Beer Lovers, Rejoice! Scientists With Their Priorities Straight Have Finally Created a “Healthy” Beer

If you’re a beer lover, you’re probably aware that it’s not the healthiest drink on the market. In fact, the term “beer gut” pretty clearly communicates exactly what can result from overindulging too often in such a carb-heavy, alcoholic drink—not that it slows us down much.

But luckily for those beer guts, a healthier beer option may soon be available.

Men’s Health reports that a team of scientists in Singapore has successfully found a way to add probiotics to beer, which would in theory make it a more stomach-friendly and potentially immune-boosting drink choice.

Probiotics, if you don’t remember the Jamie Lee Curtis Activia commercials, are live bacteria (the good kind) that have been found to aid in digestion, ease IBS, prevent colds, prevent UTIs, manage/prevent eczema, and fight foodborne illnesses. They’re often found in products like Greek yogurt and kombucha where makers have added them due to their health effects.

As Men’s Health points out, however, adding probiotics to beer isn't typically possible, as the acidity of hops prevents the live bacteria from surviving for long. This new 3.5% ABV invention from Singapore, however, is able to counteract the acidity with a strain of bacteria that “feeds off the sugars in the unfermented beer to produce a sour-tasting lactic acid which makes the beer taste sharp and tart.”

Essentially: Scientists created beer-proof probiotics.

Unfortunately, the probiotic beer is still quite a ways away from hitting your local grocery store shelves—the scientists have not yet been able to fully test the beer to determine exactly what health effects it might be able to offer.

In the meantime, you’ll just have to stick with normal beer and *shudder* exercise more.