[Avodah] Chometz Whiskey Alert

[Prof. Levine]

The following is from http://www.kashrut.com/Alerts/

The following alert has been sent out by the 
<http://www.crcweb.org/Whisky%20Alert%20_May%202010_%20Final%20Version.pdf>Association 
of Kashrus Organizations (AKO) on May 6, 2010.

AKO Executive Committee has reason to believe that there are large 
liquor companies in the United States which may be owned in whole or 
part by Jews. We are concerned that such companies may not have 
arranged for the sale of their chametz (mechiras chametz) during 
Pesach. These companies primarily manufacture bourbon, cordials, and 
American whiskey, and also deal in a small amount of Scotch and 
vodka. Chametz-containing liquors owned, produced and/or aged by 
Jewish-owned companies over Pesach are forbidden as chametz she'avar 
alav haPesach. Since many liquor products are aged for many years 
before they are sold to the public, it cannot be assumed that these 
beverages are acceptable for kosher use even if they are purchased a 
long time before or after Pesach.

Accordingly, we recommend that Kashrus Agencies and consumers change 
their policies and only consume those alcoholic beverages which [are 
free of standard kosher concerns and] are known to (a) be produced by 
a non-Jewish company or a Jewish-owned company which arranged for the 
sale of their chametz, (b) not contain any chametz, including not 
having chametz secondary grains or malted barley (bourbon and 
cordials are examples of items that may have these forbidden items), 
and/or (c) were not aged over Pesach (e.g. vodka).

A list of liquors can be found at 
/www.crcweb.org/Whisky%20Alert%20_May%202010_%20Final%20Version.pdf. 
For updated information or questions regarding this notification, 
please email AKO at <mailto:liquor at akokosher.org>liquor at akokosher.org.

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