Diluting Beer to reduce ABV

[boomslang]

Evening folks,

The other day I had a few friends round and we all brewed an APA. Everything went well other than, since I was brewing with larger quantities of water, I must have cocked something up. I how have around 7 litres of wort rather than 10, which has left me with what is going to be a rather boozy beer.

Since I wanted something around the 4.5% mark, and not 6.4% (as I'm now predicting it'll be), would it be a bad idea to simply dilute it post fermentation?

I've read about people doing this, but would this just make it dull and watery?

Cheers

 

[ong]

It won’t be any more watery than if you had ended up with the right volume in the first place. However, you might notice less hop flavor and bitterness, since hop utilization won’t be quite as efficient. Maybe plan on a dry hop addition?

 

[Qhrumphf]

Top up water post ferm is difficult at home, especially something hoppy. Water contains more than enough dissolved oxygen to oxidize the beer rapidly. Even if boiled first. Now, people have come up with ways to do it but it can be convoluted. Few homebrewers have access to the water deaerators that giant brewers have to strip the O2 out of the water.

Best way at home is to just brew a weaker beer and blend them. Or let it ride.

Now, if you haven't pitched yeast yet then dilute away (although the above comment on hopping stands).

 

[S-Met]

Just wondering, has anyone diluted with a hop tea?

And if planning on naturally carbing, could you make a hop tea 10min boil adding dme as your priming sugar?

 

[Yooper]

If it was me, I would dilute it right away, to be closer to the intended volume and recipe, and to avoid oxidation.