Does the color of the beer bottle affect the taste of the beer?

bottle on shelf

The history of beer bottles

How many thoughts do you have on beer drinking containers? Have you noticed that beer bottles vary in color? Let's take a look back at the history of the beer bottle.

Why are beer bottles brown and green?

Bottled beer became popular around the 19th century because brewers believed it was the best ingredient to keep beer fresher for longer. Brewers soon discovered that clear glass bottles were not suitable for beer, as bottles that were placed in the sun would quickly develop unpleasant odors and tastes. As most of us know by now, UV rays penetrate beer and make it stink. In the brewing industry, they call it "reckless." To get around this, brewers started using brown beer bottles to protect their beer from the sun, like you and I put on sunglasses on a sunny day.

Green bottles entered the beer world around World War II because the materials needed to make brown bottles were in high demand. The company swapped out the brown glass bottles for green, not wanting to stuff good beer back into underperforming clear bottles. As a result, beer consumers are beginning to associate green bottles with higher quality beers. The problem with this transition is that the green bottle doesn't block sunlight well. However, some producers have used the green bottle for so long that it becomes part of their identity and it is difficult to change it back.

Make your beer fresher

Fast forward to today and we have brown, green and clear bottles in the market. Some glass suppliers put a clear UV-blocking coating on the glass to keep the beer fresh, so the color of the bottle doesn't always indicate skunk susceptibility. That said, knowing that light is the enemy of beer, it's best to keep the bottle in a dark storage container to keep the beer from stinks. Here are some practical tips for drinking beer at the beach, barbecue or tailgate.