HELP FAST!!! Can I top off my 5 gal glass carboy with boiled water...

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bgough

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if I came up short of 5 gal when i transfered to the 5 gal glass secondary?

I dont want to oxidize my beer, but im not sure if its ok to add new water to the secondary
 
You could. But do you want to water it down? I'd just accept less than 5 gallons, especially if your recipe was followed. You always lose some beer/yeast/trub when racking, so many of us scale up our recipes to 5.25 gallons. But if you made a recipe for 5 gallons, and your starting gravity was correct, I wouldn't top up with water now. If the beer tastes good now, leave it beer.
 
You can, but it will only dilute it. I would just leave it alone, and be a few beers short. Better to have less of a good beer, than more of an ok beer!
 
I'd leave it, too, especially if you are fermenting in a 5 gal carboy.....you want some headspace in there for co2 and krauesen, or else you better be ready with a blow-off tube. that head space is necessary for the mad little yeasties to do their thing properly.
 
Like i said this is a secondary. it was in primary for a week. there is no more airlock activity and I am fearing oxidation
 
RDWHAHB this time, and compensate for your volume loss next time.

It also helps a great deal to mark the volumes on your carboy.
 
Thanks for your help guys. My LHBS just told me to add sterile water because the air between the beer and the neck will hurt the beer during secondary fermentation. I'm a noob so I don't know what the heck to do.
 
bgough said:
Thanks for your help guys. My LHBS just told me to add sterile water because the air between the beer and the neck will hurt the beer during secondary fermentation. I'm a noob so I don't know what the heck to do.
Click to expand...
Don't worry. There will always be a pocket in your fermenters...but there will be a layer of CO2 sitting on top of your beer. Even in the secondary, residual CO2 continues to be produced.

ClearBoy_3.jpg


Go to your LHBS for supplies. Come to HBT for knowledge.
 

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