. 1513-0084:
http://www.ttb.gov/forms/notices/03-14709.htm
OMB Number: 1513-0084.
Abstract: In accordance with our consumer protection
responsibilities, as mandated by law, TTB requires label disclosure
statements on all alcoholic beverage products released from U.S.
bottling premises or customs custody that contain 10 parts per million
or more of sulfites. Sulfiting agents have been shown to produce
allergic-type responses in humans, particularly asthmatics, and the
presence of these ingredients in alcohol beverages may have serious
health implications for those who are intolerant of sulfites.
Disclosure of sulfites on labels of alcohol beverages will minimize
their exposure to these ingredients.