Have made 6 diff. kits from Brewers Best. Tastes great but alcohol content about 1 to 1.5% low. Suggestion?

Question

The taste, clarity, head and all other features are fine. Just the alcohol content is always low. This is whether the beer kits says final alcohol content is to be in the high 3% or up to 8% kits. Always low. Calculating alcohol content by finished gravity minus starting gravity X 129.

Suggestions?

Answer 1

I usually wind up a tad on the light side myself. I adjust by adding a bit of DME or specialty grain or whatever.

Answer 2

It may be that you are not getting a complete fermentation (attenuation) of the sugar by yeast.

It may be that the yeast is old and not viable.

Or you (the malt extract or grains) did not supply enough nutrients for the yeast.

Perhaps the fermentation temp. is/was too low.

Did you allow the beer to ferment for a period of 2-3 weeks?

It could be many things.

Try:

*Get a fresh viable yeast, good liquid cultures are available from on-line and homebrew supply store sources.

*You can increase yeast cell count by inoculating a small sterile amount of wort (well aerated). This will greatly improve the fermentation of your beer and help increase alcohol levels. This will  improve the beers flavor profile well as.

*Use/add a very small  amount of yeast nutrient.

*keep control of the fermentation temp.

Keep trying-good luck.

Just ask if I can help further.