The beerist socialist media, er, the beerific social mediasts have declared that today is IPA Day. Or, more specifically, #IPA Day. But while it’s great that every beer head is running around buying, drinking, and tweeting India Pale Ales, just know that your Imperial IPA is making you flaccid!

While not a secret, not surprisingly, it isn’t widely discussed that hops deliver phytoestrogens. Fellas, be aware that your hoppy ale’s IBU can lead to your ED. I first learned about hops ties to erectile dysfunction, vaguely-commonly known in beer circles as “brewers droop” from a homebrewer in Texas who loved brewing… but hated hops. #Aghast! But perhaps instead of that making him less manly in many a beer lovers’ eyes, it makes him more, uh, manly.

Here’s an excerpt from an article titled The Fall of Gruit and the Rise of Brewer’s Droop by Stephen Harrod Buhner published in 1999:

Contemporary scientific research has conclusively demonstrated that hops contains large quantities of estrogenic and soporific compounds. In fact hops (have) been used for many thousands of years in traditional medical practice as a natural estrogen replacement therapy and to help insomniacs sleep. The high level of plant estrogens in hops makes hopped beer an extremely good drink for women in menopause but also makes it a very bad drink for men. Consumption by men of large levels of estrogenic compounds can lead to erection problems later in life. In fact, there is a well-known condition in England called Brewer’s Droop which is regularly contracted by bartenders and brewers after years of exposure to hopped beers and ales.

So raise a pint of IPA to participate in the festivities. Just know that if you celebrate too much, that pint may be all you’re raising.