Numpty question - topping up with water

[Waffty]

Decided to kick off my pride of yorkshire IPA last night & found myself questioning my basic understanding of kit brewing (it was late )

Anyways because it's an IPA, the brew length is 20 litres (I assume ) i.e reduce the length, increase the stength. So I added the 2 cans of malt, topped off the two cans with boiling water (one steeped my hops/grain etc) i.e 2 litres of boiling water, which in my mind leaves 18 litres to top up. So on reaching my 18 litre target, my FV showed 22 litres, which I assume is because the extracts are 1 litre each.

So to conclude, does the brewing length (in my case 20 litres), include the extract (in my case 2 litres) or not ? Hopefully not, as my brew with have the charateristics of an IPA but the power of bitter

I know this is a basic question but from experiance, it's the basics that catch us out

Darren.

[Jaoqua]

I think the whole volume should be 20 L - that's what I do.

So you're 10% over. Maybe adding some brewing sugar or DME might help.

[Waffty]

I think the whole volume should be 20 L - that's what I do.

So you're 10% over. Maybe adding some brewing sugar or DME might help.

B*****ks

So as I see it, I've got two options i.e leave it as is & have a session IPA, or do the maths & see if I can raise the strengh by 10%

On the latter point, any idea on how much DME I should add & more specifically, is this something I should be attempting (i.e I'm less than half a day into the fermentation process) ?

As a side thought, could I use secondary fermentation to raise the strength i.e add the missing DME & ferment it out, using a bubble lock & them force carbonate ?

Thanks in advance.
Darren.

[maxashton]

If you add brewer's sugar the only thing you'll replace is the actual sugar you lost. You won't replace flavours. You could of course replace it with DME or LME, but you could also just take the 2l hit. You'll only have moved the OG by a couple of points at most.

Either way, definitely one to chalk up to experience eh?

[Waffty]

Either way, definitely one to chalk up to experience eh?

Your not wrong worryingly I've always used the measurements on the FV, as a guide for my past brews & hence haven't overloaded them. I guess I got confused by this one being a kit brew of 20 litres.

Looking on the bright side, a session strength IPA, does have a bit of a ring to it

Just out of interest, would a secondary fermentation, with say 100g to 150g of boiled DME (Muntons light malt) bring it back to where it should be ?

Thanks again, another one for my FAQ novice brewing list

[maxashton]

Hmm, i don't know how much of an affect gravity wise that would have, but it would at least add some body back i suppose.

Edit: You could do the same for your priming sugar i suppose.

[Waffty]

Thanks again for your help, it's fermenting like a good one at the moment (I do like Safe04, as it goes like a train), so I'm tempted to leave it as it is & just take the hit on the strength, as to be honest, it's the taste I'm after i.e if I want to get blathered, I can buy a bottle of white lightening from the off'y and sit over the park with the rest of them

[maxashton]

Hey!

No probs, it's what Jim's is here for.

S04 is fantastic stuff, many of us here use it. I discovered it thanks to this forum myself.

If you want to get blathered you can make turbo cider, as well.

[Prenderb]

sure it's only a 10% dilution, probably only a 0.5% change in the alcohol content at the end? I like IPA, but I'm only on my second kit - let us know how this gets on!

[Waffty]

sure it's only a 10% dilution, probably only a 0.5% change in the alcohol content at the end? I like IPA, but I'm only on my second kit - let us know how this gets on!

Which should suit me, as I like the flavour of IPA & can pretty much take or leave the strength element i.e I don't drink it as a 'session' beer.

Well it's stopped bubbling this morning, which is about the same timescale as my Wherry took with the Safe04 yeast & a constant 20 degree temp.

So I'll leave it another day, before taking a gravity reading & take it from there