Can You Drink Beer Through a Straw? Do You Get Drunk Faster?

by Dane Wilson | Last Updated: August 24, 2021

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Nothing eases the stress of a long day like an ice cold brew. And we’re always looking for ways to make beer (or alcohol, in general) more enjoyable. So that often raises the question of how to get drunk faster. There is one theory out there that many are quick to reference in response: the Straw Theory. That said, it’s very rare to see someone sipping beer with a straw.

So can you drink beer through a straw? Does it get you drunk faster? Or will you look positively daft? Let’s find out.

Pros and Cons of Drinking With a Straw

There are some reasons why people might want to drink beer with a straw, regardless of the beverage. For example, an individual with a health condition or disability might need a straw to assist with drinking.

Benefits of drinking through a straw:

• Convenience. Straws make drinking from cups and other glasses easier, because you don’t have to tip the container towards your face. And if you’re sporting lipstick, that straw is going to keep it unblemished.
• Hygienic. When you’re drinking beer or another drink from a can, it might be more sanitary to use a straw. Harmful bacteria might dwell on the aluminum around the mouth of the can.
• Prevents teeth stains. Some drinks, like wine, tea, coffee, and juice might stain or discolor the front teeth. Using a straw will prevent the beverage from coming into contact with the teeth, thereby preventing decay.

Drawbacks of drinking with a straw:

• Smoker’s lips. Using a straw means that you pucker your lips, which isn’t necessarily bad for you. Repeated puckering, however, will cause wrinkles around the mouth, known as smoker’s lips.
• Gas and bloating. Drinking through a straw captures air. That air will travel through the digestive tract, where it causes bloating and gas. Since beer is carbonated, drinking with a straw might not be the best for combating bloat.
• Wasteful. Most straws are made from single-use plastic. This contributes to non-recyclable plastic waste, air pollution during production, and microplastics in the ocean that harm marine life.

Do You Get Drunk Faster Drinking Beer With a Straw?

There’s no denying that beer is great. Depending on your alcohol tolerance, you can drink a couple of bottles and have a fantastic time. Now let’s say you want to increase the fun by drinking beer with a straw. A hypothesis about straws claims that using one could increase your level of intoxication—and how fast you feel it.

According to the theory, straws work like vacuums. When you inhale, you eliminate the oxygen from the straw, thereby forcing the beer or alcohol into the straw, allowing it to be consumed more quickly. Secondly, you’re inhaling alcohol vapors right into your lungs, which is thought to absorb rapidly into the body, increasing drunkenness.

Allow us to point out that, whether you drink beer or a cocktail with or without a straw, you get just as intoxicated either way.

In fact, the National Institute of Alcoholic Abuse and the show Mythbusters both looked at this straw theory and agreed that straw sipping doesn’t make you drunk faster. The difference in absorption rate is so negligible that it doesn’t matter how you drink your brew. Straw or no, you’re either going to get drunk from consumption or not.

How to Serve and Drink Beer The Right Way

If you’re looking for a more exciting or sophisticated way of serving and consuming beer, straws might not be it. The best way to drink beer is from a glass. First, you can see the stunning colors. Plus, the glass helps release some of the carbon dioxide that you’d otherwise be sucking straight to your stomach with your straw. There’s a few benefits to letting CO2 dissipate: you get more aroma and more flavor.

So unless you need a straw to assist with consumption, there is no reason you need to drink beer through a straw. Unless you simply like the experience. By all means, do you!

Final Thoughts

Is it okay to drink beer with a straw? It depends on you. Although there is nothing wrong with using a straw to drink beer, you’re definitely not going to get drunk faster, and you might wind up feeling bloated. If you want to use a straw, consider a reusable alternative, such as bamboo or stainless steel to help the environment out.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can also check out this video by Beer and Tell: