Topping off

[ToddMic]

Probably a dumb question and a total noob one at that

After I transfer my beer from the fermenter to the bottling bucket - it only reads 4.5 gallons - should I top off to 5?

The FG is fine and before I put it in there the OG was fine so I assume I'm not suppose to. It was an extract kit that makes 5 gal or whatever

 

[MalFet]

Edit: gah, totally misread...thought you were going INTO your fermentor for some reason.

Don't top off as you move to your bottling bucket. That's only really done with wine. You will always lose some quantity when you go from kettle to fermentor and from fermentor to bottle.

 

[bonzombiekitty]

I wouldn't top it off. Now you'd just be watering down your beer.

 

[shamrockdoc]

Nope leave it that .5 went to heaven. You don't want to water your beer down as said above.

 

[Jewsh]

Would be a horrible idea. After fermentation is complete, You have beer. It is what it is. If you ended up with 4.5 gal beer after bottling is said and done, maybe start with a little over 5 gal. to replace the beer that will be lost due to the trub and transfers.

 

[Yooper]

Edit: gah, totally misread...thought you were going INTO your fermentor for some reason.

Don't top off as you move to your bottling bucket. That's only really done with wine. You will always lose some quantity when you go from kettle to fermentor and from fermentor to bottle.

It's not done with wine, either! Not going into bottling anyway.

I've yet to taste a beer or wine and say, "Well, this would be better watered down by 25%!"

Some losses are inevitable with racking. It's fine.

 

[ToddMic]

Thanks pals! HBT always has my back