You know the feeling. The sun’s out, there’s a free table in the beer garden, and that first sip tastes better than any drink you’ve had indoors all winter. It’s not just you being dramatic. There are some pretty good reasons we’re all drawn outside the moment the weather turns, and a few of them are backed by actual science.

So grab a seat (preferably in the sun) and let’s get into it.

Sunshine is a genuine mood booster

Back in 2002, researchers in Melbourne measured serotonin levels in the blood leaving the brains of 101 men and compared them with the weather on the day. Their findings, published in The Lancet, showed that the brain made more serotonin on bright days than on dull ones, and that production rose quickly with the amount of sunshine. Serotonin is one of the chemicals tied to feeling happy and calm.

In other words, that warm, everything-is-fine feeling you get with the sun on your face isn’t in your head. Well, technically it is in your head, but you know what we mean.

Fresh air does you good

Being outside is good for you, full stop. A 2019 study of nearly 20,000 people in England found that people who spent at least 120 minutes a week in nature were noticeably more likely to report good health and high wellbeing than those who spent no time outdoors. It didn’t matter whether they got it in one long session or a few shorter ones.

We’re not saying a leafy beer garden counts as a hike. But a couple of long, sunny lunches a week? We think that’s a solid start.

It’s really about the company

Here’s the thing: the drink is rarely the point. It’s who you’re having it with.

Oxford University psychologist Professor Robin Dunbar studied pubs and social life for the Campaign for Real Ale and found that people with a regular local had bigger social circles, felt more connected to their community and were more satisfied with life. Smaller, chattier groups (the kind you get around a garden table) tended to have better conversations where everyone actually joined in.

Outdoors, it all gets a bit easier. There’s more room, less noise, nobody’s shouting over the music, and the dog’s welcome too. One drink turns into an afternoon and nobody minds.

Setting changes how things taste

Does a drink actually taste better outside? Science says… sort of. A 2019 study used virtual reality to transport people into either a winery or a bar while they tasted drinks. The sparkling wine was rated higher (and people were willing to pay more for it) in the winery than in the bar, even though it was exactly the same wine. The beer scored about the same in both places, which is either a win for beer’s consistency or proof it’s good anywhere.

The bigger lesson is that a drink feels best when the setting suits it. And a crisp lager under a big umbrella, or a spritz on a rooftop at golden hour, is about as well-matched as it gets.

We’ve been doing this for centuries

Drinking outdoors isn’t a new trend. The beer garden as we know it started in Bavaria. In 1553, brewing was banned in the summer months to reduce the risk of fires, so Munich’s brewers dug cellars along the Isar River to keep their beer cool through the warmer weather. To keep those cellars even colder, they spread gravel over the top and planted chestnut trees for shade. Then someone had the brilliant idea of putting tables and benches under the trees and selling beer straight from the cellar.

In the early 1800s, after a bit of a squabble with local innkeepers, the Bavarian king settled on a compromise: beer gardens could sell beer, but guests were allowed to bring their own food. Plenty of Munich beer gardens still let you do exactly that today. Two hundred years later, the formula hasn’t really changed. Shade, sunshine, a cold drink and good company.

How to make the most of it

  • Follow the sun. A beer garden in full sun at noon can be in total shade by 3pm. That’s exactly why we built Sunny, so you can find pubs and beer gardens in the sun right now, wherever you are.
  • Protect your skin. Sunscreen and a hat aren’t optional, especially if you’re settling in for the afternoon.
  • Pace yourself. Sun and alcohol both dehydrate you, so alternate with water. Your future self will thank you.
  • Go early on a nice day. The best tables go fast the moment the forecast looks good.

The bottom line? We love drinking outdoors because it makes us feel good, brings us closer to our friends and taps into something people have enjoyed for centuries. So next time the sun comes out, you know what to do.

Header photo by Sarah Donovan on Unsplash, taken at the Chinesischer Turm beer garden in Munich.