Easiest way to increase ABV in Brewer's Best Kit?

[Mustang_Bobby]

I am not talking about a particular kit just generally speaking. Is it as simple as just adding sugar or is it more complicated than that? If the kit says: 4%-5% ABV how do you get it to 7%-8% ABV?

 

[m00ps]

you will need malt extract or else you are just going to make somethign very hot and watery

 

[Mustang_Bobby]

you will need malt extract or else you are just going to make somethign very hot and watery

So find out what malt extract is already in the kit and add some more?

 

[theseeker4]

So find out what malt extract is already in the kit and add some more?

If you want to experiment, I would go with recipes that are posted on sites like this. A lot cheaper to buy the ingredients yourself than to buy a kit and add to it. When adding on to a kit, your best generic bet is light extract, as it will boost the ABV without adding more character from darker grains that are used to make darker extracts, and won't cause the cidery character adding a bunch of sugar can add.

 

[m00ps]

doesnt necessarily need to be the same extract. But you wouldnt use like 2 extra lbs of dark DME in a IPA kit or something. Probably best to just use a light DME

 

[slym2none]

I wouldn't do more than add a pound or so of malt extract (or mini-mash 1-1/2 pounds grain) to bolster any kit or recipe I would ever use, which gives approximately a 1-1/2% increase in ABV. Trying to boost a kit by 3-4% alcohol is going to significantly change the rest of the beer, no matter which direction you go.

*QUALIFIER - I make 2.G batches. Those numbers above are for that sized batch. All pardons for any confusion.

 

[Mustang_Bobby]

All,

Thanks for the advice it sounds like I need to scratch the kit all together. What I am looking for is a beer that is going to be liked by a mixed crowd since I will be sharing most of it. I love IPAs but a lot of people don't. What is a good recipe for a flavorful beer at about 7% to 8% that a mixed group of beer drinkers would enjoy. I know that is very vague but I kinda want to see what people come up with. Ideal size is 5-6 gallon.

 

[drainbamage]

@Mustang_Bobby weren't you also the one posting a few days ago about the cheapest, most basic alcoholic beverage possible? I see a trend forming...

But, your options are basically:

1) Add sugar. Just corn sugar or plain ol' table sugar will do. ABV goes up, body gets thin. Might taste hot (alcohol burn) or cidery if you overdo it.
2) Add DME. Lighter is better to avoid really messing with the flavor profile, but things will still be "different".
3) Scale up the recipe. Add DME, but also proportionally increase steeping grains and other ingredients. You might preserve the intended flavor profile, but this is going to be more expensive, and difficult if you only have access to kit beers.
4) Skip the kit and move on to recipes that match the character you want. See the last part of #3.

 

[z-bob]

I am not talking about a particular kit just generally speaking. Is it as simple as just adding sugar or is it more complicated than that? If the kit says: 4%-5% ABV how do you get it to 7%-8% ABV?

7 to 8% is getting up there; the yeast may have trouble finishing the job.

Easiest way is to boost the ABV a little is to use less water.

I assume we're talking about 5 gallons? Add 1 pound of light DME and a half a pound of sugar to the boil. That'll boost the alcohol from 5% to about 6.5% and shouldn't screw things up too much. But it will reduce the hops bitterness. If it's a dark beer kit, maybe use amber DME instead of light.

 

[PGEduardo]

4-5% is perfect for a mixed crowd. Stick with the kit and control your fermentation temperatures.

I suggest handing out strong mixed drinks if you goal is to just get people drunk quickly.

 

[Mustang_Bobby]

@Mustang_Bobby weren't you also the one posting a few days ago about the cheapest, most basic alcoholic beverage possible? I see a trend forming...

But, your options are basically:

1) Add sugar. Just corn sugar or plain ol' table sugar will do. ABV goes up, body gets thin. Might taste hot (alcohol burn) or cidery if you overdo it.
2) Add DME. Lighter is better to avoid really messing with the flavor profile, but things will still be "different".
3) Scale up the recipe. Add DME, but also proportionally increase steeping grains and other ingredients. You might preserve the intended flavor profile, but this is going to be more expensive, and difficult if you only have access to kit beers.
4) Skip the kit and move on to recipes that match the character you want. See the last part of #3.

Haha you caught me

 

[McGarnigle]

@Mustang_Bobby weren't you also the one posting a few days ago about the cheapest, most basic alcoholic beverage possible? I see a trend forming...

But, your options are basically:

1) Add sugar. Just corn sugar or plain ol' table sugar will do. ABV goes up, body gets thin. Might taste hot (alcohol burn) or cidery if you overdo it.
2) Add DME. Lighter is better to avoid really messing with the flavor profile, but things will still be "different".
3) Scale up the recipe. Add DME, but also proportionally increase steeping grains and other ingredients. You might preserve the intended flavor profile, but this is going to be more expensive, and difficult if you only have access to kit beers.
4) Skip the kit and move on to recipes that match the character you want. See the last part of #3.

5) Add less water to make a smaller, stronger batch. this has the advantage of keeping the ingredients in proportion. Of course you wind up with less beer. Like #3, it's a lot more expensive on a per bottle basis.

 

[Brettomomyces]

6) Freeze the beer and remove some of the water post fermentation. Eishooch!

 

[TimH]

Haha you caught me

I think AA might be the cheapest route

 

[PIGMAN]

All,

Thanks for the advice it sounds like I need to scratch the kit all together. What I am looking for is a beer that is going to be liked by a mixed crowd since I will be sharing most of it. I love IPAs but a lot of people don't. What is a good recipe for a flavorful beer at about 7% to 8% that a mixed group of beer drinkers would enjoy. I know that is very vague but I kinda want to see what people come up with. Ideal size is 5-6 gallon.

I would hesitate to serve beer that strong to the average mixed crowd, when they are probably used to ABVs similar to the kit you are trying to jack up.

 

[Clonefan94]

4-5% is perfect for a mixed crowd. Stick with the kit and control your fermentation temperatures.

I suggest handing out strong mixed drinks if you goal is to just get people drunk quickly.

This is kind of what I was thinking. 7 - 8% is actually getting up there compared to what some of the people of a "Mixed crowd" of beer drinkers might be used to.

I think the focus should be more on a well balanced drinkable beer than trying to see how much alcohol you can pack into it.

 

[eadavis80]

I added a pound of DME and a pound of sugar to a pale ale kit one time and wasn't happy with how it ended even though I had ample yeast and good ferm temp. In the future, I'll only add at most a pound of light DME to a kit. If I want more alcohol, I'll crack open the next beer.

 

[z-bob]

I've had the most problems brewing high ABV beers. Normal strength beers (4.5 to 5%) work the best.

Going to try some in the 3% range to see if I can do it -- drink 3 tasty-but-weak beers instead of 1 strong one.