Beer Cleanse aka All Beer no food diet

[DBhomebrew]

Now fasting or intermittent fasting in order to reach a different plane of consciousness? Yes, absolutely. Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, indigenous Americans, etc, etc, etc. They all have very, very old traditions of fasting for that purpose. Often with the addition of some substance such as alcohol or mescaline to help.

 

[monkeymath]

Now fasting or intermittent fasting in order to reach a different plane of consciousness? Yes, absolutely. Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, indigenous Americans, etc, etc, etc.

Christian fasting is actually sort of a modern thing.

Not "modern" in the sense of smartphones, but still modern.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Christian fasting is actually sort of a modern thing.

Not "modern" in the sense of smartphones, but still modern.

As far as human history goes, you're absolutely correct. On that scale, the 1st century CE is indeed pretty modern.

 

[Ridenour64]

This is all so interesting to me. If you were to write a book about your lifestyle, I'd be the first to buy it!

I was just thinking the same thing lol.

 

[kmarkstevens]

@MaxStout I totally agree. Exercise, portion control, be a little bit careful on what you eat is a sound approach.

I'm not sure the intermittent fasting is pure woo or has some scientific basis, but I am don't find it difficult at all to not intake calories until say 5pm. So if nothing else, it does take in less calories since I don't eat for as long a span, and my evening intake does not cram in three meals.

Still a wierd thing. I'm drinking less beer than I did when I ate, so my calories from beer are down (and no other calories). So, if that continues after my beer cleanse, then my future caloric intake will decline a couple hundred calories per day as well.

The scary thing is that beer doesn't taste as good. My god, how can those monks go for 40 days on the Paulaner Salvator? I bought a 6 pack, have had one per night, and I'm prolly going to skip a few nights because they are tasting almost sickly sweet. I have dug into my forgotten bottles of different left over batches. I need the variety. Only one beer forever would not be a good scenario (when I lived in Taiwan in the early 1980's, there was only Taiwan beer available, it's a very mediocre light lager (think a poor Bud imitation), and I'm 99% sure they use formaldehyde as a preservative for the hot conditions.

 

[Kickass]

The scary thing is that beer doesn't taste as good.

That might be your body telling you it’s time to feed it something else.

Ok, snarky unsolicited advise aside, I’m enjoying everything about this thread. Please keep it up.

 

[cmac62]

My god, how can those monks go for 40 days on the Paulaner Salvator? I bought a 6 pack, have had one per night, and I'm prolly going to skip a few nights because they are tasting almost sickly sweet.

This is one of my favorite Lager styles, but I agree the Salvator is not the best example. It should be rich and bready not cloyingly sweet, but I don't know too many commercially available options. Lost any weight?

 

[MaxStout]

This is one of my favorite Lager styles, but I agree the Salvator is not the best example. It should be rich and bready not cloyingly sweet, but I don't know too many commercially available options. Lost any weight?

Do like the Trappist monks do and drink an Enkel. Not as sweet, less filling, and mighty tasty.

 

[monkeymath]

. My god, how can those monks go for 40 days on the Paulaner Salvator? I bought a 6 pack, have had one per night, and I'm prolly going to skip a few nights because they are tasting almost sickly sweet.

Maybe the mediocre quality of Salvator is the reason the monks have disappeared and Paulaner has turned into one of the largest brewery groups in Bavaria.

I generally dislike Bockbier, but there is one which is truly remarkable: "Asam Bock" by Kloster Weltenburg.

 

[cmac62]

@MaxStout What the heck is an Enkel? Sounds good though.

Edit: So a quick search and it appears an Enkel is basically a Belgian single. From Wikipedia:

Enkel, meaning "single", is a term used by the Trappist breweries to describe the basic recipe of their beers.[15] The name fell out of fashion with no breweries (Trappist or 'Abbey') using the term until recent years[when?]. Instead, "Blond(e)" (La Trappe, Westvleteren), "5" (Achel) or "6" (Rochefort) have been used to describe the brewery's lightest beer. Chimay introduced an Enkel (called Dorée or Gold) commercially in bottles in 2015,[18] Westmalle made their Enkel (called Extra) available commercially through some outlets in 2010,.[19] The term is often used interchangeably with 'Patersbier' (meaning Father's beer), as Enkels are a weak beer brewed originally to be consumed by the monks themselves.

 

[cmac62]

^^^ But, dopple bock is a German monk inspired beer. Again from Wikipedia:

Doppelbock[edit]
Doppelbock or double bock is a stronger version of traditional bock that was first brewed in Munich by the Paulaner Friars, a Franciscan order founded by St. Francis of Paula.[3]

Historically, doppelbock was high in alcohol and sweet. The story is told that it served as "liquid bread" for the Friars during times of fasting, when solid food was not permitted. However, historian Mark Dredge, in his book A Brief History of Lager, says that this story is myth, and that the monks produced doppelbock to supplement their order's vegetarian diet all year.[8]

Today, doppelbock is still strong — ranging from 7%–12% or more by volume. It is clear, with colour ranging from dark gold, for the paler version, to dark brown with ruby highlights for darker version. It has a large, creamy, persistent head (although head retention may be impaired by alcohol in the stronger versions). The aroma is intensely malty, with some toasty notes, and possibly some alcohol presence as well; darker versions may have a chocolate-like or fruity aroma. The flavour is very rich and malty, with toasty notes and noticeable alcoholic strength, and little or no detectable hops (16–26 IBUs).

Paler versions may have a drier finish. The monks who originally brewed doppelbock named their beer "Salvator" (literally "Savior", but actually a malapropism for "Sankt Vater", "St. Father", originally brewed for the feast of St. Francis of Paola on 2 April which often falls into Lent), which today is trademarked by Paulaner.[3]

Brewers of modern doppelbocks often add "-ator" to their beer's name as a signpost of the style; there are 200 "-ator" doppelbock names registered with the German patent office.[3]

Accroding to this entry dopplebock is supposed to be sweet. Huh?
Who knew? Obviously the guy/gal who wrote this entry. LOL

 

[kmarkstevens]

For those playing at home. around 2 weeks ago I was at 90kg or 198#, which is way more than I have ever weighed in my life. And I started hardcore zero calories from 11pm to ~5pm intermittent fasting around that time. I drink espresso shots, Americano's, brewed coffee, herbal tea, soda water from when I get up to around 5pm. So, I think the intermittent fasting, or at least the 6 hour caloric intake window plus moderate walking exercise probably lost at least a pound a week. I also did a physical about 2 weeks ago, so I've got a before benchmark. I really don't notice anything phyically. Maybe a light headache in the morning, but then again I have a really stressful morning. No issue walking a couple of miles or treadmill 4 mph for an hour.

Monday morning, I clocked in at 88.5kg or 195#.
Thursday morning, weigh in was 86.9kg or 191.5#
hopefully tomorrow I'll be under 190 and never go over that again.
Next target under 180, and as long as I feel fine, will see if I start the minimal healthy snacking.

Whilst I am tempted to eat a few veggies, maybe an egg, slice of salmon, etc. here and there. That will:
1) tprobably increase my thirst for beer. My guess is that restricting to beer only is really making beer not overly tasty. Mixing up the palate will probably end up with drinking a bit more
2) the grazing will add a few hundred calories, thus running into calories in and calories out rule
3) more beer is also a couple hundred more calories

Went for a fast 2.5 mile walk today. Last couple days have been too busy at work. I have a treadmill at home, but I much prefer an eliptical (but was outvoted by my family). The ball of my left foot is getting better, but I stopped exercising after snowboarding season ended to let it heal. I did the treadmill on an 8% incline, and that made my foot worse. Doc said no inclines and avoid bending the toes that stress the ball. Instead of high tech "rocker shoes" that put less pressure on bending toes than regular shoes, I went old school and bought a pair of heavy duty hiking boots with steel shanks that don't bend.

Oh ya, I like to back pack. Rather than try to shave a few ounces here and there off my gear, I can drop 20 pounds thru the beer fast, and have a far greater time on the trail. Last year I did section J of the Pacific Crest Trail (~60 miles) when I was about 180 pounds. It was about my limit. Made it but was not a very happy camper. I want to do the Wonderland Trail (~90 miles), but that's prolly going to need to be next year when I'm lighter and in better shape. I think it's gonna be 2-3 night trips this year.

And I have a first coffee "date" in 20+ years next Sunday. Added incentive to clock in at under 180.

Man o man, I have to have a variety of beer. Normally, I brew a keg and it lasts a week or so. Pretty much I only drink from that single keg. Sometimes after 4-5 days, I'll switch out kegs (I have a fridge with room for one keg). But usually, it's one keg in, kick it, and then the next one. Now I drink 2 of anything and #3 is not appealing. Interesting. Then again, if I was on a vanilla ice cream only diet, by now it would prolly make me want to puke. Mixing up an all ice cream diet would be more tolerable me thinks.

 

[kmarkstevens]

The Paulaner Salvator is un-*******-drinkable. This is bottle 6 of a 6-pak. I've had two maybe three swigs, and it going down the drain as sickly sweet. Hats off to the original monks.

I poured another 12 ounces of a mild and will drink that instead...

 

[kmarkstevens]

I'll keep this experiment up for at least a full week of the beer only diet (that means thru Sunday). That said, I have to confess today I broke the diet and ate a single tater tot around 1PM. I'm not Catholic and it's not Lent, so not to be deliberately sacrilegious or anything, it really doesn't matter to anyone including myself if I eat a couple hundred calories/day of something. It will just take longer to get the weight off. Will see if I wanna go 2 weeks of the beer only, or relax it a bit and allow a couple hundred calories of veggies and stuff.

Anyhoo, I feel fine. Don't even really notice I'm not eating. Eat my multivitamins, and will brew up a couple of batches tomorrow. Likely a Polish Grodziskie, 5 Points Best Bitter and then something else. Not sure what yet. See what the brewing gods direct me to brew. Will also apple jack my 8% cyser that's around 1010, so it will kill the yeast and I have a "front sweetened" batch and no sulfites. Not that it matters, but hell after brewing for 40 years, I should be able to come up with a workaround that doesn't involve sulfites.

I'm hoping tomorrow I'm back under 190. Christ, how did I put on that much weight? And maybe under 180 next Sunday for my "casual coffee date".

I'm happy to drink beer, but more than a few glasses starts becoming an effort. I think the palate needs to be stimulated by a variety, and I would prolly drink more if that were to happen.

 

[kmarkstevens]

Broke my fast today.Decided 1 week of the beer only diet was enough. From 195 to 188 in a week. I'm now back to intermittent fasting (injest calories between 5PM and 11PM), exercising by walking at least 2-4 miles per day, limiting my portions (both dry and beer), targeting under 1000 calories per day, watching what I eat, and take this a bit slower. I had two nice big shrimp and salad with vinegar for dinner. Have had 2 3% beers today. Didn't really notice the not eating. That said, only drinking beer started to become a chore. Almost as if I didn't like beer but was forcing myself to drink it. And I needed to switch up for at least 3 different flavors or after two in a row of the same suds then it was almost nauseating for #3. Strange but a fun experiment.

 

[kmarkstevens]

Reporting back. I went off the beer clense and two weeks or so later, I'm still slowly losing weight. Walking and/or treadmill briskly at least 4 miles per day. My foot is better but not sure if it will ever get back to normal. I've done a 3% grade on the treadmill, and that was a bit irritating for my foot but didn't seem to make it worse. Between the walking, watching what I eat and intermittent fasting, I'm losing a steady pound or so a week.

That said, I've got a second date coming up with someone I really like next week, so back on the suds only diet for a week. I can do at least a few days with only beer and black coffee and herbal tea. So, I think I'll be doing a combination of the slow and steady diet plus maybe a week per month of the beer only.

Again, in my humble experience, the all beer is a bit weird. I don't drink as much, and it's a "chore" to go for the 5th low octane beer of the night. I've had two glasses of a Voss Yeast Golden Ale, and really almost nauseous thinking about a third pint. I'm switching to something else.

That didn't happen when I ate. When eating, it changes and/or refreshes the palate. So don't have that going on with the all beer thing. Will see what weigh in looks like tomorrow