Boosting Alcohol Content way up on a kit?

gosplan

So last year I made a couple of kits, my Fav being Muntons Gold IPA.

I added an extra KG of brew inhancer which boosted the ABV to 5.3%. OG-FG 1052-1012.

Lately I've been drinking a lot of strong single IPA's like Sierra Nevada Torpedo or Founders Centennial(awesome beer). These all come in at about 7.2.

My notes from last year say that my IPA lacked a bit of body so I wouldn't mind if some of the extra fermentables added to that as well.

So my requests for advice are on

1: how much to add and what?

2: will the yeast just multiply and take care of it? Any suggestions for a better yeast than the kit?

3 will I mess up the flavour doing this

BeerNut

Yeast can get stressed out if the gravity is too high, but another half a kilo of spraymalt on top of that should be grand.

But you'll never manage to make a kit that's like Torpedo or Founder's Centennial. Kits are almost-finished beer, most of the decisions on what it'll be like have already been taken. You'll need to move to extract or all-grain if you want more control. I'm sure there are plenty of extract clone recipes of those to IPAs if you search around.

gosplan

Thanks.

I'm planning to change direction and go extract or all grain in the summer.

I'm just going to lash together a kit now so I don't drink everything too quickly at that point.

I know this is a massive question but I'd really only be looking to make clones of some of the strong Belgian ales, Trappists and maybe some IPA or Porter clones.

Is extract the direction I should be going in?

BeerNut

Yep: all should be possible with extract.

sharingan

gosplan wrote: »

I added an extra KG of brew inhancer which boosted the ABV to 5.3%. OG-FG 1052-1012.

My notes from last year say that my IPA lacked a bit of body so I wouldn't mind if some of the extra fermentables added to that as well.

brew enhancer is something like 50% sugar 50% malt. The sugar ferments completely, so it thins out the body. Use 100% spray malt in future.

1: how much to add and what?

Depends on what you want your target ABV to be? You probably want to be adding 1.5 - 2Kg of malt extract (a mix of liquid and dry), to boost it well, and retain body.

2: will the yeast just multiply and take care of it? Any suggestions for a better yeast than the kit?

I find kit yeast to be a bit stingy. If you are boosting the fermentables, I would replace the yeast with US-05 if you are making an american style IPA/pale, or Danstar Nottingham if its an english style IPA/pale.

You could get stuck ferments and yeast stress-related off flavours if you push too little yeast through too much malt. US-05 & Notty are real dependables.

3 will I mess up the flavour doing this

Better yeast + better malt, will improve the beer, though you are diluting your hop ratios. It could change your recipe, from say an IPA, to something like an ESB or US Amber.

gosplan

Thanks for the replies guys.

I just saw that bulldog are doing new kits that include a 7-8% DIPA and a 6% APA. They seem to be getting good reviews.

I might just lash these on and try to drunkenly negotiate the move to extract in the summer.

Herb Powell

Golden syrup, for an ABV kick in the hole.

Lovely Bloke

You could add a kilo of Light DME, then dry hop the kit with something like Cascade a week before bottling