Strength of Typical Homebrew

Say I make a typical part grain ale recipe with 6 lbs. of extract. How would the alcohol content compare with, say, your average MGD or Bud?

Seems like I can drink a couple of American pilsners without feeling anything, but two homebrews?

Depending on your state, most commercial brews are around 3.5% ABV. Your typical homebrew is around 5% ABV.

I sent some off to a couple buds in WI a few months ago and they all said the same thing. Two homebrews and they were halfway to Tuesday.

Most Ice Beers you can buy on the market seem to be the strongest-5-6% range. I think Colt 45 is a tick higher then that. Bust the rest are from 3-4%. You can very a home brew several ways. But most of mine are 7-9%.

ORRELSE said:

I sent some off to a couple buds in WI a few months ago and they all said the same thing. Two homebrews and they were halfway to Tuesday.

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Apparently some of my cheesehead neighbors here can't hold their beer very well!

mmditter said:

Apparently some of my cheesehead neighbors here can't hold their beer very well!

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I respect them for at least trying it. They can't be perfect, the BMC drinking fools....

Really though--I think they were just surprised. You don't expect it if you've never had homebrew before...

most commercial brews are around 3.5% ABV

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Of course, in the PNW 14% of the commercial brews average 6% ABV. Don't know about the canoe brews, I use them for brining sausages.

When I am brewing I dont waste my time on anlything less then 6% . . . thank god for honey

Come to Canada. Standard here is 5% and some of the Frenchies make belgian styles that go up to and over 11%!
Why is american beer like making love in a canoe?

It's f*cking close to water!

Long live homebrew.

I guess most of the mainstream commercial beers are around 3.5%, but I don't think most of us drink those beers. I buy commercial stuff to explore a style, and what I buy fits the alcohol profile of that style. Stouts/porters are usually 5% or less. IPA's are usually 6.5% or more.

My homebrews work out the same way. Yeah, I could alter the makeup of fermentables (add honey, candi sugar, corn sugar, etc), but then I have left the bounds of the style I'm shooting for (in most cases).

As if homebrew didn't have enough alcohol in it, I usually take the recipe I'm brewing, and add an extra pound or two of pale malt to it. I usually calculate my beer's alcohol content at 6-8% Stuff like the spiced strong english ale seem to put mere commercial beer drinking mortals on their ass.

I go for ~5.5% on average I'd say. It's fun to brew something in the 6-8% range from time to time, but generally speaking I appreciate a beer I can enjoy 2-3 of and continue functioning.

mine have been in the 6-8%ABV range, though my stout calculated out to be around 9.5%!!

Generally, I think that 6% is more than enough. I have not been making my brews with alcohol in mind, but rather with taste. if they are anywhere between 4-7%, I am happy- my stout scares me though. I am trying one tonight after ~1 month in bottles.

Like others have said, though, if you think you are going to be low, then add some light DME.

anthrobe said:

...most commercial brews are around 3.5% ABV...

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No offense intended, but where did you get this from? Most of the major beers are 5% for the regular versions, about 4% for the light ones. Look here.

in the great state of Oklahoma, law states that beer purchased anywhere but a liquor store cannot be more than 3.2%. After being away from home for so long, everytime i go back i feel like a beer drinking god, pounding back one after another.

vtfan99 said:

No offense intended, but where did you get this from? Most of the major beers are 5% for the regular versions, about 4% for the light ones. Look here.

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I remember that it was something we researched back when I was in college. I was living in Idaho at the time and we found that most commercial beers ie.bud light, coor, budwieser, were at or very close to that percentage. We could have been wrong

Someone asked me one time what the alcohol content of my homebrew was. I asked him if he liked it enough for another beer. He agreed, then I told him if it tastes good, then does the alcohol content matter? He called that batch Zen Brew.

A-B advertises that most of their beers are 5% unless a lower limit is state mandated. Generally I would say 4.5 to 5.5% for the majority of standard brews. Busch is at the low end at 4.5% and the various ICE beers run about 5.5% I am finding many microbrews in the 6 - 7% range.

vtfan99 said:

No offense intended, but where did you get this from? Most of the major beers are 5% for the regular versions, about 4% for the light ones. Look here.

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Somehow, I find those numbers hard to believe. I was at my brother-in-law's place on Sunday for the NFC championship game and I took down three Pissweisers in an hour and a half and didn't feel anything. Might as well have been drinking tea.

I can nurse one glass of my 8% porter through dinner and the warm-happy feeling starts within 15 minutes and lasts for well over an hour afterwards.

DrewsBrews, what you are seeing is an extension on 3.2 beer. At that ABV a case might have no more effect than frequent toilet runs. Seems a higher alcohol content is metabolized faster. Not to mention that mindset also has a role. If you believe a drink weak, probably less effect.

My priorities are taste, taste, and taste. I love the taste of beer and if I want a buzz, I will just have another.
However, if your purpose is to get hammered . . . . . .

I guess if it tastes good, AND it's strong, the strong part is just a bonus. I have found that normally 2 12oz. bottles of homebrew is plenty (except during my last brewing day which was a 4 bottle project).

American "canoe" beer? I can drink it for hours and never feel drunk.

Genghis77 said:

DrewsBrews, what you are seeing is an extension on 3.2 beer. At that ABV a case might have no more effect than frequent toilet runs. Seems a higher alcohol content is metabolized faster. Not to mention that mindset also has a role. If you believe a drink weak, probably less effect.

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I was speaking primarily to the comments that A-B claims their fire-brewed weasel snot is 5% ABV. Unless there is some exponential curve related to how the body metabolizes alcohol, I ain't buyin' that claim. As someone mentioned earlier, we have plenty of local micro-brews in the NW. Lots of their beers are around 5-6% ABV and I can tell that I've had one when the bottle is empty. The only reason I know I've been drinking Buttwiper is that I have to pee.

Prowler 13 said:

My priorities are taste, taste, and taste. I love the taste of beer and if I want a buzz, I will just have another.
However, if your purpose is to get hammered . . . . . .

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That's just it, I totally agree with you. I'm not a heavy drinker by anyone's standards. The fact that one glass of higher strength brew is enough for me should be evidence enough. The number one reason I started this hobby is because I could make the types of beer I like the flavor of. Most commercial beers (microbrews excluded) taste like crap. Factor in that they have very little noticeable alcohol "kick" and I really just don't see the point in purchasing them.

I really don't see a difference between O'Doul's and Budweiser. Both are so low on alcohol there is no effect. But at 6% ABV I start to notice. Seems incredible that one bottle at 6% has a bigger effect than a six pack of 5% But that is definitely my result. And something in the 8-9% range really kicks butt. With hard liquor, I notice differences depending on what it is, all things equal in proof. I can agree that it would be more believable if they advertised ABV was 0.5%

As to microbrews, they range from great to "how do they sell this stuff." I have discovered really outstanding IPA's. Got to admit that I compare my home brews to micros. So far mine are better than the bad ones but fall short of some really great ones.

Prowler 13 said:

My priorities are taste, taste, and taste. I love the taste of beer and if I want a buzz, I will just have another.
However, if your purpose is to get hammered . . . . . .

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I tend to prefer to brew beer with a ABV of between 5 & 6% - You know you've had a few when you've had a few!
I find commercial brews over 7.5% are a bit hit & miss - the flavours often overpowered by harsh unmellowed alcohol.

If you want double the taste of megaswill, then you'll need double the malt, and you'll get double the %- and double the body, and double the calories!

I'll drink to that!

I like the taste of beer (well ... good beer .... I am rather paticular with it actually). The alcohol content is usually the last thing I look for. I mean, if I want to be s**tfaced... Southern Comfort does a real nice job at it.

Michael_Schaap said:

I mean, if I want to be s**tfaced... Southern Comfort does a real nice job at it.

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yes, it does doesn't it?

You know, when I drink those 4-5% commercial beers, I pee on average about one time for every beer and a half once I "break the seal". Yes, I have a weak bladder, but that's not the point. The point is I feel like I must be pissing out some alcohol. I feel this way because I couldn't pick up a slight buzz after drinking a six pack of bud...and I live at 7,000 feet.

On the other hand, give me a couple quality beers (homebrews, sierra nevadas, fat tires, etc) and I'll pee once every three...and I get a nice buzz around beer #3.:cross:

I kind of don't care what the commercial beers taste like because I don't drink them. Haven't for many, many years. Sure, I'll try local brews even though they are highly overpriced. Then again, it's good to cleanse your palate and try something new. (It's all about knowledge and "growth").

This is one of the best things I like about homebrewing. Once you find a beer, or a couple, that you like and brew your own, the quest is to try to duplicate it or find a good clone recipe.

For then on, it's all about the beer you like!

On the other hand, the mad scientist comes out of hiding and will try to make a MONSTER brew (just because I can mentality). That's fine. Nothing wrong with that.

Me, I just try to perfect the last perfect batch!

Keep brewing!

PS I don't like peeing all that much either!

BeerRenter said:

You know, when I drink those 4-5% commercial beers, I pee on average about one time for every beer and a half once I "break the seal". Yes, I have a weak bladder, but that's not the point. The point is I feel like I must be pissing out some alcohol. I feel this way because I couldn't pick up a slight buzz after drinking a six pack of bud...and I live at 7,000 feet.

On the other hand, give me a couple quality beers (homebrews, sierra nevadas, fat tires, etc) and I'll pee once every three...and I get a nice buzz around beer #3.:cross:

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As odd as it seems to discuss this, I have the same "problem". Drinking lots of cheep beer has the same effect as drinking lots of water - frequent pit stops.