Brew UK Forum | General Brewing Discussions
Sugar, Yeast, Alcohol relationship
Hi
I am relatively new, doing kits. I have, after a shaky start, done some nice wine kits, and have had some excellent results with beer kits.
I have just tried adding more sugar (1.2 kg instead of 1kg) and more hops to a beer to try snd change the taste. If it goes wrong, then I've just wasted one brew, but it is this tweaking side that interests me.
My questions are this - what is the relationship between sugar, yeast and alcohol. Do I need more yeast if I add more sugar, and does more sugar automatically create more alcohol. Do you need specific yeast for beer, and different for wine, and what difference does it make. Do different yeasts need different temperatures? Do different yeasts change the taste.
Sorry for all the questions. Also, is there a halfway house between kit brewing and AG brewing? I can't afford, either with money or space to try AG brewing yet?
Thanks for all your help?
Ian
Responses
Posted 2 years ago by Member
Yes. If you add more sugar the alcohol content will increase. Up to a point.
The yeast is a living organism, and will multiply and keep increasing it's population if there is enough nutrients to support the population size.
Problem is alcohol is poisonous. The yeast will only tolerate so much before they start to die.
Wine and beer yeasts are different. And ale and larger yeasts are different again. And ale yeasts are different from other ale yeasts etc.
http://www.wyeastlab.com/hw_yeaststrain.cfm
http://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_yeaststrain.cfm
Explore these links. They tell you about the abv, temperature range, and flavour profile of each yeast.
Posted 2 years ago by Member
Excellent Varnish - thanks. That helps alot.
Are Wyeast strains the best. I have been looking, and there seem to be several places, including BrewUK that I can buy beer yeasts from WYeast, but not Wine yeasts. Is there anywhere in this country I can buy Wyeast wine yeasts?
Posted 2 years ago by Member
I think the best thing to do would be to ask Greg at Brew uk.
He may be able to get hold of them for you.
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