Can I add volume in secondary?

I am brewing AHS Fat Tire clone and am at 5 days since pitching. I had the volume pretty much to my stopper (5G better bottle) after pitching a 1L starter. The fermentation went nuts in about 12 hours after pitch, and after subsiding has left me with about 4.2 gallons (the rest was expelled into a blow-off container.)
Anyway, I am going to move it into secondary Thursday evening and want to know if I should, or even could, add to my volume without killing the potential of the beer. I feel that upping the volume will only dilute my beer, so I probably won't. Just curious if there is a way to do this, that's all.

You're correct - adding water now will only server to dilute the beer. I would suggest you leave it be - it'll be great beer - just not the volume you originally had. Next brew, try fermenting in a container with more headroom, so you don't loose the beer out the blow off hose.

You are right topping off the secondary will change your beer. You are better off just transfering it and not topping it off. Although if it were me I wouldn't secondary at all unless I was adding something to the beer like hops or fruit and things like that. Just let it set in primeary for 3-4 weeks then bottle.

barrog said:

You are right topping off the secondary will change your beer. You are better off just transfering it and not topping it off. Although if it were me I wouldn't secondary at all unless I was adding something to the beer like hops or fruit and things like that. Just let it set in primeary for 3-4 weeks then bottle.

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This is only my 2nd brew, I was interested in trying the 1-2-3 approach since the instructions I have say "beer is best after 3 weeks in the bottle."

Instead of doing the 1-2-3 thing, try 3-3 instead. (3 weeks in primary, 3 in bottle).
I always used to use a secondary, because that was how I was taught, but I haven't used one for several years now (except when dry hopping). The beer tastes better, and I don't have to clean up an unnecessary secondary.
You also need to get a bigger primary (as you now know).

-a.

The 1-2-3 approach is good as a begeiner because it's easy to remember but after a few more brews under your belt you may want to rethink this. For one you shouldn't transfer your beer untill it's done fermenting and that may take more then a week. There is also an added benifit for leaving your beer on the yeast. They are still at work cleaning up after themselfs. A senondary isn't needed for most beer you will make unless for adding ingeredents or you just need your primary sooner. Some beers will need much more time then 3 weeks to carb also. Use the 3 weeks as a starting point but it may need longer. Heh most times you will find your last few beers of a batch are the best because they had the most time to set. Hope this helps a little and good luck!

Wow, this helps a lot. I think my problem so far is that I am too anxious to get to drinking it. Probably best to let it mellow out, as you all have said.

A little off topic, but I believe this beer is nearly done fermenting (no, I haven't done my hydrometer readings). What effects will leaving it ON a yeast cake after fermentation have? I thought it is best to get it off soon after fermentation is complete.

Either way I will heed your advice and leave it in primary for 2-3 weeks, then bottle direct from primary.

Get a 6 gallon BB primary so you'll have more head room next time. The 5 gallon can be used as a secondary, or something else.

djinn88 said:

What effects will leaving it ON a yeast cake after fermentation have? I thought it is best to get it off soon after fermentation is complete.

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That used to be the right thing to do many years ago. More recently, it has been determined that leaving the beer in contact with the yeast for a few weeks allows the yeasts to process some undesirable by-products of fermentation, resulting in a better tasting beer. If you rack to a secondary too early you leave most of the yeast behind, and this will not happen.

-a.