less water

frazzles3350

Hi,

just another question, with a beer kit, if you brew with less water will it make it any stronger in ABV, or will it just make the taste stronger.

Still on a learning curve with this Home brewing thing.

Also for my next brew kit, thinking of getting a two can kit and would like to increase the ABV hopefully to around the 5.5 to 6.5.

any good ideas in what to get or do to improve the strength.

Cheers all.

 

HBO_Staff

you're right, by reducing the volume of water it will both increase the strength of flavour and alcohol strength, for example Woodfordes kits are made to different volumes depending on the variety, but any one of them could be made to any volume;

40 pints = 4.5% approx
36 pints = 5% approx
32 pints = 5.5% approx
24 pints = 7% approx

The strength of the flavour may be altered if you change the volume. The alcohol strength can also be varied by altering the amount of sugars used, either by sugar itself or with spraymalts or brew enhancers. Any additional sugars added in any form will also ferment into alcohol increasing the strength, so for example you could add say an additional 500g bag of spraymalt light in addition to any sugars in the instructions and this will add strength. In the same way though, adding sugars will affect the taste, if you simply add a load of extra sugar it will begin to sweeten your brew, so it is trial and error. By adding a bit more sugar and reducing the volume by a few pints, it will increase the strength, and you can use your hydrometer to take readings and work out the strength.

If using a 2 tin kit (try one from the Ultimate Brewery range is our recommendation, the quality is excellent) and than add a 500g bag of Spraymalt (at the same time as adding the other ingredients), there are various styles to choose from which make it a great way of adding strength but not losing flavour or body, so perhaps a spraymalt medium to a beer;

http://home-brew-online.myshopify.com/collections/all/products/spraymalt-hopped-light-500g

Ultimate range, around 7 to choose from, 2 new are being added early this week; http://home-brew-online.myshopify.com/collections/all/products/ultimate-brewery-classics-surfers-reward-cornish-ale

By using a spraymalt you will also still have the full 40 pints