Anyone else have this happen to them? A few months ago I was having a Sam Adams (I think a seasonal) from a bottle and my face and neck got red and itchy. Started coughing a bunch. Runny eyes, the whole deal. Then about a month later I had a Guinness draught in the bottle and same thing! I used to have Guiness all the time with no issue. I basically chalked it up to macro beers or a bottle conditioning process or something. Then today a coworker brought me a homebrew Black IPA and it happened again. I've had all his other beers and this was not an issue. I'm stumped. Could it be a certain barley? Or yeast? Super weird. Any insight is appreciated.
When I first got into craft beer and started drinking IPAs (primarily) I would get red spots, almost reminiscent of a rash on my face and neck. My ears would sometimes get beet red too. I thought that I was possibly allergic or very sensitive to hops. Or even a certain strain of yeast, I wasn't very sure. This lasted for a few months. Almost 3 years and countless IPAs later, I no longer get these spots. Perhaps, you should monitor and see which beers/styles tend to cause this reaction.
Used to have this happen to me big time in the UK (88-93). Used to feel a little itchy & whip of my shirt & be pink all over. Mind you, you could smoke in the pubs then & that may have been an issue...
well you have a starting point. Go back to the home brewer and ask him what his grain bill was along with any other hops that were added. Could also be a reaction to something else you consumed and it reacted with the beer.
If you remember exactly which beers gave you problems, I'd research them. See if there is a common link, yeast strain, wheat, etc...
Your body can change over the years. I used to be deathly allergic to yellow jacket stings but they no longer affect me. I'd suggest doing what the other posters already mentioned.And well...as long as you do not enter anaphylactic shock, keep drinking!
I've had this happen with both beer and red wine every once on a long while. No coughing with me, but a slight difficulty in drawing deep breaths. Doesn't last long, hasn't happened often, and is never progressively worse. That is the key. If it happens again and the symptoms are worse, you will need to get it checked. All the best. Cheers.
There is a fining, alginex [sp?], that has been promoted as a vegan alternative to isinglass for clarification. This vegan fining contains sulfites, a known allergan. Hops are heavily sprayed with all sorts of pesticides and fungicides, and modern cides don't rinse off in the rain, hence are present in your beer. The weird chemicals that are used in yeast prop are not really documented, I've looked them up. Any additive other than WHYM will almost certainly contain preservatives, which even in small does can provoke a reaction in some people. Time for biodynamic beer?
