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Kosher Alcohol List
from the Chicago Rabbinical Council and other sources
Latest update December 10, 2007
This list is reprinted with
permission from the Chicago Rabbinical Council with additional information from the Star-K and the OU.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON DRINK OR LIQUOR NOT LISTED ON THIS WEBSITE.
Approved products are not kosher for Passover unless noted as such on the individual label.
PLEASE NOTE: Not all energy drinks and alcoholic beverages such as certain lemonades are certified kosher.
Note: Consumer should be careful to purchase all liquor from a store that either sold their chometz or is owned by a non-Jew.
BEER
Unflavored Beers:
All unflavored beers, domestic and imported, with no additives listed on the ingredient label are acceptable, even without a Kosher certification. This applies to both USA and imported beers, including non-alcoholic and dark beers.
Many breweries are coming out with specialty brews that have additives; don't assume that all varieties are acceptable - check the label.
Flavored Beers:
The following flavored beers are currently certified Kosher (under the Vaad of Greater Detroit - even without a hechsher on the product):
- Saranac- all products
- Brooklyn Brewery- all are under Vaad with the exception of "local 1" B
- Pete's Brewing- all products
- Matt Brewing- all products
The following beers from Samuel Adams, The Boston Beer Company, are Star-K kosher/pareve, even without the Star-K on the label:
- Black Lager
- Boston Ale
- Boston Lager
- Brown Ale
- Cherry Wheat
- Cranberry Lambic
- Cream Stout
- Double Bock
- Hefeweizen
- Holiday Porter Light
- Octoberfest
- Old Fezziwig
- Pale Ale
- Spring Ale
- Summer Ale
- White Ale
- Winter Lager
Coors (OU)
Molson Canada (OU)
BOURBON
Straight Bourbon (Sour Mash is a variety of Bourbon) is acceptable.
Some
examples of Bourbons are
Bookers
Basil Hayden, Bakers, Knob Creek, Jack Daniel’s, Jim
Beam, Maker’s Mark, Old Crow, Old Granddad, Old Weller, Wild Turkey.
BRANDY & COGNAC
All brandy and cognac requires certification
since both are made from wine.
Some Kosher Brandys:
- Boukha Fig(OU)
- Carmel (OU)
- Herzog (OU)
- Spirit of Solomon (Hisachdus-CRC)
- Tishbi (OU)
GIN
Gin with no extra flavors added is acceptable. (Note: Sloe Gin is a different liqueur and
requires certification.)
Gordon's Flavored Gin (all flavors) produced in the USA, is Kosher certified by the cRc.
LIQUEURS
Liqueurs generally have lower alcohol content and are by nature flavored drinks. All liqueurs require certification.
Brands that bear certification on the label and may be used:
Check the labels of each bottle and each flavor for the indicated certification. Some flavors from the sources listed below may be Dairy and will have a D next to the kosher symbol.
- 267 Infusion (OU)
- Avoscotch (OU)
- Amaretto Disaronno (OU)
- Arak- Alouf, Extra Fine (OU)
- Azmara- Coffee (OU)
- Bartenura(OU)
- Carmel (OU)
- DeKuyper (OU)
- Desert Exotics (OU)
- Drambule- (London Beth Din)
- Frangelico (OU)
- Godiva (OU, OU-D): White Chocolate flavor is Dairy.
- Herman Jansen ((OU, London Beth Din)
- Honkes (MK – Montreal)
- Kahlua Licor DeCafe – Spanish label (The yellow tag will say “original”.) (when bearing OU)
- Kava- Coffee (B'datz - Eida Hachareidis)
- Kedem (OU)
- Kijafa (OU)
- Leroux (OU)
- Llord’s (Kof K)
- Melody (OU)
- Merry (OU) Irish Cream Liqueur (pareve)
- Monfort (OU)
- Peacock (CRC Hisachdus)
- Peter Cherry Herring (OU)
- R. Jelinek - Slivovitz (OU)
- Rodrigez (OU)
- Sabra (OU)
- Spirit of Solomon (CRC Hisachdus)
- Starbucks Coffee Liqueur (OU) and Cream Liqueur (OU-D) made by the Jim Beam Co.
- Taam Pree (CRC Hisachdus)
- Vinprom (Star-K)
NOT RECOMMENDED LIQUORS
B&B Liqueur; Bailey’s Irish Cream, Becherovka, Benedictine,Bols, Campari, Carolans, Chambord, Chantreuse, Cointreau, Cristal AguaDriente, Dubonett, Galliano, Gold Schlager; Grand Mariner; Hiram Walker Liqueurs, Midori, Ouzo, Raki Sambuca, Schlink Haus Kabinett, Sheridans, Southern Comfort, Stock from Italy, Swiss Krishwasser, Tia Maria, Yukon Jack.
RUM
Rum generally requires hashgacha. Bacardi (unflavored varieties)
is acceptable without a hechsher on the label.
Cruzan Banana Rum, Estate Light Rum, Pineapple Rum, Citrus Rum, Mango Rum, Imperial Brands Heavy Body "Mud Key" Rum produced by Florida Distillers (when bearing OU)
Iceberg, Canadian Iceberg Vodka Corp (when bearing OU)
The Rum Distillery Blended Rum, The West Indies Rum Distillery, LTD (when bearing OU)
Don Q Rum (including flavored) (when bearing OU)
RYE
No certification required
SAKE
Only recommended when bearing the Kosher symbol.
Miyako (OU)
Takara Sake (OU)
SCOTCH
There are two
types of Scotch commonly available, Blended and Single Malt. Only those
on the list below are approved for use. Any other brand not appearing must be
checked with the cRc office: 773-465-3900.
Macallen Scotch and Balvanie 12 year doublewood Scotch are not recommended.
Scotch/Blended
- Chivas Regal
- Chivas Royal Salute
- Cutty Sark
- Dewers
- J&B
- Johnny Walker (all labels)
- Rob Roy (All))
- The Dimple Pinch
- White Horse Extra Fine
- White Horse Fine Old
Scotch/Single Malts
- Auchentoshan
- Balvenie (10 & 15, no Sherry Casks)
- Benriach
- Bowmore
- Bowmore Cast Strength
- Bowmore 15 YO
- Bowmore 17 YO
- Cardhu
- Cragganmore
- Dalmore
- Dailuaine Single Malt
- Dalwhinnie (all varieties)
- Gienkeith
- Glen Garioch
- Glen Kinchie
- Glen Moray
- Glen Ord
- Glen Rothes
- Glenfiddich
- Glenfiddich - Solero Reserve (15 years)
- Glengoyne
- Glenkinchie Single Malt
- Glenlivet (12 18 & 21 year)
- Glenlivet Nadurra (16 year)
- Glenmorangie (10 and 18 year) All
- Highland Park
- Inchmurrin
- Isle of Jura
- Knockando
- Lagavulin
- Laphroaig
- Longmorn
- Loch Dhu
- Oban
- Rob Roy
- Royal Coachman
- Royal Lochnagar (all varieties)
- Scapa
- Speyburn
- Strathisla
- Talisker
- Tamdhu
- The Edradour
- Tomintoul
- Tullibardine
Soju (Korean liquor)
Only recommended when bearing a reliable kosher symbol.
TEQUILLA
Tequila is made from the agave cactus in Mexico.
According to Mexican law any tequila may be labeled 100% agave even though it contains no more than 51% actual agave alcohol!
However, based on research, the cRc has identified one type of tequila which is recommended even without a hechsher (Regular-White).
There are three types of tequila on the market:
- Regular-White (also known as Silver) tequila is recommended. This clear tequila contains either 100% agave or a mixture of agave and sugar cane.
- Gold-Brown tequila is not recommended. This darker tequila is aged for 3 months and may have color and flavoring added.
- Reposado (“rested” ) (also known as Special) tequila is not recommended. It is aged for 6 months and in addition to concerns of color and flavoring, glycerin may be added for density.
Some acceptable Tequila brands:
- Don Bernardo G (OU)
- Casavores
- Herrudura
- Salusa
- Sol Dios Anejo (OU)
- Sol Dios Platinum / Blanco (OU)
VERMOUTH
Vermouth requires certification, as it is made from wine.
Kedem is the only brand readily available with a kosher symbol.
VODKA
Domestic(US only) non-flavored is acceptable.
This applies only to grain or potato vodka. Some vodkas are made with grapes, and would need a reliable hashgacha.
Imported vodka requires certification.
The following are all acceptable
imports even without certification on the label:
- Absolut
- Chopan
- Belvidere
- Finlandia
- Grey Goose
- Iceberg (OU)
- Kettle One
- Provda
- Stolichnaya ((unflavored, see below for flavored)
- Three Olives (from England)
- Vox
Absolut Flavored Vodka ( when bearing OU)
Gordon Vodkas:
The following varieties cRc certified, even without certification on
the label:
- Citrus Flavored
- Orange
- Wild Berry
Smirnoff Vodka, Sminoff Twist, Smirnoff Ice( when bearing KSA)
Stolichnaya Vodka( when bearing OU)
WHISKEY (including Canadian, Irish, Ryes)
Blended are acceptable only with certification, unless appearing
on the list below:
- Bushmills Irish All except Green label
- Canadian – Canadian Club (regular only, not Classic. Premium
or Special Reserve))
- Canadian Mist
- Crown Royal (all)
- Gibsons (MK on label)
- Irish - Jameson (all varieties)
- Seagram’s (VO and 7 Canadian Blend only, not American Blend)
- Wiser's
WINES
All wines served at a cRc event, regardless of the location, host or caterer must bear acceptable certification and must be mevushal (cooked).
Check bottles for an acceptable certification and a statement that the wine is mevushal. Many Israeli and French wines are not mevushal, so care must be exercised.
Carmel Wines from Israel must bear the OU on the label; some wines produced during the shmita year will not have the OU on the label.
Alfasi wine, from Chile, is under the OK but not all are mevushal.
BAR STOCK ITEMS
Any bar equipment (strainers, shot measures, blenders, stir rods, shakers, etc.) used with non-kosher products and should be properly kashered prior to use for a kosher affair.
- Olives – green olives require a hechsher
- Pearl Onions – are pickled and require a hechsher
- Lemon and Lime – fresh lemon and limes are used for slices, wedges and twists must be prepared using a kosher knife and a kosher cutting board
- All Tobasco brand hot pepper sauce is acceptable as long as it bears a “K”.
- OtherPepper Sauces – Durkee or French’s with OU on label
- Maraschino Cherries – only with acceptable hashgacha
DRINK MIXES
Drink Mixes require certification
Some brands available that
are acceptable:
- Coco Lopez - only when bearing OU
- Goya brand Cream of Coconut - when labeled “Product of Dominican Republic”
- Goya brand Coconut Milk – when labeled “Product of Dominican Republic”
- Holland House – only when bearing OU
- amaica John (only when bearing OU)
- Jero – only when bearing OK
- Mr & Mrs T’s – only when bearing OU
- Rose’s – grenadine and lime, with OU on label
Juices
Juices require certification. Ready-to-drink juices are made in factories that produce a wide range of products,
mostly with hot production. There are issues of dairy and non-kosher utensils.
Some acceptable brands that are locally available are listed below along with the certification
that must appear on the container:
- Apple Juice – Kedem (OU), Langers (OU), Indian Summer (K), IFP (cRc)
- Cranberry Juice – Kedem (OU), Jewel (OU), IFP (cRc), Langers (OU)
- Grapefruit Juice – Tropicana (OK), Jewel (cRc)
- Lemonade – Jewel (cRc)
- Orange Juice – Tropicana (OK), Jewel (cRc), Dole (K), Dominick's-half gallon (cRc), Minute Maid-These all only apply to Orange juice and not necessarily to other varieties
- Pineapple Citrus - Dole (K)
- Tomato Juice – Heinz (OU), Red Gold (OU), Hunts (OK),
Sysco“Citrus Valley” (OU), Sacramento (OU)
Other Liquor Lists
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