final volume adjusting

[blackadder]

Took a recipe for "Inkeepers Special Reserve" from Jims site and did a brew last night after work....probably tired and seem to have messed up the volumes (again).
I boiled outside for the suggested 90mns but have lost a huge amount in evaporation, the outside temp was about 6-7 degrees whis I guess has accelerated the loss. Plus a slight ...miscalculation...in sparge vols.
Im now 5 litres (!) short. The fermentation is going well already but the sweet wort was like syrup.
I have 20 litre instead of the expected 25 from about 5kg of grain, am I ok to add cooled boil water now to make up to the 25? Or is this just going to end up as a lost cause?

[ade1865]

In my limited experience I would say that now fermentation has started you may be too late to adjust yer volume. But don't worry yet, what waas yer OG post boil?

this thread may help.

viewtopic.php?t=15911

[blackadder]

Ok hang my head in shame, I have never checked an OG in my life. I have a philosophy that its not going to affect what I do, I actually taste test a drop of sweet wort. Just to make sure it tastes sweet before I go ahead to fermentation. Im not going to be adding sugar and Im 3 hours plus down the process.....though I can now see that too high an OG could be corrected!!
Admitedly new to this but have had 3 or 4 good AG brews without any problem. Have done quite a bit of cider in the past again without major hastle not knowing the OG.
Im still in hope that 12 hours into fermentation may be ok to add the water...which is cooling as I write....or else it will be a "Special Brew" type bitter I fear!!

[Aleman]

Boil the water allow it to cool (so its sanitised) ad 1/2 a crushed campden tablet (so Its deoxygenated) and add it to the FV

Sorted.

Do it before fermentation really gets going and you won't know you did it . . . doing it post fermentation can be detected . . . admittedly not by me

[the_great_okapi]

Looks like you will be drinking the right beer after all!

Just as a tip, your FV can double as a large measuring cylinder to keep your brewing liquor in. It is translucent enough to grade water levels easily, and if you do it by accurately weighing the water the first time you grade it you should not have any problems getting your target OG.

It is a PITA to keep counting how many jugs you have added, and this may help things a bit.

[blackadder]

Thanks guys, I have done the deed with half a campden as suggested and got up to about 22.5L which will have to do.
Will report back results after conditioning.
Speedy responses were much appreciated.

[blackadder]

Looks like the water with campden was a success. Just finished fermentation and initial taste pre secondary is very good. A bre saved, thanks guys.

[Bongo]

oh mrs miggins is pleased.

[Whorst]

checking starting gravity is how you get consistent results. I would either limit you boils to 60 minutes, or top up to where you need to be.