Watering down beer after fermentation to reduce ABV

[delzep]

Good idea or bad idea? Is there a way of calculating how much water I'd need to reduce a beer by 1.5%? I'd imagine boiled-and-cooled water would be the way to go. Its for a Tripel that came out at 10% (FG of 1.008)...would prefer if it came out around 8.5%

[cronan]

If you add 15.65% more water it should get you to about 8.5%.
Not sure if its a good idea or not as I have never tried it.

[Leann ull]

There is a water dilution tool on beersmith , plenty of distilleries and breweries do it, you just have to factor it in the initial recipe, after the fact it will just taste thinner as it's lacking the backbone
It's it's a good beer and well balanced leave it 6 months and pretend it's a 7 percenter unless you are getting monster alcohol bang off it at the moment?
Something else to consider is beer blending?

[delzep]

pretend it's a 7 percenter!

Tell that to me head the next morning

[krockett]

I've done this a few times. Always thought the results were grand myself but a friend thought it tasted watery (he knew nothing about what I'd done).

[ronniedeb]

There was an episode of "Brewing with Style" on the Brewing Network, where in order to get something like a Mild Ale to drink for the episode, Jamil just watered down his Shallow Grave Porter, by 50%. He discusses watering down beer for a few minutes during the show.

[imark]

Good idea or bad idea? Is there a way of calculating how much water I'd need to reduce a beer by 1.5%? I'd imagine boiled-and-cooled water would be the way to go. Its for a Tripel that came out at 10% (FG of 1.008)...would prefer if it came out around 8.5%

Bear in mind it may have finished thin already seeing as it probably over attenuated. I say drink it at 10%.

[delzep]

I'll be bottling it in 500ml bottles 

[DEMPSEY]

do you have to do anything to the water first before you add it

[Leann ull]

Boil it for 15 to remove the o2

[DarraghKS]

Simple maths for it as well.
(actual alcohol x actual volume)/wanted alcohol = final volume

Final volume - actual volume = volume of H2O needed.

[Ed]

Something else to consider is beer blending?

Was going to suggest the same thing - just make a much lower ABV version and blend it to the ratio you want?

[delzep]

thanks for the info

Think I'll leave it be though

Laziness 

[Leann ull]

Group Buy Paracetamol?