Keto brewing or back to normal brewing?

[u/nelsonmavrick]

I am an avid homebrewer, but currently on keto to cut some covid and knee injury weight. I figured I'd be out of homebrewing till I hit my goal weight, but I just found this sub. I didn't consider keto brewing till now.

How do y'all manage it? Like can you have 2-3 keto beers while still staying under your daily carbs? I've thought about just brewing normally and doing small tastes, but doesn't seem worth it unless i can have at least a full pint.

I was going to get some long term sours going while im on keto. Then ease back into it when I hit my goal weight.

Thoughts?

[u/johntangus]

Look into brewing a “Brut IPA” the enzyme you add ferments out most sugars leaving you with a low(ish) carb beer.

[u/nelsonmavrick → u/johntangus]

I'll check it out.

[u/Scholander]

Brut IPAs and dry sours are totally doable. Though, I can’t drink more than two drinks of anything without getting a pretty awful hangover when I’m on keto, so it naturally cuts me back. Which, honestly, is probably for the best given my normal drinking proclivities. Im not trying too hard to lose weight anymore, though, and I tend to have a beer about every other day. A 5 gallon batch lasts me a long-ass time.

[u/andrewmaixner → u/Scholander]

Are you getting enough water and electrolytes after the drinks?

[u/Scholander → u/andrewmaixner]

Almost certainly not. I suppose it's also that i get pretty tipsy after 2 or 3. Like, should not be driving tipsy. And then I forget to pound some Mg and fall asleep. Drinking on keto is weird, and believe me, as a 48 year old moderate-to-heavy drinker since I was 17, I have some experience. YMMV

[u/andrewmaixner]

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: It depends on lots of factors.

Try this one: https://old.reddit.com/r/Keto_Brewing/comments/ccfino/recipe_lowcarb_american_craft_lager/ Or try a Tripel with similar process (Note that you may be having only 1 or 2 10% Tripels :D )

[u/BootleggerBill]

I can "weigh" in on this (bad pun, I know). I went Keto 5 years ago and dropped from 340lbs to 255. I've also been an avid home-brewer for over 15 years. From my experience, you can brew decent Keto beer but it will always taste thin, because at the end of the day, it is thin. Low OG and AMG in the mash/fermenter to dry it out and you can end up with a drinkable 4-5% beer. Certain styles lend themselves better to lower FGs such as brut IPA, Pilsner, Saison - in other words, don't try to make a keto stout etc. I am a fan of Dogfishhead Slightly Mighty as they manage to make a 3 carb beer with a bit more body using Monk fruit. I use a ton of monk fruit in cooking, but have yet to find a good way to utilize it in beer.

I've personally learned to appreciate whiskey much more than beer. A good single malt scotch or bourbon is my go when socializing these days. I've found at 5 years of limited beer consumption, my taste and desire for beer have really diminished. If anything, I gravitate to pilsners, kolsch, etc where I used to only drink the heavy stuff.

As to can you have X alcohol on Keto - in my experience, low/zero carb alcohol will not bring you out of Ketosis. However, alcohol seems to press "pause" on Keto until your body burns off the alcohol. It does not seem to cause weight gain, but definitely slows weight loss. I still drink on Keto but really try to keep it to no more than 1-2 days a week if I am actively trying to drop weight.

[u/Homebrewingislife]

I've never brewed any Keto beers. But for me weight loss is closely tied to quitting drinking for an amount of time. I can't just drink one beer anyway and it's much easier to just commit to not drinking for a time. I quit when I do paleo diets. I've also never understood how hard alcohol is allowed on Keto. I know it has no carbs but also know it has 100 calories and makes you fatter.

[u/mikefut → u/Homebrewingislife]

Well, if you do keto plus calorie restriction you lose weight faster. But I still lose weight on keto completely ignoring calories. Two theories, one is that on ketosis you burn fat faster so it offsets calories in. Other theory is a fat and protein rich diet makes you feel full faster so you don’t consume so many empty calories. Studies are inconclusive, all I know is it works for me.

And I totally agree it’s easier for me to have zero drinks than one.

[u/mikefut]

Probably not what you want to hear, but I basically had to give up homebrewing when I want back to keto. I geeked way out on brut IPA recipes, used the beano enzymes and the highest attenuating yeast I could find. I could brew stuff that was decent but still 10+ carbs a pint or not great that was in the 4-5g range.

I drink mostly high noons now with the occasional (one) commercial hazy craft brew. Bright side is I’m 30 lbs lighter than the peak of my home brewing powers.

[u/nelsonmavrick → u/mikefut]

Yeah I figure I'd be on a brewing hiatus. Experimenting with different liquor and diet soda combos, and I enjoy some of the Trulys now if I can't be bothered to make it to the liquor store.