[CDGoin]

OK.. here is the simple and short of it.. Yet another noob question.

If I have a 5 gal recipe, but make only 4.3 gallons from it.. logic dictates I have more sugar per gallon.

More sugar per gallon would lead me to believe I should have a higher ABV..? Correct..?

Recipe says 5-5.5% can I expect a proportional change ? Say up to the 6.0% range..

That said, when I go to the secondary.. (Due to excess proteins and sugars from boiling the grains too long.. long story) could I spike it with a little more sugar and/or yeast to both hopefully clarify the batch and get more ABV.

I should mention had a few stouts with close to 8%-9% ABV and there was something about them that was great. Wondering if maybe I could move my stout closer to that range OR is this somethign I have to do with the reciepe at the boil.

What about just adding an alcohol like Everclear or Soju to the batch prior the bottling..?

[AmandaK]

Here's the math:

Gravity of batch is (let's say) 1.050. Volume of batch is 5 gallons. Total sugar is 50*5=250 gravity points. That same sugar content in a different volume is simply the gravity points divided by the new volume. In your case, 250/4.3 -- this gives an OG of 1.058, a bit higher than the 1.050.

Your alcohol will be the difference in your OG-FG * 131.

I would not add actual alcohol to the batch at all.

[CDGoin]

What about adding dilution of say a cup of sugar and water to secondary..? Will that boost it ?

[pelipen]

Originally Posted by CDGoin

What about adding dilution of say a cup of sugar and water to secondary..? Will that boost it ?

Yes, but do you have a hydrometer?

1 cup is about 1/2 lb.
Sugar is about 46 ppg
23 points in 4.3 gallons is a 5 point increase.

So, if your og was 1.050, it would effectively be 1.055 after adding a cup of sugar. But depending on the type of sugar, it could be different. You can plug that into the equation above and find a 5 point increase is about 0.65% abv. IMO not worth it. Adding simple sugars can impact the taste, for better or worse. I find I don't like it in any beer I've done it with, and now avoid it.

[CDGoin]

Hmm.. thanks will work that out.. Thanks for the math.. and I do have a hydrometer

Was thinking of maybe using honey or molasses for taste reasons.

Also part of this is that its my first batch and had some "Issues" with my wort.. that May or maynot show up after fermentation. Just throwing ideas around until I see what I got to deal within a few days.

[mmead]

I always soup up my kits by tossing into the boil an extra pound of DME, 2 pounds dark brown sugar and a cup of molassas.

[pelipen]

Originally Posted by CDGoin

Was thinking of maybe using honey or molasses for taste reasons.

if you use honey, use something with decent strong flavor, and add directly. I never pasteurized it, and never had a problem. Very little honey flavor survives. I used a full pound several times, very subtle.

A little molasses goes a long way. Plenty of comments on that around the forum.

[CDGoin]

Just did a straight up Octoberfest Kit, but added 2 lbs of honey to the boil. Bumped recipe OG from 1.52 to 1.62.. The calculators say if FG is same then I should be up 1.5% in the 7% ABv range. Does that sound right..? Especially if I give it time and lager like I am supposed to.. or should I bump temps and treat like a Ale.. what if don't lager but keep in the 50s through out the fermentation..?

[pelipen]

Originally Posted by CDGoin

Just did a straight up Octoberfest Kit, but added 2 lbs of honey to the boil. Bumped recipe OG from 1.52 to 1.62.. The calculators say if FG is same then I should be up 1.5% in the 7% ABv range. Does that sound right..? Especially if I give it time and lager like I am supposed to.. or should I bump temps and treat like a Ale.. what if don't lager but keep in the 50s through out the fermentation..?

My calculator says more like 1.3%, but yeah, that ballpark. If you used lager yeast, I definitely wouldn't raise it to ale temps. Maybe if it's finished, but still fermenting could produce some crazy flavors. You could keep it in the 50's. The lower temps for extended aging are more for clarification I believe. Just remember lagers take much longer than ales to finish up, so keep an eye on those temps.

[CDGoin]

It had a lager style yeast, the kit said you could do it both ways (So maybe there is a yeast that can work both ways..?) This is the kit I used

Could I have kept it at the 1.075 range at 5 gallons and been OK. I was concerned the OG was too high.