title_body: What is the best alcoholic drink for gout patients?
upvoted_answer: The answer to this question is going to differ from person to person, since gout sufferers react differently to both diet and alcohol. For some individuals alcohol increases pain in gout sufferers, while in others it decreases their pain. One has to know how to micro-manage their personal diets and alcohol consumption.
  
  
    For those who want to micro-manage their gout diet, you should know that there is never a single best alcoholic beverage. You know that your overall diet needs change at different times in your gout treatment plan. This applies equally to alcohol.  
    
    You should know that the affects of alcohol are different for every gout sufferer. For that reason, I urge you to get a personal gout management plan from your doctor. - What Is The Best Alcoholic Beverage To Drink With Gout?
  
  
  Gout attacks rise with when your diet is high in purines. Purines are found in high-protein foods, and they are also found in some drinks.
  
  
    “Beer contains a large amount of purines and has a strong association with gout attacks. One study estimated that patients who consumed a 12-ounce serving of beer daily were 1.5 times more likely to have gout compared to those without alcohol consumption,” says Dr. Sloane. Beer is especially bad for you if you tend to get gout symptoms because it is high in alcohol and brewer’s yeast, both of which may trigger gout pain.” - Gout and Alcohol
  
  
  It seems that wine, whiskey or scotch may be a reasonable substitute for beer if drank in moderation or small amounts.
  
  
    “In a study published in The Lancet medical journal this spring, researchers followed over 47,000 male medical professionals with no history of gout for up to 12 years. By the end of the study, close to 2 percent of the men had experienced attacks of gout. Men who drank the most alcohol daily had twice the risk of developing the disorder as men who did not drink. Beer drinkers increased their risk by 50% for every daily serving, while those who drank hard liquor increased their risk by 15% for each drink. Men who drank wine did not appear to increase their risk for gout, although few men had more than two glasses of wine daily so these results are less conclusive. - Gout and Alcohol
  
  
  The Lancet Journal "interprets" their findings as such:
  
  
    Interpretation
    
    Alcohol intake is strongly associated with an increased risk of gout. This risk varies substantially according to type of alcoholic beverage: beer confers a larger risk than spirits, whereas moderate wine drinking does not increase the risk.
  
  
  Even though this study is in favor of drinking wine for gout sufferers, all alcohol consumption must be done in moderation and prudence as individuals react differently to alcohol and different types of alcohol.