Homebrew gives me idigestion. HELP!!

[noodledancer77]

I have brewed three batches of beer.

1. John Palmer's American Pale Ale (extract)
2. Scotch Ale (extract)
3. Robust Porter (AG)

1 and 3 give me indigestion most of the time that I drink them. I have been susceptible to indigestion at times in my life, but not often and not lately. Commercial beers have not caused this problem lately. For some reason, the scotch ale has never caused it. I realize that what I eat around the time of drinking the beers makes a difference, but this is obviously caused by the beer. I also realize that alcohol consumption can cause this problem, but I don't drink often (rarely more than a couple beers), and this seems to be tied directly to my homebrews. I'm disappointed that I can make what I think is a great beer, but not be able to drink it without discomfort.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any ideas what the cause might be? I love this hobby and don't want this limitation.

 

[mixedbrewer]

You mean acid reflux?

 

[MoreBeerPlease]

I have noticed a similar phenomenon, although my problem is more of a gaseous nature.

Small price to pay, but definitely noticeable. Hopefully SWMBO won't make the connection, and I can keep blaming it on the dog.

 

[noodledancer77]

You mean acid reflux?

It's hard to define, but I would describe it as discomfort at the top of my stomach. Seems to be at the intersection of my stomach and esophagus. Not sure if you call it acid reflux/idigestion/heart burn, but it is along those lines.

 

[mlyday]

Maybe gas from the yeast?

 

[mixedbrewer]

My guess is that its coincidence as far as which beers make it happen. Occasionally I get stomach discomfort when drinking beer, its usually turns out to be gas trapped in my stomach.

 

[robtotten]

Hoppy beers give me heartburn sometimes. The scotch ale is light on the hops.

ps Prilisec!

 

[mikebowman]

My guess is that its coincidence as far as which beers make it happen. Occasionally I get stomach discomfort when drinking beer, its usually turns out to be gas trapped in my stomach.

his happens to me sometimes too, if i drink too much too quickly. not usually enough for me to stop drinking though!

it could be the yeast. i've heard that homebrewed/unfiltered beer can cause problems like this. i've never had an issue though

 

[EoinMag]

It's hard to define, but I would describe it as discomfort at the top of my stomach. Seems to be at the intersection of my stomach and esophagus. Not sure if you call it acid reflux/idigestion/heart burn, but it is along those lines.

Get yourself checked for ulcers.

 

[yodalegomaster]

I bet it's the dextrins in the beer, try a little "Beano" that will help with the gas and the indigestion. (Don't do this If you have Type 2 diabetes)

 

[Danbreeze]

Get yourself checked for ulcers.

+1

I had a similar issue with food and not beer and it turned out to be an ulcer. Take Nexium now and have no issues.

 

[curlyfat]

Prilosec, Prilosec, Prilosec!

Although, I still have issues drinking any unfiltered beer....so I filter my beer now!

 

[noodledancer77]

I have considered the filtering route. also gonna start with prilosec. Dr. will be last resort, just the way i am.

However, thinking about filtering...I don't remember having a problem with commercial bottle conditioned beers. What else does filtering remove other than yeast?

 

[noodledancer77]

So I have some Tagamet (Cimetidine)in the cabinet. Says to take one thirty minutes before eating or drinking things that cause heartburn. Did that tonight and no problems with the porter. Hmmm. I can handle that. I'll repeat a few times to see if it is consistent.

 

[EoinMag]

Tagamet is an old style ulcer treatment.....it's been outdated by proton pump inhibitors.

 

[Snafu]

I've suffered with stomach issues for almost 30 years. I remember in the begining of my homebrewing hobby that the yeast would upset my stomach if it was too hoppy, but at the very least gassy. Keep in mind your drinking a living beer, your body just needs to get used to it. However, I'm also taking Prilosec 40mg prescription, not the 20mg over the counter. Its also cheaper this way. 10 vs 45

 

[Hex]

Look up LES (Lower Esophageal Sphincter). I have a friend who has had several surgeries for esophageal hernias. He's only 32. See a doctor.

 

[r8rphan]

I take generic Prilosec every morning.. No longer have problems.. I've had issues my entire life.. When I was smoking cigs, dope and drinking heavy in my younger days (about a case of buttwiper a day), I ended up in the ICU with a bleeding stomach lining (throwing up pints of blood is no fun)..

Used to take tagamet way back then.. gives temp relief.. but it's pig hormone and makes you grow man boobs.. (hows that for a side effect)..

The generic Prilosec works wonders.. It actually heals your beer processor... I drink a lot of coffee in the morning, have three to five 8-10 oz glasses of homebrew every night... I eat a couple naprosyns every day to keep the arthritis behaving, and like spicy food..

Since I started taking the daily Prilosec a couple or three years ago, I have 'zero' issues anymore.. wonderful stuff...

If ever you're hurting, and have no medicine and need relief.. Put a couple tablespoons of baking soda in a small glass of warm water and stir it till it's dissolved.. Then drink it.. It tastes kinda nasty and you'll belch like a mad man as the baking soda neutralizes the stomach acids.. but within five minutes or so, you'll have relief...

 

[Hex]

Hatha Yoga also helps.

 

[Snafu]

+1 on the baking soda, had to resort to that several times when I was only taking the 20mg prilosec, That really has to be the nastiest smelling burp of all time, but NOTHING works faster.

 

[mmurray]

If you have a lower esophageal ulcer, take a swig of an antacid before you go to bed like Gaviscon, Malox, etc...

These are designed to form a coating at the top of the stomach (i.e. they don't mix with the other stomach ingredients) and if you are laying down and sleeping when/if you reflux you will reflux the antacid instead of the other contents of your stomach. The antacid won't hurt your ulcer and allow it to heal.

This method works with Ulcers and chronic esophagitis caused by little bits of acid refluxing into the esophagus while laying down or sleeping.

 

[noodledancer77]

Thanks all, the prilosec is helping. last two homebrews since I started went down smoothly. Better get brewing.

 

[PleasantValleyHops]

hey also try in general if you normally eat more than normal amounts i was getting what i thought as really bad heart burn from everything from water to beer to lasagna, started to cut back on serving size and two weeks later nothing, feel great, i was eating prilosec like it was my job too so that prob helped but the leading cause is portion size and acid.. just keep brewing and hope it fixes itself.