CRC: Kosher Liquor List

This list should not be used after October 30, 2010, at which time it will be reviewed and re-issued.

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. The cRc has verified that the only store in Ben Gurion Airport that has properly sold his chometz as well as not selling any chometz over Pesach 5770 is the James Richardson Store at Gate D7.

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.

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).

The following beers from Samuel Adams, The Boston Beer Company, are Star-K Kosher/Pareve, even without the Star-K on the label.

All products listed below are Yoshon if sell by date is no later than March 2010.

The following beers manufactured by the Spoetzl Brewery under the Shiner label are certified kosher by the Orthodox Vaad of Dertoit, MI even without kosher logo on label.

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

Some Kosher Brandies:

Boukha Fig (OU)	Spirit of Solomon (Hisachdus-CRC)
Carmel (OU)	Tishbi (OU)
Herzog (OU)

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

Bombay Brand Sapphire Gin is currently being reviewed for possible kashrus issues and is not recommended until further notice.

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

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.

The following are some 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)	Cointreau (No certification on bottle needed)
DeKuper (with OU or all listed on OU website)
Honkes (MK - Montreal)	Monfort (OU)
Frangelico (OU)	Peter Cherry Heering (OU)
Starbucks OU even without designation on the bottle. White Chocolate is Dairy	Southern Comfort only with Badatz Basel and Badatz Beit Yosef on each bottle
Godiva (OU) - All should be considered as Dairy unless noted otherwise on each label.	Sabra (OU)

Some popular brands that are not recommended:

Bailey’s Irish Cream	Ouzo
B&B Liqueur	Sambuca
Benedictine	Southern Comfort - See above
Gold Schlager	Kirschwasser
Grand Marnier	Llord’s (without hashgacha)
	Tia Maria
	Yukon Jack

Rum generally requires certification. The following are acceptable under the stated conditions.

The following is a list of scotch that we have determined to be free of any questionable wines or casks. Other brands will be added in the future as we are able to determine that they comply with the cRc standards. Only the specific vintages/categories listed are recommended at this time.
Until we are able to expand the list, you may determine the kosher status of a particular scotch by checking the label and packaging of each particular brand, type and vintage and ascertain that it was not produced using any possible questionable methods. Some questionable methods include scotch aged in wine casks such as sherry, sauterne or port, dual casks, French casks, European casks, port finish, maderia finish, dual finish, triple finish, double matured and/or triple matured.

Auchentoshan	Original, 16 Year
Ballantine's	Blended Scotch
Balvenie	15 Year Single Barrel
Bell’s	Blended Scotch
Black & White	Blended Scotch
Black Bottle	Blended Scotch
Chivas Regal	Blended Scotch
Cluny	Any age
Cutty Sark	Blended Scotch
Dewar’s	Blended Scotch
Dimple Pinch	Blended Scotch
Dramguish	Any age
Famous Grouse	Blended Scotch
Glen Salen	Any age
Glenlivet	12 year, 15 year French Oak, Nadura 16 year, Nadura 191
Glenrothes	Alba
Glenmorangie	Original, Astar
Grant’s	Blended Scotch
J & B	Blended Scotch
Johnnie Walker	All varieties
McClelland’s	Lowland, Speyside (Speyside 12, Highland and Islay are NOT certified kosher)
Royal Legacy of 1745	Any age
The Speyside	Any age
Tomintoul	10 year, 16 year, 33 year, Peaty Tang.

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).

All Domestic (USA only) non-flavored vodka is acceptable. Imported vodka requires certification or confirmation of their approved kashrus status.
Important: This applies only to grain or potato vodka. Some vodkas are made with grapes or Whey and would need a reliable hashgacha.

Van Gogh Vodka, manufactured by the Luctor Company, in Orlando, FL, is approved. The ultra-premium vodka is manufactured by Dirkzwager in Holland. It states kosher under the supervision of the Holland Rabbinate. This kosher certification is for the following flavors – mint, pineapple, melon, blueberry, double espresso, espresso, pomegranate, orange, mango,
coffee 19/90 XXO, banana, caramel and blue. Only this brand, from this importer, bearing the required labels is permitted.

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)	Van Gough (unflavored)
Yevreyskaya	Three Olives (from England)
Grey Goose

Ursus Flavored Vodka is not certified kosher
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:

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

The following Smirnoff vodkas are acceptable even without the KSA on the label:
     Blue Label
     Red Label
     Silver label

Vodka Twists / Flavors
     Black Cherry
     Blueberry
     Citrus
     Cranberry
     Green Apple
     Lime
     Orange
     Raspberry
     Vanilla
Strawberry Acai is NOT 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.

Any whiskey, including Irish Whiskey, that is aged in a wine cask, such as Sherry or Port, or aged in dual casks, European casks or French casks should be avoided as it is uncertain if these are kosher.

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

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.

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.

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.

Most Require certification. Ready-to-drink juices are made in factories that sometimes produce a wide range of products, mostly with hot production. There may be issues of dairy and non-kosher utensils even if the ingredients state that only a seemingly kosher fruit juice was used.

The following is a short list of some juices that are accepted by the cRc. If you do not see a particular brand or category listed, you should then assume that it would require a reliable hashgacha.

Bottled Shelf-Stable Juices	Only with a reliable hechsher
Campbell Tomato Juice	Only with the OU or the Half Moon K
Dole	Only with a reliable hechsher
Florida Natural	Orange Juice
Frozen Juices	All without grape juice or additives are acceptable
Lemon Juice	All require a reliable hashgacha (See Frozen)
Lime Juice	All require a reliable hashgacha (See Frozen)
Minute Maid	Orange Juice
Orange Juice	Only with a reliable hechsher (See other listings for additional information)
Pineapple Juice (Canned)	All not canned in China are acceptable
Pomegranate Juice	Only with a reliable hechsher
Prune Juice	Only with a reliable hechsher (unless otherwise accepted)
Sunsweet	Prune Juice
Tomato Juice	All require a reliable hashgacha
Tropicana	Only with a reliable hechsher
V8 Juices	Only with the OU or the Half Moon K

Back to Top

Add me to cRc - eMail Kashrus Alerts