1st beer problem - insufficient water!

[Jahkral]

Hey guys, I really wanted to avoid joining to ask a question about my very first homebrew, but I ran into a dilemna I didn't see an answer to right away and need some advice.

I boiled up my first batch two days ago on the 30th and everything went pretty well for my first time, and I funneled it into my carboy and followed the directions to fill up to 5 gallons with water.
Now, I lack a large measuring cup, so I figured I'd measure how much water one of my cooking pots could hold and then figure out where the 5 gallon fill line on my clear unmarked glass carboy was by test filling it. The fill line seemed really low given that it was a 6.5 gallon carboy and my line was barely halfway up it, but I shrugged and was more concerned about getting everything in the carboy and sealed before infections happened.

THE PROBLEM: I just re-measured that pot a few minutes ago and it looks like it holds 3/4 gallon, not the 1 gallon I measured it at, meaning I both boiled with too little water, but there is also only 3 3/4 gallon water in the fermenter for a 5 gallon recipe.

Should I just add water straight in and reseal, or is there a way I should go about this to least damage this poor brew! (its an American Pale Ale, partial grain mash)

Sincerely,
-Jahkral/Krog

 

[Grumpybumpy]

I'd just leave it alone for now. You just have less of a higher abv beer. One solution: use more water when you boil your priming sugar. What was your og and what was your target?

 

[Yooper]

First, welcome to the forum! Of course you should join to post a question- that's how many of us found this forum in the first place.

Anyway, you can boil some water (to de-oxygenate it, if that's a word), cool it and gently add it without splashing if you want. You definitely don't want to add oxygen to the beer at this point, so you don't want to splash at all. But since it's only been two days, that's what I'd do.

 

[lutherslagers]

I assume fermentation is currently active? I would just leave it alone. You learned something and you can re-brew it. It should still be drinkable just less bitterness that you were probably expecting for a Pale Ale.

 

[Revvy]

I go with grumpybumpy and say leave it. But it's really a hard call. People who make wine, like yooper top off their wines all the time, they see no reason why not to. I've started doing it with meads and ciders and wines, but I'm still hesitant about doing it with beers. But once fermentation is started I'm still hesitant with doing it to beer.

 

[Jahkral]

@ Grumpy, I didn't take hydrometer readings this time, I was going to start measuring on my second batch once I learned the process and wasn't feeling overwhelmed by all the new things.

Fermentation was very active right off the batch (like within the first 2 hours, unlike many people's first batches) but it seems to have calmed down a lot today, which was why I was worried enough to check my water. If you guys think it will be okay, I might leave it - I'll update with what I end up doing

 

[Grumpybumpy]

Was it an extract brew? Those generally hit right on the target OG give or take a few points. Do you know the volume right now? If so, we could help you figure out how much water to add when priming (if you decide to go that route).

Edit: oh I see you do know the volume. Still, was it extract?

 

[Unibrow]

People who make wine, like yooper top off their wines all the time, they see no reason why not to. I've started doing it with meads and ciders and wines, but I'm still hesitant about doing it with beers. But once fermentation is started I'm still hesitant with doing it to beer.

Revvy what about your comments in this thread? Am I missing something?

 

[Revvy]

Revvy what about your comments in this thread? Am I missing something?

Yeah, that fermentation hasn't begun in that scenario, yeast hasn't been pitched.

 

[Unibrow]

Ahhhhh, thanks I get it now.

 

[BenVanned]

I wouldn't top it off. It may be fine, it may be an extra light version of what you were trying to brew. Always allow a little extra water for your boil and if you end up with a little less... no worries, you will have a higher ABV and a heavier beer... which is a good thing IMO.

 

[Jahkral]

So less water => heavier beer with more abv, or lighter and less? I'm confused now

It was mostly an extract brew, 5 lbs of liquid malt, 1lb of dry malt, and a bag of cracked grain, 1 or 2 pounds worth at most.

 

[Revvy]

Less water means heavier beer.

 

[Jahkral]

I see absolutely no problem in this, then =-D

 

[Yooper]

I see absolutely no problem in this, then =-D

'cept less beer!

You can do whatever you choose. At day two, I'd have no qualms at all about adding the water.

If you choose not to, that's fine. But when you take a sample of the beer at the end of fermentation and get ready to bottle, you can revisit the issue. What I mean is, when you sample the beer and taste it if you think it's perfect then you can leave it as is and bottle it. But if you think it's too "thick" and heavy, you can always add some water at bottling. So you still have plenty of time to decide, even up until bottling time!

 

[Jahkral]

Having too little water during fermentation is going to lead to a lower alcohol content if I add water in the end, though, right? The yeast are only going to take my 3 3/4 gal solution to a certain % abv, and Increasing volume after that is going to reduce the abv, yeah?

 

[Grumpybumpy]

Having too little water during fermentation is going to lead to a lower alcohol content if I add water in the end, though, right? The yeast are only going to take my 3 3/4 gal solution to a certain % abv, and Increasing volume after that is going to reduce the abv, yeah?

Nope, it all depends on the amount of sugars you have in the wort. Right now you're sitting on a higher abv beer than you intended on making. Adding water will dilute it to your target

 

[Jahkral]

Here's a concern I just thought of
Since my recipe provides priming sugar for 5 gallons worth of bottles (52, right?), if I add my priming solution into only 3 3/4 gallons of beer, won't I run the risk of exploding the bottles from having too much sugar in each bottle and thus CO2 overload?
Should I still be fine or should I reduce the ammount of priming sugar I use?

 

[MuchoGusto]

Here's a concern I just thought of
Since my recipe provides priming sugar for 5 gallons worth of bottles (52, right?), if I add my priming solution into only 3 3/4 gallons of beer, won't I run the risk of exploding the bottles from having too much sugar in each bottle and thus CO2 overload?
Should I still be fine or should I reduce the ammount of priming sugar I use?

Reduce it... absolutely.