should i add some water

[benl560]

i know this has probably been asked before but i couldn't find it. my friend and i brewed his first batch (my second) on feb 1st. while sanitizing, my hydrometer broke. being that it was sunday, we couldn't go buy another at the beer store so we just went with it. he left while the wort was cooling and i couldn't get ahold of him so i dumped it into the fermentor and closed the lid. anyway, we only have 4 gal in the fermentor and i would like to know if i should add water until i get to the fg before bottling or just have a strong ipa? i know this has probably been asked before but i couldn't find it. thanks.

 

[Eastside Brewer]

Need more info...... Recipe? Volume into boiler? Have you already pitched? How long in fermenter? Can you get a Gravity reading now? Don't just add water yet, 4 gallons of great beer is better than 5 gallons of watery beer.

Eastside

 

[velotech]

I agree. Get another hydrometer and take another reading before you add water. It might be where you want it.

 

[benl560]

yea sorry... i have a pale ale
6.6# plain light extract
1# crystal 60l
8oz victory
2oz northern brewer
1oz cascade
the recipe lists sg 1.050-1.055 and fg of1.012-1.015.
the gravity right now is about 1.02
i started with 5 gal in the boiler and pitched the yeast
its fermented for 10 days now
yea i figured i should check with you guys first... i really dont like watery beer
and i really dont mind a strong ipa

 

[nibiyabi]

I'm certainly no expert but I'd rather err on the strong side so I'd leave it be.

 

[ottobrew]

If your gravity is 1.02 after 10 days in primary I'd leave it. It will be fine.

 

[Eastside Brewer]

What yeast? What temp are you fermenting at?

1.020 would have you at 62% attenuation and only 4.5 Abv. If you can get it to ferment down to 1.012 that would be 77% attenuation with 5.6% Abv which is probly what you were shooting for. See if you can warm it up a bit, sanatize a spoon or something and gently stir the yeast bed up a little. Leave it alone for a week and check again.


Eastside

 

[benl560]

hey thanks ill do that. im at about 68 or 70 degrrees and im using nottingham brewing yeast by danstar. thanks again

 

[dontman]

What yeast? What temp are you fermenting at?

1.020 would have you at 62% attenuation and only 4.5 Abv. If you can get it to ferment down to 1.012 that would be 77% attenuation with 5.6% Abv which is probly what you were shooting for. See if you can warm it up a bit, sanatize a spoon or something and gently stir the yeast bed up a little. Leave it alone for a week and check again.


Eastside

I think this ignores the fact that this is for a 4 gallon batch not 5.

Your OG was closer to 1.070 to start and your ABV at 1.020 would be close to 6.5%.

This is fine and your FG is fine as well since you would have to expect it to be higher with the denser batch. In fact Beersmith puts the estimated FG at 1.019.

 

[Eastside Brewer]

That would be assuming that he boiled off a gallon of wort, are we sure he didn't leave any behind in the BK........ hops, trub? If he only had 4 gallons final volume than that would be correct.

Eastside

 

[benl560]

yea i have about 4 gal volume in the fermentor right now. when i put it in i dumped it through a strainer/colander type thing. i did what you said and gave it a little stir...the next day i got .016 or .017. i just checked it again and theres another .016. ill see what i get tomorrow and decide when to bottle i guess. thanks again...this place is really helpful