A love for beer develops before birth and is linked to testosterone, experts have claimed, quoted by The Sun.
They believe that having more of the male sex hormone in the womb is a key factor.
A sign that testosterone levels were high in the fetus can be seen in adults whose ring finger is significantly longer than their index finger.
And the study found that these people drank more decades later.
Professor John Manning, whose previous research has shown that finger proportions are linked to physical fitness, fertility and aggression, asked 258 people about their drinking habits and recorded the length of their fingers.
The expert from Swansea University concluded: “It is possible that the differences in use are laid down in the womb.”
The link, described and analysed in the American Journal of Human Biology, was strongest in men with long ring fingers on their right hands, who generally drink more.
Prof. Manning suggests that higher testosterone and more masculine biology increase alcohol tolerance and in turn favour drinking habits.
“Enzymes in men's stomachs can reduce alcohol absorption by 30 per cent, while women absorb more into the bloodstream,” he says.
“For the same number of drinks, women get drunk more easily.”
Half of British adults drink alcohol at least once a week.
Bingeing is down, but one in five exceeds the recommended limit of 14 drinks a week, or 6 pints /1 UK pint is equal to 0.56 litres/ .