Increase ABV during fermentation?

[dnr]

So generally I like to do split batches when I brew 5.5 gallons. It allows me to experiment and change the flavor up a little. I have a brew in primary right now and was going to add some hibiscus, wild cherry bark, lemongrass, rosehips, orange peel and peppermint. Sounds weird, but i have tried it steeped. It's good. I am using clean bittering hops, and for flavor I'm using hops that taste lemony, minty and piney.

Anyway... This guy me to think, can I up my ABV after racking off half once primary is done? I missed my OG by a few points and find some extra cane sugar in my cabinet. Could I just boil it in a little water and toss it in with my steeped adjuncts?

Thanks.

 

[day_trippr]

You had me until the peppermint
Folks doing barley wines adding half pounds of fermentables every day until the yeast are about to give up typically use corn sugar and just pour it in...

Cheers!

 

[brownni5]

Yep.

 

[dnr]

I don't have to sanitize or boil? It's been in my cabinet for 6 months.
And it's a wisp of peppermint. A light breeze of a hint of mint...

 

[day_trippr]

If it makes you nudgy to just pour it in dry, definitely boil it in a small amount of water (briefly - no need for more than just bring it to a boil where sanitation is instant). Confidence can be more important than taking a fairly safe shortcut

Cheers!

 

[dnr]

I usually have added it at the beginning of fermentation right after taking a lower than expected gravity reading. About 2 cups water per 1.5 lb sugar and as soon as I see boiling, turn it off, cover, let it cool for 5 minutes, pour slowly.

So I could keep adding sugar until my yeast craps out? How do you know when that happens? No more bubbles? Take gravity reading daily?

 

[day_trippr]

Depends on what you're trying to end up with, but given where you're starting I don't think you want to go nuts on the ABV.
For sure you don't want to push past the yeasts' ability to ferment - so keep an eye on the strain's rated attenuation AND alcohol tolerance.

I've only done post-boil sugar additions with barley wines, and I had the benefit of a recipe calculator (Beersmith) that allowed me to determine how much sugar I could add that the particular "secondary" yeast strain (WLP099 - an STA1-active strain) could handle (the US-05 made it to almost 12% on its own).
And then stayed well under that (25% if everything goes perfectly, but I didn't test that )

Cheers!

 

[dnr]

I'm just looking to go from the ~5% I've been doing to 6.5-7. I'm not trying to push things too far. Just wanna get a higher ABV with my adjunct half of this brew.
Give this peppermint done bite!

 

[Stormcrow]

I'm just looking to go from the ~5% I've been doing to 6.5-7. I'm not trying to push things too far. Just wanna get a higher ABV with my adjunct half of this brew.
Give this peppermint done bite!

I made a small jump from 5.5 to 6.5 ABV adding dark brown sugar that I boiled down in just enough water to melt it for a couple of minutes. I let it cool for awhile and dumped it in the fermenter (about five days into fermentation). Worked beautifully.

 

[dnr]

Awesome. Thank you.
What style of beer? Molasses will leave a residual flavor moreso than just sucrose or dextrose, yeah?

 

[Stormcrow]

Yes, and that's why I was trying out brown sugar. It was a brown English concoction I made up with Marris Otter, Crystal 40, flaked barley, and Fawcett pale chocolate. Hops were Fuggle and EKGs. I felt like I could taste a difference in the gallon that had brown sugar added. I also used the brown sugar for priming before bottling.

 

[day_trippr]

I have used lots of brown sugar at end-of-boil in the past with zero regrets, but I'd be cautious about using actual molasses.
Molasses can convey a metallic character that many detect as unpleasant...

Cheers!

 

[dnr]

I have a little cane sugar and sucrose. I think I'll cook up 1.25 lb to get about 2%. Thanks!

Also, I am using LME. All my recipe apps are asking for efficiency... Wouldn't that basically be 100% with an extract?
I get it may vary, but as long as I'm not screwing up?
I am trying to get my numbers on the board.

 

[day_trippr]

I can't imagine any "extract efficiency" less than 100% when dealing with DME, at least.
LME does have some water so there's a ratio (85%?) that has to be applied...

Cheers!

 

[dnr]

LME to DME conversion puts 1lb LME to .84 lb DME. So if DME is 100% then LME is 84% by my shotty math...after a few Homebrews which I am not sure I know the real ABV of, considering my average tolerance and my current state of inebriation.

 

[day_trippr]

hahaha! yeah, that can happen
84% sounds right, so adjust your total fermentables accordingly...

Cheers!