Homebrew alcohol sticks around longer?

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Freki

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I'm curious if anyone else has had the same experience as me, or might have insight into the science of what causes this.

When I drink commercially produced ciders and wines, I seem to metabolize the alcohol very quickly. I'll get a good buzz going, and 10 minutes later, I'm sober.

I've noticed with the cider I made, as well as homebrewed beers/wines I've had from others, the buzz sticks around, my body seems to metabolize it MUCH slower than commercially produced drinks.
 
Ethanol is ethanol. Your liver will metabolize it at the same rate regardless of source.

Perceived differences could be simply bias, different rate of consumption, or inaccurate ABV estimation.
 
It may be the bias or inaccurate ABV, my consumption rate is the same. It definitely is a more enjoyable experience though!
 
ABV might be stronger than expected. Though I do notice that the buzz from homebrew is a little different, more of a chill buzz (possibly from more hops)? In any case since I started brewing, I don't drink commercial beer anymore, except when I'm out somewhere. Homebrewed beer is where it's at haha.
 
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I know ethanol is ethanol, and I fully believe in science and try not to be influenced by personal bias or how the stars are aligned, but....

I feel like different beers give a different buzz that seems to go beyond the alcohol content. Dogfishhead 120 gives me an amazing buzz, almost like a high. I feel REALLY GOOD for a while after drinking one. Drinking wine or similar alcohol beers has never given me this similar effect (and DFH 120 isn't the only one, just an example). No idea why, but I can reproduce it.
 
Perhaps if you enjoy the beer you release endorphins (the word comes from endogenous morphines) which can dull pain and cause mild euphoria :)

Bias and placebo effect go a long way though. People feel/act drunk if they think they're drinking alcohol even if they're not.

These questions definitely warrant more drinking, for science.
 
JFYI ethanol is by far the only alcohol produced by fermentation, it is simply the most abundant. Your ingredients and process most definitely play a role in the chemical composition of your beer. A more valid question would be if this difference is significant enough to be perceived. I think that it very well might be, especially if you are fermenting without temperature control.
 
For my two cents (0.05 in the current economy) I think it might have to do with that one word, HOME. I can surely get a good buzz going if I'm out and about at a taproom or the bowling alley, but when I drink at home, from my own kegs, the "buzz" lasts longer. Could be due to the fact that I only have to step a few feet from my comfy woman cave chair to the kegerator. Or could be purely psychosomatic because I made it, it tastes great, and that contributes to those endorphy-thingies someone above was talking about. Sorry but it's Friday night and there is tasty beer to be drunk. What were we talking about again?
 
I have noticed a difference as well. If I want to really party and drink 4-5 commercial beers in a night I am pretty wasted and the next morning is not fun. Seems like I can drink the same amount of homebrew and not feel nearly as drunk and the next morning isn’t bad. And yes the ABV’s are roughly the same. I agree that it doesn’t really make sense but that’s my experience.
 
It may be the higher amounts of Carbs and other junk in unfiltered home brew.

I find that I usually have a bigger carb hangover that if I was a novice would mistake for an alcohol hangover.

Just my experience.
 
It may be the higher amounts of Carbs and other junk in unfiltered home brew.

I find that I usually have a bigger carb hangover that if I was a novice would mistake for an alcohol hangover.

Just my experience.

Well I learnt something new today. I never knew “carb hangover” was a thing. I’m blaming it on that from now on.
 
Perhaps if you enjoy the beer you release endorphins (the word comes from endogenous morphines) which can dull pain and cause mild euphoria :)

Bias and placebo effect go a long way though. People feel/act drunk if they think they're drinking alcohol even if they're not.

These questions definitely warrant more drinking, for science.
This is true. The first time I had a bunch of alcohol free beers (designated driver) I actually had a buzz going, despite getting in very, very little alcohol. I kept telling myself I'm crazy, but I honestly think most of it's in your head.
 
This is true. The first time I had a bunch of alcohol free beers (designated driver) I actually had a buzz going, despite getting in very, very little alcohol. I kept telling myself I'm crazy, but I honestly think most of it's in your head.
placebo effect? also, you may be crazy.
 
I'm 100% sure it's the placebo effect, yes. Since then I've been having more and more 0% beers (the market is increasing here) and the effect is lessening.
It's an interesting idea to brew a flavorful 0% beer; in my imagination it could be accomplished by gently heating a finished batch of regular strength beer to drive off the alcohol, then transfer to a keg and force carb. Would probably drive off hop aroma and yeast esters, but simpler, malt-forward styles might be possible, and you could always add whirlpool hops while reheating or dry-hop the whole keg. Autolysis would be a challenge but maybe stripping out the yeast by filtering the beer on its way back to the kettle might avoid creating those off-flavors.
 
San Antonio is hobo
It's an interesting idea to brew a flavorful 0% beer; in my imagination it could be accomplished by gently heating a finished batch of regular strength beer to drive off the alcohol, then transfer to a keg and force carb. Would probably drive off hop aroma and yeast esters, but simpler, malt-forward styles might be possible, and you could always add whirlpool hops while reheating or dry-hop the whole keg. Autolysis would be a challenge but maybe stripping out the yeast by filtering the beer on its way back to the kettle might avoid creating those off-flavors.
There is a basic brewing episode about this. The guy put his finished beer in a keg and put the keg in his electric brew kettle with water. He opened the PRV and heated the water up to like 170 to drive off the alcohol. If only he had rigged up a coil to the PRV he could have made some whiskey or something to go with the non alcoholic beer.
 
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