Kronenbourg Beer (France) is Vegan Friendly

Company emai (February 2024)
"I am pleased to inform you that Kronenbourg 1664 is free from any animal derived ingredients. Kronenbourg 1664 not yet live on the shelves from Carlsberg.Carlsberg Marstons own the brand of Kronenbourg 1664, from October 2023 all beer for draft has been brewed by CMBC.
From March 2024 CMBC will be brewing all 1664 for the UK market. You should be able to identify Heineken and CMBC production as this is stated on the cans/bottles."

Company email (January 2023):Kronenbourg 1664 UK
"Unfortunately Kronenbourg is not suitable for Vegans."

Company email (June 2016) re Kronenbourg in France (see Joep's note below for more geography lessons):
"L'ensemble des informations concernant la composition de nos produits se trouve sur nos packs. Notre bière contient, à savoir par produit : - 1664 Blonde : du malt d’orge, malt de blé, du blé, de l’eau. - 1664 Rosé : eau, malt d’orge, sirop de glucose, blé, malt de blé, sirop de saccharose, arômes naturels, concentré de carotte, concentré de cassis, extrait de houblon. - 1664 Blanc : eau, malt d’orge, blé, sirop de glucose, caramel aromatique, arôme, extrait de houblon, écorce d’orange douce, coriande. Nos produits ne contiennent donc pas d'ingrédients d'origine animale et aucun produit d'origine animale n'est utilisé dans la fabrication ou la filtration des produits."

[Google translate: "All information concerning the composition of our products from our packs. Our beer contains, namely by product: - 1664 Blonde: barley malt, wheat malt, wheat, water. - 1664 Rosé: water, barley malt, glucose syrup, wheat malt, wheat, sucrose syrup, natural flavors, concentrated carrot, blackcurrant concentrate, extract of hops. - 1664 White: water, barley malt, wheat, corn syrup, aromatic caramel flavor, hops extract, sweet orange peel, coriander. Our products therefore contain no animal ingredients and no animal products are used in the manufacture or filtration products."]

Joep provides info (September 2014):

"In the UK, Kronenbourg is a brand of Heineken and is brewed by Heineken in the UK (Manchester). In the UK, it seems that a fish based product is used to filter the beer.

In the rest of Europe, Kronenbourg is a brand of Carlsberg and brewed by Carlsberg in France (Obernai) and perhaps other breweries. In France, it seems that no animal based product is used.

When Carlsberg and Heineken devided the spoils of the Scottisch and Newcastle take-over, Carlsberg got France and Heineken got the UK. For Kronenbourg a special agreement was made. The orginal Kronenbourg breweries are in France and belong to Carlsberg, but Heineken was allowed to keep the brand for a couple of years. Heinken was also in the dog house for the advert with Eric Cantona, because it's Kronenbourg is brewed in the UK instead of France. I was in Obernai recently and took a tour of the brewery where the guide explained this after a remark made by somebody from the UK.

Whatever the Carlsberg and Heineken agreement is, it seems that Kronenbourg beer can be consumed in France - but not in the UK - by a true vegetarian."

Company email (June 2014):
"Kronenbourg [UK] is not suitable for vegetarians as it is clarified using isinglass finings which are fish derived."

Company email (May 2014):
"Vous nous avez contactés concernant une demande d’information sur la composition, le processus de fabrication et de filtration des bières Kronenbourg.
Nous vous informons donc que concernant nos produits Kronenbourg nous n'utilisons pas de produits d'origine animal dans la composittion, la fabrication et la filtration."
[Google translation] "You have contacted us regarding a request for information on the composition, manufacturing process and filtration Kronenbourg beers.
We inform you about our products Kronenbourg we do not use any animal product in composition, manufacturing and filtration."

Company email (October 2011)
"Although Heineken UK products are not tested on animals, we treat our some of our beers with isinglass finings (a solution of collagen prepared from certain fish). This is the only animal product which Heineken UK ever uses in beer production." [Heineken makes Kronenbourg, the mail was in response to a Kronenbourg question]

UPDATE: June 2009
Fosters Company Email:
"All other Foster beer brands made in Australia are not vegan friendly, including Stella Artois, Carlsberg and Kronenbourg"

Company Email:
"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 that we do not say it is suitable for vegetarians.'

With regards to our ciders, three of our products, Strongbow Sirrus, Bulmers Original and Jacques use an animal product as a colouring material. Our other ciders do not use any animal products as ingredients. However some of our processes occasionally use isinglass finings as a clarifying agent and as such we can't guarantee that any of our ciders are suitable for vegetarians."