To many people, I imagine this post is going to sound like a moaning vegan going too far but this topic has been playing on my mind for a while.
Why do people refer to a vegan restaurant as 100% vegan when it stocks and sells non-vegan alcohol?
cider
More vegan cider
We are all slowly recovering from the shock news that Rekorderlig cider is not, and has probably never been, vegan. The silver lining is the recovery process just got a whole lot rosier thanks to älska cider.
On a recent drinking session in Camden, I was intrigued by the colourful bottles and tempting flavours of älska cider. A quick virtual trip to Barnivore informed me the brand is vegan, so I wasted no time and dove head first into a bottle.
The company makes three flavours; Lemon & Ginger, Strawberry & Lime and Nordic Berries. The Strawberry & Lime was incredibly difficult to put down and I can see it making a few more appearances on my dance card before the end of summer.
But apart from bars in Camden, where can you find this delicious drink?
Never was vegan
You know when you think something is vegan because the company has told you it is vegan, so you have been drinking it for years and then you find out it probably never was vegan to begin with because it contains gelatine?
Yeah, that.
Vegans are angry. It has transpired via social media that Rekorderlig cider uses gelatine during the production process but told people it was vegan. These claims of the drink being vegan-friendly were made to consumers via Twitter and email over a period of time stretching back a few years.
London Vegan Drinks review: October 2011
We did it again. Wow. London Vegan Drinks took place last night in Mayfair and to say it was successful would be an understatement.
From the moment people started pouring into tibits, it was evident the night was going to be one to remember. Wine flowed, beer was consumed and a whole lot of people socialised well into the night as the basement room of the central London bar and restaurant came alive. The event was attended by more than 60 London vegans and their friends as a seemingly never ending stream of people flowed in and out of the venue.
It’s a date!
Fantastic news for London vegans and their friends!
Following on from the hugely-successful event in September and news of the next drinks night happening on Thursday October 20, I am delighted to announce tibits has agreed to host London Vegan Drinks on a long term basis.
The Central London restaurant and bar is a fabulous location in the heart of Mayfair. Our event is housed in the generously-proportioned downstairs room featuring ample seating, tables, child-friendly activities, relaxed lighting and non-stop music. It is a special space and tibits has locked us in as a regular event.
London Vegan Drinks will always be on the 3rd Thursday of each month. This is a perfect accompaniment to the thriving London Vegan Potluck events that are held in Holborn on the 1st Wednesday of each month. Now there are plenty of opportunities to meet, greet and avoid eating meat in the capital.
If you like to plan ahead, the next six London Vegan Drinks have been locked into the tibits diary. They are as follows:
London Vegan Drinks review: September 2011
Last night was one for the history books as London Vegan Drinks steamrolled into the capital in a major way.
The evening was destined to be memorable. Regent Street was packed with bustling shoppers, workers and tourists as I made my way to Tibits. I was delighted to be out on a hot, London night anyway but the London Vegan Drinks attendees and Tibits staff quickly turned the outing into one of my favourite nights in recent memory.
Alma matters
As I am busy preparing for London Vegan Drinks (that is, harassing people via email and Twitter), Josh has kindly stepped in to keep you informed of vegan eats and drinks in the town of Oxford.
Take it away, Josh.
Take me to the places that I love best
Hampstead Heath is just about as famous/infamous a location as you can get in London. The stunning inner-city parkland is a historical, picturesque expanse of greenery dotted with reservoirs and woodlands. People make the trip to the park from all over the city to take in the glorious skyline views, admire the wildlife and engage in sexual activities.
Oh yes. Sex. The Heath has long been a destination for men seeking casual and anonymous encounters. Of course, its most famous cruiser is George Michael who allegedly shouted “Fuck off! It’s part of my culture” to a snooping tabloid reporter as he unashamedly went about his business.
But aside from Hampstead being a visual treat and a place for the interested to meet, it is also a charming and surprising must-visit location for vegans.
A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-lop-bam-boom
Summer is almost upon us here in the UK but you’d be forgiven for thinking it had passed us by without saying hello. There are dark, ominous clouds filling the western sky as I type from under my blanket. I feel there is only one thing that can bring the warmth and brightness back into my dull world. Cider.
I am a huge fan of Brothers cider. Their vegan range is an impressive collection of tasty drinks housed in bottles and cans. I have written about their strawberry, toffee apple and pear flavours previously and am always on the lookout for their other varieties.
I went to the water’s edge
Summer is almost upon the UK. I think if I keep repeating this statement like a mantra, it will eventually come true. When it does, I am heading back to the Town Wharf for a vegan beverage.
There are many places to consume alcohol around London. Online sources swing wildly in their estimates, with the average number being somewhere in the region of 7000.
I don’t think I will ever drink in more than a few per cent of these establishments and the chances of me spreading the FGV love around is even slimmer with the discovery of the Town Wharf pub in Isleworth.
This Samuel Smith pub is situated in a visually-stunning location in the west of London. Gorgeous views of the River Thames and passing wildlife make this a must-see for visitors and locals alike.