Increasing ABV Content of beer

Brewing Processes
1

I will be brewing an all grain brown ale on Saturday. The result should be similar to a New Castle Brown Ale with an expected ABV of 4.2% and 34 IBU’s. The expected OG should be 1.044, pre-boil gravity of 1.041, and FG of 1.011.

The grain bill includes…

  • 8.5 pounds Maris Otter
  • 8 oz Special Roast
  • 2 oz Chocolate
  • 2 oz Crystal 60

1 oz of Challenger hops will be added for 60 minutes, 0.5 oz of Kent Goldings for 15 minutes, and 0.5 oz of Kent Goldings at 5 minutes for the 60 minute total boil time. I am using White Labs 023 Burton Ale yeast that I will pitch in a yeast starter ~2 days prior to brew day.

I would like to bump up the ABV to 6.5-6.8% if possible. At a minimum, I would like to increase the ABV to 5.6%.

What is the best way to do this without sacrificing taste or body?

If adding sugar, what kind of sugar and how much for a 5 gallon batch?

I do have 1 pound of light DME if needed. I also have Peated Malt grain that I could use.

Thanks very much for any input I receive.

2

You will want to add more base malt. DME will work as well. You would also need to increase the specialty grains a bit as well, but not at the same proportion as the base malt.

You will also want to increase the bittering addition or your beer will be out of balance.

DO NOT USE THE PEAT MALT.

3

If you have the time to make some, a lb. of Brewers Invert Sugar Syrup would add about 7 points to your SG and maybe 1% to your ABV.  And it’s really yummy in an English ale.
https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=28727.0

Add it near the end of boil and it won’t affect hop utilization much.

4

For the invert sugar, if you don’t want to make it, you can buy it under the brand name of Lyle’s Golden Syrup.  Google it and you will find outlets that sell it.  I added it at high krausen without any issue, also.

5

Most brewing software allows you to scale your recipe up by gravity.  I don’t think there is anything wrong with adding dme or invert syrup.  I would definitely stay away from peated malt.

6

Thanks to everyone that responded. I have ordered Lyle’s Golden Syrup through Amazon that should arrive on Saturday. I will probably brew on Sunday now.

Thanks