This has to do with beer’s light sensitivity: light damages the liquid gold, or more precisely the hops in the beer. The resulting chemical reactions degrade the beer’s pleasant aroma and even change its flavor. When beer is stored in daylight (especially in warm conditions) it can suffer “light shock” after just a brief time, and this is precisely why brown bottles are preferred. Brown glass affords significantly more protection from light than green glass – and much, much more than clear glass.

So remember: store beer in a cool and dark place. But don’t worry – the light in the fridge is only on for a few seconds....