To Big To Fast?

[cbzdel]

I started brewing about 2 years ago, a co-worker got me involved in brewing. He is big into brewing, running typically a 10 gallon all grain system. He helped get me stared with two different 5 gallon extract batches and it turned great. Next thing I know I am gather equipment for 5 gallon all grain batches, and after about 8 more batches the electric brewing world is really making an impression on me so I plan out my electric brewery. I figure I want to do it once and go it right. I built out a 5 gallon E-BIAB system yet I did it using a kettle and element large enough that I could do 10 gallon batches as well. In the process of building it I sold off all my 5 gallon equipment to help finance my setup. Now almost a year later I have yet to even use my new system or even made any beer in general. I look at everything I own now and think wow thats alot of equipment that would make alot of beer! Then I think why did I do this, I dont need this much beer and I have way to much equipment to make something so simple. I went from a hobby to overkill.

Now I look at all the equipment that I have and I am debating selling it all off and just totally simplifying everything and downsizing. I have been researching 1 gallon stove top setups and 2.5 gallon E-BIAB setups. Which seems more reasonable when I am the only drinker in the house. The beer science and experimenting with flavors is what got me interested in brewing, not making 5-10 gallons of the same ol' beer...

Just wanted to vent a bit and ask has anyone else done this, gone to big to fast and then took a step back and though what have I done haha..

My plan now is to take an inventory of everything I own, sell off the overkill and redesign a smaller more compact system. I may start with just some 1 gallon stove top BIABs to get me back into the groove of things..

 

[BarkingSpider]

I started with all grain 1 gallon batches, and I've come to the conclusion (for the most part.. I still do 1 gallon batches on occasion) that it's too much time and trouble to do JUST a gallon. So I've jumped up to 2-2.5 gallon batches which seems to be a good compromise. To me it's a good compromise of time vs. quantity and allows me to brew all of the things on my brewing hit-list without having to warehouse beer. :-D

 

[sputnam]

I am not 100% sold that I went overkill but it crosses my mind often and I'm scared that will be the final conclusion...In 16 months, I went from Mr. Beer kits to 6 taps, (5) 3 gallon kegs and (1) 5 gallon keg. I'm the only drinker that lives here. I have usually 1 beer a day (i prefer liquor) and few friends that make it out to BFE. So, I definitely feel ya.

 

[Talgrath]

First, I'd say do what makes you happy, but I'd hold off on selling off that 5 gallon setup just yet. Personally, I give away most of my beer to my friends in my 5 gallon batches, it's a great way to get feedback about my new stuff (plus it makes you pretty popular at get togethers). If you spent all that money and time on a 5 gallon E-BIAB, don't sell it (at a surely reduced price) just because you want to try smaller batches, setup a smaller batch setup and see if that makes you happy first. Personally, I think the fact that you were happy with 5 gallon extract brews indicates that it's not the batch size that's the issue, I might reassess why you were happy with extract but haven't been thrilled with all grain, and go from there.

 

[paperairplane]

Here's an idea - get some grain, hops and yeast and make some beer.

 

[GHBWNY]

I started brewing about 2 years ago, a co-worker got me involved in brewing. He is big into brewing, running typically a 10 gallon all grain system. He helped get me stared with two different 5 gallon extract batches and it turned great. Next thing I know I am gather equipment for 5 gallon all grain batches, and after about 8 more batches the electric brewing world is really making an impression on me so I plan out my electric brewery. I figure I want to do it once and go it right. I built out a 5 gallon E-BIAB system yet I did it using a kettle and element large enough that I could do 10 gallon batches as well. In the process of building it I sold off all my 5 gallon equipment to help finance my setup. Now almost a year later I have yet to even use my new system or even made any beer in general. I look at everything I own now and think wow thats alot of equipment that would make alot of beer! Then I think why did I do this, I dont need this much beer and I have way to much equipment to make something so simple. I went from a hobby to overkill.

Now I look at all the equipment that I have and I am debating selling it all off and just totally simplifying everything and downsizing. I have been researching 1 gallon stove top setups and 2.5 gallon E-BIAB setups. Which seems more reasonable when I am the only drinker in the house. The beer science and experimenting with flavors is what got me interested in brewing, not making 5-10 gallons of the same ol' beer...

Just wanted to vent a bit and ask has anyone else done this, gone to big to fast and then took a step back and though what have I done haha..

My plan now is to take an inventory of everything I own, sell off the overkill and redesign a smaller more compact system. I may start with just some 1 gallon stove top BIABs to get me back into the groove of things..

Sounds as if you have adequately addressed your situation and learned a good lesson along the way. I'm sure your situation is not dissimilar to what most of us have gone through in one way or another at some point in our lives. I tend to still do this with vehicles, trucks in particular --- thinking I "need" something better, bigger, newer, etc.. But, if that were really the case, I have to ask myself why I didn't have that vehicle in the first place. One of the great things about having my other half with which to verbalize such fantasies is she knows if she agrees with me that I should get something I don't really need, I'll eventually talk myself out of it. Smart woman.

 

[Happywanderer]

I second an earlier post. Use your existing system. Brew beer. If you have too much beer, give some away. But don't sell a perfectly good system until your are 100% SURE that you don't want to pursue this hobby any longer.

1 Gallon at a time? not enough.

 

[sboyajian]

Similar to me, except I have not built my 20-25 gallon eHerms yet..

That being said, I think it might serve as a reminder that just because you CAN brew 20 gallons, doesn't mean you HAVE to brew 20 gallons. It's nice to have the option and perhaps you did jump in without checking the temp.. but you have it now. If anything, it will make your 5-10 gallon brewing a lot easier and a lot more consistent while still giving you the advantage of saying "You know what, perhaps today I'd like to make 20 gallons so I can bottle 10 and give them to friends."

 

[lilbova3]

Why not just brew smaller batches with what you have? Maybe not a gallon but 2-3 gallons at a time. Maybe you'll eventually start brewing 'big' again. I hope you feel better after your 'venting'. We're here for you.

 

[madscientist451]

You need to decide what you want to do. If you want to geek out on equipment and run an recirculating electric rig and have fun doing that then go for it. If you want to simply make good beer, you can do that in your kitchen with a small cooler and a pot and maybe that would be more fun for you. Want to Brew 10-15 gallon batches outside and have multiple kegs to supply parties and drop in drinkers? Knock yourself out with that then.
I choose a simple rig thats easy to set up, use and clean and try to brew as many different batches as I can to gain experience in different styles. But to each his own. I'd say go with the equipment you have for a few batches and if its not what you really want to use, then get something else.

 

[BigJack]

I've scaled back to BIAB in a Mr Beer.

(Actually, I own 8 Mr Beer fermenters, a 3 gallon Speidel and a 6 gallon Speidel-ish thing from Italy, so I'm not super simple.)

 

[MileHighBrewer]

I just stepped back from buying a used brew frame that would have easily supported 1bbl batches...felt myself getting bigger then needed. However i am still set up to do 5-15 gal. However, i drink a lot (work at a brewery too with my own place being a future goal) I also brew almost weekly for the LHBS as a learning demo, and to keep 6 taps of beer flowing. We all know where you are at, in some scale or another. It is ok to feel you went too far. However, hold onto your current set up. Get back to experimenting. Just because you can make 5gal, does not mean you have to. Or heck, do lots of split batches. 1 5gal makes two 2.5gal. Try different yeasts, dry hops, spices, candy sugars, fruit, etc. Run with what you built

 

[progmac]

I am one hundred percent certain that if I had more money, I would have bought the really rad electric system w pumps etc that I priced out a year or two ago. But I don't and I didn't, so I continue with the whole cooler batch sparge lift the pots thing. And at this point I wouldn't change it. It is simple and it works. Anything more is more to clean, more to break, and more to feel guilty about buying.

I guess this is to say that simplifying could be good. The five gallon batch size is fairly arbitrary. 3 or 4 is probably plenty, and very manageable in most kitchens.

Good luck with your decision. I understand the inertia and feelings of regret that come w major purchases, especially if they go unused.

Hey at least it wasn't a boat

 

[techbiker]

To me, it's cost vs. benefit. I used to think it crazy to spend $300 on a piece of equipment, however I've had a ton of luck with the Williams electric water heater. The water heater saves me over an hour of time on each brew day! It literally made all-grain feasible for me on a weekly basis. I hadn't brewed for half a year because I had to run around like a chicken with its head cut off to maintain mash water temperature.

If you ever think you'll want that 10 gallon brew setup, I would hold onto it! What's keeping you from brewing again? Is it the time commitment? If so, I'd focus on cutting down the length of your brew day. Identify the source of the problem and I bet you'll get excited about brewing again!

 

[blackbeer]

i did the same thing. i started brewing in 1987 and progressed from cans of syrup to a 15 gallon back porch all grain behemoth. growing my own hops, culturing my own yeast, lagering, kegging, etc. it got to be too much so after a relocation in 99, i didn't start up again until last year. this time with a few 5 gallon all grain kitchen stove top batches a year and mostly bottle but some kegs too. i am much happier and less stressed and making better beers. things sure changed in 15 years.

my not-so-original motto is Relax, Don't Worry, Have A Home Brew and Keep It Simple Stupid.

 

[bbrim]

If you want to scale down you should. Like the others said I would onto your equipment. I decided to mix things up recently and am starting to brew 1g BIAB for kicks. The only equipment I bought was a half yard of voile fabric for $1.50 to make a bag, everything else was in my kitchen. I think you might be able to brew small without picking up any equipment. Perhaps you will find a recipe you like enough to scale up and be happy that you kept the equipment to do so. Or maybe you'll want to brew a RIS to lay down for a couple years. You may want more than 1 g so you can sample it along the way. You could brew 5 gallons and split 5 ways dry hopping each with a different variety or using seperate yeasts.
I'd recommend holding onto the equipment for a year (assuming you have space). If in that time you have no urge to use it then it would be good to sell it. GL.