Hangovers

[Grog]

So I want to know why I can drink myself silly with beer or booze, wake up the next morning without issue, but if I have 2 glasses of red wine I end up with a wicked hangover. I'm not drinking super expensive reds, but they're not cheapies either.

Anyone have any ideas? I think I drank my last glass of wine last night. It ain't worth it!

[HogieWan]

There's a lot of chemicals/compounds at work in the intoxication/hangover arena. A lot of people point to the tannins in red wine that some people react harshly to. White wines are also devoid of these tannins. Do you get a similar hangover with whites?

[chazwicke]

Sulfides? Some people are allergic to the sulfides in wines.

[Bilbo Beergins]

I think wine might have a lot of salicylates, a lot more than beer.

[Beer Monkey]

I'm the same way, sucks when you like a nice red but know that if you have more than 1 glass you'll be worthless. I've basiclly cut out red and go with just champagne when I'm drinking wine. It helps that my dad is an importer and I can snag it at cost.

the fun one is getting him more into good beers, we went to a Brew on Prem place last week and had a blast brewing for a party he's got coming up and one for me not to share.

[chazwicke]

Shenandoah?

[Beer Monkey]

Originally posted by chazwicke
Shenandoah?

yep was a nice way to spend the day

[Grog]

Originally posted by HogieWan
There's a lot of chemicals/compounds at work in the intoxication/hangover arena. A lot of people point to the tannins in red wine that some people react harshly to. White wines are also devoid of these tannins. Do you get a similar hangover with whites?

Haven't tried a white in more than 10 years, so I couldn't tell ya. All I know is that I have yet to find a beer that goes well with tomato, basil and garlic.

[stronk]

Peroni?

[corkybstewart]

We've fought this battle in previous threads. I can drink mass quantities of red wine from my wife's village in France andnever get a hangover. I can split 2 bottles of good California red wine and wake up with a killer headache and queasy stomach. I don't know what the difference is but it's there.

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by Grog
All I know is that I have yet to find a beer that goes well with tomato, basil and garlic.

Sam Adams BL will surprise you.

[Halgarmeister]

Originally posted by chazwicke
Sulfides? Some people are allergic to the sulfides in wines.

This is the first thing that gets me! Better wines that are fermented naturally don't have the negative affects that the cheap, sulfide fortified wines do. Both reds and whites would be the same in this respect. I hear tell that the sugar content in wine makes it a nasty thing to wake up to as well, though I don't know if that's true because I can drink equal amounts of wine or rum and coke (key word being OR! LOL )and not have the issues with the rum and coke.

[corkybstewart]

Actually, all grapes have a certain level of sulfides naturally occuring in them so you can never get completely away from sulfides. And in the case of the wine I drink in France, it is extremely tannic so it's not tannins that give you the hangover. I've been told it is a matter of preservatives added to a lot of wine.

[Halgarmeister]

Actually, the natural sulfide aren't the problem, it's the chemical sulfides that are used to speed up fermentation in the cheaper wines that is the issue.

[corkybstewart]

Yeah, and the natural stuff is actually sulfite. I'm sure there's a chemist onboard who knows the difference, but it ain't me babe, it ain't me you're looking for. Sorry about that, it just slipped.

[Halgarmeister]

I was thinking the same thing earlier, but was too lazy to google it... :p

[Sladek]

So, what about hangovers from beer? Cheap-ass swill, horrible hangover. Better stuff, not as bad. Although, once I reach 5 Prazdrojs (.5L), I'm feelin' it the next day. Not as bad as the Czech Gambrinus. Perhaps it's their use of sucrose as an adjunct? Is "purer" beer with better ingredients give less of a hangover?

[liRetro]

One way I supress the hangover is by drinking extra water before drinking. Keep yourself hydrated before and after, and the hangover does not feel that bad. Some beers though will totally wreck me the next day.

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by Sladek
Is "purer" beer with better ingredients give less of a hangover?

I think that it is generally accepted that beer made only from water, barley, hops and yeast with no other adjuncts usually has less of a chance of causing a hangover. Some believe that the preservatives used in some of the macros is what causes harsher hangovers with those brands.

[xtalman]

I have always attributed the wine hang over, mostly from reds, to the added sulfides. There was a NYS brand, Bully Hill, that advertised no sulfides added and I could drink more fo that then other brands.

What I really suspect is that since there are a lot of different chemicals produced in the fermentation process, more so with reds then whites, it probably is related to that and you are just lucky enough to be sensative to it.

[revans618]

Originally posted by chazwicke
I think that it is generally accepted that beer made only from water, barley, hops and yeast with no other adjuncts usually has less of a chance of causing a hangover. Some believe that the preservatives used in some of the macros is what causes harsher hangovers with those brands.


I wholeheartedly believe that beer with no adjuncts doesn't give a hangover. One Bud, headache city. Ten Bitburgers, sleep like a baby, and wake up happy knowing I have two left in the fridge.
The ten Bits usually being consumed while fishing or playing cards.
The Bud being drank only under exteme duress and gunpoint.:D

[HogieWan]

For whatever reason, Shiner Bock on draft can give me a headache before I finish the pint. I haven't had one in years, but before I knew of RealBeer, I drank that crap from the bottle with no prob.

[corkybstewart]

Don't be dissing Shiner. Around here it's often the only choice besides Butt lite, or maybe that fine Butt product Amber Bock. I'll order it as a last resort. Fat Tire is available at Chile's but the food is so bad we won't go there.

[Seymour]

:p

Shiner's usually about the only thing you can find here, too, besides the ubiquitous bud/miller/coors juggernauts. I freely admit Shiner Bock is NOT the best beer in a bottle, but...I still succumb and drink it from time to time. Fortunately, I seem to have the constitution of an army mule and don't really suffer from hangovers, whatever the source. Though, thinking about that further, the only alcoholic beverage I consume is beer.

[Grog]

I don't ever have occasion to drink BMC stuff, so I cannot speak to the "cheap beer hangover", but the beer I do drink (HB or quality micros & imports) give me zero problems. My wife guessed the sulfide thing, but who wants to believe their wife? ;)

[Grog]

Originally posted by HogieWan
Sam Adams BL will surprise you.

I'll give 'em a try. All of the beers I've tried with tomato sauce have never complimented the meal as well as red wine does (used to :()

[HogieWan]

I had the boston lager with a pizza that my wife and I made (I make the crust and sauce, she puts it together). I use a lot of basil in my sauce and crust, and she puts a ton of suce on there, and the BL matched perfectly.

[corkybstewart]

Hogie, I take back my positive comments on Shiner. Last night I went out with my boss and his wife to a crappy Italian restaurant. The "best" bad choice of beer was Shiner Bock on tap, and it really was awful. It's been a while since I drank it and it really was bad. And the worst part was that I was halfway through a 750ml bottle of Duvel when they showed up and dragged me off to dinner.

[Grog]

Did you at least get to come back home and finish the Duvel?

[corkybstewart]

Yes I did, and after all my bitching about how Duvel is way overcarbonated I was glad to see that 3 hours later my foil covered bottle was still over carbonated. Unfortunately after crappy Italian food I was up half the night with major league heartburn. On the bright side, my boss nevershowed up today, and Friday is usually the only day of th e week he comes by

[Richard English]

Originally posted by Halgarmeister
Actually, the natural sulfide aren't the problem, it's the chemical sulfides that are used to speed up fermentation in the cheaper wines that is the issue.

Sulphites (sulfites is the US spelling - both are the same) are added to wines to inhibit the fermentation and to act as a preservative, not to enhance fermentation. They can cause an adverse reaction in some people. Better winemakers will eschew the use of sulphites, as will better brewers eschew additives such as heading compounds.

Good beer and good wine will always cause you fewer problems than will the poor products.

I have never had a hangover from drinking decent cask-conditioned or bottle-conditioned beer. A single glass of chemical fizz and I get a shocker.