how to raise alcohol content

[natureceremony]

I was using the mrbeer extracts which made it fairly easy to raise alcohol content with a few booster packs..I want ti start using morebeer extravta because of coat effectiveness..how ti I raise a 4.4% beer and raise the alvohol content to 8.3%? Add more sugars a dme? Any help would be useful

 

[WoodlandBrew]

More fermentables equals more alcohol. Adding "boosters" will compromise will the balance of the beer, but if the goal is just to increase alcohol and not make better beer then just dump in some table sugar. Each pound of sugar will boost the alcohol about 1%.

 

[HeadyKilowatt]

To properly answer your question, we're going to need more info. Specifically, what your batch size is and how much extract is called for in the recipe you're modifying. It would also be good to know how big your fermenter is and how much headspace you're going to have, as an 8.3% beer could generate a lot of krausen during fermentation.

Probably the best advice I can give you is to go ahead and get BeerSmith if you plan to modify recipes. Then you can run the numbers yourself and accurately predict the results. You can download a free trial version of it and use it for a batch or two to see if you like it before you buy it.

 

[ncbrewer]

See this thread for some discussion about adding sugar: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/how-much-cane-sugar-safe-276529/
Also note that according to the pitching calculators, more yeast is needed when adding more fermentables.

 

[kh54s10]

Another thing to consider is that to brew an 8% alcohol beer usually requires many months to condition properly. So if you brewed one this week it would not be ready until February or March and maybe longer.

It is much better to make a recipe designed for high alcohol content than to try to "boost" a low alcohol recipe.

 

[h22lude]

Another thing to consider is that to brew an 8% alcohol beer usually requires many months to condition properly. So if you brewed one this week it would not be ready until February or March and maybe longer.

It is much better to make a recipe designed for high alcohol content than to try to "boost" a low alcohol recipe.

I agree with everything said here.

Going from 4% to 8% is easy to do with corn sugar but I don't think it will taste like what you want. The corn sugar won't add flavor but boosting the abv that much you might not taste much malt or hops because the alcohol flavor. I have found this in some commercial beers. I like a nice strong beer but I want to taste beer and not all alcohol.

You're best bet is to find a strong beer recipe you like maybe around 6% or 7% and boost it 1% instead of taking a 4% beer and boosting that to 8%

 

[501irishred]

I agree with the BeerSmith suggestion. You will be able to better visualize what different changes may do to your beer, of which ABV is only a small part. Pitch rate is another thing to consider if you increase the fermentable sugars weather you use grain, sugar, DME, LME etc. BeerSmith can help here too.

 

[Whattawort]

I like to use candi sugar and honey to boost up the abv every now and then, but like the others said, you should find a recipe for a bigger beer and boost modestly. You won't be happy with the outcome of a 4.4 to a 8.

 

[bknifefight]

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