Traditionally, standard brewing gravity is taken as approximately 11˚P. However, more brewers produce their beers by high gravity brewing and fermentation. These high gravities typically fall anywhere in the range of 12˚P to 20˚P.
The advantages or reasons for switching to high gravity brewing are many, varied and well-documented.
These include:
The high gravity brewing process involves the production of a high gravity extract by mashing in at a high grist-to-liquor ratio or through the addition of suitable solid or liquid adjuncts to the initial extract. High gravity extract can be diluted with properly treated or calibrated process water at the beginning or end of fermentation to the original gravity of 7-11°P.
The production of beer by high gravity brewing can be perceived as a compromise between efficiency and quality.
Kerry has specific high gravity brewing ingredients for the resulting issues, which can help a brewer achieve quality, while still benefiting from the efficiencies of the high gravity brewing process.
Typical High Gravity Brewing Problem | Kerry's Solution |
Thick/set mashes and poor extract yields | Hitempase, Bioamylase D, Promalt, Bioferm |
Poor lautering/mash filtration | Bioglucanase |
Reduced free amino nitrogen | Bioprotease, Yeastex |
Poor trub compaction and wort clarity | Whirlfloc |
Poor/incomplete fermentation | Bioferm, Yeastex |
Excess foaming in copper or fermenter | FermCap |
High yeast cell counts and poor filtration performance | Biofine |
Poor foam stability | Biofoam K, Biofoam AT |