Why do people drink ice beer when eating crayfish, but no one drinks ice liquor?

After a week of hard work, how do you plan to treat yourself? A hot pot, barbecue, or crayfish? A cup of milk tea, lemon tea, or a drink?

Of course, it’s perfect to have food and drink~

When eating crayfish in a restaurant, you will find that people who like to drink will have a few bottles of ice beer on the table, but almost no one drinks iced white wine, and there is not even this option on the menu. Why is this? Is there any scientific reason behind this?

Image source: Photo Network

01 Why is ice beer so popular?

Crayfish is a kind of freshwater shrimp with tender meat, rich in protein and minerals, but relatively strong smell, so when cooking, people often add a lot of chili and other spices to remove the smell and increase appetite. But the strong taste can also make people feel greasy, so many people pair it with ice beer to relieve the greasiness and cool down.

Image source: Photo Network

There are two key factors that make ice beer a great dining experience: low temperature and carbon dioxide .

First, low temperatures can enhance the "ethanol flavor" in beer . Low temperatures inhibit the volatilization of other odor molecules, thereby highlighting the fresh aroma of ethanol and making the beer taste purer. In addition, low temperatures can make the bitterness in beer more obvious, increasing the flavor layering of beer.

Secondly, carbon dioxide is the main source of the refreshing and stimulating feeling of beer . In an iced state, carbon dioxide is more soluble, giving beer a more lasting bubble feeling. When these bubbles burst in the mouth, they can bring a refreshing and stimulating feeling, thus effectively relieving the heat.

In general, the bitterness in ice beer can balance the strong taste of crayfish, while the bubbles can take away the oil in the mouth, making the umami taste of crayfish more prominent.

Image source: Photo Network

However, people with high uric acid levels should be cautious . Although crayfish is not seafood and does not contain high purine content (about 60 mg/100 g of shrimp meat), it is a medium-low purine food. However, drinking beer while eating crayfish will often lead to more lactic acid production, which will lead to a decrease in uric acid excretion and an increase in uric acid levels in the blood. On the other hand, alcohol will accelerate the decomposition of purine in crayfish, leading to a rapid increase in uric acid in the blood. For people with abnormal purine metabolism, this may cause gout.

02 Why doesn’t anyone drink iced liquor?

The production process of Baijiu is complicated, and it requires the fermentation, distillation and aging process. Compared with beer, Baijiu is not suitable for drinking chilled.
On the one hand, liquor contains a variety of volatile aroma substances, which become more active at higher temperatures, releasing rich aromas; at low temperatures, they are inhibited, and their unique aroma and taste cannot be fully exerted .

Drinking warm liquor can fully activate the aroma components in the liquor, making the taste of the liquor more mellow and lasting; while drinking chilled liquor, the higher fatty acid ethyl esters in the liquor will precipitate and turn into white flocs , affecting the experience.

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On the other hand, Baijiu has a high alcohol content, and drinking it at low temperatures can easily irritate the stomach , while drinking it warm can alleviate this irritation and protect the stomach. In addition, Baijiu is often associated with a warm atmosphere and social occasions in Chinese food culture, and drinking it warm can better reflect this cultural connotation.

Image source: TV series Romance of the Three Kingdoms

03 What are some good partners for crayfish?

So, for those who don't drink or have high uric acid, what kind of drinks can they drink to cool down and relieve greasiness when eating crayfish? Here are three drinks recommended for you.

1) Cold Brew Tea

The refreshing and slightly bitter taste of cold brew tea can form a sharp contrast with the spicy taste of crayfish, bringing a different kind of refreshing feeling. In addition, the tea polyphenols in cold brew tea can help to relieve greasiness , making it a good choice for cooling off and relieving greasiness.

2) Soda water

The bubbles and light taste of soda water can complement the strong taste of crayfish without covering up the original flavor of crayfish. The alkalinity of soda water can also neutralize some of the acidic components in food and help the stomach digest.

3) Juice

Juice is not only refreshing and thirst-quenching, but also replenishes vitamins and minerals, making it an ideal match for summer tables. Sweet and sour juices such as lemon juice and orange juice can neutralize the spicy taste of crayfish, making the overall taste more balanced. In particular, the sour taste of lemon juice can boost appetite, and the vitamin C in lemon is also good for health.

Foodies, you can compare which drink tastes best with crayfish~

Author: Wang Zhengyuan, PhD in Nutrition, Deputy Chief Physician, Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Planning & Editing: Ding Dong