Increasing the ABV during fermentation...

[brewd00d]

In theory, i if i had a beer in the secondary, and i decided that i might want to up the alcohol, would it be as simple as to add some more sugar in it?

I know theres only so much the yeast can handle and that a good portion of the yeast dies off at some point. I only wanted to get it up about 2% more. The yeast can handle moderate to high alcohol content, not that i wanna make the beer 12% or something.

Im kegging the beer so there wont be exploding bottles.

Your thoughts?

 

[Yooper]

That would work, if the only goal was to increase the ABV. The issue is that it can affect flavor, body, hops balance, etc, so sometimes it's not always going to make the best beer to do that. Sometimes it's just better to make a bigger beer from the outset so that the recipe makes a good beer, instead of boosting up the alcohol in a recipe that started out fine.

 

[brewd00d]

understood.

i was only inquiring about this because im making a raspberry wheat. looks like the beer is around 3.5% and i wanted to increase it a little that way i can have a "fruity" beer but with a heavy alochol kick. i can settle without ruining it now but lets say for next time, what could i do in the beginning if i know that the beer has a potential ABV thats less than what i would want?

 

[Yooper]

understood.

i was only inquiring about this because im making a raspberry wheat. looks like the beer is around 3.5% and i wanted to increase it a little that way i can have a "fruity" beer but with a heavy alochol kick. i can settle without ruining it now but lets say for next time, what could i do in the beginning if i know that the beer has a potential ABV thats less than what i would want?

Reformulating the recipe would be the best way- adding more malt, more hops for bittering, etc, would be the best way to get a bigger beer.

 

[Malticulous]

..or everclear.

 

[therealrsr]

or add some honey, goes well with a raspberry wheat, I would know, I just drank an 8.7% ABV rasp/honey dunkel and was licking the glass when it was gone.

 

[akthor]

Add some shots of hard stuff to the secondary, something that will go with your beers flavor. Do a search there are equations out there for how much to add to get desired ABV.

 

[brewd00d]

or add some honey, goes well with a raspberry wheat, I would know, I just drank an 8.7% ABV rasp/honey dunkel and was licking the glass when it was gone.

so i could throw a couple table spoons of honey into the secondary to up the ABV?

 

[Calder]

1 lb of table sugar in 5 gallons will add about 1.2% abv.
1 lb of corn sugar or honey in 5 gallons will add about 1% abv.
1 lb of DME in 5 gallons will add about 0.9% abv.
1 lb of LME in 5 gallons will add about 0.75% abv.
1 pint of 40% alcohol (rum/whiskey/vodka) in 5 gallons will add 1% abv.

Your choice. It will change how the beer tastes. If you add additional fermentables it will restart your yeast and add time to clear.

 

[dfc]

..or everclear.

That will definitely do it.

 

[therealrsr]

so i could throw a couple table spoons of honey into the secondary to up the ABV?

Honey ferments out very well, like 95% or something, and is more mellow than sugar IMO. It will definately effect the beer in a number of ways. I would say more like a pound of the stuff.

Very important, since it was not part of the boil it needs to be pasturized, either by maker or by you on your stove.

 

[david_42]

Bottle half of it and add a pound of sugar to the rest. Personally, I believe you'll prefer the un-boosted version, but YTMV.

 

[brewd00d]

someone posted if i added honey or some sugar it restarts the yeast. how do you get an estimate of when the honey or sugar has been fermented? just use the hydrometer like usual?