Brewer’s Genius: Brilliant Nonculinary Uses for Beer

More than just a tasty thirst-quencher, beer can help remove stains, polish metal, give the garden a boost, and more.

Beer is much more than just a refreshing drink. Wil Stewart/Unsplash

Beer has played a significant role in human history as far back as the Sumerians and Egyptians. In many places in medieval Europe, it was actually safer to drink beer than local water, which might have been contaminated.

The Industrial Revolution, pasteurization, and refrigeration have led us to today’s world of beer festivals, an ever-growing selection of small brewery craft beers, and even beer tourism. Yes, that’s a real thing.

It’s also led to the discovery of many clever alternate uses for beer. Spilled coffee or tea on a carpet or rug? Grab a fresh bottle of a light-colored brew (pilsner, Belgian, wheat beer, pale ale, or light lager) and pour it lightly on the spot. Its acidic nature, combined with carbonation, will help break down the organic materials, including tannins. Gently massage it in, blot, and repeat as needed.

The hops used to make beer can soften fabric, skin, and even meat. Markus Spiske/Unsplash

Pottery beer jugs, like this one from the Philistines, suggest that beer has had a significant presence in society since millennia ago. Hanay/CC BY 3.0

Furniture Polish Alternative

While it’s important to quickly wipe up spilled beer on a wood table before the liquid can do damage, dabbing a rag in stale beer (beer left out overnight works well) and rubbing it on a wood table or other wood furniture will rejuvenate dull surfaces with an attractive sheen. It will also help clean and nourish the wood at the same time. Make sure the rag is just slightly damp, not dripping.

Beer offers a subtle sheen to well-used wooden furniture and can revive its vibrancy. Stokkete/Shutterstock

Magic on Metal

Brass and copper lamps, knobs, decorative grills, pots, and pans can be given new life from a gentle rub down with a nonabrasive cloth dampened with fresh or flat beer. The acids in beer will help break down tarnish (discoloration) on gold jewelry as well. Rinse well and dry thoroughly. However, avoid using it on lacquered metals, as the alcohol in beer may soften or remove the lacquer over time.

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Rusty tools can be soaked in beer for 12 to 24 hours. Scrub with a stiff brush or steel wool afterward. Pour beer over a rusted bolt that refuses to move, let it sit for 10 minutes, and apply gentle pressure with pliers or a wrench. Still stuck? Apply more beer, and let sit for 30 minutes. It may not always work, but it’s well worth a try.

For these and the other tips in this article, unless otherwise directed, fresh or flat beer will work equally well.

Home Spa

Beer baths are popular at spas for a reason, as the barley in beer contains healthy amino acids, zinc, and B vitamins, while the hops boast the antioxidant xanthohumol and antibacterial humulone, which are all great for skin. If you’re concerned about the alcohol levels, don’t be—it begins dissipating as soon as it’s exposed to heated water.

Adding a bottle of dark beer, such as Guinness, a popular choice, to the bathwater is all that’s needed. However, if you want to enhance the experience, consider adding two tablespoons of coconut oil to moisturize the skin and a cup of Epsom salts to soothe sore muscles and further detoxify.

Not a bath person? Fill a foot bath, or any tub large enough to comfortably fit the feet, with eight cups of warm water and one bottle of dark beer. Stir the mixture with the feet, then sit back and relax for 15 to 30 minutes to turn those tired dogs into happy tappers.

A beer bath is a spa treatment that uses beer-infused water to soften the skin and ease muscle tension. united photo studio/Shutterstock

Shiny Locks and Skin

Shampoo bottle empty? Grab a flat beer, pour it onto the scalp, scrub, and rinse. It’s not a long-term substitute, but it offers a quick hair refresh in a pinch now and again. Better yet, wash with one’s regular shampoo, rinse, then pour on some flat beer. Work it into the hair with one’s fingers, and let it sit for five to 10 minutes to allow the vitamin B, malt, and hops in beer to bind to hair strands to add shine and volume. It’s great for fluffing up thin hair.

Skin can benefit from a good brew, too. Mix equal parts of flat beer and plain yogurt for a hydrating mask. Leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water. Or add 1/4 cup of dried oatmeal to 1/2 cup of beer, and apply to skin in a circular motion to exfoliate. Let sit for 10 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

Rich in vitamin B, beer can be used to add shine and volume to hair. Sklo Studio/Shutterstock

In the Garden

When beer is poured on a compost pile, its yeast, carbohydrates, and other good ingredients send the decomposition process into overdrive. Be sure to save some to attract bees and butterflies. Simply fill a shallow dish with beer and pebbles for them to stand on.

For a gorgeous lawn, mix 1 bottle of nutrient-rich beer, 1 cup of nonantibacterial baby shampoo (to help the mix adhere), and 1 cup of household ammonia (for nitrogen) in a large container. Pour into a liquid fertilizer hose-end sprayer and apply lightly across the entire lawn.

Slugs and snails will bypass vulnerable plants to crawl into a shallow dish of beer, from which they cannot get out. To decrease fruit flies and wasps, fill a jar with beer, add a few drops of dish detergent (to trap them in its soapy surface), cover it with plastic wrap, and poke a few holes in the plastic wrap. Set out in problem areas. Remember to clean frequently to prevent mold.

Dynamic Elixir

Think outside the box—or beer bottle—and wash your pillowcases in IPA beer, especially those with a high hop content (add 1 to 2 tablespoons to a small wash). The hops’ warm, nutty aroma can help with sleep.

Tender Vittles

Beer as a marinade goes beyond simple meat tenderizing. Use darker stouts and porters, with their robust flavor profile, for tougher cuts. Light-bodied lagers are ideal for poultry, pork, and even fish. Watch out for fruity or sweet beers that might overcaramelize during cooking.

Happy Tummy

While too much beer can lead to alcoholic gastritis, one bottle can potentially help with an upset stomach. Carbonation eases the rumbles, while antioxidants and beneficial yeasts can aid digestion and soothe discomfort. Light lagers, pilsners, and pale ales work best.

Revitalized Rice

Substitute a cup of beer for a cup of water in any long-grain, jasmine, or basmati rice recipe to make an easy yet intriguing side dish. Brown ale and stout are top choices both for flavor and the lovely brown hue they impart. The alcohol evaporates in the cooking process.