Adding some extract to a AG batch

[mookow]

I recently brewed a beer that was supposed to be 7.5 gallons of OG 1.075, and I actually ended up with 8.25 gallons of OG 1.060 wort. I've been debating back and forth with myself whether to add some extract to get it up to original recipe parameters, and I have decided to do so*. Now, I think I'm going to wait until I rack it to secondary, and then add the freshly boiled extract to the fermenters right after racking over the beer. I plan on not cooling the new wort much, just pouring it through a funnel into the ~4 gallons of wort in each of the 5 gallon carboys. My question is, though, should I aerate the new wort or not?



*It is a Stone Ruination IPA clone, so I thought it might be bad to have less malt in it to stand up to all the hops.

[eyepah]

If you aerate, you will be relying on a new yeast life cycle to begin:

Adaptation
Reproduction (aerobic)
Fermentation (anaerobic)
Flocculation (hibernation)

During the aerobic stage they reproduce newly adapted buds and depleting the dissolved oxygen.

I think the $100000000 questions is: Will this cycle re-start in the secondary for the purpose of cleaning up the aerated oxygen??? Or will the current yeast stand choke it down quick leaving the oxygen for you later to enjoy.

I suppose you could avoid areation by siphoning the new wort into the beer resuppplying the yeast, but they will not be adapted to the new wort conditions. Eitherway, I would probably add some yeast energizer and nutirent to the new wort just in case they are shocked. You will definately get a second fermentation of some kind.

[MikShau]

You could also just let it alone to finish and just drink more of it to get the same buzz. You never know, it might turn out better.

Of course, if you have your heart set on the clone thing, then you should try and adjust it. Though, it probably would have been better to adjust it before it went into the fermentor.

[mookow]

Originally posted by eyepah
If you aerate, you will be relying on a new yeast life cycle to begin:

Adaptation
Reproduction (aerobic)
Fermentation (anaerobic)
Flocculation (hibernation)

During the aerobic stage they reproduce newly adapted buds and depleting the dissolved oxygen.

I think the $100000000 questions is: Will this cycle re-start in the secondary for the purpose of cleaning up the aerated oxygen??? Or will the current yeast stand choke it down quick leaving the oxygen for you later to enjoy.

I suppose you could avoid areation by siphoning the new wort into the beer resuppplying the yeast, but they will not be adapted to the new wort conditions. Eitherway, I would probably add some yeast energizer and nutirent to the new wort just in case they are shocked. You will definately get a second fermentation of some kind.

Hmmm, I guess I'll just add some servomycces to the fresh wort, then siphon it quietly into the fermenters.

Originally posted by MikShau
You could also just let it alone to finish and just drink more of it to get the same buzz. You never know, it might turn out better.

Of course, if you have your heart set on the clone thing, then you should try and adjust it. Though, it probably would have been better to adjust it before it went into the fermentor.

This isnt about the alcohol content, it is about malt vs hops. If I dont adjust it, my BU:GU ratio is going to be 1:2. Granted, Stone Ruination is NOT a balanced beer (and I like it that way), but I dont think making it less balanced is going to make it better.

[brewmonkey]

First I would not knockout on top of the other batches without cooling the wort down to at least below 100F. I would also say that there is no need to aerate this batch but if you must do so then do it to the wort prior to knockout and not after adding it to the previous batch. Doing so could cause some issues with oxidation/off flavors.