Beer tastes good but no buzz!

[BIZ002]

I have made a total of 2 5gallon batches in my life (extract) and they both have tasted very good but the alcohol volume just is not there, like the name brand breweries. How can i raise the volume of my alcohol. Typically my OG's are higher than recomended. Last IPA I made was like 5% and when i drink it i dont get buzzed after a couple like i would normally.:cross:

What can i do to raise the ABV?

 

[Marlowefire]

Pour vodka in your glass

 

[Naggs]

I think we are going to need a little more info. What recipe have you made? Was it a kit? What yeast did you use? If you break it down for us, we can probably pinpoint what's going on.

 

[mlyday]

Maybe because it has some real flavor your not drinking it as fast as the watered down BMC stuff.

 

[kh54s10]

Brew a higher gravity beer. Or just go buy some grain alcohol!

 

[Hang Glider]

Hydrometer readings, pre (OG) and post (FG) would be helpful also

 

[Jayhem]

Maybe because it has some real flavor your not drinking it as fast as the watered down BMC stuff.

My thoughts too. I don't tend to drink my homebrews as fast as store bought because I like to savor the flavor and think of how to improve it.

 

[BamaRooster]

you can send me 6 bottles and I will be glad to do an alcohol content test!

 

[solbes]

My thoughts too. I don't tend to drink my homebrews as fast as store bought because I like to savor the flavor and think of how to improve it.

I dunno. I was going to savor my first bottle of 2 Hearted IPA clone last night. I think it was empty inside of 2 minutes. My plan = Fail. Then had to go pour a pint from the keg to savor.

To the OP, if you are not checking FG then you can't really predict the acohol percentage. Could be that they are finishing high which robs some of the potential alcohol. I've always had the opposite experience of homebrew buzz vs commercial buzz.

 

[RandomBeerGuy]

Question, Are you just trying to get buzzed off one brew? Eithier you have increased your alcohol tolerence or you take a really long time to drink a homebrew j/k. I get buzzed of my 5% brews after about 2-3 depending on how long it takes to drink or if I ate something. Like the other posters have said just take it slow and enjoy the brew instead of chasing a buzz. I have slowed on my chasing the buzz after I began brewing.

 

[IrregularPulse]

I'm guessing you're not hitting your numbers as expected and not actually drinking 5% beers. What are the OGs and FGs of the 2 batches?

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Brew a higher gravity beer. Or just go buy some grain alcohol!

i think this would be the best way to increase ABV%. but really, without knowing your numbers, no one can help you figure out if your beer is at the proper (?) abv.
personally, if i'm looking for a buzz, i either drink a really big beer or have a glass or two of rum or bourbon while i drink beer. normally when i drink beer, i drink for flavor and enjoyment, the buzz is just a side effect of enjoying one (or three) too many.

 

[Jayhem]

Question, Are you just trying to get buzzed off one brew? Eithier you have increased your alcohol tolerence or you take a really long time to drink a homebrew j/k. I get buzzed of my 5% brews after about 2-3 depending on how long it takes to drink or if I ate something. Like the other posters have said just take it slow and enjoy the brew instead of chasing a buzz. I have slowed on my chasing the buzz after I began brewing.

Good post!

Yea if you just like getting drunk then homebrewing is not for you....you should be distilling instead...that's all that poison is good for...killing brain cells.

That said...I've felt pretty good off a 6 pack of homebrew on new years eve.

 

[Alucard1983]

I find that with homebrew is a different drunk then commercial beer. I find it's more refined drunk and u don't get that stupid nutty drunk from homebrew.

 

[HopHeadGrady]

I find it's more refined drunk....

That made me laugh.

 

[daksin]

Bud light's 4.2% and bud is 5%, and people seem to get drunk off of those just fine. Didn't most of us stop drinking for effect in high school?

 

[Jayhem]

Bud light's 4.2% and bud is 5%, and people seem to get drunk off of those just fine. Didn't most of us stop drinking for effect in high school?

Have you ever been to a college party? No, most kids did not stop in highschool. lol.


The problem with BMC is it tastes like piss water so it goes down as fast as water and you don't really want it to linger on your taste buds because of the piss taste so you down it faster, ingesting much more volume than you would if it were a quality craft homebrew.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Have you ever been to a college party? No, most kids did not stop in highschool. lol.


The problem with BMC is it tastes like piss water so it goes down as fast as water and you don't really want it to linger on your taste buds because of the piss taste so you down it faster, ingesting much more volume than you would if it were a quality craft homebrew.

college kids drink?
the rest of your post is completely subjective, many people like 'BMC' beers. i personally like PBR on certain occasions, and never guzzle it down in hopes of a buzz, as i do with any other beer, i drink it and enjoy it for what it is. (a very low flavor style called Premium American Lager.)

 

[QuaffableQuips]

Alcohol concentration increases as the sugar density (specific gravity) of the wort decreases. The further it drops from its initial value, the more alcohol is produced. So, to increase alcohol content, one may increase the original gravity, employ a yeast strain that attenuates to a low final gravity, or both. Beyond that, techniques beyond the scope of this forum and of legality become necessary.

You should congratulate yourself on having made a great-tasting beer that may have a lower than anticipated alcohol content. If you could brew, say, a Russian Imperial Stout or double IPA that can be enjoyed in generous quantities without inducing complete stupefaction, I guarantee that many of us would line up to learn your secret.

 

[jonmohno]

Drink em before you eat,there you go, higher abv problem solved