From the COLlive inbox: Recently, I went to my friend's house to have a few beers and it turns out 3 out of the 6 beers we were going to try were not Kosher! Full Story
July 20, 2021 – 11 Av 5781
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From the COLlive inbox: Recently, I went to my friend's house to have a few beers and it turns out 3 out of the 6 beers we were going to try were not Kosher! Full Story
By anonymous
Recently, I went to my friend’s house to have a few beers and it turns out 3 out of the 6 beers we were going to try were not Kosher!
All of these beers were purchased from a local kosher store in Crown Heights, and I was shocked that not-kosher products were being sold there.
This isn’t an isolated incident; my brother-in-law out of town had beers with lactose served with the cholent at his kiddush. Even while doing Smichah, I saw well intentioned people drinking treif beer- which is sold in local Crown Heights kosher stores.
I ask everyone to do your due diligence next time you decide to buy a beer from your local store and check one of the many available kashrus lists online to see whether your purchase is acceptable.
It behooves us as Chassidim of the Rebbe and Frumme Yidden to be extremely careful when it comes to something as important as what we put into our mouths.
Some notes about Kosher beer (abridged from the cRc website):
● Unflavored beer, brewed in factories that only produce unflavored beer, do not require hashgacha. This applies to both light and dark beer, both full calorie and light versions.
● Flavored beer always requires reliable kosher certification. (Herbal flavors may in fact be kosher, but each product requires individual research.)
● A company owned by a Jew who does not sell his product for Pesach results in beer that is Chometz She’avar alav HaPesach, and is not kosher.
● Unflavored beer produced in a factory which also makes flavored beer may have serious kashrus issues.
● Unflavored beer from large companies appears to be less problematic due to the fact that they generally do not experiment with such unusual flavorings. (The notable exception is Budweiser Chelada, a mixture of beer and clam juice.) Checking the label for dairy or other allergen statements may be a prudent measure.
● The main concerns appear to be in microbreweries due to their non-kosher flavorings. This applies to both the flavored and the non-flavored products. The general rule is: a beer which is only available in a specific region is likely from a microbrewery, and must have a reliable hechsher.
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To the author
July 20, 2021 9:07 pm
“It behooves us as Chassidim of the Rebbe and Frumme Yidden to be extremely careful when it comes to something as important as what we put into our mouths.”
It also behooves us as Chassidim to go over to a friend to have “a few beers”. I can’t begin to tell you how ironic this is.
Why do frum yidden go to 7/11,Starbucks, slurpees, when we have our own kosher drinks? Do you really trust what goes in there? And if there is nothing around due to non kosher areas – its call water, best ever! Or be organized and stock in advance for your trip.
First it’s nice to point out that you can spell am haaretz well, but not a clue on how to spell ignoramus. Which gives us a clue where you were educated. And thereby leads to the next point, there is actually a major issue with 711. You are relying on the non Jewish worker behind the counter, and trusting that he didn’t switch the kosher and non kosher flavors in the machine recently. They don’t do heavy cleaning and there’s some really treife slurped flavors. Food for thought. On the beer issue, every person should know the laws and do… Read more »
You think you know life, got news for you, you don
Going off topic but the foundation is there. A goyish nanny has been working 35 years for yidden making cholent. The baal habos made sure to follow all the halachos. As the nanny left the job she told the baal habos, I’ve been putting milk in your cholent all these years.
So I ask you mr. Ignoramus – you want to trust goyim? Thats Your belief and your problem. 7/11 is a goyish store that have hechshers on the drinks but you’ll not find me in there.
According to your argument the same concern we have for 7/11 we should have for our cleaning ladies.
There’s somethings we can’t control.
Just about everything store bought that you eat has a chance of being spiked with something non-kosher.
Hashgacha works. But there’s always a small risk when it comes to something we haven’t overlooked ourselves.
In response: we can control not to go to 7/11 which is a goyish store, which is runned and overseen by goyim and we can control not allowing goyim in a kosher kitchen. The choice is yours. About your store bought “not kosher” idea: 1. It’s a jewish store 2. There is a rabbi behind 3. There are jewish managers who are overlooking the workers at all times.. think logically: would a jewish manager who oversees goyim working , would allow him to eat a cheeseburger while working on kosher packaging food? I should say not.
Everyone drinking the beer is an adult (I hope),so they decided to drink what they decided to drink. Isn’t that something between them and their creator. Since this post was not a simple Public Service Announcement (which if it was would simply list kosher and non-kosher beers), this seems unnecessarily critical of others. MYOB.
Hu??!!
July 21, 2021 5:29 am
What is a frum yid drinking BEER at a shabbos table?!
What is a person drinking mashke by a shabbos table? There is nothing wrong with beer! The fact that people say it is bad is because it is a party drink or a drink that we will drink a lot of. When you ask any non jew what is worse mashke or beer? They will say mashke. In a way I understand the litvishe, more than lubavitch. Litvishe say do not drink anything. Lubavitch drink the harmful stuff,but not the thing with 3 percent. Because the non jews party with it. It is because they do not like the idea… Read more »
“Der chosid zogt vos men meg nisht meg men nisht un vos mmeg ye meg men nisht oychet a bissel
Der misnaged zogt vos mmeg Meg men un vos mmeg nisht meg men oychet a bissel” BTW litvish also say lchaim saying lchaim on mashka by a farbrengen is a holy practice shown by the rebeim and great chasidim
A few days ago while cleaning an old shelf unit in my basement, I came across a beer bottle label… Chaim Yonkel Zofhk Beer 12 fl oz since 5739. Am curious as to know something more about it… Thanks.
“It behooves us as Chassidim of the Rebbe and Frumme Yidden to be extremely careful when it comes to something as important as what we put into our mouths.”
It also behooves us as Chassidim to go over to a friend to have “a few beers”. I can’t begin to tell you how ironic this is.
Please don’t mix halacha and hergesh
Conflating the two leads to bad places
Why do frum yidden go to 7/11,Starbucks, slurpees, when we have our own kosher drinks? Do you really trust what goes in there? And if there is nothing around due to non kosher areas – its call water, best ever! Or be organized and stock in advance for your trip.
Only an am haaeretz would ask such a question. Learn all the relevant halachos and you’ll see that 7/11 is not an issue.
As for “we have our own kosher drinks,” ever heard of עשר בשביל שתתעשר?
First it’s nice to point out that you can spell am haaretz well, but not a clue on how to spell ignoramus. Which gives us a clue where you were educated. And thereby leads to the next point, there is actually a major issue with 711. You are relying on the non Jewish worker behind the counter, and trusting that he didn’t switch the kosher and non kosher flavors in the machine recently. They don’t do heavy cleaning and there’s some really treife slurped flavors. Food for thought. On the beer issue, every person should know the laws and do… Read more »
Going off topic but the foundation is there. A goyish nanny has been working 35 years for yidden making cholent. The baal habos made sure to follow all the halachos. As the nanny left the job she told the baal habos, I’ve been putting milk in your cholent all these years.
So I ask you mr. Ignoramus – you want to trust goyim? Thats Your belief and your problem. 7/11 is a goyish store that have hechshers on the drinks but you’ll not find me in there.
According to your argument the same concern we have for 7/11 we should have for our cleaning ladies.
There’s somethings we can’t control.
Just about everything store bought that you eat has a chance of being spiked with something non-kosher.
Hashgacha works. But there’s always a small risk when it comes to something we haven’t overlooked ourselves.
In response: we can control not to go to 7/11 which is a goyish store, which is runned and overseen by goyim and we can control not allowing goyim in a kosher kitchen. The choice is yours. About your store bought “not kosher” idea: 1. It’s a jewish store 2. There is a rabbi behind 3. There are jewish managers who are overlooking the workers at all times.. think logically: would a jewish manager who oversees goyim working , would allow him to eat a cheeseburger while working on kosher packaging food? I should say not.
Important topic,
Thank you for writing about this.
There was a past class posted on collive that also brought a lot of clarity on this topic.
See here – https://collive.com/kashrus-be-in-the-know-booze-schmooze/
Why don’t you list the non kosher beers as a public service??
Please list the 3 that are not kosher
Which store please post
Thank you!!
Please list the beers that ARE kosher, it’s more positive!
We have to be as clear as possible, so list both!
Everyone drinking the beer is an adult (I hope),so they decided to drink what they decided to drink. Isn’t that something between them and their creator. Since this post was not a simple Public Service Announcement (which if it was would simply list kosher and non-kosher beers), this seems unnecessarily critical of others. MYOB.
What is a frum yid drinking BEER at a shabbos table?!
What is a person drinking mashke by a shabbos table? There is nothing wrong with beer! The fact that people say it is bad is because it is a party drink or a drink that we will drink a lot of. When you ask any non jew what is worse mashke or beer? They will say mashke. In a way I understand the litvishe, more than lubavitch. Litvishe say do not drink anything. Lubavitch drink the harmful stuff,but not the thing with 3 percent. Because the non jews party with it. It is because they do not like the idea… Read more »
“Der chosid zogt vos men meg nisht meg men nisht un vos mmeg ye meg men nisht oychet a bissel
Der misnaged zogt vos mmeg Meg men un vos mmeg nisht meg men oychet a bissel” BTW litvish also say lchaim saying lchaim on mashka by a farbrengen is a holy practice shown by the rebeim and great chasidim
Have you never gone to a Sholom Zochor?
https://www.crcweb.org/LiquorList.pdf
Thank you!
https://www.crcweb.org/LiquorList.pdf
Bud Light Chelada Original With Clamato
I believe the OU would list those beers which are Kosher.
An incredible important article!
Well researched
that’s really shocking thank you for posting
I’ve seen Sierra Nevada and Shock Top in CH. Both are not recommended by the cRc
Had no idea about this.
Thanks for this service announcement. It is very easy to make the mistake of assuming beer sold in a kosher shop would be kosher!!!!
Just buy Corona
This is very helpful thankyou.
coors has an actual hechsher
why would you drink flavored beer?
It taste awful it just ruins the beer
A few days ago while cleaning an old shelf unit in my basement, I came across a beer bottle label… Chaim Yonkel Zofhk Beer 12 fl oz since 5739. Am curious as to know something more about it… Thanks.