Mahk
That's actually quite disturbing news if you think about it. This means beer and cider companies quite clearly use different methods per country. Ergo, one can't simply go on line and compare what other vegans have discovered in forums, chat rooms, or listings like Barnivore; they have to go a step further and ascertain which country was contacted for the information, which is often not included with the original information.
"I just called them and they say it is vegan"
doesn't actually tell us the full story.
edit to add: Also we can't always assume the bottle we are holding was made in the same country we are standing in. Many beers are imported. Do they always clearly label from which country?