Trying to save a Bock

When i brewed my first bock i didn'rt realize that i probably needed more base than usaual because of lack of diastatic conversion and in the end result i ended up with only a 3.6 ABV beer. Is there anyway i could boost the ABV maybe by disolving a little sugar on the stove, cool, and add the sugar to fermenter and maybe stir up the yeast while mixing the sugar, Any advice on this situation.

Thanx:rockin:

 

Yes that will work, for a bock I would use turbinado.

 

That's pretty low. You could add more extract. Adding too much sugar might change the flavor, but for a bock I think the worst thing would be to thin it down too much. I just wonder how well the extract would dissolve without heating it up.

 

What do you mean more base malt than usual? What is the usual for you? A Bock, I assume you are referring to a traditional Bock needs to be a minimum OG of 1.064 to be to style. Most are way over 1.064. Now, a bock isn't going to have many grains that wouldn't convert as it's mostly a combo of either Pale, Pils, Vienna, and/ or Munich. Perhaps a touch of crystal. I think we need to see your recipe to know why your OG was low...Plus, sugar will thin your beer and you will lose the proper mouthfeel for the style as Boxks aren't thin beers. I think your better off with a session bock.

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What he ^^ said.

Drink up the beer you made, and try again. This time double your fermentables.

 

i didnt do my research on bock OG, but i usally use 9lbs for base malt not realizing bock would call for more.I was thinking of dissolving 8oz sugar in a boil, cooling and then adding to make it drinkable with a 4% abv or higher. Will this thin the beer too much? Or would 4 oz be better?

here is my recipe for a 5 gallon batch

German Munich 9lb.
Belgian Special B 8oz.
Briess Carapils 8oz.
Weyermann Carafoam 8oz.
Weyerman CaraMunich II 8oz.
Saaz Pellet Hops 1oz. (60 min)
Hallertau Pellet Hops 1oz. (30 min.)
Saaz Pellet Hops 1oz. (10 min.)
Saaz Pellet Hops 1oz. (5 min.)
White Labs WLP833 Bock

ferment at 49 degrees

Mash 4 gallons
Sparge 4.25 gallons

OG 10.5 brix 1.041

 

I use approx. 15 lbs of grain in my traditional bock (6gal) to hit 1.065 so yes, you definitely need much more grain next time. As for crystal malts, true-blue German Bocks don't use any. I do use about 8% CaraMunich in mine but the 18% in yours will detract from the malty melanoidens you're looking for in that style. The 100% Munich base you're using will work just fine but you're going to end up with Alot of caramelly sweetness which isn't the main gist of the style. I suspect you will have a pretty tasty brew there, but it won't taste anything like a commercial bock will. As for sugar, I wouldn't risk making the beer more off style. Just be happy that you're going to have a good brew and next time, beef up your base malt and peel way back on crystal malts. Hope I helped!

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Thanx for the help, next time i'll use more base and less crystal.