Mr. Brew starter kit

[finigan4710]

I brewed my second batch of beer using the starter kit. But I didn't like that the beer being produced was only 3.7% alcohol. So I added 3 tablespoons to the musk. Will this increase the alcohol content and by how much

 

[aiptasia]

3 tablespoons of what?

 

[finigan4710]

Sugar

 

[masterfool101]

I assume you mean table sugar . . . what was the batch size? 1 Gallon? 5 Gallons?

 

[finigan4710]

Haha ya sorry. And 1 gallon

 

[masterfool101]

OK, so here we go.

1 Tablespoon of sugar is ABOUT 0.44 oz. You added 3, that means about 1.31 oz.

16 oz = 1 lb. You added 0.08 lb sugar.

Sugar is generally considered 45ppg (points per pound per gallon). So you added about 3.7 gravity points to your beer.

Yes, this will cause a slight increase in alcohol. But not much. The exact increase in %ABV will depend on what the original gravity and final gravity are.

 

[finigan4710]

It just started fermenting. Can I add more?

 

[masterfool101]

You shouldn't add more after the boil. Adding anything post boil increases the chance of infection.

Furthermore, IMO, I don't think adding table sugar is a good way to go. Sure, you get a little more alcohol, but you're not adding anything to taste or mouthfeel.

In the future, when you do your next brew, consider a kit that has more malts in it. If you want to really increase your gravity (thus more alcohol), consider adding more extract. Remember to balance this with hops, or you end up with a sweet beer.

Remember, beer isn't about %ABV (well, not entirely). It's about taste. If you like a bigger beer, get an apropriate kit

 

[finigan4710]

Thanks! Ya this is an very beginner starter kit but thanks for ur help