Getting a stomachache from homebrew

[Khirsah17]

Hello all,

I've gotten this complaint from a few people that I've been serving homebrews to. Just last night I had a party at my place and about 15 people were drinking happily away from the kegerator. Two people came up to me a little later and told me that their stomachs kinda hurt after having 1 or 2 beers. While not common, this isn't the first time I've heard this comment about my beers.

I'd like to hear if you guys have ever had comments like this. Do these people just have sensitive stomachs or are there problems with my homebrew? Could it be that there are unnoticeable bacteria strains in the beer causing this? Would filtering the beer solve this problem?

Thanks!

 

[Choguy03]

Home brewed beers contain a bunch more yeast in them then do commercialized beers. So the yeast can give you gas, hence the stomach ache.

 

[EdWort]

Did you serve any food with tomatoes too?

 

[Drunkensatyr]

Sounds like yeast gas to me.

 

[NWernBrewer]

Just tell them to man up or go home.

j/k - kind of.

When I first started homebrewing I had a lot of gas. SWMBO was not happy. It passes - but probably not on somebody who only has live beer here and there.

 

[Khirsah17]

Did you serve any food with tomatoes too?

Oddly enough, it was a tomato beer. Why do you ask? Just kidding.

Well, it seems like the general consensus is just yeast. That's fine, pretty much what I was expecting. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't making some bad beer or something.

 

[BigKahuna]

Funny thing is once your system get accustomed to the live yeast...You'll find yourself feeling A LOT better. I have not had heartburn at all since I started having 2 or 3 Home brews a day....When I go to commercial (Usually trying to ramp up a bottle collection...Right now I'm on Red Stripe) within about 3 or 4 days, I'll have heartburn again.

 

[RICLARK]

Were they sucking the beer down at Mach 4? If I drink my homebrew too fast I get a wicked stomach ache that lasts a long time.

 

[Loweface]

They've got two choices, fart or get off the homebrew...

 

[BierMuncher]

There is also yeast in commercially available ales...yet I doubt your guests would have suffered the same flatu-pain.

The greener the beer, the more likely you have excess yeast in suspension.

Properly conditioned homebrew can be served crystal clear and will contain some yeast, but not enough to cause mass-gastric rumblings.

How old was the beer?

How long in the primary?
Did you/how long in the secondary?
How long aging in the keg (chilled or un)?

Did you use gelatin or other clearing agents?

I've never had any complaints, but I strive for crystal clear beers.

 

[CodeRage]

I think some people are more sensitive to it than others. One guy at my work always complains it gives him colon blow. Every one else has no complaints.

 

[Ryanh1801]

I think some people are more sensitive to it than others. One guy at my work always complains it gives him colon blow. Every one else has no complaints.

I think that's it. Out of all my friends only one can not drink my Homebrew. He says it gives him the "Squirts" in the morning. Course this could be my fault cause the only time he has drank my beer is my Wit, and I swirl the bottle when pouring that beer.