A LOVE of beer develops before birth and is linked to testosterone, say experts.
They believe exposure to more of the male sex hormone in the womb is a key factor.
A sign of high testosterone levels for foetuses can be seen in adults whose ring finger is significantly longer than their index finger.
And a study found that those people drank more decades later.
Professor John Manning — whose previous research suggested the finger ratio is linked to physical fitness, fertility and aggression — asked 258 people about their drinking habits, and recorded finger lengths.
The Swansea University expert concluded: “It is possible that differences in consumption are set in the womb.”
The link, published in the American Journal of Human Biology, was strongest for men with long ring fingers on the right hand.
Blokes also drank more overall.
Prof Manning suggests higher testosterone and more masculine biology increases alcohol tolerance and, in turn, drinking habits.
He said: “Enzymes in male stomachs can reduce the absorption of alcohol by 30 per cent whereas females absorb more into the bloodstream.
“For the same number of drinks, it is easier for women to become intoxicated.”
Half of British adults drink alcohol at least once a week.
Binge drinking is on the decline but about one in five exceed the recommended limit of 14 units per week — equal to six pints or medium glasses of wine.
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