If you add more sugar do you need more yeast?

[Datanode101]

As times are tough now, self employed to un-employed because of covid I was thinking, Could I make a super strong batch of what I normally make, the plan is to make 40 bottles of kick ass 10% or what ever and then use it wisely with lemonade, a shandy should one say...lol

So normally it's 1KG of what ever for the 40 pint kits, I've added 1.5kg before and that seemed to work quite well, strong though and was gulping it down like pop until I was mortal at 7pm......after an hour drinking....

So, question, is that one little sachet capable of making 2kg of sugar into alcohol or do you need to start adding more yeast?


Thanks

 

[terrym]

As an example if you top up a 1.7kg kit with table sugar in a batch of 22 litres the following are predicted
- 1kg sugar, just over 4.5%ABV
- 2kg sugar, about 7% ABV
- 3kg sugar, about 9% ABV
A single standard kit yeast should cope with 2kg sugar as in the above, but as more sugar is added that becomes increasingly unlikely. And at around 9% many yeasts start to give up, since their alcohol tolerance is reached, indeed a few have already given up
So if your aim is to brew 10% beer from a one can by adding sugar, add 3.5kg table sugar to a1.7kg can and brew to 22 litres, which will give about 10% But I suggest you use a whole packet of higher alcohol resistant beer yeast which should give you an increased chance of success, since you have no idea of how the kit yeast will perform unless you try it. What the final product tastes like is another matter however.

 

[lupinehorror]

As an example if you top up a 1.7kg kit with table sugar in a batch of 22 litres the following are predicted
- 1kg sugar, just over 4.5%ABV
- 2kg sugar, about 7% ABV
- 3kg sugar, about 9% ABV
A single standard kit yeast should cope with 2kg sugar as in the above, but as more sugar is added that becomes increasingly unlikely. And at around 9% many yeasts start to give up, since their alcohol tolerance is reached, indeed a few have already given up
So if your aim is to brew 10% beer from a one can by adding sugar, add 3.5kg table sugar to a1.7kg can and brew to 22 litres, which will give about 10% But I suggest you use a whole packet of higher alcohol resistant beer yeast which should give you an increased chance of success, since you have no idea of how the kit yeast will perform unless you try it. What the final product tastes like is another matter however.

good info, thanks. i was thinking about boosting the evil dog double IPA i'm about to start up a percent or two. it's 7.1% out of the box. may go for 8.5%.

 

[RichardM]

Wouldn't it be better to drink smaller amounts of 7.1% beer rather than using sugar to boost the ABV and then diluting it with lemonade?

 

[lupinehorror]

Wouldn't it be better to drink smaller amounts of 7.1% beer rather than using sugar to boost the ABV and then diluting it with lemonade?

there won't be any diluting here :small

 

[Datanode101]

Wouldn't it be better to drink smaller amounts of 7.1% beer rather than using sugar to boost the ABV and then diluting it with lemonade?

I get the thirst on and boof, it's gone......so thought I could stretch it out a little......

Thanks for the replies, interesting about the yeast and alcohol. I just presumed you could just carry on adding sugar and make it like 20% I am a n00b though...

 

[RichardM]

there won't be any diluting here :small

Maybe not for you, but the OP said

then use it wisely with lemonade, a shandy should one say.

 

[lupinehorror]

Maybe not for you, but the OP said

yup. i probably shouldn't have semi-hijacked the thread.

 

[Datanode101]

there won't be any diluting here :small

I thought this was quite funny....keep it up..