“Jack, What About Beer?”
From 16th-century breakfast soup to PFAS-laced IPAs—this is your guide to drinking beer smarter.
Why I Avoided Beer
I went to school in Texas. I was in a fraternity. And I still didn’t like beer.
While everyone else was shotgunning Busch Light, I was the guy drinking tequila with fruit juice. Or worse—the infamous Borg: a blackout punch of vodka and Mio. What can I say? I was a born biohacker.
I avoided beer mostly because of the taste.
Growing up in North Chicago, Busch Light wasn’t just a beverage—it was currency for Midwest jocks. My brother played linebacker. Our fridge was practically sponsored by Busch.
But once I got deep into health and wellness, my reasons multiplied.
I heard all the horror stories:
95% of beer contains pesticides!!
It causes man boobs!
It guarantees a beer belly.
But then one spring afternoon in Dallas changed my opinion. Forever.
A coworker and I were at an alehouse. He asked what I wanted. I wanted him to like me, and maybe I wanted to like beer.
So I said:
“Yeah, man. Whatever you’re having.”
He ordered two summer ales. They came in giant chalices. I took a sip. And it was… good.
The lemony hops. The bubbles. The chill.
I even—dare I say—had a burger. With seed oils.
It was the first time I understood the appeal of beer. I was 24, and I realized: maybe there’s more to this drink than bloated guts and bad decisions.
Look—I’m not saying beer is a health food (anymore).
But maybe the issue isn’t beer. Maybe it’s how we drink it: the quality, the context, the mindset.
So here’s the question: Can we biohack beer?
Can we bring it back into our lives—not as a guilty pleasure, but something we understand and maybe even benefit from?
Let’s find out.
Empty Calories, Estrogenic Effects, and the Modern Brew
Beer gets a bad rap for a reason—and it’s not just the carbs.
Let’s break it down.
1. Empty Calories
Beer is often described as “liquid bread,” but even that might be too generous.
An average beer is wheat, water, and carbs—lots of carbs.
One 8oz glass?
Around 100 calories and 9gs of carbohydrates. Multiply that by 10 (frat math), and you’re sipping 90gs of carbs and 1,000 calories—with barely any nutrition to show for it.
Yes, beer does contain small amounts of minerals like potassium, calcium, and thiamine thanks to its grain origins—but you’d have to drink gallons to match what you’d get from a serving of liver or a handful of strawberries.
2. Phytoestrogens
Now for the man boobs.
Hops, one of beer’s main ingredients, are loaded with a potent phytoestrogen called 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN)—one of the strongest known plant-based estrogen mimics.
Some phytoestrogens in moderation can help balance hormones like flax seed and cannabis.
But beer? You’re not getting a little. You’re flooding your system with estrogenic compounds, which over time, can lead to hormonal imbalance. Combine that with the modern lifestyle and processed diets? Hello, endocrine dysfunction.
3. Pesticides & PFAS
Here’s where it gets dark.
Most beer grains today—barley, wheat, corn—are heavily sprayed with pesticides like glyphosate. These chemicals survive the brewing process.
And it gets worse: a study by the American Chemical Society found that 95% of tested beers contained PFAS—aka “forever chemicals” linked to cancer, liver damage, and hormonal disruption.
These aren’t ingredients. These are contaminants—likely from polluted water and industrial processes.
So yeah, the beer hasn’t just changed—it’s been chemically overhauled.
In the 1600s, beer was low in alcohol, full of fermented nutrition, and brewed without synthetic toxins. Today, it’s often a cocktail of gut-destroying pesticides, hormone-mimicking hops, and PFAS-laced water.
The real question isn’t “Is beer bad?” anymore.
It’s: What’s in your beer—and what isn’t?
🍺 Beer Isn’t Evil. But Modern Beer Might Be.
We’ve gone through the ingredients, the hormones, and the chemicals—and yeah, modern beer isn’t exactly what your 1600s ancestors were toasting with.
But here’s the thing:
Sometimes, sharing a cold, hoppy beer with friends will do more for your well-being than sitting alone with MCT oil in a hyperbaric chamber watching your glucose monitor. Because connection is health. Joy is health.
The goal isn’t to live forever. It’s to live well.
So if you love beer, you don’t have to abandon it. You just have to get smarter about what’s in your beer—and how you enjoy it.
Let’s find the brews that are clean, conscious, and still bring you that golden-hour, after-work kind of joy.
✅ How to Choose a Healthier Beer
1. Go Organic
Look for beers brewed without glyphosate, pesticides, or synthetic ingredients.
Try: Samuel Smith’s Organic, or Bison Organic Beer.
2. Support Local and Craft Breweries
They often use better ingredients, cleaner water, and fewer preservatives.
Ask: “Are your hops organic or non-GMO?”
3. Avoid Flavored & Mass-Produced Beers
“Natural flavors” = red flag.
Stick to beers with short, clean ingredient lists.
4. Try Unfiltered or Bottle-Conditioned Beers
These sometimes contain probiotics and natural enzymes that are gut-friendly.
Try: Saisons, lambics, wild ales.
5. Water Quality Matters
PFAS usually sneaks in via tap water.
Look for breweries that use reverse osmosis or natural spring water.
🍻 Best Beers That Won’t Destroy You
These prioritize organic ingredients, sustainable practices, and aim to minimize your exposure to pesticides, PFAS, and endocrine disruption.
Saint Peter’s Organic English Ale (UK): Medieval in the best way.
Peak Organic Fresh Cut (ME): Aromatic, crisp, no weird stuff.
Deschutes x Patagonia Kernza (OR): Non-alcoholic & regenerative.
Wheatland Spring Corn Crib (VA): Farm-brewed, wild-fermented magic.
Coors Pure Organic Light (CO): Yes, that Coors—but the clean version.
🌍 Breweries that give a damn:
Eel River Brewing Co. (CA) – First certified organic U.S. brewery.
Nelson Brewing Co. (BC) – Organic and Canadian.
Brasserie Brunehaut (Belgium) – Solar-powered, gluten-free, legit.
Let’s never do that again
Maybe you indulged in an old German seventeenth-century ritual.
You toasted to good health. You were a good friend. But now… you don’t feel like you toasted to any health. You feel like death. You feel like college.
Your new drinking plan:
Lift, then sip: Working out beforehand helps stabilize blood sugar and boosts metabolism—your body thanks you later.
Cold plunge after: Improve circulation, reduce inflammation, and shock your regret into submission.
Eat like a Mediterranean: A pre-game of salad greens, olives, and EVOO packs polyphenols to tame inflammation and support liver function.
Don’t drink daily: Protect your gut biome and keep your tolerance from creeping up.
Supplement smart: Complete Liver Complex is your liver’s best wingman. With milk thistle, dandelion, and NAC, it supports detox pathways and helps your body reset faster.
Because your liver deserves better than your Saturday night decisions.
Final Word
So there you have it. We biohacked beer.
We surfed the science .Dug into the hormones. Called out the chemicals. And found a new way to see the world’s most iconic drink.
Beer’s not the enemy. Mindless drinking is.
So this summer? Plan your Fourth of July beer extravaganza.
Do some burpees beforehand. Take your liver complex. Bring the cold plunge vibes and the clean sips.
And when that cold, citrusy beer touches your lips—toast to good health.
The way they did in the old country.
Love you all. Cheers. 🍻
I’m grateful to my partners who create amazing health & wellness products.
Disclaimer. I am not a doctor. This is just some random stuff I learned on the internet. Pretend it’s a story. Ok bye.