Adding dextrose to rise up OG

[Mastoras007]

Hello everyone
Thinking about adding some dextrose or some different type of sugars to rise the OG
What's the result i will get?
Lets say i want to greate more beer with same grains but keep the alcohol volume, so can i add water+ sugars? or i want to have little bit more alcohol with same wort
Probably the taste will be less intense (???) is that legit?
Tia

 

[Josh Hughes]

The beer will be drier and less bodied. Works great in many styles. I like brown sugar in English style beers. Belgian beers do this as well.

 

[Minbari]

You get more alcohol. Your OG will be higher, but pure dextrose should fully ferment out, FG should be similar

 

[Josh Hughes]

It’s a good way to boost alcohol without extra grain.

 

[Sandy Feet]

It will dry the beer out but boost alcohol. I added brown sugar to an ESB when using a Fullers strain. As mentioned sugar in a Saison or some Belgians is common for the style. What are you trying to do and for what style?

 

[Mastoras007]

It will dry the beer out but boost alcohol. I added brown sugar to an ESB when using a Fullers strain. As mentioned sugar in a Saison or some Belgians is common for the style. What are you trying to do and for what style?

I'm brewing a blonde ale, sometimes I'm running wrong calculations and my OG is missing some points

 

[Sandy Feet]

Then reset your efficiency and add more grain. Just adding sugar will change your beer. Add more stuff in the actual ratio of the recipe for a blonde.
I made an Oatmeal Porter some time ago that I liked, but I missed gravity. This time, I added some more Otter, NOT sugar, and it is f ING awesome and right at the 5.3% that I wanted.

 

[Brew Cat]

I'm brewing a blonde ale, sometimes I'm running wrong calculations and my OG is missing some points

Like @Josh Hughes mentioned above totally appropriate in some beers. A Blonde ale would be an appropriate style IMO. I add dextrose to many beers. That said you could add some DME if you want to raise the OG and not dry ot out as much.
How far off are you? You could just let it ride

 

[Minbari]

I'm brewing a blonde ale, sometimes I'm running wrong calculations and my OG is missing some points

You are better off boiling the water off to get your gravity correct than adding sugar.

I wouldn't add sugar for that

 

[Brew Cat]

You are better off boiling the water off to get your gravity correct than adding sugar.

I wouldn't add sugar for that

Well you could do that but that would throw your balance off the other way and you would end ip with less product. If you're trying to make the exact recipe profile add DME there are calculators on brewers friend website.

 

[Minbari]

Well you could do that but that would throw your balance off the other way and you would end ip with less product. If you're trying to make the exact recipe profile add DME there are calculators on brewers friend website.

It doesn't throw any balance off, you just end up with the correct gravity. Yes you will have less product, but it will made according to the recipe. You can do it anyway you like, but adding sugar or dme to fix a mistake is going to alter the recipe

Personally i always boil with less water than needed and then topup to get the gravity right.

 

[Brew Cat]

It doesn't throw any balance off, you just end up with the correct gravity. Yes you will have less product, but it will made according to the recipe. You can do it anyway you like, but adding sugar or dme to fix a mistake is going to alter the recipe

Personally i always boil with less water than needed and then topup to get the gravity right.

How so?

 

[Josh Hughes]

It doesn't throw any balance off, you just end up with the correct gravity. Yes you will have less product, but it will made according to the recipe. You can do it anyway you like, but adding sugar or dme to fix a mistake is going to alter the recipe

Personally i always boil with less water than needed and then topup to get the gravity right.

That’s what I do. Adding sugar can change the beer. I add water to lower gravity after flameout if needed. I calculate about 1/2-1 gallon less of water in case I need to top off. Adjust your efficiency and water. At worst you need to add water not sugar.

 

[Brew Cat]

I may not be following what you're saying but add or boiling off water will mess with your IBU calculation. Time and hops/gallon will have more affect than adding DME which would be the same as additional grain. Sure to do ot correct you would of course have to increase the specialty malt an equal % but that would probably be a fraction. Either way hopefully you are checking pre boil gravity and making the adjustments at the point. After the boil and your hop addition your hands are tied. As far as dextrose I'd throw it in a blonde ale not going make a difference in that style anyway

 

[Daniel Parshley]

The beer will be drier and less bodied. Works great in many styles. I like brown sugar in English style beers. Belgian beers do this as well.

True, and this is why I add it. My crew likes a bit less malt body, and it adds ~1% to the ABV. It seems to calm(?) the lactose in my porters, too.

 

[Sandy Feet]

If you want to add sugar to a recipe, you are the brewer; you do what you want. It should be intentional and designed in the recipe though and not a thing to do just because you can't click on a field to adjust efficiency.
Adding sugar because you are missing gravity with a recipe is silly. If you want a certain balance, design it that way. If you are missing gravity, adjust your efficiency in the software based on previous results or mash at a different temperature.

 

[Brew Cat]

OK reread the OP and somehow I got it misinterpreted. He is not trying to adjust a wort he is designing a recipe so I go with @Sandy Feet . Adjust your efficiency tab and recalculate. You have to do this whenever copying a recipe. So no sugar to keep it the same.

 

[Mastoras007]

Hello everyone happy new year
My question was in general, my brewing equipment is to basic haven't any level measurement, so what i do is boil a little bit less amount of water and after boiling I'm adding water to reach the desired OG but sometimes I'm adding more water.. so i was thinking a way to balance this extra water.
Anyway i want to know in theory what's my options I don't really think i will add any sugar some gravity points less is not something..
I will upgrade sometime my pot.. add some level gauge or something

 

[Brew Cat]

Hello everyone happy new year
My question was in general, my brewing equipment is to basic haven't any level measurement, so what i do is boil a little bit less amount of water and after boiling I'm adding water to reach the desired OG but sometimes I'm adding more water.. so i was thinking a way to balance this extra water.
Anyway i want to know in theory what's my options I don't really think i will add any sugar some gravity points less is not something..
I will upgrade sometime my pot.. add some level gauge or something

Are you doing a mash or extract

 

[Over The Cliff Brewing]

Sounds like your kettle is not etched with volume measurements. If that is the case, use something that is marked to measure your water volume for your mash or extract. I apologize if I misunderstood your issue.