When most people think of adding sugar to beer they think of making it weaker. But, does adding sugar to beer make It stronger? Many people add sugar to beer to enhance the alcohol content and increase the final ABV of the beer.
This article will inform you why you should or should not add sugar to beer, the effects of adding sugar on the alcohol content, if it makes you drunker or not, and when to add sugar if you need to. You should understand that beer making is a craft that requires experience which we gained in our 10 years of craft brewing.
After fermentation, most beers do not have a significant amount of sugar. Let’s start by understanding how adding sugar affects the alcohol content in your beer!
Does Adding Sugar to Beer Make It Stronger?
Adding fermentable sugar to beer before or during fermentation can make it stronger since it helps increase the alcohol content by volume (ABV) in the final brew. This is because the yeast used in brewing use sugar as food which they can convert to alcohol and carbon dioxide in a metabolic process. However, adding sugar to the brewing beer can also affect the color, flavor, and body of the beer.
The increase in alcohol by adding sugar works very well for low-alcohol content beers. However, there is a limit to how much alcohol can increase with the addition of sugar to the brew necessitating you to balance your recipe and the yeast type used in brewing. If you add one pound of sugar to five gallons of beer with the right yeast will increase the specific gravity by approximately 1.009 specific gravity points.
Adding sugar to beer is a common practice among homebrewers and craft beer drinkers alike. The practice of brewing with sugar has to do with the type of yeast used in the beer. Choosing a high-gravity yeast is important to ensure your beer is stronger after adding sugar.
There are two main types of yeast: ale yeast and lager yeast. Ale yeast ferment at warmer temperatures and produce fruitier, hoppier beers. Lager yeast ferment at cooler temperatures and produce less fruity, less hoppy beers.
When brewing with sugar, it is best to use lager yeast because the slower fermentation will keep the sugar from fermenting. The result will be a sweeter, more full-bodied beer.
What happens if you add sugar to beer?
When adding sugar to beer, the sugars will affect the color, flavor, and body of the beer. Depending on which type of sugar you’re adding, there will be various results. Fermentable and unfermentable sugar have different results with the former increasing the final alcohol content and the latter making the beer sweeter.
Brown sugar will usually produce a darker brew with a more caramelized taste. Honey or molasses will give you an almost metallic flavor — not something many people enjoy.
The table below lists the other results of adding sugar to brewing beer other than increasing the alcohol content in the final brew.
| Sugar | Results on beer |
| Brown sugar | Darker brew with a more caramelized taste |
| Honey | Increases the final alcohol content, adds a light honey flavor, or lightens the body of a beer |
| Light Molasses | Adds subtle complexity and mineral taste |
| Dark Molasses and treacle | Adds a much richer and full-flavored taste. Can overwhelm the other flavors in the beer |
| Maple Syrup | It Imparts slight maple flavor since it ferments fully |
| Simple Sugars | Increases dryness, spicy flavor, perceived hop bitterness, and alcohol warmth whole decreasing the texture of the beer |
| Malt Extract | Increases the texture of the beer, sweeter malt taste, spicy flavor, and alcohol warmth while also reducing the perceived hop bitterness |
The result of adding sugar to your beer is going to depend on whether you’re using brown sugar, honey, or molasses. The type of sugar in your sugar can drastically change the taste of your brew – and not always for the better. The following are the main effects of adding sugar to beer to make it stronger:
- Adding sugar increases the beer’s dryness
- Can cause some off-flavors and aromas especially if the yeast cell count is low leading to stressed yeast. Such off-flavors include spicy flavors and aromas
- Decreases the overall body (texture) of your beer
- Alters the perception of hop bitterness by increasing it
- It can result in poor fermentation if the yeast is not a high-gravity yeast
- It can increase the alcohol warmth
Therefore, adding sugar to beer can have the desired outcome of increasing the alcohol content (final gravity) of the beer but also can alter the balance between malt sweetness, hop bitterness, and other fermentation characteristics as per your preferred recipe.
How Sugar is Added to Beer?
The sugar is used in the fermentation process and can help to balance out the bitterness that’s common in dark beers. Sugar is also important for yeast to reproduce, which means that adding sugar to beer will lead to a quicker fermentation process and higher final gravity.
Normally, sugar in the wort comes from the processing of grains (extraction) through the malting process. The sugar is then fermented by yeast to produce alcohol. However, sugar can be added at any stage of brewing as simple sugars and syrups such as corn syrup, table sugar, Belgian Candi syrup, and maple syrup.
Fermentation is what converts the sugars in your beer into alcohol, and so does adding sugar to beer make it stronger? Typically, less sugar is added to lighter beers because they have a lower alcohol content and higher levels of carbonation.
When to Add Sugar to Beer
Adding sugar to your beer at any point in the brewing process will help with these properties. But adding them late can be very beneficial to your cause.
One or two pounds of sugar added to the wort during fermentation increases the alcohol content in addition to imparting the color, body, and flavor of your beer. Sugars increase the available food for your yeast to produce alcohol and CO2 thus increasing the final gravity.
If you add sugars at the end of your brew, they’re going to react with the hops, which will result in a sweeter flavor and a lower alcohol content. If you don’t have it right at the end of your brew, you risk causing off-flavors or having the sugars lose their effect.
Adding sugar early on in the brewing process is also helpful because it leads to higher alcohol content and less bitterness. It all depends on what you want out of your beer.
How much sugar do you add to beer to increase alcohol?
One pound of sugar adds approximately 1.009 specific gravity points per 5 gallons of beer, which is equivalent to 1% alcohol.
The sugar alcohol yield is around 48% since some sugar is lost in making esters and other alcohols among other derivatives. This means the 51.1% yield of sugar to alcohol is not achieved. Thus, one kilogram of sugar will yield 480 grams of ethanol which is equivalent to 610 milliliters of alcohol.
There are two factors that affect the alcohol content in your beer: yeast and fermentation time.
Yeast converts sugars into alcohol during fermentation. The longer the yeast has to ferment, the more likely it is for them to turn all of the available sugars into alcohol, so if you have extra time when brewing your beer, let it sit for a few days before bottling or kegging it.
How Much Sugar to Add to Beer
So, how much sugar should you add to your beer? Brewers have debated the answer to that question for years. The general consensus is that you’ll want to add between one-half and one pound of sugar per gallon of beer.
If you’re going with a dark or black stout, you may be better off adding an extra pound of sugar per gallon. This is because the dark color hides some of the bitterness in the beer. If you’re going for a lighter-colored ale, you might want to stick more with the suggested amount of 1/2 kg DME per gallon.
There are benefits and drawbacks to both methods. For example, adding sugar will help increase the alcohol content in your beer by up to half a percent.
But it might also make your brew taste sweeter than expected if not done carefully. Whatever method you choose, though, keep in mind that different sugars can change how your beer tastes so pick wisely!
Does adding more sugar increase alcohol content?
The fermentation process is what creates the alcohol content in your beer. Typically, when you add more sugar to ferment, it will have a longer fermentation process and the result will be greater alcohol content.
When you add sugar to a high-ABV beer during fermentation, the yeast uses up all of the available sugars and ferments longer. This often results in a higher alcohol content than if you added sugar to a low-ABV beer.
Adding more sugar doesn’t change anything other than the length of time it takes for the yeast to complete fermentation. You should always use caution when adding any type of sweetener to your fermented brew because too much can cause adverse effects like off flavors that can ruin your batch.
How to Add Sugar to Beer: A Step-by-Step Guide
Adding sugar does not necessarily mean adding sweetness. If you wanted to make a beer that is both big and bitter, for example, you would add a lot of sugar at the beginning of the process to get those desired flavors.
But if you wanted to make a beer that is more delicate and has more sweetness, you would add sugars at any time in the process. Adding sugars at this point can be very beneficial to your cause as they will not increase bitterness but will be able to enhance different flavors in your beer.
How much sugar do I need? The answer lies in learning how much sugar is going to impact your desired flavor profile. If you’re looking for something sweet, less than one pound per gallon will do just fine; if you want more bitterness and alcohol content, two pounds per gallon should work well!
Can you add sugar to beer after fermentation?
Adding sugar to beer after fermentation probably won’t have the desired effect. You can add additional sugars when putting your beer into secondary fermentation.
Adding the sugar at this time will allow you to ferment the sugars and then it will also be able to contribute to the alcohol content.
Adding sugars to your beer before fermentation may not have the desired effect because most of it will be consumed in a shorter amount of time which will not give you any stronger or sweeter-tasting beer.
If you are looking for a strong-tasting, sweeter-tasting beer we recommend adding malt extract and some additional hops at the beginning of the brewing process.
How do you add sweetness to beer?
To increase the sweetness of the beer, simply add unfermentable sugar like lactose sugar (milk stout) or maltose sugar (Belgian-style witbier).
There are two types of sugars you can add to beer: fermentable and unfermentable. Fermentable sugars are the sugars that yeast will consume, turning them into alcohol. Unfermentable sugars won’t get turned into alcohol, but they can still provide a sweet taste to your beer.
Now, there are plenty of ways you could go about adding sugar to your beer. One way is to add it after fermentation. If you want to make a sweet stout, for example, you would add lactose or maltose sugar after fermentation has already been completed.
The other way is to add sugar when you’re brewing the beer. To make a Belgian-style witbier, for instance, you would use maltose sugar in your recipe as one of the main ingredients when brewing the beer—that includes boiling it with barley and hops during the process.
This means that not only will this type of sugar be unfermentable (and therefore not turn into alcohol), but it will also give your brew an extra sweetness without making it any stronger than usual.
Does adding sugar to beer make it taste better?
We often turn to sugar to make beer taste better, but what does sugar do to the alcohol content? Sugar will increase the alcohol content of your beer.
But there’s a limit to how much sugar can be added before it becomes too sweet and masks the other flavors. Be careful with adding too much sugar or you might find your drink tastes more like a dessert than a beer.
So, does adding sugar to beer make it taste better? Yes, sugar will make your beer taste better since it increases the alcohol content of your beer.
What to mix with beer to make it taste better
If you want to make your beer taste better, try adding some salt for an extra bite or some cocktail bitters for a more robust flavor.
If you really want to lighten the alcohol content of your brew, mix it with something like apple juice or grapefruit juice and you’ve got a shandy.
And if you’re looking for something to counteract that bitterness in your stouts and porters, try a little Campari or tonic water.
Can you sweeten your beer?
Yes, you can add unfermentable sugar like lactose sugar (milk stout) and maltose sugar (Belgian-style strong ale) to your beer. Adding sugar to beer is possible, and there are two ways that you can sweeten a brew: by adding unfermentable sugars or by adding fermentable sugars.
The way the sugar is going to impact the bitterness and alcohol content of your drink depends on which type of sugar you’re using. Unfermentable sugars like lactose sugar (milk stout) add sweetness without affecting the flavor as much as fermentable sugars like maltose sugar (Belgian-style strong ale).
If you’re looking for a light beer with little bitterness, adding lactose sugar is a great option. But if you want a stronger flavor and heavier body, then maltose is better.
What happens if you add sugar to alcohol?
Adding sugar to alcohol is a process known as chaptalization. You can do this when you’ve completed fermentation, but it still won’t make your beer stronger.
Sugar does not increase the strength of your beer. Adding sugar will, however, change the flavor in a unique way that might be more appealing to some drinkers. Some brewers add sugar to their beers to make them sweeter, while others may add sweetener to raise the alcohol content and balance out flavors that were too strong.
Chaptalization is possible after fermentation because sugars are present in malt extract; however, if you want more sweetness then adding more malt extract or corn syrup will give you a different effect than adding sugar would.
Sugar simply serves as an accentuating flavor and allows you to adjust various flavors into balance by balancing out high bitter tastes with sweet ones.
Does sugar make you drunker?
You might think that adding sugar to your beer will make it stronger. And while it’s true that you could get a more alcohol-intense brew by adding more sugar, the effect is not as pronounced as you might think.
The reason for this has to do with how the body absorbs alcohol from the stomach into the bloodstream. Sugar slows down how quickly alcohol is absorbed, meaning it will take longer for you to feel drunk. So if you want a quicker buzz, don’t add sugar.
If you want to enjoy your beer for a long time and are looking for a gentler buzz, then go ahead and add some sugar to your beer. It won’t make it any stronger – but it will make it last longer (and taste sweeter).
Does adding sugar to alcohol make it weaker?
Adding sugar to beer doesn’t make it any weaker. In fact, adding sugar can actually increase alcohol content because of how it affects the speed of absorption.
Sugars are processed in your stomach before being absorbed in the bloodstream and since sugars take a while to process, it slows down the absorption of alcohol from the stomach to the bloodstream.
This elongates intoxication and makes for a more intense buzz. Sugar also numbs your taste buds which means you need more sweetness to feel satisfied, thus increasing the alcohol content.
How much alcohol can be made from a pound of sugar?
When it comes to the sugar you add to your beer, the type of sugar you use determines how much alcohol you will end up with. For example, raisins have a higher sugar content than granulated sugar and will result in a stronger brew.
A pound of sugar dissolved in 5 gallons of must will raise the potential alcohol content by approximately 1%. This is because the yeast will convert carbohydrates into sugars that are then converted into alcohol.
You can use this to your advantage when making a beer by adding more and more sugar until you reach the desired alcohol level. The potential yield is 48% alcohol per sugar content added. For example, one pound of sugar will add 0.48 pounds of alcohol to the final brew.
You can also use different sugars to make different types of beers. For example, if you want an ale instead of a stout, try using dark brown sugar or molasses for your sweetener.
Conclusion
When you think of adding sweetness to the beer, you probably think of doing it to make a delicate, low-alcohol beer taste more palatable. But does adding sugar to beer make it stronger?
Adding fermentable sugar to beer makes it stronger while adding unfermentable sugar will make your beer sweeter. Therefore, the choice of higher ABV or sweeter beer will be made as you choose the sugar.
Fermentable sugar has little to do with whether or not your beer is sweet enough for you. Instead, it’s about the sugars in the sugar you’re adding. If you’re looking to add some sweetness to your stout, for example, you’re going to use the same amount of sugar regardless of the strength of your brew. It all comes down to how much sugar is going to impact the bitterness and alcohol content.
FAQs
What is the best way to add sugar to beer?
There are two ways to add sugar to beer: either you can use a priming powder, or you can boil some of the beer and add that back in. This boils down to personal preference. Some people like the convenience of using a priming powder, while others prefer adding the boiled-down version directly back into the batch. The only difference between these methods is how it will affect the flavor profile of your brew.
Can adding sugar make a low-alcohol beer stronger?
Yes, adding sugar will make a low-alcohol beer stronger. You might notice a marked alcohol increase if you are using boiled-down sugars as opposed to priming powders. Since yeast cells really like sugar, you are sure to get a higher alcohol content in your brew.
