SMOKEU

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Does homebrew made from liquid extracts always give worse hangovers than mass produced beers? I've had some terrible hangovers from homebrew beers in the past but I don't get them with supermarket beers, so what can I do to lessen the after effects (drinking less is NOT an option)

brewnscooter

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I'm certainly no expert, but I believe a main reason for big hangovers (headaches) are fusel alcohols that are produced by higher than ideal fermentation temperatures. Try brewing on the cooler side of the ideal temp for what you are brewing...

Pete79

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Yeah I went camping last weekend and it was the first time I had five or six of my own brews in a night. I felt friggin horrible the next day. I don't even remember the last time I had a hangover that bad. Hopefully it is just a coincidence and not the beer.

jjp36

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I think one thing that causes hangovers are fusel alcohols. You will get these in abundance if you let your fermentation get too warm. Controlling your fermentation temp will help to cut these down. That being said, even if you reduce them completely, if your getting plastered every night your going to be hungover whether or not they're are any fusel alcohols.

Displaced MassHole

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Brewnscooter is right, the fusel alchols created by high fermentation temps will make you want to swallow a bullet to end the pain.

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Yooper

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My experience is just the opposite- I can drink homebrew all day and night long, with no bad effect (except being tired the next day, since I don't sleep well when I've overimbibed), but more than three commercial beers gives me a rip-roaring headache the next day.

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SmugMug

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The best medicine for a hangover is to drink LOTS and LOTS of water before crashing. Sometimes it's not easy to do (depending on how donk you are) but hangovers are actually caused by dehydration. Ever get really thirsty while working out or while exerting yourself and get an incredible headache?? Same thing.

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Poor planning on your part doesn't necessitate an emergency on mine.

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SmugMug

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Oh yeah, a small portion of that water should include some form of electrolyte. I once had a long conversation about this with a friend of mine who's a doctor. Rather amusing since we were both drinking at the time and knew we were on our way to a hangover.

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Poor planning on your part doesn't necessitate an emergency on mine.

Beer: Is there anything it can't do?

Saccharomyces

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Fermentation temp control, pitching rate, and proper aeration will all guard against production of higher alcohols, though some strains will simply produce more high alcohols than others (Belgian Trappist strains are notorious for producing fusels). A beer which is well aerated (shake that baby for 5 minutes, or better yet, buy an O2 stone), pitched with a neutral yeast like US-05, and fermented in the mid-upper 60's *F will not give you a fusel problem.

I'm with Yooper, I usually get into trouble when I'm not drinking homebrew. My IIPA is an exception, higher gravity beers inevitably will have more fusel alcohols, so I have to limit myself even though it's hard.

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Arkador

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I drink a bottle of catorade (16 oz i think) and take 2 asprins before bed if i have more than 4 of my homebrews (6.5% abv on average) and almost never have a hangover. I just wake up 3 hours later and have to pee, and again 4 hours after that.