So I'm fairly new to brewing (I've only made one brew other than what is currently in my fermenter) and am wondering if I buggered everything up. So I chilled my wort in an ice bath for a while, but it still wasn't at a low enough temperature for my yeast. So I poured my wort into my fermenter, and added 2.5 gallons of cool water to it. This brought the temperature down to about 73 degrees, so then I pitched my yeast. It is bubbling away now, but I'm still a little paranoid that I messed everything up. Does anyone have any insight into how this beer could turn out?
Used Water to Chill Wort. Did I ruin everything?
- Thread starter huntjf1
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That must be one huge fermenter to allow you to simply pour in 2.5 gallons of water.
If you were making a barleywine and it was a 6 gallon batch, then you will be ok. BUT, you are not making barleywine anymore. You are making a regular beer.
More likely, there is far more to this story we need to know before anyone can tell you how badly you screwed up. If it was a 3 gallon batch of pale ale and you poured 2.5 gallons of water into it, then you will create what some might call a Small Beer. A light and refreshing ale with an ABV of around 1.5-2.5 percent. Perfect for drinking outdoors while doing work in the summer. At least that is my optimistic answers.
If you were making a barleywine and it was a 6 gallon batch, then you will be ok. BUT, you are not making barleywine anymore. You are making a regular beer.
More likely, there is far more to this story we need to know before anyone can tell you how badly you screwed up. If it was a 3 gallon batch of pale ale and you poured 2.5 gallons of water into it, then you will create what some might call a Small Beer. A light and refreshing ale with an ABV of around 1.5-2.5 percent. Perfect for drinking outdoors while doing work in the summer. At least that is my optimistic answers.
Wow... with 2.5 gallons of top off water, I assume this was an extract brew? Was this top-off water bottled water from unopened containers? If so, you're probably ok infection wise. Did you take a gravity reading pre & post top-off water addition?
I just have one question - with the water you added, are you at the proper water volume for the batch as per the recipe? If so, you're golden, no problem. Chadwick is correct in what he is saying, but I'm reading this as you are making a 5-gallon batch and you did a 2-2.5 gallon boil, then added the remaining necessary water to complete the brew. Right?
Also, I went through the pain of waiting for my wort to cool with a water bath... just make a simple wort chiller. Super easy, so worth it!
Cheers!
Also, I went through the pain of waiting for my wort to cool with a water bath... just make a simple wort chiller. Super easy, so worth it!
Cheers!
flars
Well-Known Member
An ice bath will cool lower and faster if you gently stir the wort and have the cover partially off to let heat escape while the kettle is in the ice bath. Stir with the spoon you used during the boil, just keep the spoon sanitary until the wort is cooled down.
If you boiled 2.5 gallons of a 5.0 gallon recipe, it is better to have 2.5 gallons of chilled water in the fermentor before you pour the wort in. A this point you will need to top off with the amount of water that boiled off from your kettle.
Very good idea to have the 5 gallon level marked on your fermentor before doing this. Those factory markings on buckets are not accurate. Find the 5 gallon level by pouring in an accurately measured 5 gallons of water.
If the water you added wasn't untreated chlorinated city water, you are okay.
73° is high for most ale yeasts. Most yeasts will perform better in the low to mid 60° range. You might need a swamp cooler to control the fermentation temperature.
FloppyKnockers
Well-Known Member
It also depends on your city water quality. I live in a place notorious for good water so I have no fear about my water. Las Vegas on the other hand......
Yes, that is exactly what I did. Thanks for the advice, is there another better way of doing things?
Ok, I assumed that the fermenter was already filled with wort at the proper OG and that he added 2.5 gallons of cool water to that.
If he topped off the wort to the proper volume using 2.5 gallons of cool water, then everything will be fine.
73F is a little warm for most yeasts, however, if using US-05 or maybe S-04, I think the batch will be fine so long as it can be slowly cooled to about 68F. Even if it cannot, all is not lost. I've brewed beers using US-05 and even S-04 at 75-77F. While these yeasts did throw some esters at those temps, the beer wasn't bad at all. It could have been much better, but it wasn't terrible. It was actually far better than most anything I could have bought at the local quick-mart despite the temperature being too high during fermentation.
On the other hand, Nottingham yeast has never been forgiving for me. It will punish you for allowing the temps to rise too high. It'll teach you a lesson. Hateful and unforgiving yeast that Nottingham is. Although, if you keep it happy, it's not bad at all. I don't like spiteful yeasts, that is why I don't use Nottingham anymore. S-04 and US-05, they forgive and forget.
If he topped off the wort to the proper volume using 2.5 gallons of cool water, then everything will be fine.
73F is a little warm for most yeasts, however, if using US-05 or maybe S-04, I think the batch will be fine so long as it can be slowly cooled to about 68F. Even if it cannot, all is not lost. I've brewed beers using US-05 and even S-04 at 75-77F. While these yeasts did throw some esters at those temps, the beer wasn't bad at all. It could have been much better, but it wasn't terrible. It was actually far better than most anything I could have bought at the local quick-mart despite the temperature being too high during fermentation.
On the other hand, Nottingham yeast has never been forgiving for me. It will punish you for allowing the temps to rise too high. It'll teach you a lesson. Hateful and unforgiving yeast that Nottingham is. Although, if you keep it happy, it's not bad at all. I don't like spiteful yeasts, that is why I don't use Nottingham anymore. S-04 and US-05, they forgive and forget.
tdbc2011
Well-Known Member
When I did 2.5 gallon boils for 5 gallon batches, I would use 1 gallon jugs of purified water. The jugs were put in the fridge so that the top-off water would cool the wort so that I only had to chill to around 100 degrees. Just be careful when pouring the wort into the fementor.
agree, its a vile *****. although i got a blonde going with a notty right now, hopefully it doesnt turn out like the last nottingham adventure i had..
I chill the hot wort down to 75F or so in an ice bath. Having about 2 1/2 gallons of spring water in the fridge a day or two before brew day. Then top off the chilled wort in the fermenter with the cold spring water to recipe volume (5 gallons usually) will get it down to 65-66F or so right quick. Can give a nice little cold break as well. So if it's a 5 gallon batch, you're good. And I like S-04, US-05 & WL029 myself. The first two being very forgiving temp-wise. The WL029 kolsch yeast is great for hybrid lagers with it's sweet spot of 65-69F.
MyCarHasAbs
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Meh, the guy who taught me used a whole bag of ice and dumped it in the fermenter, then dumped the wort in. Vienna lager, came out great. I wouldn't sweat it too much. Next time, be a little more patient but I wouldn't expect any troubles. Just make sure its fermenting at the right temperature.
ChiefIlliniwek
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I'm surprised no one has mentioned this, but definitely consider spending $50 on an immersion chiller. I bought mine after my first batch. I run a food grade hose from my washing machine spigot to my stovetop. The first ten gallons I run through the IC goes into a tub which I use to clean my bottles, the next 5 gallons or so goes into a cooler full of ice, and then I disconnect the hose from the washing machine, and hook the IC up to a little pump in the cooler, which I run until I get to my pitching temp.
It's a pretty easy setup, and I don't even have to move my pot off of my stove. I run a full 6.5 gallon boil on a gas range. Only downside is I have to watch it nonstop for boilovers until about halfway through the boil.
It's a pretty easy setup, and I don't even have to move my pot off of my stove. I run a full 6.5 gallon boil on a gas range. Only downside is I have to watch it nonstop for boilovers until about halfway through the boil.
Yes, the easier way has been described by a few guys up above here. Look in the DIY section for wort chiller or immersion chiller. If you make it yourself, you're running around $45.
Here is one example:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/diy-cost-effective-immersion-wort-chiller.html
Here is one example:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/diy-cost-effective-immersion-wort-chiller.html
