There is a lot of debate about whether it’s safe to drink beer from a stainless steel cup. Drinkers often ask if it alters the taste of their beer by giving it a metallic taste.
In this article, we will discuss whether it’s harmful to drink beer and other alcoholic drinks from a stainless steel container if stainless steel affects the taste of beer, how long you can keep other alcohols, like whiskey, in a stainless steel container, and whether alcohol causes rust in steel.
Is it safe to drink beer from a stainless steel glass?
Yes, drinking beer or any other alcoholic drink is entirely safe from stainless steel cups. Due to its passive layer, the surface of stainless steel is quite resistant to corrosion and discoloration from most substances.
Furthermore, as in winemaking, stainless steel is used in brewing beer.
After mixing grains with water and yeast during beer production, the mixture is left in stainless steel beer kegs to ferment for about two weeks.
If beer can be left untouched in a large stainless steel vessel for about two weeks, sipping beer from a stainless steel cup shouldn’t be a problem.
Does stainless steel affect the taste of alcohol?
No, drinking alcohol from stainless steel glasses does not affect its taste.
Because stainless steel does not react with acidic substances, the chances of the metal dissolving into the alcohol and altering its flavor are slim.
On the other hand, drinking whiskey from stainless steel cups does alter the experience.
You should be able to see and smell your food or beverage to enjoy it fully. That means your sight and smell senses assist your taste buds in determining what you’re eating.
However, stainless steel cups are obviously not see-through like glass, so you can’t see anything while drinking and must rely on your nose and taste buds. That’s where the confusion comes in.
When you raise the glass to drink, the metal’s smell clashes with the beer’s distinct smell. As a result, some people experience a ‘metallic’ taste when drinking alcohol from a stainless steel cup.
But does the metal CHANGE the taste of the alcohol? No, it doesn’t.
Is metallic-tasting beer safe?
We usually don’t taste metal when we report a metallic taste while drinking beer. It’s just our nose messing with us trying to differentiate the smell of the metal from the smell of alcohol.
However, you should be cautious if your beer tastes metallic when drinking from certain metallic cups.
For example, according to the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division, copper mugs can lead to copper poisoning when used in excess. But stainless steel poses no such risk.
Does beer cause rust in stainless steel?
Rust occurs when the surfaces of a metal (usually an alloy of iron) get exposed to air, moisture, high temperature, or other environmental factors.
Although beer contains water (as it primarily consists of water, yeast, flavoring, and alcohol), the passive layer on the surface of stainless steel is very resistant to its corrosive properties.
So, no, beer doesn’t cause rust in stainless steel.
Here’s our article that explains why stainless is waterproof.
How long can you keep alcohol in a stainless steel flask?
Sadly, even correctly stored beer expires eventually. It’s food, after all. Most beers last six to eight months in a cool, dark environment, though microbrews and homebrews have a shorter shelf life.
Keeping your favorite beers in optimal condition is the best way to extend their shelf life. You can:
- Chill the beer: The ideal storage temperature is 55 degrees, like a wine or beer cellar.
- Keep the beer in the dark: Keep beer out of the sun to prevent skunking. This means protecting it in a bag while on the road, at a picnic, or at another event.
- Keep the beer upright: When bottles are on their sides, more beer is exposed to air, speeding up decay. Keeping beer upright prevents sediment and flavor loss.
Is It Harmful To Drink Beer Out Of Stainless Steel?
If you love drinking beer and are concerned about drinking out of stainless steel, you can rest easy because drinking whiskey out of a stainless steel glass will neither harm you nor give it a metallic taste.