Beer does not have enough alcohol by volume (ABV) to kill germs and should never be used to clean a wound.
In addition to the low alcohol content, the yeast hops, and various microbes within beer could contaminate the wound and potentially lead to infection.
Since most beers have an ABV of only around 5%, they are not strong enough to act as an antiseptic. Even most strong beers aren’t germicides.
What makes beer taste good is the various hops, grains, yeast, and other adjuncts that are used in its creation. Then there are all the microorganisms that live in beer. It should be obvious that you don’t want these in a wound.
While beer won’t work when treating an injury, there are a few drinking alcohols that you can use to clean a wound. Alcohols in the 60 to 90% ABV range will be more effective antiseptics than those in the 40 to 60% range.
1. Clean the wound 2. Apply a bandage 3. Apply pressure & elevate 4. Apply more bandages (if necessary)