{"id":195566,"date":"2025-11-23T06:24:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-23T06:24:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/195566\/"},"modified":"2025-11-23T06:24:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-23T06:24:10","slug":"what-you-need-to-know-yeahthatskosher","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/195566\/","title":{"rendered":"What You Need to Know \u2022 YeahThatsKosher"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Q&A With @koshercraftbeer<\/a>\u2019s Avrahom Pressburger<\/p>\n

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With the recent policy update requiring all beer served in kosher-certified establishments to now carry formal kosher certification<\/strong><\/a>, many questions have emerged regarding industry impact, consumer behavior, and how breweries will respond.<\/p>\n

To better understand these developments, we spoke with Avrahom Pressburger<\/strong>, known on Instagram as @koshercraftbeer<\/strong>, who has been closely following the evolving relationship between kashrus agencies and the craft beer industry. Below is a condensed Q&A with key insights.<\/p>\n

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Q&A With Avrahom Pressburger<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. How are breweries reacting to kosher agencies reaching out for certification?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Many are skeptical. While some are receptive, most don\u2019t see added value. They already see Orthodox Jewish customers in their taprooms and don\u2019t understand what certification provides beyond that.<\/p>\n

2. What financial challenges does certification pose?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Smaller breweries operate on thin margins. Even if agencies say certification is inexpensive, they fear adding another $1\u2013$2 to a four-pack could hurt competitiveness in an already pricey craft beer market.<\/p>\n

3. Will specialty beers like gluten-free or non-alcoholic complicate matters further?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not really. The main issue is kosher-sensitive ingredients, especially lactose<\/strong>. The rise of lactose in craft brewing is driving concern, not health trends.<\/p>\n

4. How should kosher agencies approach brewing innovation, including AI and experimentation?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s unclear. Pressburger did not directly answer but expressed doubt that agencies will significantly influence craft brewing direction.<\/p>\n

5. Could the new standards discourage breweries from producing experimental styles?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unknown. He doubts kashrus rules will affect brewing trends at this point.<\/p>\n

6. Will access to international or regional craft beers be limited?<\/strong><\/p>\n

No. The policy affects establishments only, not individual consumers<\/strong>, so personal craft beer enjoyment should remain unchanged.<\/p>\n

7. Can consumer demand push breweries toward certification?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unlikely. Brewers already field kosher questions and show ingredients, so they don\u2019t see certification as offering enough incremental benefit.<\/p>\n

8. How will this affect events and hospitality?<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is where the policy matters most. If an event is certified, attendees can be sure their beer isn\u2019t from a facility that brewed an oyster stout last week or contains lactose at a meat event.<\/p>\n

9. What unresolved issues are still being researched?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lactose. If non-kosher lactose is deemed as problematic as oyster or meat derivatives, far more breweries could be considered non-kosher. Even kosher lactose still raises issues if undisclosed dairy appears at meat venues.<\/p>\n

10. Why did this issue reach official policy now?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Experts have monitored it for 10\u201315 years, but the rising use of lactose pushed it forward recently.<\/p>\n

11. How have kosher consumers handled this until now, and will anything change?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Consumers fall into three groups:<\/p>\n