Bottling in clear glass bottles, why?

[chazam]

Beer usually is in green or amber glass so the UV radiation won't affect the taste. Ok, so some beers are still bottled in clear glass bottles like SOL -drink. Just because it looks good even though it is (I dunno) UV-sensitive due to the clear glass?

 

[Miraculix]

Yes. Apparently, the people also got used to the taste of beer ruined by UV light, so they expect it from these brands, it's part of their taste now. No way of going back for them.

 

[chazam]

Yes. Apparently, the people also got used to the taste of beer ruined by UV light, so they expect it from these brands, it's part of their taste now. No way of going back for them.

Is this for real? That's crazy

 

[Miraculix]

Green does not really protect the beer from UV btw. There are certain additives for green glass that makes it possible, but not every beer manufacturer uses this type of green glas.

 

[jdauria]

Just a guess, but I assume Sol, Corona etc all started with clear bottles because maybe they were cheaper? As for getting light struck, really how much time do those beers sit in the sun before making a way to drinker's hands? Packaged and stored in breweries, then moved out on pallets to trucks, then to distributors warehouses, then on delivery trucks and into stores/restaurants/bars. Now Heineken and their green bottle skunkiness is a whole other story.

 

[MaxStout]

Some beers (Miller Highlife comes to mind) are hopped with extracts that have the skunk precursors removed. It doesn't get light-struck.

Corona, OTOH, does have that skunky flavor, which is probably a feature, not a bug for them. People expect it to be in that clear bottle, and don't care about the off-flavor (or expect it). Switching mid-stream to an amber bottle would probably damage their image.

 

[bwible]

Just a guess, but I assume Sol, Corona etc all started with clear bottles because maybe they were cheaper? As for getting light struck, really how much time do those beers sit in the sun before making a way to drinker's hands? Packaged and stored in breweries, then moved out on pallets to trucks, then to distributors warehouses, then on delivery trucks and into stores/restaurants/bars. Now Heineken and their green bottle skunkiness is a whole other story.

I think heat is also a factor, not necessarily direct sunlight. If beer was stored in 100 degree warehouse or something for any length of time that will also cause skunk. I don’t see how brown bottles would help that though

 

[bwible]

Corona, OTOH, does have that skunky flavor, which is probably a feature, not a bug for them. People expect it to be in that clear bottle, and don't care about the off-flavor (or expect it). Switching mid-stream to an amber bottle would probably damage their image.

And then they stick a lime in the top of the open bottle to cover the stench

 

[tracer bullet]

Some beers (Miller Highlife comes to mind) are hopped with extracts that have the skunk precursors removed. It doesn't get light-struck.

I'm guessing you speak the truth but it makes me wonder when if ever that changed? I stuck a bottle of High life in the sun once for only like 15 minutes and it was AWFUL. More than I normally hated it (this was just an experiment, and I bought it so I could have clear bottles to watch my own beer change, before I began kegging). This was... perhaps 20 years ago, so it may have been before there was such a thing as a hop extract?

 

[bwible]

I'm guessing you speak the truth but it makes me wonder when if ever that changed? I stuck a bottle of High life in the sun once for only like 15 minutes and it was AWFUL. More than I normally hated it (this was just an experiment, and I bought it so I could have clear bottles to match my own beer change, before I began kegging). This was... perhaps 20 years ago, so it may have been before there was such a thing as a hop extract?

2007 - 2008?

https://patents.google.com/patent/US7258887B2/en

 

[Bobby_M]

I think heat is also a factor, not necessarily direct sunlight. If beer was stored in 100 degree warehouse or something for any length of time that will also cause skunk. I don’t see how brown bottles would help that though

The storing beer warm causing skunking is a long standing urban myth. Skunking is directly caused by UV/blue light exposure. Storing a beer warm can definitely hasten other staling processes that would take longer in the cold, but skunking/light struck is not one of them.

I speculate that the myth got started when people would tap a keg for a party using a hand pump, then it stays out all night warming up, and they put it back on ice the next day. To a layman, the beer got warm and cold again and it tastes like armpit. It's completely oxidized but not "skunked".

https://beersensoryscience.wordpress.com/2011/03/17/lightstruck/#more-370

 

[bwible]

The storing beer warm causing skunking is a long standing urban myth. Skunking is directly caused by UV/blue light exposure. Storing a beer warm can definitely hasten other staling processes that would take longer in the cold, but skunking/light struck is not one of them.

I speculate that the myth got started when people would tap a keg for a party using a hand pump, then it stays out all night warming up, and they put it back on ice the next day. To a layman, the beer got warm and cold again and it tastes like armpit. It's completely oxidized but not "skunked".

https://beersensoryscience.wordpress.com/2011/03/17/lightstruck/#more-370

I’d counter that its statistically impossible for every single bottle of Corona in the US to have been exposed to direct sunlight when its all sealed in carboard boxes. There has to be more to it.

 

[Bobby_M]

I’d counter that its statistically impossible for every single bottle of Corona in the US to have been exposed to direct sunlight when its all sealed in carboard boxes. There has to be more to it.

This is an argument from ignorance. If it's not light, what is it exactly? Any links to any articles? I haven't seen any.

If beer can be skunked by letting it warm up, then a certain percentage of ALL beer you can buy would be skunked. That's not reality. It turns out that it's just most beers that are bottled in green or clear glass. Cardboard boxes are not completely light proof. They have handle holes on the sides and a pretty big gap in the top where the flaps don't quite meet. The cases are moved around in sunlight at some point, whether it be when loading the trucks or when the customer carries the case to their car.

The chemical reaction happens quickly and our sensory threshold to it is very low. It can happen between the time you pull it out of the fridge and get 3 sips into the bottle out in the sun.

Buy three cans of corona extra, leave A and B in the fridge for a week while C sits on top of the fridge. Put C back into the fridge for a day. Pour all three into glasses but keep B and C in complete darkness while A is exposed to sunlight for 3 minutes. Now sample all three beers away from any sunlight. Which ones smell skunky?

My guess is that it's going to be A and B/C should not be skunked and smell just about identical.

 

[bwible]

So how is it you buy a case of Corona in a sealed cardboard box and take it home and every single bottle in the case inside the sealed cardboard box is skunk? Are they doing it at the brewery?

 

[Hans O. Lowe]

So how is it you buy a case of Corona in a sealed cardboard box and take it home and every single bottle in the case inside the sealed cardboard box is skunk? Are they doing it at the brewery?

I used to be a Corona drinker. It varies from box to box. I always tried to get the case near the back where there was little light at the store. It's not a bad beer in good condition.

I learned pretty quickly the six packs were way more skunky than the cases and the cases at the back were better yet.

So, no I don't believe they skunk at the brewery on purpose. The light they receive before packaging plus what they get through the hand holes is what changed the flavor in my opinion.

 

[bwible]

Well its funny I drink Landshark all summer - because it is one of the lightest, cleanest and most refreshing beers to have when its hot outside. Landshark also comes in a clear bottle. With lettering and design to mimick Corona even. I believe Landshark’s target market is Corona drinkers who are sick of skunky beer. And I have yet to have one skunky Landshark. I usually buy it by the 12 pack but I have bought 6 packs. I’d always assumed it was because its made closer, doesn’t travel as far and was probably never exposed to anything like transport on a hot container ship or storage in a 100 degree warehouse. Funny one beer in a clear bottle is just about always skunk and another beer in a clear bottle is almost never skunk. Bought and handled under identical conditions by the end consumer.

 

[Hans O. Lowe]

Well that's interesting... I've never tried Landshark, I'll have to keep a eye out for it. You wouldn't think the difference between Iowa and Pennsylvania would be to blame for skunky beer.

 

[Stormcrow]

Some of the most sought after cheeses are pretty disgusting when you think about them, but people have a taste for it. That's one way to think about "skunky" beer. It's a perfectly natural process that most of us like to avoid, but others have just developed a taste for it. I don't always find it objectionable myself to be honest. None of these breweries are stupid. A lot of people genuinely enjoy their products.

Which reminds me... I'm going to stop apologizing in advance whenever I let someone try a homebrew I'm not particularly excited about. If they don't like it, I could always insinuate that they "just don't get it. " Maybe I'll make a billion dollars someday.

 

[GoodTruble]

I wonder if at one time, a clear bottle simply allowed customers to observe the clarity of the beer inside.

As to the cause of skunk, since there is no agreed upon definition of skunk, it's just tilting at windmills. (Which came first, the skunk
or the rotten egg sulfur smell).

 

[Stormcrow]

I wonder if at one time, a clear bottle simply allowed customers to observe the clarity of the beer inside.

As to the cause of skunk, since there is no agreed upon definition of skunk, it's just tilting at windmills. (Which came first, the skunk
or the rotten egg sulfur smell).

I was thinking that earlier. How many people describe a beer they don't like as skunky even though lightstruck isn't technically what they are tasting?

 

[Hans O. Lowe]

After passing a few squished skunks on the highway, I think I have a handle on lightstruck. I live in Iowa though, ymmv! Lol

 

[Stormcrow]

I'm also reminded of the "bitter beer face" commercials from the nineties. Can't remember who did them though.

 

[Hans O. Lowe]

Oh yeah! The guy with no dentures, I forgot about that!

 

[Homebrew Harry]

I'm also reminded of the "bitter beer face" commercials from the nineties. Can't remember who did them though.

Seems like it was keystone, but that was a while back

 

[camonick]

Seems like it was keystone, but that was a while back

Definitely Keystone. But they were saying their beer wasn’t as bitter as the other macro lagers. Light struck (skunk) is very different.

 

[camonick]

The skunkiest beer I’ve ever had was a Carlsberg. It was absolutely horrible.

 

[Stormcrow]

Definitely Keystone. But they were saying their beer wasn’t as bitter as the other macro lagers. Light struck (skunk) is very different.

I was too young to drink when those commercials were popular and hadn't even heard of IPA (not that that's what they had in mind). Had no idea at the time how great "bitter" beer could be.

 

[Stormcrow]

The skunkiest beer I’ve ever had was a Carlsberg. It was absolutely horrible.
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I believe you, but oddly want to try one now.

 

[camonick]

 

[Beermeister32]

I’ve noticed skunking on the beers near the hand holes on Heineken boxes.