Beer feels too strong

[bmf2a]

I've been brewing for just over a year and I've made about five batches. I just brewed my first match of all-grain but I've always noticed this about the beer that I've homebrewed. It seems that no matter what the ABV is, and based on specific gravity measurements it always seems to be pretty close to whatever recipe I am brewing, that the beer goes straight to your head more than a store-bought beer of equivalent ABV would.

I'll brew a 6% beer and it will go straight to your head after 1 and feel like you've had 4 beers. What would cause this? It's possible that the beers are just a bit stronger than intended but the effect is very pronounced. It is not as if the beer accidentally being 7% when I think it's 6% could account for this.

The beer always tastes great! I've never had a batch I didn't like and I always get compliments on it. I'm just concerned that there is something wrong because people always comment that it feels very strong. Does something in the homebrew cause the alcohol to be taken up faster?

 

[duboman]

Most likely it's the fusel alcohols that are being produced and is probably due to improper fermentation temperatures. Too high a temp will produce a lot of Fusels and yes, they go to your head!

 

[Channel66]

I think that a lot of it is that most beers available commercially come in at less than 6% your typical fizzy lagers coming in significantly less. Even a lot of craft brews coming in lower. Dont get me wrong you can buy some whoppers commercially. However the vast majority are not.

 

[histo320]

I'd say there is no need to worry here. This just means you will drink less and have more beer for later.

 

[YeastHerder]

If by going to your head you mean giving you a bit of a headache/hangover feeling that could be a fusel alcohol problem and that is caused by fermentation temperatures getting too high. Some people swear fusels cause headaches, others disagree, but it is something you could test.

 

[GSul]

I once made a stronger ale that I could "feel." I believe it was about a 7.5%. I think as you get high up there with the alcohol, the body's reaction to it can be effected. Also, a beer, as in a pint, is a lot of beer! If consumed quickly, an effect most likely will be "felt." I quote the word because tolerance is in the eye of the beholder. Maybe your brews are just a little too high in alcohol for your liking. Try a more session style. When I first started making my own recipes all grain, I thought backwards. I enquired what my final beer should be like. Thought about ABV in particular, and came to a conclusion that I am keen to. Maybe working in this backwards style will help you, hope it does!

 

[Paulgs3]

Hey OP, I'm assuming by goes to your head, means it sucker punches you and your drunk, right? No, that is not anything wrong with your temps.

I always chalked it up to the beer being fresh. Right or wrong, I'm going with it!! All of my homebrews pack more of a whallop than commercial beers at the same ABV. Enjoy!!

 

[RM-MN]

Some people react to the hops in home brew too. You may be feeling the effects of the hops as much as the alcohol.

 

[kopper]

Going from 4% ABV to 6% ABV is 50% more alcohol after all so you're going to feel the same way after two that would normally take 3. Maybe that's why?

 

[unionrdr]

Fusels don't make you feel it more interms of how drunk you feel. I think it's the fact that ours is purer in the sense of not using a lot of corn,etc. It then is metabolized easier & quicker. I've had some of my 5-5.3% beers cause this sort of reaction. Freshness might have something to do with it,but I think it's the fact that we don't use a lot of adjuncts that makes it metabolize faster.

 

[Chadwick]

I'll cast my vote for the hops having an effect. I notice a definite difference in how a beer makes me feel based on the amount of hops in it.

 

[duboman]

I think the OP needs to more fully explain what he means.....

If going to his head means headaches its the fusel alcohol and Ferm temps.

 

[unionrdr]

He doesn't mean headaches. he means how "drunk" he feels from one bottle of the beer. How fast it goes to his head means the short time it takes to feel the effects of the alcohol,& how strongly he feels it.