How bad did I screw up?

[BUCKEYE1303]

So I was making a BB IBA kit and I added ice to my wort to help cool it down. I transferred it to my primary and added my bottled water. Only I didn't stop at the five gallon mark like I should have and added almost six gallons of water to it. Obviously it got diluted since the OG was supposed to be 1056-1060 and my reading was ~1044. Since headspace was at a minimum, I poured some out of the spigot bringing the total volume to closer to five gallons. Now the OG is ~1046. I pitched the yeast and it seems to be fermenting fine.

My questions are
1. Will my FG stop at its expected 1014-1016 or could it ferment lower?
2. Will my final product taste and feel diluted
3. WIll I most likely end up with a low alcohol IBA

Thanks for any input!
PROST

 

[unionrdr]

I'd say 1.010-1.014 will be likely. My APA had a OG of 1.046,but fermented cold,so I got a 1.014FG. It just won't be quite as full flavored as originally intended. And lower ABV of course. You could've just left it all in,as the volume reduction you did wouldn't effect OG in this instance.

 

[BBL_Brewer]

Well, actually, draining some out wouldn't raise your OG it would only take volume out of the fermenter. If you took two readings and the second one was higher it's probably becasue the water you added wasn't thoroughly mixed with the wort. This is a common problem when topping off. In fact, your OG may have been higher than your reading.

Since you diluted it, yes, the FG will be lower. The final product won't have as full of a body as it would have, but you probably won't be able to tell it was diluted unless you drank both side by side. It should be good drinkable beer. It will have less alcahol. Based on your OG reading you should end up with between 4-5% ABV.

 

[TopherM]

Are you boiling your ice before you freeze it and put it in the wort to sanatize it? Ice straight out of the fridge can be pretty dirty!

This brew is going to be a bit on the light body light ABV side. You just went from about 5.5% ABV to a little under 4.0%, which is less than a Bud Light. It may still be a good beer, but it is going to be a bit light in the loafers (as they say..lol).

 

[BUCKEYE1303]

I am kinda ticked at my mistake. I was simply not paying attention while I was adding water and accounting for the ice volume (which coincidentally is almost a gallon). I have added ice from our ice maker before with seemingly no adverse affects. However, since this is my second brew, I have nothing else to compare with.

 

[unionrdr]

That's another reason I use ice around the BK to chill it,Cold water for top off. No worries then.

 

[TopherM]

The ice directly from the ice maker *might* be OK, but putting unsanatized anything into your beer post-boil runs the risk of infection, so I wouldn't risk ruining a batch if I were you. It will catch up to you, and it's going to cost you a ruined batch.

Either do an ice bath or boil some water before you freeze it to sanatize if you want to add it straight to the wort.

 

[midfielder5]

+1 on sanitizing everything post boil.
I'd even boil (to sanitize) then cool your top off water. I know some don't, but why risk it? It takes 10 minutes and can be done the day(s) before... along with when you make the starter for liquid yeast


Get a wort chiller, use an ice bath or "no chill" (you need to adjust hop times and pitch yeast the next day).
You can also chill your top off water in fridge to help bring temps down.

 

[BamaRooster]

that's another reason i use ice around the bk to chill it,cold water for top off. No worries then.

+1

 

[unionrdr]

In warmer weather though,I like to chill jugs of spring water in the fridge to top off with,as cold tap water at that point is as much as 80F. So that is a seasonal concern as well.