Making larger stronger

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Tys

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Hi all how can I make the larger I'm brewing stronger. I don't want to make super strength or anything but about 5% Would be nice rarther than just under 4. Any pointers?
Using coppers kits.
 
Do you mean lager? With any beer (or fermented drink) sugar + yeast = alcohol (amongst other things) , so adding some sugar can up the ABV, but can also dry out the beer.

However, at 4% it would be better to add more malt extract. How much does the kit contain at 4%?
 
Hi!
If you brew short, make 19 or 20 litres rather than 23 litres, your finished beer will be stronger than advertised on the kit. Of course, this will produce less beer.
You can also add more fermentables. The kit may instruct you to add sugar; this makes a much "thinner" beer. You can make a much better beer if you use malt extract, either dried malt extract (DME) or liquid malt extract (LME). Whatever you use, if you add more than the kit instructs you will get a higher ABV.
 
Would I not have to use more yeast?
Hi!
Short answer - no.
Long answer - the yeast chomps away at fermentable products until they are all gone. The yeast then cleans up after itself and then, when there's nothing left to "eat" it goes to sleep. Adding extra fermentables means that there's more for the yeast to consume, hence more alcohol.
 
Great thanks.
If I was to add 500g of light malt spray as well as 1kg of sugar what sort of increase would I be looking at approx? (To a standard 4% lager)
 
If you are using a Coopers kit @ 1.7kg LME and brew short to 20.5 litres, and add 1.0kg of DME plus 500g dextrose you will end up with an OG of about 1.048 and a target ABV of about 5% (according to Brewers Friend calculator). If you use 1kg dextrose and only 500g DME the result will be slightly stronger but thinner in taste.
And
larger = bigger
lager = a german style beer
 
Hi!
You could use all DME and put your sugar in a cake.

as a new brewer ive had problems with brews tasting too "horlicks" / "biscuity"

i always attributed this to me adding too much DME?

should i have just added brewing sugar?
 
as a new brewer ive had problems with brews tasting too "horlicks" / "biscuity"

i always attributed this to me adding too much DME?

should i have just added brewing sugar?

How long do you allow the beer/lager to condition before tasting it?

A lot of what may be considered "off-tastes" will disappear after five or six weeks of conditioning.
 
as a new brewer ive had problems with brews tasting too "horlicks" / "biscuity"

i always attributed this to me adding too much DME?

should i have just added brewing sugar?

Hi!
@Dutto makes an excellent point.
Many members on this forum will agree that using DME or LME in place of sugar makes a better beer.
If you try a brew with sugar only you will get a dry, thin beer. However, this may be to the taste of some drinkers.
 
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