Increasing the Alcohol in TC

[StormUK]

Hi,

I've now made a couple of batches of TC and really enjoying them, but fancy having a dabble with increasing ABV and make what I'm going to affectionately call Twin Turbo Cider lmao. Presently my 25ltr batches come out between 5.6-5.8% ABV. How much sugar would I need to increase it by say 1 full point? Is there a calculator anywhere for this? Also, would it be just ordinary Tate&Lyle used, or do I need brewing sugar? Thanks for the help.

 

[terrym]

The difference between dextrose and sucrose (table sugar) is that yeast can directly convert the dextrose/glucose molecule into ethyl alcohol and CO2 whereas it has to first convert the sucrose molecule into glucose and fructose? which which are both fully fermentable, so it just takes a little longer that's all but in the end all the sucrose is fermented out.
And my rule of thumb is that every 100g of table sugar adds just over 0.2% ABV to a 23 litre batch.
Finally if you use the calculator below for priming as I do, it appears that dextrose is about 90% w/w as fermentable as table sugar or put another way it seems to you have to use about 10% more dextrose to achieve the same result
https://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/

 

[StormUK]

Thanks for the reply @terrym if I am reading that right I can use either sugar (cheapest ) and all will be well. with your calculation 500g should give a full point. I will give this a go on my next batch at the weekend.

 

[johncrobinson]

If you use a hydrometer you can add the precise amount of extra sugar needed to hit your desired abv simply by reading directly off of the potential alcohol scale.
No need to sit with pen and paper doing complex calculations.

Just keep adding sugar (stir well )or better syrup until you get the reading you want.
This method has the advantage that the natural sugar in the juice is AUTOMATICALLY accounted for.

 

[StormUK]

Great idea thanks @johncrobinson