Water after fermentation

[springtime]

Lets chalk this up to I was not thinking clearly. I usually complete my primary fermentation in a 6 gallon bucket. I wanted to use a carboy, which was a 5 gallon carboy. I filled it with a little bit of head space. This is a big beer IIPA OG 1.090. Fermentation started within 3-4 hours from pitching yeast. I left the house only to comeback to a blown airlock (I was using a blowoff tube). Anyway Krausen all over the place, still very active fermentation into day 5. Problem is I have about 4 gallons of beer. After I dry hop will most likely lose another 1/4 gallon. I plan on moving to secondary in about 10 days, how much water could I add without really messing this up?
Thank you,
Springtime

 

[Pie_Man]

There's nothing wrong with a 4 gallon batch. Leaving it alone is the simpliest thing to do. I would let the beer's taste be your guide.

If you do add water, make sure you sanitize it first by boiling it. Then cool the water so you don't shock the yeast. Assuming you now have four gallons of 1.090 beer (pre-fermentation) and you add a gallon of water to reach five gallons, your new "OG" would be 1.072 (90x4=360 -> 360/5=72)., so you're diluting the beer quite a bit.

If it were me, I'd probably leave it alone and bottle the four gallons. I've had this happen to me before, switching to a larger diameter blow off tube is what I recommend (the blow off tube setup where the tube goes directly into the carboy opening, no airlock).

 

[CRoth36]

Yeah leave it at 4 gallons. Adding water after fermentation probably won't turn out as good. However, you can always experiment and give it a try and let us know how it turns out.

 

[johngaltsmotor]

Oh man, it's a lost cause, just wait a couple weeks, prime it, bottle it up and send it to me for disposal

Like the others said, you're best to leave it as is. I think you'll be happier with 4 gallons of what you planned for than a few extra pints of something that you're not proud of. The keg always runs out before you expect it to anyway ;-)

 

[Komocabo]

I vote to leave it as a delicious 4 gallon batch, rather than a watered down 5 gallon batch.

 

[duboman]

Leave it, if you dilute it down you will also change the hop profile and balance of the original recipe. Go back to using 6-6.5 gallon buckets/carboys for primary, 5 gallon primaries are just not big enough to handle a 5 gallon batch!

 

[Calder]

You can dilute it if you like. Some of the big boys do just that to increase their capacity. However, they have designed the beer from the start to be diluted to the final product.

If you do dilute it, make sure you boil the water well. You need to get the entrained O2 out of the water, otherwise you will be aerating the final product, resulting in a short shelf life.

I assume some thought went into the beer you have now and it is somewhat balanced. If you dilute it you will alter the balance, and may be disapointed with the final product.

 

[springtime]

Thank you for your input guys. It is certainly not easy. I'm afraid of the additional loss as I am going to dry hop before kegging. I think I will need to tast the beer. I is an avery maharaja clone. Big beer as it is. Usually med thick mouthfeel. Can make any decision I guess w/out trying it first.

 

[Pie_Man]

I'm afraid of the additional loss as I am going to dry hop before kegging.

Try using 4/5 of the dry hops to keep the same ratio.