Can eating yeast keep you from getting drunk?

Well... yes. Yes it would. But what's the fun in that?

Also, once you get past a certain point ... well... let's just say that "drinking less" is not all that easy.

 

Actually, I do what you mention - drink less. And enjoy what I do drink.

 

I knew someone who used to take Brewer's Yeast tablets to try and prevent a hangover. Forget if he took them before drinking or before going to bed after a night of drinking, but he thought it worked for him. Of course about the only thing he drank was Coors Light and never seemed to drink to excess when I was around him, but maybe he drank more when people weren't around. I tried them a few times years and years ago and it never seemed to work for me. Figure with anything some things work for some people and not so good for others.

 

One thing to keep in mind that the tablets are constituted of dead yeast which is quite different from the live yeast being discussed in this thread. Brewer's Yeast tablets are high in B vitamins, maybe this is helpful to your friend?

Cheers!

 

I had heard that drinking a cup (or 2) of milk would have a similar effect. Don't know if that true, though.

 

I have never actually tried what was described re consuming yeast directly. But some anecdotal evidence would be that if I had gotten intoxicated on hefeweizens/dunkelweizens/weizenbocks alone my hangover did not seem as bad. I would be tired and feel worn out for sure, but my head wouldn't feel like it was a football.

 

In a word, no.

Eric

 

If anything, it may give you Auto Brewery Syndrome and any sugar, or even carbohydrate (depending on your particular gut bacteria) you consume would make you drunk.

 

I've never over-imbibed on these styles to get high or drunk, but these types of beers always give me excess gas so I don't drink them often. (Also not a fan of the clove or banana taste.) It might be the specific yeast used in these styles, or it may be the wheat, but I feel aftereffects.

 

I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but the presence of live yeast in a beer can cause GI distress (e.g., excess gas) in some people.

I know that some people prefer to roll or shake their hefeweizen beers to get the yeast in solution (e.g., create a hazier beer) but I choose to pour my hefeweizen beers carefully (i.e., decant) and leave the last bit in the bottle/can. This pouring method may be helpful to you.

Cheers!

 

Wait, we’re now drinking beer explicitly for the purposes of not feeling it’s intoxicating effects? That can’t be right.

 

Valid point for some, but taste is first and foremost for me. And two beers at my age is generally my limit nowadays.

 

I see what you mean re. the excess gas. I find that Weizens do make one feel quite full. And lead to a fair amount of burps.

Not being a fan of the clove and banana tastes is completely understandable. I enjoy those flavors and aromas but not everybody does.

Whenever I have gotten drunk/buzzed on a Weizen it has been more of an accidental thing and has almost always involved Weizenbocks. It's not too hard to get buzzed on something like Aventinus.

 

Amen. I absolutely agree - taste (and also aroma) is first and foremost. And my limit is pretty much the same as yours - generally 2 per day, with exceptions for special situations. And rarely 2 in a row w/o a break.

I allow any size up to half-liter w/ strength of 8.5% (so this includes Aventinus ) or 12 oz up to 12% or 13% ABV to be defined as "one"

 

Before I got married, I could have eaten some yeast and been unaware of it.

 

Oooooh-Kaaaay. But not after marriage? (No reply expected. )

 

Yes I had heard about B vitamins (particularly B12) as a "cure" back in the day. But it seems you will be playing a losing hand eventually.

 

I’ve actually found that beer in general gives me GI distress. I’ve tried to blame it on other things many of times but the association is pretty clear. It’s actually led me to cut back on beer significantly, which is too bad because otherwise it would still be my libation of choice. But now i’m down to probably one beer a week on average.

Some styles worse than others, IPAs, actually most american ale styles, are the worst. “Clean” german lagers are the best. Drinking anything with significant sedimentation also makes things worse, and a careful avoidance of that when pouring has helped substantially.

My hypothesis is that it is indeed a yeast issue. Regardless of the cause, it’s a pain in the ass. Sometimes literally!

 

I never drink with the intent of getting drunk. I drink because I enjoy the taste of craft beer; intoxication has nothing to do with it whatsoever.

 

Sounds about right