The lightweights among us might have a neurological excuse for their prompt reaction to alcohol, according to a published study in Neuropsychopharamcology this week. According to the findings, the mere taste of Beer is enough to trigger a buzz in men. The research showed that even a small mouthful of beer – too small to cause direct alcoholic intoxication – prompts a release of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the reward centre of men’s brain. This research has strong implications for our understanding of addiction, especially since this response was found to be stronger in men with close relatives who suffer from alcoholism.