In a Strange Twist the OU is More Machmir on Beers Than Satmar CRC Hashgachas

 In light of growing public uncertainty over the kashrus status of common beers, the CRC (Williamsburg) has released a new clarification addressing which beverages remain free of concern. The announcement comes amid an influx of questions regarding the possibility of non-kosher additives appearing even in well-known brands.

According to the CRC, many widely purchased beers remain entirely kosher and present no kashrus issues whatsoever. Among the brands listed as acceptable are Blue Moon, Corona, Carlsberg, Coors, Heineken, Keystone, Miller, Modelo, Samuel Adams, and Stella Artois. The CRC notes that this is only a partial list and that additional brands will be evaluated and publicized once verified information is obtained.

The CRC explains that standard, unflavored beers continue to be permissible, as the traditional brewing process of water, hops, barley, and yeast remains intact for many major manufacturers. At the same time, the CRC emphasizes that beers containing added flavors should be consumed only when bearing reliable kosher certification. For those seeking higher kashrus standards, the CRC points to beers produced under constant supervision, such as Yamiltz under its own certification and Nesher under the Badatz Eidah Chareidis.

The CRC’s policy stands in sharp contrast to the direction being taken by the Orthodox Union (OU), which recently announced a major policy overhaul set to take effect on January 1. In a letter to mashgichim and food-service operators, the OU stated that the beer industry has changed dramatically, to the point that the old assumption—that unflavored beer requires no certification—can no longer be relied upon. The explosion of craft breweries, the widespread use of unexpected additives, barrel-aging techniques involving wine or spirits, and the sharing of equipment with flavored or potentially non-kosher products have, in the OU’s view, introduced too much uncertainty into the beer market. Even beers that appear to be “plain” may include post-fermentation additives that do not appear on labels.

As a result, the OU will now require that only beers with proper kosher certification be permitted in OU-supervised establishments. Craft beers will need visible certification or written confirmation, while national brands already operating under kosher oversight will remain acceptable. The OU is distributing a list of nearly one thousand certified breweries to mashgichim around the country.

While the CRC affirms that many mainstream beers remain perfectly acceptable without certification, the OU is moving to a stricter model that treats beer with far greater scrutiny than in past decades. The two agencies, operating from different assessments of the industry landscape, have reached divergent conclusions on how to best safeguard the kashrus standards of the tzibbur.