Brewing Sugar In Kits

[Hops_and_Dreams]

Evening Chaps,

I've got a Festival Razorback IPA that I intend to put on next weekend. It contains 650g sugar, presumably just to bump up the ABV to 5.7%.

Because I'm a wimp, and my Youngs IPA has turned out at lively 7.3%, I was thinking about leaving it out or at least putting less in to reduce the % and make it a bit more sessionable for the summer.

Would this have any negative effects other than reducing the alcohol content? I guess the FG will be higher for one (not that it's a negative).

Thanks.

 

[brydo]

hi mate, as far as im aware more sugar just means a higher abv, i don't think plain sugar has any effect on flavour, maybe brown would but im sure there is more expierianced guys on here who would be more sure about their advice

 

[dad_of_jon]

Evening Chaps,

I've got a Festival Razorback IPA that I intend to put on next weekend. It contains 650g sugar, presumably just to bump up the ABV to 5.7%.

Because I'm a wimp, and my Youngs IPA has turned out at lively 7.3%, I was thinking about leaving it out or at least putting less in to reduce the % and make it a bit more sessionable for the summer.

Would this have any negative effects other than reducing the alcohol content? I guess the FG will be higher for one (not that it's a negative).

Thanks.

ah 7.3% - right in the ball park for me :grin:

just had 2 - galaxy hop 2's and a 660ml bottle of punk ipa & a celt experience dark age, so best to ignore my post :lol:

 

[Racinsnake]

An alternative would be to add more water, although a side effect would be reduced body.......... and more pints!
Rob.

 

[clibit]

You can leave the sugar out no problem. It will simply reduce the ABV and increase the body of the beer a little.

 

[Hops_and_Dreams]

ah 7.3% - right in the ball park for me :grin:

just had 2 - galaxy hop 2's and a 660ml bottle of punk ipa & a celt experience dark age, so best to ignore my post :lol:

Yes, it doesn't take long to get through two or three and by then I can definitely feel it!

 

[Hops_and_Dreams]

You can leave the sugar out no problem. It will simply reduce the ABV and increase the body of the beer a little.

hi mate, as far as im aware more sugar just means a higher abv, i don't think plain sugar has any effect on flavour, maybe brown would but im sure there is more expierianced guys on here who would be more sure about their advice

Cheers chaps, I thought as much, but just wanted to double check it didn't serve another purpose I wasn't aware of!

Was going to brew it short anyway, so will probably leave it out altogether. Plus I'll have a free bag of priming sugar for another 6ish brews!

 

[TitanicStruggle]

You can leave the sugar out no problem. It will simply reduce the ABV and increase the body of the beer a little.

So, thinking about the exact opposite of this problem, if you wanted to increase the ABV of a kit by adding extra sugar (which I assume would thin the beer a bit more?) what is the best way to this this while keeping the body? Using Malt instead of sugar maybe? Or is it just a trade off you have to accept.

 

[clibit]

You can use dried malt extract. Or halfway house, brew enhancer, which is half dried extract and half brewing sugar.

 

[GHW]

Those festival kits are weird, they seem to vary in content for the same kit. The one I did had two big bags of malt (can't remember weight) and just 100g brewing sugar for priming. Very strange.

 

[clibit]

Different recipes for different beers of different strengths. Instead of the standard one can plus bits or two cans.