Adding GUCOSE D as substitute for corn sugar for increasing ABV inhome made beer

[Mkwt]

Hi,

I am new to home brewing and want to increase ABV of my home made brew which i havr made from all grain. My OG was 1.04 and after week it is aroung 1.02 and fermentation has almost stopped..i want to achieve ABV of at least 5-6% and want to use commercial product GLUCOSE D or corn syrup (images attached) as i do not have availability of corn sugar in my area. I am not using table sugar or any other kind as my brew is light wheat beer and as i understand table sugar leaves sweetness to final product..would request expert advice

 

[Qhrumphf]

A) how are you determining it's current gravity? Hydrometer or refractometer? Refractometers do not read correctly when ethanol is present (and tend to read in the 1.020 range in that case).

B) table sugar should ferment out completely and leave no residual sweetness. The vanilla added to that corn syrup would provide far more residual sweetness. I wouldn't use that. Not sure about the extra stuff in that "glucose D" either.

 

[Mkwt]

A) how are you determining it's current gravity? Hydrometer or refractometer? Refractometers do not read correctly when ethanol is present (and tend to read in the 1.020 range in that case).

B) table sugar should ferment out completely and leave no residual sweetness. The vanilla added to that corn syrup would provide far more residual sweetness. I wouldn't use that. Not sure about the extra stuff in that "glucose D" either.

Thanks for your quick advice.. i have measured gravity with hydrometer. I will use table sugar now..one more query, can u advice if there is any thumb rule on how much proportion of sugar to be added to get 1% increase in ABV..i have a batch of 30 litres

 

[day_trippr]

One pound of sugar adds approximately 1.006 specific gravity points per 30L/~8 gallons.
If you assume complete fermentation of same (I would) it would push the ABV of that 30L batch by + 0.6%.
1.75 pounds (~0.8 kg) of sugar would push the ABV by 1%...

Cheers!

 

[Abhishek Dewan]

Just to add, Glucose D is dextrose, a sugar. It is fully fermentable.

 

[Mkwt]

Just to add, Glucose D is dextrose, a sugar. It is fully fermentable.

Thanks Abhisek..i understand GLUCOSE D is 99.4% dextrose. What i am concerned with is remaining ingredients( calcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, cholecalciferol)wonder if they would bring any issue to the brew.

 

[madscientist451]

I'd skip the Glucose D, but corn syrup will be fine. The amount of vanilla in most commercial corn syrup is so small, its unlikely you'll notice it. I made an experimental brew with mostly cheap corn syrup which had vanilla in the ingredients and malt extract and there was no vanilla flavor at all.
You can also use regular table sugar, honey, or less refined sugars like turbinado, all will ferment fully, but provide slightly different flavor profiles. A store near me has started carrying Piloncillo, which is another less refined cane sugar that imparts an interesting flavor.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Thanks Abhisek..i understand GLUCOSE D is 99.4% dextrose. What i am concerned with is remaining ingredients( calcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, cholecalciferol)wonder if they would bring any issue to the brew.

The former two are baking leavening acids (ie half of baking powder when combined with baking soda). I imagine they'd have an impact the beers pH, driving it down slightly as they'd react with residual carbonates in the beer. As yeast already heavily regulate the pH I don't know if this would be a good thing, a bad thing, or completely ineffectual.

The latter is vitamin D3, seems to be pretty trace, and I doubt it'd be a problem but I don't know.