calories in homebrew?

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thisgoestoeleven

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My girlfriend and I are both rather *ahem* enthusiastic beer drinkers. We've also both gained about 30 pounds each these past 2 years since we both got into beer. The two may or may not be related :tank:

We're both dieting, counting calories, and working out, as well as cutting back on beer. We're only really drinking beer every few days now, and only one or two in an evening (depending on our respective calorie counts for the day). I'm curious about figuring out the caloric content of homebrew recipes. I'm assuming it's based on the alcohol content, but I'm not sure.
 
I count calories but I don't count it to the single calorie. The rule of thumb I use, regardless of whether it's homebrew or commercial is 175-225 calories. Of course the actual numbers depend on alcohol content.
 
I agree with what Revvy said. I use Beersmith and I too try not to look. Generally speaking homebrew is about 175-240 cal. with the lower end being 5% and the higher end being 7% per 12oz.

I've been watching calories too. Wanting a few brews is definitely inspiration for more time on the elliptical trainer. :p Funny thing is SWMBO started out drinking Mich Ultra, developed a taste for Porter, and now loves IPA. She's contemplating a regression in an attempt to watch the calories. For me there is no such compromise. *shrug*
 
I think the calories are based on the OG rather than the gravity. So a sweeter 5% beer might have more calories than a 7% Belgian. ...... There is another good reason to drink big Belgians.

Note: a 12% barleywine may be up around 400 calories for 12 ozs.
 
I don't count calories and I didn't reduce my beer intake.

About 18 months ago I changed up my eating habits and I have no problem staying at 135 pounds now. I used to be on a low-fat eating regimen, but I totally changed that and I gave up all sugar and wheat- it's not easy for everybody but it works for me. I was always fit, but found my weight wanting to creep up when I got older. Since I started with a "mostly paleo" diet but included beer, I'm pretty lean and can drink as much beer as I want (about 5-6 per day). I'm pretty small. And I'm "older", so I have to really watch it.
 
The calculators or not perfect. Yeast use up calories in the growth phase so lower pitch rates and/or higher oxygenation levels will result in lower ABV and calories.

I can't gain weight regardless of what I consume. I've been around 150 for 25 years now. My wife has to watch her self. I try to have lower calorie beers around for her but she gravitates to the stronger ones anyway. Those 250 calorie beers can really add up.
 
Yooper said:
I don't count calories and I didn't reduce my beer intake.

About 18 months ago I changed up my eating habits and I have no problem staying at 135 pounds now. I used to be on a low-fat eating regimen, but I totally changed that and I gave up all sugar and wheat- it's not easy for everybody but it works for me. I was always fit, but found my weight wanting to creep up when I got older. Since I started with a "mostly paleo" diet but included beer, I'm pretty lean and can drink as much beer as I want (about 5-6 per day). I'm pretty small. And I'm "older", so I have to really watch it.
Click to expand...

Hey I'm also on the paleo! I cut out all grains and gluten, except for beer. Glad to see someone else in the same boat. PM if you ever want to discuss paleo!
 
I know you folks all know this but its all about the caloric deficit. If you want to lose weight you need to be in a deficit state at the end or the day/week/month. Also you calories you eat/drink need to be good ones. Just make sure you dont go too low (for your body) or your body goes into starvation mode and you have more trouble. Aim for two pounds of loss per week.

3500 calories equals one pound of fat (roughly). So by the end a week be at a deficit of 7,000 calories.

I got fat after two injuries and at the same time getting better at brewing...

So i'm now slowly dumping it back off. Not much beer for me right now so my pipeline is growing!
 
McHaven said:
Hey I'm also on the paleo! I cut out all grains and gluten, except for beer. Glad to see someone else in the same boat. PM if you ever want to discuss paleo!
Click to expand...

I thought of you a couple of weeks ago when we drove through Nacogadoches! I didn't know you were doing paleo also. I'm not really doing the strict full-on paleo, though. At first, I thought it was nuts because it goes against everything we've been taught about low fat, high complex carb eating.

Bob is the one who's gotten me into paleo a bit. We read a ton of research papers and actually took blood sugar readings to see the effect of complex carbs on our bodies. I was shocked!

Once we gave up those carbs that all the diet gurus tell you are good, Bob's blood pressure dropped like a rock to low normal, he lost his "wheat belly" (although he's naturally slim), and our cholesterol levels dropped unbelievably. He's almost 57 and on no medications and is fitter than ever.

I've always been inclined to gain weight (I blame my Polish/German ancestors) and struggled to stay slim by exercising and cutting calories. It was not easy!

I used to always believe the calorie deficit dogma, and really did low fat eating and exercising, and still struggled. I played hockey, walked, went to the gym, kayaked, ate 1200 calories a day, and still didn't get the results I wanted.

Now, I eat tons of protein and vegetables and probably eat 2500 calories or more per day and I'm slim and lean. Getting rid of trans fats, sugar, wheat, grains, and other junk totally changed my body even though I still drink too much beer.

It's not true that "a calorie is a calorie". Do the research for yourself. I didn't believe it and I spent the last 18 months researching, reading, learning.
 
Yooper said:
Since I started with a "mostly paleo" diet but included beer
Click to expand...

'Mostly paleo' is the diet of choice if you ask me. You cut out sugar, wheat, flour, and all the other crap that is processed, and not good for you. I personally don't believe in strict paleo diets because we don't live in flipping 10,000 BC.

So for that reason I cook with olive oil, not coconut oil, and many of the other stupid rules people follow to be strict paleo. All in all it's a good diet though: eat meat, veggies, fruit, nuts, and fruit. For the most part, if it doesn't come in a box or bag, it's probably good for me.

As for calories in home brew, there's a lot. Make healthy decisions elsewhere in your life, and the beer won't make a difference. For me that's Crossfit, and eating healthy.
 
Yooper said:
I thought of you a couple of weeks ago when we drove through Nacogadoches! I didn't know you were doing paleo also. I'm not really doing the strict full-on paleo, though. At first, I thought it was nuts because it goes against everything we've been taught about low fat, high complex carb eating.

Bob is the one who's gotten me into paleo a bit. We read a ton of research papers and actually took blood sugar readings to see the effect of complex carbs on our bodies. I was shocked!

Once we gave up those carbs that all the diet gurus tell you are good, Bob's blood pressure dropped like a rock to low normal, he lost his "wheat belly" (although he's naturally slim), and our cholesterol levels dropped unbelievably. He's almost 57 and on no medications and is fitter than ever.

I've always been inclined to gain weight (I blame my Polish/German ancestors) and struggled to stay slim by exercising and cutting calories. It was not easy!

I used to always believe the calorie deficit dogma, and really did low fat eating and exercising, and still struggled. I played hockey, walked, went to the gym, kayaked, ate 1200 calories a day, and still didn't get the results I wanted.

Now, I eat tons of protein and vegetables and probably eat 2500 calories or more per day and I'm slim and lean. Getting rid of trans fats, sugar, wheat, grains, and other junk totally changed my body even though I still drink too much beer.

It's not true that "a calorie is a calorie". Do the research for yourself. I didn't believe it and I spent the last 18 months researching, reading, learning.
Click to expand...

It has some awesome results, just from cutting out processed junk and grain. My "wheat belly" has also shrunk, although not as much as I'd like, but it'll take more time. I'm also full longer, without getting terribly hungry between meals. My energy level is stable through the day and I wake up ready to go every morning.

My in-laws did the paleo diet before my wife and I. They're in their late fifties/early sixties and they've both lost over 25 pounds in 4 months. I figure if its done that much good for them at their age, it must be able to do something good for me in my twenties.

Its not even a restrictive diet, if you don't go hardcore. It just seems so right, too. I eat meat, fruit and veggies. How could it NOT be good for me?
 
McHaven said:
It has some awesome results, just from cutting out processed junk and grain. My "wheat belly" has also shrunk, although not as much as I'd like, but it'll take more time. I'm also full longer, without getting terribly hungry between meals. My energy level is stable through the day and I wake up ready to go every morning.

My in-laws did the paleo diet before my wife and I. They're in their late fifties/early sixties and they've both lost over 25 pounds in 4 months. I figure if its done that much good for them at their age, it must be able to do something good for me in my twenties.

Its not even a restrictive diet, if you don't go hardcore. It just seems so right, too. I eat meat, fruit and veggies. How could it NOT be good for me?
Click to expand...

We had given up processed foods a long time ago, but didn't realize the impact grains had. We had been listening to advice like The Food Pyramid, and were trying to eat MORE complex carbs, not less! Once we gave up the whole wheat, other grains, and all sugar, we both felt like a million bucks and now Bob struggles to keep the weight ON! He's in the 150 range, but he often drops lower if he doesn't eat more.

It's not about weight loss for us- well, not really. But since we are super healthy, on NO medications, look great and feel even better, with tons of energy that most 30-year-olds don't have, I'm a big fan! I'm about a size 4, while my 22 year old daughter struggles with her weight and is about twice my size. I'm super fit and active and healthy, and eat a TON of food every day!
 
It all goes back to adopting a healthy lifestyle. A diet is always going to fail long term.
 

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