swmbo getting headaches from my brews?

What could be causing this? I usually ferment at 70 degrees and am beginning to think that it is too high. She says she's gotten headaches with all my beers, 4 total so far! Eek!
They've all exibited somewhat of a cidery smell and taste, less when I ferment a bit lower. Help!

maybe fusel alcohols? Try fermenting lower.

How many did she have at once?

Is your fermenting temperature the actual temperature of the beer or of the room? If it's the room, then that could be the problem. Fermentation itself produces heat, and I've seen fermenting beer be 8-10 degrees higher than ambient air temperature. If that's the case, I would be that is your problem.

Another thing to consider is recipe. I noticed that beers with more simple sugars in them tend to give me a headace. Maybe it's the higher alcohol content, but I'm not so sure about that.

ayoungrad said:

How many did she have at once?

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yeah, tell her not to have some many. hahaha

I kick off my ferments around 73 or so. Then after 24 hours if I can see active fermentation I drop it down to the low to mid 60's. If you can control your temps give it a shot.

Could she be gluten intolerant and not know it?

Gluten intolerance would show up with any commercial beer and tends to cause GI upset more than headache.

My SWMBO was getting headaches from my brew too. Turns out it they were just hangovers from drinking too much of it...

90 of people with gluten intolerance are latent/undiagnosed. Often the symptoms for adults are more vague, like headaches and fatigue. I can't tell the GI symptoms as much as I can feel the migraines when I get gluten.

I give my wife headaches...

mcbethenstein said:

90 of people with gluten intolerance are latent/undiagnosed. Often the symptoms for adults are more vague, like headaches and fatigue. I can't tell the GI symptoms as much as I can feel the migraines when I get gluten.

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You have an unusual case to be sure. Not saying that your suggestion for the OP is not possible, just unlikely. Headaches with minimal alcohol ingestion are more likely related to alcohol dehydrogenase deficiency than celiac disease. Either way, commercial brews have gluten so that fact seems to eliminate gluten as the cause.

Like yoop said, if you're beer exhibiting a cidery taste, it's probably fusels from fermenting at too high a temp. That's one of the biggest causes of headaches from beer, after overindulgence of course.

yummybeer said:

yeah, tell her not to have some many. hahaha

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You know, she claims that even a taste, perhaps a quarter of a beer, will do it! It's probably the combo of room temp at fermentation and simple sugars that are doing it. Several of my other friends are complaining of the same thing. Not good..
I will pit the next batch in my ~60 degree basement after fermentation kicks off and see where it takes me. Thanks guys!

Yooper said:

Is your fermenting temperature the actual temperature of the beer or of the room?

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Uh...don't really know if it's ambient or beer temp. I'm using one of those stick on thermometers from Mr. Beer on my carboy. I know I should get one I can throw in the carboy but am scared of of breaking or moreover actually being able to read the thing once it is in there, haha. What it does read on the carboy in my basement is somewhere near 66. That's with a currently fermenting beer though, it is likely lower ambient temp.

Darklordenron said:

Uh...don't really know if it's ambient or beer temp. I'm using one of those stick on thermometers from Mr. Beer on my carboy. I know I should get one I can throw in the carboy but am scared of of breaking or moreover actually being able to read the thing once it is in there, haha. What it does read on the carboy in my basement is somewhere near 66. That's with a currently fermenting beer though, it is likely lower ambient temp.

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A stick on thermometer is pretty accurate- that's fine! 66 is a good temperature.

Are you using recipes with lots of sugar/honey? That might be part of the cause.

Just re-checked it. Seems like it's hovering between 62-66 somewheres. I am using a bit of sugar, nothing over to top however. Seems like my basement is the ideal place to commence fermentation if those temps look good. I used to shoot for 70, but that just seems too high to be honest..

Was also contemplating buying a fridge and a temperature controller..good investment or should I wait on it? Summer is right around the corner...

Just as an update, swmbo doesn't have problems with beers not using mr. Beer yeast or beers fermented under 65F. Something about the fermentation temp really set her headaches off. It's odd, but I've narrowed down the root causes. Better ingredients, stable ferm temps, long primary all contribute to a good time, not headaches!