Yeah I actually just saw that Bells sells 2 gal buckets for like $4.50. I will probably buy a couple of these and brew 1.5gal batches this way I can still conduct small experiment batches and not worry about squeezing everything in to a 1gal jug.
I'm tired of hearing all you big boy 5-Gallon brewers telling us 1-Gallon brewers to step up. A lot of us brew 1-Gallon batches because that's all we have room for right now, not because we're afraid of stepping up our game. Trust me, if I could, I would, but in the meantime I'm actually really feeling the 1-Gallon game. Here's why:
Brew Day takes me about 3-4 hours, which includes cleanup.
I know one of the main points from 5-Gallon brewers is that "if you brew something amazing, you only have 10 bottles of it." My response- "Yea? So?" If I brew something amazing, chances are I'll brew something else amazing, and then perhaps I'll go back and brew that amazing beer again. And again.
5-Gallon brewers are always so quick to tell me- "Why put all that work in for just 10 beers." I'm not sure about you guys, but I don't consider my brew days as "work." I'm an insurance underwriter by day, but thoroughly enjoy cooking and now, brewing. I love the processes, and feel that it actually calms me. So work? I think not...
And lastly, I love the fact that I always have new things coming out of my pipeline. Yea, I just finished up drinking a really great IPA kit, but as sad as I may be to see it go, I can't wait to crack open my Weinstephaner Dunkel clone next! I'd rather have a few of LOTS of things than 50 of the same thing for 3 weeks.
So to all you big boy 5-Gallon + brewers out there, don't be so quick to hate on us 1-Gallon brewers. While eventually we'll graduate to your status, in the meantime, we're totally feeling what we've got going right now, and it's just as enjoyable for us, as it is for you. :rockin:
*Disclaimer*
This thread is not meant to pick a fight or evoke negativity. It is simply in jest, although, steeped in believed truths
Question for all of you small batch brewers ...
I normally brew 3 gallon batches, but have decided to start doing a ton of 1 gallon batches so that I can learn the unique flavors of hops/malts better. I tried my first 1 gallon batch last night and everything was fine until i tried to rack the beer from the kettle in to my one gallon jug. due to the small volume, i could not get good separation from all of the trub and couldn't rack my beer in to the jug without all of the trub too. How do people get around this? how much wort do you aim to have after you have completed the boil?
I think part of my issue is that i was using my 7 gallon kettle, which has a large diameter and therefor the 1.25 gallons in it was very thin.
My issue wasn't creating a siphon, it was not picking up all of the trub so that I was only putting clear beer in to my fermenter.
I am just preparing to getting into home brewing and have decided to take the 1 gallon path to start with. Available space, cooling control and volume of output (I'm not a large consumer) are all reasons for going this way. I'm starting to believe the 5 gallon people hate us "Oners". I have a home brew store close and with two visits, I finally had to get a little upset with their over-aggressive tactics in trying to tell me my choice was wrong. I believe retail stores are there to help customers and not drive them off!! Why can't they just accept your choice and provide help. I guess its because their store stock is all geared to 5 gallon brewers.
I am a newbie with a simplistic question or two: I have a 1 gallon recipe from Northern Brewery. If I follow the instructions explicitly, there is no call for using a hydrometer. I am looking forward to future brewing and want to use/learn about the specific gravity of the process, so I am going to take readings, even though they might not be part of the process. Questions:
1. OG is taken at the point of cooled wort???
2. Boiling the 1.25 gallon wort, as they say to do, is going to remove quite a bit due to evaporation. Can anyone give me an idea of percentage that is lost, say for an hour of boiling???
3. Related to 2, if I remove some of the cooled wort for SG testing, on a 1 gallon recipe, then some more after fermentation for FG, I am taking quite a bit out of the 1 gallon wort. In reality, shouldn't I really be starting with more than 1.25 gal and how much???
OR
4. Should I be replacing the removed wort after testing, which seems like a high risk of contamination???
This newbie needs a few answers.
More likely that they have the commonly held belief that 1 gallon batches aren't "worth the time" and so are trying to get you to "be happier" with the hobby by getting better return on your time.
I've done both large batches, (9G) and small (.75G), and am quite happy doing both. The ease of effort of doing small batches lets me turn out a nice variety in my pipeline without too much effort or occupied space. Now if I had a nice empty basement again, and room for a kegerator and a dedicated electric brew space I would probably be doing larger batches because I could afford the space and time. However atm, I'm limited and don't have room for several 5-8G fermenters to sit around the apartment.
I will be careful.1. Yes (although you can take the sample when it is still cooling and then adjust the result using a calculator. http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/
2. Boiloff is going to vary depending on your setup. I usually figure 0.5 gallons for a 1 gallon batch. Thanks.
3. No, if you add water to account for your sample you are going to end up with the right final volume but now your wort will be overly diluted. Best solution is to zap your sample in the microwave to resanitize and then dump it back into the cooling wort. I really like this solution. Thanks.
4. Most people would dump their sample, but as a small batch brewer I just try to be careful with sanitation and save it.
This newbie needs a few answers.
my boil off is 9 cup (aka tad over a quart) after a vigourous hour boil, please see vigourous boil with a salt of grain, it's easier to have a vigourous boil at the end with a gallon than at the begining due to hot break and higher volume in the kettle.
my boil off is 9 cup (aka tad over a quart) after a vigourous hour boil, please see vigourous boil with a salt of grain, it's easier to have a vigourous boil at the end with a gallon than at the begining due to hot break and higher volume in the kettle.
Just so you don't screw up your volume measurements or calculations later, 9 cups is not a tad over a quart - it is a tad over 2 quarts. A cup is 8oz, a pint is 16oz, a quart is 32 oz. So a quart is 4 cups...
And my boil-off is similar - around 0.6 gal/hr (or 9.6 cups).
Brewing at smaller scales, how do you guys store unused hops? Vacuum seal and refrigerate? TIA
Always put hops in the freezer not the fridge. I just ziploc bag it.
Hey guys. I've been brewing a few years but it has slowed with the birth of my son two years ago. Do you guys have a good setup that you recommend? I used to do one gal batches and figure someone has to have a good system. Much appreciated!
I have everything the kit offers. I've brewed AG the past few years. Just curious to see what everyone uses for the mash progress......
I use a five gallon paint strainer bag for BIAB for one gallons. I built a 2 gallon mash tun but with just one gallon it was harder to maintain temps. Biab I found to be easier.View attachment 322280
Thanks. I'll have to read up on BIAB. About how long does it take, start to finish? I'm sure it's much quicker than 5 gal due to less mess, set up, clean up, etc.
I have everything the kit offers. I've brewed AG the past few years. Just curious to see what everyone uses for the mash progress......
Enter your email address to join: