If you ask for a beer with ice in the United States, most people will scoff, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it if that’s what you’re into. In other countries around the world, especially in Southeast Asia, beer is served over ice because there is not enough room in the cooler to keep the beer cold. Therefore, the only way to ensure you get to enjoy an ice-cold beer is to pour it over some cubes. Due to this practice, many people who are from, or who have spent time in, that region of the world have a taste for beer over ice. If you’re into it too, go for it.

However, the reason serving beer over ice isn’t common practice is because the beer becomes diluted. This dilution mutes the flavor of the beverage, leading to a subpar consumption experience. This is probably not a big deal if you’re drinking a light lager whose taste profile is basically similar to water, which is the style of beer often consumed in the hot, humid climates of countries that drink beer over ice. But if you’re drinking something more full-flavored, say, an IPA or stout, this would be a no-no, unless you like watery beer.

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