ultra hangover

So I drank some of my partial grain pumpkin ale last night, about a 6-pack, not too much, and woke up with a head splitting, cotton mouthed hangover. More of a hangover than I've had for a good while.

Is there anything in the brewing process that could have increased the amount of fusel alcohols in the ale? From what I've read fusel alcohols are what cause most hangover symptoms?

I'm going to wait a few days and drink a couple more to see if I feel hungover in the morning.

Usually this is because of lack of temperature control. Fermenting too warm, especially in the early stages of fermentation, can produce higher alcohols that can cause hangovers.

you need to work on your stamina.

I like Advil and water

Sounds like too high fermentation temperatures to me also. Try to keep it in the mid to upper 60s, and keep it steady.

Excedrin migraine and 64 oz big chill Diet Coke, fits the bill every time. I also bought a stick on thermometer for my fermenters which helps a ton.

I though an Ultra Hangover was what you got from drinking way too many Michelob Ultras.

I've always heard that something in alcohol gives you a nasty hangover.

I am in severe pain as well.

Apfelwein.

I had a really nasty hangover about 5 days ago. I was hungover for two days.

grammatron said:

I though an Ultra Hangover was what you got from drinking way too many Michelob Ultras.

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Too bad there isn't a vomit smiley.

I do not think high fermentation temps are the cause; I've been fermenting in my garage and its actually a bit cold for ales, around 55-60. What I haven't considered is temperate fluctuations during the day. The carboys are only wrapped in fleece.

How much temperature fluctuation is bad? Should I consider building a small insulated enclosure to hold my carboys?

A 5* swing in ambient shouldn't be enough to stress the yeast I wouldn't think, but some more insulation shouldn't hurt.

Is this the only beer you've made that has caused this condition?

It is the only beer out of 6 that's caused the ultra hangover.

The 55-60 F I mentioned above is an average. The garage has 5-10 F swing from day to night.

Next time, wash the six pack down with two or three Vicodins. AWESOME!

my guess is either a warmer ferment or a too short time in primary thereby not allowing the yeast to clean up after themselves and eat the fusels or possibly a combo of both.

I'd put them in a waterbath if you could. A cooler, or a keg tub, or something similar. The extra thermal mass will be far less prone to temperature swings.

John Long said:

Too bad there isn't a vomit smiley.

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ask and yee shall recieve

FWIW, garages are notoriously bad for fermenting. Unless, of course, the beer is inside some kind of temperature controlled vessel.

stevea1210 said:

ask and yee shall recieve

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When ever I get a hang over like that..or a two day hang over Its usually because I'm fighting something else off. I'm fighting a cold or some stomach thing that makes the hang over that much worse.

I believe your immune system is compromised when you drink a lot of alcohol. If your just about to get sick anyway the alcohol will put you over the edge........the straw the broke the camels back.

Jolly McStanson said:

When ever I get a hang over like that..or a two day hang over Its usually because I'm fighting something else off. I'm fighting a cold or some stomach thing that makes the hang over that much worse.

I believe your immune system is compromised when you drink a lot of alcohol. If your just about to get sick anyway the alcohol will put you over the edge........the straw the broke the camels back.

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That has happened to me twice. The first time I woke up to go to work and I could barely breath. My windpipe felt like it was constricted to the size of a straw. I thought about going to the ER. Turns out I got mono. Second time I woke and stayed sick all day. Next day I had a fever and was still sick with the flu or something for a couple more days.

A few years ago, I made a Pumpkin Ale, and I made a serious rookie mistake. I forgot to add the pumpkin into the mix when I was figuring out what my gravity would be. The result was that I had a beer that was SUPPOSED to be about 6% alcohol come in somewhere around 9%. Needless to say, it tasted like paint thinner for about a year, and caused some hearty hang overs. I still have a few bottles that I break out from time to time.