Researchers examining 13,000 food ingredients at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany have found that an alkaloid naturally present in Barley activates the brain's pleasure receptors.

Hordenine, a chemical commonly found in Barley when beer making stimulates the Dopamine receptor D2 (D2R) in the brain. Often referred to as the “happy hormone” this in combination with alcohol itself makes the consumer feel happier.

Although it's early days into the research, scientists so far have said that results point towards the drinker's mood being positively boosted, similar to how Salsolinol found in chocolate or how fat and carbohydrates work.



Various other studies are also underway looking into how much Hordenine is actually present in beer and how it affects the consumer.



Published in the Journal of Scientific Reports, a probe involving thousands of food ingredients started the research into Hordenine.



Most of us enjoy an ice cold beer after a hard day's work, but remember drinking too much could leave you with a bad hangover, moderation is the key as always.