Beer: You’re Drinking it Wrong

A couple of years back, I got a rudimentary schooling in beer. The whole thing coincided with the opening of a certain pub here in Lake Charles where I can be found from time to time. A good friend of mine by the name of Tod Ardoin, who is a walking beer encyclopedia, taught me several things about beer and I thought that, now that summer is here, I might pass some of what I learned along to you so that you may have the best beer experience possible.

I stumbled across a great article about beer and it's many myths on the website Business Insider and learned a few new facts as well.

Myth #1 - Beer should be ice cold - You should get the temperature of your beer as cold as possible; especially if you don't like the taste of beer. You read right. Beer should be served somewhere between 40 and 44 degrees. Extreme cold actually destroys the flavor of the brew. A lot of people call it "room temperature", but the thing to keep in mind is that they don't mean a room in Louisiana in August. The actual term should be "cellar" temperature. If you drink beer for the flavor, 40 t0 44 degrees is going to deliver the most taste.

Myth #2 - If you let your beer get warm then cool it again, it will get "skunky."

Yeah, that's a pretty common myth. Now, while re-cooling your beer can give it a somewhat stale taste, it doesn't get "skunky." The term "skunky" refers to the effect that too much light getting to the beer while it's still in the bottle. That's one reason beer bottles are usually amber or dark green. Beers that come in clear bottles are much more subject to becoming "skunky." One taste and you'll know the difference between "a little stale" and "skunky."

Myth #3 - Beer in a bottle always tastes better - This one is, for the most part, is a matter of opinion. I know that it just seems that glass is a better container for beer, but if you refer back to Myth #2, you'll see that beer in a can actually stays fresh longer. Why? No sunlight, my friends. Logic says that beer is fresher and better in a can. I know that for a fact, but I still prefer a bottle. Damn the facts!

There are more myths connected to beer and you can read more at Business Insider.