Incorrect volumetrics /facepalm

[Klaen]

After brewing my first batch of beer, I decided that it would be good to calibrate my bucket and carboy and mark each gallon level. I used the largest measurement tool available to me - a coffee pot. Turns out, the true 8 cup mark on the coffee pot is above the 12 cup mark. Great. Turns out, I didn't start with 5.25 gallons, I started with more like 3.75, and now have about 3.5.

My plan is to just leave it, but would there be adverse consequences to adding water to dilute it? Will it just be a super full beer (full of flavor, weight, and of course alcohol)? My OG was 1.067, which raised some brows at first, but not enough to make me question the coffee pot company's accuracy.

Regardless, I'm geeked to drink it - a little rogue mocha porter with some additives!

 

[Burro2882]

So what happened? The coffee pot was smaller than you thought?

I had a batch awhile back that ended with a larger than expected FG. To say it was full of flavor was an understatement. You may want to consider adding some water.

 

[SilentAutumn]

A standard cup used for baking, cooking, etc. is 8 ounces. A standard "cup of coffee" is 6 ounces, but can be up to 8 ounces.

I went through a whole conversation with my father a while back when he bought a new coffee pot. I don't why it's like that, but it is. A "cup" is not always a "cup".

 

[steakandale]

I suggest you do NOT dilute it. It will be LESS flavorful, and have Lower alcohol by volume.

Your coffe pot mystery lies in the industry standard of marking the pot with "cups" but those are intended to mean 6oz coffee cups. not cooking cups.

 

[NPK]

I would probably add some water if it was me. Rogue mocha porter isn't really a beer that lacks flavor and body to begin with.

Would it be ok to let it completely ferment and add water before bottling if it isn't drinkable? It would be interesting to see how it turns out...

 

[mcberry]

Reminds me of my first batch. My fermenter was from a Coopers kit and had gallons marked off, but they were Imperial gallons, not US gallons. At any rate, it did end up a bit diluted, but at the end of the day it was still beer and got me hooked on homebrewing.

 

[devilishprune]

If it were me, I would dilute it. That way, you get the recipe that you had originally intended, and not the stronger version that you have now. Some people, including Revvy, have mentioned purposely brewing stronger batches only to later dilute them to a larger volume.

Adding water is going to make it less flavorful, alcohol-y, etc. than it currently is, but it's not going to make it less so than it would have been if you had added all the water in the first place.

 

[Klaen]

Maybe I will dilute it, not all the way but a bit. People always talk about not splashing your beer, especially when you bottle because it aerates it (and for whatever reason, that's bad). I assume that regular bottled water is somewhat aerated, and added a half gal could screw something up.

 

[Hockeyhunter99]

Adding water is going to make it less flavorful, alcohol-y, etc. than it currently is, but it's not going to make it less so than it would have been if you had added all the water in the first place.

Actually it would. adding water now would be like adding ice cubes to your beer later. it would make it watery. the hops and alcohol haven't melded with the water you top it off with. leave it alone and enjoy it as is or maybe try it as a black and tan.

 

[devilishprune]

Actually it would. adding water now would be like adding ice cubes to your beer later. it would make it watery. the hops and alcohol haven't melded with the water you top it off with. leave it alone and enjoy it as is or maybe try it as a black and tan.

Actually, that's not true.

Ethanol is soluble in water, as are isomerized alpha acids (the ones that you create during the boil). That means that they can get mixed in water regardless of when you add them. The boil doesn't do anything special in regard to "melding" things. The aromatic hop oils you get from dry hopping, late hops etc. aren't soluble anyway, so they won't be affected by adding water.

Ice cubes in beer is diluting it more than the original recipe intended. If the OP were to keep this strong beer and then dilute it with the correct weight of water (in the form of ice) then he would have a chilled version of the original recipe.

For more information, see this article from BYO: http://www.byo.com/stories/techniqu...ewing-tips/239-blending-for-volume-techniques

 

[braceful]

If you boil the water you intend to dilute with, you will remove most of the oxygen. Then cool and transfer via siphon. You will mitigate most of the oxygenation risk.

 

[Hockeyhunter99]

For more information, see this article from BYO: http://www.byo.com/stories/techniqu...ewing-tips/239-blending-for-volume-techniques

I stand corrected!!

 

[Burro2882]

Actually, that's not true.

Ethanol is soluble in water, as are isomerized alpha acids (the ones that you create during the boil). That means that they can get mixed in water regardless of when you add them. The boil doesn't do anything special in regard to "melding" things. The aromatic hop oils you get from dry hopping, late hops etc. aren't soluble anyway, so they won't be affected by adding water.

Ice cubes in beer is diluting it more than the original recipe intended. If the OP were to keep this strong beer and then dilute it with the correct weight of water (in the form of ice) then he would have a chilled version of the original recipe.

For more information, see this article from BYO: http://www.byo.com/stories/techniqu...ewing-tips/239-blending-for-volume-techniques

Great call.