Too Much Boil Off. Add water?

[TristanL]

Howdy. I've searched around the forum quite a bit and couldn't find this specific scenario. If there is a pre-existing thread to this effect I apologized!

Brewed a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale clone (5.5 target volume in fermenter) yesterday (aka Bastage Panty Raid Pale Ale).

Pre-boil gravity was 1 point over. My boil volume was around 6.75 gallons. After chilling I transfered the beer to my carboy. The volume was just slightly over the 5 gallon mark. Gravity is 1.055. My target was 1.048. I'm thinking about adding 1/2 gallon of either distilled water or boiled/sanitized tap water.

If I add water, when should I add? The brew has already kicked off and activity is increasing. Can I just add water to the keg before carbonating and siphon the beer on top? What would be the ideal time to add water? I guess I have a few options:

1) Do nothing and drink a bigger beer and fall a bit short of 5 gallons
2) Add distilled or boiled tap water (1/2 gallon or so) now
3) Add distilled or boiled tap water (1/2gallon or so) while kegging

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[JMSetzler]

Preferably 1, possibly 2, no on 3...

 

[TristanL]

Just kegged this beer on Saturday. It's wonderful! Lighter in color than SNPA. Dry hopping with 1 oz. of Perle really gave this beer a fantastic aroma. It's obviously green at this time. I can't wait to taste it over the next 6-8 weeks to see how it develops.

In order to avoid this issue in the future I've set up different parameters in Beer Smith. One parameter 5% boil off for 5.5-6 gallon batches. The other parameter is 5% boil off for 10 gallon batches!

 

[phatuna]

Tristan, I think you should take a look at this again. I may be mis-understanding you, but setting beersmith @ 5% boil off is extremely low.

For instance, look at your last batch, you boiled off somewhere between 20% and 25% assuming you lost a bit to trub.

If I am reading your post correctly, this is very high. You might have your burner set too high (I was doing this for a batch or 2).

For instance, if you start w/ 6.75 gallons, and assume a boil off of 15%, and a little lost to trub. This will take your wort into primary at 5.5 gallons. You will lose approx. 0.5 gallons to your siphon (yeast cake, hydrometer readings etc.) leaving you w/ about 5 gallons to bottle (or keg).

Try to dial your system in like that, 5% is hardly any boil off.

 

[TristanL]

Tristan, I think you should take a look at this again. I may be mis-understanding you, but setting beersmith @ 5% boil off is extremely low.

Thanks for the feedback! I'm going to keep tweaking my set up.

I think I have a tendency to be heavy on the fuel. If I can ramp it back a little it would be better on the pocket book as well.