how to modify a extract kit for higher ABV (true brew oktoberfest)

[slayerextreme]

a friend purchased a kit for me to brew up..its the true brew oktoberfest....I noticed it was only 4% ABV and I was hoping to jack the ABV up by adding ingredients from my local brewers supply store....

here is the link to the instructions with an ingredients list

http://bsghandcraft.com/downloads/TrueBrewInstructions/K23-Oktoberfest.pdf

any input or suggestions would be appreciated

 

[Qhrumphf]

Well, I certainly wouldn't call what they gave you an Oktoberfest (if anything I'd call that closer to an English Bitter), so I wouldn't mind messing with it if that's not what you want. I'd probably brew it as is just to see how it comes out.

I would add an extra pound of light DME, and up the hop time to 60 minutes instead of 45 minutes (assuming a 3 gallon partial boil, if you're doing a full boil then you'll need to reduce the hops).

Now, that's still not going to be a good "to style" Oktoberfest (if you were to steep some German Caramunich or Caravienne malts you may get closer), but no matter what you do to the grain bill you'll never get there with that yeast. If anything, go with a Kolsch, Alt, or California Common strain (Wyeast 2565 Kolsch, 1007 German Ale, or 2112 California Lager would be good bets) if you can't do a proper lager fermentation. Just try and keep them in the very low 60s (maybe 62ish) but even if you can't do that, they'll still get you closer than the Muntons yeast will.

 

[Trox]

After plugging the kit into BeerSmith2 it looks like the ABV is well below style and the IBUs would be higher. After putting in 2 lbs more of light DME it put everything more into the styles ranges; OG of 1.053 and IBU of 28.1. IBUs are still a bit higher than what the style calls for, but BeerSmith2 default AA for Liberty hops is 4.3 so it could be higher or lower depending on what they are rated for in the kit.

 

[Qhrumphf]

After plugging the kit into BeerSmith2 it looks like the ABV is well below style and the IBUs would be higher. After putting in 2 lbs more of light DME it put everything more into the styles ranges; OG of 1.053 and IBU of 28.1. IBUs are still a bit higher than what the style calls for, but BeerSmith2 default AA for Liberty hops is 4.3 so it could be higher or lower depending on what they are rated for in the kit.

It's looking a 3 gallon boil. If you do a full boil, yeah, the IBUs are too high, but if it's partial boil they're too low. I forgot that at first too since I never do partial boils any more...

 

[slayerextreme]

not really worried about keeping it an "Oktoberfest".....and honestly, the kit looks sort of like CRAP....thats why I was hoping to use the contents of this kit as an experiment and modify/add any other ingredients to modify/add/boost flavors and ABV...

so make any recommendations you want....

pretend somebody gave it to you and you just wanted to tear it down andbuild it back with some giddy up and go....

"near-beer" just isnt my thing!!!!..i like stronger bolder beers...but since there isnt an extract kit for my beloved McSorleys Black Lager....I am stuck searching for something else....

 

[Qhrumphf]

not really worried about keeping it an "Oktoberfest".....and honestly, the kit looks sort of like CRAP....thats why I was hoping to use the contents of this kit as an experiment and modify/add any other ingredients to modify/add/boost flavors and ABV...

so make any recommendations you want....

pretend somebody gave it to you and you just wanted to tear it down andbuild it back with some giddy up and go....

"near-beer" just isnt my thing!!!!..i like stronger bolder beers...but since there isnt an extract kit for my beloved McSorleys Black Lager....I am stuck searching for something else....

Ha. Well, in that case, I'd drop the gravity to about 1.035, swap the yeast for Wyeast 1469 West Yorkshire, or at least 1968 London ESB/WLP002 English Ale, lose the Liberty and replace it with some East Kent Goldings targeting about 30 IBUs, change all the amber LME to extra light DME, and steep some English Crystal 77L, and call it good.

Point is, I'd take what seems to be a kit appropriate for an English Bitter more than anything else, and make a proper English Bitter out of it. But, that's me, and I do quite enjoy "near beer" as you so kindly put it

The problem is that amber LME is going to contain crystal malts, you just don't know how much or what kinds, so unless you want to swap that for a lighter, cleaner extract you're kind of limited where you can go without riskng going overboard. So based on what you already have, I'd go the way I suggested initially, swapping for one of the yeasts I recommended (because Muntons yeast is just terrible, it really is), and that way you'll have a moderate strength (maybe 5.5%) fairly malty lager-like delicious thing.

 

[rodwha]

Those directions look all jacked up to me.

Isn't 6 grams of dry yeast a bit too light?

I'd think keeping it fairly simple and using mostly what you have would be a good idea.

As this isn't likely something you'd be trying to replicate later adding amber DME wouldn't necessarily be bad. Or you could use light DME and steep a little crystal 40-80.

I'd also get another ounce of hops (Willamette, Mt Hood, or more Liberty) and use an ounce at 45-60 mins, another at 15-20 mins, and the last at 5 mins.

I don't care much for light beer either. I'll start at 4.7% and go up from there, but I generally enjoy IPA's when going out. My beers are usually 5.2-7% though.