So my neighbour and brewing buddy has just started a batch of Coopers IPA. He has been messing around with his recipes and techniques since he started brewing and now he has done this batch with all the recommended dextrose plus that amount if liquid malt extract. So basically double the sugar and then two packages of yeast. The guys at the brewing store said that they doubted that it would double his ABV? Is this correct. What is going to happen and why?
Sence in doubling sugar?
- Thread starter BenRuss
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Dougan
Well-Known Member
If I understand your question correctly, you are basically asking if doubling the extract will double the final gravity. Is that what you are asking?
In general, yeah, that's the result, but there are some limitations. For example, most yeast has an upper limit to what ABV it can take before it starts to slow down. If your recipe is going to give you 7% ABV when it's done, doubling the sugars would be something like 14%, but chances are your yeast isn't going to want to ferment that far. That beer would probably end up being around 9% or so, and being really sweet, but it would depend on the yeast and fermentation conditions, really.
But, yeah, if you had a recipe that would get you around 3% and you doubled the extract, it would end up being around 6%, assuming your fermentation happened correctly.
The amount of yeast you should use doesn't work like that, though. Doubling the sugar doesn't necessarily mean doubling the yeast.
There are a lot of good websites out there that allow you to enter your ingredients, and your water volume, and your yeast, and it will spit out what ABV you can expect, if you wanted to try and hit a certain ABV. There are also websites that can tell you how much yeast to use, too.
In general, yeah, that's the result, but there are some limitations. For example, most yeast has an upper limit to what ABV it can take before it starts to slow down. If your recipe is going to give you 7% ABV when it's done, doubling the sugars would be something like 14%, but chances are your yeast isn't going to want to ferment that far. That beer would probably end up being around 9% or so, and being really sweet, but it would depend on the yeast and fermentation conditions, really.
But, yeah, if you had a recipe that would get you around 3% and you doubled the extract, it would end up being around 6%, assuming your fermentation happened correctly.
The amount of yeast you should use doesn't work like that, though. Doubling the sugar doesn't necessarily mean doubling the yeast.
There are a lot of good websites out there that allow you to enter your ingredients, and your water volume, and your yeast, and it will spit out what ABV you can expect, if you wanted to try and hit a certain ABV. There are also websites that can tell you how much yeast to use, too.
The LME provides fermentables, as does the sugar. He would have to double the LME and the sugar as Dougan said.
It is generally better to use more extract instead of lots of extra sugar (especially for an I.P.A). You would end up with a very dry beer fermenting lots of extra sugar. I'd recommend adding some dry malt extract, or using 2 tins of the LME plus double the sugar, or sugar + DME (or just double DME!).
With high alcohol beers, the yeast are challenged in the alcohol environment and so more time in the bottles is better as they carbonate more slowly. The alcohol-taste also mellows with time. Also, he should be prepared for a lot of fermentation activity with the high gravity brew - could use a blow off tube into a bucket/bottle/jar of sanitiser instead of a top-attached airlock at first.
Another option is to make a beer LME kit, normal amount of sugar (or substituted with DME, or just use both), and use 1 packet of yeast, but add half the water (minus half the volume of the LME itself plus some water for the sugar); this would double the maximum possible ABV, but wouldn't cost any more and makes bottling day go by a bit quicker - He can use the normal primary fermenter (nevermind the headspace) as CO2 will displace the air out the airlock. This is a good way of starting/testing a high gravity brew - your friend could then try it again but investing in double the ingredients.
It is generally better to use more extract instead of lots of extra sugar (especially for an I.P.A). You would end up with a very dry beer fermenting lots of extra sugar. I'd recommend adding some dry malt extract, or using 2 tins of the LME plus double the sugar, or sugar + DME (or just double DME!).
With high alcohol beers, the yeast are challenged in the alcohol environment and so more time in the bottles is better as they carbonate more slowly. The alcohol-taste also mellows with time. Also, he should be prepared for a lot of fermentation activity with the high gravity brew - could use a blow off tube into a bucket/bottle/jar of sanitiser instead of a top-attached airlock at first.
Another option is to make a beer LME kit, normal amount of sugar (or substituted with DME, or just use both), and use 1 packet of yeast, but add half the water (minus half the volume of the LME itself plus some water for the sugar); this would double the maximum possible ABV, but wouldn't cost any more and makes bottling day go by a bit quicker - He can use the normal primary fermenter (nevermind the headspace) as CO2 will displace the air out the airlock. This is a good way of starting/testing a high gravity brew - your friend could then try it again but investing in double the ingredients.
IMO you do not doulbe tha sugar and make up the numbers with more DME or LME as stated. There are a couple reasons. If you add too much sugar the beer will be too dry. Also, if the yeast fill up on too many simple sugars they may not want to work to break down the more complex sugars in the Extract and you can wind up with a stuck fermentation.
