Can one use beer as their only source of hydration?
December 2, 2010 1:08 PM Subscribe
Can one use beer as their only source of hydration?
Let's say I got stuck in my cellar space (which doubles as a government-mandated bomb shelter) for a few weeks, with only beer to drink (no water). I know excess alcohol is diuretic, but if I paced my drinking (say, 80ml every hour), or used some other trick, would I be able to keep hydrated for a few weeks on beer alone? (please disconsider long term health effects like liver damage, I'm thinking more about just surviving long enough to seek medical help after a few weeks)
If not, are there ways to make it hydrating without using fire or tools (like, if I left the bucket open would enough ethanol eventually (before I died of dehydration) evaporate at room temperature?)
Assume it's a generic 5% abv pale ale.
Let's say I got stuck in my cellar space (which doubles as a government-mandated bomb shelter) for a few weeks, with only beer to drink (no water). I know excess alcohol is diuretic, but if I paced my drinking (say, 80ml every hour), or used some other trick, would I be able to keep hydrated for a few weeks on beer alone? (please disconsider long term health effects like liver damage, I'm thinking more about just surviving long enough to seek medical help after a few weeks)
If not, are there ways to make it hydrating without using fire or tools (like, if I left the bucket open would enough ethanol eventually (before I died of dehydration) evaporate at room temperature?)
Assume it's a generic 5% abv pale ale.
Best answer: You'd be fine. The diuretic effects would not overwhelm the hydration you would get. Moreover, there is ample evidence that people have even used beer and brewed beverages as their primary source of hydration, either because of cultural norms or avoidance of contaminated water.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:16 PM on December 2, 2010 [5 favorites]
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:16 PM on December 2, 2010 [5 favorites]
Response by poster: Shit, how did my search not find that? Sorry for the double :(
posted by qvantamon at 1:22 PM on December 2, 2010
posted by qvantamon at 1:22 PM on December 2, 2010
Throughout history, people have done exactly that. Clean fresh water isn't to be found everywhere, and alcoholic drinks such as wine and hard cider prevent people from getting sick.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 1:22 PM on December 2, 2010
posted by Threeway Handshake at 1:22 PM on December 2, 2010
Also, it is very difficult to separate ethanol and water, because they form azeotropes.
It's difficult to get pure ethanol, because an azeotrope is formed at 96% ethanol, so you're stuck at 4% water. Pure water is straightforward to obtain, though (it's the "bottoms" in a water-ethanol distillation, where the distillate will be 96% ethanol). I don't think you'll accomplish much by leaving a bucket open to the atmosphere, though. You might be able to grow a nice fungus pad on the surface.
posted by mr_roboto at 1:24 PM on December 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
It's difficult to get pure ethanol, because an azeotrope is formed at 96% ethanol, so you're stuck at 4% water. Pure water is straightforward to obtain, though (it's the "bottoms" in a water-ethanol distillation, where the distillate will be 96% ethanol). I don't think you'll accomplish much by leaving a bucket open to the atmosphere, though. You might be able to grow a nice fungus pad on the surface.
posted by mr_roboto at 1:24 PM on December 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If this does happen, it's pretty easy to leave it uncovered for 12 hours, losing significant alcohol, if you want to be safe. If I get stuck in my basement, being buzzed will be a bonus.
posted by theora55 at 1:49 PM on December 2, 2010
posted by theora55 at 1:49 PM on December 2, 2010
Don't take this to mean that using beer as hydration would be 100% hunky dory though. It might be better than dying of cholera, but I doubt one would live a long and healthful life.
And I'm not sure if I agree with the diuretic effects being counteracted by the water content. I can't be the only one who suffers dehydration after a night of beer drinking.
posted by gjc at 3:30 PM on December 2, 2010
And I'm not sure if I agree with the diuretic effects being counteracted by the water content. I can't be the only one who suffers dehydration after a night of beer drinking.
posted by gjc at 3:30 PM on December 2, 2010
I've read that the beers and ciders drunk in lieu of water back in the Olden Times were far less alcoholic than the beers we drink today. With the possible exception of piss-water like Bud Lite, I guess. Certainly a classic IPA would be higher in alcohol content than the beers from back then.
That said, I'm pretty sure there were times in college and my early 20's when I subsisted entirely on beer and coffee. I clearly survived.
I've heard the average person can get most of their hydration needs from bathing and the moisture in food, anyway.
posted by Sara C. at 4:04 PM on December 2, 2010
That said, I'm pretty sure there were times in college and my early 20's when I subsisted entirely on beer and coffee. I clearly survived.
I've heard the average person can get most of their hydration needs from bathing and the moisture in food, anyway.
posted by Sara C. at 4:04 PM on December 2, 2010
Just as an interesting but relevant side note:
Table beer (usually around 1.5% abv) used to be consumed a lot more than it is today. Before bottled soda, water and juice became popular, table beer was served.
A few years ago in Belgium, they started serving it in schools and have removed sodas.
posted by zephyr_words at 4:32 PM on December 2, 2010
Table beer (usually around 1.5% abv) used to be consumed a lot more than it is today. Before bottled soda, water and juice became popular, table beer was served.
A few years ago in Belgium, they started serving it in schools and have removed sodas.
posted by zephyr_words at 4:32 PM on December 2, 2010
I can't be the only one who suffers dehydration after a night of beer drinking.
Don't confuse "I'm dehydrated" with "I'm hungover" or "I'm tired because I was up all night" or "I ate a bunch of salty pretzels while I was drinking" or "I drank lots of alcohol and now I have diarrhea."
Dehydration ≠ hangover. Dehydration is just one of many symptoms/causes of the "hangover" feeling.
Heck, bacon is a traditional hangover cure. Know what's in bacon? Salt.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 4:55 PM on December 2, 2010
Don't confuse "I'm dehydrated" with "I'm hungover" or "I'm tired because I was up all night" or "I ate a bunch of salty pretzels while I was drinking" or "I drank lots of alcohol and now I have diarrhea."
Dehydration ≠ hangover. Dehydration is just one of many symptoms/causes of the "hangover" feeling.
Heck, bacon is a traditional hangover cure. Know what's in bacon? Salt.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 4:55 PM on December 2, 2010
Best answer: Theora55:
Leaving a bucket of beer uncovered will not remove most of the alcohol. Experiment to perform:
Take a glass of whiskey and leave it out at night. Drink a sip in the morning and you iwll find that it is still about 40% ethanol. You can do the same thing with beer stale beer left over from a party the night before will still have the same amount of ethanol in it as from before it was poured. Otherwise whiskey would be impossible, as the ethanol would evaporate out of the barrel during the 6+ years it is aged.
qvantamon: You will be fine. Drink up just keep your consumption under a pint or two and no worries.
posted by koolkat at 3:12 AM on December 3, 2010
Leaving a bucket of beer uncovered will not remove most of the alcohol. Experiment to perform:
Take a glass of whiskey and leave it out at night. Drink a sip in the morning and you iwll find that it is still about 40% ethanol. You can do the same thing with beer stale beer left over from a party the night before will still have the same amount of ethanol in it as from before it was poured. Otherwise whiskey would be impossible, as the ethanol would evaporate out of the barrel during the 6+ years it is aged.
qvantamon: You will be fine. Drink up just keep your consumption under a pint or two and no worries.
posted by koolkat at 3:12 AM on December 3, 2010
Best answer: Take a glass of whiskey and leave it out at night. Drink a sip in the morning and you iwll find that it is still about 40% ethanol. You can do the same thing with beer stale beer left over from a party the night before will still have the same amount of ethanol in it as from before it was poured. Otherwise whiskey would be impossible, as the ethanol would evaporate out of the barrel during the 6+ years it is aged.
Under some conditions, the ethanol does evaporate out of whiskey as it ages. It's called the Angel's Share.
That said, it is a slow process, so you probably couldn't use it to remove the alcohol from your beer before drinking.
posted by Ahab at 3:26 AM on December 3, 2010
Under some conditions, the ethanol does evaporate out of whiskey as it ages. It's called the Angel's Share.
That said, it is a slow process, so you probably couldn't use it to remove the alcohol from your beer before drinking.
posted by Ahab at 3:26 AM on December 3, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Comrade_robot at 1:13 PM on December 2, 2010 [1 favorite]