Beer is one of the world’s greatest inventions. It is one of the favorite beverages for merry-making and bonding buddy moments. For those who are avoiding a bigger belly though, there are many more reasons to love beer and keep them in the list of monthly groceries!

Beer is a great cooking companion. Shrimp cooked in beer develops a unique mouth-watering flavor without the help of harmful, cholesterol-induced cooking oil. Beer can also be used to steam sea food such as clams or mussels. Steaming these delicacies normally only involve water, but adding beer to the boil gives a burst of different flavor to the dish. Cooking rice is also normally done with water; using beer instead would give a sweet, tangy flavor to the normally dull rice. The cooking process is the same, a cup of rice with a cup of beer, bring to boil and enjoy! The acidic content of beer also makes it a fantastic marinade for meat. While the sweet/bitter taste is absorbed, the acid helps to make the meat tender. That is hitting two birds with one stone. Poke the meat with a fork and pour in the beer, put back in the refrigerator for a few hours, even over night before cooking. The marinade itself can be discarded, under no circumstances should it be drank.

Believe it or not, beer can do good for the hair. Put a cup of beer on medium heat until around 3/4 of it evaporates, this would ensure that the alcohol content is completely removed. Once the beer cools, mix it with a cup of shampoo and use the concoction like a normal shampoo – that is wash and rinse. The hair will be noticeable shinier. A beauty secret that nobody will expect!

Beer is also an alternative to sun tan lotion. Pour beer on skin under the sun for a desperately quicker tanning. This should not be done over 20 minutes at a time though and definitely not regularly as this may cause the skin damage. Using beer as a tanning lotion is only done for emergency beach tanning sessions!

Beer can be used as a chemical-free pesticide! Not all pests can be annihilated but slugs and mice are a good target. A good start to a pest-free home at least. Place beer on wide-mouthed jars and burry the body in the garden, leveled with the soil. The surface of the jar and the content will be exposed to the atmosphere giving easy access for slugs to enjoy the feast. These pests are attracted to beer and they will drink and drown in the jars. If mice are found in the house, then a different approach can be taken, with the same principle. Place the jars in the kitchen, making sure that the mice will be able to jump in to their deaths – happily.

Beer is a useful household item. It doesn’t matter if nobody in the household drinks (or admits to drinking) beer. Aside from the alternative uses of beer, one never knows when a thirsty house guest comes looking for a can or two!