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Is it just me or is pretty much every bottle of ale stored in clear glass and purchased in an off license light struck and nasty tasting? My first recollection of this was buying Abbott ale years ago and thinking the smell and flavour was related to the hops, Fuggles in particular because Abbott ale boasts aboout its use of Fuggles. But since then I have found that all ales in a clear bottle smell and taste essentially the same. Last weekend I bought some Marstons IPA and Double Drop Ale, both in clear glass and both undrinkable. I also find this with pretty much all Shepheard's Neame beer and some of the Wychwood brews too. What's the bloody point of putting their beer in a clear bottle? Are they counting on the retailers to keep the bottles in the dark?

(excuse ignorant question)

What exactly does the term "light-struck" mean? Ok, I mean I can figure out that it means like many chemicals or compounds the ale is affected adversely by light, altering it's taste and aroma, but I mean how would I tell a "light-struck" beer from not? Just a matter of drinking lots kept in lots of different situations and comparing and eventually realising one way doesn't taste so great?

Because I've never found any problem with any of the beers you mention - or if I don't like them I happily accept that I just don't like that beer, rather than there's something wrong with it - but then, the only way I've drunk them is from clear-glass bottles bought in off-licences or supermarkets, so have no basis for comparison.

It's not like knowing mead or similar liqueur has gone off because it smells strongly of Marmite <!-- s:) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s:) -->

Its UV radiation interaction with hop oils, some hop are more prone to other

Light at around 450nm cleaves off a side chain from hop alpha acids to form a sulphur compound that smells strongly of 'skunk' hence the Americans call it 'skunking'. If you know the smell it's unmistakable. I didn't really know the smell until I made the link between the smell and ale in clear bottles.

All unmodified hops suffer from it hence the predominance of brown bottles (green offers a little protection) Alpha acids can be chemically altered to prevent cleaving of the side chain and are light stable. Some of the chemically altered alpha acids are also more bitter and provide amazing foam retention.

&amp;quot;Hendrixcat&amp;quot;:3jfrcz0a wrote: Light at around 450nm cleaves off a side chain from hop alpha acids to form a sulphur compound that smells strongly of 'skunk' hence the Americans call it 'skunking'. If you know the smell it's unmistakable. I didn't really know the smell until I made the link between the smell and ale in clear bottles.[/quote:3jfrcz0a]

The English call it catty, no skunks around I suppose. <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D -->

[quote:3re76ob4]The English call it catty, no skunks around I suppose.[/quote:3re76ob4]

I read that too but it's not quite the same. The catty/sweaty smell is more a Di-methyl-sulphide issue I think because I get a catty like smell form bottles heineken in particular. Light strike seems to smell quite different to me because I did an experiment with a bottle of my own ale by sticking it in a clear bottle and leaving it on a south facing window sill for 3 months. It smelled exactly like the clear bottled ales I was complaining about earlier. I've never smelled a skunk but it would interesting to see if it compares.