urgent help please - missed boil volume

[dawn_kiebawls]

Hello all, I'm currently watching a batch of dark saison 'simmer' because I F'd up my volume calculations. I know I'll miss a few gravity points, but can I add some distilled water to the kettle so I can get the boil goin' and hit my post-boil volume numbers without much damage?

thanks again for everyones willingness to help, Cheers!

 

[day_trippr]

Love to help but I'm not sure of what you're fighting.
If the boil-off left you short of volume-to-the-fermentor feel free to add top-up water to account.
If that's a miss, give me a bit more info

Cheers!

 

[dawn_kiebawls]

From the sounds of it a) I'll be alright and b) I did not explain myself very well.

I have my kettle on the burner right now and after sparge I only collected 6.25 gallons of wort (I was shooting for 7). I'm trying to preserve my post-boil volume so I have it hardly boiling which I know is bad. I was just wondering if it would cause much harm if I added a half gallon of distilled water to the BK so I can for 1) turn the heat up and get a better boil, and 2) not miss my volume-to-the-fermentor by so much.

Thank you for your quick response!

 

[d3track]

It sounds like your volume into the boil kettle is low - is that correct.
IMO, you have a few options:
a) additional sparge of the missing volume, then more wort into the BK
b) additional water into the boil kettle (treat for chlorine/chloramine if needed)
c) reduce boil viggor to reduce boil off (you really only need a gentle rolling boil)
d) like b - add water to fermentor to make up volume

I'd likely try for a or c in the above situation

 

[dawn_kiebawls]

I should elaborate further, and I apologize. I broke my primary rule and I've been drinking before my chiller is running...

I still have 30 minutes left in my boil but am already close to my fermentor volume. Would .5 gallons distilled water screw me up, or should I just delete this post, quit worrying and have a(nother) homebrew?

 

[day_trippr]

It won't screw you up aside from dropping your OG proportionately.
If you could sparge a half gallon from your mash, that would be even better.
Doesn't need to be hot - just distribute your half gallon over the mash if you can draw it off.

Otherwise, your best options are take the OG hit to preserve the post-boil volume and add your half gallon, or take the volume hit to preserve your OG and don't add any water to your boil...

Cheers!

 

[Jtvann]

Add water. You’ll be fine. It will make your beer weaker though. It’s up to you which you want. Weaker beer that’s got the volume you wanted, or less beer of the strength you wanted.

 

[Transamguy77]

Why don’t you just sparge a bit more and then your collected runnings will have a bit of fermentables over just adding water.

 

[day_trippr]

hahahaha!
fwiw, after all this time, I just got the nickname.
I think I'm just too innocent to get a lot of stuff...

Cheers!

 

[grampamark]

hahahaha!
fwiw, after all this time, I just got the nickname.
I think I'm just too innocent to get a lot of stuff...

Cheers!

Sucks, doesn’t it?

Back on topic, I agree with the suggestion of an additional sparge to make up your shortage.

 

[RM-MN]

I'm trying to preserve my post-boil volume so I have it hardly boiling which I know is bad.

Says who? Some of us have realized that a barely rolling boil does the same thing as a hard boil but doesn't boil off as much water.

I was just wondering if it would cause much harm if I added a half gallon of distilled water to the BK so I can for 1) turn the heat up and get a better boil, and 2) not miss my volume-to-the-fermentor by so much.

Just adding water replaces the water that boiled off so it isn't bad but if you didn't get enough wort from your sparge you are diluting the beer. You have to make a choice, dilute the beer or get a little less beer that is higher quality.

 

[dawn_kiebawls]

Thanks for the help guys. I decided to add the remaining 1/2 gallon of distilled water to the kettle. Looking back on it I should have just left it alone and had 5 gallons in the fermentor instead of 5.5. Either way, I made beer so all is well.

Also, I was reminded why I don't like drinking before my chiller is running..