Avoid Skunky Beer: Keep Your Beer Fresh And Tasty

Skunky beer is more than just a funny term for a bad beer. It's an actual phenomenon that occurs when beer is exposed to UV rays, resulting in an unmistakable skunk-like aroma and taste. While drinking a skunky beer won't make you sick, it's definitely an unpleasant experience. The good news is that it's completely preventable by taking some simple precautions, such as choosing beers packaged in brown bottles or cans, and keeping your beer out of direct sunlight. So, the next time you're reaching for a cold one, make sure it's not a skunky one!

Skunked beer is caused by exposure to UV rays

The technical term for skunked beer is "lightstruck", and it refers to a chemical reaction that occurs when ultraviolet light interacts with the bitter hop compounds in a brew. This reaction creates a compound called 3-methylbut-2-ene-1-thiol (3-MBT), which is responsible for the distinctive skunk-like aroma and flavor. Humans are remarkably good at detecting 3-MBT, with just four parts per trillion of the compound being noticeable.

Skunked beer is safe to drink and will not make you sick. The alcohol content remains unchanged, but the flavor and aroma can be unpleasant. To avoid skunked beer, it is best to choose beers sold in brown bottles or cans, and to avoid exposure to sunlight or fluorescent lighting.

Some brewers use tetra-hops, a hop extract with light-resistant isomerised alpha acids, to prevent skunking. This inert form of hops does not react to UV light. However, the large macro brewers that use clear or green glass bottles for marketing purposes do not typically use this method.

If you find yourself with a skunked beer, it is best to send it back and choose something served from a can, keg, or cask, or bottled in brown glass.

Brown bottles offer the best protection against UV rays

If you're a beer drinker, you've probably heard of the term "skunked" to refer to beer that's gone off. Skunked beer is caused by exposure to UV rays, which interact with the bitter hop compounds in the brew to create a chemical reaction. This results in the creation of a compound called 3-methylbut-2-ene-1-thiol (3-MBT), which gives off an unpleasant skunk-like flavour and aroma.

While skunked beer is safe to drink, it's not a very pleasant experience. So, if you're looking to protect your beer from the harmful effects of UV rays, brown bottles are the way to go. Brown bottles block out light under 500 nanometers (nm) in wavelength, which includes the blue spectrum and ultraviolet light – the types of light that cause skunking.

In comparison, green glass bottles only block out light under 400 nm, making them less effective at protecting beer from UV rays. Clear glass bottles offer no protection at all. That's why beers packaged in clear or green glass bottles are more likely to taste skunky right away.

Cans are another great option for protecting beer from UV rays, as they block out all light. In fact, some craft brewers are now choosing to package their beers in cans instead of bottles to prevent skunking.

So, if you're looking to keep your beer fresh and flavourful, avoid clear and green glass bottles, and opt for brown bottles or cans instead. By choosing the right packaging, you can help ensure that your beer stays protected from UV rays and maintains its intended flavour and aroma.

Skunked beer is characterised by an unmistakable aroma

The chemical reaction is complex, but the basic idea is that UV light hits the hop compounds in the beer, resulting in the creation of an offending compound: 3-methylbut-2-ene-1-thiol, or 3-MBT for short. It doesn't take much radiation to cause the reaction, and humans are remarkably good at detecting 3-MBT. Just four parts per trillion of the compound can be noticeable, making it one of the most powerful flavours in beer.

Skunked beer is also known as "lightstruck" beer, as UV rays can only reach the beer through glass bottles. Brown bottles do the best job of protecting the beer, blocking out light under 500 nanometers (nm) in wavelength. Green bottles are less effective, only blocking out light under 400 nm, while clear glass bottles don't block out anything.

Skunked beer is safe to drink and won't make you sick, but it's not a very pleasant experience. If you're served a skunked beer in a pub, you can ask for another, but the replacement will likely be skunked too if it's been stored in a glass bottle that hasn't blocked out UV rays. Your best bet is to send it back and ask for something on tap or in a brown bottle.

Skunked beer is safe to drink, but it's less pleasant

Skunked beer is caused by exposure to UV rays, which react with the bitter hop compounds in the brew to create a chemical called 3-MBT, resulting in an unpleasant skunk-like smell and taste. This can happen within seconds of exposure to direct sunlight, and it affects beers packaged in clear or green glass bottles the most, as UV rays can reach the beer through these bottles. Brown bottles offer better protection, blocking out most of the harmful rays, while cans provide complete protection from UV light.

The skunked flavour is not caused by temperature changes or by letting cold beer get warm. It is also not caused by the addition of any flavours during the brewing process.

Skunked beer is safe to drink and will not make you sick. The alcohol content remains unchanged, and there are no additional health concerns compared to normal beer. However, drinking skunked beer can be unpleasant due to its offensive, sulphuric taste and smell.

To avoid skunked beer, choose beers packaged in brown bottles or cans, and avoid those stored in direct sunlight or near windows. If you are served a skunked beer, you can ask for another one, but it is unlikely to be any better. Returning skunked beer is usually not an option, but you can contact the brewery to report the issue, and they may send you some freebies as a thank you.

So, while skunked beer is safe to drink, it is not particularly enjoyable, and it is best to avoid it by being mindful of the packaging and storage conditions of your beer.

Skunked beer can be avoided by keeping it out of the sun

Skunked beer is a common problem, and one that many people believe is an intentional flavour. However, the cause is simple: exposure to UV rays or artificial light. The technical term for skunked beer is "lightstruck".

The good news is that skunked beer can be avoided by keeping it out of the sun. This is because the sun's UV rays can only reach beer through glass bottles, and even then, the type of glass matters. Brown glass blocks out the most light, followed by green glass, with clear glass offering no protection at all. So, if you're drinking bottled beer, make sure it's not in direct sunlight. If you're drinking outside, use a cooler with a lid.

The type of container your beer is in also makes a difference. Aluminum cans block out all light, so beer in cans is less likely to get skunked.

Skunked beer is the result of a chemical reaction between the light and the hops in the beer. Hops contain alpha acids, which are very sensitive to light. When these acids break down, they react with the sulfur content in the beer to produce a compound known as 3-MBT, which smells and tastes like a skunk's spray.

While skunked beer might be unappetizing, it's not unsafe to drink. However, if you want to avoid it, your best bet is to keep your beer out of the sun and opt for cans or brown bottles whenever possible.

Frequently asked questions