diluting beer???

[CC]

so i've a conundrum here guys.

i got a new mash tun and did a 2 stage mash which seems to have  upped my efficiency on a brew yesterday.

long and short of it is i was aiming for og of 1.050 but hit 1.056.
this will give me an expected ABV of  6%. i didn't have enough water prepared to dilute the wort to my desired gravity pre fermentation.

so my question is: can i add boiled and cooled appropriate water, post fermentation but pre conditioning to bring my ABV back down to what i want for the style??

conflicting reports online from different sources.

[Bubbles]

In short, yes. This is what Guinness and a lot of other breweries do - high gravity brewing which saves energy, increase brewlength.

Not worth the risks though imo - sanitation, sudden temperature changes adding water and its impact on the yeast.

6 points is not a huge increase and not going to make a big difference to your gravity-bittering ratio. I'd leave it as is, personally.

[CC]

Ta...
for whatever reason i've 3 other 6% beers drinking at the moment and was asked to specifically brew something a little more sessionable. (so normally i'd totally agree and just drink the fecker at 6% but i'm considering going for the dilution ... carefully)

external pressure is better than indifference tho i spose!

[irish_goat]

If you have your calculations right I would do it when adding the priming sugar. As Bubbles says, just try and get it down to the same temperature and make sure to give it enough time to mix fully.

[Bubbles]

If you have your calculations right I would do it when adding the priming sugar.

Good thinking. Make sure you use bottled or boiled/pre-cooled water if diluting.

[DEMPSEY]

What the large brewery's do is use de-aerated RO water.

[CC]

okey doke....

so just to run through my calculations.
og=1.056
expected fg=1.010
ABV= 6.03%

so with 20l in the fermentor this means i have 1.2l alcohol    (1.2/20=6%)

therefore adding 2 litres of water gives me 1.2/22= 5.45% ABV

[DEMPSEY]

Sounds about right

[Damofto]

There is a dilution tool in Beersmith if you want to check your calculations.

[molc]

You could try diluting in a glass to taste the effect as well - you might prefer it at 6%

[Bubbles]

You could try diluting in a glass to taste the effect as well - you might prefer it at 6%

You're almost sure to enjoy it more..! 

[CC]

in a fit of madness herself painted a blackboard on a door  in the kitchen...something about a creative space for visual expression....
so spying an oppurtunity i cornered a section for a beer menu- a summation of what i have for drinking

if i leave this shagger at 6% then 4 out of six beers on the menu will be 6%...now i don't want to leave myself open to accusations of only being able to brew at one strength!!

[Leann ull]

It's not 6 it's 5.9 you read that hydrometer wrong

[molc]

I've started using minch malt a lot recently and suddenly all by beers overshoot by 5 points. I'm a little scared to write the abv om them now

[Leann ull]

Besides it's rude to count