Can you add water to a finished beer?

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shoestealer17

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I recently brewed a stout, about 6% ABV.
I let it age for a while in a keg in a closet, i recently tasted it and decided it was about ready to go.
I put it in the kegerator, carbed it up, and tasted again, and it tastes like its a little too concentrated, a little thick. I had a friend taste it and he said the same thing.
So, what im wondering is, can I boil some water, let it cool down, and then add it to the beer already in the keg (I have about 1 gal room in the keg)
 
you probably can, but i'd test it in smaller samples first. pour yourself a regulated amount, and add water to see the ratios that make it taste alright. there may be reasons that this won't work though, so don't go just by my post
 
Yes, the brewing network has talked about cutting an APA with water to make a good golfing beer. Just remember to boil the water to drive of as much oxygen as you can and to kill of anything living in it, then add it gently to the keg as to not introduce oxygen from splashing. You might want to pull a few pints and do some experiments on what ratio to use.
 
Tasty McDole spoke about brewing an imperial pilsner and diluting it down in one of the brewstrong high gravity podcasts, maybe number three?
 
Tasty McDole spoke about brewing an imperial pilsner and diluting it down in one of the brewstrong high gravity podcasts, maybe number three?

They also talked about it in I think the Session Beer episode of Brew Strong.
 
Yes, just boil/cool the water and be careful with oxygen like MBasile said. You can calculate gravity, bitterness, and ABV by using this formula:

C1V1 = C2V2, where:

C1 and V1 = original concentration (IBUs, SG, or ABV) and volume respectively
C2 and V2 = target concentration and volume

For SG, use the last two digits, like "12", not 1.012.

So, for example, adding 1 gallon of water to 5 gallons of a 32 IBU, 6.0% ABV, 1.012 beer would yield 26.66 IBUs, 5.0% ABV, and 1.010 SG.

Keep in mind you're also diluting other parameters that can't really be calculated like body/foam positive proteins, etc., but as long as you don't dilute with an unreasonable amount of water, it will still be good. I've done this and it turned out fine.
 
i did it recently to a strong wheat i made.. it was supposed to be like 7%, i ended up with only 4 gals of beer.. carbed it, tasted it, it was way too strong. so I just dumped a gallon of bottled water in the keg.. didn't boil water or anything, just sprayed the opening of water bottle with star san.

after diluted, it tasted great.
 
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