Undershot volume, add it back when priming?

[anonon2]

I've been off of beer brewing for years and did my first batch with a friend a couple of weeks ago. Once I had everything cooled and in the fermenter, I realized that I had 4 1/2 gallons due to losses during boiling even though I had added extra.

It's sitting in the secondary waiting to be bottled. Should I boil my priming sugar in 1/2 gallon of water to bring the volume back up or just let it be?

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

just prime it at the volume it's at now. the time to have topped off was after the boil, going into the fermenter, it's wouldn't be a good idea to top off now.

 

[anonon2]

I assume that I have to adjust the amount of priming sugar then too? 90% of the amount that had been planned (4.5/5=90)?

 

[BrewKnurd]

just prime it at the volume it's at now. the time to have topped off was after the boil, going into the fermenter, it's wouldn't be a good idea to top off now.

I agree about just priming and going for it.

I am wondering, tho, if adding water at this point would really be any different than adding prior to fermenting. As long as you boil it, you've removed the O2 and contamination concerns. I was thinking you'd be diluting flavors, but that would have been true from the get go as well, I think.

 

[BrewKnurd]

I assume that I have to adjust the amount of priming sugar then too? 90% of the amount that had been planned (4.5/5=90)?

To be precise, yes. That said, I'm not sure if one would be able to tell the difference between 2.3 vols o CO2 and 2.5 vols of CO2 unless you had them side by side.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I am wondering, tho, if adding water at this point would really be any different than adding prior to fermenting. As long as you boil it, you've removed the O2 and contamination concerns. I was thinking you'd be diluting flavors, but that would have been true from the get go as well, I think.

i was wondering the same thing. i was thinking, water is water and topping of is just diluting wort with water. my thought was would the water not going through the fermentation cause it to dilute the beer differently? interesting question, but i'm not gonna be the guy who does the experiment to find out.

 

[BrewKnurd]

interesting question, but i'm not gonna be the guy who does the experiment to find out.

I am in violent agreement with you on that one.

 

[TheWeeb]

I am probably on the other side of the fence with this, and would increase the priming solution to compensate. This would bring it back to projected final gravity and mix of flavors, and since the yeasties will again be active eating the priming sugar - fermenting again - I cannot see how it would negatively affect flavor. I have done this in the past without even thinking about it, and since I did not save some of the concentrated brew before adding the priming solution, have nothing to compare it to. On the other hand, with a more concentrated brew, you may taste it and find it more hoppy than expected, or more alcohol, or more estery, depending on the original style of course.

 

[BrewKnurd]

I am probably on the other side of the fence with this, and would increase the priming solution to compensate. This would bring it back to projected final gravity and mix of flavors, and since the yeasties will again be active eating the priming sugar - fermenting again - I cannot see how it would negatively affect flavor. I have done this in the past without even thinking about it, and since I did not save some of the concentrated brew before adding the priming solution, have nothing to compare it to. On the other hand, with a more concentrated brew, you may taste it and find it more hoppy than expected, or more alcohol, or more estery, depending on the original style of course.

we have no idea if the OP was actually off on FG, so I'm not sure how that plays in. adding more sugar at bottling is just a good way to end up with significantly overcarbed beer, IMO. But i'm glad you've had success with it.

 

[TheWeeb]

True on the OP and FG, would be a good data point for sure. I am also not suggesting adding more sugar at priming, only calculating the proper amount by style based on a five gallon batch and then adding enough water to the solution to reach that five gallons. All good!

 

[IrregularPulse]

My question is, was your FG also off? Or did you hit FG with less volume? That should determine if you should compensate IMO.

 

[BrewKnurd]

True on the OP and FG, would be a good data point for sure. I am also not suggesting adding more sugar at priming, only calculating the proper amount by style based on a five gallon batch and then adding enough water to the solution to reach that five gallons. All good!

Ahh, sorry, I misunderstood. My bad!