On 2010-05-10, notbob wrote:
On 2010-05-09, Tim W wrote:

It isn't really beer imho, since it is fortified beyond the strength
obtained by fermentation. They claim it is beer because they don't add
alcohol or distill anything but the strength is increased by freezing out
the water. That's an additional process which is not part of traditional
beer making.

I might try a bottle though.

I can't say for certain, not knowing the process, but higher alcohol
levels can be obtained by natural brewing. I know that up to 25% can
be reached by re-adding starch (grain) and more and more strains of
yeast that are resistant to dying at normal alcohol levels.
Basically, they are force feeding/fermenting the brew to higher and
higher alcohol levels. Sammy Adams Utopia is one example.

nb


This is the beer, I don't know any other beer that is as strong as Utopia. I
have tasted it (my regular beer bar sold it a couple of years ago, price was
160 Euros per bottle). Not bad but doesn't taste like beer at all.

I think that they use this yeast:
http://www.whitelabs.com/beer/strains_wlp099.html

And they add sugar, not starch. I think that they can't even use malted
grain as you need 50% sugar solution to get 25% alcohol and later additions
must be much higher as they have to start much lower. If I remember
correctly, they add mapple syryp in the end.

Very difficult process and not worth it. I would stop at about 18%. There
are some great beer at around 10%, I would rather take two of these than
single 20% one.

For example this is a great beer:
http://www.anchorbrewing.com/beers/oldfoghorn.htm

seismo malm