When it comes to buying beer, some people in their 20s look at price. Others look to trends. But few drinkers seem to worry about health, those who sell beer around campus said.
Several bartenders and students said most student-aged drinkers will not care about a recent study that claims the darker the beer, the better it might be for the heart.
The study’s main author is John Folts, a professor of medicine and nutritional director of the University of Wisconsin’s Madison Coronary Thrombosis Research and Vascular Biology Laboratory. He presented the information at the American Heart Association annual meeting earlier this month.
According to the study, dark beer is more beneficial than light beer because of flavonoids found in it. Flavonoids are anti-oxidant compounds that provide the dark color in many fruits and vegetables. Folts found that there are hundreds of flavonoids in beer.
The study ultimately compares the benefits of dark beer to the popular benefits of red wine.
A bartender at The Varsity, Brad “Girth” Patterson, said in general, people tend to buy more light beer than anything else. He said health reports would not change that.
The reasons some people buy dark beer vary, Patterson said.
“Some buy dark beers because they want something different than the massed produced beer they can get anywhere,” Patterson said. “Others just like the taste of it.”
Michelob Ultra is a new trend in bars these days because of its low carbohydrate count. While some buy it because of the health benefits, those who sell it view it as nothing more than the new rage.
“Michelob Ultra is trendy for girls right now because of the way it’s marketed,” Patterson said.
Spanish Moon bartender Robyn Bruce said when she asked people why they chose one beer over another, the response was humorous.
“Honestly, when I asked people why they like Miller Lite more than Bud Light, they said it was because of Miller Lite commercials,” Bruce said.
Josh Fleig, an art history senior agreed that health reports do not bring change. People drink what they want to drink, Fleig said.
“I think people drink something they like,” Fleig said. “They try different beers, and once they find something they like, they stick with it.”