Chemical Additives in Commercial Beers

In Lee Janson's book, Brew Chem 101, he states that "commercial brewers are allowed to add, in any combination, over seventy-five chemicals, dyes, and additives to beer without informing the consumer." Is anyone privilaged to know what some of those additives are? They are obviously not (initially) dangerous additives or the FDA wouldn't let the beer companies put them in, right?

Also, why are commercial brewers allowed to keep their ingredients secret from their consumers? Is it a matter of brand and trademark protection?

I've often wondered why beer isn't required to have the same labeling a all other foods and beverages do in the U.S.

For those same reasons the labelling effort has been fought by the wine and beer industry because the ingredients label would be longer than the Bible.

Like cigarettes...if you knew what was in there would you put it into your body?

Ever wondered why you get a worse hangover on commercial than hb. It's the Chemicals.

If anyone is interested, and if no one can find the information publicly, I could do a FOIA request and find out what those chemicals are...

Toot said:

If anyone is interested, and if no one can find the information publicly, I could do a FOIA request and find out what those chemicals are...

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Who do you make a FOIA request with? Do you have to ask each commercial brewery independently?

Along with what orfy said, Lee Janson states in his Brew Chem book that unnamed commercial brewers intentially put in a chemical that causes hangovers! What's that all about!

Commerical breweries have been known to use formaldehyde as a clarifying agent in the mash.

This is a little hard to decipher, but it looks like the list of all the food additives regulated by the FDA. If you do a search for 'beer' it will go through all of the additives that can be added to beer.

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/opa-appa.html

It looks like most of the additives are found in modified hop extract.

Most of those are solvents that would presumably be used to aid in hops extraction. Solvents are cheaper than hopps so the breweries will want to get the absolute best extraction. Several of those are known carcinogens and would be heavily regulated in drinking water at the allowed levels listed. For example, benzene is not allowed (by USEPA and state agencies) in drinking water at a concentration of 0.005 mg/L as opposed to the 1 mg/L listed on the FDA page.

The rest appear to be clarifiers.

EDIT: After thinking a bit, the solvents are all volatile chemicals that would be all (or very nearly all) volatalized during the boiling process so its pretty unlikely that any will end up in the packaged beer.

Would these additives be added to Bud, Miller, Coors etc. and not to brands like Paulaner, Spaten, Chimay? Or would they have the same additives.


I must admit after I switched to German beers (real beer) and got rid of the Buds and Millers, I feel much better after I drink large or semi large amounts of brew. What is everyones opinions about this?

For the most part I've only had German beers since 1975!

I've had the local brews for all the other countries I've visited, but I will tell you that I paid $9.00 for a Hefe Weizen in Seoul, Korea.

He also talks about a large brewer who adds a chemical that causes hangovers;
Any idea as to whom or what?

Ninkasi said:

In Lee Janson's book, Brew Chem 101, he states that "commercial brewers are allowed to add, in any combination, over seventy-five chemicals, dyes, and additives to beer without informing the consumer." Is anyone privilaged to know what some of those additives are? They are obviously not (initially) dangerous additives or the FDA wouldn't let the beer companies put them in, right?

Also, why are commercial brewers allowed to keep their ingredients secret from their consumers? Is it a matter of brand and trademark protection?

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When i was in the Navy; 40-30 years ago, I remember that it was said that American beers in England contained formaldehyde.

Some food for thought; beer is like sex and pizza, even at it's worst it's still pretty good.

revolutioned said:

Some food for thought; beer is like sex and pizza, even at it's worst it's still pretty good.

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You've never had Buckhorn beer or knew my ex-wife.

oakspoor said:

You've never had Buckhorn beer or knew my ex-wife.

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Or one called Mississippi Mud. LOL I took one sip and poured it down the drain.

oakspoor said:

You've never had Buckhorn beer or knew my ex-wife.

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I don't know your ex-wife, but I have had Buckhorn, so I'll take your word for it.

To see what big brewers are using just look at what chemicals suppliers to brewies sell. They wouldn't be selling them if they weren't used. I saw one recently- propylene glycol alginate. It's regarded by the FDA as "generally" safe. Not too reassuring. I guess it's used for head retention in finished beer.

A double rezzed thread filled with fear and misinformation...

As for the OPish topic yes breweries can use chemicals so can you. I will guess you use Star San or a similar NRS what do you suppose that is? Drink soda pop? yep full of chemicals. Beer not so much.

JRems said:

I saw one recently- propylene glycol alginate. It's regarded by the FDA as "generally" safe. Not too reassuring. I guess it's used for head retention in finished beer.

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Please stop guessing at things like this. Glycol is the coolant used to chill beer lines in many bars and in the jacketed fermenters. The glycol needs to be "food safe" in case of a tiny leak in the fermenter. There are different types of glycol and most breweries use the safer variety that even the caloric information is known just for this reason.

Zamial said:

A double rezzed thread filled with fear and misinformation...

As for the OPish topic yes breweries can use chemicals so can you. I will guess you use Star San or a similar NRS what do you suppose that is? Drink soda pop? yep full of chemicals. Beer not so much.



Please stop guessing at things like this. Glycol is the coolant used to chill beer lines in many bars and in the jacketed fermenters. The glycol needs to be "food safe" in case of a tiny leak in the fermenter. There are different types of glycol and most breweries use the safer variety that even the caloric information is known just for this reason.

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I'm not guessing at anything. Please don't accuse me of guessing at things when You Are the one that dosent know what you are talking about. I'm not talking about glycol for chilling. I'm talking about propylene glycol alginate. It's a white powder added to beer for head retention. It's also added to a bunch of other food items.