Is ale 8 vegan?

 In this brief guide, we will answer the query, “Is ale 8 vegan?” and will discuss its history and composition.

Is ale 8 vegan?

Yes, ale 8 is vegan. Ale 8 is vegan friendly because Isinglass isn’t utilized for clarifying and doesn’t use milk stout for  brewing . Neither the ingredients nor the filtration technologies are animal-based. There are no animal products or substances used in the brewing or filtering process of Ale 8.

Ale-8-One, sometimes known as Ale-8, is ginger and citrus-flavored soft drink that is predominantly sold in brick-and-mortar stores in the state of Kentucky. Ginger Soda with a “kick” may be classified as Ale-8. Unlike traditional soda, this beverage has less carbonation and fewer calories thanks to a combination of ginger and citrus juices.

Ale 8 ingredients: natural and artificial flavorings, ginger, Carbonated water, sucralose, citric acid, potassium benzoate, phosphoric acid, caramel coloring, acesulfame potassium, potassium citrate.

Winchester’s Ale-8-One Bottling Company bottles it.

According to research, sparkling water-based beverages constitute a good alternative that when enhanced with bioactive compounds can meet these requirements. Therefore, healthy drinks such as “plant-based” waters seem to be gaining popularity, as opposed to  sugar-sweetened beverages. According to National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 1999 through 2014, consumption of  sugar-sweetened beverages and  low calorie sweeteners beverages in US adults (20+years) as well as children and adolescents (2-19 years) has been decreasing (2).

History

Wainscott invented the recipe for Ale-8-One in the 1920s, while soda bottler G. L. Wainscott was still alive. Before 1906 developed Roxa-Kola (Wainscott’s prior flagship product), Wainscott had already been in the soda industry since 1902. Wainscott relied on his expertise in ginger-based recipes from northern Europe when he came up with the formula for Ale-8-One.

In 1926, Wainscott started bottling Ale-8-One. He held a competition to come up with a name for the drink. The winning submission, “A Late One,” was selected by a panel of judges. A pun on the term “the newest thing” in soft drinks, Ale-8-One’s name is a play on the word “Ale-8-One” itself.

In 1935, Wainscott acquired a livery stable in Winchester and transformed it into a bottling plant to grow his enterprise.

Wainscott’s widow received half of the firm equity upon his death in 1944, while the other half was distributed to his workers. Frank A. Rogers, Sr. received his wife’s shares upon her death in 1954. The Ale-8-One Bottling Business was formed by Rogers in 1962 after he purchased the remaining company ownership. His son, Frank Rogers, Jr., was chosen the new company’s manager by his father.

Ale 8 composition

Ale-8’s formula is a tightly kept family secret. Ex-President Frank A. Rogers III and his eldest son Fielding are said to be the only two executives who know the precise makeup of the board.

For the first time since 1926, the firm introduced a new product: Diet Ale8 was made available in 2003. Diet Ale 8 has 44 mg of caffeine and no added sugars in its ingredients. Sucralose and acesulfame potassium are used to sweeten the diet variant. In March 2011, Caffeine Free Diet Ale 8 was released. Splenda is used as a sweetener in addition to the fact that it does not contain caffeine.

Cherry Ale 8 debuted in 2018 and is the first Ale-8-One to have a flavor. Once only accessible in fountain form, it has now been made available in bottles as well. According to Ale-8-One’s website in April 2019, they will be releasing a new orange cream soda taste.

Winchester was chosen as the location for the Ale-8-One Bottling Company’s new factory in 1965. In 1968, it stopped making Roxa-Kola, and by 1974, it had stopped making all of its other beverages to concentrate on Ale-8-One. The Rogers family retains ownership of the corporation.

Ingredients

– Natural and artificial flavorings: Substances added to impart or help impart a taste or aroma in food. They are classified into the major groups of spices, natural flavors, and artificial or synthetic flavors. Aliphatic, aromatic, and terpene compounds refer to synthetic chemicals and isolates from natural sources (1).

– Ginger: A spice that is the dried and peeled rhizome of the ginger plant Zingiber officinale. The fragrance ranges from pungent to piquant at once; the flavor can be sharp or cooling depending on the food with which it is used. Fresh (green) ginger is obtained from the cleaned, peeled, and cured rhizome; dried ginger is the fresh product which has been cured and ground for spice. It is used in desserts, meats, sauces, relishes, baked goods, and beverages (1).

– Carbonated water: A beverage made by absorbing carbon dioxide in water. The carbon dioxide influences flavor because increased carbonation increases mouth feel (1).

– Sucralose: High intensity sweetener manufactured by replacing three hydroxyl groups on the sucrose molecule with three chlorine atoms. The results are a sweetener of 0 cal that is not digested. It is 600 times as sweet as sugar with a similar flavor profile. It is heat stable, readily soluble, and maintains its stability at elevated temperatures (1).

– Citric acid: An acidulant and antioxidant produced by mold fermentation of sugar solutions and by extraction from lemon juice, lime juice, and pineapple canning residue. It is the predominant acid in oranges, lemons, and limes. It can used as flavoring agents, preservatives in microbial control, chelating agents, buffers, gelling and coagulating agents, and in many other ways (1).

– Potassium benzoate: An antimicrobial agent used to preserve food by preventing growth of microorganisms and subsequent spoilage, including fungicides, mold, and rope inhibitors. The preservatives most widely used are the benzoates (sodium benzoate), sorbates (sorbic acid and potassium sorbate), and the propionates (sodium or calcium propionate), which are organic acids or their salts (1).

– Phosphoric acid: An acidulant that is an inorganic acid produced by burning phosphorus in an excess of air, producing phosphorus pentoxide which is dissolved in water to form orthophosphoric acid of varying concentrations. It is used as a flavoring acid in cola and root beer beverages to provide desirable acidity and sourness (1).

– Caramel coloring: A colorant that is an amorphous, dark brown product resulting from the controlled heat treatment of carbohydrates such as dextrose, sucrose, and malt syrup (1).

– Acesulfame potassium: A non-nutritive sweetener also termed acesulfame potassium. It is a white, crystalline product that is 200 times sweeter than sucrose. It is not metabolized in the body. It has some metallic off-tastes. It is readily soluble and heat and acid stable. It provides a synergistic sweetening effect combined with other sweeteners. It is used in beverages, desserts, confectionery, and bakery products (1).

– Potassium citrate: A sequestrant and buffer that exists as crystals or powder. It is slightly hygroscopic and possesses the advantageous properties of citric acid without having its acid reaction (1).

Accessibility and distribution

Ale-8 was mostly accessible in central and eastern Kentucky for much of its lifespan. In April 2001, the Ale-8-One Bottling Company partnered with Coca-Cola Enterprises to boost its distribution in southern Ohio and southern Indiana. Eastern Tennessee and far western Virginia were included in the distribution area later. In certain sections of West Virginia, it is also available.

As recently as July of this year, Ale-8 announced that it will be moving its manufacturing operations to Indianapolis, Indiana.

Distribution throughout the country

As of 2016, Cracker Barrel was able to sell the beverage at all one of its locations throughout the country. The Fresh Market started selling Ale-8 and Diet Ale-8 at its shops in the eastern and midwestern United States in 2017.

Ale 8 disclaimer

Product packaging and materials may include more and/or differing information on the product’s ingredients, nutritional value, and correct use than the information provided on our website. Before using or ingesting a product, you are responsible for reading any labels, cautions, and instructions. 

If you have food allergies or sensitivities, you should carefully check the product labels to be sure the product is safe for you. Website content should not be used as a replacement for medical advice from a licensed healthcare professional, such as a doctor or pharmacist. To diagnose or treat a health issue, you should not rely on the information found on this website. All goods may not be available in every shop. ‘ Check with your local retailer for specifics. It is not Kroger’s responsibility for any product errors or misstatements.

Click here to check out the nutritional value of Ale 8 

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the query, “Is ale 8 vegan?” and discussed its history and composition.

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References

1.-

Igoe, Robert S. Dictionary of food ingredients. Springer Science & Business Media, 2011.