adding water after the boil

General Homebrew Discussion
1

I was reading the instruction to a porter I am going to brew Friday and it says to cool wort after boil time is over and then add the rest of water to make the 5 gallons. Up to now, I have been refrigerating the the final 2.5 gallons and pour in as I am cooling with chiller to help bring it down faster. Is there anything wrong with this? Just seemed like instructions were clearly telling to cool first then add water.

Thx

2

What you are doing is fine as long as the water and container are sanitary. I used to do this all the time to top off 10 gallon batches when I didn’t have quite enough room in the kettle.

3

I’ve done it many times and never had a problem.

4

Thanks all.

I always use spring water from the grocery. I get two 2.5 gallon jugs and refrigerate one and use the other for the boil…

5

Some people will disagree with me, but I found a HUGE improvement doing full wort boils over the partial boil and add water concept.  I still remember it like it was yesterday and that was like 20 years ago.  It was the first time my homebrew did NOT taste “homemade”.  I was ecstatic and absolutely hooked on homebrewing ever since.

6

No, I agree. I remember getting my first brewpot big enough to full wort boil. It made a noticeable improvement in my beers. Not just better utilization and lighter color, I felt the beers were just better. A small top up is fine (though it’s not hard to get your volumes right), but 2 or 3 gallons top up makes a difference IMO. Others may disagree though, as said.

7

I’ve recently switched from full-volume 1-hour boils to making a more concentrated wort, boiling 30 mins, and topping up with ice water. I haven’t noticed any change in quality.

Advantages - smaller boil vessel can be used, quicker to heat, less fuel for boil, paler beer after shorter boil, much quicker chilling, precise control of OG through dilution, shorter brew day.
Disadvantages - more bittering hops needed for shorter boil and to compensate for lower utilisation in the more concentrated wort; slightly lower efficiency if you do no-sparge brews, as I do.