Ingredients for Butterbeer + Restaurant Menus?

[hpfan100]

Yeah, I thought it was just foam. ...I'm hoping it's just foam!

Does Universal have the ingredient booklets available like Disney does?

no ingredient lists that I saw. I think the topping is foam stuff nut maybe it's like cool whip that says non dairy but has whey in it. How annoying that this info isn't just out there for everyone to have. There should be a spell for that accio veggies

 

[pilesoflaundry]

Some non-dairy toppings have casein in them.

 

[bomzar]

The "foam" on the butterbeer tastes like Rich's On Top to me. It's a non dairy whipped topping for restaurants. I just checked the ingredients for it and it is vegan. Definitely ask about it, because it is flavored and could have other things added to it that aren't vegan. Also, the frozen butterbeer is waaaaay better than the cold butterbeer! Enjoy!

 

[MelanieC]

Oh, there's whipped cream? Even if it's labeled as "non-dairy" whipped cream, it probably has some kind of animal ingredient. I really hope that's not the case.



Oh, please, please, please report back with what you find out about the Butterbeer. I would be so incredibly grateful.

I hope you have a great trip!

Thanks! I'll definately report back. I can't believe it's only a little over two weeks away.

 

[Iamastar32]

I believe that the foam does contain real cream, however, it is dispensed separately from the soda/frozen base of the drink. If you wanted it to be vegan, simply ask them not to top it with the foam when they serve it.

 

[MelanieC]

I just sent Universal an E-mail asking about if it contains egg or dairy. I guess now after reading this again I should have asked if it contained any other animal ingredients like geletin or something like that.

 

[v_gan]

I just sent Universal an E-mail asking about if it contains egg or dairy. I guess now after reading this again I should have asked if it contained any other animal ingredients like geletin or something like that.

Let us know if you hear anything back! I would honestly be surprised if they answered a question like that in detail.

Anytime I take a survey by Universal and there is a spot for extra comments, I usually ask them to get on the ball when it comes to special diets. I even compare them to Disney World in hopes that they'll see it as a real disadvantage when it comes to their competitors. Maybe we should all start writing e-mails and making phone calls to request more vegan food options and information!

 

[MelanieC]

I just gave Universal a call (they gave a phone number on the auto-reply).

Thank you for contacting Universal Orlando® Guest Services. Your concerns are important to us. Please be assured that we have received your email message. We will require time to review your concerns to ensure that they receive the proper attention. If you would like to speak with someone immediately, please call us at (407) 224-4233, option two (2) from 8:00AM to 8:00PM EST, Sunday through Saturday. A Guest Services Coordinator will be happy to assist you. Thank you again for contacting Universal Orlando® Guest Services. We look forward to speaking with you.

Wow - She was pretty quick on her game to know her canned responses to say.

I first said I wanted to know what the ingredients were for the butterbeer so I could make sure I could drink it. She said it's proprietary and she can't give that out.

I asked her if there was dairy and milk in the butterbeer. She wanted to know how severe the allergy there was. She said if there is a severe milk allergy, they recommend to not drink it. She said the FDA has approved it as a non-dairy drink, and that if there is less than a specific amount of milk product it doesn't have to go on a label. She said this could be the same for any ingredient. That if there is less than a specific amount of any ingredient in a product, no matter what it is it doesn't have to be listed.

I asked if this means it was made in a facility that produces other items that have milk or if it's an actual ingredient and she again said she can't give ingredient's due to propriatery information. I also mentioned casein and got the can't give info speech again.

I asked her if there was any gelatin in it and she said no. I asked if there were other animal ingredients in it, and again got the I can't speech.

I asked her if the milk in question is in the topping and she said she can't give ingredient's. I said I just want to know if it's in the drink or the topping so I can know if I can drink just the drink without the topping. She said it can't be sold without the topping (which is the first I've heard it can't - although I don't know if it's just because no one has tried to do it without). She said it is a rule they can't sell without the topping.

So..........I'm really sad that those with milk allergies are left without being able to let their kids drink it when there may be no milk in it. I'm left with a baffeling............ I don't know. I mean, if it were bottled on the shelf and I was purchasing it. If something didn't have enough milk to not be in the ingredient list and there were no "Iffy" ingredients in it then I'd purchase it.

Why does Universal have to be so sneaky about this. I'm baffeled that they put "proprietary" over being honest with people's health and well being and just a general I want to know what I'm consuming. I mean..........the average person is not going to be trying to make this item at home or trying to duplicate it. We just want to know if we can experience it. I wonder if they are like this with other food items in the park?

 

[bumbershoot]

Are they even allowed to do this? Ratios, the actual recipe, I can see being proprietary, but the *ingredients*?

 

[v_gan]

Are they even allowed to do this? Ratios, the actual recipe, I can see being proprietary, but the *ingredients*?

I wondered the same thing. I thought everyone was supposed to provide ingredients for food items. Ingredients don't give away the amounts of anything, or the process. It just seems really stupid to me.

 

[MelanieC]

I agree- They were real secretive about it. I don't know if there is any law about it or not. I'm thinking there isn't if they can do it. I am assuming they have good lawyers.

I did get a call from Universal a little after I called them. When they called me it was in reference to the e-mail I sent since I didn't give them any personal information when I called today.

The guy who called me was a little more helpful and said the dairy in question is in the topping and not the drink, but that they won't sell them seperately due to Harry Potter and JK Rowling and their contract with them (or something to that effect). He said they were real strict with not being able to sell without the topping.

He said the dairy in the topping is negligable enough that the drink is considered gluten free by the FDA. Now I don't know much about gluten free, but is dairy thrown in to the mix with gluten free? I thought it was just wheat type things, but I know nothing about that so I might be wrong. I wonder if he meant dairy free as the girl this morning said dairy free by the FDA. I didn't question him and just let him continue.

 

[skylock]

I do not have a dog in this race, but if I asked what the stuff is made of and they told me they could not tell me, I would remind them they are operating in America and we have labeling laws and I would be filing a complaint with the FDA.

I think this is what needs to be done. If enough complaints are logged, they will make the ingredients known or they will make getting the topping optional.

 

[damo]

I do not have a dog in this race, but if I asked what the stuff is made of and they told me they could not tell me, I would remind them they are operating in America and we have labeling laws and I would be filing a complaint with the FDA.

I think this is what needs to be done. If enough complaints are logged, they will make the ingredients known or they will make getting the topping optional.

I don't think they are required to give that information. Chain restaurants with more than 20 stores do. As long as Universal isn't making a claim about the food, they don't have to provide information to back up that claim. Even in that case, an oral response is allowed.

http://www.fda.gov/food/guidancecom...documents/foodlabelingnutrition/ucm053455.htm

 

[skylock]

I don't think they are required to give that information. Chain restaurants with more than 20 stores do. As long as Universal isn't making a claim about the food, they don't have to provide information to back up that claim. Even in that case, an oral response is allowed.

http://www.fda.gov/food/guidancecom...documents/foodlabelingnutrition/ucm053455.htm

I did not read every word from that link, but from my quick glance, it seems if they make a claim about the product, they have to back it up. I think they are making a claim when when they say it is dairy free. An oral response may be fine, but I do not think the oral response of it doesn't contain dairy as defined by FDA standards cuts it.

 

[Metro West]

Anytime I take a survey by Universal and there is a spot for extra comments, I usually ask them to get on the ball when it comes to special diets. I even compare them to Disney World in hopes that they'll see it as a real disadvantage when it comes to their competitors. Maybe we should all start writing e-mails and making phone calls to request more vegan food options and information!

That's exactly what you need to do. If you don't tell them about their lack of choices, there is no way it can ever be improved.

 

[SharonLowe]

Oh, there's whipped cream? Even if it's labeled as "non-dairy" whipped cream, it probably has some kind of animal ingredient. I really hope that's not the case.



Oh, please, please, please report back with what you find out about the Butterbeer. I would be so incredibly grateful.

I hope you have a great trip!

You can ask for it without the topping - when we went in June they were actually asking people if they wanted it with or without the topping. I'm vegan too and just decided to pass on it but may try it next time. My DD who is vegetarian but not vegan loved the Butterbeer - she got the frozen one with the topping.

 

[frank430316]

I agree- They were real secretive about it. I don't know if there is any law about it or not. I'm thinking there isn't if they can do it. I am assuming they have good lawyers.

I did get a call from Universal a little after I called them. When they called me it was in reference to the e-mail I sent since I didn't give them any personal information when I called today.

The guy who called me was a little more helpful and said the dairy in question is in the topping and not the drink, but that they won't sell them seperately due to Harry Potter and JK Rowling and their contract with them (or something to that effect). He said they were real strict with not being able to sell without the topping.

He said the dairy in the topping is negligable enough that the drink is considered gluten free by the FDA. Now I don't know much about gluten free, but is dairy thrown in to the mix with gluten free? I thought it was just wheat type things, but I know nothing about that so I might be wrong. I wonder if he meant dairy free as the girl this morning said dairy free by the FDA. I didn't question him and just let him continue.

That is quite a statement and totally unhelpful! First gluten and milk/casein are not related at all. The lack of one does not imply anything about the other. Also the FDA has no regulations concerning gluten-free. They are working on it and in a year or two may have something, but currently the FDA cannot and does not declare anything to be gluten-free. We were there in June, so I called before-hand, specifically about the butterbeer and gluten. And was told that their contract did not allow them to sell the butterbeer without the topping (which may be cross-contaminated with gluten) and that any employee who did sell it without the topping could be terminated immediately. I guess Rowlings takes her contracts very seriously. Sorry but I do not know anything about the possibility of milk or other animal products.

 

[damo]

Other posters have been told that the topping contains casein, just like dole whips. A bummer for those who really want both!

 

[pag1164]

There's an article about the butterbeer at Universal.

http://www.atasteofkoko.com/2011/07/butterbeer.html

To make it at home, it lists the ingredients as:

1 cup light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
6 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
Four 12-ounce bottles cream soda

They keep the recipe secret because it's proprietary. Even telling the ingredients can get people fired. Some businesses work this way. Hope you find your answer. I know these ingredients aren't exactly what Universal uses, but it's got to be something similar. Good luck.

 

[DisneyMom14]

Bumping to see if anyone ever got any good info from Universal. We're going in Feb 2013 and have multiple food allergies. Really concerned about eating there after reading the less than helpful comments from their staff.