I go to a brewpub from time to time that has some pretty good beers, one even took an award recently. Thing is, every time I drink there, without fail, I wake up with crushing headaches the next morning. It’s a bit of a drive so I limit myself to 3 pints (not even remotely in hangover territory for me) and I’m not the only person who has noticed the headaches.
I understand fusel alcohols can cause headaches, but I don’t detect any solventy, or hot alcohol off flavors. No off flavors of any sort come to think of it.
The only thing I can think of is they ferment warm to push the beers to completion faster. A lot of breweries and brew pubs do this. Perhaps they cover the solventy notes with hops and other flavors or perhaps the notes are subtle. Hard to say for certain what it may be.
I have no clue, but there is one beer from a brewery close to me that gives me headaches every time I drink a few. It’s a scotch ale, and not really my favorite style. But, whenever I have it from this particular brewery, I wake up with a headache. None of my friends ahve any problem.
My wife gets headaches whenever she drinks beers from Bridgeport Brewing, with the exception of a Belgian beer they used to do - I suspect it is something their yeast throws, because she doesn’t have problems with other breweries beers. But it’s possible that it was the fermentation temp and the Belgian strain doesn’t produce the same stuff at the higher temp.
I’ve found the headaches from fusels come on quickly, within 10 minutes typically, of drinking. And they seem to hit me mostly in the temples. Is that the kind of headache you get? I’ve stopped judging Belgian homebrew flights because too many people seem to think this is a desirable character >:(
If you aren’t sure of the cause, you can try to preempt them by drinking lots of water and taking ibuprofin and mega vitamin B complex before you go to bed. Many times headaches are simple dehydration. Ibuprofin helps with the headaches and vitamin B helps your liver break down the alcohol. This is basically my NHC Survival Guide.
A brew pub here in Indy that specializes in Belgian styles gives me headaches everytime I have some of their beers. They are tasty, but I could do without the side effect. I do not typically pick up fusel, hot, or alcoholic notes in those beers, but they must be there.
along with what Tom is saying, my wife get’s itchy (her skin, just in case someone wants to put an innuendo in there ) after she drinks a particular Belgian Strain. I wonder if this is not something similar to what is happening in your (DrewG’s) case.
Fusels never bother me until the next day, though. I never have experienced a head ache as quickly as Gordon as mentioned.
Worst headache I’ve ever had - Granite City Brewpub in Sioux Falls, SD. Had two IPA’s and woke up in the middle of the night with a splitting headache. It was before I knew about fusels etc but I’m betting that’s what it was. Otherwise, I’ve only ever had the “over-indulgence” headache.
[quote]I’ve found the headaches from fusels come on quickly, within 10 minutes typically, of drinking. And they seem to hit me mostly in the temples. Is that the kind of headache you get?
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Those are exactly the kind I get, although never that quickly. I follow the vitamin B, water and Ibuprofen regiment too, and it certainly helps.
I know they have a cold room for the fermentors (plastic drums) but I’m positive there is no temp control on the fermentors (such as they are) themselves.
[quote] I wonder if this is not something similar to what is happening in your (DrewG’s) case.
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I don’t have any food allergies, and it doesn’t seem to matter which beers I drink there, which made me think it might be process related. That and the fact that other people are experiencing the same headaches. Then again, anything’s possible
Please do not take Ibuprofen after drinking. Water and B-complex and something sugary before bed will work. Alcohol is already hard on the liver- you don’t want to throw Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen or Aspirin on top of alcohol habitually or you may end up regretting it.
I read recently that flushed face and itchy skin is a sign of allergy to tannins or something else in beer and red wine…something on grape skins and malt maybe?
I get headaches with certain beers and breweries as well, but I have more problems when I drink later in day or evening in quantities of 3-4 pints…the headache comes on fairly quickly and intensifies with sleep. When I drink in mid day to mid afternoon, my body processes it better, and if any it is milder pain and subsides usually before bed.
I am thinking that as I age I am transitioning to being a “beer for breakfast only” kind of guy…and then dinner at 3:30p (and I am not that old).
I think that is a good start- especially as an emergency hang-over remedy. Also a shower and something fatty to eat right after you wake. I hear leftover Chinese food works even if you feel like you want to hurl.
Actually, you’ll do better to replace the ibuprofin with vitamin C and lots of it. Ibuprofin is damaging to the liver. Niacin is the B vitamin you want the most of and vitamins D and E won’t hurt either. Plenty of water too.
Drinking a couple large glasses of water and eating a banana helps too. I’ve heard the potassium helps out somehow but I make no claims to being a chemist (organic or not) so I won’t try to explain why it might work. It has saved me a few times though.
It’s always been my understanding that acetaminophen is damaging to the liver and ibuprofen is damaging to the stomach lining. I am not a doctor, however.
