Brown, Clear or Green?

What type of beer bottle do you enjoy?

When deciding what beer to drink many beer drinkers think about the specific taste they would like. This usually comes down to deciding what type of beer to drink not necessarily the colour of the bottle. This post is to help explain the difference from the choice of bottle and what to expect when you choose a clear, green or brown beer bottle.

Beer bottles were first used in the 1850's when it was discovered that they keep the beer fresh for a longer period of time. Originally, all beer was bottled in green bottles until 1930's because many of the European beer producers only had the materials to create green bottles. After this time period it was discovered that the colour of the bottles makes a difference for the beer it holds. Some professionals at the University of North Carolina and Ghent University in Belgium proved that the amount of UV light that gets into the bottle will "break down alpha acids in hops that react with sulfur to make a chemical that is nearly identical to the smelly chemical that skunks spray." This is why many of the green and clear bottles get a skunky taste after exposed to light. It was found that brown bottles filter most of the UV light out and keep the beer tasting as it was first produced.

Today, we can see that many European companies still bottle in green bottles. For many of these companies, their beers bottled in a green bottle became a status symbol which was known for their quality. The decision to bottle in green or clear became more of a marketing decision than a practical one. Examples of this are Stella Artois and Heineken which are both known as high quality European beers. Some beers with a lot smaller amount of hops (the main ingredient affected by UV light) are also bottled in clear or green because it doesn't make a big difference in taste. There is a lot of controversy with beer producers bottling in green or clear bottle from beer bloggers and advocates. Companies like Moosehead are often scrutinized for the decision.

In my opinion, I think the colour of the bottle can add depth for certain beers and has a good amount of historical value. Also with technological advancements today it is possible to put a UV protection on a green or clear bottle keeping the beer just as fresh as a brown bottle.



-Matt



Information sourced from http://brokensecrets.com/2010/03/23/why-beer-bottles-are-green-brown-or-clear/