I want to raise the alcohol content in a Scotch Ale

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Alehouserock

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Would I just buy the large brown sugar chunks from my brewstore?

The kit is 5.7% and I want it somewhere around 7 - 9%.

Would the downside of doing this be that my beer would be a little less complex and those caramel notes would be a bit harder to find?
 
Nope, use malt extract instead. You might want to add some more hops and steeping grains to balance it as well.

Edit: I suppose a little sugar wouldn't hurt, but I don't think you want to use as much as is needed for the alcohol to rise to 7-9%.
 
You can push the ABV one percent without a problem, but trying to go 3% will ruin the beer. You want 9%, look at barleywines.
 
david_42 said:
You can push the ABV one percent without a problem, but trying to go 3% will ruin the beer. You want 9%, look at barleywines.
Click to expand...

(I am asking this without truing to sound like a wiseass)

What about making it in to a wee-heavy?

Aren't wee-heavies around 9%?
 
Remember, while adding sugar will raise the alcohol content, it will also give the impression of a thinner-bodied beer. A bigger beer recipe would have included more extract so I think your visit to the LHBS was an appropriate move.

btw - adding brown sugar doesn't make the caramel notes harder to find... in fact, I think it's very easy to over-do it with brown sugar - that, and honey. I know they ferment out, but they leave an "impression" of sweetness.
 
Grizzlybrew said:
Remember, while adding sugar will raise the alcohol content, it will also give the impression of a thinner-bodied beer. A bigger beer recipe would have included more extract so I think your visit to the LHBS was an appropriate move.

btw - adding brown sugar doesn't make the caramel notes harder to find... in fact, I think it's very easy to over-do it with brown sugar - that, and honey. I know they ferment out, but they leave an "impression" of sweetness.
Click to expand...

I have never used brown sugar, but I can say that to my taste buds honey did not leave an impression of sweetness. I did get that sweet flavor in a dry beer from my belgian dubbel through from the D2 candi syrup.
 
semi off topic: I think the 'large brown sugar chunks' at your LHBS are dark belgian candi sugar :)
 

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