30 replies to this topic

[Corbin]

Marathon brewing at my house the next couple of days because my brew buddy is getting married and we are brewing all of the beer. Last night was our first batch and it was a Saison. Started with 7g in the boil kettle for a 5g batch. 4g ended up in the fermenter. If it wasn't beer for his wedding I wouldn't be so upset but this really makes me mad. I need to watch my "rolling boil" and turn down the burner. Can't believe I lost 3g in an hour. Just venting. Try and do better tomorrow.

[HVB]

WOW that is a lot of boil off.  I typically get 1.5g/hour. 

[positiveContact]

what was the humidity like?  that seems like a lot!

[Corbin]

WOW that is a lot of boil off.  I typically get 1.5g/hour.

I know. I didn't expect that at all and really didn't think we had the burner going that hard. I lose a lot in the winter usually but not in the hot summers.

what was the humidity like?  that seems like a lot!

I live in St. Louis. You can cut it with a knife.

[positiveContact]

I know. I didn't expect that at all and really didn't think we had the burner going that hard. I lose a lot in the winter usually but not in the hot summers.I live in St. Louis. You can cut it with a knife.

 

that's what i figured.  if you lived in CO I'd maybe get it.  this makes no sense.  are you sure of your pre-boil volume?

[Corbin]

that's what i figured.  if you lived in CO I'd maybe get it.  this makes no sense.  are you sure of your pre-boil volume?

It may have been a little under 7 but no less than 6.5.

[positiveContact]

It may have been a little under 7 but no less than 6.5.

 

that's page 3 material there! 

 

did any dirty but not that wet diapers fall in?  those things can really absorb some liquid.

[matt6150]

So was your OG much higher than expected then? Could you have just topped back off with water?

[positiveContact]

So was your OG much higher than expected then? Could you have just topped back off with water?

 

good point.

[Corbin]

So was your OG much higher than expected then? Could you have just topped back off with water?

we thought about that this morning. Wish we would have. Ended up about 13 points higher.

[ChicagoWaterGuy]

I usually take refractometer readings during the boil. I'll add some water if I'm worried that the gravity is getting too high for what I'm brewing.

[Corbin]

So for the future. Topping off with water to get back to 5g wouldn't pose any problems? I guess I could fill an empty sanitized fermenter with the amount I needed (faucet I get my brew water is from is inside) and pour it in the boil kettle or primary fermenter?

[HVB]

So for the future. Topping off with water to get back to 5g wouldn't pose any problems? I guess I could fill an empty sanitized fermenter with the amount I needed (faucet I get my brew water is from is inside) and pour it in the boil kettle or primary fermenter?

No different than doing a partial boil extract batch.  Top off with cooled, boiled water.  I guess you could also add the water to the kettle seeing you have the room.  That would probably be my choice in this case.

[positiveContact]

No different than doing a partial boil extract batch.  Top off with cooled, boiled water.  I guess you could also add the water to the kettle seeing you have the room.  That would probably be my choice in this case.

 

if you knew you were going to be low you could add it in mid-boil even.  maybe it's not obvious then though.

[Bklmt2000]

So for the future. Topping off with water to get back to 5g wouldn't pose any problems?

 

Nope, won't hurt a bit.  My experience has been that if i'm a bit short on volume in the primary (say, a gallon or less short on volume), topping up didn't affect color/flavor/head retention, etc., in the finished beer.

 

I suppose if you're WAY short on volume it could be a problem, but for you what you describe above, I think you'd be ok to top up in the primary to the desired volume before pitching the yeast.

[Corbin]

if you knew you were going to be low you could add it in mid-boil even.  maybe it's not obvious then though.

I have talked about making a sight stick or something for awhile. I use a converted keg and could tell we were going to be a little low but did not expect that. We brewed in the evening and it was a little hard to see. Definitely learned a brewing lesson, just wish it wouldn't have been a wedding beer.

[MyaCullen]

we thought about that this morning. Wish we would have. Ended up about 13 points higher.

you still can

[Deerslyr]

Question... is it ok to add water to top off after pitching?

 

I guess I had assumed that it had been pitched already.

[positiveContact]

Question... is it ok to add water to top off after pitching?

 

I guess I had assumed that it had been pitched already.

 

you'd have to make sure it was deaerated.  I believe this is what bud does.  they ferment a stronger product and then water it down.

 

if they caught it early enough it might not be an issue and the yeast would scrub the O2 out.  i have no idea how the yeast would respond to the sudden gravity drop if they were already chugging along though.

[Corbin]

Question... is it ok to add water to top off after pitching? I guess I had assumed that it had been pitched already.

Pitched last night around 11:30ish and it was bubbling at 6am. Don't think I would add it at this point. Kicking myself for not thinking of that last night.

Edited by Corbin, 23 July 2014 - 07:28 AM.