Beer came in too strong. What would you do?

[Docjowles]

I brewed a batch of Janet's Brown out of Jamil's book about 6 weeks ago. Through some combo of mental retardation and drinking on the job, I royally botched my volumes and ended up with around 3 gallons of 8.5% finished beer (recipe should be more like 5 gallons of 6%). I was drunk and pissed off at the time so I didn't do the REALLY OBVIOUS thing and top it off with 2 gallons of water, instead I just racked and pitched my yeast.

Now that it's conditioned and in the keg I'm wondering what my options are. It's not bad but it tastes boozy and too bitter. Would just dumping 2 gallons of water into the keg make matters better or worse? Vent the pressure and hide it in the basement for another month? Do nothing and enjoy getting hammered off 2 pints?

[spiderwrangler]

I'd say diluting or blending would be good options for getting it to where you want to be.

[bikefoolery]

Whatever happened to drink it and brew more? You may have now invented Doc's Big Brown Beevo Baby Ale!

Cheers,


The Fool.

[andy77]

You mistook 3 gallons of beer for 5.5? That is hammered indeed. Good on ya!

Boil, chill and dilute, blend and make something new, or buy a keg of Coors Light, blend them together and make 8 gallons of 5.5% pale ale. Or just drink the big beer. I've intentionally made and drank stronger beer.

[snowcapt]

It is fucked! Drink it up ya puss!

[Cliff]

Now that it's conditioned and in the keg I'm wondering what my options are. [...] tastes boozy and too bitter.

There is no reason you can't dilute with sterile water and some more corn sugar.
To solve for bitter you might just try time.
I've had a really bitter beer that I just put aside and let age for a few months. It matured fabulously.