The kit comes with 6.6 pounds golden lme, 8 oz caramel 120, 1 oz chocolate. Would it be okay to add another can of the golden lme to get the alcohol content up to 8% or so? Would I need to add more of the specialty grains, or change the yeast for the higher alcohol content?
brewers best red ale, adding alcohol content
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FirstAidBrewing
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The specialty grains will not convert so they won't contribute anything but color. And by adding another 3.3lbs of extract, you're pushing what would be considered a "red" ale.
The extract will add more fermentables and give you more alcohol, yes, but your hop utilization will go down and you're probably going to need to double up on yeast unless you plan on doing a starter.
Bottom line the flavor will be quite different from the original intent.
The extract will add more fermentables and give you more alcohol, yes, but your hop utilization will go down and you're probably going to need to double up on yeast unless you plan on doing a starter.
Bottom line the flavor will be quite different from the original intent.
Well at 8% the yeast strain would be fine, but you may wish to pitch a second pack or make a starter.
You will need to add (roughly) proportionally more bittering hops to keep the balance, as your heavier more alcoholic brew now has more residual sugars.
You could add a bit more specialty malts but thats not as critical, I wouldnt bother, the color will be darker from the additional lme as it is.
Another option is to just add a lb of table sugar instead. That should get the alcohol around 6.5-7% and effect the body/sweetness/color much less.
You will need to add (roughly) proportionally more bittering hops to keep the balance, as your heavier more alcoholic brew now has more residual sugars.
You could add a bit more specialty malts but thats not as critical, I wouldnt bother, the color will be darker from the additional lme as it is.
Another option is to just add a lb of table sugar instead. That should get the alcohol around 6.5-7% and effect the body/sweetness/color much less.
I enjoyed the initial red that I made from them. The reason I'm looming to add more alcohol is BJs Jeremiah Red is one of my favorites...
I guess I'm looking more for an imperial red ale. I should probably just look at some of the recipes we have around here instead of buying the kits.
I guess I'm looking more for an imperial red ale. I should probably just look at some of the recipes we have around here instead of buying the kits.
