Small batch in 5gal equipment

[Froyd]

My smallest fermenting vessel would be a 5 gal carboy which I occasionally use for secondary. My main fermenter is a 7.5Gal Anvil bucket.

I want to make a few 2.5/3 gal batches o dial in a few recipes. Do you think the regular fermenter is too big? Is the 5 gal carboy to big too? I don't mind spending $19.99 on a 3 gal carboy, but I hate accumulating gear.

At packaging, can I get away with a well-purged 5 gal keg or should I buy a smaller size vessel?

 

[RM-MN]

I do all 2 1/2 to 3 gallon batches and ferment them in 5 or 6 1/2 gallon fermenter. They work great, the beer always puts out sufficient CO2 to fill that space and I never need a blowoff because the krausen never makes it to the lid. Even your 7.5 gallon fermenter should work fine.

 

[Kirkwooder]

I do all 2 1/2 to 3 gallon batches and ferment them in 5 or 6 1/2 gallon fermenter. They work great, the beer always puts out sufficient CO2 to fill that space and I never need a blowoff because the krausen never makes it to the lid. Even your 7.5 gallon fermenter should work fine.

+1
I ferment small batches in big containers often, and the best part is not needing, or worrying about a blow off. Never had any issues.

 

[Immocles]

+1 as well. I fermented several 2.5G batches in my big mouth bubbler before buying a 3gal fermonster. My only bad experience with it was dry hopping.

 

[Froyd]

Good to hear! For some reason I was convinced that I needed to use an appropriately-sized fermenter for smaller batches,

One thing I imagine will could be a draw back is a greater proportion of beer left in the fermenter, whereas a fermenter with smaller diameter would allow me to recover a little more liquid. This is definitely something I can live with for the advantage of not accumulating more equipment.

 

[RM-MN]

Good to hear! For some reason I was convinced that I needed to use an appropriately-sized fermenter for smaller batches,

One thing I imagine will could be a draw back is a greater proportion of beer left in the fermenter, whereas a fermenter with smaller diameter would allow me to recover a little more liquid. This is definitely something I can live with for the advantage of not accumulating more equipment.

As I siphon the beer out to the bottling bucket I tilt the fermenter when it gets near the end. This does suck up a bit of trub but I find that it settles out in the bottling bucket pretty quickly so very little of it gets into the bottles.