Adding strength to Brew

[mancer62]

Today I am making Coopers English Bitter and would like it a little stronger than normal. Would it be ok to add 1.25kg of Brewing Sugar instead of the usual 1kg? If so what sort of alcohol % could I expect. Cheers

 

[PD]

Kits are designed to make a specific style of beer just throwing in extra ingredients will not benefit it. ( although you will make it a bit stronger in this case.}
Much better to reduce the amount you brew slightly, if its a 23 litre brew, make it up to 21 litres. It will improve your beer while keeping all the ingredients in balance.

 

[winelight]

Many folk here add extra fermentables to kits, I usually go up to 1.5Kg but would add malt extract of some kind rather than just sugar. Kits as made are usually quite weak in terms of alcohol. Also many brew them short too! Seriously, do whatever you like.

Kits are designed to be "right" if you follow the instructions, but there are many different beers and beer styles so playing around with it probably won't end up with something wrong, just something different.

 

[graysalchemy]

Pd is right you will affect the hop balance body and mouthfeel by just adding sugar.

Brewing short is the better way, or if you are adding fermentables use DME and perhaps try dry hopping.

Have a search of the forum there is some excellent advice on improving a kit.

:thumb: :thumb:

 

[Ian...]

I dont brew short, I usually add Demorara or Muscavado to my brew if I want to up the ABV. Been happy with the results. As said, it may not particularly be the brew that the makers intended, but if you like it.... so what. I tried 1kg extra of dark brown muscavado in a St Peters Red Ruby Ale kit once. It gave it a gorgeous treacly flavour and I would certainly do it again. Just stay off the white granulated sugar, that would definitely weaken the flavour of the brew. What ever works for you is fine. Good luck.

 

[winelight]

it may not particularly be the brew that the makers intended, but if you like it.... so what

Couldn't agree more. Experimenting is the fun of it.

 

[bottler]

I dont brew short, I usually add Demorara or Muscavado to my brew if I want to up the ABV. Been happy with the results. As said, it may not particularly be the brew that the makers intended, but if you like it.... so what. I tried 1kg extra of dark brown muscavado in a St Peters Red Ruby Ale kit once. It gave it a gorgeous treacly flavour and I would certainly do it again. Just stay off the white granulated sugar, that would definitely weaken the flavour of the brew. What ever works for you is fine. Good luck.

I brewed the ruby red as per kit instructions, and it was brilliant. One kit i wouldnt mess with. But,this hobby is so good, because we can do what we think is right at the time, and it works for the individual most times i guess.