Block party amber ale increasing avb?

Good afternoon, I just got the starter kit with the block party recipe. I was reading that typical results are a “weak beer.” Also, I’ve read that if you stir in 16oz of candi sugar at the 10min left in the boil mark, it will increase the alcohol content? Would one need to add more yeast for this?

One pound of sugar would raise the gravity about 9 so the 1.043 OG would be around 1.052 The yeast listed in the kit is Muntons. Is that what you are using? I think you could get away with it. Sugar ferments easily and almost completely.

Keep in mind that adding sugar can dry out and lighten your beer. Also if you are brewing this kit for the first time and changing it you will not know if you like it or not. I always suggest not changing a recipe the first time around then adjust it next time if you are not happy.

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Yeah I’m using the yeast that comes with the kit.
If I use the sugar, it could change the beer that drastically? I like all beers, except for most IPA’s. My favorite commercially brewed beer is Lazy Magnolia, made in Mississippi. Not a fan of bud light and all those typical beers. From what I’ve read, the sugar will give it a darker/ caramel flavor?
I havent even started yet and im overly concerned with the finished product lol…

I add sugar to a lot of my beers. One pound in five gallons should be about the limit. IMHO you can skip the Candi sugar and use plain table sugar. Dark candi sugar might darken your beer a little. Unless you scorch it you shouldn’t get caramel taste. Just add it at flame out. It really just needs to be dissolved.

It won’t ruin your beer or drastically change it, I just like to see brewers brew the kit exactly the way it was designed first time out. Good luck with it no matter what you decide.

Cool! I thank you for the advice! I’ll post pics of the progress when I get started

Adding sugar, even DME at the beginning of the boil has the potent to darken your brew… Maybe doesn’t matter with an Amber… With a lower ABV brew, adding sugar will do too much drying out IMHO… It’ll take some time for you to figure out that piece of the puzzle… And, welcome to NB’s forum!! Sneezles61

Hey thanks! What do you mean by “dry it out?”
Can you compare 2 beers that way I might be able to understand?

Maybe I’m alone here but why not brew it as it. Sure you can bump up the abv but you change the intended flavor profile.

Nevermind looks like @hd4mark also recommends brewing as is before changing.

I would stick to the recipy. Dont change nothing. Become familiar with brewing and the system you do use. Once happy with your system. Start changing your recipy. Me a question. What kind of beers. You want to brew. Because you dont like most ipa. So more. Lagers. And ale. Beers. You plan to brew.

@Cbergers85 adding sugar thins out the beer reducing its maltiness taste and mouthfeel… that is what dry means here. Also you don’t need to add candi sugar if your only goal is to increase alcohol, any sugar will do

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I agree brew it as is don’t add sugar. If it were me and I wanted to bump it I’d probably just use less water. Maybe top it up to about 4.75 or 4.50

Since you haven’t brewed this yet your better option would be to use/add less water when making your wort.

Use wine as a way to understand “dry”… There is a desert wine… Usually sweet. Then there’s Brut champagne, very dry. Sneezles61

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I agree with the advice to brew it as is. As a first time brewer you’re going to have enough challenges on your hands brew day. Besides as you’ve learned in this thread you don’t yet understand how changes will affect the finished beer.

Brew it as written. You’ll have a decent 4.5ish% easy drinker. Then you can decide to to improve it the next time you brew it. I’ve never had it but if it does in fact taste “weak” it will taste weaker if you add sugar. Only adding malt will improve the mouthfeel/body of the beer.

A thin beer should be considered “flabby”.
Brewing high ABV beer isn’t too much a challenge… a good smaller brew, very light in color that’s not flabby is a challenge. Sneezles61

LOL. I’m going to start telling my wife that flabby equals thin from now on. I’ve put on 10 pounds over the summer

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Think of the old coon hounds… They aren’t very big… but looks of flabby skin… Flabby… Final, final. Sneezles61

Where’d you pick up that label? Flabby?

Makes no sense to me…I’d never think of flabby for a thin bodied, dry beer. Espcially since everyone you say it to will say huh what’s that mean and your desctiption will be thin bodied and/or dry…just say that in the first place.

I might use flabby to descibe some of the overcomplicated muddled tasting brews I’ve had that were the result of overly complicated and busy grist bills…

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A couple of the original registered breweries up here… That’s how they describe beers… Sneezles61

I agree flabby doesn’t mean anything to me either. Dumb descriptor