Simple, Not so Simple Question - Best way to increase ABV for Chinook IPA?

[Johnv]

Ok, I’ve brewed the NB Chinook IPA twice. The first time as the Kit included in my NB Brewer’s Kit and again a couple months later because I liked it so much. I now have seven various five gallon brews and several one gallon batches behind me and I am planning to brew a Chinook IPA again soon. But I want to tweak the recipe a little to increase the ABV a point or two above the approximate 5% without a significant change in the taste of the beer.

Here is the Not So Simple Question - What is the best way to bump the ABV a couple points? Just add sugar? Add additional DME? How much should I add?

[GoBlue59]

Increase the grain bill is a nice way to get higher abv. Adding Candi sugar to the boil is an alternative, though you risk having the alcohol flavor seep through if you go too heavy handed

[Grantmesteven]

Are you doing all grain or extract?

[wilcolandzaat]

If you do grain increase the grain bill. Extract add a 1lbs dme light. You can add corn sugar. As well about 10 min before end of boil. Me not really like to add sugar to the boil. But it will increase the og

[brewdvm]

The Chinook hop is heavy on the sharp bitter and resiny flavor. Here's what I'd do. Use only more base malt (2-row) or light extract (DME or LME). Do not use simple sugars like corn or candi sugar.
You'll throw off the balance. If you're all grain, you might want to mash at 152 to 154 for more unfermentable sugars to provide not only a backbone for all that bitterness but to help hide that additional alcohol. Have you ever had a barley wine? IBU's can be over 100 and alcohol can be 12% in this beer. The only way this beer works is that it has a strong backbone of unfermentable sugars behind all those IBU's and ABV. It's all about balance.

[loopie_beer]

Adding sugar will not only increase the ABV but it will also dry out the beer. To keep that from happening I would use DME/grain. Unless of course that’s what you want. And if that’s the case disregard the advice below.
I’m not familiar with this recipe so Whatever you choose you’ll want to add the other ingredients to maintain the percentages of specialty grains as well as hops to maintain the bitterness.

[Johnv]

The plan is to do an Extract kit. Have not stepped off into all grain just yet.

Thank you all for the input. So it sounds like adding a pound on DME near the end of the boil would be the safest way to bump the ABV without signicantly changing the flavor of the beer. Should I add another ounce of Chinook Hops at the same time for balance?

[Johnv]

Have not tried a Barley Wine yet but it’s on my to do list. I do have a NB 90 Shilling Ale on deck though.

[squeegeethree]

As stated already add some DME do not add simple sugars or your bitter to sweet ratio will be thrown off.

[dannyboy58]

The plan is to do an Extract kit. Have not stepped off into all grain just yet.

Thank you all for the input. So it sounds like adding a pound on DME near the end of the boil would be the safest way to bump the ABV without signicantly changing the flavor of the beer. Should I add another ounce of Chinook Hops at the same time for balance?

You should add enough hops to maintain the BU:GU balance of the original recipe in order to keep the taste and balance of the beer. An ounce sounds like a lot but you do want to add biterness hops as well as late addition. I don't know much about the recipe or hop additions but adding only fermentables will change the bitterness and flavor of the finished product.