half batch brewing problem and possible solution?

[krebs119]

Looking for opinions here...

A little background... I've been brewing for about 2 years. I've probably done 25 or so brews. Most have turned out good, a few bad, and a few meh, but a few OUTSTANDING. I've brewed extract and mini-mash kits from AHS, NB, and a few kits from some LHBS. I feel pretty comfortable in doing this. I have a few 6.5 gal buckets, a few glass and plastic carboys as well. I started kegging last summer, and have 3 in a temp controlled fridge, with one spare, ready to go.

Problem: I LOVE BREWING (if you can call that a problem). I brew more than I drink (that IS a problem!). For example, I brewed an Oktoberfest last August, kegged October 1, and probably still have half of it left. I have 4 mostly filled kegs, and probably close to 150 bottles right now, from maybe 9 different kits, just ready to be imbibed. I have my next 4 or 5 brews in my head, as to style, and when I want to brew them. I have 3 fermenting right now as well. I get sick of the same beer over and over again, so I like to have many styles on hand - including retail brews.... which gets costly.

What I'm thinking of doing: So since I don't drink as fast as I brew, and I like a lot of styles, I thought "why not do half batches?" and only do 2.5 gal instead of 5. Then I get to brew more often, and have a better variety right? So after some more thought, I realized, I could likely do all-grain, and do it biab style, with my current equipment (two 5gal stock pots, uber stove with uber boiler, wort chiller, etc...). :rockin:

Concerns: Will there be too much head space in my fermentors? From what I read, a 5-6gal bucket/carboy will be fine for primary, but what about secondary? I know I don't want any oxygen introduced. I've seen 3gal carboys/buckets and have considered picking one up. I don't secondary all of my beers either, so there's that. I figure kegging should be fine...

Another concern - I've looked over a number of ingredient lists on here and have seen a ton of great 5 gal brews.... Is splitting the ingredient list in half correct? I've read some people adjusting the hops - is there a set calculation for this, or does it vary per style/brew/hop/malt/whatever?

Is there anything else I may be missing, or should be concerned with? I'm really looking forward to this and I hope it's doable. I'm looking forward to any help I get from here..... thanks again and cheers!

 

[tdogg]

im glad you posted this, as i have been thinking about doing the same thing. i love the brewing process, and experimentation, but i dont drink enough to get rid of all those 5 gallon batches. i recently got a steal on a 10 gallon kettle with a spigot, so i think im going to add a false bottom and use that for a mash tun. ill use my cheapo 5 gallon pot to do full boils for 2.5 to 3 gallon batches. i may go get a 3 gallon carboy.

in your case, you might be able to use a keg as a secondary and purge with CO2

 

[tdogg]

another plus, the batch cost will be WAY cheaper than extract 5 gallon batches.

 

[krebs119]

My thoughts exactly! So, it fixes another issue I've had... I like to experiment, but sometimes that backfires. For example, I wanted to try a Maple Syrup Nut Brown. I had read a lot about how the Maple Syrup almost completely ferments away. Everyone suggested that I find Grade B syrup and use that, since it will impart more taste. Well, I couldn't find that. A few other threads recommended Fenugreek seeds, saying that they give a maple-y like taste. Sooooo, I brewed the nut brown. I added 4oz during boil, 4oz during primary, and 4oz when I kegged. I also added about 2oz of fenugreek seeds sitting in vanilla vodka during primary.... It turned out..... meh... The nut brown kit was great. The maple flavor isn't really there. The Fenugreek seed flavor is, and it isn't good. So now what? I have 5 gallons of very mediocre beer.... I'm about to add more maple syrup to it, but I'm also planning on letting it age. This is sitting in one of my 4 kegs....

Had I brewed just 2.5gal of this instead, I probably would've drank through it by now, and moved on to my planned Steam ale, or Kolch.... but instead I'm waiting for my Maple Syrup Nut Brown Concoction (MSNBC) to go right /pun....

 

[berebrando]

I did a couple 2.5 gallon batches when I started all grain brewing. They were simple (6# 2-row, single hopped) and I did three to learn the process and learn my equipment (heat & water losses, etc). I did all primary on these and they turned out fantastic. About 14 22oz's and I was always wishing I had a few more! haha. I say go for it.

 

[MetallHed]

Yes, you can just halve the ingredients to make it a half batch.

Sometimes you have to play around with the hops to fit the same IBUs, but it is generally just half of everything.

If you fear for oxidation, maybe just cut out secondary all together, and extend the primary time. I also find that secondary is unnecessary unless you plan to do additions or dry hopping; just IMO, but an opinion that is generally accepted throughout the homebrewing community.

I primary in a 5 gallon carboy, but I found that three 1 gallon jugs are about 10-15 dollars cheaper than a 3 gallon carboy, so I have split the 2.5 gallon batch into those three jugs to primary. Works great!

I do 2.5 gallon all-grains using two 4 gallon kettles.. works great!

 

[TonyR]

I've been doing 2.5 gallon all-grains for the last few, it lets me drink them quicker and I get to brew/experiment more often. Go for it!

 

[tdogg]

do you guys use the BIAB method or a mash tun?

 

[MetallHed]

Biab

 

[MetallHed]

As far as cost goes; I just got the stuff to do an american wheat... cost me 8 bucks.

 

[krebs119]

Well another advantage is I will have to make less starters. I just checked Mr. Malty, and through in some generic numbers and it's looking good. I like to use washed yeast on occasion, so this will be nice too. Thanks for the advice all!

 

[Beer_Guy]

+1 on small batches. All mine are 2 to 2.5 gallon size.

 

[tdogg]

picking up a false bottom and a bag of grain today!

 

[winvarin]

What about yeast starters for a 2.5 gallon batch. I tinkered with the numbers on mrmalty.com and it looked like you could brew up to 1.058 (assuming you were using fresh yeast) before mrmalty begins recommending a starter.

Do you use a starter on these beers?

 

[krebs119]

That's kinda what I was saying winvarin.... I will likely have to make less starters now than I did before.

I think my plans for my next few brews will be to make styles that use the same yeast, and reuse the yeast over and over for maybe 2 or 3 batches... Between this, switching to all grain, and dropping down to 2.5gal brews my beer will be pennies per pint! (almost)

 

[TonyR]

I've also been making similar styles and just racking on top of the yeast, saves some money!

 

[Trouble_Brewing]

All I do are 2.5 gallon batches. In 9 months of brewing I've done 26 batches. It totally works for me. I can do 5 gallons on my equipment and have thought about trying it on recipes I really like, but just keep doing the small batches. I started kegging in December, and am averaging 3 kegs going at a time. By the time I'm starting to get bored with a beer it's gone and I have something else ready to go in there.

I pretty much do all grain unless I want a shorter brew day. I bought a 5 gallon round cooler, installed a ball valve and a bazooka screen. I tried the BIAB method a few times but this set up is much easier (especially on the back) less messy.

I ferment in 3 gallon Better Bottles, but there's no reason you can't use a bucket. You can skip the secondary most of the time. I sometimes rack my lagers off the yeast before lagering, but I've also tried just leaving them on the yeast with great results. I pretty much never secondary ales.

Some other advantages besides those mentioned: The skinny better bottles take up a lot less space. This means I can use a small beverage fridge for my fermentation chamber. I can cram two batches at a time in a fridge I can't fit even one bucket or 5 gallon carboy.

I can also fit one of these carboys in my serving keezer and lager while fitting 3 kegs at the same time. This is in a small chest freezer with a temp controller.

 

[winvarin]

Trouble:
What size kegs do you use when you keg the small batches? I only have one 3 gallon keg and I usually keep it full of soda for my daughter and her friends. I would think you could still keg in a 5 gallon corny and just flush it with CO2 to compensate for the extra head space.

 

[Trouble_Brewing]

I'm using 5 gallon kegs. Yeah, I just pressurize then purge to get the O2 out. I'd like to get 3 gallon ones but the cost is extreme.

On yeast: I've never had to make a starter yet, even on lagers, as I use mostly dry yeast.