So If I Want To...

[P-Train]

Have more abv. is it more priming sugar that can be added or what?

What is the best way to increase abv. without compromising taste?

:confused:

[brewmonkey]

By adjusting the recipe would be the only way I would suggest. You can add adjuncts or other sugars but they will all effect the taste profile in some way.

While sugar can be used in the recipe I would say 10% is the safe (of fermentbles) and 15% is the maximum I would use. If you do use sugar buy turbinado suger (sugar in the raw) as it is unrefined. It is also a traditional brewing sugar, being used in beers like ESB's especially.

[P-Train]

Thanks BrewMonkey!

[vampire53]

i'm a big fan of honey. a pound or so will lighten the flavor a little but will boost the abv. add it the last 15-20 minutes of the boil. i do it quite a bit (why brew under 6% is my motto) and it always works for me. later

[DreamWeaver]

Originally posted by vampire53
i'm a big fan of honey. a pound or so will lighten the flavor a little but will boost the abv. add it the last 15-20 minutes of the boil. i do it quite a bit (why brew under 6% is my motto) and it always works for me. later

Hey Vampire53..
I just read this post after replying to your other "gusher"post...

I betcha I know what cha got! I'm going to guess it's a honey issue, not a gusher infection. Just a hunch!

Honey takes a LONG time to ferment. Did you take an FG reading before bottling? Need more info on the honey use. How much? How long did ya ferment? ect.

Don't toss the beer just yet.

[P-Train]

I did an IPA over the weekend and put 20 oz. of honey into the boil with the wort/hops from the beginning of the boil. Not the last 20 minutes. Will there be a difference.

My "gusher" did not have honey.

Hell, maybe I shook it a little by accident.

I assumed it blew because it was warm.

Never had that happen before.

Of course, I've never had the urge to open a warm hb to begin with...

[DreamWeaver]

Originally posted by P-Train
I did an IPA over the weekend and put 20 oz. of honey into the boil with the wort/hops from the beginning of the boil. Not the last 20 minutes. Will there be a difference.

My "gusher" did not have honey.

Hell, maybe I shook it a little by accident.

I assumed it blew because it was warm.

Never had that happen before.

Of course, I've never had the urge to open a warm hb to begin with...

Sorry P-Train, I was responding to "Vampire53's" post. But it is interesting that you mentioned that you had a "gusher" also.

As far as up-ing the %ABV, if you do extracts, you can add more DME or LME to the recipe. Like a pound or three. If doing all grain, add a few more pounds of base malt. You'll want to consider adjusting your hops abit too.

Cheers!

[brewmonkey]

Originally posted by P-Train
I did an IPA over the weekend and put 20 oz. of honey into the boil with the wort/hops from the beginning of the boil. Not the last 20 minutes. Will there be a difference.

My "gusher" did not have honey.

Hell, maybe I shook it a little by accident.

I assumed it blew because it was warm.

Never had that happen before.

Of course, I've never had the urge to open a warm hb to begin with...

Only difference with boiling the honey for that long is you will lose some of the aroma and flavor characteristics of the honey. I would aslo expect the beer to be percieved as a bit drier as honey is highly fermentable.