Newcastle Brown Ale

Company email (May 2014):
"We do not suggest that anyone who follows a strict vegetarian/vegan diet enjoy a Newcastle Brown Ale. Although we do not test our Scottish & Newcastle products on animals, we do treat our beers with isinglass finings. Isinglass is a solution of collagen that is made from a certain fish.
You may be wondering why our Scottish & Newcastle products choose to use isinglass in our products. Isinglass has been used in beers for centuries as a clarification agent during the beer conditioning process. Unfortunately, the fish finings work so well that any and all attempts to find a better alternative have been unsuccessful.
Although at the end of the brewing process, the amount of isinglass finings in the product is little to none, we suggest that strict vegetarians/vegans do not consume the product. If you would like to try another beer from our portfolio, our Dutch brands such as Heineken and Heineken Light and our Mexican brands, such as Dos Equis, are vegan-friendly!
Thanks for your interest in HEINEKEN USA. We hope you try one of our vegan-friendly products soon!"

Company email:
"Newcastle Brown Ale is not suitable for anyone following a strict vegetarian/vegan diet.
Although Scottish & Newcastle UK products are not tested on animals, we treat our beers with isinglass finings (a solution of collagen prepared from certain fish).
This is the only animal product which Scottish & Newcastle UK ever uses in beer production. Isinglass has been used in beers for centuries as a clarification agent during beer conditioning. In keg and small pack beers, there is very little, if any finings left in the finished product as it settles out with the yeast, and any residues are removed during the filtration process.
In cask beers, however, finings is added to the beer when it is packaged to assist the settling of the live yeast that is an integral part of cask conditioning. Cask beers, then, will always have some finings in the cask, but if the beer has been treated properly in the pub and isn't cloudy, the sediment containing the majority of finings remains at the bottom of the cask and very little carries through to the finished product.
Unfortunately, fish finings work so well that all attempts by brewers to find a suitable alternative have by and large been unsuccessful. There has been no concern over health aspects, as no consumer ill effects have ever been reported over the many, many years that finings have been used.
Although the conclusion drawn is that there is little, if any, finings in the finished product, it is advised that as the product may contain traces of finings we do not say it is suitable for vegetarians/vegans.
Thank you for your interest in Heineken USA."

Company email:
"Although Scottish & Newcastle UK products are not tested on animals, we treat our beers (this includes Newcastle Brown in can, bottle and keg) with isinglass finings (a solution of collagen prepared from certain fish)."