Didnt add enough water

[jc5066]

Ok, I'm an idiot. When I first started my beer I apparently only only put in 4 gallons of water instead of 5. I'm approaching the two week mark on my brew.

What is the best way to handle this? Add a gallon of water now? Wait and add a gallon when I keg it?

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[LovesIPA]

Taste it. If you like it, drink it.

 

[SteveHeff]

I say leave it. It will make for something that is about 20% higher in ABV and maybe more bitter than if you add water. I've never actually run in to this problem, but if I did, I would let her ride.

There is probably somebody on this forum who knows the negative implications of adding water at this point. If you certainly can't help yourself, make sure you at least boil your 1 gallon for 10 minutes, let it cool then toss it in to the fermenter. Just understand that adding to it now always gives bacteria and other nasties to get in there. That's my 2 cents.

 

[johngaltsmotor]

Depends on your tastes. If it's an Ale, it will be more like an Old Ale. If it's an IPA it will be more like a Double IPA. If you were planning on a session then I would be inclined to add a gallon of purified water now while you still have a bunch of active yeast and any unwanted intruders can't take hold. (although the alternate thought of "finish fermentation so the yeast consume all the food before potentially introducing unwanted bacteria" is also sound).

 

[jc5066]

It's an Irish Red. More bitter isn't necessarily a bad thing (in my opinion).

 

[mysteryshrimp]

Wait for bottling and taste it. If you do add water, make sure to boil it, cool it, and then add it by siphoning to the bottling bucket before siphoning the beer to reduce oxidation. I prefer an Imperial Red to a standard anyway.

I did the opposite for my second batch, turned a 5 gallon oatmeal stout kit into a 6 gallon porter. It was fine.

 

[Desvio]

In an Irish Red the outcome could actually be pretty good left alone, might finish heavy bodied like a traditional Irish Red Ale. My last IR was a little short on water and I actually liked it better and adjusted for it.

 

[SteveHeff]

So, jc, what did you end up doing?

 

[jc5066]

I think I will leave it as is.