Can I add water during secondary?

[Arctic-Stranger]

The Redhead and I brewed our first batch last Saturday, an ESB, and when we filled the fermentor (fermenter?) I realized we only brewed four gallons instead of five.

Right now it is bubbling well, and a head is forming, and we are going to put it in a five gallon carboy this weekend, and I was wondering if I would ruin it if I topped it off to five gallons then? Is adding water after the initial ferment harmful?

Thank you in advance for sage advice!

 

[DrummerBoySeth]

Leave it alone! Adding water now will only water-down the finished beer. It is better to leave it alone and get 4 gallons of good beer rather than 5 gallons of watered down beer!

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Leave it alone! Adding water now will only water-down the finished beer. It is better to leave it alone and get 4 gallons of good beer rather than 5 gallons of watered down beer!

Agreed. Let this one ride, it'll turn out just fine.

 

[Arctic-Stranger]

Well, I don't want watered down beer! I was thinking that since the volume was lower than expected, I should add water to bring up to recipe, but from what you are saying, that was only make it worse.

 

[neosapien]

pour 4/5th of a glass of your favourite beer in a glass and top it off with 1/5th water

 

[cmybeer]

You could have topped off prior to adding yeast and aerating but I wouldn't afterwards.

 

[Arctic-Stranger]

So once I add the yeast, I have what I have. That makes sense. Thanks for your help!

 

[jbaysurfer]

You can do it, and safely, but I think everyone else's answers are correct in saying that your best chance for your best outcome is just to rack the beer you brewed and fermented, rather then trying to mess with it post fermentation.

If you do it, my advice is: (and for the record my first advice is not to do it)use boiled water, mix it in with the siphon tube from the bottom and don't let any bubbles in the siphon to avoid aeration. Also, just think about it, you're adding 20% water to a finished beer? Scale that way back.

My $.02

 

[Yooper]

Well, I don't want watered down beer! I was thinking that since the volume was lower than expected, I should add water to bring up to recipe, but from what you are saying, that was only make it worse.

I don't understand the answers, be to honest. If you make a recipe designed for 5 gallons, but only make 4, how could adding the rest of the water "water it down"? I simply don't get it. That doesn't make a bit of sense.

If it was my beer, I'd boil up some water, cool it, and add the missing gallon gently, without splashing.

 

[kitchenbeer]

keep it sanitary and add the water.

The grain bill was for 5 gallons.

 

[jbaysurfer]

I don't understand the answers, be to honest. If you make a recipe designed for 5 gallons, but only make 4, how could adding the rest of the water "water it down"? I simply don't get it. That doesn't make a bit of sense.

If it was my beer, I'd boil up some water, cool it, and add the missing gallon gently, without splashing.

I would take this advice. I was reluctant (tbh) to go against the grain (so to speak), so I hedged. Next time I'll just say what I think.

If this was an AG batch and you indeed ended high on your OG, then adding water won't hurt. Same as if it's an extract batch, because the extract you added was for a bigger batch.

Just be careful not to aerate.