Expert: Keith Patton - 6/13/2008

Question
I was recently told that there is formaldehyde used in beer and in particular Heineken beer? Is this true?
Thank you; I have tried urban legends, scams, etc. and cannot find an answer.
Kathy

Answer
Kathy:

I heard this same kind of thing about Singha (Thai beer) back in the 1980's.  This is a case of a little information being dangerous...LOL.

Beer does contain aldehydes  "Aldehydes...
There are many flavor-active aldehydes present in beer. These are formed at various stages in the brewing process and are produced by oxidation of alcohols and various fatty substances. Aldehyde levels reach a maximum during primary fermentation or immediately after kraeusening, then decrease (51). Aldehyde is reduced to ethanol by the end of the primary fermentation. If oxygen is introduced back into the process, the ethanol is oxidized back into acetaldehyde."

So some chemically challenged twit hearing the word aldehyde and formaldeyde being the only aldeyde with which they were familiar, assumed it was formaldeyde and the story was invented.

Also,at the time I heard it about Singha it was the reasoning behind the hang-over potential the beer had.  What it really was was a combination of dehydration due to over consumption, and the higher alcohol content of the beer.  In the case of Heiniken, only the former probably applies.

BTW there are a lot of other chemical compounds in beer that are essential to its flavor.  Most are found in ales, very little are found in the less flavorful american light lagers.

http://www.beer-brewing.com/apex/brewers_yeast/brewers_yeast_byproducts.htm