Question after first-time all grain brew!

SuffolkBrewery · Jul 28, 2013

Hello all

I did my first all grain brew yesterday (I'll do a full write up later). All seemed to go well and ended up with circa 18 litres out of 25 litres in the fermenting bucket.

I then had to go out (poor planning) before topping up the level. Overnight the yeast has started working a treat. Question is, can I top up the levels in the FV with water a day after the brew day itself?

Thanks!

(It's meant to be a golden bitter, by the way)

PD · Jul 28, 2013

yes boiled cooled water top up is ok

SuffolkBrewery · Jul 28, 2013

Thanks!

Fil · Jul 29, 2013

Im sure your on board, but, if you top up be driven/governed by the target starting gravity and not the target final volume. You may well end up with the same volume of beer but if your efficiency is out for any reason best to have 18l of on target beer rather than dilute the rest below target strength?

carl_saint · Jul 29, 2013

Fil said:
Im sure your on board, but, if you top up be driven/governed by the target starting gravity and not the target final volume. You may well end up with the same volume of beer but if your efficiency is out for any reason best to have 18l of on target beer rather than dilute the rest below target strength?

+1 on this. Was you gravity reading higher than expected?

SuffolkBrewery · Jul 29, 2013

Ha! Yes I messed up bad, but as luck would have it I hit away with it. OG was very high and I was 7 or so litres short. I just topped up with about 6 litres as that's all that fitted in the saucepan I used to boil it.

Found out after this was the amount needed to bring the OG down to what I would have needed!

Beginner's luck; lesson learned!