Does beer taste different from its packaging?

[Boyscout352]

I have 2 questions about the taste of beer. Can an experienced beer drinker please explain.

I know its a known fact that Coke Cola tastes better from a glass bottle than from a can and the worst from a plastic bottle.

Does it hold true for beer as well?

When my buddy and I order beer with our food, he usually asks for a bottle instead of draft. I usually ask for draft because you get more, and it costs less than the bottle. My buddy says it tastes better from a glass bottle and it stays colder.

Does beer taste the same if its from a can?

 

[spatial_k]

The cleanliness of the lines can affect the taste of a draft beer.

 

[Gentle Ben]

Plastic & metal containers can skew the taste of the beverage for sure, and as far as bottles staying colder longer than cans, I believe yes, as there's more masss in a bottle than there is in a can.

 

[Papi Chulo]

Plastic & metal containers can skew the taste of the beverage for sure, and as far as bottles staying colder longer than cans, I believe yes, as there's more masss in a bottle than there is in a can.

and the colour of the bottle can effect the taste & shelf life of the beer

 

[papasmerf]

Bottles are always better than cans...........Clear and green bottles could have a problem with light.............Draft is great when the beer is fresh and lines are clean.

Myself I like a beer that can stand up for itself both at room temp and just above freezing.

 

[CUTTERBUCK]

I'm 100% sure that I can taste the tin in canned beer. Bottles on for me.

 

[Papi Chulo]

I'm 100% sure that I can taste the tin in canned beer. Bottles on for me.

It is amazing that you can taste tin, considering that modern day cans are made of aluminum

 

[CUTTERBUCK]

It is amazing that you can taste tin, considering that modern day cans are made of aluminum

Smart ass, ya know what I meant.

 

[Robio]

Green bottles do not taste the same as brown .I have tried this side by side with a number of beers .I was told the light can effect it

 

[papasmerf]

Green bottles do not taste the same as brown .I have tried this side by side with a number of beers .I was told the light can effect it

there is one notable execption and that is YUENGLING

http://www.yuengling.com/

 

[Robio]

what Amarican beer yuck !

there is one notable execption and that is YUENGLING

http://www.yuengling.com/

Yankee beer doesn't do it for me

 

[Moraff]

Plastic & metal containers can skew the taste of the beverage for sure, and as far as bottles staying colder longer than cans, I believe yes, as there's more masss in a bottle than there is in a can.

Think it's more a matter that metal conducts heat far quicker than glass than the relative masses of the materials involved.

I definitely prefer bottled over canned, but will take draft over bottled IF I am familiar with the bar in question (ie the whole cleaning of the lines thing)

 

[Papi Chulo]

Yankee beer doesn't do it for me

Have you tried ALL "Yankee" beers??

Mass produced Canadian beers do not do it for me

I prefer to support those which are handcrafted & from microbreweries

There are many great microbreweries in BC, the northwestern states & California

Fortunately in BC, there are private beer / liquor stores which support the microbreweries

 

[Robio]

Most of them

I was stuck in the USA for work for some time and I could palat Sam Adams and MGD but man my first Mass produced Canadian Molson’s Export never tasted so good when I got home. Some microbrews are not that great and I find from case to case they are not stable in taste. Unless a Mass produced Beer goes scunky or is not kept cool its taste is very distinct and stable, however, some micro brews are not that small. Even a large Vat can have a large change in taste with a small drop of food colouring added. So a large Vat of beer would have a more stable taste. Also if the product has a high volume of sales it usually stays fresh and does not sit on the self too long

I am not a brew master or a even a brewery employee

I have probably drank my and twenty others share of Beer


I am Canadian

Have you tried ALL "Yankee" beers??

Mass produced Canadian beers do not do it for me

I prefer to support those which are handcrafted & from microbreweries

There are many great microbreweries in BC, the northwestern states & California

Fortunately in BC, there are private beer / liquor stores which support the microbreweries

 

[Never Compromised]

It is amazing that you can taste tin, considering that modern day cans are made of aluminum

And coated with plastic.

 

[Anynym]

There are many things that will affect the taste of beer (apart from the obvious flavour differences of the brewing process): The different preservatives found in bottled (or canned) beer versus draft. Whether the beer has aged excessively (e.g. bottles being left exposed to heat and/or light; kegs being shook up or exposed to heat).

An experienced drinker can even tell (from a bit of a "tinny" taste, even beyond an unusually "flat" head) when a keg is almost empty, although this is usually attributed to the exposure to the CO2 (or nitrogen) gas used to expel the beer, and the pressure difference as the keg empties, rather than any actual physical difference in exposure to metal - since kegs, like cans, are coated and little or no metal is in contact with the beer.