Is this hobby killing us?

[johnwpowell]

I LOVE brewing beer and I love drinking it. I have a few of my home brews every day and there is always that nagging feeling I should cut down. Over the last 5 years doing this nothing in my annual physical blood tests have revealed any problems. I do worry though. Between all the extra calories and alcohol intake, is this hobby I LOVE killing me?

 

[brewbama]

I like the slogan; "Drink like a Brewer". I drink one a day and ~ three each on Sat and Sun. All things in moderation. Stick to that and you're OK IMO.

 

[BeerAddikt]

^THIS. I try not to drink on weekdays but boy oh boy do I imbibe on weekends. If I do drink on weekdays I limit myself to 1 or 2 brews. But I also go to the gym 4 times a week to offset the beer belly effect.

 

[kh54s10]

Worrying about it will cause stress.. And that will make you sick. RDWHAHB!

 

[RPh_Guy]

2 or fewer drinks/day for men and 1/day for women is enough moderation to maintain good health.

 

[johnwpowell]

I usually finish a keg in 2 weeks

 

[jwalk4]

A keg a month, but share a few pints with family, etc.

3 dog walks a day and 4 workouts a week to offset.

 

[Morrey]

I have several of the 4 ounce tulip glasses like used with a sampler flight. I use those and enjoy a sip or two from various beers in my kegerator. I also bought a flat of the 10 ounce pub glasses shaped like the Queen's seal glasses in English pubs.

Short pours limit your intake and all good in moderation.

 

[brewshki]

my doctor has told me 2 a day is completely fine, so I try to keep to that. otherwise, blood and other tests will reveal if you are having problems. your liver may very well be completely happy and healthy with more alcohol per day. it be happier with less. you can definitely get to your doctor and figure out if you really need to be drinking less.

now, in terms of the beer belly, my dad has a great piece of advice: "carbs are for drinking." It is all about choices. I often choose to forgo this that or the other and have a beer at night instead.

and, I mean, something has to kill you. might as well be beer.

 

[RPh_Guy]

you can definitely get to your doctor and figure out if you really need to be drinking less.

This is a good point. 2/day for men and 1/day for women is ok for healthy adults.

If you are on medications or have chronic conditions, talk to you doctor whether a lower limit would be necessary.

 

[Brownalemikie]

You guys are wimps....I'm 64 and drink 3-4 HB's per day...sometimes 5-6 per day on weekends. Healthy as a horse and go to gym 3 times a week. Chill and enjoy a cold one or 3.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I generally only have one HB per day.

 

[Braufessor]

#1 cause of death is being born - 100% certainty that you will die.

Not that you want to be a drunken slob or anything....... but, in my opinion, what is the point of being alive in the first place if you don't enjoy yourself along the way?

 

[TBC]

Slowly

 

[TBC]

I generally only have one HB per day.

I look at that and think of landfill from the movie beerfest!

 

[johnwpowell]

You give me hope. Thanks!

 

[GnenieGone]

Short answer is NO drinking beer is not killing you. I've known many people who have died over the years. Not all had drank beer. But 100% of them ate carrots. Ergo, carrots are the real killers!

 

[Iseneye]

I used to have one homebrew a day but took a three month break with no beer when training for a marathon. It was quite eye opening seeing how better I felt in the mornings. After the marathon I have been having one or two beers per week at night and I can definitely feel the effect in the morning. Taking a clean break re-calibrates your body to what life is like without alcohol. I then read a few articles on the carcinogenic effect of alcohol. Basically it seems that there is no safe level of alcohol as a carcinogen.

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/alcohol/alcohol-fact-sheet

I still drink beer but am sure that it is not good for me so keep it in low quantities.

 

[itsnotrequired]

as i've gotten older, definitely seeing the ol' metabolism slow down. so i've just swapped food for beer. or more accurately, beer intake is the same as ever, i just get less calories from actual food. throw in a few walks a week and some half-assed workouts and let's be honest, you're probably in better health than 80% of america,

 

[dyqik]

#1 cause of death is being born - 100% certainty that you will die.

Well, not quite 100%.

6.5% of all the people who were born haven't died.

 

[GnenieGone]

Well, not quite 100%.

6.5% of all the people who were born haven't died.

mobile like!

 

[Braufessor]

Well, not quite 100%.

6.5% of all the people who were born haven't died.

Hs..... well, I would add the word "yet."

 

[madscientist451]

Alcohol is a known poison to humans. It can kill you if you drink enough of it at one time. Weight gain from drinking is a pure numbers game.
More calories going in than calories going out means you're going to put on weight. So is the brewing hobby killing us? Sure it is, but there are worse ways to die.

 

[chickypad]

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/7-science-backed-ways-beer-good-your-health-ncna788986

"science-backed", can't beat that!
and hey, they quoted Charlie Bamforth

 

[RevKev]

Well there is now 'healthy beer' designed by scientists and the anecdotal evidence that sure my BP is a touch high... but I haven't been to a gym in 4 years... and I have at least 2 beers a day which is likely the reason my cholesterol is faaaaaantastic. And no thats not sarcasm beer truthfully has a lot of health benefits.

 

[johnwpowell]

My hope its that one day scientists discover home brewers are living longer healthier lives.

 

[TorMag]

I used to have one homebrew a day but took a three month break with no beer when training for a marathon. It was quite eye opening seeing how better I felt in the mornings. After the marathon I have been having one or two beers per week at night and I can definitely feel the effect in the morning. Taking a clean break re-calibrates your body to what life is like without alcohol. I then read a few articles on the carcinogenic effect of alcohol. Basically it seems that there is no safe level of alcohol as a carcinogen.

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/alcohol/alcohol-fact-sheet

I still drink beer but am sure that it is not good for me so keep it in low quantities.

Are you sure that feeling great in the morning was not from the fact you were getting in better shape? You slept better from excerting yourself etc.

 

[Roycebarrow]

As long as it doesn't effect work or relationships, that's my 2 cents

 

[mwilcox]

If the shelves full of alcohol in my basement collapsed upon me, sure. Otherwise I'm sure it'll be something else that gets me.

 

[mongoose33]

short answer is no drinking beer is not killing you. I've known many people who have died over the years. Not all had drank beer. But 100% of them ate carrots. Ergo, carrots are the real killers!

 

[smcinco]

I used to have one homebrew a day but took a three month break with no beer when training for a marathon. It was quite eye opening seeing how better I felt in the mornings. After the marathon I have been having one or two beers per week at night and I can definitely feel the effect in the morning. Taking a clean break re-calibrates your body to what life is like without alcohol. I then read a few articles on the carcinogenic effect of alcohol. Basically it seems that there is no safe level of alcohol as a carcinogen.

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/alcohol/alcohol-fact-sheet

I still drink beer but am sure that it is not good for me so keep it in low quantities.

Was the realization that you weren't going to feel any better than when you woke up depressing?

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

A lot of people out there concerned about living as long as possible and doing what it takes to do that. Because of that, some people choose to moderate their consumption or cut it out entirely.

Personally, I know that I'll die someday - maybe this week, maybe in 40 years. Could be from a car accident, could be from carrots. But until that happens, I'm not going to worry too much about preventing it. I'm going to do what I can to enjoy my life in a respectable way, while not blatantly destroying my body.

As Stonewall Jackson said,
"My religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me. That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave."

 

[TheAleRunner]

I used to have one homebrew a day but took a three month break with no beer when training for a marathon. It was quite eye opening seeing how better I felt in the mornings. After the marathon I have been having one or two beers per week at night and I can definitely feel the effect in the morning.

Dang, I usually up my beer intake during marathon training. I mean, what's the point of running all those miles if I can't have a few beers afterward?

But seriously, some days I have no beer, others I have six beers. I generally find that two is the sweet spot where I can enjoy those beers, yet still wake up feeling good for my morning 6 miler. No food or drink after 8pm seems to work for me as well.

 

[kh54s10]

I used to have one homebrew a day but took a three month break with no beer when training for a marathon. It was quite eye opening seeing how better I felt in the mornings. After the marathon I have been having one or two beers per week at night and I can definitely feel the effect in the morning. Taking a clean break re-calibrates your body to what life is like without alcohol. I then read a few articles on the carcinogenic effect of alcohol. Basically it seems that there is no safe level of alcohol as a carcinogen.

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/alcohol/alcohol-fact-sheet

I still drink beer but am sure that it is not good for me so keep it in low quantities.

That study is flawed. All those people also ate carrots!!!

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Funny about running and marathon training - when I was training and running 30+ miles a week, I definitely drank more. Cheers to you, but all my running friends found solace in beer, that's for sure!

 

[Anon111]

Let's not forget: people who have a hobby tend to live longer with better brain quality. I mean: we all use numbers and calculate stuff from here to Tokyo to get proper results.
Myself I don't drink before workdays. Weekends and holidays are busy hobby-days

 

[triethylborane]

I generally only have one HB per day.

Very appropriate if that pool is full of bud light.

 

[MSK_Chess]

I make pretty low alcohol beers 4-5% ABV and think of it like a health drink, all that natural goodness. No beers until after dinner.

 

[Turkeyshot]

I LOVE brewing beer and I love drinking it. I have a few of my home brews every day and there is always that nagging feeling I should cut down. Over the last 5 years doing this nothing in my annual physical blood tests have revealed any problems. I do worry though. Between all the extra calories and alcohol intake, is this hobby I LOVE killing me?

Also worrying about stuff all the time can shorten your life. Worry less, drink more.

 

[johnwpowell]

I make pretty low alcohol beers 4-5% ABV and think of it like a health drink, all that natural goodness. No beers until after dinner.

Nice!!