Scientists explain why beer tastes better when it’s cold

There’s a scientific explanation for why beer served cold is more enjoyable than when served at warmer temperatures.

Researchers in China have studied the relationship between our perception of the taste of an alcoholic beverage and its serving temperature.

With sunny days on the horizon, the idea of enjoying a cold beer (in moderation) can be especially appealing.

Indeed, chilling a lager before serving it accentuates the ethanol, acting like a flavour enhancer, just like salt in cooking.

In reality, it’s not a custom or a cultural habit to slip a bottle of beer into the fridge before consumption, but a recommendation linked to a very concrete scientific explanation.

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Study findings

It’s all a question of molecules, and the chain-like or pyramid-shaped clusters they form. In a study published in the journal Matter, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences report that the way that ethanol molecules organise themselves with water molecules can influence the perceived taste of alcoholic beverages.

And when the temperature changes, the entire water-ethanol structure is altered once again, altering the flavour in the process.

More precisely, in beverages with between 5% and 11% alcohol, such as beer, water molecules are trapped within a pyramid formed by ethanol molecules.

But the molecular organisation changes as the alcohol content increases. In this case, the water-ethanol structure becomes a more regular chain, and the taste of the alcohol is more pronounced.

So, the key is to lower the temperature. This changes the organisation of the molecules so that they become more chain-like, as in the case of beverages with a higher alcohol content.

“Professional testers observe a stronger ‘ethanol-like’ taste in beer after it has been chilled. The results of these experiments show that there is a distinct enhancement in the chain-like structures at 5°C in 5% and 11% ethanol solutions,” the researchers state in a news release, giving a precise indication of the right temperature to aim for. 

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