Lactobacillus and Diarrhea

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slayer021175666

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So once again, my beer is infected with lactobacillus. It doesn't taste real strong in it so I'm going to try to drink it even though I don't like sours. It's was supposed to be an American hef but now it's a soured hef.
Anyway, about an hour ago I put down a pint of it. Squeezed my lemon in it like I normally do although, I don't know if that really makes a difference now that it's a sour. What I'm wondering about is, can lactobacillus give you diarrhea? I drank that pint about an hour ago and just now I had a pretty runny watery one. I've talked about this on another Homebrew forum and everybody got mad at me. Said that it was a disgusting topic and I should talk to a doctor and a bunch of BS like that. I hope I'm not offending anyone because it is a legitimate question that I need answered.
 
well if you want a serious answer....i'd want to know more about the final gravity? dextrin act as soluble fiber...maybe adding some gluco enzyme to it would ...well i don't want to finish that, use your imagination.

and just know for some reason you talking about the squirts isn't as bad as the guy describing how much he enjoyed swirling phlegm in his mouth! i'm still trying to block that out of my mind! :mug:


edit: i say this from exp[erience, before i knew i needed to tag team my rice beer with alpha AND gluco...i drank it with a FG of like 1.034 or so, gave me the runs something feirce!
 
well if you want a serious answer....i'd want to know more about the final gravity? dextrin act as soluble fiber...maybe adding some gluco enzyme to it would ...well i don't want to finish that, use your imagination.

and just know for some reason you talking about the squirts isn't as bad as the guy describing how much he enjoyed swirling phlegm in his mouth! i'm still trying to block that out of my mind! :mug:
I didn't understand your glucose enzyme statement so maybe, you'll have to finish it. And, can I take a gravity reading now that it's carbonated?
 
you'll have to finish it.


well i really didn't want to say gluco will break down dextrins to fermentable sugar, and your ass will be clenched again......


and yeah, if you bottle all this doesn't matter...you can get a gravity reading if you degas it through a coffee filter or something...


and no i'm not trying to be rough, but you gotta admit, i ain't your doctor...and if were talking about the squirts! i gotta crack some jokes! i'll try and make them constructive though! :mug:
 
What you describe is what happens if you're lactose intolerant. Getting cramps and the runs can take less than an hour to several hours.


interesting point, but wouldn't lactobacillus break down lactose thuse making that a non thing? it makes lactic acid not lactose? i thought that was why lactose intolerant people could somewhat handle fermented milk stuff?
 
I thought lactose intolerant people couldn't have dairy products. I eat a lot of dairy products. Cheese and milk and buttermilk and cottage cheese and sour cream and everything that I can think of in the dairy family.
 
I did have a hangover yesterday that was over with probably by 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. after and during that, I drank quite a few sugary drinks. Iced tea and soda pops. Maybe that carried over to today. I don't know.
 
I thought lactose intolerant people couldn't have dairy products. I eat a lot of dairy products. Cheese and milk and buttermilk and cottage cheese and sour cream and everything that I can think of in the dairy family.
If you're not lactose intolerant, it's probably another bug causing your symptoms.

So once again, my beer is infected with lactobacillus.
How do you know it's Lactobacillus that infected your Hefe? Could be any wild yeast or other bacteria.
Or just a fluke.

I'm shaking up some of the beer right now to take a refractometer reading. I'm also thinking about drinking another pint of it and see what happens.
You're a brave and dedicated man! Taking another one for the homebrewing community science, huh?
 
I'm shaking up some of the beer right now to take a refractometer reading. I'm also thinking about drinking another pint of it and see what happens.

hey at least your trooper! report back with the reading to satisfy my curiosity....

edit: i just am a concerned homebrewer that wants to help make sure all your stools are sturdy and safe!
 
Mass temp is 153. Original gravity was something like 1.065 and the gravity reading I just got was 1.025. that seems a little high to me but, it does not taste sweet at all.
 
If you're not lactose intolerant, it's probably another bug causing your symptoms.


How do you know it's Lactobacillus that infected your Hefe? Could be any wild yeast or other bacteria.
Or just a fluke.


You're a brave and dedicated man! Taking another one for the homebrewing community science, huh?
I guess, I was just assuming it's lactobacillus because it makes a sour beer. It has happened to me several times and, whatever bug it is, it's got to be the same one. Always tastes the same. Sour.
 
I guess, I was just assuming it's lactobacillus because it makes a sour beer. It has happened to me several times and, whatever bug it is, it's got to be the same one. Always tastes the same. Sour.
Most "bugs" will turn beer sour. Acetic acid and lactic acid are common souring components, but there are many other components that get produced along, giving infected beers a foul taste and smell. Even intentionally/purposefully inoculated sours are not always good, or even drinkable.

I've had a few unintended infections over the years, but only one was drinkable, and only barely, still not very good tasting.
 
Most "bugs" will turn beer sour. Acetic acid and lactic acid are common souring components, but there are many other components that get produced along, giving infected beers a foul taste and smell. Even intentionally/purposefully inoculated sours are not always good, or even drinkable.

I've had a few unintended infections over the years, but only one was drinkable, and only barely, still not very good tasting.
This one is the first one I've ever had that is just as you described. Barely drinkable. I'm going to try it and see what happens. I just put down one more pint of it.
 
I'm on about my fifth one right now. I haven't noticed any upset stomach or diarrhea again. Maybe it's left over from The hangover yesterday. I was wondering though, do you think that when the yeast settles out of it it might drag some of that sour taste and stuff down to the bottom of the cake and make it taste a little better? To tell you the truth, I'm getting used to it! Four or five pints will do that.
 
I'm getting Red Green vibes from this thread. Next thing you know someone is gonna be duct taped to a lawn chair rocket.
I'll bite. What the hell is Red Green vibes? It is an experiment so I understand the strapping yourself to a rocket thing but... Red green vibes? What's that?
 
Maybe this was covered. I sort of skimmed through the thread. But Lactobacillus does not make lactose. The only way lactose gets into beer is if you add it from a bag-o-lactose or by adding milk products.
 
I was wondering though, do you think that when the yeast settles out of it it might drag some of that sour taste and stuff down to the bottom of the cake and make it taste a little better?

Lactic acid and acetic acid dissolve thoroughly in water (and beer). So unfortunately they are not like a suspended protein or polyphenol that can be dragged down or settle out due to gravity.
 
i'm thinking that'd do it.....that'd move right trough you. (it was corrected for alcohol right?)
I just found a calculator from Brewer's Friend and it says that it is 7.22% alcohol and the corrected gravity is 1.010. I find that hard to believe because last night I drink about five pints of it and it never even really made me feel buzzed. Had to switch to whiskey.
 
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I just found a calculator from Brewer's Friend and it says that it is 7.22% alcohol and the corrected gravity is 1.010. I find that hard to believe because last night I drink about five pints of it and it never even really made me feel buzzed. Had to switch to whiskey.
You may just have a high tolerance... and a hard liver 😅
 
My two bits... If you're system isn't used to probiotics like Lactobacillus, then yea, it certainly can give you cramps / gas / diarrhea. Same thing happens to people when they drink too much kombucha too quickly. Same goes for Brettanomyces in beer. I remember this one time someone else drove me to a homebrew club meeting, and the guy hosting had like 4 sour beers, and I overindulged a bit. That night was "eventful" :)

In any case, it shouldn't hurt you, and people pay good money to get those bugs in their guts.

I don't think it's been mentioned, but I certainly wouldn't bottle it. Rule of thumb with sour beers is the gravity can't move for 3 months, and then you can bottle it. Those bugs are slow eaters. If you know and judges or experienced sour beer drinkers, they can probably tell you if it's Brett, Lacto, or aced acid producers. I find lactic acid and brett to give distinctly different flavors, but have to admin sometimes they're mixed up so much you can't pick them out.
 
Life's too short to keep sh!tty beer on tap. Yeah, I've done it, I've drank it, even kicked the keg. But sometimes its better to just open the tap down the drain and move on. If you have limited keg space, (or limited bottles) I would suggest brewing something else, pull a pint now and then and when you need the space, or the new beer is ready, dump it and put something better on tap.
:bigmug:
 
Just gotta say, back when I sometimes drank more than my body tolerated well, some squirts would likely follow - along with feeling generally crisp around the edges of course. Can't do that sort of thing anymore. Maybe OP should back off a bit while the guts recover? Just a thought...
 
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