Two essential holidays are coming up that you might never have known about! These are International Beer Day which is, predictably, followed immediately by National Hangover Day. These back-to-back holidays are the ideal opportunity to enjoy a case of your favourite drink. But take a few moments to educate yourself on the potential for a beer allergy or intolerance. If you have either of those, you should be careful about what you enjoy! Curious about how popular a beer allergy is? Are you wondering if allergy and intolerance testing can help you partake safely? Read on to find out!
Can you be allergic to beer?
Compared to other food allergies, you don’t hear much about an alcohol allergy or a more specific beer allergy. Generally, it’s very uncommon to be allergic to alcohol itself. Most who report an allergy to alcohol are allergic to an active ingredient in the drink. The same goes for alcohol intolerance.
In many cases, alcohol simply exacerbates underlying health conditions that flare up. This would make most people assume that alcohol is the case when it’s something that they haven’t identified in their lifestyle.
Possible allergens in beer
Now that we have sorted that out, let’s take a closer look at what you should be looking for as potential beer allergens or alcohol allergens to make them safer for you to enjoy.
Wheat
While wheat is not present in all beer types, it is in quite a few. You must check the ingredients if you have a wheat allergy or suspect you do.
Gluten
Gluten intolerance is a very common intolerance in the UK. If you are intolerant to gluten, you may have a small reaction to certain types of beer. Many people are gluten intolerant and don’t know it. If you aren’t sure what you are reacting to, allergy and intolerance testing is a great way to help you know what to avoid!
Rye
Most people associate rye with whiskey, but many small breweries in modern times are adding rye to their beer. If you are allergic or intolerant to rye, you should be aware of what you are drinking!
If you notice one common ingredient in beer and alcohol that is missing so far, here it comes: yeast. Is a yeast allergy going to mean you can not have beer or alcohol at all? It’s possible to react to alcohol if you are allergic to yeast, but it is very uncommon due to yeast being at low levels in your actual portion of beer.
Can you be intolerant to beer?
We talked a bit above about the possibility of a beer intolerance through some of the active ingredients. However, there is more to the story, specifically when discussing intolerance! In many cases, those who find they are beer or alcohol intolerant are reacting specifically to chemicals. Many beer and alcohol varieties use chemicals to flavour and colour their drinks, and those additives could be what you are reacting to.
How do I know the difference between a beer allergy and an intolerance?
It’s sometimes challenging to know whether you are dealing with an allergy or an intolerance. This is why allergy and intolerance testing is so helpful. This blended test will use your sample to tell you what you are allergic and intolerant to. It will also separate those results so you can easily differentiate allergies and intolerances.
More generally, you can expect that allergic reactions will happen faster than intolerances. You also may notice allergic reactions involving itchy or runny eyes and more severe symptoms than intolerances. However, the only way to know for sure is to consider allergy testing or intolerance testing.
How to enjoy beer with an allergy
If you have a beer allergy or an alcohol intolerance, how are you supposed to enjoy International Beer Day and, most likely, National Hangover Day? It’s all about understanding what you are dealing with for your allergy. The more ingredients you are allergic and intolerant to, the more likely you will react.
Get familiar with your favourite brands and breweries, and take the time to understand what may possibly set you off with a reaction. If you have a yeast allergy, you may need to avoid beer, wine, and other yeast-rich products.
There is so much to know about beer and alcohol when it comes to your choices the next time you go out for dinner. If you want to enjoy International Beer Day and National Hangover Day, have a look at our allergy and intolerance tests to find out how you can celebrate the occasion safely!
