We’ve all heard them one time or another. Some of these beer myths are as old as time, some have come about with the advent of craft beer. Regardless of their origin, they’re all bogus, and I’m here to tell you why.
1. Beer is Best Served Ice-Cold
You know how some people like their beer in a frosty mug? They think it looks cool, and plus, beer is supposed to be served ice cold, right? Wrong. If your beer is overly cold, it will inhibit your tongue’s taste receptors. Darker beers, like imperial stouts and barley wines are best served closer to room temperature, while lighter-colored beers are best served colder; just not ice cold.
2. Bottled Beer is Better Than Canned Beer
As more and more craft breweries are canning their beers, this myth is losing steam. Regarding storage, beer in cans is better off than beer in bottles, as cans don’t let in any light. But when it comes to serving and drinking, neither of these options compare to a proper beer glass.
3. Draft Beer Gives You a Hangover
This is one I haven’t seen or heard much outside of Buffalo (where I live). But I have heard it here a number of times, so I think it deserves attention. Draft beer does not give you a hangover, headache, or any kind of sickness. If you’ve ever felt sick after drinking draft beer, you either a.) drank too much of it, or b.) had beer served from dirty lines.
4. Dark Beers are heavier than Light Beers
Dark and light refer to color, not weight. The different colors come from the toast of malted barley.
5. Drinking Beer Gives You a “Beer” Belly
False. Christian Finn, a Clinical Strength and Conditioning Specialist, says “Excess calories from beer are no more likely to contribute to weight gain than excess calories from anything else.”
6. Beer is a Man’s Drink
Along the same lines, you often hear, “wine is a woman’s drink.” I’m not sure where, when, why, or how these mantras took form, but they’re simply untrue. I know plenty of females who prefer beer over wine, and many males who like vino over brew.
7. Low Alcohol = Low Flavor
Just because you can drink a lot of it, doesn’t mean it has no flavor. Are there some low-alcohol beers with little flavor? Sure. But not all of them. It’s just not true.
8. Craft Beers are Always High in Alcohol
Nowhere in the “definition” of craft beer do you find any stipulations about strength. Craft beers have a wide range of ABV percentages.
9. The Shape of a Glass Does Not Affect Taste
Beer glasses are specially designed by both brewers and glassware specialists to release the full flavors and aromas of the beers they’re made for. That’s it.
10. Beer Destroys Brain Cells
You likely first heard this from your mother when she was trying to discourage you from drinking in high school and college. It is true that a certain amount of alcohol can temporarily damage the parts of your brain cells that send and receive information, resulting in a lack of cognitive functioning and a decrease in inhibitions. But that’s temporary. In fact, some research suggests that drinking beer actually improves cognitive function.
That’s it, folks. If you have any other beer myths you’d like to publicly debunk, hit us up in the comments or on Facebook.
Leave a Comment