Can you top off to 5 gal after fermentation complete?

[Joshtorres28]

I was wondering if you can top off to 5 gal after fermentation is complete using spring drinking water from store?

 

[Bensiff]

Sure, very unlikely to infect things...but why would you do that?

 

[Calichusetts]

Sure, very unlikely to infect things...but why would you do that?

This...

Just use more water than usual when you dissolve your priming sugar and that will add another pint or so.

 

[E-Mursed]

It will lower your final ABV (DUH!)...but it is done to fill out a bottling session often.

 

[ValleyBrew]

You can, but you're just watering down your beer at that point. If you're talking about an extra 1/2 gal, I would recommend you just have 4.5 gals of really good beer instead of 5 gals of slightly watered-down beer. My $0.02

 

[TopherM]

Yeah, I'm one of those brewers who just kinda eyballs water levels, estimates hops additions, and rarely takes a gravity reading, and I end up with short volumes all the time. I just let them ride, and typically end up with great beer.

Unless you are SIGNIFICANTLY short, like over a gallon, I wouldn't worry about it. Everything should come out nicely, and being a little light on total volume just bumps up ABV slightly, but rarely would significantly change the overall character of the brew.

 

[Marlowefire]

Why not just top off in the bottles or the glass it's going to change the flavor anyways. Measure your water or just live with less beer.

 

[aidan]

I've done this and it worked out well. My reason for doing this was because I was brewing a stout that I knew would produce a massive krausen in the vigerous stage of fermentation. So I deliberately made my initial volume up to 18L instead of 23L. After the vigerous stage passed I topped up to 23L. I researched the approach before doing it and quite a few home brewers use this approach. It is best to top up while fermentation is still active but the big krausen stage has just passed.

 

[Woz]

I was wondering over this same issue and just figured I'd be better off with stronger beer

 

[two_one_seven]

I've done this and it worked out well. My reason for doing this was because I was brewing a stout that I knew would produce a massive krausen in the vigerous stage of fermentation. So I deliberately made my initial volume up to 18L instead of 23L. After the vigerous stage passed I topped up to 23L. I researched the approach before doing it and quite a few home brewers use this approach. It is best to top up while fermentation is still active but the big krausen stage has just passed.

Why not use a bigger fermentor or a blow off tube?

 

[Calder]

I was wondering if you can top off to 5 gal after fermentation is complete using spring drinking water from store?

Many Commercial brewers do it a lot. Means they can produce more beer in the same time, with less fermentation space.

Only caution I would add is; boil and cool the water first, even if it is store bought. Water naturally contains a high level of O2 that can stale the beer over time. Boiling the water for 5 minutes will remove most of the O2. If you are going to drink it all in a couple of weeks, don't worry, but if you keep it for a month or more, you might start to taste it (the beer will not taste as fresh for long).

 

[aidan]

Why not use a bigger fermentor or a blow off tube?

Because I dont have a bigger fermenter than 30L and my fermentor is not suitable for blow off tube (small airlock hole)

 

[Joshtorres28]

Thanks for all the input I think ill just have stronger beer.