First brew

[Catalyst101]

I've never brewed beer before all i would like to start small so can i get some help with a three gallon recipe something i can do on my stove top?thx

 

[Poynton Blue]

I’m on brew 5, and I used kits to gain experience. All Ingredients, in the correct measured quantity, with clear instructions. I deliberately use a kit using liquid malt extract, then one that was partial grain (so a small scale boil in the bag), and then a dry malt extract kit.

Two were 3 gal boils and one was a single 1 gal small batch. Easy to do, although I did need a blowtorch to get the first 3 gal to a rolling boil. Bought a gas burner after that.

That’s given me the confidence to now use Beersmith3 to “design” my own West Coast IPA, which got bottled on Saturday.

Enjoy!

 

[ncbrewer]

I’m on brew 5, and I used kits to gain experience. All Ingredients, in the correct measured quantity, with clear instructions. I deliberately use a kit using liquid malt extract, then one that was partial grain (so a small scale boil in the bag), and then a dry malt extract kit.

+1
I agree - a kit would be a good way to start. Kit instructions are often outdated, but it will produce beer. One way to simplify would be to skip the secondary fermenter if your instructions call for this - it's not necessary except for certain specific purposes. And I would suggest avoiding and high gravity beers at first - that adds more complications.

 

[Catalyst101]

Thx for the replies guys.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I've never brewed beer before all i would like to start small so can i get some help with a three gallon recipe something i can do on my stove top?thx

I do think there is a sweet spot with 2 to 3 gal batches for new brewers. You can brew a batch in this size with an inexpensive 4 to 5 gal kettle, heat/boil on a standard stove, and chill it in an ice bath. There are some pretty decent fermenter options in the 3 gal range to support 2.5 gal batches (I have a few 3 gal Fermonster fermenters). For a 3 gal batch, a 5 gal fermenter might be your best option.

As far as recipes go...what type of beer are you interested in? Kits are a great place to start, but I have not seen any 3 gal kits. For the most part, you can take a 5 gal kit and multiple all the ingredients by 0.6 for a 3 gal batch. I would recommend starting with a simple beer with enough flavor to cover up small off flavors (like a Pale Ale, Porter, Stout, Irish Red, etc.). "Light" beers (Pilsner, Kolsch, etc.) can be tough to pull off and really hoppy beers (especially NEIPA) can get expensive.

 

[Catalyst101]

I was wanting to try an ipa

 

[Poynton Blue]

I bought a Northern Brewer “Brewery In A Box” equipment kit which included their Block Party amber ale for less than $90 (on offer).

You steep grain in a bag in 2.5 gal, bring to a boil on the stove, add LME and hop additions, then add to 2.5gal water in the plastic bucket fermenter.

Although not a small batch, tbh doesn’t take up any room, and was all done inside in a small kitchen.

My third was also on offer and came with a 1gal glass demijohn, and was a Brooklyn Brewshop Allday IPA kit.

Only downside so far, is I’ve “caught the bug” and would now like to be doing full batch, full grain, so lots more kit to buy!

Enjoy it, however you do it!

 

[Catalyst101]

I was wanting too do more of An all grain recipe. I have thought about buying one ofc those kits but I've already got all the carboys and pots and other things from brewing whiskey that it would just be redundant to buy all that stuff.I'm just gonna have to go with a 5 gallon recipe. I just don't have a way to heat more than 5 gallons of water

 

[RM-MN]

I was wanting too do more of An all grain recipe. I have thought about buying one ofc those kits but I've already got all the carboys and pots and other things from brewing whiskey that it would just be redundant to buy all that stuff.I'm just gonna have to go with a 5 gallon recipe. I just don't have a way to heat more than 5 gallons of water

Brewing recipes scale very nicely. Find a 5 gallon recipe you like, then cut all the ingredient amounts in half and you have a 2 1/2 gallon recipe. I do them often.

 

[FatDragon]

Brewing recipes scale very nicely. Find a 5 gallon recipe you like, then cut all the ingredient amounts in half and you have a 2 1/2 gallon recipe. I do them often.

Or do a partial boil and top it off into the fermenter. I do that every brew day these days.

 

[Jag75]

I was wanting too do more of An all grain recipe. I have thought about buying one ofc those kits but I've already got all the carboys and pots and other things from brewing whiskey that it would just be redundant to buy all that stuff.I'm just gonna have to go with a 5 gallon recipe. I just don't have a way to heat more than 5 gallons of water

When doing a kit like Brewers Best you can do a 2.5 or 3 gallon boil . Then you top off with water to make it 5 gallons . Most people start off with kits .

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I was wanting too do more of An all grain recipe. I have thought about buying one ofc those kits but I've already got all the carboys and pots and other things from brewing whiskey that it would just be redundant to buy all that stuff.I'm just gonna have to go with a 5 gallon recipe. I just don't have a way to heat more than 5 gallons of water

I did stumble today, by chance, across the fact that Northern Brewer sells 3 gal BIAB kits: https://www.northernbrewer.com/collections/all-grain-biab-kits

 

[Poynton Blue]

I was wanting too do more of An all grain recipe. I have thought about buying one ofc those kits but I've already got all the carboys and pots and other things from brewing whiskey that it would just be redundant to buy all that stuff.I'm just gonna have to go with a 5 gallon recipe. I just don't have a way to heat more than 5 gallons of water

Never boiled more than 2.5gal so far. Like you, I don’t have the heat or space. The boil volume is poured into the fermenter, and then topped off with 2.5gal to bring up the 5gal primary.

If you’re nailed on doing full-batch all-grain, then unless you find a 2.5/3gal kit, scale down the 5gal recipe.

 

[Catalyst101]

Never boiled more than 2.5gal so far. Like you, I don’t have the heat or space. The boil volume is poured into the fermenter, and then topped off with 2.5gal to bring up the 5gal primary.

If you’re nailed on doing full-batch all-grain, then unless you find a 2.5/3gal kit, scale down the 5gal recipe.

So start a five gallon kit with 3 gallons water and add 2 more later?

 

[Poynton Blue]

So start a five gallon kit with 3 gallons water and add 2 more later?

Yup. That’s often how the kits are set up (usually 50/50 split). Worth downloading the kit instructions prior to buying to check, but the NB stuff I’ve done has been that way.

E.g

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2...ckParty-1526670279765.pdf?8376444641436849713