Beer and Sunshine

Mow your lawn in the heat and you'll break a sweat. Beer, that sweet elixir, can quench that mighty, mighty thirst. Served ice-cold, an American-style lager may be a ubiquitous icon of summer.

Sunlight, however, can be a death-sentence for any well-intentioned ale or lager. Though 93 million miles away, the sun still throws heat to the Earth, the temperature potentially damaging to the sugars in the brew, producing off-flavors and speeding the aging factor.

Brewing beer takes care and concentration, malts meeting warm water at precise temperatures to affect the proper protein rests and conversion of starches. Contrary to the loving care of the brewmaster, though, distributors, retailers and consumers often do not treat their beer as gingerly as they should. Sitting in warehouses or on non-refrigerated trucks, beer in bottles, cans and kegs can be treated harshly.

Sunlight is especially rough on hops. Red and blue spectra can turn the lupulin - the bittering element in hops - 'skunky', the sulfur released into the beer. Beer bottled in clear or green bottles is especially susceptible. ...the hoppier, the skunkier....

This is why imports such as Heineken and Molson taste different in a non-brown bottle than on tap. Try them side-by-side. Test the effect yourself by pouring a pint of any American Pale Ale into a clear glass and place it in the sun for a minute or two. Taste that damaged beer next to a pint that had been in the shade.

So, as summer is seemingly upon us and you are tempted to pair beer and sunshine, take care of your brew and it will take care of you. Keep it cool and sheltered from the sunshine unless you want to introduce unwanted flavors.