Saison makes my gut hurt

[rhys333]

Sucks, but I think it's true...

I brewed my first saison a while back and it turned out to be one of the best beers I've ever brewed. I really like how tart and refreshing they are. So I enjoyed two one afternoon and a few hours later at dinner, BAM, massive stomach ache! Every time I ate for the next week, same problem (sans beer btw). I dragged myself to the doctor and was told its a common issue associated with stomach acid. Basically the gut pH can drop just enough to cause issues with digestion.

I'm thinking the low pH on those saisons did it. Anybody else experience something like this?

 

[beergolf]

I seriously doubt that it was the saison that caused your problem. We routinely eat foods that have a much lower pH than a saison.

Do you ever have a vinegarette on your salad? Way lower pH than a beer. Pickles? same thing.

Something in your system knocked you balance out of whack, but it was not the beer.

 

[masaba]

I seriously doubt that it was the saison that caused your problem. We routinely eat foods that have a much lower pH than a saison.

Do you ever have a vinegarette on your salad? Way lower pH than a beer. Pickles? same thing.

Something in your system knocked you balance out of whack, but it was not the beer.

I'm not sure I buy this comparison. When is the last time you drank 2 pints of vinaigrette salad dressing or 2 pints of pickle juice?

I'm not necessarily saying it was the saison that upset his stomach, but I think that a few ounces (at most) of a low pH food would be much less likely to acidify your stomach than 2 low pH beers.

 

[beergolf]

Not the same. Think about it. The normal pH range of finished beer is 4.2-4.8. The normal pH of vinegar is 2.4-3.4. Much more acidic, therefore a much smaller quantity will introduce more acid into the stomach.

Beer is not acidic enough to cause the problem he describes. Saisons are tart and refreshing but not any more acidic than a normal beer, unless it was brewed to be a sour and bugs were introduced. So it should be no different than drinking a couple of another type of beer.

 

[unionrdr]

I was wondering if he brewed with belgian sour yeast or something? Chimay Blue label made my gut hurt for a week.

 

[beergolf]

I was wondering if he brewed with belgian sour yeast or something? Chimay Blue label made my gut hurt for a week.

Chimay Blue is not a sour beer and uses a normal yeast. It has no lactic bugs or pedio in it. Just a Belgian yeast. It is strong, 9.5% but not sour.

 

[unionrdr]

Huh. Hard to account for the similar reaction on my part then? Something to do with it's being a trappist ale? Process? I thought it might shed some light on things for the op?

 

[beergolf]

Huh. Hard to account for the similar reaction on my part then? Something to do with it's being a trappist ale? Process? I thought it might shed some light on things for the op?

Possibly it is because Chimay is bottle conditioned and if the bottle got shaken up you consumed more yeast than normal. Especially if it was the big bottle, the second our would have a lot of yeast in it. Consuming a lot of yeast if you are not used to it can cause stomach upset. But the OP did not say that was the cause and mentioned the acid stomach.

 

[HumulusHead]

Huh. Hard to account for the similar reaction on my part then? Something to do with it's being a trappist ale? Process? I thought it might shed some light on things for the op?

Maybe all the left over yeast in the bottle started a spontaneous fermentation in your gut

 

[unionrdr]

Hm...well, how about the type of yeast saisons use that give that barnyardy flavor on the back? As for the Chimay Blue, I didn't feel bloated/gassy at all...just this tight feeling in my guts.

 

[beergolf]

This is what the OP posted..

I dragged myself to the doctor and was told its a common issue associated with stomach acid. Basically the gut pH can drop just enough to cause issues with digestion.

I'm thinking the low pH on those saisons did it. Anybody else experience something like this?

So it is about stomach acid being out of whack. Saison yeasts are no different than other yeast just different phenols that produce differect flavors.

 

[rockydog101]

Chronic alcohol consumption can cause gastritis or an ulcer, which is probably what he developed. It's caused by all alcohol, not just the saison. I'm sure your doc prescribed some form of a PPI or H2 blocker and asked you to refrain from alcohol, etc.

 

[beergolf]

Chronic alcohol consumption can cause gastritis or an ulcer, which is probably what he developed. It's caused by all alcohol, not just the saison. I'm sure your doc prescribed some form of a PPI or H2 blocker and asked you to refrain from alcohol, etc.

Now this makes a lot of sense.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

Bud Light is the perfect beer to the word "no" out of your night, but it always makes my butt hurt for some reason.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

too soon?

 

[AndyRN]

Chronic alcohol consumption can cause gastritis or an ulcer, which is probably what he developed. It's caused by all alcohol, not just the saison. I'm sure your doc prescribed some form of a PPI or H2 blocker and asked you to refrain from alcohol, etc.

I'm a GI nurse and I would definitely agree with this; however, I have never seen ulcers in a patient who only drinks a couple beers a day or less, or at least the beer was not the cause or there was another factor such as chronic NSAID use or H. Pylori bactreria. A physician would know this, which is concerning that they did not schedule for an upper endoscopy. One thing to consider is your gallbladder, if you still have it. Having pain after a meal can be a hallmark sign of gallbladder issues.

 

[rhys333]

Chronic alcohol consumption can cause gastritis or an ulcer, which is probably what he developed. It's caused by all alcohol, not just the saison. I'm sure your doc prescribed some form of a PPI or H2 blocker and asked you to refrain from alcohol, etc.

I typically have one beer every two days, occasionally two. Pretty sure the alcohol didn't do it. I probably should've clarified that at the start.

 

[rhys333]

Chronic alcohol consumption can cause gastritis or an ulcer, which is probably what he developed. It's caused by all alcohol, not just the saison. I'm sure your doc prescribed some form of a PPI or H2 blocker and asked you to refrain from alcohol, etc.

The doc prescribed Tecta 40mg (pantoprazole) to help raise pH before eating.

 

[rhys333]

Beer is not acidic enough to cause the problem he describes. Saisons are tart and refreshing but not any more acidic than a normal beer, unless it was brewed to be a sour and bugs were introduced. So it should be no different than drinking a couple of another type of beer.

Saison do have lower pH don't they? The one I made with 3711 certainly has a pronounced citrusy bite to it. I should test with my pH strips... if I can pick out the colours that is.

Not an intentional sour btw. However, it did have the beginnings of a lacto infection when I bottled. It had fermented right out by this point, so nothing really for the lacto to eat away at.

 

[beergolf]

Saison do have lower pH don't they? The one I made with 3711 certainly has a pronounced citrusy bite to it. I should test with my pH strips... if I can pick out the colours that is.

Not an intentional sour btw. However, it did have the beginnings of a lacto infection when I bottled. It had fermented right out by this point, so nothing really for the lacto to eat away at.

No they do not. Most assume because they finish so low and are very dry that it is confused with a low pH. Unless bugs (lacto or pedio) were introduced the finishing pH is within the range of most beers.