Did I save it or did I just dilute it?

[Meds]

Hey guys,

On the 26th of April I brewed a 20L grain infused IPA batch via a partial boil method as I only have a 19L boil pot... However After boiling all the right ingredients I ended up transferring 15L into my fermenter and failed to add the extra 5L to make up the full 20L batch... I just wasn't thinking.. My target OG was 1.055 but I measured an astounding actual OG of 1.12... when I measured this it was 2am and I didn't think to add more water...

When the temperature was right I pitched a 2L starter yeast into the batch making up a total 17L.

The batch did appear to ferment and then drop out after 1 week. The final Gravity was 1.032....

It wasn't until this stage that I decided to add 3 more litres of boiled water and repitch the yeast (2nd May). There hasn't been any visible sign of activity after this week. It's now the 5th of May have measured the gravity at 1.024.

Have I saved it or is it simply ruined? I did a taste test and it doesn't actually taste as syrapy as I expected, seemed okay. Just not sure whether it's worth carbonating or not.

Let me know your thoughts. Any advice is much appreciated.

Recipe below:

250g medium crystal malt (steeped)
150g Munich malt (steeped)
3.8kg light dry malt extract
20g simcoe @ 60mins
25g simcoe @10 mins
50g cascade @ 10 mins
25g Amarillo @ 10 mins
2g yeast nutrient @ 10 mins
40g simcoe (dry hop)
40g Amarillo (dry hop)
2L yeast starter with white labs 007 dry English ale.

 

[Moad]

edit : didn't think about this...

Someone will come along and do the calculations but If you dilute it and repitch again the yeast might be able to get through more sugar.

You could blend it with another batch?

 

[Meds]

edit : didn't think about this...

Someone will come along and do the calculations but If you dilute it and repitch again the yeast might be able to get through more sugar.

You could blend it with another batch?

Yeah I thought the repitch would work but because there was no sign of activity I really don't know if the lower gravity at 1.024 was because I added water and diluted it.. Or whether the yeast actually kicked off and went through more sugar... My target final Gravity was supposed to be 1.012 .

 

[Moad]

You can work it out...

I don't think your OG is correct, I would say you had a high concentration near the tap.

Let's assume FG of 17 Litres @ 1.032

adding 3 litres of water would get you 1.027, so it has fermented a few more points.

Hard to say if there is more to go without an accurate OG reading.

 

[Meds]

You can work it out...

I don't think your OG is correct, I would say you had a high concentration near the tap.

Let's assume FG of 17 Litres @ 1.032

adding 3 litres of water would get you 1.027, so it has fermented a few more points.

Hard to say if there is more to go without an accurate OG reading.

I think you are right about the OG being incorrect... I didn't realise that a higher concentration at the bottom could create an error.. I must admit I did not shake or mix the wort between the boil and measuring the OG..

I'll wait until Sunday and take another reading to see if it drops any further points. What would you recommend?

 

[danestead]

Theres a good chance you have oxidised your beer by adding water at the end. It may be drinkable as personally I dont find the oxidised flavour offensive as such however in strong concentrations it might taste like drinking an office full of cardboard.

If it tastes good, drink it. If not, chuck it!

 

[Jack of all biers]

My advice at this late stage of your brew would be take that second gravity reading after 24 hours and see if it is the same. If not await 2 consecutive readings over 24 hours (as per normal) and bottle it. As Danestead said there could be some oxidation, but as long as you didn't pour it to wildly or shake the fermenter I doubt pouring in the water would ruin it. Just make sure you drink it within 2-3 months or if cardboard flavours come through then as long as you can stand it.

Put it down to experience and learn from it. Your beer will no doubt taste fine still.

 

[Meds]

My advice at this late stage of your brew would be take that second gravity reading after 24 hours and see if it is the same. If not await 2 consecutive readings over 24 hours (as per normal) and bottle it. As Danestead said there could be some oxidation, but as long as you didn't pour it to wildly or shake the fermenter I doubt pouring in the water would ruin it. Just make sure you drink it within 2-3 months or if cardboard flavours come through then as long as you can stand it.

Put it down to experience and learn from it. Your beer will no doubt taste fine still.

Cheers Jack.

Over the week end I took 2 consecutive readings and bottled it.

I have also realised now that by taking the lid off the fermenter and adding the water I would have let all the CO2 escape from the headspace... I also shook the fermenter to re-suspend the yeast... Many terrible rookie mistakes made on this batch.

I'll try the beer in 2 weeks time but I most likely oxidised the crap out of it. Oh well lesson learnt!

 

[Jack of all biers]

Ouch.

 

[danestead]

Cheers Jack.

Over the week end I took 2 consecutive readings and bottled it.

I have also realised now that by taking the lid off the fermenter and adding the water I would have let all the CO2 escape from the headspace... I also shook the fermenter to re-suspend the yeast... Many terrible rookie mistakes made on this batch.

I'll try the beer in 2 weeks time but I most likely oxidised the crap out of it. Oh well lesson learnt!

Treat it as an off flavours session! We've all stuffed different things up over time!

 

[Meds]

Update!

I cracked open one of the bottles over the week end (1 week from bottling). Tasted fine! if anything it is slightly too fruity in its aftertaste.. Otherwise there is zero cardboard flavour and plenty of bitterness.

Despite all the above errors, it is a very drinkable beer. Happy days!

 

[Jack of all biers]

Ummm... A thing about oxidation of a beer you may not know about. It takes a little while to come out. A few weeks to a couple of months and you may come back to us and tell us how this beer now has an off flavour that you can't quite put a finger on. Or you may tell us how good your new cardboard box beer tastes :icon_vomit:

Given you shook the fermenter post opening it and adding water..... My advice is if it tastes good now, drink it as fast as you can. At least a bottle or two a day to keep the merriment at play. :kooi:

 

[Meds]

Ummm... A thing about oxidation of a beer you may not know about. It takes a little while to come out. A few weeks to a couple of months and you may come back to us and tell us how this beer now has an off flavour that you can't quite put a finger on. Or you may tell us how good your new cardboard box beer tastes :icon_vomit:

Given you shook the fermenter post opening it and adding water..... My advice is if it tastes good now, drink it as fast as you can. At least a bottle or two a day to keep the merriment at play. :kooi:

Thanks for the tip Jack. I'll take it to my mates over the week end and polish the lot over a bbq! Time to start planning the next batch =]

 

[Jack of all biers]

Keep a bottle or three to the side for 3 or 4 months. Taste how they are after different periods of time. I'm being serious, learn what the flavours of your mistakes are and how they develop. Then you will learn what the off flavours are and how long it takes for them to develop. It's all part of the learning experience, cause we all make the same mistakes over and over and over again..... And sometimes again and again and again..... you know what I'm getting at.

 

[tarmael]

Just make sure you drink it within 2-3 months

Has this ever been a problem with homebrew?

 

[danestead]

Has this ever been a problem with homebrew?

If it's shit home brew - yes!

On a serious note, I just finished a stout that I had in the keg for a little over a year.