Is there a limit to the alcohol percentage one can achieve in beer brewing ?

[COL]

Can one keep increasing the alcohol content just by adding more and more sugar to the original mash/ the primary fermentation?
Is it possible to add too much sugar at the beginning of the mash/the primary fermentation ? What will happen if one adds "too much" sugar then ? Will the final beer taste too sweet ? Is there a point at which the yeast just stops converting the sugar to alcohol? Or will it just continue till all the sugar is eaten up and the brew is fully fermented, producing a bone dry beer, definitely not sweet, and with a very high alcohol content ? Is it just a matter of allowing a much longer fermentation period ? If it is the case that the yeast cannot cope with so much sugar, then is the solution for that to add more yeast?
What is the highest potential alcohol percentage content of the final beer?
Sorry for all the questions, but I think they are all related to each other.

 

[An Ankoù]

Alcohol is a by-product of yeast's metabolic processes. In nature, I imagine it gets diluted or evaporates or often just runs away. Or is oxidised into various precursors of vinegar and eventually, vinegar or acetic acid. Our objective, is to not let the alcohol run away or oxidise and so it gradually, but inexorably kills the yeast. Some yeast- like bakers' yeast, for example, have a relatively low alcohol tolerance, while others have been "bred" for higher tolerance and will ferment up to about 20% or more, abv. After this, adding more sugar will just make the liquid more and more sweet, as no further fermentation will take place. Some yeasts can be encouraged to tolerate a bit more alcohol by adding the sugar bit by bit, while others, like the so-called "turbo yeasts" work better by giving the whole sugar load in one hit. I think some kveiks also work like this. It may well be that the supply of nutrients also has an effect. So to answer your questions:
Only up to a point. Yes. It'll end up too sweet. Yes. Yes, Depends on how much sugar there is. No. No. You could go to around 20% + with some yeasts, but they don't necessarily produce nice-tasting beer.

My question to you: why would you want to make a beer that you couldn't drink a pint of? (apart from scientific curiosity, of course).

 

[Nicks90]

There's been a few 'big stouts' brewed this year well in to double figures,sure one of them will be along shortly to give you some pointers.

 

[Leon103]

There are other methods to make a stronger beer that don't involve sugar

 

[user 23602]

I am first and foremost not any expert. But I do love high ABV stouts, the higher and sweeter the better. 2019 I brewed a 17.8% bourbon barrel aged imperial stout.

 

[dad_of_jon]

my record is a poultry 12.86%. with a single 10g packet of yeast tho'

 

[COL]

Alcohol is a by-product of yeast's metabolic processes. In nature, I imagine it gets diluted or evaporates or often just runs away. Or is oxidised into various precursors of vinegar and eventually, vinegar or acetic acid. Our objective, is to not let the alcohol run away or oxidise and so it gradually, but inexorably kills the yeast. Some yeast- like bakers' yeast, for example, have a relatively low alcohol tolerance, while others have been "bred" for higher tolerance and will ferment up to about 20% or more, abv. After this, adding more sugar will just make the liquid more and more sweet, as no further fermentation will take place. Some yeasts can be encouraged to tolerate a bit more alcohol by adding the sugar bit by bit, while others, like the so-called "turbo yeasts" work better by giving the whole sugar load in one hit. I think some kveiks also work like this. It may well be that the supply of nutrients also has an effect. So to answer your questions:
Only up to a point. Yes. It'll end up too sweet. Yes. Yes, Depends on how much sugar there is. No. No. You could go to around 20% + with some yeasts, but they don't necessarily produce nice-tasting beer.

My question to you: why would you want to make a beer that you couldn't drink a pint of? (apart from scientific curiosity, of course).

Thank you. It's encouraging to know I may produce beers which are so much stronger in alcohol. 20% is more than enough. I should probably be happy with 15% abv.
I have very limited space in my house to keep all the bins and barrels which I need to keep on the go as work in progress. With a stronger brew, providing it tastes just as nice that is, I could be merry and happy, and keep my guest happy, without preparing and consuming such large volumes.

 

[COL]

my record is a poultry 12.86%. with a single 10g packet of yeast tho'

That's nice to know, because 12.86% would probably suit me.

I am first and foremost not any expert. But I do love high ABV stouts, the higher and sweeter the better. 2019 I brewed a 17.8% bourbon barrel aged imperial stout.

I'm glad for you, but a sweet beer or stout is not my cup of tea, speaking for myself.

 

[Drunkula]

If you just want to get smashed you're better of making a decent beer and then having some crap wine kit or sugar wash which you can mix with something to go with it. Making a collossal beer is a lot of effort and takes an absolutely age to condition and that's not an easy gateway to getting bammed. In a sesh I'll have a few decent beers then something like nettle beer or elderflower on tap in a 50 litre keg, both of which are glorified sugar washes.

Just adding more and more sugar to a kit is going to make it taste like crap. It's the sort of thing me and my mate did when we were fifteen. You'd be much better of with trampagne like Frosty Jacks.

 

[Horners]

my record is a poultry 12.86%. with a single 10g packet of yeast tho'

You chicken

 

[fury_tea]

I had some success with "toilet wine" which was about 15% and only mildly tasted of toilet. A few glasses of that and you certainly know you've had a drink.

Basically just any 100% fruit juice, sugar and yeast. If your aim is just to get ratted then it's worth a try and it's pretty much drinkable within a few weeks.

 

[An Ankoù]

I should probably be happy with 15% abv.

strange-steve made a 16 percent 34 earlier in the year The Mad Russian, I think. He documented every move from beginning to end and it wasn't as straightforward as you might have imagined. Just adding sugar is going to result in a thin and watery beer. You might try using a kit and brewing it short.
Here's one I had planned for my 5-years-out-of-date Wilco Woodfords Wherry kit that's been occupying shelf space for far too long. it was inspired by an earlier thread on Bonfire Toffee Stout and should give an OG of 1075, IBUs around 60 and about 8½ - 9 % abv. For me, hitting the numbers isn't important as I just want to use up the kit, and the dark stuff should hide any off-flavours.
For 12 litres:
The 2 cans of Woodford Wherry concentrate.
400g chocolate malt, 200g each crystal malt, dark crystal malt and amber malt. Steep in a bag in some of the water at 65C for 30 minutes (although these malts don't require to be mashed).
100g Tate and Lyle Treacle.
Bring to the boil and add 15g Amarillo (or whatever other hop of your choice) and boil for 10 minutes.
Yeast of your choice but medium attenuator plus the sachet of yeast from the kit so that there's plenty to do the work.
You could add half a kilo of sugar to get the strength up if you want.

No idea how this will turn out. As I said, just want to get the kit out of the way.

 

[foxbat]

Can one keep increasing the alcohol content just by adding more and more sugar to the original mash/ the primary fermentation?
Is it possible to add too much sugar at the beginning of the mash/the primary fermentation ? What will happen if one adds "too much" sugar then ? Will the final beer taste too sweet ? Is there a point at which the yeast just stops converting the sugar to alcohol? Or will it just continue till all the sugar is eaten up and the brew is fully fermented, producing a bone dry beer, definitely not sweet, and with a very high alcohol content ?

The yeast will continue until it's consumed all the fermentable sugars or the conditions are such that it can take no more and it'll stop, whichever comes first. A major factor is the alcohol percentage. Eventually the alcohol kills the yeast and it's game over for your fermentation. Each strain has a different tolerance and the yeast manufacturer's website will tell you roughly what that is.

What is the highest potential alcohol percentage content of the final beer?

It varys depending on the yeast. Brewdog managed to get 28% out of a 'normal' fermentation process: Read about it here. I bet it was an 'acquired' taste. Beyond that you have to get into 'tricks' like freeze distillation.

 

[johncrobinson]

I used to do high alcohol wines,I could hit 16-20% And they tasted nice BUT they took a lot of time and effort compared to the 10-13% jobs.
I have never tasted high alcohol beer,Only lager and and I have to say I am not a fan of it.

Drunkulas post about sums it up.

 

[The Baron]

If and if you really want to make a strong beer (and I would only do it as a experiment as I would not want to drink it) you should use the methods described with high tolerant yeast and to further this you can then what is wrongly called Freeze Distillation that will freeze out the water in the beer and it can be discarded this will concentrate the volume of alcohol produced even more. I would not condone this but I do understand some people may want to do it as a challenge. P.s only serve in thirds

 

[terrym]

Just adding more and more sugar to a kit is going to make it taste like crap. It's the sort of thing me and my mate did when we were fifteen. You'd be much better of with trampagne like Frosty Jacks.

 

[terrym]

There are probably two sorts of high alcohol beers brewed at home. The ones that are brewed to get you p***ed as soon as possible, and those intended to be sipped and savoured for what they are. Those brewing them will know what they are producing.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Can one keep increasing the alcohol content just by adding more and more sugar to the original mash/ the primary fermentation?
Is it possible to add too much sugar at the beginning of the mash/the primary fermentation ? What will happen if one adds "too much" sugar then ? Will the final beer taste too sweet ?

As others have said, the key thing is that the yeast ends up being killed by its own waste (the alcohol), any sugar left at that time will not get fermented and be left as sweetness. Different strains of yeast have different tolerances to alcohol, it's a key parameter that will always be mentioned in the yeast spec (although some like Mangrove Jack hide it away in a databook). The likes of Windsor crap out in the high single figures, wine yeast can go up to 18%+ - but they can only eat simple sugars. WLP099 appears to be a blend of a diastatic beer yeast that can break up complex carbohydrates, and a wine-like yeast that can eat the resulting simple sugars and survive pretty high ABVs. Things like turbo distilling yeast can take you higher but...they're not really designed for flavour.

A good place to start if you're brewing for flavour is WLP540, which is a British yeast that's adapted to higher ABVs, allegedly at Rochefort.

You have to look after your yeast for best results, like not stressing by dumping all your sugar in at one go (high concentrations of sugar are almost as bad for the yeast as alcohol), aerating it well, pitching lots etc. Read this which is full of tips for high-gravity brewing : https://t.co/XYm3z97Z5V

 

[Tony Palmer]

High alcohol beers commercially usually aim at around 9-10% - things like Gold Label and Carlsberg special. There is a lot more science behind this than reflected in the above. You need the right yeast to start with and to be aware of the sucrose density gradient. High initial gravity can inhibit the yeast, so increasing the pitching rate up to 4 x is one solution. As mentioned for the home brewer continual addition of sugar syrup later in the fermentation helps, but not too much. It's also important to keep the temperture up towards the end of fermentation the so called diacetyl blip to reduce off flavours. Additional nutrients are a must and it helps if you have active wet yeast rather than dry yeast.

 

[fury_tea]

High alcohol beers commercially usually aim at around 9-10% - things like Gold Label and Carlsberg special. There is a lot more science behind this than reflected in the above. You need the right yeast to start with and to be aware of the sucrose density gradient. High initial gravity can inhibit the yeast, so increasing the pitching rate up to 4 x is one solution. As mentioned for the home brewer continual addition of sugar syrup later in the fermentation helps, but not too much. It's also important to keep the temperture up towards the end of fermentation the so called diacetyl blip to reduce off flavours. Additional nutrients are a must and it helps if you have active wet yeast rather than dry yeast.

And plenty of oxygen at the start of fermentation, I've heard of people oxygenating more than once in the first few hours