Leaking wort chiller

[Just_another_drunkard_666]

Just realized my wort chiller was leaking while I was chilling my beer and lost all volume I had boiled off with fresh water from the tap. Any suggestions?
Or just dump it all and start again. I could boil it down again but I would lose all hops.

 

[Broken Crow]

You could just recalculate your OG, IBU's and such and decide if you'll be content with those levels, because unless it was contaminated, it still will make beer...just a bit lower in ABV and bitterness than you'd planned.
....maybe add bit of DME while it's still in the kettle and a little more hops if you have the needed headspace in your fermenter?

 

[Just_another_drunkard_666]

I cranked it up again gonna boil it for another hr, add the small amount of hops and dme I have on hand. I'm not close to a store and they close early on Saturdays around here.

 

[Just_another_drunkard_666]

Og eas supposed to be 1.040, I accidentallt diluted down to 1.020. Wouldn't be satisfied with that

 

[IslandLizard]

I cranked it up again gonna boil it for another hr, add the small amount of hops and dme I have on hand. I'm not close to a store and they close early on Saturdays around here.

Probably too late, but add some Campden or K-Meta to that watered down wort to remove any chlorine that was in the water.

 

[Just_another_drunkard_666]

Probably too late, but add some Campden or K-Meta to that watered down wort to remove any chlorine that was in the water.

Good idea thanks. A little stressed wouldn't have thought of that

 

[IslandLizard]

Og eas supposed to be 1.040, I accidentallt diluted down to 1.020.

Yeah, for such a low gravity wort you don't have much choice than to reboil it or double your batch.

 

[IslandLizard]

Good idea thanks. A little stressed wouldn't have thought of that

Charlie would say: RDWHAHB!

Even after 13 years of brewing I yet have to brew without some spilling... and some error or forgotten to add something, somewhere.
The before last brew I ended up with 1.115 wort instead of the intended 1.086.

 

[jerrylotto]

Campden is not necessary if it's well water. Only municipal sources add chlorine as a sterilization agent. Once again I hope it comes out good but it would be disaster if it comes out great, you're never going to be able to repeat this!

 

[bwible]

The before last brew I ended up with 1.115 wort instead of the intended 1.086.

How the heck did you manage that? Fall asleep during the boil?

 

[IslandLizard]

How the heck did you manage that? Fall asleep during the boil?

LoL!
I was making a large, 4 gallon batch of 1.086 concentrated starter wort to be frozen in 1.5 quart containers. Using 100% Pilsner malt, only combining 1st and 2nd runnings* to keep initial gravity higher, I set out for the routine 90 minute boil to drive of DMS...

In hindsight, that long of a boil is not really needed for starter wort, we're not making beer for drinking. It's actually counterproductive for starters, not helping with good wort fermentability.

Anyway, it was moving along fine, at first. But due to the lowish starting volume plus the higher gravity, while I must have evaporated more and faster than planned. The next time I'm checking with the refractometer, I'm a bit puzzled: where the heck is the line...? Oh there it is, on the very top... 1.115!

Worked out fine though, needed fewer containers, saves freezer space. And so far seems to work fine for yeast starters.

* The 3rd runnings, around 1.030 IIRC, were boiled much shorter, just by themselves, chilled and used for starters right away, a good gallon worth.

 

[Just_another_drunkard_666]

Itll clear up, only been in the keg 4 days now but tastes good and i expect it to get better. Got nothing else on tap right now or wouldn't be cracking into this. Goes to show as long as your clean beer is almost invincible lol

 

[Broken Crow]

Just curious; Did you get the OG back up to target? ... Any off-flavours from the tap water?

 

[Just_another_drunkard_666]

Just curious; Did you get the OG back up to target? ... Any off-flavours from the tap water?

2 points under, I didn't really calculate much more just wanted to make sure it came out to something. I started with distilled and built a water profile but I dont think so? There's some bitterness on the finish but nothing that makes it unenjoyable and could also credit that to some hop material being boiled for 2 hrs I think.