I’m hoping somebody out here can help. A good friend of mine loves a good home crafted beer, but regardless of homebrew/commercial, quality, etc he seems to get stomach aches after just a single beer. I did a little research and it seemed like an allergy but I’ve never come across this…does anybody know why he get stomach aches or how to prevent it? Thanks!
He might want to see a doctor…we’re homebrewers!
wont argue against that! I was just hoping somebody here had heard something similar and help solve the painful mystery.
definitely a doctor should be consulted. that said, could it be gluten?
Your friend is willing to let us experiment on him? Troubleshoot it like anything else. Can he do shots, can he drink GF beer, can he eat sugar cookies, does it hurt any other time after any other intake of any kind?
Ulcer, allergy(yeast, wheat, barley, gluten, alcohol), pylori, could be anything. Make the Dr. appt, and while he waits for that date do some experimenting.
+1, sounds like it could be coeliac disease, which can be dangerous, even fatal.
Don’t sell us short, Denny! 
As brewers we have gifted insight that most physicians don’t! 
I know on more than one occasion a collective group of relatives and friends has figured the source of an illness better than the good ol’ family doc.
But yes . . some tests are in order . .
I need a copy of his insurance card and then I can give him some advice. The co-pay is a case of homebrew.
Too bad all doctors don’t work for homebrew…but thanks all for the advise!
Went over to a fellow gearhead’s house for a swim in his pool and to talk cars.
Brought over my Maudite clone. He kinda liked it. His wife said it tasted OK.
They drink mega swill on occasion, but are mostly wine folks.
Turns out he’s allergic to yeast. Ran a 104 temp. His wive, a RN, gave him a shot of epinephrine. That got his reaction under control. Almost put him in the hospital. So apparently he’s only ever had filtered beers his whole life.
He’s allergic to grass and pollen as well.
So yea, it could be an allergy your friend has.
Sounds like an allergic reaction to me. He should go to the doctors and find out what’s causing it. Could be one of the various ingredients in there, like yeast, hops, irish moss, etc.
Doctor won’t know if it’s beer specific. Guys gonna have to test on his own to get that specific. My doc has never tested me for wlp380 or irish moss allergies.
I think with celiac disease he would be having lots more trouble with a lot more foods than just beer (maybe he does). I agree, that he needs to go to the doctor.
You could get him a gluten free beer and see if he has the same reaction.
I got sick (severe & chronic GI troubles) after drinking a whole bottle of Cantillon Gueuze Grand Cru. I’ve pretty much narrowed it down to Belgian styles. Something in them sets it off bad.
My symptoms subsided almost 100% but didn’t totally go away when I quit drinking Belgian styles. Still have the odd flare-up :-[