Why Do Some Beers Have a ‘Skunky’ Taste?

Beer is made by fermenting malted barley and hops. One family of chemicals that gives hops their characteristic taste is called isohumulones. When the isohumulones are exposed to light, they break down into smaller fragments that combine with sulfur compounds to produce chemicals with skunk-like odors. Most beers are packaged in brown bottles to prevent this reaction from taking place. Beers packaged in clear or green bottles are made with hops extracts that don’t contain isohumulones, preventing the problem but also producing a different taste.