1% Alcohol Boost.....

[mikeyc]

Brewing my AHS Stone IPA clone tonight, my first partial mash. I got the 1% alcohol boost, and I have a question about when to add it to the boil? Does it need to be added at the begining, or end, or does it matter?

 

[BeerAg]

I have never used it.

If it is an alcohol based product, and you put it in at the beginning, 100% of it will evaporate.

If it is a sugar boost of some sort, I would probably put it in at the beginning.

When I want higher alcohol, I usually just add more DME, or for belgians, some invertase sugar.

 

[EdWort]

It's basically dextrose (Corn Sugar), so you can toss it in the last 15 minutes of the boil.

 

[the_bird]

It's basically dextrose (Corn Sugar), so you can toss it in the last 15 minutes of the boil.

Well, Forrest says that it's more than just corn sugar - but the advice is the same. Add it to the boil, add it late so it doesn't curb your hops utilization (higher gravity worts extract fewer IBUs).

 

[Ryanh1801]

No. It is not simply corn sugar. Who told you that? Just curious.

It is a different type of corn sugar with a very high maltose and glucose content. You will not acheive the same results just using corn sugar.

From Forest.

 

[malkore]

why wouldn't it be just corn sugar? corn sugar is 100% fermentable already...

 

[the_bird]

why wouldn't it be just corn sugar? corn sugar is 100% fermentable already...

If it was just regular corn sugar, it would make the beer dryer than it would be otherwise (since it IS do fermentable). I'll take Forrest at his word that it is something more than just plain corn sugar.

 

[mattreba]

It wouldn't make it dryer than the original recipe but dryer than a boosted recipe using corn sugar + maltose (because you are adding more non-fermentables with the maltose). Adding only corn sugar would just make it a bit thinner than the original. A small amount of boost wouldn't be perceptable but an extra percentage point would be 15-17% of the toal fermentables which I think would be perceived.

 

[smoke76]

Who the hell is Forrest?!?!?!?!?!?!?

 

[the_bird]

Him...

Nah, he's the guy who owns Austin Homebrew Supplies (www.austinhomebrew.com), who posts here fairly regularly.

 

[Dude]

So did he ever say exactly what it is?

 

[Ryanh1801]

So did he ever say exactly what it is?

Our Alcohol Boost is not DME, LME or corn sugar. It is a blend of 55% Maltose and 45% Glucose. Corn sugar is Dextrose.

Many breweries use this sugar as an economic way to boost alcohol content without effecting flavor.

This blended sugar is more expensive than simple corn sugar, that is why there is a price difference.

He has said it in about 50% of his post.

 

[Dude]

Our Alcohol Boost is not DME, LME or corn sugar. It is a blend of 55% Maltose and 45% Glucose. Corn sugar is Dextrose.

Many breweries use this sugar as an economic way to boost alcohol content without effecting flavor.

This blended sugar is more expensive than simple corn sugar, that is why there is a price difference.

He has said it in about 50% of his post.

Do you work there or something?

 

[brewt00l]

search-anagins

Our Alcohol Boost is not DME, LME or corn sugar. It is a blend of 55% Maltose and 45% Glucose. Corn sugar is Dextrose.

Many breweries use this sugar as an economic way to boost alcohol content without effecting flavor.

This blended sugar is more expensive than simple corn sugar, that is why there is a price difference.

Forrest
Austin Homebrew Supply

http://homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=18059&highlight=boost

 

[Ryanh1801]

Do you work there or something?

nope, Just seen the topic get brought up way too much. Just copied and pasted from his post on it.

 

[mew]

Glucose is dextrose, which is corn sugar. DME is mostly maltose. So it's 45% corn sugar and 55% DME.

 

[Dude]

Glucose is dextrose, which is corn sugar. DME is mostly maltose. So it's 45% corn sugar and 55% DME.

Okay, so I'm not understanding the point then. Why not add all DME instead of essentially diluting the malt product with more corn sugar? This also adds potential cidery off flavor to the finished product.

I just don't get the point. Add more DME and call it good.

Is it a cost thing? And in that case, if you are that worried about cost, go buy BMC and be happy.

Just not understanding the reasoning here.

 

[cheezydemon]

I agree, it sounds like a gimmick (sorry Forrest).

 

[the_bird]

Okay, so I'm not understanding the point then. Why not add all DME instead of essentially diluting the malt product with more corn sugar? This also adds potential cidery off flavor to the finished product.

I just don't get the point. Add more DME and call it good.

Is it a cost thing? And in that case, if you are that worried about cost, go buy BMC and be happy.

Just not understanding the reasoning here.

I'd argue that if you want a bigger beer, design a bigger beer, don't jack up something that's designed to be smaller. If you want something that'll kick your ass, buy an Imperial IPA kit instead of a regular IPA kit, that way you know that the hops and all that will be in balance.

 

[Orfy]

I'd argue that if you want a bigger beer, design a bigger beer, don't jack up something that's designed to be smaller. If you want something that'll kick your ass, buy an Imperial IPA kit instead of a regular IPA kit, that way you know that the hops and all that will be in balance.

I agree with that.

 

[Austinhomebrew]

Who the hell is Forrest?!?!?!?!?!?!?

I am Forrest. Nice to meet you.

 

[Austinhomebrew]

Glucose is dextrose, which is corn sugar. DME is mostly maltose. So it's 45% corn sugar and 55% DME.

No. It isn't.

It is a corn sugar that has been refined into maltose and glucose. Very high maltose content so it takes less amount than corn sugar to reach 1%. If you use too much regular corn sugar the beer will have an off taste.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

I'd argue that if you want a bigger beer, design a bigger beer, don't jack up something that's designed to be smaller. If you want something that'll kick your ass, buy an Imperial IPA kit instead of a regular IPA kit, that way you know that the hops and all that will be in balance.

I agree 100%, bird. Increase your grain bill if you want a bigger beer. Adding sugars is acceptable in small quantities to assist in body or head retention, but adding pounds of sugar is not the best way to make high abv beers.

 

[Austinhomebrew]

Okay, so I'm not understanding the point then. Why not add all DME instead of essentially diluting the malt product with more corn sugar? This also adds potential cidery off flavor to the finished product.

I just don't get the point. Add more DME and call it good.

Is it a cost thing? And in that case, if you are that worried about cost, go buy BMC and be happy.

Just not understanding the reasoning here.

DME adds more body, additional flavor, and additional color, and is more expensive than alcohol boost. That is why most people buy it instead.

 

[Austinhomebrew]

I agree, it sounds like a gimmick (sorry Forrest).

I am sorry but it isn't a gimmick. The reason it sounds like gimmick is that every 3 days on this forum, someone asks what it is and someone else answers that it is just regular corn sugar, which is false.

 

[Austinhomebrew]

I agree 100%, bird. Increase your grain bill if you want a bigger beer. Adding sugars is acceptable in small quantities to assist in body or head retention, but adding pounds of sugar is not the best way to make high abv beers.

The people that order it is the extract brewers. Many breweries use this product to boost the alchol without changinf color or flavor. Not everyone brews all-grain or likes IPAs. Some homebrewers want to make beers that are light in color.

 

[JnJ]

DME adds more body, additional flavor, and additional color, and is more expensive than alcohol boost. That is why most people buy it instead.

Just what I was going to say. Some folks may want to increase the alcohol leve with out affecting the body or taste of the beer. To each their own, but no reason to bad mouth it....

 

[Dude]

I'd argue that if you want a bigger beer, design a bigger beer, don't jack up something that's designed to be smaller. If you want something that'll kick your ass, buy an Imperial IPA kit instead of a regular IPA kit, that way you know that the hops and all that will be in balance.

That is exactly what I'm getting at.

I understand the theory now though--it is only for extract brewing where color and body could be a factor. Got it.

 

[srm775]

Quote:
Originally Posted by mew
Glucose is dextrose, which is corn sugar. DME is mostly maltose. So it's 45% corn sugar and 55% DME.

No. It isn't.

Yes, glucose and dextrose are the same ... atleast Webster's Medical dictionary defines them as the same thing. They have the exact same chemical formula C6H12O6

 

[RadicalEd]

Yes, glucose and dextrose are the same ... atleast Webster's Medical dictionary defines them as the same thing. They have the exact same chemical formula C6H12O6

Ah, but the physical arrangement of each molecule is different! Ah...takes me bad to high school chemistry... .

On deeper inspection, is it really so different than adding sugar (albeit often inverted or candi) to a belgian to pump it up without adding significant body? Do correct me if I'm wrong here; I'm no expert on belgians . Or for that matter, how we add 2 lbs of sugar (table, brown, corn, etc) to Edwort's Apfelwein to give it that extra kick?

To each his own with this product. Would I use it? Probably not, but that's not gonna make me start degrading others who do, when so many of us are doing (almost) the same thing with so many of our other brews.