cRc - Kosher Liquor List

Kosher Liquor List

Last updated 08/27/08

Beer, Bourbon, Brandy & Cognac, Gin, Liqueurs, Rum, Rye,
Scotch, Tequila, Vermouth, Vodka, Whiskey, Wine

Bar Stock Items, Drink Mixes, Juices

WE DO NOT HAVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON ANY 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.

Miller flavored beers (such as Lime) are NOT certified Kosher!

Mackeson Triple Stout Beer is not recommended due to the additives and its dairy ingredients!

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" Brand
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

The following beers are under the supervision of the Kosher Australia Party, even without any kosher marking on the label:

Coopers Sparkling Ale
Coopers Best Extra Stout
Coopers Special Old Stout
Coopers Premium Lager
Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale
All varieties of Homebrew kits

Bourbon

WE DO NOT HAVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON ANY DRINK OR LIQUOR NOT LISTED ON THIS WEBSITE.

Straight Bourbon (Sour Mash is a variety of Bourbon) is acceptable.

Some examples of Bourbons are:

Bookers	Maker’s Mark
Basil Hayden	Old Crow
Bakers	Old Granddad
Knob Creek	Old Weller
Jack Daniel’s	Wild Turkey
Jim Beam

Brandy & Cognac

All brandy and cognac require certification since both are made from wine.

Some Kosher Brandies:

Boukha Fig (OU) Spirit of Solomon (Hisachdus-CRC)

Carmel (OU) Tishbi (OU)

Herzog (OU)

Gin

Gin with no flavors added is acceptable.
(Note: Sloe Gin is a liqueur and requires certification.)

Gordon's Flavored Gin (all flavors) produced in the USA, is Kosher certified by the cRc.

Liqueurs

WE DO NOT HAVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON ANY DRINK OR LIQUOR NOT LISTED ON THIS WEBSITE.

Liqueurs generally have lower alcohol content and are, by definition, flavored drinks. Sometimes a liqueur is referred to as an aperitif or cordial.
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.

Amaretto Disaronno (OU) Kedem (OU)

Bartenura (OU) Leroux (OU)

Carmel (OU) Kahlua Liquor only with OU

Honkes (MK - Montreal) Monfort (OU)

Frangelico (OU) Peter Cherry Heering (OU)

Starbucks OU even without designation on the bottle. White Chocolate is Dairy Cointreau

Godiva (OU) - White Chocolate, Milk Chocolate & Caramel are Dairy Sabra (OU)

Not Recommended Liqueurs:

Bailey’s Irish Cream Ouzo

B&B Liqueur Sambuca

Benedictine Southern Comfort

Gold Schlager Kirschwasser

Grand Marnier Llord’s (without hashgacha)

Tia Maria

Yukon Jack

Rum

Rum generally requires certification.

Bacardi (unflavored varieties) is acceptable without a kosher symbol on the label.

Don Q Rum (including flavored) only with OU

Rye

No certification required.

Sake

Only recommended when bearing a reliable Kosher symbol.

Sensei brand sake is kosher when bearing an OU on the label.

Scotch

The Scotch list is currently being revised. Information will be posted as it becomes available.

Soju (Korean liquor)

Only recommended when bearing a reliable kosher symbol.

Tequila

WE DO NOT HAVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON ANY DRINK OR LIQUOR NOT LISTED ON THIS WEBSITE.

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:

1)     Regular-White (also known as Silver) tequila is recommended. This clear tequila contains either 100% agave or a mixture of agave and sugar cane.

2)      Gold-Brown tequila is not recommended without a reliable hashgacha. This darker tequila is aged for 3 months and may have color and flavoring added.

3)      Reposado (“rested” ) (also known as Special) tequila is not recommended without a reliable hashgacha. 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 (with OU)	Salusa
Casavores	Sol Dios Anejo (with OU)
Herrudura	Sol Dios Platinum / Blanco (with OU)
Agave 99 (with OU)	El Diamante Del Cielo (with OU)
Stallion (with OU)	Tonala (with OU)

Vermouth

Vermouth requires certification since it is made from wine.

Kedem is the only brand readily available with a kosher symbol.

Vodka

WE DO NOT HAVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON ANY DRINK OR LIQUOR NOT LISTED ON THIS WEBSITE.

All Domestic (USA only) non-flavored vodka is acceptable.
Important: 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 unflavored imported vodkas are acceptable imports even without certification on the label:

Absolut Kettle One

Belvedere Provda (now has OU)

Chopin Stolichnaya - (see below for flavored)

Finlandia Vox

Iceberg (now has OU)

Grey Goose

Yevreyskaya
Three Olives (from England)

Imperial Collection

Super Premium - Super Premium Soft - Super Premium Strong 100

Absolut Flavored Vodka Is now acceptable only with OU

Putinka Vodka both Pepper flavor and Limited Edition are kosher even without certification on the label.

Gordon Vodkas
The following varieties are cRc certified even without certification on the label:

Citrus Flavored	Wild Berry
Orange

Stolichnaya Vodkas:
The following varieties are acceptable, with OU on the label:

Cinnamon Flavored Orange Flavored

Coffee Flavored Peach Flavored

Gold Premium Imported Russian Raspberry Flavored

Imported Russian Strawberry Flavored

Lemon Flavored Vanilla Flavored

Smirnoff

Vodkas:

Blue Label

Red Label

Silver label

The following varieties are acceptable, with KSA on the label:

Vodka Twists/ Ice Flavors

Black Cherry

Blueberry

Citrus

Cranberry

Green Apple

Lime

Orange

Raspberry

Vanilla

These flavored products, with the exception of Strawberry Acai are certified kosher.

Smirnoff Ice:

Arctic Berry

Green Apple

Pomegranate Fusion

Raspberry Burst

Watermelon

Wild Grape

Non -flavored Smirnoff Ice including the Smirnoff Ice and Smirnoff Ice Triple Black contain grape and are not certified Kosher.

Whiskey (including Canadian, Irish, Ryes)

WE DO NOT HAVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON ANY DRINK OR LIQUOR NOT LISTED ON THIS WEBSITE.

Blended Whiskeys are acceptable only with certification, unless appearing on the list below:

Any whiskey that is aged in a wine cask, such as Sherry or Port, should be avoided as it is uncertain if these are kosher.

Canadian – Canadian Club (regular only - not Classic, Premium or Special Reserve)

Canadian Mist

Crown Royal Original Only- the cRc does not have information on the new Sherry cask version

Gibsons (MK on label)

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.

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 certification but not all are mevushal. Each label should be checked.

Bar Stock Items

Any bar equipment (strainers, shot measures, blenders, stir rods, shakers, etc.) used with non-kosher products should be properly kashered prior to use for a kosher affair.

Olives - green olives require certification, Domestic Black Olives packed in water, with no added flavors or colors are acceptable without certification on the label.

Pearl Onions - are pickled and require certification

Lemon and Lime - fresh lemon and limes used for slices, wedges and twists must be prepared using a kosher knife and on a kosher cutting board.

All Tabasco brand hot pepper sauce is acceptable as long as it bears a "K".

Maraschino Cherries - only with acceptable certification

Drink Mixes

WE DO NOT HAVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON ANY DRINK OR LIQUOR NOT LISTED ON THIS WEBSITE.

All Drink Mixes requires 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)

Jamaica John (only when bearing OU)

Jero (only when bearing OK)

Mr & Mrs T’s ( only when bearing OU)

Rose’s – grenadine and lime (only when bearing OU)l

Daily's - (Only when bearing OU)

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.

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