Have I messed up?

[GaSh65]

Hi all.

I've not been brewing much lately, I even bought a Brewzilla about six months ago which I've yet to use.
However, I decided to get back into it, make a few kits and then work up to the BZ.
I made a basic IPA kit last month which came out fine.

This month I tried a Munton's Hazy IPA. This was a little different to other kits I've done in the past, it had two cans and two x two types of hops to add during fermentation.
Now, I did glance over the instructions, but should have given them a proper read (this is where it potentially goes pear shaped).

I warmed up both cans in hot water in the sink, added them to the FV with four litres (as directed) of boiling water and stirred them in with a kilo of brewing sugar. It was only AFTER adding the sugar that I recalled not seeing the word 'sugar' in the additionally listed requirements. So I double checked and found that to be exactly the case. Obviously the sugar was in one (or both) of the mixtures within the two cans. Doh!

I then considered one of two possible scenarios:
1) I've wasted time and money, the whole thing is ruined, or
2) it could still work, but will be a much stronger beer.

With the second outcome in mind, I decided to ignore the instructions' direction of 20 litres total of water and not only fill to the normal 23 litres, but go even further and add 25 litres.
After it had cooled down, I pitched the yeast.

The instructions said to add two packets of hops the next day and the other two ten days after that. So when I added the first two I noticed a huge frothy Krausen on top of the FV. So it is fermenting, but who knows what it will turn out like.

I will continue with it, add the other hops, then barrel and condition it, but I'd welcome any feedback on this. Yes, I know I'm a doughnut for not reading the instructions properly and will ensure to do that for all future brews.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jim Brewster]

You'll have a slightly stronger beer but it'll be fine. When you add dry hops or almost always triggers the beer to krausen again. All sounds normal, good luck

 

[Jim Brewster]

When I said 'slightly' I decided to check the figures and I put 1kg of dextrose into a brewing calculator in 23L and it gives 2% of alcohol in 23 litres. So instead of 5% it'll be closer to 7%, so perhaps it will be a bit overly strong actually

 

[GaSh65]

When I said 'slightly' I decided to check the figures and I put 1kg of dextrose into a brewing calculator in 23L and it gives 2% of alcohol in 23 litres. So instead of 5% it'll be closer to 7%, so perhaps it will be a bit overly strong actually

The kit instructions said 20 litres would make 35 pints at 5%, so I thought if I made 25 litres that would be about 44 pints, therefore lowering the strength hopefully to something a bit more sensible, factoring in the 1kg of dextrose.
I'll work out the actual strength from the final reading, but I wouldn't know how to do it otherwise.

 

[Jim Brewster]

If you made 25L but the kit was for 20L then I reckon it'll be something like 5.8% and a little thinner due to the complete fermentation of the dextrose plus the diluted malt. Will be interesting to hear how it turns out

 

[GaSh65]

If you made 25L but the kit was for 20L then I reckon it'll be something like 5.8% and a little thinner due to the complete fermentation of the dextrose plus the diluted malt. Will be interesting to hear how it turns out

Yeah, I'm interested to see how it turns out too. Hopefully slightly stronger and a little thinner rather than undrinkable swill. A learning experience very definitely.

 

[Beermonster66]

I did almost the same with a Munton's West Coast IPA kit. Filled to 23L instead of 20L by accident so I added around 300G sugar to bring up the ABV The result is a wee bit thin in mouthfeel but still tasty.