How often is too often?

Brewer's Friend 728
Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Having been told 2-4 a day, but not every day by a cardiologist, I try to stick to that,except for weekends occasionally. Monitor your health, ie blood pressure, cholesterol, liver enzymes...... Take coq10 and milk thistle along with a daily vitamin, drink a crapload of water every day and you will be golden, avoid the hard drinking saturdays where you get annihilated, that's where the danger and damage comes.
 
If your drinking effects your health, your employment or your interpersonal relationships; you might want to think seriously about cutting back on your alcohol intake, both amounts & frequency. Other than that, I don't see what anybody has to say about how much or how often somebody else enjoys a few drinks. Seems like every time I turn around there's somebody out there who has way too much interest in what I do or don't do.

"Eat healthy, don't eat so much, exercise more, don't use salt, eat more fiber, eat less sugar, don't drink so much, don't drink so often, don't smoke, only eat fish 3 times a week, use sunblock, don't tan, etc, etc, etc..." Ad nauseum.
These people have way too much time on their hands & need to learn how to STFU & mind their own biz.
That's my 2 cents worth, didn't mean to make it sound like a rant.

Somedays I'll have none, other days I might have 2, 3 or even 4. Once in a while I'll start with 6 & continue to an amount known only as "many". It just depends on what's going on & what I feel like doing. Using the case of 24 beers of 12oz each, 1 case spread out over 12 hrs doesn't get me drunk. 1 case in 2 hrs will. I don't drink much or not at all on workdays, on the weekend or vacation I might drink a lot more, I might not. Reasonable moderation with the odd spike or 2 every once in a while seems like a reasonably healthy thing to me. Regards, GF.
 
olz431 said:
Having been told 2-4 a day, but not every day by a cardiologist, I try to stick to that,except for weekends occasionally. Monitor your health, ie blood pressure, cholesterol, liver enzymes...... Take coq10 and milk thistle along with a daily vitamin, drink a crapload of water every day and you will be golden, avoid the hard drinking saturdays where you get annihilated, that's where the danger and damage comes.
Click to expand...


Milk Thistle didn't work for me, did nothing........:confused:
 
This is a brutal time of year for me. I give up beer every Lent. I am not really religous but my wife and kids are. Ironically I grew up Catholic and she converted after we were married.

Anyway, it's nice to know that you can live without a beer for 40 some days and I think the family likes to know it too.

My sister got my brother-in-law to convert a few years ago. He gave up all alcohol for Lent the first year. What a rookie.
 
I have to say I was brewing way to much and I had to take a step back and evaluate what I wanted to do and what was right for me and my wife. Over consumption is really just one aspect of over indulgence of brewing habit. Brewing time at the expense of other things in your life, taking up way to much physical room, spending way too much money, gaining weight...

If any of these aspects in itself becomes a burden, it destroys the hobby. Just knowing that you have twelve kegs of beer that need to be drunk puts you mind in a place to think "hey, it's ok if I have 2 or 3 beers with dinner and a nightcap!" That is a problem.. an unintentional outcome of brewing often.

Although I do believe that all brewers need to take responsibility for over indulgence in both the hobby and the beer itself, I kinda have to blame the home brewing industry as well. It is taught from day 1 that home brews are done in five gallon batches. WHY? The carboy I assume, its been around forever so of course, 5 gallon batches. To make matters worse, the home brew shops only sell 5 gallon batch kits.

AHS has taken the right step and started selling one gallon batches but I would rather see 3 gallon batches become the industry norm. Smaller carboys, less beer. You can still indulge in making beer often but in the end you end up with 2 gallons less.
 
220 grams of alcohol a day = 13 (12.95) 12 ounce beers at 5% abv.
220 grams / 28.3 = 7.77 ounces alcohol. 12 oz. x .05 = .6 ounces alcohol
7.77 / .6 = 12.95 beers

Though some may, most people don't drink a 12 pack every day.
 
JVD_X said:
I have to say I was brewing way to much and I had to take a step back and evaluate what I wanted to do and what was right for me and my wife. Over consumption is really just one aspect of over indulgence of brewing habit. Brewing time at the expense of other things in your life, taking up way to much physical room, spending way too much money, gaining weight...

If any of these aspects in itself becomes a burden, it destroys the hobby. Just knowing that you have twelve kegs of beer that need to be drunk puts you mind in a place to think "hey, it's ok if I have 2 or 3 beers with dinner and a nightcap!" That is a problem.. an unintentional outcome of brewing often.

Although I do believe that all brewers need to take responsibility for over indulgence in both the hobby and the beer itself, I kinda have to blame the home brewing industry as well. It is taught from day 1 that home brews are done in five gallon batches. WHY? The carboy I assume, its been around forever so of course, 5 gallon batches. To make matters worse, the home brew shops only sell 5 gallon batch kits.

AHS has taken the right step and started selling one gallon batches but I would rather see 3 gallon batches become the industry norm. Smaller carboys, less beer. You can still indulge in making beer often but in the end you end up with 2 gallons less.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure that I understand this argument. The homebrewing industry supplies what the consumer demands... Not the other way around. I can make whatever size batch of beer that I want. I make 4G batches because of equipment restrictions but I can say that I would love to brew larger batches just because of the time and money savings involved. A 4 gallon batch takes the same amount of time to make as a 10 gallon batch.

I think you're also missing the point that this is a very social hobby. A lot of brewers on this forum give away more than they drink.

You're argument also doesn't translate to other hobbies. For instance a golfer doesn't hit the links more often just because she bought 3 extra boxes of balls. She also doesn't just go out on the course to shoot 2 holes a day, she plays 18 on Saturday morning.

I guess I just can't see how the brewing hobby can turn into a "brewing habit".
 
Snisup said:
I'm not sure that I understand this argument. The homebrewing industry supplies what the consumer demands... Not the other way around. I can make whatever size batch of beer that I want. I make 4G batches because of equipment restrictions but I can say that I would love to brew larger batches just because of the time and money savings involved. A 4 gallon batch takes the same amount of time to make as a 10 gallon batch.

I think you're also missing the point that this is a very social hobby. A lot of brewers on this forum give away more than they drink.

You're argument also doesn't translate to other hobbies. For instance a golfer doesn't hit the links more often just because she bought 3 extra boxes of balls. She also doesn't just go out on the course to shoot 2 holes a day, she plays 18 on Saturday morning.

I guess I just can't see how the brewing hobby can turn into a "brewing habit".
Click to expand...

I wish that were true - your brewing can very quickly spin out of control and yes you can up drinking way to much and YES its due to brewers making too much beer. I have been brewing for almost 30 years and have seen a lot of brewers go way out of control. I do believe that the industry owes the hobbyist the option of ordering 3 gallon kits.

There are other aspects to alcohol that I did not know about until recently. I have a relative who was not an alcoholic in the traditional sense - they didn't drink and get smashed every night or whatever. They drank maybe 2 glasses a wine a night for many years. It almost killed her heart after reaching her 50's... what they don't tell you is that alcohol kills the heart muscles and scars the heart tissue every time you drin. After a while, that scar tissue builds up. Oddly enough, the liver is one of the most resilient organs in the body. It doesn't take a lot of alcohol to do some serious damage - this lifetime fitness buff had a heart that was working at 35% efficiency. She had a pace maker put in.
 
JVD_X said:
I have a relative who was not an alcoholic in the traditional sense - they didn't drink and get smashed every night or whatever. They drank maybe 2 glasses a wine a night for many years. It almost killed her heart after reaching her 50's... what they don't tell you is that alcohol kills the heart muscles and scars the heart tissue every time you drin. After a while, that scar tissue builds up. Oddly enough, the liver is one of the most resilient organs in the body. It doesn't take a lot of alcohol to do some serious damage - this lifetime fitness buff had a heart that was working at 35% efficiency. She had a pace maker put in.
Click to expand...

ah yes the personal testimonial. Cause evidence based medicine is based off personal testimonials and one or two so called "studies" posted on the internet. You guys crack me up!
 
SmokeNbrew said:
In my case, I typically drink on a weekly basis. At times nightly. The amount always varies. Typically more on the weekends, especially in social settings.

I just enjoy beer, it's not just the affects of the alcohol in itself. I enjoy the culture, the history, the process etc. My attitude towards beer/alcohol is mostly liberal. I feel Im mostly self-aware and feel my attitude towards consumption is balanced 90% of the time.

In contrast, my social environment would teach that alcohol is a source of misery and a path to destruction. However, one could say the same about money? Either way, I don't always find myself being socially accepted. Not rejected as an alcoholic, but not accepted as being congruent in what they feel is acceptable.

Do you find youself feeling the same way?
Click to expand...

I empathize with you living in Dayton. However, you can at least get Founders...
 
dfc said:
I empathize with you living in Dayton. However, you can at least get Founders...
Click to expand...

Yes, that I can...fortunately, there are a couple 'corner stores' here in Dayton that stock pretty much everything because they also order outside the normal distro channels. The legalities? I have no idea, but I do know the hard to find stuff comes FedEx and UPS.
 
gratus fermentatio said:
If your drinking effects your health, your employment or your interpersonal relationships; you might want to think seriously about cutting back on your alcohol intake, both amounts & frequency. Other than that, I don't see what anybody has to say about how much or how often somebody else enjoys a few drinks. Seems like every time I turn around there's somebody out there who has way too much interest in what I do or don't do.

"Eat healthy, don't eat so much, exercise more, don't use salt, eat more fiber, eat less sugar, don't drink so much, don't drink so often, don't smoke, only eat fish 3 times a week, use sunblock, don't tan, etc, etc, etc..." Ad nauseum.
These people have way too much time on their hands & need to learn how to STFU & mind their own biz.
That's my 2 cents worth, didn't mean to make it sound like a rant.

Somedays I'll have none, other days I might have 2, 3 or even 4. Once in a while I'll start with 6 & continue to an amount known only as "many". It just depends on what's going on & what I feel like doing. Using the case of 24 beers of 12oz each, 1 case spread out over 12 hrs doesn't get me drunk. 1 case in 2 hrs will. I don't drink much or not at all on workdays, on the weekend or vacation I might drink a lot more, I might not. Reasonable moderation with the odd spike or 2 every once in a while seems like a reasonably healthy thing to me. Regards, GF.
Click to expand...

Perfectly said.
 
Snisup said:
I'm not sure that I understand this argument. The homebrewing industry supplies what the consumer demands... Not the other way around. I can make whatever size batch of beer that I want. I make 4G batches because of equipment restrictions but I can say that I would love to brew larger batches just because of the time and money savings involved. A 4 gallon batch takes the same amount of time to make as a 10 gallon batch.

I think you're also missing the point that this is a very social hobby. A lot of brewers on this forum give away more than they drink.

You're argument also doesn't translate to other hobbies. For instance a golfer doesn't hit the links more often just because she bought 3 extra boxes of balls. She also doesn't just go out on the course to shoot 2 holes a day, she plays 18 on Saturday morning.

I guess I just can't see how the brewing hobby can turn into a "brewing habit".
Click to expand...

I agree. I don't see the strength in that argument. I give away most of my beer in sharing the hobby through neighbors, brew club meetings, competitions, and waste. Just because I make 10 gallons doesn't mean I drink 10 gallons.
 
Just saw this quoted. Missed it the first time around.

gratus fermentatio said:
Using the case of 24 beers of 12oz each, 1 case spread out over 12 hrs doesn't get me drunk.
Click to expand...

A case in a day doesn't get you "drunk"? I call bull****.

A 175 lb male drinking 24 5% 12oz brews in 12 hours has a BAC of ~.354.

Around .300, the central nervous system starts to shut down and you become unconscious. You lose bladder control, breathing becomes impaired, and any form of coordinated movement becomes near impossible. Death becomes a very real possibility around .350.

gratus fermentatio said:
1 case in 2 hrs will.
Click to expand...

That would make you dead. If not from the alcohol poisoning first, then from then ensuing water intoxication.
 
I usually drink 2-5 pints of my homebrew 7 days a week. Its rare that I have a 5 gallon brew on draft for longer then 2-3 weeks before I have to change out to a new one.

I never miss work because of drinking
I never miss family time because of drinking
I never get so intoxicated as to where I cannot take care of my child if need be because of drinking

Do I use beer sometimes to settle my nerves...sure I do.

Is it a MUST have.....nope

I drink because I enjoy it...plain and simple

My wife considers my actual brewing time to hinder our time together more then drinking time.granted I just got back into brewing since we bought a house with a heated garage finally so I just need to get this "I must brew every weekend" phase out of my system and all will be well.
 
thadius856 said:
A 175 lb male drinking 24 5% 12oz brews in 12 hours has a BAC of ~.354.

This doesn't take into account individual metabolism rates. This is stupid!! Have done this many of times fishing or hunting. 2 beers per hours doesn't put me anywhere close to .354 cause I am a seasoned drinker with a tolerance. I call BS!! If you have zero to little tolerance I can see you about dying at this rate. But for us that have built up a tolerance no way!!
Click to expand...
 
BigRedHopHead said:
This doesn't take into account individual metabolism rates. This is stupid!! Have done this many of times fishing or hunting. 2 beers per hours doesn't put me anywhere close to .354 cause I am a seasoned drinker with a tolerance. I call BS!! If you have zero to little tolerance I can see you about dying at this rate. But for us that have built up a tolerance no way!!
Click to expand...

Correct. It does not account for metabolic tolerance to methanol because that's not a major factor in healthy individuals.

University of Rochester said:
One of the main medical concerns with regards to metabolic tolerance is that an increase in the production of alcohol dhydrogenase and its corresponding increase in liver activity harms the liver. However, liver damage is not the only concern. Tolerance, particularly upwards of 50%, is a major warning sign of alcohol dependence and can signal a serious concern. In addition, tolerance often leads to an increase in a person's total consumption of alcohol, which, in addition to the aforementioned liver strain, can lead to weight gain and malnutrition. While not entirely health related, an increase in total consumption typically corresponds to an increase in cost, thereby affecting your personal finances and social economics
Click to expand...

Metabolic tolerance is the only type of tolerance that affects your BAC. The rest is adaption to the level of methanol in the bloodstream.

The majority of "tolerance" is a combination of functional (physical adaptation of the brain to cope), acute (behavioral adaptation within a session), environmental-dependent (behavioral adaptation between similar sessions), and learned (behavioral adaptation through repetition of a task while intoxicated) tolerances.
 
Here's a thought. We could all die from a stupid accident, or just because. Hell people who run everyday and eat right drop dead with no explanation.

Are you happy? Are you taking care of your family? Then don't worry about it. I think today's society is too worried about health to the point of being a fanatic.

Seriously, if you are going to stress about how many beers you should be having a day, maybe 1 is too much.
 
PuckX said:
Here's a thought. We could all die from a stupid accident, or just because. Hell people who run everyday and eat right drop dead with no explanation.

Are you happy? Are you taking care of your family? Then don't worry about it. I think today's society is too worried about health to the point of being a fanatic.

Seriously, if you are going to stress about how many beers you should be having a day, maybe 1 is too much.
Click to expand...

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This.

I have always been of the same mindset. If you drink to the point that you yourself have to ask "Is this too much?" then you may have an issue. I think as long as you're TCB'ing, you're good to go.

Too many stigmas as so as it is in this country.
 
PuckX said:
Here's a thought. We could all die from a stupid accident, or just because. Hell people who run everyday and eat right drop dead with no explanation.

Are you happy? Are you taking care of your family? Then don't worry about it. I think today's society is too worried about health to the point of being a fanatic.

Seriously, if you are going to stress about how many beers you should be having a day, maybe 1 is too much.
Click to expand...

This. I drink. I'm happy. My family does pretty well. I brew beer in 10 gallon batches so I can drink all of it myself, I'll share only if someone visits, and even then I have to deem them worthy. Do I care what you say about it? No. I'm drinking my beer, staying fat and living a dmn happy life.
 
I love these threads because the posts are so predictable. You have 3 groups:
1st type-I am an alien. My metabolism is so extreme I can handle buckets of beer.
2nd type-I am fuctional because I am contributing to family, society, etc. I may drink a little too much, but not bad.
3rd type-I will turn into a pumpkin if I drink X amount of beer in a day, week, whatever.
I am a guilt ridden type 2 leaning to type 3. :tank:
 

Similar threads

flipster
Hello from the Bavarian alpine foothills
Replies
14
Views
588
flipster
flipster
SteveM
Not a New Member Exactly
Replies
6
Views
408
madscientist451
madscientist451
NoSleeves313
Hello from Detroit!
Replies
2
Views
309
NoSleeves313
NoSleeves313
TheBeerGuy
Keezer Tap Towers
Replies
1
Views
287
OakIslandBrewery
OakIslandBrewery
M
yeast?
Replies
6
Views
498
Miraculix
Miraculix
CornyKegs 300

Latest posts

Back
Top