---
title: "8 Beer Myths That Need to Be Debunked for Good"
description: "Beer is the third most consumed beverage in the world and the most consumed alcoholic drink, yet there are still plenty of beer myths that need clearing up."
url: https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/8-beer-myths-debunked/
date: 2023-01-10
modified: 2026-10-04
author: "Carlos Uhart M."
image: https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Barriga_Cervecera-1.jpg
categories: ["Opinion"]
tags: ["Beer Types", "Brewing Beer", "Opinion", "Temperature"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# 8 Beer Myths That Need to Be Debunked for Good

Beer is the third most consumed beverage in the world and the most consumed alcoholic drink, yet plenty of myths about it are still going around that need clearing up.

![Beer belly](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Barriga_Cervecera-1.jpg)*Beer belly*

From the [brewing process](https://www.thebeertimes.com/como-hacer-cerveza-artesanal-paso-a-paso/) and its [health benefits](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/10-reasons-why-drinking-beer-in-moderation-can-be-healthy/) to how it should be served or stored, here are 8 beer myths that need to be debunked for good.

Contenido

- [1. The Colder the Beer, the Better](#1_The_Colder_the_Beer_the_Better)
- [2. Bottled Beer Is Better Than Canned Beer](#2_Bottled_Beer_Is_Better_Than_Canned_Beer)
- [3. Draft Beer Is Better Than Bottled Beer](#3_Draft_Beer_Is_Better_Than_Bottled_Beer)
- [4. Ales Are Darker Than Lagers](#4_Ales_Are_Darker_Than_Lagers)
- [5. Dark Beers Have More Alcohol Than Pale Beers](#5_Dark_Beers_Have_More_Alcohol_Than_Pale_Beers)
- [6. Wine Is Healthier Than Beer](#6_Wine_Is_Healthier_Than_Beer)
- [7. Drinking Beer Gives You a “Beer Belly”](#7_Drinking_Beer_Gives_You_a_Beer_Belly)
- [8. If You Buy Beer Warm, You Should Store It Warm](#8_If_You_Buy_Beer_Warm_You_Should_Store_It_Warm)
- [Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)](#Frequently_Asked_Questions_FAQ)
  - [1. What temperature should beer be served at?](#1_What_temperature_should_beer_be_served_at)
  - [2. Is beer better in cans or bottles?](#2_Is_beer_better_in_cans_or_bottles)
  - [3. Do dark beers have more alcohol?](#3_Do_dark_beers_have_more_alcohol)
  - [4. Does beer give you a beer belly?](#4_Does_beer_give_you_a_beer_belly)
  - [5. How should beer be stored?](#5_How_should_beer_be_stored)
- [Recommended](#Recommended)

## 1. The Colder the Beer, the Better

The truth is that we have been misled time and again by the advertising campaigns of the big industrial breweries.

Many aromas and flavors fade away when beer is too cold, says Dave Engbers, co-owner of Founders Brewing, adding that the [ideal drinking temperature](https://www.thebeertimes.com/temperaturas-de-servicio-adecuadas-para-cada-tipo-de-cerveza/) ranges from 5 to 10 °C (41 to 50 °F), [depending on the beer style](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/beer-types-origin-and-styles/).

![Frozen mug](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Jarra_congelada.jpeg)*Frozen beer mug*

In a bar, beer usually comes out of the tap at 3 to 5 °C (37 to 41 °F), so all you need to do is hold the pint in your hands for a couple of minutes and it will be at the right temperature.

That way you will actually taste the beer, [not the numbed flavor of an almost frozen liquid](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/why-you-should-never-serve-your-beer-in-a-frozen-glass/).

## 2. Bottled Beer Is Better Than Canned Beer

There are two main problems when storing bottled beer, namely oxygen and light.

Bottles aren’t perfect, says Dr. Charles Bamforth, author and professor emeritus of malting and brewing sciences at the University of California, Davis.

![Bottle vs. can for beer](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/botella_o_lata-1-300x158.jpg)*Bottle vs. can*

Over time, the oxygen that seeps in under the cap will give your beer a [cardboard flavor](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/causes-and-effects-of-oxidation-in-beer-everything-you-need-to-know/), and the [light that gets through the glass](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/the-photochemical-degradation-of-beer-and-the-origin-of-the-skunky-odor/) will eventually produce unpleasant skunky aromas.

The worst offenders are clear glass bottles with twist-off caps. [Sealed aluminum is best](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/bottle-or-can-for-craft-beer-4-considerations-to-keep-in-mind/) for keeping oxygen and light out.

Don’t like the feel of drinking from a can? Just pour the beer [into a proper glass](https://www.thebeertimes.com/vasos-y-copas-imprescindibles-para-cualquier-amante-de-la-cerveza/), since that’s the best way to drink it anyway.

## 3. Draft Beer Is Better Than Bottled Beer

With properly maintained draft lines, [keg beer](https://www.thebeertimes.com/barriles-de-cerveza-historia-tipos-y-usos/) is about as fresh as beer gets.

Unfortunately, not every bar [keeps its lines](https://www.thebeertimes.com/5-pecados-imperdonables-del-servicio-de-cerveza/) clean and sanitized, which can turn your pint into a pool of unwanted microbes.

![Draft beer lines](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Lineas_de_cerveza.jpg)*Draft beer lines*

A draft line system is not a sterile environment, says Dave Glor, a German-trained brewer and quality analyst at New Belgium.

Bacteria such as [Pediococcus and Lactobacillus](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/yeasts-bacteria-sour-beer-production/) produce [diacetyl](https://www.thebeertimes.com/diacetilo-en-la-cerveza-formacion-reduccion-y-control/) and give your beer buttered popcorn flavors.

And what about that vinegar aroma you have surely picked up at some point while drinking?

That’s acetobacter, and you can smell it because it grows on the edges of dirty bar tops, but also in dirty taps.

And when it does, it ends up in your pint and turns the beer sour.

The lesson here is that if you don’t trust the bar, or have reason to suspect it doesn’t keep its lines properly clean, order a bottle or a can.

That will keep you from drinking an orgy of frisky bacteria swimming around in your beer.

## 4. Ales Are Darker Than Lagers

Big industrial beers like Bud Light and others of their kind tend to be pale and watery, but that isn’t the case with all lagers, says Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery, editor of The Oxford Companion to Beer.

Until the late 19th century, dark lagers made up most of the beer sold in places like Bavaria, Germany. Golden Helles didn’t arrive until 1894.

![Lager vs. ale beer](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Lager_vs_Ale-2-300x158.jpg)*Lager vs. Ale*

And no, you didn’t misread that. “Dark lager” is not an oxymoron, because the [main difference between ales and lagers](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/what-is-the-real-difference-between-ale-and-lager-beer/) lies in the yeast.

Lagers use bottom-fermenting yeasts that work slowly at cold temperatures, producing clean, crisp beers.

Ale yeasts, on the other hand, work at warmer temperatures at the top of the fermentation tank and [produce esters](https://www.thebeertimes.com/esteres-vs-fenoles-en-la-cerveza-cual-es-la-diferencia/) that are responsible for their more robust, fruity and complex flavors.

The [color of beer](https://www.thebeertimes.com/el-color-en-la-cerveza-origen-ajuste-y-medicion/), however, has nothing to do with yeast; it comes from the color of the malt. Dark malts make dark beers and pale malts make pale beers.

So to make a dark lager, a brewer simply combines dark malt with lager yeast, and that is exactly the process German brewers use to produce Dunkel, [Doppelbock](https://www.thebeertimes.com/que-es-una-cerveza-doppelbock-descripcion-de-estilo-segun-la-guia-bjcp/) and [Schwarzbier](https://www.thebeertimes.com/que-es-una-cerveza-schwarzbier-descripcion-de-estilo-segun-la-guia-bjcp/).

These beers can deliver some of the deep coffee and chocolate notes of an Irish stout, combined with the crispness typical of pale lagers.

## 5. Dark Beers Have More Alcohol Than Pale Beers

What’s the darkest beer regularly sold in the US? [Guinness Draught](https://www.thebeertimes.com/stout-irlandesa-vs-stout-irlandesa-extra-cual-es-la-diferencia/). And how much alcohol does it have? Just 4.2% ABV.

Even [Budweiser](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/budweiser-vs-budweiser-century-long-battle-brand-name/) is stronger than Guinness, says Oliver.

![Stout beer](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/cerveza_stout-300x158.jpg)*Are dark beers more alcoholic?*

But because Guinness is black, most people think it’s a very strong beer, when the truth is that color has nothing to do with bitterness or alcohol content.

## 6. Wine Is Healthier Than Beer

When people talk about the healthy component of wine, they are mostly talking about a polyphenol called resveratrol.

![Beer and wine](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/cerveza_vs_vino-300x157.jpg)*Beer vs. wine*

Resveratrol has been grossly overrated as a healthy component of wine, says Bamforth, author of the book [“Beer: Health and Nutrition”](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0632064463?tag=zythos0d-20).

When you compare wine and beer, you find that the polyphenols in beer are as potent as those in wine, or even more so.

To back up this argument, Bamforth even put [beers and wines](https://www.thebeertimes.com/columna-opinion-vino-siempre-sera-mejor-la-cerveza/) through a battery of tests, and beer showed some surprising benefits.

In his book, Bamforth presents beer as a source of energy, vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients with antioxidant properties ([UC Davis](https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/brewing-expert-examines-health-potential-beer), 2004).

## 7. Drinking Beer Gives You a “Beer Belly”

Excess calories from beer are no more likely to contribute to weight gain than excess calories from anything else, says fitness coach and science writer Christian Finn.

![Beer belly](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Barriga_Cervecera.jpg)*Beer belly?*

In 2011, after reviewing 31 studies, researchers concluded that only heavy drinking could be linked to weight gain ([Sayon-Orea et al.](https://portalcientifico.unav.edu/documentos/638be900840d3a6d9ac7f00d), Nutrition Reviews, 2011).

Moderate alcohol consumption appears to be benign, and some studies even found that moderate drinkers were leaner on average, regardless of their drink of choice.

A later review from the University of Copenhagen, covering 35 observational and 12 experimental studies, concluded that there is not enough evidence to link moderate beer consumption, under 500 ml a day, with general or abdominal obesity.

Higher intakes, however, could be associated with more abdominal fat ([Bendsen et al.](https://research.regionh.dk/en/publications/is-beer-consumption-related-to-measures-of-abdominal-and-general-/), Nutrition Reviews, 2013).

Still worried about the [calories in beer](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/how-many-calories-in-beer-and-how-to-calculate-them/)? Fair enough, but keep it in perspective.

A typical 12 oz (355 ml) beer contains about 12 grams of carbohydrates, roughly three times as much as a 5 oz (150 ml) glass of red wine, which comes in at around 4 grams, according to the [USDA FoodData Central](https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/) database.

That puts a beer at around 150 kcal, a modest intake if you drink sensibly.

## 8. If You Buy Beer Warm, You Should Store It Warm

Oxidation, that slow reaction between [oxygen and beer](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/causes-and-effects-of-oxidation-in-beer-everything-you-need-to-know/), is the greatest enemy of fresh [hop flavor](https://www.thebeertimes.com/cata-11-variedades-lupulos/), and the attack begins the very moment the beer leaves the brewery.

![oxidation aromas, wet cardboard](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Carton_mojado_oxidacion.jpg)*Wet cardboard, a telltale aroma of oxidation*

As soon as beer is brewed, its aging process begins, says Glor.

So if you plan to store beer, you should keep it cold to slow down oxidation.

So why do many distributors store beer at room temperature? Simply because refrigeration can be very expensive and they don’t have enough space.

## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

### 1. What temperature should beer be served at?

From 5 to 10 °C (41 to 50 °F), depending on the style, according to Dave Engbers of Founders Brewing. Light lagers are best enjoyed at the lower end of that range, and dark, strong or complex beers at the upper end. Serving beer almost frozen numbs its aromas and flavors.

### 2. Is beer better in cans or bottles?

Cans protect beer better, because sealed aluminum keeps out both light and oxygen. Bottles, especially clear ones with twist-off caps, let in light, which causes skunky aromas, and oxygen, which brings a cardboard flavor. To enjoy it, just pour it into a proper glass.

### 3. Do dark beers have more alcohol?

No. Color depends on the malt and has nothing to do with alcohol. Guinness Draught, one of the darkest beers on the market, has 4.2% ABV, less than a Budweiser.

### 4. Does beer give you a beer belly?

There is no evidence that moderate drinking causes the so-called beer belly. The review by Bendsen et al. (2013) found no clear link below 500 ml a day and noted that higher intakes could be associated with more abdominal fat. What makes you gain weight is excess calories, wherever they come from.

### 5. How should beer be stored?

Cold and in a dark place. Cold slows down oxidation, which starts as soon as beer leaves the brewery and mainly dulls hop aroma. If you buy it at room temperature and won’t be drinking it soon, it’s best to refrigerate it.

## Recommended

- [Are Aluminum Cans a Suitable Container for Aging or Cellaring Beer?](https://www.thebeertimes.com/son-las-latas-de-aluminio-un-envase-adecuado-para-envejecer-o-anejar-cervezas/)
- [Does Beer Have Sugar? Why Traditional Brews Have Almost None and Non-Alcoholic Ones Do](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/does-beer-have-sugar/)