Best Beer for a Bad Cold?

[John Sand]

I've been a bit sick this week. So much so that I'm hardly eating. Worse, I haven't had a beer since Sunday! But, I've been thinking that since beer saved civilization, and has been used for food, it must be good medicine too, right? I usually use rum and coke as cough medicine. So, what beer is best treatment for a cold?

[gwcr]

I haven't found one (not for lack of trying... ). My usual cold remedy includes Crown Royal or Cedar Ridge bourbon.

[dbrowning]

For me personally? About 6 or so

[RickBeer]

This article says you need to drink 30 beers - http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/12/10/got ... ve-a-beer/

However, alcohol causes sinus congestion, so you may be stuffy and drunk.

[monsteroyd]

I got some 10% Vienna Ale (BD based recipe) I don't know if it will help the cold, but a couple of glasses and I'm asleep.

EDIT: Oh wait - just read the article linked to above. Eat some hops. Go grab some pellets and have at it. the humulone is anti-viral - according to Soporro.

Sorry for the cold. I hate them.
Monty

[mtsoxfan]

Since there are vitamins in the trub, I'm told, swirl up the bottom and drink up.... then a shot or two to wash it down...

[Sparrow]

If it were me, I'd be looking for something high in IBUs to cut through the crud in my throat and chest.

[Beer-lord]

I heard apple cider vinegar is good for colds but have never tried it.

[BlackDuck]

My go to Hot Tottie is: Into a cup of hot tea add 1/2 shot bourbon, 2 sugar packs, and a couple of drops of almond extract. In fact I had one earlier this week before I went to bed. Worked like a charm.

[Brewbirds]

I've been a bit sick this week. So much so that I'm hardly eating. Worse, I haven't had a beer since Sunday! But, I've been thinking that since beer saved civilization, and has been used for food, it must be good medicine too, right? I usually use rum and coke as cough medicine. So, what beer is best treatment for a cold?

I'd say the first thing is to ensure that what started as a cold is still just a cold and has not morphed into the flu or something else.

Here is some stuff I've read, learned or tried but, as the Queen, I'm only your mother and not your doctor or nurse:

Beer has calories but not necessarily nutrition so you'd probably get more, from a healing standpoint, with homemade broth than a homemade beer.

Alcohol dehydrates and you need to re-hydrate so you need two things, electrolytes and water.

Zinc works great to prevent colds at the first sign of onset, there is a product called Cold-Eze that is a lozenge I have used many times at the first sign of a cold and it stops it in its tracks.

Not sure if it is as effective once the cold sets in because I think it coats the throat (with zinc) so the virus can't take hold.

Any hot totty should have plenty of lemon (vitamin C) and some honey will soothe your throat but really should be used as a mild sedative to ease you gently into sleep.

You are under attack and your body is trying to fight off the enemy

Stay in bed and let the battle get fought, many navy fleets have been lost by an overly ambitious admiral.

DON"T give it to someone else in the family, like voodoo it may come back to haunt you.

Bundle up and stay warm.

Think about how good that first beer is going to taste when you are all better.

Here's hoping that you get well soon.

[RickBeer]

Geez. Next she'll be singing Soft Kitty to him.

[mtsoxfan]

And another Big Bang referance....

[Brewbirds]

Are those TV references???

I'm on antenna.

[duff]

I can't drink alcohol if I have a cold or sinus problems. I will feel better after drinking it and then within a few hours my sinuses will feel so clogged and packed. Once I get to that point everything is just way worse than it was to begin with.

The one thing I have found that does seem to help with colds is ColdEeze cough drops. I hate recommending them because they claim to be homeopathic but they seem to do something and science is now coming around to show that it is the zinc. Hopefully somebody will start making generics now that the science is coming out showing zinc to have some effect.

[BlackDuck]

Maybe one of us should brew a beer with zinc in it?