Adding water.

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Chief
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Adding water.

Post by Chief »

Okay I am on my first Real batch of beer (I made about 10 using the Mr. Beer kits). And I have racked my beer...now of course I have about 4 Gal. vice 5 since I didn't add the residual on the bottom or the stuff on the top. I have read to fill the remainder with water in the secondary carboy. Is that a must do? Or is it good like I have it? And if I do add more water, do I need to boil it like one book says? I guess it comes into play when it is time to prime my beer. I mean, I will have about 4 gals. vice the 5...Any help would be great.
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wottaguy
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RE: Adding water

Post by wottaguy »

Hi Chief!

Adding sterilized water should be done after considering the current Specific Gravity of the wort. Have you checked it? If so what is it? And what does your Starting Gravity of the recipe call for? If you put in too much water you will dilute the beer and lower the gravity too much, and you'll end up with a lite version of the intended beer and you may be disappointed with the results. Check the gravity first then make your adjustment if needed. If the gravity looks correct, I would pitch the yeast and make a note for next time.

Hope this helps!

Ron S
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Post by slothrob »

Typically, the practice is to add water to the primary vessel to correct the gravity, if needed, as wottaguy describes. Water isn't usually added to the secondary, but if it's boiled and cooled, it could be if you really wanted to adjust the gravity. But, you don't add water just to make up for the volume you lose during racking.
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wottaguy
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Adding water...!!

Post by wottaguy »

Thanks slothrob for pointing this out. I should not respond to these posts so early in the morning! I assumed that he wanted to dilute his wort in the primary and misread the post. Where's that pot o' coffee at??? LOL!
But really, if the beer is in the secondary at this point, i would not mess around with it at all. The practice of "topping off" may be great for winemakers where their wine is over 10% abv, but to do this to a beer that is not in this abv range is asking for trouble. I would suggest that you try to perform your primary fermentations in a bigger vessel, whether plastic or glass. When I was using glass carboys, my primary was a 6 gallon one and I would fill it with 5.5 gals of wort and fit it with a blowoff tube. After that, I would rack into a 5 gallon carboy and pretty darn near filled it up.

Hope this helps!
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On Tap:
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HL Wizeguy Weizenbock
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HL Dry Stout
HL Kentucky Common
Chief
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Post by Chief »

Very cool...thank you guys.I did take a reading, and it was still 5% from the time I started to the time I put in the Secondary. So I will just leave it as it...don't want that lite beer, that is for sure. Thank-you again for putting my mind at ease!
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your welcome!

Post by wottaguy »

Chief,

Your welcome, and please let us know how your brew comes out.

Enjoy!
Visit my blog @ http://www.wottashomebrewblog.blogspot.com

On Tap:
HL Pale Ale
HL Lite Lager
Bottled:
HL Simcoe Pale Ale
HL Wizeguy Weizenbock
HL Reveur Saison
HL Dry Stout
HL Kentucky Common
Chief
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Re: your welcome!

Post by Chief »

wottaguy wrote:Chief,

Your welcome, and please let us know how your brew comes out.

Enjoy!
The brew came out great....I am hooked guys. I love this stuff for sure....
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