Beer Fasting?

[MultumInParvo]

Has anyone lived off only beer for an extended period of time? I know monks have done it for centuries, and I am thinking of giving it a try.

Right now my current thought is starting December 1st and running for two weeks until the 15th.

The goal is not to get really drunk, in fact, quite the opposite, I'll have to pace myself throughout the day so that I can consume a proper quantity.

What do you guys think? Should I do it? Or am I just crazy? 14 days of just beer isn't that bad, right?

Of course I would chronicle my escapades and report back to you guys, as well as do a series of tests such as reaction times, weight gain/loss, maybe even some sprint times as well as distance runs comparisons.

 

[SowegaBrews]

I can't help but laugh... by all means go for it. Sounds like what I do every time I go to the beach... but worse. Have fun!

 

[homebrewer_99]

The monks "alledgedly" only did it during Lent, but I'm certain they cheated when they were outside of the monastery.

Make sure you have a lot of "hearty" brew before you begin your quest.

 

[kornkob]

For your own safety, make sure your condition is being monitored by someone who cares about your well being, is qualified (and sober enough) to tell if your health or behavior changes significantly and who you respect enough to listen to (even if impaired) if they tell you to abandon the fast.

That being said: make sure you take pictures of yourself periodically throughout--- you'd be amazed how much your body changes when you gain and lose weight.

 

[dunnright00]

When I saw the title of this thread, I thought it was regarding fasting from beer, not with it!

 

[Brewer_Steve]

My grandfather told me that when he was a young man, his friend broke his jaw and his mouth was wired shut while he healed. Because he was unable to eat, the doctor "prescribed" one beer an hour for a week.

I think it's quite possible to go 14 days on only beer, but it probably isn't ideal for your health.
If I were you, I'd consult a doctor.

 

[MultumInParvo]

For your own safety, make sure your condition is being monitored by someone who cares about your well being, is qualified (and sober enough) to tell if your health or behavior changes significantly and who you respect enough to listen to (even if impaired) if they tell you to abandon the fast.

That being said: make sure you take pictures of yourself periodically throughout--- you'd be amazed how much your body changes when you gain and lose weight.

I agree. Right now the plan is to have three of my buddies 'monitor' me, as well as my girlfriend, who will likely be the best judge. Any of the four would have sort of a 'veto power', if they tell me I should stop, I will.

From the other posts regarding health I think I shouldn't be a horrible shape. Much of the country lives off big macs and cokes, beer is almost healthy in comparison. My main concern is lack of protein. Beer has some, but I am used to 200 grams or so a day, which I clearly will not receive.

As far as consulting a doctor, I am sure any would clearly advise me again it. What do they know anyways? :cross: (just kidding)

 

[imaguitargod]

Be careful when doing fasts. It takes a few days for your body to adjust to the new situation. So don't be surprised if you don't keep down food when your switch back to it.

I had a friend who did a specific fast where all he consumed was a solution of cayenne, Grade B Maple Syrup, and lemon juice all mixed into water. It was really interesting to watch how his body reacted and adapted and how good he felt.

 

[bierhaus15]

I know monks have done it for centuries, and I am thinking of giving it a try.

How we imagine monks fasting is pretty far from the truth of the matter. Yes, some continental monks "fasted" for extended periods of time, but while doing so they more often than not consumed more calories (from beer, fish, bread) than they would following their normal diets. And considering that their beer's had attenuation rates around 40-50%, that's some sweet-calorie laden beer they'd be drinking...

Sorry for getting all historical - an interesting book on the subject is "Fish on Friday: Feasting, Fasting, and Discovery of the New World" by Brian Fagan.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

I can tell you from experience that you can survive at least a few days only on beer. I'm not sure if you have ever done fasts before, and maybe it is different when you intentionally do it to yourself, but it sucks. Real bad. Straight-up hunger is not cool and I would never willingly do it to myself.

That said, you can survive on beer, and likely would make it for two weeks. You are going to be very irritable, have cramps, not sleep well, and be very lethargic. If you go running during this fast I will be very impressed. Altogether, I think it is an awful idea but one that can be completed.

I have enough experience with hunger to know I never want any of it ever again. The hunger suxors.

 

[Homercidal]

I recently had to fast for like almost 2 days in preparation for a colonoscopy. I can tell you that the physical hunger comes on and then fades for a bit, then the psychological comes and kicks you in the gut. You will not believe what sounds good to eat when you are actually hungry.

Then you drink about a gallon of this crap to clean out your insides and you suddenly never want to eat anything again...

I would ask the question that if the fasting were not for spiritual purposes, what's the point? There are hundreds of places to go to get good info on changing to a healthy diet.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

The first couple days will be easy, because you will be emotionally vested in the idea. After day 4, you will not be fun to be around.

I once lived a full 7 days on a single jar of pickles. It is amazing how little you can eat and still survive.

 

[imaguitargod]

I once lived a full 7 days on a single jar of pickles. It is amazing how little you can eat and still survive.

I did 7 days on the stuff Dogs don't know isn't bacon, and peanut butter...and I'm hypoglysemic ontop of that...it was a rough week.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

I did 7 days on the stuff Dogs don't know isn't bacon, and peanut butter...and I'm hypoglysemic ontop of that...it was a rough week.

Wow.... that is a good one.

 

[Fingers]

What do you guys think? Should I do it? Or am I just crazy? 14 days of just beer isn't that bad, right?

I take it you've given up on job hunting?

 

[imaguitargod]

Wow.... that is a good one.

Ya, it's when I was first starting out in Los Angeles as an actor. Checks were coming infrequently. The "food" was actually found for free. Two blocks away from where I lived was a Ralphs (grocery store) and I was going there to bum a smoke adn at the end of my block was a shoping carf with a few bags in it just sitting there. I looked around and no one was there.

So I said to myself, I'll let it sit there while I go get a smoke and if it's still there when I come back it's mine. It was, and it fed me for a week.

They actually make dog food to the same health standards as people food because they know people eat it too.

 

[springer]

What do you guys think? Should I do it? Or am I just crazy? 14 days of just beer isn't that bad, right?

you will not be able to live on beer alone. Beer well not the beer but the 5-6% alcohol content will act a diuretic and the amount of water in the beer will not be enough to sustain you. You will need to drink a large amount of water every day . I think this is not going to end well you can live 14 or more days without food , without water and dehydration on top of that ,not long at all

 

[Shooter]

http://www.foodnetwork.com/glutton-for-punishment/guinness-diet/index.html

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

5 days is definitely doable. You do not need to drink a lot of water to be sustained by beer IME. However, you would if you were drinking big high alcohol beers the whole time. Stick to full bodied session beers and you will be fine.

 

[springer]

5 days is definitely doable. You do not need to drink a lot of water to be sustained by beer IME. However, you would if you were drinking big high alcohol beers the whole time. Stick to full bodied session beers and you will be fine.

well having done it at several bike rallies like Sturgis/laconia the first two or three days of nothing but regular BMC beer (but still eating) you start to pee less and its starts getting very dark and boy does it stink. You get light headed and its not from the beer. When I have a rally or big weekend I always take lots of water with me or buy it there.

 

[TexLaw]

Definitely stay hydrated, no matter what you do on this.

If I were to do it, I would probably brew something special just for it -- some low attenuated, smaller beer with a good portion of wheat. I'd probably drink it young and yeasty, too.

I bet I would just be a joy to be in a small room with!


TL

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

When I was a kid a stayed awake for 3 days and nights and only ate amphetamines.......You don't really want any advice from me.

 

[imaguitargod]

When I was a kid a stayed awake for 3 days and nights and only ate amphetamines.......You don't really want any advice from me.

Actually, I think I want to follow your advice.

: sits down infront of LGI :

Teach me oh wise one.

 

[arturo7]

Just make sure the beer is Guinness and not Coors Light.

 

[homebrewer_99]

The first couple days will be easy, because you will be emotionally vested in the idea. After day 4, you will not be fun to be around.

I once lived a full 7 days on a single jar of pickles. It is amazing how little you can eat and still survive.

Try surviving 5-7 days in a jungle with only a knife...while being pursued...

 

[Fingers]

Try surviving 5-7 days in a jungle with only a knife...while being pursued...

Pain is your friend. It lets you know you're still alive.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Yikes! I was just surviving engineering classes. The only thing pursuing me was homework.

 

[craigd]

Try surviving 5-7 days in a jungle with only a knife...while being pursued...

hmmmm, SEER? SERE? I always get that backwards...

 

[Ice9]

http://video.aol.ca/video-detail/can-you-survive-on-beer/2952856930

 

[Quazado]

Felt like I should bump this post with this:

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/08/for-lent-can-man-live-by-brew-alone-2/?hpt=C2

 

[Revvy]

You know Lent started awhile ago, and there were at least a dozen threads back then, and suddenly it's getting reported again so folks are posting and starting threads about it....but we know already.

It's kinda funny, but a lot of new members on here don't realize that a lot of us beer geeks get emails and tweets, press releases, and other things directly from the breweries, brewers, organizations, and even industry trades, and that by the time it makes it to the more public news agencies (the "mainstream media") more than likely it's been 2-3 days since the more industry related news already released it (that's how the mainstream media got word of it anyway, from the same sources we did) AND more than likely it was posted on this forum, the very day the word came out.

For instance I get a daily online "newspaper" of all beer relate internet content- anytime beer, especially craftbeer is mentioned by a news outlet, industry trade journal, or a press release from the brewery itself, that day it is put into this daily roundup so it's really fresh news.

More than likely the site they posted, got the same press release the first poster of this info on here did, a month ago.

That's the nature of this place, we're like the uber site for beer geeks if we're not making the news we're breaking the news.

This isn't the first time it happens...this week, anytime beer is in the mainstream press, we get a ton of threads. The release of Bud American Ale was like a blizzard on here.

But the last 24 hours there's been mentioned of this Lent diet 6 or 7 times, I heard cnn gave it coverage- which is stupid considering lent began a month ago.

 

[monkdietenthusiast]

you will not be able to live on beer alone. Beer well not the beer but the 5-6% alcohol content will act a diuretic and the amount of water in the beer will not be enough to sustain you. You will need to drink a large amount of water every day . I think this is not going to end well you can live 14 or more days without food , without water and dehydration on top of that ,not long at all

My apologies beforehand, but the above info is simply WRONG (!).

Living on beer AND water alone will sustain a person for longer than you think without any long term negative effects or significant, immediate consequences to one's health.

The longest "water only" fast I've been able to research was over 1 year long in duration. New research also suggests that the "necessity" of water in our diets is mostly hype - nearly any liquid will do and we get a lot of our bodies water from the foods we consume. Replacing water for beer (or water AND beer) will be more than sufficient for any person of average health for short periods.

The post I've quoted states, "You can live 14 or more days without food."

No duh.

As long as your body has ANY fat storage available, you're NOT going to starve to death. You aren't sitting at 1-2% body fat and still considering fasting are you?

I didn't think so.

 

[sockozz]

Earlier this year on the blog "A Diary of a Part-Time Monk, the author consumed only homebrew beer for the entirety of lent and he posted updates everyday chronicling his progress. It was pretty interesting to follow at the time.

 

[BlingFree]

A few months ago I started a Raw Food diet (fruits, veg, nuts and seeds - raw only) and was dying to eat beef. Seems no matter what the raw guys said to try I couldn't shake the beef cravings so don't email me suggestions please.

After seeing an article about wine for fasting I did a quick Google search for my beloved IPA beer and fasting. I found a few unreferenced articles and that was enough for me to hop quickly on the bandwagon. What resulted was a "raw" diet with 3-4 nights per week of supplemental drinking.. O'Fallon Brewery's 5 Day IPA draught followed closely by Ska Brewery's Modus Hoperandi in a can at home (no affiliations).

On this particular diet you become really in-tune with what your body does with what you put in to it. Six to nine times a day i would eat a small portion of food and ride the feeling to the next wave of hunger. Bananas versus raspberries versus spinach... each food having a different staying power or benefit that took some time to pick up on.

What I noticed is that a nice full-bodied beer was enough to replace one of my "six to nine" meals - usually the last two meals of the day. I went so far as to test my will at my favorite diner, Todd's Canteen, directly in front of the best roast beef sandwich in the universe which is arbitrarily named The Logo Daddy.

One sixteen ounce, hoppy draught was a lovely way to wrap up the work day. The bitterness is enough to make you forget that your not chewing for the flavor and the gentle buzz from the 6.8 ABV is a different sort of instant satisfaction but still a satisfaction. The raw diet makes me a cheap date. It also seems to play miracle cure to hangover effects. Sounds like a great thing to write a thesis on if there are any future nutritional therapists around that wish to pay me for the study

So, speaking as a non-authority, I would say that it is possible to have a sustained beer fast as shown in the article above (http://diaryofaparttimemonk.wordpress.com/) but even more enjoyable is that it can be a meal replacement for crutch needy dieters like myself. Is it a healthy meal replacement? Dunno..

My logic is: it's healthier than a diet pill or bulimia, at a rate of one per meal it has similar calories plus a rewarding buzz and it doesn't seem to stunt the weight loss from the diet I'm on.

I've recently cut back on this practice just because alcohol does silly things to the pH balance of my gene pool no matter how healthy I keep myself. Moderation, eh?