Um. Crap. Forgot to make wort???

First of all, here is my informal introduction! My name is Cody and I have been brewing since december. I am on my 4th batch of beer right now, and I am making Papazian's Rocky Racoon Honey Lager.

This is only my second non-kit, and full boil beer. In my haste, I filled my pot with water, and began the boil. Adding necessary ingredients at the correct time. After having added all my ingredients, I realized that I forgot to make a wort......
The last batch I did, I did a 3 gallon boil for 30 minutes, then added everything else and boiled for an hour.

So my question is, because I added everthing at once to my 6 gallons (5 gallons after evap.), am I screwed? My fear is that the large amount of water will not be able to absorb all the ingredients properly.

THOUGHTS? Thanks from a Newbie!

what exactly do you mean, 'you forgot to make your wort'? That is your wort. Unless you mean you didnt add your extract. If that's so, just add your extract before flame out. It's done and called a 'late extract addition'. The only issue you might have is that the beer will be hopped a bit higher than originally planned due to higher hop utilization for 60 minutes in a lower specific gravity liquid. (The more sugars, hence higher SG, the lower utilization you get out of your hops. Most recipes are designed with hop quantities taking into account the extract going in at the start, but it can't really make that much a difference, or at least not ruin a beer, just make it a bit hoppier.)

Good luck.

Yeah, I'm not following. Are you saying you just boiled hops in water and threw it in a fermenter?

hey thanks for the responses. I did add all my ingredients at the same time or withing minutes. I was just worried that starting with a full 5 gallons (instead of 2-3 then topping off and bringing to a full boil) might make the brew turn out watery? Like I said, this is only my second full boil, and I still consider myself to be a novice. Thanks for the insight guys. Sounds like I am fine?

You did a full boil. Something that most brewers will agree is better than a partial boil and topping up. If you followed all the other instructions, you can expect your brew to be slightly more bitter than if you'd done a concentrated boil and it may be a little lighter in color. If it's a stout or porter, you probably won't notice a color difference, but if you were going for something lighter in color, you might.

I'm not sure about everyone else, but I'm still a bit confused. It sounds like you planned on a full boil and I'm assuming a 60 min. boil. So you filled up the brew pot with 6 gallons of water and then did what at what time? For example, "the water started boiling and I completely spaced it until about 30 minutes later and I then added in all my extract and all my hops", or "I added in my hops on schedule, but completely forgot to add any extract and so I dumped it all in during the last 10 minutes".

mmonacel said:

I'm not sure about everyone else, but I'm still a bit confused. ".

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Nope. The recipe calls for extra light dried malt extract, honey, and hops. Pretty simple. I added those all at the beginning. I am doing a 60 min boil, and they have all been in for the full 60 minutes. I was just confused about the logistics of the full boil I guess

Thanks for the input everyone. Sounds like I am good to go!

Yup - doing a quick Google of the recipe, it looks like you were spot on with the exception of a half ounce of Hallertau during the last five minutes for the aroma. Sounds like you'll be absolutely fine. Maybe dropping in another half ounce of Hallertau as a dry hop could get you that aroma you're looking for since it would've been boiled away if it went in at 60 minutes. Either way it sounds like you're on your way to good beer! Make sure to ferment at around the proper temps and you'll be solid. Enjoy!

I have been thinking about that. I have read a little about brewing with lager yeast at ale temps. My only 2 temp options are at about 65 (can be adjusted a little)in my house, or I have a spare fridge. Sounds like fermenting at lager temps will undoubtedly call for a longer fermentation? If i ferment in the fridge at cooler temps, am i looking at a longer fermentation time? Is that mainly in the primary? I LOVE THIS SITE!

edit* I did add a half ounce of centenial for a dry hopping at the end.

codman967 said:

I have been thinking about that. I have read a little about brewing with lager yeast at ale temps. My only 2 temp options are at about 65 (can be adjusted a little)in my house, or I have a spare fridge. Sounds like fermenting at lager temps will undoubtedly call for a longer fermentation? If i ferment in the fridge at cooler temps, am i looking at a longer fermentation time? Is that mainly in the primary? I LOVE THIS SITE!

edit* I did add a half ounce of centenial for a dry hopping at the end.

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You mean added at flame-out? If so, those were your aroma hops, not dry hops. Dry hopping is when you add hops post fermentation.

What brand/strain of yeast are you using? Are you sure it's a lager strain?

Man, I have a long way to go to learn my brew vocabulary! My yeast was labeled a lager yeast, but I could be wrong. Wouldn't be the first time. It was "Saflager S-23 Dry Lager Yeast"

codman967 said:

Man, I have a long way to go to learn my brew vocabulary!

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Keep reading! When I started, I read a couple books but I also read every thread on this forum that I could. I learned as much or more from this batch of nutcases as I did from the books.

No offense everyone. I mean "nutcases" in the most positive way.

If you're using a lager yeast, I would suggest brewing it as a lager rather than trying to brew it as an ale. The drawback is that your fridge probably won't be able to do lager temps either. The bulk of fermentation will be done in the 50 degree range and most fridges won't go that high without a temperature controller. You don't take it down to regular fridge temps until after a few weeks.

Fermenting lager yeast at ale temperatures can give you more off flavors and sulfur.

What does your yeast call for? The packet should say the range of temperatures fermentation should be done at - if not you can find it on their website. Yes, lager yeasts will take much longer to ferment than ale yeasts especially since you do so at lower temps.

If you haven't already, check out Palmer's online book (below) and of course keep reading around here! Good luck!

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter10.html

codman967 said:

I have been thinking about that. I have read a little about brewing with lager yeast at ale temps. My only 2 temp options are at about 65 (can be adjusted a little)in my house, or I have a spare fridge. Sounds like fermenting at lager temps will undoubtedly call for a longer fermentation? If i ferment in the fridge at cooler temps, am i looking at a longer fermentation time? Is that mainly in the primary?

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If you use that fridge to lager you won't be able to use it for anything else for about 2 months. Fermenting at lager temps should be about like this...

about 3+ weeks at 45-50°F Primary Ferment
about 2+ weeks at 40-45°F Secondary
about 2+ weeks at 35-40°F.Tertiary

Thats if you do 3 rackings

I strongly suggest you read these..
Saflager S-23 PDF Specs
Read all Chapter 10 "about Lagering ... oh yea what mmonacel said"