New Brewer from Los Angeles - in trouble I think

[gonzo brewer]

Hi all. Have been reading about this hobby and am getting very hyped.

I am am breing my first batch and I think I already screwed up. Help someone!!

It is a Londons Pride Pub Ale (Fullers ESB)

I boiled it 2 weeks ago and everything went fine. I fermented in a 5 gal carboy in a temp. controlled fridge at 65 degrees. It was very active the first 5 days. On the 8th day I moved to my 6.5 gal pail, cleaned my carboy and moved it back to the carboy for secondary fermentation. I realized when I moved it by siphon to the plastic pail, it was about 3-3/4 gal and looked pretty dark. I added 1-1/4 gal of boiled cooled water to the carboy to make 5 gal of beer.

During secondary fermentation, there is no activity. I decided to test it with a hydrometer after 7 days. The FG is 1.007. The recipe says the OG should be 1.049-1.051 and the FG should be 10.12-1.014. I did not test the OG.
I tasted a sample and it tasted like watered down beer. I was planning to bottle in 1 week but now I am qndering if I should dump.

I realize now I should have made sure there was 5 gal at the start. I need to get a 6.5 gal carboy or do primary fermenting in the plastic pail.

Question: Should I dump or bottle?

 

[shlap]

Definitely bottle, it'll be a nice light lawnmower beer.

1.007 really isn't that bad for that OG. I'll bet once it's carbonated and ice cold, you'll love it.

 

[homebrewer_99]

No need to dump it. It'll most certainly be a lawnmower brew.

You watered it down when when you added that 1 1/4 gal of water. You should NEVER add anything to already fermented beer.

At 1.007 it's already done fermenting so bottle it.

Next time top off to 5.25 gals and you'll end up bottling closer to 5 gals in the end.

And...welcome!

 

[Brewsmith]

Welcome! Where in LA are you?

Use the 6.5 gallon pail for the primary. If there are no volume markings on it, when it is empty, fill it a gallon at a time with water and mark it on the outside with a permanent marker. That way you'll know where the volume is at before you add anything to it.

 

[gonzo brewer]

OK, I'll Bottle tomorrow. I am anxious to start my second batch. Nut brown ale from northern brewer. I'll do primary fermentation in the 6.5 gal pail, then switch to secondary in the 5 gal carboy.

I live in Santa Clarita, about 35 miles north of downtown LA. Pretty white lilly suburb. Think Weeds on HBO.

I almost feel like a redneck brewing my own brew. Not really.

I love the Jerimieh Red from BJ's brewery. Is there a clone for this? Thinking ahead.

 

[lfarah]

Hey gonzo,

I live in Burbank and am brewing the same ale you are.

I just transferred the batch today to my secondary. Let me know how it goes for you.

-Louie

 

[gonzo brewer]

I just bottled yesterday. I put them in my temp controlled fridge at 72 degrees.
I will probably wait 2 weeks to try my first home brewed beer.
I'll let you know how it tastes. I am not keeping high expectations because of the water I added after fermentation.
Gonzo