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Old 08-23-2012, 06:18 PM   #1
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Default Pump up the ABV!

Methods for increasing your final ABV content in the mash? I am an AG brewer, and the best brewers can control the process to a "T". So what if I wanted to increase my alcohol percentage in a recipe? More grain per qt of water for a thicker, sugar rich mash? Use extracts accompanied with the grain??? Do tell..


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Old 08-23-2012, 06:23 PM   #2
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Really only 3 options:
  • Add more fermentable sugar (e.g., more grain, mash longer, mash lower, add sugar, add extract, boil-off longer)
  • Use yeast that eats more sugar (e.g. belgian yeast, wine yeast, other bugs)
  • Add alcohol (e.g. bourbon)

So, for your question on how to increase ABV in the mash, add more grain, use a thinner mash, mash longer, and/or mash lower (actually there was an experiment showing 153 mash gets highest attenuation).


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Old 08-23-2012, 06:26 PM   #3
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mash at a lower temp
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Old 08-24-2012, 12:07 AM   #4
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I'm really loving all of the great advice on this forum THANK YOU EVERYBODY!
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Old 08-24-2012, 01:34 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TyTanium View Post
Really only 3 options:
  • Add more fermentable sugar (e.g., more grain, mash longer, mash lower, add sugar, add extract, boil-off longer)
  • Use yeast that eats more sugar (e.g. belgian yeast, wine yeast, other bugs)
  • Add alcohol (e.g. bourbon)

So, for your question on how to increase ABV in the mash, add more grain, use a thinner mash, mash longer, and/or mash lower (actually there was an experiment showing 153 mash gets highest attenuation).
? link for experiment?

i've mashed all over (from 148 to 158) and the best attenuation i ever got was on a 1.088 black IPA, mashed at 148, got down to like 1.008 or something.
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"srsly, not intended to threadjack (big hairy)"
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Old 08-24-2012, 01:46 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by motobrewer View Post
? link for experiment?
It was a Denny post, so it has to be true Something in an NHC presentation.

Edit: This post --> http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/mash-temperature-experiment-348404/#post4342012
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Old 08-24-2012, 02:19 AM   #7
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I add corn sugar or DME to the boil.
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Old 08-24-2012, 03:09 AM   #8
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I just up the grainbill proportionally (and bump up the hops as well). For example with 10.5lb I might get around 1.052 OG and end up around 5.25%, but a 12.5 can yield around 1.064 and 6.83%. Wanna go higher - just up it more!


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