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Mandatory disclaimer: I'm not asking for health related advices, this question is just out of pure curiosity.

I drink the occasional beer, wine, or whatever other alcoholic drinks: no issues with that, not getting drunk with just a beer, etc. etc. But...since I have memory, a single red beer can put me under the table.

From the next day. (yeah, not the same day)

With lot of stomach and intestinal pain and "funny" side effects.

And a few days needed to recover.

Now, it's not a big deal: on my list of things to avoid "Red beer" has been put in the top 5, and problem solved. It doesn't happen with 100% of the reds, but at 95% occurrence I just play safe...plus I prefer dark beers anyway :-D

Only, exactly one week ago I got the same amazing effects, but worst, and I'm still halfway from full recovery...from a bock. Ok, "bock" is a pretty wide definition, but while I'm not an expert on beers I've always been pretty certain that if I order a bock I never feel bad the next day.

So now I'm extremely curious to understand what it may be to knock me down this way, but as I said I'm no expert and that's the reason I'm asking here.

Question: What 95% of red beers and a Scheyern Kloster Doppelbock Dunkel (Poculator) have in common, in terms of ingredients and/or preparation?

(bonus: I get the same effect with some Scotch)

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    I would go and see a doctor. This kind of reaction from a single beer is not usual. By all means examine the labels/brands of the drinks that you think have caused this, and note what you ate at the same time as drinking. But seriously, seek medical advice.
    – Charl E
    Aug 15, 2018 at 14:10
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    do you have the same reaction to rye whiskeys? "red beer" in the UK usually indicated the presence of rye but you'd know if you were sensitive to rye in things like rye breads.
    – MD-Tech
    Aug 15, 2018 at 14:37
  • note that I'm just checking that we can safely say its not rye from having tested that from other sources rather than attempting to answer in comments which would be bad...
    – MD-Tech
    Aug 15, 2018 at 14:47
  • I am voting to close this since we will never know unless the person in question goes to an allergist. Most beer is barley, hops, water and yeast. If you can drink one type of beer and not another, it might be a reaction to a particular yeast strain, but highly unlikely. There are adjuncts like corn, rice, wheat, etc. It could be a reaction to one of those. Since this person can drink wine and other drinks without a problem, it's very hard to pin down the issue.
    – farmersteve
    Dec 20, 2018 at 18:45

3 Answers 3

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Sounds like allergy to

malted barley or other grains, such as wheat and sorghum hops yeast assorted colorings, flavorings, and preservatives

Can you eat rye normally?

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What ingredient may I be allergic to in certain beers?

(Bonus: I get the same effect with some Scotch)

If I were to take a guess as to what could possibly cause your medical condition, I would say that it is the possible gluten content in the beer.

I am celiac myself and can not drink most beers because of the exact symptoms you are experiencing at times.

Though celiac disease and wheat allergies are often confused due to similar diet restrictions, people diagnosed with wheat allergies may still consume rye and barley whereas celiacs cannot. Read: most beers are off limits, but wine and hard alcohols are not. - 10 Myths And Facts About Celiac Disease

As for scotch:

From a gluten-free standpoint, scotch is safe to drink for most of the celiac population. Even though whiskeys are commonly derived from barley, a gluten-containing grain, they are distilled alcohols, which means the gluten proteins have been removed to less than the proposed FDA standard of 20 parts per million.

There is always the potential that the distillation process doesn't completely remove the gluten. If you are ultra-sensitive, then it may be prudent to avoid scotch, but most celiacs tolerate distilled alcohols just fine.

Just like with all foods and beverages, it's important to check the ingredients statement to determine if any gluten-containing ingredients have been added, and to call the manufacturer should you have any concerns or uncertainty. - Can I Drink Scotch?

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  • Are "red beers" particularly high in gluten? If not, it would seem unlikely this is the problem. Especially since someone with celiac would have problems with lots of food products. I have a friend with celiac and she needs to be extremely disciplined in her food choices.
    – Eric S
    Dec 22, 2018 at 14:26
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Off the top of my head - any allergy to wheats or grains pertaining to the alcohol being consumed, and then also gluten sensitivity, allergy to hops or sensitivity to the alcohol itself

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