Figuring out whether Captain Morgan is vegan friendly can be challenging.
Distilled alcohol is sometimes clarified with animal products, such as isinglass, egg whites, or animal gelatin. But some brands use more animal-friendly fining agents.
To ensure that you are only eating food and drinking alcohol that aligns with your vegan diet and lifestyle, I’ve looked into the ingredients and production processes of Captain Morgan.
Here’s what I found out.
Is Captain Morgan Vegan?
No. Captain Morgan is not a vegan brand.
According to the response to Barnivore’s query, these rums do not contain dairy products or other animal products, animal flesh, or any of the 14 EU allergen ingredients. However, Captain Morgan also stated that it doesn’t test its products and can’t make any claims about their vegan status.
The rums surely look like they could be vegan, since they’re made from simple ingredients, but the issue lies in the sugar cane processing to get the molasses that is used to make the rum.
Bone char is often used in the sugar refining process. It is a type of activated carbon that is produced by heating animal bones at high temperatures. Using sugar that is filtered with bone char would make Captain Morgan’s rums unsuitable for vegan consumption.
Unless the sugar is clearly labeled as “organic,” “raw,” or “unrefined,” I simply cannot recommend Captain Morgan rum for vegans.
Is Captain Morgan Cruelty Free?
Yes! Captain Morgan is a cruelty-free brand.
Captain Morgan rum is not tested on animals at any point during the production process. It also does not contain ingredients that are tested on animals, such as artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners.
Animal testing is a gruesome and outdated practice that often leaves innocent animals disfigured, injured, or dead.
I’m glad to see that Captain Morgan has made the compassionate choice to not test its products on animals.
What Is Captain Morgan Made Of?
Here are the ingredients of Captain Morgan:
- Molasses (sugarcane)
- Water
- Mash
- Yeast
Let’s break down each ingredient of Captain Morgan:
Molasses
Molasses is a by-product of sugarcane. It is the thick, dark syrup that is left over after the sugar has been extracted from the sugarcane. It is rum’s main ingredient. Molasses can be vegan or non-vegan, depending on whether the sugarcane is filtered with bone char or not. Captain Morgan isn’t really clear about this, so it’s best to assume that the sugar it uses is not vegan.
Water
Water is used as a diluting agent in rum. It is vegan.
Mash
Mash is a mixture of crushed grains that have been soaked in water. It is typically made from barley, but can also be made from other grains such as wheat, rye, or corn. The mash is what gives rum its flavor. Mash is a vegan-friendly ingredient.
Yeast
Yeast is used to ferment the mash, which turns it into alcohol. Yeast is vegan friendly.
Why Isn’t Captain Morgan Vegan?
Captain Morgan rum is not vegan because of its main ingredient, molasses.
Molasses is a by-product of sugarcane, which is often processed with animal bone char to filter it and make it white. Bone char is a type of activated carbon that is produced by heating animal bones at high temperatures.
Unless the sugarcane used to make Captain Morgan is organic, raw, or unrefined, it is likely that bone char was used in the sugar refining process. This would make Captain Morgan’s rums unsuitable for vegan consumption.
Is Captain Morgan Spiced Rum Vegan?
No. Captain Morgan Spiced Rum is not vegan because its main ingredient, molasses, is likely filtered with bone char.
Captain Morgan Spiced Rum is not a vegan product.
Is Captain Morgan Sliced Apple Spiced Rum Vegan?
No. Captain Morgan Sliced Apple Spiced Rum is not vegan because its main ingredient, molasses, is likely filtered with bone char.
This Captain Morgan Spiced Rum flavor is not a vegan product.
Is Captain Morgan Cherry Vanilla Spiced Rum Vegan?
No. Captain Morgan Cherry Vanilla Spiced Rum is not vegan because its main ingredient, molasses, is likely filtered with bone char.
This spiced rum is not a vegan product.
Is Captain Morgan White Rum Vegan?
No. This white rum is not vegan because its main ingredient, molasses, is likely filtered with bone char.
This product is not a vegan product.
Is Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum Vegan?
No. Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum is not vegan because its main ingredient, molasses, is likely filtered with bone char.
This Captain Morgan Spiced Rum is not safe for vegan consumption.
Is Captain Morgan Silver Spiced Rum Vegan?
No. Captain Morgan Silver Spiced Rum is not vegan because its main ingredient, molasses, is likely filtered with bone char.
This Captain Morgan Spiced Rum is not safe for vegan consumption.
Is Captain Morgan Coconut Rum Vegan?
No. This tropical fruit flavor rum is not vegan because its main ingredient, molasses, is likely filtered with bone char.
This rum is not a vegan product.
Is Captain Morgan Pineapple Rum Vegan?
No. This pineapple-flavored run is not vegan because its main ingredient, molasses, is likely filtered with bone char.
This rum is not a vegan product.
Is Captain Morgan Orange Vanilla Twist Rum Vegan?
No. This summer edition rum is not vegan because its main ingredient, molasses, is likely filtered with bone char.
This rum is not a vegan product.
Vegan Alternatives to Captain Morgan
Want to enjoy the spice and natural flavors of Captain Morgan without worrying about whether it has animal products in it? There’s plenty of vegan alcohol on the market that you can try.
Here are a few of my favorites:
- Bacardi Carta Blanca Rum
- Screech Rum
- Cruzan Aged Light Rum
- Dead Man’s Fingers Coconut Rum
- Stolen Spiced Rum
- Kraken Black Spiced Rum
These rum brands are all aged in oak barrels, free of animal derivatives, and have similar flavor profiles to Captain Morgan. Bacardi Spiced Rum and Kraken Black Spiced Rum are two of my go-to vegan rums.
Final Words
So, there you have it! Captain Morgan is not considered vegan because its main ingredient, molasses, is likely filtered with animal bone char. Captain Morgan also doesn’t seem too keen about enticing vegan customers with their lack of transparency about their sugar refining process.
There are plenty of vegan-friendly rum brands on the market that have similar flavor profiles to Captain Morgan. So, if you’re looking for a vegan-friendly spiced rum, check out the ones I’ve listed above.