Isinglass is a substance obtained from the swimbladders of fish (especially Beluga sturgeon), used mainly for the clarification of wine and beer. It is a form of collagen. Prior to inexpensive gelatin production and other competitive products, isinglass was used in confectionery and desserts such as Fruit Jelly and blancmange. Isinglass was originally made exclusively from sturgeon until the 1795 invention of a cheap substitute using cod by William Murdoch. This was extensively used in Britain in place of Russian isinglass. The bladders, once removed from the fish and processed, are formed into various shapes for use. The gas bladder (also fish maw, less accurately swim bladder or air bladder) is an internal organ that contributes to the ability of a fish to control its buoyancy, and thus to stay at the current water depth, ascend, or descend without having to waste energy in swimming. ... A giant grouper at the Georgia Aquarium Fish are aquatic vertebrates that are typically cold-blooded; covered with scales, and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins. ... Binomial name Huso huso (Linnaeus, 1758) The beluga (Huso huso) is a species of anadromous fish in the sturgeon family (Acipenseridae) of order Acipenseriformes. ... This article is about the alcoholic beverage. ... A selection of bottled beers A selection of cask beers Beer is the worlds oldest [1] and most popular [2] alcoholic beverage, selling more than 133 billion litres (35 billion gallons) per year. ... Tropocollagen triple helix. ... Gelatin (also gelatine) is a translucent brittle solid substance, colorless or slightly yellow, nearly tasteless and odorless, which is created by prolonged boiling of animal skin, connective tissue or bones. ... Blancmange, pronounced , is a jelly dessert made of milk and/or cream, sugar, gelatin or cornstarch, and flavouring (usually almond). ... Species Gadus morhua Gadus macrocephalus Gadus ogac Cod is the common name for the genus Gadus of fish, belonging to the family Gadidae, and is also used in the common name of a variety of other fishes. ... William Murdoch. ...

Isinglass finings are used extensively as a processing aid in the British brewing industry to accelerate the fining, or clarification, of beer. They are used particularly in the production of cask-conditioned beers, known as real ale, although there are a few cask ales available which are not fined using isinglass. The finings, a pure form of gelatin, flocculate the live yeast in the beer into a spongy mass, which settles to the bottom of the cask. Left to itself, beer will clear naturally, however the use of isinglass finings accelerates the process. Isinglass is sometimes used with an auxiliary fining, which further accelerates the process of sedimentation. Finings (the term is a mass noun rather than a plural) is a substance used to aid the clearing of beer, particularly cask ale. ... A pint of real ale. ... Cask ale is the term given to unfiltered and unpasteurised beer which is conditioned and served from a cask without additional pressure. ... Flocculation refers to a process where a solute comes out of solution in the form of floc or flakes. ... Typical divisions Ascomycota Saccharomycotina (true yeasts) Taphrinomycotina Schizosaccharomycetes (fission yeasts) Basidiomycota Basidiomycotina (club fungi) Urediniomycetes Sporidiales Yeasts are unicellular, eukaryotic microorganisms classified in the kingdom Fungi. ...

Non-cask beers which are destined for kegs, cans or bottles are often pasteurized and filtered. The yeast in these beers tends to settle to the base of the storage tank naturally, so the sediment from these beers can often be filtered without using isinglass. However, some breweries still use isinglass finings for non-cask beers, especially when attempting to repair bad batches. A 15. ... Look up Can in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Reusable glass milk bottles A bottle is a small container with a neck that is narrower than the body and a mouth. ... Pasteurization (or pasteurisation) is the process of heating food for the purpose of killing harmful organisms such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa, molds, and yeasts. ... In chemistry, alchemy and water treatment, filtration is the process of using a filter to mechanically separate a mixture. ...

Although very little isinglass remains in the beer which is drunk, many vegetarians consider beers which are processed with these finings to be unsuitable for vegetarian diets (although it is suitable for pescetarians). An alternative to isinglass which is suitable for vegetarians is Irish moss, a type of red alga. The process differs, however: isinglass is added at the end of the brewing process, before bottling, whereas Irish moss is added to the hot wort while it is being boiled, and primarily reduces hazes caused by proteins. Since the two fining agents act differently, some beers will make use of both. For animals adapted to eat primarily plants, sometimes referred to as vegetarian animals, see Herbivore. ... Vegetarian cuisine is cookery of food that meets vegetarian principles. ... Pesco/pollo vegetarianism, pescetarianism, and semi-vegetarianism are neologisms coined to describe certain lifestyles of restricted diet. ... Binomial name Chondrus crispus Stackhouse Irish moss, or carrageen moss (Irish carraigín, moss of the rock) is a species of red algae (Chondrus crispus) which grows abundantly along the rocky parts of the Atlantic coast of Europe and North America. ... Possible classes Florideophyceae Bangiophyceae Cyanidiophyceae Red algae (Rhodophyta, pronounced /ˈrəʊdə(ʊ)ˌfʌɪtə/) are a large group of mostly multicellular, marine algae, including many notable seaweeds. ... WORT 89. ... A representation of the 3D structure of myoglobin, showing coloured alpha helices. ...

Isinglass finings are also used in the production of kosher wines, although for reasons of Kashrut they won't be from the Sturgeon as this fish is considered not Kosher. A bottle of Kosher wine, pasteurised to be Yayin Mevushal Kosher wine (Hebrew: יין כשר, yayin kashèr) results only when wine is produced according to Judaisms religious law, specifically, the Jewish dietary laws of (kashrut, Hebrew: כשרות), and then is known as kosher wine. However other branches of Judaism are more... The circled U indicates that this product is certified as kosher by the Orthodox Union (OU). ...

Reference

• Davidson, Alan (1999). “"Isinglass"”, Oxford Companion to Food, p. 407. ISBN 0-19-211579-0. 

External links

• A list of vegetarian beers
• Beer and cider suitable for the Vegetarian