Beer and Yoga are two of the most enjoyable things in life. There's nothing quite like a good yoga workout to get your muscles working, your blood flowing, your joints loosened, and your heart beating. Finish it off with a shower and a cold beer, and it feels like heaven!

Back in 2013, someone had the bright idea to combine the two. Yoga classes have been hosted at American breweries since 2013, which led to the formation of Beer Yoga LLC in 2014. The Yoga classes sometimes include the consumption of beer, and the beer bottle becomes an important part of the yoga routine. This type of yoga has become popular in Australia, Thailand, and other countries around the world.

I know what you're thinking: beer and yoga do not mix! Beer is filling and makes you gassy, and the alcohol can impair exercise performance. So how can Beer Yoga be a good thing?

Well, let's look at the "pros" of this type of yoga:

• It's enjoyable. If there was ever a yoga created to make you feel good, this is it. Not only do you get the mood-boosting effects of the yoga workout, but you add the delicious, relaxing benefits of beer into the mix. The result: a workout you can't help but love.
• It encourages enlightenment. Yoga is all about reaching a higher level of consciousness, and nothing opens up your mind quite like alcohol. It may sound silly, but the relaxing effects of the beer can help with meditation, mindfulness, and the consciousness practices of Yoga.
• It improves balance. The beer bottle is used as an important part of the workout, and you have to transition through the movements without spilling or knocking over your beer. Think of trying to do Tree Pose with a beer bottle balanced on your head, and you've got a pretty good idea of how useful the addition of a beer bottle can be.

Of course, the yoga practice isn't without its cons.

First, beer can be dehydrating, and it can impair exercise performance thanks to its high alcohol content. Beer Yoga is more of a "fun" workout than a truly effective one.

Then, of course, there's the effects of the carbonation. If you're trying to do those twisting yoga poses, you can bet the compression on your stomach will lead to a higher risk of burping and farting—unpleasant, but true.

You've also got to take into account the fact that you're consuming alcohol and empty calories while exercise. Neither of these are physician-recommended. If done during high-intensity exercise, you could end up dehydrated. Thankfully, beer yoga isn't high-intensity, but it's a low-intensity, steady state exercise that focuses more on flexibility and balance than actual muscular development.

Is Beer Yoga the new fitness craze? For beer lovers, perhaps. For the rest of the fitness world, it's just another "kooky" trend that mixes the benefits of yoga with something else we all love to do.

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