It is widely known that most beverages like mineral water, fruit juice, and carbonated drinks are packaged in plastic bottles. This material is cheap and lightweight, and does not easily break. However, beer is different. Have you ever wondered why beer is rarely packaged in plastic bottles and is mainly stored in glass bottles or aluminum cans?
Why is beer rarely packaged in plastic bottles?
If plastic bottles were used to package beer, the characteristics of this material would cause the phenomenon of beer oxidation in the bottle to occur quite quickly, resulting in the loss of carbon dioxide gas.
Chuck Skypeck, Project Technical Director of the Beer Institute, who has 21 years of owning and operating multiple breweries, shared on Newsnationnow: “Plastic simply is not a good packaging material for beer. The molecular structure of most plastics is not good at retaining carbonation in the packaging, product, or keeping oxygen out to prevent skunking.”
In other words, both cans and glass bottles are superior packaging materials in providing the freshness and carbonation level that beer manufacturers desire for consumers to experience.
Why is beer rarely packaged in plastic bottles? Plastic is a more porous material than glass, which causes beer to become less flavorful compared to glass bottles. (Photo: Fort Worth Weekly)
If plastic bottles were used to package beer, the taste of the beer tends to become less flavorful over time because plastic is more porous than glass, which is suitable for packaging soda and other beverages.
On the other hand, glass bottles and aluminum cans are almost impermeable to water, providing the necessary sealing for preserving beer for a longer period. Glass and aluminum (coated with a polymer layer separating beer from aluminum) do not have any strange taste or unpleasant odor that could affect the quality and taste of beer.
Meanwhile, the chemicals in plastic bottles, especially PET bottles, can leach into the beverages inside. Antimony, which is found in plastic bottles, can cause respiratory irritation and gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea, vomiting, and gastric ulcers. Since beer can come into contact with harsh temperature conditions during transportation and storage, antimony can be activated, leading to adverse effects.
Glass bottles are the ideal containers for beer. (Photo: Today I Found Out)
According to Chuck Skypeck, there is another issue with plastic bottle packaging: they cannot be thoroughly sterilized. Glass beer bottles are thoroughly sterilized with boiling water to kill all bacteria, ensuring the quality and safety of the beer, extending the product’s shelf life. On the other hand, plastic bottles cannot be sterilized in this way. Therefore, if plastic materials are chosen, a more durable type must be selected, which can also result in higher costs.
However, in some special cases, beer can also be packaged in plastic bottles. For example, when the United Kingdom hosts large-scale events, alcoholic beverages must be packaged in plastic bottles to ensure public safety.
During the London 2012 Olympics, beer sponsors placed refrigerators on the streets of London, providing over 1 million beer bottles packaged specifically for the event. During the Olympic Games, sports fans from all over the world will come here and enjoy beer while watching the matches. It would be wise to provide them with glass bottles or anything that can be used as a weapon.
Sharing the secret of keeping the taste of beer fresh, Skypeck said: “Fundamentally, beer is a combination of water and grains, sometimes including wheat, hops, and yeast – a true food product. As a food, besides photolytic reactions, users need to limit its contact with oxygen and high temperatures.”
With the reasons mentioned above, it can be seen that glass bottles and aluminum cans are still the ideal choices in the global beer industry.
Source: VTC news
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