Increasing alcohol content in midwest Blonde ale. Please help!

[wishmaster84]

Ok. So I purchased a Blonde ale recipe from Midwest Supplies. (I am new to brewing and should have gone with their Belgian Trippel.)

I called to see if I could get an exchange and the answer was no as beer kits are a perishable item. (Understandable) but the reason I wanted to go with the Belgian Trippel is because it has a higher gravity and a higher ABV.

I asked the guy what I needed to do to increase alcohol percentage and he said I could add 1-2 extra pounds of Malt Extract or 1-2 extra pounds of belgian candy to increase ABV.

The SG for this recipe is 1.043-1.047 and the FG is 1.010-1.012
Of course more fermentable sugar=higher ABV but I have a few questions:

1: Should I use Belgian Candy or Malt extract? I understand Belgian candy gives a drier beer? I also understand more Malt extract will make the beer taste better.

2. For this recipe how much of the Belgian Candy/ Malt Extract should I use? I read there should be no more than 10-20% Fermentable sugar used?

3.Why?

By my calculations with a SG of 1.043-1.047 and a FG of 1.010-4.012 the beer should be between 4-4.5% ABV. The guy at Midwest said if I add either 1-2LB. Malt Extract or Belgian Candy I should get around a 6 1/2-7% alcohol content.

Here is a link to the kit I purchased at Midwest Supplies:

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/blonde-ale.html

Any advice will be more than appreciated!!

 

[frazier]

My advice: you have a lonng long brewing career ahead of you. Just make this kit, it's not the high-gravity alcohol delivery system you wanted, but it will get you familiar with processes. Your second beer can be the trippel if you want. But you need to know how to brew first.

No worries!

 

[wishmaster84]

I appreciate the good advice. I have brewed one beer already (True brew IPA) and it was delicious (Just not high enough in Alcohol %) I love beer but I also enjoy a strong beer.

I want the tastiness along with the buzz!!!

 

[frazier]

In that case, if it were mine I would add DME. Each pound will add - hmmm, math in my head ... about .008 to the gravity, so maybe 0.8% to the ABV. Figure how much you want to add, and take it from there. May want to bump the hops a tiny bit too.

 

[copyright1997]

Too much sugar -> cidery flavor.

I'd use DME or LME (extract) since you haven't yet made it. Actually, I would do the kit as is given it is your first batch. Don't worry, at 4.5 or 5%, it will be nice. Then, buy yourself another kit with a somewhat higher ABV if you want.

[Editorial: It is puzzling to me why so many people want to get fancy with their first batch, wanting to make a super high ABV or a hop-bomb or 15-fruits beer. Like baking, I think it is important to understand the basics first. Make some session beers, or an IPA, or whatever to get the process down and get some drinkable, decent tasting brews!]


If you insist on adding stuff for your first batch. 2# of DME will add 18 points of SG (according to BeerSmith). So that takes you from 1.043 to 1.061, which will give you an ABV around 6%+ assuming your FG rises to 1.016 or so. But, you probably want to up the hops bill somewhat to adjust to the higher grain bill, especially as the kit only seems to have 1 ounce of Williamette (somewhere around 10 IBU's with a 60 minute boil).

 

[bottlebomber]

How about if you make the beer kit that was designed by a professional brewer, and then annihilate yourself with some of this crap. Then when someone comes over that doesn't want to drink Nail Polish Blonde you'll have something for them.

 

[wishmaster84]

Im not trying to make vodka. LOL

The reason I ask these questions is that my favorite beer is peactree blonde ale made here in Knoxville, IA (8.5%) I am new to the hobby and am simply trying to understand the physics behind it and to make a beer a little stronger. (Not 40% alcohol)

Anyone have suggestions in regards to Belgian Candy? It was what was included in the Belgian Trippel and am curious. Thanks guys!

 

[bottlebomber]

Light Belgian candy isn't worth the money IMO. Not even the Belgian breweries use it for the most part. It will supply 40 gravity points per pound per gallon. Boiled came sugar will do the same. If you are going to increase the gravity of your beer you must also increase the bitterness some, as you will doubtless have a higher FG than you would have otherwise

 

[wishmaster84]

Great point in regard to the bitterness. Any advice as to how much (Extra bittering hops to use?) Any specific kind? Should I just double the same type of hops that comes with the kit?

 

[bottlebomber]

Depends on how you're planning on getting this extra alcohol. If its from sugar, there will not be a higher FG in fact it very well may be lower and extra hops won't be needed. If you're using malty for a 6-7% abv beer I would go at least 40 ibu. There are a lot of calculators available to help you figure out how much of a particular AA hop to use

 

[tektonjp]

Baby steps. Take small steps. I don't take 2x4s and try to make them into a dining room table. That is, a blonde ale has a certain range of alcohol which balances with the hops and the malt. You are starting to ask the right questions. But I suggest, like the others, to brew it as you get it. Study some more. Way down the road you'll thank us for suggesting you brew it to the recipe. In the beginning, process is important. When you get to understand the process, then you'll more easily understand why some one said to increase the hops when you add more fermentables. Each batch I brewed I went back to the books to understand more and more of each step of the process, and that understanding took me into crafting my own recipes. Keep banging away!

 

[DannyD]

I would say look up a extract triple you like and compare it with what you have, and fill in the gaps, spit-balling may not produce what you want?

 

[Jayhem]

Should have went with the Brewers Best Blonde Ale kit as the one I did according to recipe came out at 7.75% ABV! I haven't tried it yet because it is going to be a long conditioning process to get rid of the cidery flavors. Honestly I think anything over 7% ABV doesn't taste like beer unless it's highly hopped.

 

[wishmaster84]

I used Hopville's BeerCalculus free recipe software to give me a better idea of what I was going for to increase this Blonde ale's alcohol %

Could anyone take a look at it and let me know what you think?

Any suggestions/comments? Will my beer turn out any good?

Thanks guys!

http://beercalculus.hopville.com/recipe

 

[BrewerBear]

Are you just wanting something to get you drunk fast or are you want a good tasting beer? if you are just wanting some hooch add something that will ferment and do not give it another thought.Midwest has good kits and dang good customer service. I have purchased quite a bit from them and have not been let down.

 

[bottlebomber]

Are you just wanting something to get you drunk fast or are you want a good tasting beer?

I think that's been established

 

[akervin]

I thought I would throw my 2 cents in as to what to use to increase gravity.

Might I suggest DME or LME for one reason that has not been stated in any of the above posts.

"YEAST NUTRITION"

When you increase your OG in a kit that is designed for this yeast at this gravity you need to take into consideration nutrition for the yeast. Simply adding sugar/fermentables does not mean that your going to get a higher ABV.

If the yeast don't have the nutrition that it needs to continue to multiple and process the sugar you added your efforts will be all for not. If you add 2# of candy you will need to consider adding yeast nutrition. This is why LME/DME is your best bet. These products already have optimal nutrition for yeast to thrive in them.

As already stated you may need to pitch more yeast as well.

 

[bottlebomber]

Not to quibble, but if you add simple sugars there is no need to add yeast nutrient. These are very easy to ferment, and the yeast will use dead yeast cells along with the nutrition that was in the original malt and it will ferment those simple sugars up until it has reached its alcohol tolerance threshold.

 

[akervin]

Not to quibble, but if you add simple sugars there is no need to add yeast nutrient. These are very easy to ferment, and the yeast will use dead yeast cells along with the nutrition that was in the original malt and it will ferment those simple sugars up until it has reached its alcohol tolerance threshold.

Agreed kind sir, but the use of dead yeast cells is not the most suitable nutrition for yeast, unless they a dahmeryeast . This can cause some off favors in the end product.

I guess my original point is that the current malt amount may not provide enough nutrition for the entire process if adding that much simple sugar and using LME/DME would eliminate any concerns.

It may be a little more complicated then the OP seams to want to get into though, IMO.

 

[chickypad]

OP: I couldn't follow the link to your revised recipe in post #14 but I think the biggest problem is that your kit is for a witbier (don't know why they call it a blonde). Converting the recipe for a typical Belgian blonde to a tripel is not that hard and can often be done by just upping the base malt, adding simple sugars to up the ABV and dry it out, and upping the hops. They are essentially a spectrum of the same style. A witbier is a completely different style, though, and I agree with others that you are probably better off brewing this kit as is.

FYI for the future, there is no problem adding 1-2 lbs of simple sugars in these big beers if you pitch the correct size starter. I make a lot of recipies for big IPA's and big Belgians that call for this. I agree with others that it's not a great idea to just tack it on to any recipe - you need to be using it appropriately for the style.

 

[wishmaster84]

Thanks for all the great information! You all have been very helpfull and I am learning more and more ever day.

my final question: I purchased 2 of these kits. Would there be anything wrong with just combining them to get a higher abv? It would obviously double the kit meaning more malt, so more nutrients, yeast etc.

Any suggestions would be awesome!!

 

[weirdboy]

You will definitely get a higher ABV if you just use two kits. If you are doing a partial boil, it probably won't be very "blonde" though, because you will have a lot of malt in a small pot and get some kettle carmelization and coloring.

 

[chickypad]

my final question: I purchased 2 of these kits. Would there be anything wrong with just combining them to get a higher abv?

I wouldn't do this. As I mentioned the kit is for a witbeer, which is a light beer brewed with wheat ("white beer"). It should have some spiciness, sometimes tartness, often with coriander and orange, but should only be in the 4.5-5.5% AB range. It's your beer but I think you're asking for trouble going that far off the recipe.

 

[weirdboy]

I wouldn't do this. As I mentioned the kit is for a witbeer, which is a light beer brewed with wheat ("white beer"). It should have some spiciness, sometimes tartness, often with coriander and orange, but should only be in the 4.5-5.5% AB range. It's your beer but I think you're asking for trouble going that far off the recipe.

He doesn't want a witbier, so it's a moot point.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

I used to thing " Style Schmyle, I'm not a beer snob!!" Now I understand that brewing within the established styles is a way of learning from the hundreds of years history what tastes good and what does not. You are looking for a beer that balances malt sweetness with hops biterness. Adding one without the other will likely produce something you do not care for. I can combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder in random quantities, put it in the oven for a random time, but I am unlikely to end up with cake. Once you understand the style guidelines you can experiment, and even go outside them.

 

[chickypad]

He doesn't want a witbier, so it's a moot point.

agreed!
I was just trying to point out that he's not even clear on the kind of kit he's starting with, so then making big modifications with no prior recipe making experience seems like a disaster.
I think will sums it up nicely. We're not trying to discourage you from experimenting, this hobby is great for that. Just trying to make sure you don't come up with something you don't want to drink.

 

[wishmaster84]

Thanks guys! I will more than likely stick with the recipe. Ahs sells a 1%alcohol booster and I have heard it works good. Would you also discourage me from using that? If you think I could pull it off using that and still get a good beer any additional recommendations?

 

[weirdboy]

If you really want a good-tasting higher ABV beer, buying a good kit designed for a higher ABV beer would be the best thing.

They will likely be more expensive than a witbier kit, of course, because they have more stuff in them.