German Beer ≠ Hangover?

[sam86]

Is it true that German beers are very unlikely to give you a hangover? Something to do with German law, and what they put in it?

Any recommendations for a good German beer that is less likely to cause a hangover (but still easily accessible)?

Any other countries that have similar laws?

Beer has always given me a bad hangover, but I've often stuck to well known brands. I've recently started drinking Tuborg, which seems to leave me a little less brain dead in the morning.

 

[Cian]

They have a purity law as goes what can go in but if you drink enough you're still going to have a hangover

Tuborg is Danish and indeed made in Leeds...

 

[Jonno]

Having drunk plenty of the stuff, I can assure you this is not true.
Too much alcohol always equals hangover.

 

[sam86]

OK, sure, the thread title is a little misleading, but is it less likely too? E.g. will 8 x german beer have less chance of giving you a hangover than say 8 x Carling.

 

[sam86]

So what is the "purity" law? Just less chemicals and shit?

 

[DerbyGull]

I had seven pints of real ale last night and no hangover as usual (with real ale).

 

[beorhthelm]

German purity laws, or more specifically Bavarian, no longer actually exist, though several brands stick to them from tradition and it makes decent beer. only water, malted barley, hops and yeast are allowed. thing is, your typical beers have nothing else either, except for use of irish moss to clear ales. lagers dont need any additives to clear as they are bottom fermenting and they use certain barleys less likly to create cloudiness.

Hops produce a range of chemicals, some which effect the hangover. you'll probably find hangovers are linked to how heavily hopped a beer is. at least this is my current working theory, since recently drinking ales, one or two can give me nasty piercing headaches if i have too many. meanwhile Erdinger (not compling with the purity law) has a very low headache effect for me

 

[DerbyGull]

German purity laws, or more specifically Bavarian, no longer actually exist, though several brands stick to them from tradition and it makes decent beer. only water, malted barley, hops and yeast are allowed. thing is, your typical beers have nothing else either, except for use of irish moss to clear ales. lagers dont need any additives to clear as they are bottom fermenting and they use certain barleys less likly to create cloudiness.

Hops produce a range of chemicals, some which effect the hangover. you'll probably find hangovers are linked to how heavily hopped a beer is. at least this is my current working theory, since recently drinking ales, one or two can give me nasty piercing headaches if i have too many. meanwhile Erdinger (not compling with the purity law) has a very low headache effect for me

Surely it's the ABV? the higher, the more likely you'll get a hangover. I love heavily hopped beers like Oakham Inferno, DS Hophead, or Whim Cascade, but these beers have NEVER given me a hangover.

 

[vegster]

I have found the majority of German brewed beers a little easier to recover from. The exception being Becks which always makes me feel shite to such an extent that I now avoid. mind you, Newcastle Brown was THE worst for hangovers and, in particular, used to cripple most of my leg joints.

 

[Samej]

Is it true that German beers are very unlikely to give you a hangover? Something to do with German law, and what they put in it?

Any recommendations for a good German beer that is less likely to cause a hangover (but still easily accessible)?

Any other countries that have similar laws?

Beer has always given me a bad hangover, but I've often stuck to well known brands. I've recently started drinking Tuborg, which seems to leave me a little less brain dead in the morning.

I worked in Germany for a few years and never had a hang over in the morning after a night out, the opinion we all had at the time ( mid to late 90`s) was that they did not use chemicals in the brewing process.A very good german beer that you can get over here is Warsteiner,Czech Bud is also very good.

 

[DerbyGull]

I worked in Germany for a few years and never had a hang over in the morning after a night out, the opinion we all had at the time ( mid to late 90`s) was that they did not use chemicals in the brewing process.A very good german beer that you can get over here is Warsteiner.

Sounds to me much like real ale. Real ale is only water, malt, yeast and hops+ finings for clarity. But that's it! Anything else and it ceases to be 'real' ale.

 

[vegster]

Surely it's the ABV? the higher, the more likely you'll get a hangover. I love heavily hopped beers like Oakham Inferno, DS Hophead, or Whim Cascade, but these beers have NEVER given me a hangover.

Strangely, the ABV does not seem to affect my hangovers that much. Try a weekend in Belgium sampling the vast array of flavoursome ales and you will see that "entry level" pumped beers run at between 6 and 8% ABV, yet, in the morning, despite quaffing over a weeks units in a day, you still feel quite alive. mind you, if you top up on too many Westmalle Tripels, you will need a sizeable breakfast to aid recovery

 

[Art Vs Science]

So what is the "purity" law? Just less chemicals and shit?

You are just getting over technical now

 

[DerbyGull]

Strangely, the ABV does not seem to affect my hangovers that much. Try a weekend in Belgium sampling the vast array of flavoursome ales and you will see that "entry level" pumped beers run at between 6 and 8% ABV, yet, in the morning, despite quaffing over a weeks units in a day, you still feel quite alive. mind you, if you top up on too many Westmalle Tripels, you will need a sizeable breakfast to aid recovery

interesting.

 

[beorhthelm]

Surely it's the ABV? the higher, the more likely you'll get a hangover. I love heavily hopped beers like Oakham Inferno, DS Hophead, or Whim Cascade, but these beers have NEVER given me a hangover.

ABV is certainly another factor, but most of the german beers are around 5% give or take .1. In the old days, i'd go all night on spirt+mixer with very little effect the next day (and that mostly due to the tiredness ). but then the mixer is rehyrdrating right? the thing with the hops is odd, it maybe i react to a particular variety.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

less chemicals and shit?

I'm pretty certain they don't put shit in their beer. As far as I'm aware, it's only university rugby teams that do this.

 

[bennibenj]

Sounds to me much like real ale. Real ale is only water, malt, yeast and hops+ finings for clarity. But that's it! Anything else and it ceases to be 'real' ale.

flavouring (natural surely) also - for example, honey and citrus notes to be exhibited

but im up for a hang over once in a while, something good about it, normally a bacon sandwich and a lie in lol

 

[gullshark]

If you are hungover you are probably dehydrated... get some water in you as well as the beer and you'll end up right as rain.

 

[DerbyGull]

ABV is certainly another factor, but most of the german beers are around 5% give or take .1. In the old days, i'd go all night on spirt+mixer with very little effect the next day (and that mostly due to the tiredness ). but then the mixer is rehyrdrating right? the thing with the hops is odd, it maybe i react to a particular variety.

Well done for giving ales a go btw

 

[DerbyGull]

flavouring (natural surely) also - for example, honey and citrus notes to be exhibited

but im up for a hang over once in a while, something good about it, normally a bacon sandwich and a lie in lol

you get the citrussy notes from the hops.