What make a beer more filling?

Factual Questions
1

Last night, I went to my usual bar to play trivia, like I do every Wednesday night. When I was asked what I would like to drink, I veered from my normal course. Figuring a lager would be more satisfying on a warm evening, I forewent my usual Guinness, and ordered a Warsteiner. I can normally consume four pints of Guinness and not feel full, but after only three pints of the Warsteiner, not only did I feel like someone inserted a bowing ball in my tummy while I wasn’t looking, but I was feeling slightly tipsy.

I understand the lager having a higher alcohol content, because the malt used contained more simple sugars for the yeast to digest while brewing, but why would a beer that is as thick as water be much more filling than a beer one can chew?

2

I believe lager beers and ciders tend to have more gas or fizz in them than other types. I imagine that this could contribute to that full feeling.

As an aside, I recollect from my student days that the most accomplished proponents at yard-of-ale speed drinking would avoid fizzy beers as these were more difficult to drink large quantities of quickly.

3

It’s the gas, man. More specifically, all that CO2. The liquid measures are the same, so the gas is all that is left.

4

In many of the commercial beers, they use force carbonation (like in making soda), so the amount of carbonation isn’t affected by the type of beer, but the type of manufacturer. Chances are it was just carbonation which gave you that full feeling.

Carbonation aside, different beers have different “weights” to them according to the malt bill (ooh–he must be a homebrewer…)–the more sugar (malted barley) that’s in the wort, the higher the alcohol content (usually), and the higher the quantity of sugar left over after all the yeast says, “No thanks, I’m full.” Also, you get more protein in the finished beer if you start with more malt (unless they filter the beer…). They can make a very heavy, sweet beer with a low alcohol content by using a less alcohol-tolerant yeast, so it stops fermenting before the sugar gets all used up. More sugar, more weight.

5

Og not make beer more filling. Og like drink lots beer, Og no like full stomach.

6

The GAS. :smack:

I usually allow my Guinness to settle before drinking it. The Warsteiner with those big, pretty bubbles didn’t need to settle.

Thanks.

7

De nada.

That is why most of the civilized world drinks Guinness as a “session” beer. :smiley:

8

Yep. Regardless of whether you let it settle or not, Guinness is nitrogenated beer, not carbonated like Warsteiner. Nitrogenated beers have much smaller (and possibly fewer–I’m not sure) bubbles than carbonated beers, and tend to be easier on the stomach. Get yourself a can of Guinness with the widget inside, and a bottle of Guiness Extra Stout (comes in the smaller bottles), to really compare the difference side-by-side on basically the same beer.