Scottish Ale - questions

[Supergravi]

I bought a kit to make Scottish ale. FG as-is comes in at just under 4. I would like to kick it up to 5. I am assuming that I only need to add some fermentable sugar to the mix. About how much would I need to add per 5 gallons to raise the gravity by 1? I am assuming this won't affect the taste much.

Also, any reccomendations as what to add to enhance a beer such as this?

 

[DrummerBoySeth]

I assume you are referring to ABV when you say "4" and "5" If you add a pound or 2 of malt extract (liquid or dry, does not matter) you can raise the initial gravity, and increase the alcohol. However, if you do that, you will need to increase the amount of hops proportionally to keep the beer properly balanced. If you are like me and are not a huge hop-head, you can add a pound of extract without any additional hops, and the beer will be fine. It will just be a little maltier/sweeter, and slightly less hoppy than the original recipe.

However, I recommend brewing the kit as-is for the first time. Follow the kit instructions properly, and you almost can't screw up the beer. Then, once the first batch is finished, see if you want to change anything. If you are new to brewing, then increasing the alcohol content also increases the chances of ending up with less-than-great beer. Start simple, get you process/procedure correct, then step up to custom recipes and higher-gravity brews as you get more comfortable with it.

Get some brewing software like brewsmith, or visit www.brewersfriend.com Resources like these are nearly mandatory when experimenting with recipes. Remember it is worse to make 5 gallons of bad beer than it is to make 5 gallons of really good, but low-alcohol beer!

 

[HibsMax]

I assume you are referring to ABV when you say "4" and "5" If you add a pound or 2 of malt extract (liquid or dry, does not matter) you can raise the initial gravity, and increase the alcohol. However, if you do that, you will need to increase the amount of hops proportionally to keep the beer properly balanced. If you are like me and are not a huge hop-head, you can add a pound of extract without any additional hops, and the beer will be fine. It will just be a little maltier/sweeter, and slightly less hoppy than the original recipe.

Would another viable option be to add the extra LME / DME near the end of the boil, after the hops have done their job?

 

[DrummerBoySeth]

Late extract additions will still reduce the bitterness of the finished product. If you post your recipe, I can plug it into my brewing software and tell you where you are in terms of alcohol content and bitterness. Then, depending on if you want additional bitterness to match the increased malt content, we can calculate how much more hops you need to keep the recipe balanced.

Or, conversely, we can see how much the added malt will reduce the overall bitterness. This is why I say good brewing software is so important. It helps you see exactly what the result of recipe changes will be in the finished beer without having to actually wait for the beer to be done and taste-test it...

 

[Supergravi]

3.3 Amber LME
1 Amber DME
4 oz Caramel grain
4 oz smoked grain
4 oz choc grain
1 oz roasted barley
.5 oz bittering hops
.5 oz aroma hops

 

[DrummerBoySeth]

Attached is the recipe you listed. I calculated it at 5 gallons. I also used Kent Goldings as the hops variety, since you did not list what kind of hops you planned to use. At 5 gallons, this recipe comes in at 3.37% ABV and 13 IBU.

If you wanted to get it up to about 5.5% ABV and keep the same bitterness level, the calculator says you would need to increase the liquid malt extract to 6.6 lbs (2 bags) and increase the bittering and finishing hops to .75 oz each. That would result in a beer with a VERY similar overall flavor profile, but the alcohol level you are looking for.

BTW, see how brewing software makes life easier?