Overshot gravity

So i overshot my gravity by a lot. I had been getting consistent low efficiency in the 65 percent range with a fly sparge. I made a grain adjustment for it but ended up with a 79 percent efficiency this time. I did ome playing around in beer smith and determined if I add 2 gallons of distilled water I can bring my gravity down where I wanted it. I would end up dropping from a 7.1% ABV beer to a 5.9%.

Do you think this would be ok, or should I just leave it as is?

David

A little hot, but I would just wait to see what the FG is, might make good beer, just higher ABV.

More than once I have overshot my desired gravity, and diluted back down to style. You don't mention what it is you have brewed, but some porters and stouts are fine brewed to a higher ABV%. The only adjustment might be bottle conditioning significantly longer than "normal".

This was an American Amber Ale.

11 lbs Pale Malt (6 Row)
9 lbs Pilsner (2 Row)
3 lbs Maize, Flaked
1 lbs 12.0 oz Caramel Malt - 60L
1.00 oz Cascade [8.20 %] - Boil 60.0 min
1.00 oz Centennial [8.20 %] - Boil 60.0 min
1.00 oz Centennial [9.70 %] - Boil 60.0 min
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins)
1.00 oz Cluster [8.10 %] - Boil 15.0 min
1.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 10.0 mins)
Oxygen 90 seconds
2.0 pkg Safale, rehydrated

It's a lot of grain but as I said I had been getting very poor efficiency. I did this exact recipe back in November and it came out perfect with the my crappy efficiency calculated in.

My original recipe was lighter on the hops but I added an extra ounce at 60 min since the gravity was higher than I had expected. Its been in the fermenter for 16 hours with the chamber keeping it between 65- 68 degrees.

David

I overshot the gravity on a tripel recently and then added water to bring it down...a little too much IMO. I'd make sure 2 gallons is really correct - that's a lot of water. 1 gal took my OG from 1.092 1.072. A half gallon would have probably been perfect (1.082 was the goal IIRC). Now my FG is well below the original goal. It's still a very dry 8.9% at this point, but I wish I'd not added so much water.

One time I made a saison closer to 8 percent when it should have been closer to 5. I tried to drink it like it was a 5 percent beer, but it made me sleep on the floor randomly when I'd had more than 2 or 3. For what it's worth it was quite delicious.

IDK about the high gravity. But unless you made a major correction I would second guess the gravity. I tend to leave things be when I don't get expected results. I have not been disappointed. The beers were different but still good.

I question the hop correction though... 3 ounces at 60 minutes might give you a very bitter beer.

Sorry, not 3 oz, it was originally one oz but I added one extra. So two oz for 60 min. Beer smith calculated about 40 IBU.

I decided to let it go an not dilute it. Glad I did because I tasted the beer and it's very smooth after only a week. I calibrated my hydrometer and it was off by .004. It fermented down to an actual 1.016, and the OG probably was a little less than 1.068 as well

David

Personally, if I either overshoot or undershoot, I leave the beer as is. I dont care what the ABV of a beer is for the most part as long as the flavor is there.

dpatrickv said:

Personally, if I either overshoot or undershoot, I leave the beer as is. I dont care what the ABV of a beer is for the most part as long as the flavor is there.

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I agree. I was worried about the high ABV only because I was worried it would taste too hot but it seems like its going to be ok. I'm cold crashing now and will keg and carb on Sunday, in time for our annual low country boil on Saturday.

djonesax said:

I agree. I was worried about the high ABV only because I was worried it would taste too hot but it seems like its going to be ok. I'm cold crashing now and will keg and carb on Sunday, in time for our annual low country boil on Saturday.

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7% will never really be "hot" perse.


Regardless, RDWHAB

With the hops you have, I would think that the higher gravity would be fine. I tend to leave my mistakes alone so I get more experience with how things taste and find out more of what I might like.