Low alcohol beer.

[Tubs bar]

Hi all,


I've been brewing for about 18 months. I started straight into kegging.
The last 3 kegs that I have drunk don't seam to be as strong alcohol % wise. I do the same thing every time.
Mangrove jacks Dutch larger with a dry body blend.
I have never checked the start hydro reading but the end is always around 1010.00.
Can anyone tell me what may have happened with my last kegs?
I have now started checking the first hydro reading 1042.00 finished 1010.00 so I've got 4.2% (I think) beer in my last brew.
Any help so I don't do it again would be great.

Tubs

 

[Liam_snorkel]

Hi Tubs, when you formulate your recipes you can calculate the expected alcohol content of a brew based on the ingredients you use and the final volume of liquid. Even if you're just using 1 tin of goo and 1kg of sugar, the amount of water/sugar you add will dictate the ABV.
Have a gander at this spreadsheet: http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/29655-kit-and-extract-beer-spreadsheet/

 

[yum beer]

If you are doing the same brew each time then ABV should be fairly similar, I would expect within 2-3 points.
How much does the 'dry body blend' vary from batch to batch? Have they changed it?.
Is it possible with the colder weather you are not actually drinking as much as in the warmer months and its only a consumption difference, I certainly drink less this time of the year.

 

[mr_wibble]

What batch size are you doing, 20 litres ?

You could always add less water to bring the AbV up.

 

[beercus]

The body becomes more efficient at metabolising the alcohol — so it takes more beer to achieve the same drunken state!

Proper piss head.....

 

[Tubs bar]

If you are doing the same brew each time then ABV should be fairly similar, I would expect within 2-3 points.
How much does the 'dry body blend' vary from batch to batch? Have they changed it?.
Is it possible with the colder weather you are not actually drinking as much as in the warmer months and its only a consumption difference, I certainly drink less this time of the year.

The dry body blend hasn't changed from what I know but I will ask the brew shop.
Yes the weather is a bit cooler so that is a good point.

 

[Tubs bar]

What batch size are you doing, 20 litres ?

You could always add less water to bring the AbV up.

I'm doing 20 litres batches. I've been doing that from the start of my brewing.

 

[Tubs bar]

The body becomes more efficient at metabolising the alcohol — so it takes more beer to achieve the same drunken state!
Proper piss head.....

My mrs thinks that I'm just getting use to it.

 

[Tubs bar]

Hi Tubs, when you formulate your recipes you can calculate the expected alcohol content of a brew based on the ingredients you use and the final volume of liquid. Even if you're just using 1 tin of goo and 1kg of sugar, the amount of water/sugar you add will dictate the ABV.Have a gander at this spreadsheet: http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/29655-kit-and-extract-beer-spreadsheet/

Wow what a spread sheet. I will be have a good look in this.

Thanks.

 

[Alex.Tas]

yeah its tops.
If you end up making beer from all grain, you can try the biab method, and use Ian's other spreadsheet in the AG forum too.
Make sure you post in the thread to say thanks to Ian for his generosity!

 

[jaypes]

Low alcohol beer, ye gods !
Dump a kilo of sugar and reduce the amount of water in your next batch!