What’s the green fairy got to do with veganism?
Well, absinthe is a type of spirit that contains grande wormwood (a plant that some people falsely believe can cause hallucinations). The question then becomes: is absinthe vegan friendly?
The short answer is that most absinthes are vegan friendly because they don’t contain any animal byproducts. However, there are a few brands out there containing animal products like honey and milk which would make them non-vegan.
This article will cover why most absinthes are vegan friendly and why some aren’t!
What Makes Most Absinthes Vegan Friendly?
Most absinthes are not made with animal products. They use distilled alcohol with a variety of herbs to flavor the liquor, such as anise, fennel seed, chamomile flowers, and coriander seeds.
It may seem strange for a product like absinthe which has so many different ingredients to be vegan-friendly but when these products make their way to your shelf remember there aren’t any animal byproducts present!
If you’re concerned about whether or not absinthe is Vegan, I’d recommend reading this article to learn more about how absinthe is made!
What Makes Some Absinthes Non-Vegan?
There are some absinthes that are not vegan-friendly.
These might be made with milk or eggs.
Some absinthes have honey in them because it provides a sweet flavor and can act as a substitute for sugar since the liquor does not contain any sugars of its own!
Again, these are made with animal products which means they’re non-vegan.
Recommended: How to Properly Prepare Absinthe (Beginner Friendly Guide)
How to know if an Absinthe is Vegan
It is usually easy to tell if a given absinthe is vegan-friendly or not. Those that use milk, honey, or eggs will generally advertise themselves as such.
For example, Liqueur La Clandestine Crème D’Absinthe clearly markets itself as a liqueur with eggs and milk.
Similarly, Germain-Robin Absinthe Superieure is distilled from apple cider and honey mead. Because of the inclusion of honey, it is not a vegan option.
More often than not, however, most absinthes will be vegan friendly.
Some popular absinthes that don’t use any animal products include:
- Lucid Absinthe (review here!)
- La Clandestine Absinthe
- Vieux Carré Absinthe Supérieure (review here!)
- Absinthe Jade Nouvelle-Orléans
You can see more verified vegan absinthe options on the Barnivore website by clicking here.