Gargle With Beer For a Sore Throat

The dry nose. The chapped lips. The scratchy throat. Ah, yes all of the lovely things that come with dry winter air and the forced hot air heating systems that so many of us around here have in our homes.

This is definitely the time of year when it's hard to differentiate whether we've got a sore throat because we're getting sick or because the air in our homes is too dry, no matter how often we run our humidifiers.

If you've got a sore throat and if you're not sure if it's because you're getting sick, why not be proactive and enjoy a beer at the same time? There's no guarantee this will work, but I was talking to some friends who told me they swear that you can get relief from a sore throat by gargling beer which actually makes a lot of sense.

Alcohol is widely known to be used for disinfecting, so there's a chance it could kill cold germs too, right? I did what I do and researched the claim my friends made. While I didn't find any solid medical evidence that gargling with beer will kill a cold, it can’t hurt to give it a try. So, as soon as you feel that itchy/scratchy feeling in your throat try gargling with some beer. It might stop the infection in its tracks. But please, remember that it’s not EVER a good idea to drink alcohol if you’ve been medicating yourself and if you're feeling like ick for more than a day, definitely get to a doctor.

If drinking beer, learning about beer, and enjoying time with good friends is something you love, we'd like to invite you to join us at Binghamton on Tap, happening in Downtown Binghamton on February 23th!