ABV too low, can i raise after fermenting?

[Wulfman]

I finished fermenting my fat tire clone which i added 2 packets of yeast and an extra lb of dextrose. My ABV is around 3-4. Is there any way i can get a higher abv before i bottle?

Thanks Beer Gurus

 

[GuldTuborg]

You added an extra pound of sugar to the kit, and you're still at 3-4ABV? Are you sure? What are your OG and FG readings? If you used extract, are you certain you mixed well enough to get a good reading?

 

[jmhart]

A little bit more history would be helpful, as in:

Recipe?
OG?
FG?
Time in fermenter?

Stuff like that.

 

[Wulfman]

My local brewery just recomended adding champagne yeast to boost a lil. I just added and will see. I dont have the paperwork for the recipe but its been in fermenter for about a month(secondary at moment) OG 1041 FG 1008. Idk but Im positive i mixed all the wort. The nimbers seem low as far as i know.

Thanks for the help

 

[afr0byte]

That's going to be quite dry for a fat tire clone, btw. I wouldn't try to make it drier.

 

[tele_powder]

That seems low for your OG. Did you do a partial boil with extract then add some top off water? Did you mix in the top off water well?

 

[Wulfman]

I dont need to be exactly same as fat tire but same base is good for me. I added the top off water after the boil.

 

[GuldTuborg]

Honestly, you brewed a low gravity beer. There's nothing wrong with that. I'd enjoy it as it is, without messing around with anything. It's probably pretty tasty as is and I wouldn't go messing with it. If you want more alcohol, just drink more beer! Next time, if you want a higher alcohol beer, make a higher gravity recipe.

This edit didn't take last time for whatever reason. Here's another simple solution: ice beer. Here's the process:
http://www.basicbrewing.com/index.php?page=february-20-2009-barleywine-ice-beer

 

[dcp27]

I dont need to be exactly same as fat tire but same base is good for me. I added the top off water after the boil.

then you probably didnt mix it well enough to get an accurate reading. not your fault, its just difficult to mix wort and water well enough to do so. i recommend taking gravity readings before topping off in the future and calculating from there
batch OG = post-boil OG * post-boil volume / batch volume

 

[tjpfeister]

I agree that your numbers seem off, considering that most kit beers are 4.5-5.5% alcohol with the usual amount of extracts...

That being said, you could correct this by brewing a second higher gravity batch by using the same kit and using less water then blending it with the first batch.

 

[StoutattheDevil]

As stated above something was alittle off. Without having all the nuts and bolts of the recipe I'd say transfer it, bubble it, put it in a glass and enjoy it. If it's not exactly how you like it you can always make it again... Just call this one a session version!

 

[Wulfman]

I just realized what went wrong, when i bought the ingredients in the store the owner had me replaced the DME i was suppose to use and I used LME instead. I thought the conversion would be the same but I had read that they are not equal parts i should of added more LME. Oh well I guess i just gotta drink more

 

[GuldTuborg]

Oh well I guess i just gotta drink more

Damn. It's going to be tough, I know, but someone's got to drink that beer.

 

[emjay]

Try freeze distillation to bump up the ABV in a balanced way

 

[JLW]

After you bottle it box it up and send it to me. I'll do a full study on it and then make recommendation.

 

[Wulfman]

Hmmm freeze distillation, I will look that up. And I well send your way for R & D. Lol

 

[GuldTuborg]

Hmmm freeze distillation

Same thing I posted the link for above. It works.

 

[JLW]

I just remembered that a friend of mine had a similar problem and did froze his beer and it turned out great. It was very smooth to drink with a bit of a bite on the back end.

 

[Wulfman]

Hmmm ok, but would i freeze while its bottled and primed? I just primed last night.