Few things in life are as satisfying as guzzling a cold beer on a hot day. Few things in life are as comforting as getting a beer with your friends, after a hard day. In fact, few things in life are as uplifting as the humble beer. But how much do you know about everyone’s favorite beverage?

Here’s a handy list of beer facts that you can casually throw in to impress, the next time you’re sipping Buds with your buds.

1 Exposure to light will make your cold beer go bad.

Continued exposure to light will probably leave your beer tasting, and smelling, skunky. As you might have guessed, that’s not a good thing. This skunkiness is caused by a very specific compound called 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol, or ‘skunky-thiol’. It gets its less chemical, more gross name because it’s also found in a skunk’s anal glands.

The reason is that hop, a primary ingredient in beer, is sensitive to light. When attacked by visible or ultraviolet light, hops break down to make reactive intermediates, called free radicals. This leads to an offensive taste, skunky smell and a ruined beer.(source)

2 Beer and marijuana are more closely related than you thought. Hop, a main ingredient of beer, falls in the same family of flowering plants as its cousin, marijuana.

It’s true. Strictly scientifically speaking, beer and marijuana have a bit of a connection. Hop, or Humulus Lupulus, has anti-microbial qualities which help extend the shelf-life of beer, in addition to providing the bitterness. Both marijuana and hop belong to the same family of flowering plants called Cannabaceae.(source)

3 Apparently, beer helps prevent cardiac disease and cognitive decline.

Moderation, as always, is key. It was found that, when consumed reasonably, beer reduces the risk of cardiac disease, stroke and cognitive decline.(source)

Disclaimer: Binge-drinking has no such benefits.

4 Cenosillicaphobia is the fear of an empty beer glass. So, that’s what you call it!

5 The strongest beer in the world has a 67.5% alcohol content. Please add this to your ‘Alcohol Bucket List’. 

Two Scots pals got together to brew the strongest beer ever and decided to call it ‘Armageddon’. This hardcore beer boasted an alcohol content of 65%. Imagine their surprise when customers complained that this beer wasn’t strong enough.

So, in true entrepreneurial spirit, Lewis Shand and John McKenzie decided to up the game. Their latest creation is 67.5% strong ‘Snake Venom’ beer.

It is not advisable to drink more than 35ml of this beer in one sitting.(source)