# Why does some beer continue to be sold in green bottles? + A question about clear 1's **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 18, 2007, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405 "2007-12-18T00:54:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/1 "2007-12-18T00:54:59Z")
According to [REAL BEER](http://www.realbeer.com/library/beerbreak/archives/beerbreak20010517.php): \* In the years following World War II, in part because there was a shortage of brown glass, European brewers shipped beers in green bottles. It became a status symbol for imports. \* \*\*However: * * * The color of the bottle no longer says anything about the quality of beer inside, and as we’ve written before green glass gives less protection against beer becoming light struck and developing a “skunky” taste.\* And that’s where I’m at tonight. I’d like to enjoy this beer, but the taste/smell of skunk has me dumping it out. I have found that buying green bottled beer in 12 pack/24 pack case configurations has lowered the occurrances of skunk, as the bottles are fully enclosed and thus away from any light sources. But this is only my personal experience, it isn’t 100%, and YMMV. Many of the beers sold in green bottles are VERY good beer when not skunky. So why do brewers keep putting beer in green bottles? It’s a known fact that green bottles have a high occurrance of [skunk.](http://insideseam.com/skunk.JPG) And why is it only rarely that I get a skunky beer from a clear bottle? That hardley ever happens. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/2 "2007-12-18T01:17:16Z")
It’s for the same reason it always was: Beer in green bottles is still somewhat of a status symbol and some people perceive green bottled beer as “fine European beer”. Some beer is more susceptible to being light struck than others. It’s iso-alpha acids in hops (some hops varieties have more than others) that are sensitive to UV light and some beer has more hops than others. I doubt that’s the reason you’re noticing more skunkiness in some green bottles than others, though. Most macro green bottled beers aren’t too heavily hopped. I’ve been to the Heineken brewery in Amsterdam and I can tell you that Heineken has a naturally slightly skunky taste. You can try it in their kegs cans also and you’ll see what I mean. My inner beer snob can’t help but correct your assertion that there are very good beers coming in green bottles. Try some local microbrews; I don’t know of any that are bottled in green. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/3 "2007-12-18T02:02:11Z")
[QUOTE=x-ray vision] I’ve been to the Heineken brewery in Amsterdam and I can tell you that Heineken has a naturally slightly skunky taste. [/QUOTE] Man, I was going to point out this _very_ example. If you get a skunky Heineken, that’s par for the course. Do we have canned Heineken here? Got it all the time in Germany; couldn’t blame the can for the taste. ::shudder:: (not a Heinie fan). ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/4 "2007-12-18T02:13:26Z")
[QUOTE=pkbites] And why is it only rarely that I get a skunky beer from a clear bottle? That hardly ever happens. [/QUOTE] Only if you are drinking Miller, which treats its hops to avoid skunkiness. OTOH, there isn’t a bottle of Corona sold in this country that isn’t light-struck to some degree. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/5 "2007-12-18T02:17:39Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] OTOH, there isn’t a bottle of Corona sold in this country that isn’t light-struck to some degree. [/QUOTE] That explains a lot, doesn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/6 "2007-12-18T02:29:41Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] Only if you are drinking Miller, which treats its hops to avoid skunkiness. OTOH, there isn’t a bottle of Corona sold in this country that isn’t light-struck to some degree. [/QUOTE] I rarely drink Miller. Only if someone else serves it to me. Skunk would be a welcome diversion to the dishwater taste that Miller High Life/Genuine Draft has! Blech! When I figure that cheap ass beer like Hamms taste better I’m guessing Fred Miller is spinning in his grave! I disagree about Heineken skunk. I’ve had Heineken in Europe and did not detect any skunk. I’ve had lots of Heineken in cans in the USA and did not detect skunk. Canned Heineken is all over the place in Wisconsin. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/7 "2007-12-18T02:45:07Z")
[QUOTE=x-ray vision] My inner beer snob can’t help but correct your assertion that there are very good beers coming in green bottles. Try some local microbrews; I don’t know of any that are bottled in green. [/QUOTE] **Pkbites** may not be the hop head that you apparently are. I specifically got into brewing, because to me micro-brews taste like ass. I quickly discovered that I don’t like alpha acids in my beer. I have finally been converted to dry-hopping for this very reason. My last beer was heaven. I also love Pilsner, unfortunately, I have not advanced to the level of making it. Most of the beers I like, come in green bottles. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/8 "2007-12-18T02:48:15Z")
[QUOTE=Christopher] **Pkbites** may not be the hop head that you apparently are. I specifically got into brewing, because to me micro-brews taste like ass. I quickly discovered that I don’t like alpha acids in my beer. I have finally been converted to dry-hopping for this very reason. My last beer was heaven. I also love Pilsner, unfortunately, I have not advanced to the level of making it. Most of the beers I like, come in green bottles. [/QUOTE] I’ve brewed my own beer. Not to the same success as I’ve made my own wine, but still. I happen to think Lowenbrau is a very good beer. Not great, not perfect, but very good. But about 75% of the time the Lowenbrau I’ve gotten in the USA has been skunky! And it’s in Green Bottles! ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/9 "2007-12-18T03:00:52Z")
I think we’re on the same wavelength with beer. If you try brewing again, you should try dry hopping. The beta-acids provide the aroma and general feel of hops but without the bitter. Beta-acids are volitile so they boil off, but if you dry hop that’s all you get because the bitter alpha acids don’t get solublized. I would still pick a low alpha-acid hops for the boil though. On the west coast, beer brewers are fanatical about making their beer as bitter and hoppy as they can. It’s insanity. Don’t let anybody force you to drink a pricey beer you don’t like. Black Butte Porter is the only beer I will refuse to drink. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/10 "2007-12-18T03:07:00Z")
Mmmmmm, bitter, hoppy beer. Stone IPA is outrageously popular here (as far as microbrews go, anyway). They make it that way because we love it. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/11 "2007-12-18T03:09:32Z")
No shit, Sherlock. Stone IPA is what they serve in Valhalla. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/12 "2007-12-18T03:20:27Z")
[QUOTE=Hostile Dialect] Stone IPA is outrageously popular here (as far as microbrews go, anyway). They make it that way because we love it. [/QUOTE] I’ve had stone. Not enough to give it a fair [rating](http://www.ratebeer.com/default.asp), but I’ve had it. I’ve not seen it sold here, not even in the all inclusive Discount Liquor stores. And it probably would be too expensive for an everyday brew if they did. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/13 "2007-12-18T03:21:57Z")
[QUOTE=Hostile Dialect] Mmmmmm, bitter, hoppy beer. [/QUOTE] Mmmmmmm, beer that tastes like water.[/making fun of myself] ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/14 "2007-12-18T04:10:24Z")
[QUOTE=Christopher] **Pkbites** may not be the hop head that you apparently are. I specifically got into brewing, because to me micro-brews taste like ass. I quickly discovered that I don’t like alpha acids in my beer. I have finally been converted to dry-hopping for this very reason. My last beer was heaven. I also love Pilsner, unfortunately, I have not advanced to the level of making it. Most of the beers I like, come in green bottles. [/QUOTE] I’m not a hop head. Micro-brews are not only about hoppy beers. You’re the first person I’ve ever heard of that got into beer brewing because they didn’t like micro-brews but instead enjoyed macro-brews. There is such a wonderful variety of beer styles that are being brewed since micro-breweries have taken of in the past 15 years or so, I’m shocked that you’re making the blanket statement that micro-brews taste like ass. You got into brewing because there weren’t enough macro brews being sold where you live or you thought you could do a significantly better job than the micro-brews you’ve tried? What style of beers do you enjoy? ---
**Author:** ![ArmenE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ArmenE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArmenE)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/15 "2007-12-18T05:19:16Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] Only if you are drinking Miller, which treats its hops to avoid skunkiness. OTOH, there isn’t a bottle of Corona sold in this country that isn’t light-struck to some degree. [/QUOTE] Do you have a reference for this? Very interesting to me. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/16 "2007-12-18T05:37:27Z")
BTW, what exactly can one do to make the hops skunkproof? ---
**Author:** ![tonedef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@tonedef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tonedef)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/17 "2007-12-18T09:43:58Z")
I dont think i have every purchased beer and it has been “skunky”, i’ve never even heard of this term. How do i go about make my beer go that way so i can see what it is? ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/18 "2007-12-18T10:55:06Z")
[QUOTE=tonedef] I dont think i have every purchased beer and it has been “skunky”, i’ve never even heard of this term. How do i go about make my beer go that way so i can see what it is? [/QUOTE] try a Corona. Ok, put a Corona in the sunlight for a few hours and then try it. Trust me, it will be painfully obvious. ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/19 "2007-12-18T14:22:03Z")
This brings up something my husband and I were just wondering about the other day–why does beer come in glass bottles (or in cans) and not plastic bottles? If it was a light issue–as you’ve discussed above–it could be put into green plastic bottles. Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405/20 "2007-12-18T14:43:24Z")
Beer is better in brown glass than it is in green glass than it is in clear glass, to avoid getting “light struck”. This much is true. Now then… Beer in whatever glass, be it brown, green, or clear, will leave the factory inside a cardboard box (total darkness) and be stored in that same box prior to sale. It _might_ get put into the refrigerator at a bar, and even then it won’t be in strong sunlight, and even the artificial light will be tempered somewhat by the bottles in front of it. It’s only for the short period that bottle is at the front of the shelf that any “skunkification” should occur, and in a high turnover bar, that is negligible. For takeout sales, any liquor establishment worth its salt would not have bare bottle exposed to light for very long (even brown glass can succumb). So it’s much ado about nothing, IMHO. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-some-beer-continue-to-be-sold-in-green-bottles-a-question-about-clear-1s/430405.md?page=2)