National Homebrew Club Ireland

General Discussions => Brewing Communities => South Dublin Brewers => Topic started by: CC on December 14, 2016, 10:55:59 AM

Title: diluting beer???
Post by: CC on December 14, 2016, 10:55:59 AM
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.
Title: Re: diluting beer???
Post by: Bubbles on December 14, 2016, 11:00:21 AM
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.
Title: Re: diluting beer???
Post by: CC on December 14, 2016, 11:09:19 AM
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!
Title: Re: diluting beer???
Post by: irish_goat on December 14, 2016, 11:16:32 AM
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.
Title: Re: diluting beer???
Post by: Bubbles on December 14, 2016, 12:44:57 PM
Quote from: irish_goat on December 14, 2016, 11:16:32 AM
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.
Title: Re: diluting beer???
Post by: DEMPSEY on December 14, 2016, 01:09:29 PM
What the large brewery's do is use de-aerated RO water. ;)
Title: Re: diluting beer???
Post by: CC on December 14, 2016, 03:07:38 PM
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

Title: Re: diluting beer???
Post by: DEMPSEY on December 14, 2016, 03:11:50 PM
Sounds about right :)
Title: Re: diluting beer???
Post by: Damofto on December 14, 2016, 03:34:17 PM
There is a dilution tool in Beersmith if you want to check your calculations.
Title: Re: diluting beer???
Post by: molc on December 14, 2016, 04:42:49 PM
You could try diluting in a glass to taste the effect as well - you might prefer it at 6% :D
Title: Re: diluting beer???
Post by: Bubbles on December 14, 2016, 04:59:34 PM
Quote from: molc on December 14, 2016, 04:42:49 PM
You could try diluting in a glass to taste the effect as well - you might prefer it at 6% :D

You're almost sure to enjoy it more..!  8)
Title: Re: diluting beer???
Post by: CC on December 15, 2016, 04:53:46 PM
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!!
Title: Re: diluting beer???
Post by: Leann ull on December 15, 2016, 05:08:22 PM
It's not 6 it's 5.9 you read that hydrometer wrong
Title: Re: diluting beer???
Post by: molc on December 15, 2016, 05:49:53 PM
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 :)
Title: Re: diluting beer???
Post by: Leann ull on December 15, 2016, 10:44:19 PM
Besides it's rude to count
Title: Re: diluting beer???
Post by: Oh Crap on December 16, 2016, 08:53:36 AM
Write the aalc on the board...you know the "aimed for alc content" they don't need to know that your a better brewer then you thought 😜