It was a long time ago, but when the Cass beer commercial featuring a bald man aired on TV, even though I wasn't particularly thirsty, just seeing it made me feel refreshed.

The foam rising in a logo-embossed glass, taking a sip, and that moment of "Ah—".

Honestly, I think everyone has gone to the convenience store to buy the same thing after seeing that, right?

I did too. I've bought quite a few beers after seeing ads.

But the funny thing is, when I actually open a can at home and take a sip, it doesn't taste as amazing as I imagined it would.

It's just refreshing, just the taste of beer. Yet, strangely, my mood improves.

I wondered why that is, so I looked it up, and it turns out there is a reason.

People often say that beer makes you feel good because of the alcohol, but that's not the whole story.

A research team from Indiana University in the U.S. conducted an experiment and found that even before drinking beer, just holding it in your mouth and tasting it can increase dopamine levels in the brain.

In simple terms, you start feeling good even before getting drunk.

The saying that the first sip is the best isn't just a saying.

When you think about it, that moment of "Ah" is created not by alcohol, but by taste and aroma.

The bitterness when it touches your mouth, the hop aroma, and the refreshing sensation that follows. This combination stimulates the brain.

The carbonation also plays a role. That tingling sensation. When it goes down your throat, there's a slight sting and a cool feeling.

This isn't just a physical stimulus; it's sending a signal to your body saying, "Ah, this feels good."

It's a kind of reward. That's why a cold beer on a hot day, when you're sweating, tastes so incredibly good.

Your body is already prepared to accept it.

And beer also contains some vitamin B6 from the malt.

It helps the brain and nerves. Not that anyone drinks it expecting that, but it does contribute to a sense of relaxation.

When you break it down like this, beer seems to be a rather intricately designed beverage rather than just "alcohol".

Taste, aroma, carbonation, and a bit of alcohol all work together to affect a person's mood.

Just one can can make you feel like your day is coming together, and that's not just a matter of mood.

So it seems many people are looking for non-alcoholic beer these days. You can still enjoy that feeling without getting drunk.

In the end, what we really enjoy might not be the alcohol, but the experience of beer itself.

Whether you started drinking because of an ad or followed a friend, the fact that your mood changes with the first sip is what really matters.

Isn't that the true essence of beer?