Accidentally Brewed 4 Gallons Instead of 5...Oops

[Dice_Boken]

I'm working on a blonde ale and apparently on brew day when I added water to get it to 5 gallons, I...umm...got it to 4. My brew bucket has lines on it and I suppose I got it to the wrong line. When I went to transfer it to the secondary I noticed my mistake and added another gallon of water. Was this a bad move? Have I diluted my beer in a bad way? According to BeerSmith, my beer was going to be at 5% anyway (didn't do a OG reading because I need a new flask for the hydrometer) so I'm not worried about that, just the taste, it's already a lightbodied, lightly hopped beer.

 

[RM-MN]

When you added the water you also added some oxygen which will make your beer stale quickly. It also sets the stage for an infected beer so watch for the possibility of a pellicle forming. If you get no infection, plan on drinking this beer up in less time than you normally would because of the possibility of the staling.

 

[bobeer]

I've done this too and with a blonde at at that! I rode it out though and just had an 8% imperial blonde, haha.

+1 on what RM-MN said. Drink that batch up quickly. If you boiled the water then chilled it back down to pitch temp then you should be ok as far as an infection goes. Either way I think the more concerning part of this batch is the oxidation caused by adding water after fermentation was complete. If it tastes good at packaging then drink it up fast!

 

[Soulshine2]

I'm working on a blonde ale and apparently on brew day when I added water to get it to 5 gallons, I...umm...got it to 4. My brew bucket has lines on it and I suppose I got it to the wrong line. When I went to transfer it to the secondary I noticed my mistake and added another gallon of water. Was this a bad move? Have I diluted my beer in a bad way? According to BeerSmith, my beer was going to be at 5% anyway (didn't do a OG reading because I need a new flask for the hydrometer) so I'm not worried about that, just the taste, it's already a lightbodied, lightly hopped beer.

secondary isnt necessary. Adding water will in fact water it down and lower your ABV substantially. Next time when you don't make your intended volume, just leave it as is if the gravity is correct or close. If its higher than expected , then you could add some water to correct it but not after fermentation has begun.

 

[kh54s10]

Take a 12 ounce beer and add 2.4 ounces of water to it. You diluted your beer by a fifth. I think you will have a pretty weak thin beer. Oxidized and risk of infection.

Good luck.

 

[JohnSand]

I'm not sure it's as bad as all that. When you topped off to 4 instead of 5 you made stronger beer than intended. The other gallon of water should bring it back on target. You may have shortened it's shelf life by oxidizing, or maybe not. I've added water to a too strong brew at bottling without ill effect. Don't worry, if it tastes good, drink it.