How to up alchy content?

[mattlamers]

Hey. My buddy and I have brewed roughly 3 batches and are finding it impossible to up our alch content. What can we do without using sugar? More malt? Something to do with the boil? The yeast? Pleassssse <3

 

[gcdowd]

Yes, more malt will yield more alcohol. Keep in mind that you will need to compensate with more hops as well. You also may need to pitch more yeast depending on your gravity.

 

[Palefire]

More sugar or more malt. That's pretty much how you do it.

 

[petey_c]

More sugar/malt, up to a point. Different types/strains of yeast have different alcohol tolerance levels. Some up to 20% ABV. After awhile, they wind up poisoning themselves. At that level, I don't think it's considered beer any more.
gcdowd, Have you been to the new Bass brewery yet?

 

[chickypad]

You also might get better help if you share with us a bit about your previous batches. We don't know if you are choosing a recipe that is too low an OG for what you want, if you are doing all grain and having problems with your efficiency, or maybe you are doing partial boil extract with top off water and only think you are getting low alcohol due to faulty readings from inadequate mixing.
Yes, adding sugar and/or extra malt will get you higher gravity but as someone already pointed out doing this without compensating in the rest of the recipe may not make the best beer.

 

[Qhrumphf]

The other option besides upping the malt/sugar is aiming for more fermentable wort and/or higher attenuation, either a yeast with higher attenuation than what you've used, or if you're doing AG mash at a lower temperature. If you're doing extract, you're pretty much limited to the fermentability of the extract you're using, so the only way then is either adding something more fermentable (swapping a small amount of extract with simple sugar) or a more attenuative yeast strain.

Will yield higher alcohol, but a drier, lower bodied beer. Great for some styles (saisons, tripels, golden strongs, etc) but not for others (wee heavy, RIS, barleywine, etc).

However, a lower finishing body will also increase the perceived bitterness, so the hops would still have to be adjusted.

 

[gcdowd]

More sugar/malt, up to a point. Different types/strains of yeast have different alcohol tolerance levels. Some up to 20% ABV. After awhile, they wind up poisoning themselves. At that level, I don't think it's considered beer any more.
gcdowd, Have you been to the new Bass brewery yet?

No, why do you ask? Did one pop up in syracuse?

 

[Calder]

Hey. My buddy and I have brewed roughly 3 batches and are finding it impossible to up our alch content. What can we do without using sugar? More malt? Something to do with the boil? The yeast? Pleassssse <3

Brew a beer that has the alcohol you are looking for. A Barleywine (9 to 12%), a Belgian trippel/BGS/BDS (8 to 10%), or other. If you start with a style you want to make, you can make a decent high gravity beer.

Once you start going above about 9%, you have to pay a little more attention than just tossing the yeast in. Need to ensure adequate aeration, ensure the yeast don;t die due to osmotic pressure, ensure you have a capable (and healthy) yeast, and feed the yeast as fermentation progresses.

What are you brewing, and what abv are you trying to get.

 

[petey_c]

No, why do you ask? Did one pop up in syracuse?

No. Bass ale is now brewed in Baldwinsville, NY

http://www.beerpulse.com/2011/06/ab-inbev-plans-to-invigorate-bass-brand-in-the-u-s/

 

[gcdowd]

No. Bass ale is now brewed in Baldwinsville, NY

http://www.beerpulse.com/2011/06/ab-inbev-plans-to-invigorate-bass-brand-in-the-u-s/

Oh wow, I didn't know that.

 

[mattlamers]

You also might get better help if you share with us a bit about your previous batches. We don't know if you are choosing a recipe that is too low an OG for what you want, if you are doing all grain and having problems with your efficiency, or maybe you are doing partial boil extract with top off water and only think you are getting low alcohol due to faulty readings from inadequate mixing.
Yes, adding sugar and/or extra malt will get you higher gravity but as someone already pointed out doing this without compensating in the rest of the recipe may not make the best beer.

The past few batches have consisted of something like.
I don;t have the exact measurements near me now but,
2-3kg of LME/DME
about 500g of roasted grains
the appropriate hops
OG: usually 1.040
Final: 1.010 or so
1 hour boil
half hour steep
2 yeast packets, generic brewers yeast. Sometime dehydrated, sometimes dry.
Sorry if this is a little vague, I don't have the recipes near me.
We've brewed two dark ales and two lighter ales, all getting somewhat similar results.

 

[Yooper]

The past few batches have consisted of something like.
I don;t have the exact measurements near me now but,
2-3kg of LME/DME
about 500g of roasted grains
the appropriate hops
OG: usually 1.040
Final: 1.010 or so
1 hour boil
half hour steep
2 yeast packets, generic brewers yeast. Sometime dehydrated, sometimes dry.
Sorry if this is a little vague, I don't have the recipes near me.
We've brewed two dark ales and two lighter ales, all getting somewhat similar results.

Well, a better recipe would help you make a better beer. Pick a recipe (we have thousands posted in the recipe area) that gives you the beer you want. Often, an OG of 1.060 or so would be good for an ABV of 6.3% ABV. If you start with a good recipe, and keep good notes, you can make good beer.

You need some quality ale yeast- try nottingham or S04 or S05. Stay away from Munton's, Coopers, and the like.