Jeff Flowers on May 1, 2014 8 Comments Alcohol is a byproduct of the fermentation process, which takes place when the yeast converts the sugars derived from the grain. Knowing that, you can increase the alcohol by volume (ABV) by increasing the size of the grain bill or increasing the amount of malt extract used. Though, this method can completely change the recipe if all other factors remain the same, so a popular method for increasing the ABV of an existing beer recipe without bringing much change, is to simply add more sugar into the mix. However, it’s important to understand what type of sugar you should use and the effects that it can have on your beer. What Type of Sugar Should Be Used? Different types of sugar can be used when the purpose is to introduce different flavors and add complexity to a beer but when the purpose is to increase the alcohol content the most commonly used type of sugar is corn sugar. This is a simple sugar derived from corn that can be easily consumed by yeast. It is in a ready-to-use form that is 100% fermentable by yeast. Because of this, it is a popular choice amongst homebrewers and can be employed in powder form as well as liquid form, such as corn syrup. Yeast can also break down more complex sugars known as disaccharides, such as sucrose. This is sugar made of a combination of the simple sugars glucose and fructose, and is derived from plants such as sugar cane and beet root. Common examples of sucrose include standard white refined sugar, unrefined sugar and brown sugar. While yeast can technically break sucrose down, it must first break the bonds between the fructose and glucose before breaking them down which makes for a slightly more difficult and potentially less efficient use of the sugar than with corn sugar. Also, yeast will convert fructose and glucose at different rates, so you may not get the same results you would with a simple sugar like dextrose. Effects of Adding Sugar In addition to increasing the alcohol content, adding more sugar during the brewing process can affect the color, flavor and body of the beer. Using corn sugar, or dextrose, will lighten the body and color of the beer without affecting the flavor profile of the beer. Other sugars such as Belgian candi sugar, which is sucrose, will sometimes darken the beer and add body, while also having the potential to impart different flavors including caramel and honey, among others. What Happens If You Add Too Much Adding sugars can definitely make things interesting though, it’s also important to know that having too many sugars can be a bad thing. If the sugar content is too high for the yeast to ferment, you will be left with an overly sweet product that resembles something closer to cider, rather than the type of beer you intended to brew. If you’re a stickler for following style guidelines, then this may create a beer to far away from the style you were aiming for. Too much sugar can also lead to over-carbonation. In addition to alcohol, carbon dioxide is a byproduct of fermentation. This is why priming sugar can be used to carbonate beer. If there are residual sugars for the yeast to ferment, higher CO2 levels can be a result, which will be noticeable in the body of your beer. When you are attempting to increase the ABV of a beer, make sure that you first lock in the beer, as it is, then try a second batch using corn sugar. Be sure to follow the usage instructions and take gravity readings as necessary while taking notes to document any difference you see with the incorporation of additional sugar. Also, keep some of the original batch for a side-by-side comparison when evaluating effects on color, body and flavor. From there, you can try using other sugars and different amounts to experiment and compare even further.
michael says May 10, 2014 at 4:00 pm I have been using invert sugar that I make by boiling water with cane sugar and lemon juice. Results have been good. Reply
Jade Moore says March 24, 2015 at 3:38 pm If I am using a current recipe that I enjoy, how do I know how much extra sugar to add and when during the process to add it? Reply
Bill says January 9, 2016 at 12:47 am When is the best time to add the sugar? Before the boil, during, after? We like to use brown sugar as our beer tends to be on the dry side, but we’re not sure when is the optimal time to add it. Reply
al tombari says November 21, 2016 at 12:31 pm I make gallon beer, do i put sugar in the wort or when bottling and how much? Reply
mike says November 1, 2017 at 1:47 pm I believe you would want to dissolve the sugar in equal parts water and boil to kill any bad stuff. Quickly cool with a lid on to the same/approximate temp as your primary/beer and add it to your primary. I think that is a better way than just adding to your brew while boiling. I also believe you should add a little at a time and oxygenate each time you do add. Say a third pound once a day for three days. That should raise the abv by 1% double it for 2% (2/3lbs once a day or 1/3lb twice a day for 3 days). Also, if you are going for a high gravity beer, you should use a yeast that can handle the higher alcohol content. Oh and you should also add yeast nutrients when adding fermentables. Keep your yeast healthy and happy. Reply
Chidi Nwangwa says May 1, 2018 at 5:56 am How would I improve alcohol content in beer brewed with malted, raw and yellow sorghum Reply
Robert says April 25, 2019 at 11:53 am How much water do you add to 3/4 cup of corn sugar? And will that dilute the beer too much? Reply
Ahad Ghorbandaei says May 27, 2020 at 2:53 am How can I change Non Alcoholic Malt Drink to average alcoholic one Reply
