Raise the ABV Help

[Kayeness]

Starting 5th batch ever: American Pale Ale.
Set to finish @ 5.0 to 5.5 ABV

Can someone give me a step-by-step process of how to raise the ABV to 6+ either while brewing or during fermentation?

 

[JimRausch]

You'll get some answers when you provide more info: What size batch especially.

 

[Kayeness]

Hahaha. Ok.
5 gallon Batch. Brewers Best American Pale Ale kit.
Thanks

 

[IslandLizard]

Same ingredients, use less water ==> higher gravity ==> higher alcohol.

Set to finish @ 5.0 to 5.5 ABV

how to raise the ABV to 6+ either while brewing or during fermentation?

To raise ABV with 1% to get 6.0-6.5% from a 5.0-5.5% recipe, you need to use 20% less water ==> You'll get 20% less beer at 20% higher alcohol.

5 gallon Batch. Brewers Best American Pale Ale kit

20% of 5 gallons is 1 gallon ==> Make 4 gallon batch.

Alternatively, add 20% more ingredients to the kit, and keep your volume the same (5 gallons).

 

[IslandLizard]

Instead, you can add sugar to the wort, but that will change the recipe's balance more, it will taste more boozy but also thinner, since sugar doesn't add much flavor and no body.

 

[doug293cz]

Just add some DME to your boil (add late if you want lightest possible color.) DME (dry malt extract) has about 44 points/lb, so 1 lb in 5 gal of wort will raise the SG by 44 / (5 * 1000) = 0.0088.

Figure out your target OG by working an ABV calculator backwards (i.e. adjust the OG input until you reach your target ABV.) Then use the following equation to figure out how much DME to add:

Lb DME = (Target OG - Current OG) * 1000 * Wort_Volume [gal] / 44
​

You want to use post-boil volumes and SG's in the calculations.

Brew on

 

[JacktardBrewmeister]

Just as a more practical option for beginners (not that the above options are not good ones, they are superior to mine, but I am a lazy bastard and probably insane) add 1 lb of coconut sugar during the last 15 minutes of your boil. Coconut sugar ferments flawlessly and has lots of the nutrients found in yeast nutrient supplements. Also, the 1b for a 5 gallon batch will up your abv a bit more and not impart off flavors of any kind to my knowledge.

I have brewed over 200 beers and with many beers I want in the higher ABV range (7% plus) I use a pound of coconut sugar to make the yeast fondle each other like Jackrabbits. It's cheap, it's more sugar, and best yet I really don't use yeast nutrient add-ons anymore. In more traditional beers I use about two cups of it. For beefy Belgians and high ABV stouts and IPAs/DIPAs I go a single full pound.

I will say I never tried it during fermentation. However, some people say you can put sugar in there no problem. Hope this helps! b^^

 

[4of7]

I brewed with a guy, raise the abv by starting 10 lb grain per 5 .then dumped in 5lb table sugar,did it raise the abv,maybe to his liking,,was not my mow mow beer

 

[Kayeness]

JacktardBrewmeister: I might give that a try next batch that has a lower ABV.

Just as a more practical option for beginners (not that the above options are not good ones, they are superior to mine, but I am a lazy bastard and probably insane) add 1 lb of coconut sugar during the last 15 minutes of your boil. Coconut sugar ferments flawlessly and has lots of the nutrients found in yeast nutrient supplements. Also, the 1b for a 5 gallon batch will up your abv a bit more and not impart off flavors of any kind to my knowledge.

I have brewed over 200 beers and with many beers I want in the higher ABV range (7% plus) I use a pound of coconut sugar to make the yeast fondle each other like Jackrabbits. It's cheap, it's more sugar, and best yet I really don't use yeast nutrient add-ons anymore. In more traditional beers I use about two cups of it. For beefy Belgians and high ABV stouts and IPAs/DIPAs I go a single full pound.

I will say I never tried it during fermentation. However, some people say you can put sugar in there no problem. Hope this helps! b^^

 

[cmybeer]

I feel like you should have most of the info you need, about a pound of dme to maintain a similar profile and mouthfeel, a pound of sugar to dry it out, or less water to make a more concentrated batch. Honey is another choice, about the same option as sugar in the sense that it will dry it out but if you add it a bit later, maybe a few days into fermentation you could retain some of the honey characteristics. It's a bit less potent than sugar or dme but a pound should get you close to where you want to go.