1% Alcohol Boost.....

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mikeyc

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Brewing my AHS Stone IPA clone tonight, my first partial mash. I got the 1% alcohol boost, and I have a question about when to add it to the boil? Does it need to be added at the begining, or end, or does it matter?
 
I have never used it.

If it is an alcohol based product, and you put it in at the beginning, 100% of it will evaporate.

If it is a sugar boost of some sort, I would probably put it in at the beginning.

When I want higher alcohol, I usually just add more DME, or for belgians, some invertase sugar.
 
EdWort said:
It's basically dextrose (Corn Sugar), so you can toss it in the last 15 minutes of the boil.

Well, Forrest says that it's more than just corn sugar - but the advice is the same. Add it to the boil, add it late so it doesn't curb your hops utilization (higher gravity worts extract fewer IBUs).
 
No. It is not simply corn sugar. Who told you that? Just curious.

It is a different type of corn sugar with a very high maltose and glucose content. You will not acheive the same results just using corn sugar.

From Forest.
 
why wouldn't it be just corn sugar? corn sugar is 100% fermentable already...
 
malkore said:
why wouldn't it be just corn sugar? corn sugar is 100% fermentable already...

If it was just regular corn sugar, it would make the beer dryer than it would be otherwise (since it IS do fermentable). I'll take Forrest at his word that it is something more than just plain corn sugar.
 
It wouldn't make it dryer than the original recipe but dryer than a boosted recipe using corn sugar + maltose (because you are adding more non-fermentables with the maltose). Adding only corn sugar would just make it a bit thinner than the original. A small amount of boost wouldn't be perceptable but an extra percentage point would be 15-17% of the toal fermentables which I think would be perceived.
 
Him...

Forrest%20Gump.jpg


Nah, he's the guy who owns Austin Homebrew Supplies (www.austinhomebrew.com), who posts here fairly regularly.
 
Dude said:
So did he ever say exactly what it is?

Our Alcohol Boost is not DME, LME or corn sugar. It is a blend of 55% Maltose and 45% Glucose. Corn sugar is Dextrose.

Many breweries use this sugar as an economic way to boost alcohol content without effecting flavor.

This blended sugar is more expensive than simple corn sugar, that is why there is a price difference.

He has said it in about 50% of his post.;)
 
Ryanh1801 said:
Our Alcohol Boost is not DME, LME or corn sugar. It is a blend of 55% Maltose and 45% Glucose. Corn sugar is Dextrose.

Many breweries use this sugar as an economic way to boost alcohol content without effecting flavor.

This blended sugar is more expensive than simple corn sugar, that is why there is a price difference.

He has said it in about 50% of his post.;)

Do you work there or something?
 
search-anagins

Austinhomebrew said:
Our Alcohol Boost is not DME, LME or corn sugar. It is a blend of 55% Maltose and 45% Glucose. Corn sugar is Dextrose.

Many breweries use this sugar as an economic way to boost alcohol content without effecting flavor.

This blended sugar is more expensive than simple corn sugar, that is why there is a price difference.

Forrest
Austin Homebrew Supply

http://homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=18059&highlight=boost
 
Glucose is dextrose, which is corn sugar. DME is mostly maltose. So it's 45% corn sugar and 55% DME.
 
mew said:
Glucose is dextrose, which is corn sugar. DME is mostly maltose. So it's 45% corn sugar and 55% DME.

Okay, so I'm not understanding the point then. Why not add all DME instead of essentially diluting the malt product with more corn sugar? This also adds potential cidery off flavor to the finished product.

I just don't get the point. Add more DME and call it good.

Is it a cost thing? And in that case, if you are that worried about cost, go buy BMC and be happy.

Just not understanding the reasoning here.
 
Dude said:
Okay, so I'm not understanding the point then. Why not add all DME instead of essentially diluting the malt product with more corn sugar? This also adds potential cidery off flavor to the finished product.

I just don't get the point. Add more DME and call it good.

Is it a cost thing? And in that case, if you are that worried about cost, go buy BMC and be happy.

Just not understanding the reasoning here.

I'd argue that if you want a bigger beer, design a bigger beer, don't jack up something that's designed to be smaller. If you want something that'll kick your ass, buy an Imperial IPA kit instead of a regular IPA kit, that way you know that the hops and all that will be in balance.
 
the_bird said:
I'd argue that if you want a bigger beer, design a bigger beer, don't jack up something that's designed to be smaller. If you want something that'll kick your ass, buy an Imperial IPA kit instead of a regular IPA kit, that way you know that the hops and all that will be in balance.

I agree with that.
 
mew said:
Glucose is dextrose, which is corn sugar. DME is mostly maltose. So it's 45% corn sugar and 55% DME.


No. It isn't.

It is a corn sugar that has been refined into maltose and glucose. Very high maltose content so it takes less amount than corn sugar to reach 1%. If you use too much regular corn sugar the beer will have an off taste.
 
the_bird said:
I'd argue that if you want a bigger beer, design a bigger beer, don't jack up something that's designed to be smaller. If you want something that'll kick your ass, buy an Imperial IPA kit instead of a regular IPA kit, that way you know that the hops and all that will be in balance.

I agree 100%, bird. Increase your grain bill if you want a bigger beer. Adding sugars is acceptable in small quantities to assist in body or head retention, but adding pounds of sugar is not the best way to make high abv beers.
 
Dude said:
Okay, so I'm not understanding the point then. Why not add all DME instead of essentially diluting the malt product with more corn sugar? This also adds potential cidery off flavor to the finished product.

I just don't get the point. Add more DME and call it good.

Is it a cost thing? And in that case, if you are that worried about cost, go buy BMC and be happy.

Just not understanding the reasoning here.


DME adds more body, additional flavor, and additional color, and is more expensive than alcohol boost. That is why most people buy it instead.
 
cheezydemon said:
I agree, it sounds like a gimmick (sorry Forrest).

I am sorry but it isn't a gimmick. The reason it sounds like gimmick is that every 3 days on this forum, someone asks what it is and someone else answers that it is just regular corn sugar, which is false.
 
ohiobrewtus said:
I agree 100%, bird. Increase your grain bill if you want a bigger beer. Adding sugars is acceptable in small quantities to assist in body or head retention, but adding pounds of sugar is not the best way to make high abv beers.


The people that order it is the extract brewers. Many breweries use this product to boost the alchol without changinf color or flavor. Not everyone brews all-grain or likes IPAs. Some homebrewers want to make beers that are light in color.
 
Austinhomebrew said:
DME adds more body, additional flavor, and additional color, and is more expensive than alcohol boost. That is why most people buy it instead.
Just what I was going to say. Some folks may want to increase the alcohol leve with out affecting the body or taste of the beer. To each their own, but no reason to bad mouth it....
 
the_bird said:
I'd argue that if you want a bigger beer, design a bigger beer, don't jack up something that's designed to be smaller. If you want something that'll kick your ass, buy an Imperial IPA kit instead of a regular IPA kit, that way you know that the hops and all that will be in balance.

That is exactly what I'm getting at.

I understand the theory now though--it is only for extract brewing where color and body could be a factor. Got it.
 
Austinhomebrew said:
mew said:
Quote:
Originally Posted by mew
Glucose is dextrose, which is corn sugar. DME is mostly maltose. So it's 45% corn sugar and 55% DME.

No. It isn't.

Yes, glucose and dextrose are the same ... atleast Webster's Medical dictionary defines them as the same thing. They have the exact same chemical formula C6H12O6
 
srm775 said:
Yes, glucose and dextrose are the same ... atleast Webster's Medical dictionary defines them as the same thing. They have the exact same chemical formula C6H12O6

Ah, but the physical arrangement of each molecule is different! Ah...takes me bad to high school chemistry... :D.

On deeper inspection, is it really so different than adding sugar (albeit often inverted or candi) to a belgian to pump it up without adding significant body? Do correct me if I'm wrong here; I'm no expert on belgians :p. Or for that matter, how we add 2 lbs of sugar (table, brown, corn, etc) to Edwort's Apfelwein to give it that extra kick?

To each his own with this product. Would I use it? Probably not, but that's not gonna make me start degrading others who do, when so many of us are doing (almost) the same thing with so many of our other brews.
 
RadicalEd said:
Ah, but the physical arrangement of each molecule is different! Ah...takes me bad to high school chemistry... :D.

Dextrose=D-glucose, the only biologically active stereoisomer of glucose
 
srm775 said:
Yes, glucose and dextrose are the same ... atleast Webster's Medical dictionary defines them as the same thing. They have the exact same chemical formula C6H12O6

We have a product called Beer Enhancer that is designed for canned kits that we mix DME and sugar together. This is not the same thing.

Alcohol Boost comes from the manufacturer in the form it is bagged. The manufacturer says it is a blend of Glucose and Maltose. Glucose and Dextrose may mean the same thing but the manufacturer doesn't say Dextose and Maltose. So that is why I said Glucose and Maltose.

It is not simply corn sugar. Our customers that try it like it and keep buying it. It is not for everyone and I don't push it on anyone. We had customers ask us to carry the product so we found out where to buy it. Sometimes we have a hard time getting the product because breweries buy a lot of it. We sell about 500 a month. I didn't know if people would want the product or not but they seem to like the product.
 
Austinhomebrew said:
I am sorry but it isn't a gimmick. The reason it sounds like gimmick is that every 3 days on this forum, someone asks what it is and someone else answers that it is just regular corn sugar, which is false.

Yes, someone does ask very often. I want to point out that the last time this came up everyone was speculating on what this was made of (myself included) and when Forrest corrected us we suggested he add it to the description on the kit description page which he has done. Another reason why http://www.austinhomebrew.com is great! Thanks!
 
RadicalEd said:
Ah, but the physical arrangement of each molecule is different! Ah...takes me bad to high school chemistry... :D.

On deeper inspection, is it really so different than adding sugar (albeit often inverted or candi) to a belgian to pump it up without adding significant body? Do correct me if I'm wrong here; I'm no expert on belgians :p. Or for that matter, how we add 2 lbs of sugar (table, brown, corn, etc) to Edwort's Apfelwein to give it that extra kick?

To each his own with this product. Would I use it? Probably not, but that's not gonna make me start degrading others who do, when so many of us are doing (almost) the same thing with so many of our other brews.


It is not a lot different from adding inverted or beet sugar to pump up a belgian. The main difference in that case would be the price. Belgians seem to have a complex enough flavor that you wouldn't notice much change in flavor. The main point is that the alcohol boost will work in any beer and add alcohol without changing the flavor or color with the least amount of money leaving your pocket.

For the Apfelwein, If you use 2 lbs of table sugar it will give off a slight cidery taste which would hardly be noticed in an Apple beverage. On most beers you would taste it.
 
Yes yes, but my point is that people here are adding similar things all the time so really they should just take a chill pill and not jump all over people who are considering using it, that's all.

For the Apfelwein, Dextrose is usually the weapon of choice for most of the brewers here; apparently it does not impart any additional flavors. Some people do use table sugar, but many people claim they can taste off flavors, even with the apply overtones. Just reporting the board consensus :p. Forrest, if you have the chance check out edwort's "man I love apfelwein" thread, it's good for some laughs, and who knows, maybe you could use it as an intro recipe to noobs who come into your store :p. I mean, it takes all of 15 minutes to make :D.
 
Each to their own.

You can craft a balanced beer to the required profile with out it.
You can craft a lighter bodied higher ABV beer light coloured beer with out it.
I wouldn't consider using it.
In my opinion on a kit that is designed to be balance at the ABV it is, then it will change the recipe and may unbalance it purely for the sake of ABV.

BUT

It is an easy option for brewers who want to up ABV cheaply and easily.
And we know there are plenty of brewers who want just this.
So commercially it is a very good product that appeals to a market.

Lets face it. It's gotta be a no brainer compared to just dumping in plain sugar.
It's aimed at people who can not or do not want to formulate recipes.

If I was a retailer would I stock it, "Hell yeh"

Would I promote it?
It depends on the profit margin compared to the comparable product giving the characteristics required.
I'd want to educate the customer so they can make an informed choice.

Forest, thanks for your input. It's good to have the correct information.
 
Wow, I didn't know my question would cause such a stir. I ended up adding the boost for the last 10 minutes of the boil. I didn't put much thought into it when I ordered it, I was just like "1% alchohol boost, umm sure I'll try it." Will I use it again? dunno. We'll see how it turns out.
 
orfy said:
Each to their own.

You can craft a balanced beer to the required profile with out it.
You can craft a lighter bodied higher ABV beer light coloured beer with out it.
I wouldn't consider using it.
In my opinion on a kit that is designed to be balance at the ABV it is, then it will change the recipe and may unbalance it purely for the sake of ABV.

BUT

It is an easy option for brewers who want to up ABV cheaply and easily.
And we know there are plenty of brewers who want just this.
So commercially it is a very good product that appeals to a market.

Lets face it. It's gotta be a no brainer compared to just dumping in plain sugar.
It's aimed at people who can not or do not want to formulate recipes.

If I was a retailer would I stock it, "Hell yeh"

Would I promote it?
It depends on the profit margin compared to the comparable product giving the characteristics required.
I'd want to educate the customer so they can make an informed choice.

Forest, thanks for your input. It's good to have the correct information.

Well put. I really don't promote the product other than explain the product on forums.
I saw a demand and supplied it. I just didn't realize how much of a demand there was until I started carrying the product.
You are correct in that the recipes are balanced before the alcohol boost but there are homebrewers that value a beer they like, only stronger.
 
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