Refermentation

[ziggy13]

I am interested in doing some refermentation techniques to create higher alcohol beers. I cannot find much information regarding the topic though, whether on here or on google.

Basically all I know is you produce wort at as high of a gravity as you can and then after most of primary fermentation has taken place you slowly, over the course of a couple days, add more and more fermentables to the ferementing beer to make it higher and higher alcohol.

Has anyone ever done this? Sort sort of gravity does the solution you add need to be to actually raise the ABV and not just dilute it or just make more volume?

 

[dsniegocki]

I haven't done this, although it seems like an intriguing exercise. Here's a good article that steps through a technique similar to what you are describing:

https://byo.com/mead/item/51-21-alcohol-all-grain-beer

 

[ziggy13]

I haven't done this, although it seems like an intriguing exercise. Here's a good article that steps through a technique similar to what you are describing:

https://byo.com/mead/item/51-21-alcohol-all-grain-beer

Thanks, I will check that article out. I am definitely excited to try it. I know starting with an OG over 1.100 creates intense osmotic pressure on the yeast walls, changing how they ferment, which is why the big boys slowly feed it more fermentables and nutrients and sometimes o2 slowly over time, rather than starting huge from the beginning. The beer turns out smoother and less noticeable alcohol and burn. I'm convinced this is why certain big beers which shall remain nameless burn like hell at 10% while other breweries un-aged 15% beers are smooth as butter.