is there a way to raise the abv% without changing the flavor of the beer? I brew with extract kits.
Add a pound of sugar. Plain white cane sugar or beet sugar will do the job very nicely.
if I add 1# how much that does add to the abv and it won’t change the flavor? when does it get added into the receipt? Never change a receipt before I don’t want to hurt flavor or anything else.
A lb of sugar will add about 1% ABV in a 5-gal batch. You can add to the kettle towards the end of the boil or directly to the fermenter after fermentation has kicked off. Shouldn’t add any flavor to the beer, although if you don’t use temperature control and the sugar boosts the OG enough to get the fermenter really cooking, you could end up with some off flavors from the higher-temp fermentation.
I don’t know if I’d go so far as to say it has NO flavor impact (even largely neutral alcohol, like a quality vodka, has SOME flavor, and a higher % alcohol will change your perception of mouth feel as well), but I agree adding 1lb of sugar is probably the best way to add more booze without making a big change to flavor. How much or if you notice it would depend on the beer and how picky you are. And yes, since sugar ferments quickly, it makes keeping temperature under control that much more important.
