Technique and Batch Size

[LongBay]

As of this writing, I've finished my 5th batch of 5gal extract brewing and I've reached a bit of a dilemma. While this latest batch is a marked improvement over prior brews, I'm beginning to think that I should scale down a bit to work on technique. Here's my line of thought. If I brew a 2.5 gal batch instead, will that allow me to get a better handle on proper technique, e.g. temperature control during specialty grain infusion, wort chilling, aeration, ferm temp control, lagering, etc.

The smaller batches will definitely take up less space, time, and resources, but does that actually translate into better control of the variables involved in brewing a decent beer? Something tells me the best answer is to start as small as possible and then scale up once technique has been fine tuned, but then again, things that work for small batches might not work for larger batches. Would love to hear opinions from all, both new and experienced home brewers. Thanks for any input you can provide.

Cheers and Happy Brewing,

Joe
Myrtle Beach, SC

 

[Ski12568]

It takes pretty much the same amount of time to brew 2.5 gal, 5 gal, and 10 gal batches. Give or take 30min-1hr.

I am considering smaller batches just because I enjoy the process and want to pound through my kegs so I can brew more often.

 

[Ski12568]

I would also add that practice makes habit. I would brew the amount you plan on brewing once you are more comfortable with the operation. I need to take this advice too.

My head is all over the place right now... Just getting off night shift

 

[McKnuckle]

Unlike many people here, I have little use for 10 gallons of one particular beer - or even 5 gallons most of the time. I am way too interested in variety and learning the nuances of each style, not to mention that dozens of recipes and commercial beers are waiting to be brewed/cloned.

So I brew 2-3 gallons at a time routinely. It has nothing to do with lack of experience or anything else; it's just pure preference. I do think it's easier to physically manage a 2.5 gallon batch, though. Kettles are not as full. Grain is not as heavy. Chilling takes less time. Pots fit on stovetops. You can work indoors.

And if something turns out meh, you only have 25 bottles of dreck, not 50-100. So don't fret and brew again! Personally I think small batches are the bomb. I pushed the limit of this approach a couple weeks ago and brewed with a 1 gallon jug of water as my total volume. The process was dead easy, and I ended up with exactly three bottles of finished beer.

 

[chickypad]

If it's things like temp control and chilling that you want to perfect and your plan is to resume 5 gal batches then it seems to me like you need to practice with 5 gal batches. On the other hand, I am a big fan of small batches because I can brew inside, have more variety on tap, and it is physically easier and faster than my other system which is 10 gal. I do 2.5-3 gal BIAB all grain batches in my old 5 gallon extract pot, that is something you might consider trying if you are looking to have more control over your batches and as a way to get into all grain. There are some aspects that transfer to the larger scale, like recipe formulation, water knowledge, etc.

 

[phillyflyers36]

Pretty much everything that these guys have said... I think the biggest benefit you'll have from brewing smaller batches is that you'll be brewing more often. Takes the same amount of time to brew but it'll obviously be much quicker to drink. I recently bought a 1 gallon jug for fermenting very small batches. I get sort of a beer drinking ADD where I'm always looking to try something new. Also I can try wacky recipes without having to drink 5 gallons worth of bacon flavored beer... All that said I'd definitely recommend the small batch.

 

[TrickyDick]

Will say that when I built my brew stand system I went to ten gallons. It does take more time to heat water, bring to boil and chill than for five gallons. The waste of grain, and hops to dispose of is significantly greater as well. Cleanup and boil time is the same of course. The resulting beer is both a blessing and a curse. Ten gallons is a LOT of beer. My initial plan was bottle to share with friends and family, and keg the other other half batch. Well bottles do not get returned, and if they do often with mold, etc. that didn't pan out. I occasional split a batch with a friend and we each get a keg of beer. What ends up happening with time however, is 80 gallons of accumulated beer in you brew area that is in kegs or carboys and in need of bottling or carbonating prior to consuming. It's a little ridiculous in my basement right now. I'm planning to scale back this year.

That said, if you're working with 2.5 gallons extract, stove top brews, the technique doesn't necessarily translate to outdoor propane full wort boil brewing and the equipment and methods used for dealing with larger volumes. Plus taking gravity reads on 2.5 gallon batches and you lose a significant percentage of your final product by the time your are done and may be reluctant to take those measurements.

I would say to stick to five gallons if that's what you intend to ultimately brew, especially if you are doing full wort boil.

TD

 

[phyllobeddo]

I brew 2.5 gallon batches for the most part, although I have the capabilities to brew 5 gallon batches, and I'm comfortable brewing 5 gallon batches. My goal is to brew every weekend, although that routinely does not happen. I want to brew more often and I want to brew all kind of different recipes. If I do find a recipe that's worth brewing again, I'll brew 5 gallons if I feel like it. I'm also interested in improving process and technique, so brewing more often helps with that part. And if I brew a batch that I don't like then I only have 24 or so bottles to drink (or a keg's worth). Also, if I brewed 5 gallons a week, I would end up with bottles and kegs all over the place! Although I'm brewing 2.5 gallons at a time, my production still outweighs my consumption. Right now I'm starting to stock pile bottles of beer. That's fine and all, but I'm eventually going to run out of empties. I have four kegs and I'm trying to fill those up with recipes that I know I like. And 2.5 gallon batches still take about the same about of time on brew day. It's less materials to deal with, but you still have to mash for 60 to 90 minutes and boil for 60 to 90 minutes and clean up time is close to the same as well. It's not much of a time saver.

 

[Oginme]

I want to echo many of the comments above regarding brewing smaller batches. I enjoy the process and have been able to get it fine tuned through many brewdays. I love the variety of beer styles that I can stock and am always working recipes to get them to how i want them to come out. I also follow up with a larger brew (5-gal) of beers that I want to stock for a long time. But for a lot of the styles that I brew (IPAs, milds, Pale Ales, Scottish Ales), I want to turn them over much faster to drink them at their prime.

In the end, brew the size that you are comfortable with and don't worry about what others are doing or urging you to do.

 

[McKnuckle]

Exactly - brew what you want, and how much of it, too.

For the person who mentioned 2.5 gallon extract batches not translating to 5 gallon AG, I wanted to be clear that I (and I presume others) are not talking about extract. Just talking about less beer using AG - that's it. Smaller volume does not imply beginner techniques. That's a bias I tire of seeing, actually... it's simply untrue.

 

[helibrewer]

I'm actually going to do this. There are a lot of new hop varieties and hop extracts that I want to experiment with without having 5 gallons of the stuff that I might not like around. The only caveat is that temperature control (hot or cold) is always easier with more liquid mass so the smaller batches might be a bit trickier in that regard.

 

[Oginme]

I'm actually going to do this. There are a lot of new hop varieties and hop extracts that I want to experiment with without having 5 gallons of the stuff that I might not like around. The only caveat is that temperature control (hot or cold) is always easier with more liquid mass so the smaller batches might be a bit trickier in that regard.

For SMASH brews, I usually mash up a full batch of Maris Otter and then split it pre-boil to produce 4 liter batches into the fermentors. This gives me typically 4 or 5 1-gallon batches and the same number of hops tested with one mash.

 

[PatrickLS83]

You could stick with the 5 gallon batches but split them into two-2.5 gallon batches and use different yeasts, or dry hop one or not the other, or use the same yeast but ferment one colder and one warmer (within reason of course). You can really get a feel for how different yeasts, hops and temps affect the outcome of your beer.

 

[LongBay]

WOW! Thank you so much everyone! The information has been very helpful. I agree that practice is definitely the key. BIAB is appealing given smaller batch size and that I would like to eventually transition to all grain. It's very nice to know that there are options to work with. I think that I'll try scaling down a little bit to increase brewing frequency. At 5gal I only really have the time and space to brew once a month, and I'd really like to brew at least 2-3 times per month.

Thanks so much. You guys are awesome! :rockin:

Joe
Myrtle Beach, SC

 

[Oginme]

With smaller batches and using BIAB, give all-grain a try. It's really fairly simple to transition. I did it on my 7th batch and never looked back.

 

[McKnuckle]

I would like to eventually transition to all grain.

BIAB is all-grain brewing. It's not a compromise or a transition. It's the real thing. It's just not traditional, as in descending from the physical equipment of professional brewers, so it continues to face some bias in the homebrewing community among... traditionalists (go figure). But it's just another way to get the exact same job done.