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Every homebrewer wants to make the strongest beer possible as it is a point of pride. You don’t want your friends to be able to drink your beer and still be standing at the end of the night. So, how do you make homebrew stronger that will still taste good?
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How Do You Make Homebrew Stronger?
The best and easiest way to make homebrew stronger is simply adding more sugar on brewing days. This will up the alcohol content without changing the flavor too much. You can also add honey or molasses to give your homebrew a boost and some added flavor.
Another way to increase the content is to add adjuncts like unmalted grains, flaked barley, or wheat. These will increase the beer’s potential while also adding some body and flavor to your beer. Most brewers use malted milled grains as the base of their beer and then add adjuncts to change the flavor and alcohol strength.
You can also change the brewing process itself to make homebrew stronger. One way is to increase the time that you boil the wort. This will concentrate the sugars, resulting in a more potent brew. You can also do a longer mash, increasing the sugar content to make a stronger beer.
Other Methods for Making Homebrew Stronger
The good news is that there are many ways that you can make beer stronger while you are brewing. There are references available in homebrewing books that can show you which methods are simple and easy to do in your apartment so that you can make the strongest beer possible. The following are some tips on how to make brew stronger:
Use a Higher Alcohol Yeast
This is the starting point for your beer and will impact how strong your final product will be. There are many different types of yeast available, and each has a different alcohol tolerance. The higher the alcohol tolerance, the more sugar the yeast will be able to eat, and the higher the final alcohol concentration will be.
Therefore, when you are looking for a yeast that will make your brew stronger, you want to find one with high alcohol tolerance. Some examples of high alcohol yeasts are Wyeast 3724 Belgian Saison, White Labs WLP099 Super High Gravity Ale, and Fermentis Safale S-04.
If you are looking for an even stronger beer, you can use distilling yeast. This type of yeast is designed to eat all the sugars in the wort, leaving you with a very high beer content. However, distilling yeast is illegal in many countries, so be sure to check the laws in your area before using it.
Use Malt Extract
Malt extract is a great way to increase the strength of your beer without changing the flavor too much. It is made by boiling down wort until all the water has evaporated, leaving behind a thick syrup. This syrup is then condensed and dried into a powder or liquid that you can add to your beer.
To use this extract to make your beer stronger, simply add more of it to your recipe. Keep in mind that malt extract is very concentrated and can make your beer too sweet if you are not careful. Just add a little at a time until you reach the desired sweetness and alcohol content.
Add Brewers’ Crystals
This is a combination of dextrose and maltose that is used to increase the concentration of your beer. They work just like malt extract and can be added to your recipe in the same way.
Many large commercial breweries use brewers’ crystals to make their beer. They are a great way to increase the alcohol content without changing the flavor too much and also help to improve the head retention and clarity, to keep your beer sediment-free before bottling them in Growlers.
Benefits of Making Stronger Beer
Making stronger beer has many benefits that every homebrewer should consider. The following are some of the benefits that you can enjoy when you make stronger beer:
- It is more economical: When you make a stronger beer, you effectively use less malt and hops; hence it becomes more economical.
- A strong beer will last longer: If you plan to store your beer for a long time, then making it stronger is a good idea. The higher alcohol content will help to preserve the beer to last and prevent it from going bad.
- It is more refreshing: A strong beer is more refreshing and has a higher alcohol content. This means that you can drink less and still get the same effect. Case in point, drinking a strong beer like a Grand Cru is quite refreshing, which makes it more rewarding to recreate it at home.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Can I Mix With Beer to Make It Stronger?
You can mix beer with hard liquor to make a “boilermaker.” This will increase the strength of your brew. You can also add malt extract or brewers’ crystals to your beer to make it stronger.
Why Is My Homebrew Weak?
This may be due to improper cleaning of brewing equipment, insufficient fermentation time, or using too much water. Ensure that the equipment is properly cleaned and sanitized before use.
Conclusion
Increasing your homebrew’s alcohol content is relatively easy to do. The simplest way is to add more sugar to your recipe. This can be done by using malt extract, brewers’ crystals, or a higher gravity wort. Always add with caution to avoid making your beer too sweet.
