secondary headspace concern

[jack_a_roe]

I brewed up a flanders red the other day and was short a fair amount of volume, approx 4 gallons in a 5 gallon carboy. I'm about to transfer it to secondary where i will add bottle dregs from some allagash sours....my concern is that there's going to be a good amount of headspace in the carboy (probably closer to 3.5 or 3.75 gal in a 5 gal carboy). Will this be a huge issue EVEN if I don't touch it for the entire time it's in secondary? Granted for style, it should have some vinegary bite to it, just can't fit it in a 3 gallon so all i have is a 5.....

 

[WI_Wino]

What about splitting it between a 3 gallon carboy and a growler?

 

[MileHighBrewer]

I would just fill up a 3 gal as much as possible. Put the remainder in a growler or jar and use it to inoculate another batch. Or just put the rest in a 1 gal jug and blend them back at packaging? That would bean awful lot of headspace in a 5, although maybe if you could blast it with co2 it'd be ok with no samples removed.

 

[MileHighBrewer]

Or another option, brew up a gallon if extract wort that's somewhat similar, dump it in, give it another week THEN rack to secondary

 

[sweetcell]

+1 for boiling up some extract, or making a stove-top mash with a pound or two of grain, and adding that to make 5 gal.

 

[jack_a_roe]

All I have is a 5 gallon carboy, nothing else so can't mix n match unfortunately....

Definitely digging the fresh wort top off idea. It probably doesn't need to be hopped or anything right? It IS a sour w/ an already ~20 IBUs

 

[505-Brewer]

I dont see it as a problem as long as you purge the vessel well or the beer has some activity still when transferred so that it will purge it for you. If you look at O2 transfer rates comparisons a potential problem is that glass carboys and airlocks don't let any O2 in. As long as it is left alone and you purge it when you do open it i think the pellicle that forms will take care of it. Of course topping off will get you more beer in the end.

 

[jack_a_roe]

i racked it to secondary at 13 days so there should still be a good amount of activity....this is what i got...

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1429713881.821109.jpg

 

[sweetcell]

Definitely digging the fresh wort top off idea. It probably doesn't need to be hopped or anything right? It IS a sour w/ an already ~20 IBUs

no hops needed. at 20 IBUs you're on the high side for a sour. an un-hopped wort addition will help you bring down your IBUs a little.

you don't need to boil it for any more than a minute or two, just want to sanitize it.

make the top-up wort as similar as possible to the original batch - add the same crystal malts, adjuncts, etc. of course you could use this addition to correct any shortcomings in the original batch - change the color, add more long-chain sugars, etc.

 

[jack_a_roe]

sweet deal, mashing in now...def will be sleeping better not worrying about possibly ruining a 2 year project. thanks a bunch.