Diluting Ferments

[Jethro]

well lads I Just overshot my mash efficiency (maybe Im getting it rightat last ) was aiming for 1.052 got 1.058 I hopped heavier than normal after checking my pre boil s.g I was planning to dilute with about 5 litres of water when I rack to the secondary (cant fit anymore in now or Ill lose it) The beer is meant to be a dunkel. is dilution the best option or should I leave it and see how it goes
Cheers Jethro :blink:

 

[dreamboat]

My vote is to leave it alone, it is not so far over the mark to get out of style.


dreamboat

 

[Jovial_Monk]

NEVER dilute the beer!

Jovial Monk

 

[Jethro]

NEVER OK Jovial sounds like thats serious advice. If it ferments out I recon it must be about 6% thats new turf for me. Oh well Ill see how it goes. As far as the style goes, Dreamboat the recipe says up to 1.055 so I guess your right there Cheers lads Jethro

 

[blackbock]

Sorry to rehash an old thread, but I didn't want to start a new one B)

I just made a Hefeweizen and overshot my efficiency by a long way and also boiled off too much. As I was aiming for a mid-strength, I ended up with quite a strong wort (1.057 - was supposed to be 1.041) I diluted the 15L batch with another 3L of water after fermenting. Has anyone tried this and were there any problems?

edit: I wonder what the jovial monk did to get himself banned?!

 

[Doc]

I dilute all the time.
I end up with 34 litres of wort to fill two cubes (no chill) at a concentrated gravity, then dilute when I'm ready to ferment. Works a charm. Usually I'm diluting 17.5 litres with 3 litres of filtered water.

Beers,
Doc

 

[geoffi]

My tip is don't dilute until you keg/bottle.

I like to ferment the higher grav wort as my theory is that it protects the brew from infection.

I have been doing this for more than a year now...no infections!

OK, not definitive proof, but it works for me.

(I use tank water anyway, so (unboiled) it ain't goin' anywhere near my wort!)

 

[MHB]

A lot of commercial brews are diluted/blended/bittered/coloured post fermentation. There is 1 cardinal rule:-

Use sterile de-aired water

O2 post fermentation is a big bad, as are microbes.

MHB

 

[blackbock]

I like to ferment the higher grav wort as my theory is that it protects the brew from infection.
I have been doing this for more than a year now...no infections!

Geoffi that was my thinking as well.