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rawkstar320 · 09-29-2012, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwdraper4

I can usually bottle my small batches from start to finish in about 20-25 minutes. It helps to have a small batch bottling bucket with a spigot on it. Read this and see if it helps: http://www.smallbatchhomebrew.com/assets/images/HowToBottle.pdf

Yep that's how I do it, except I use a siphon and spring loaded bottle filler. Guess I'm just lazy...haha

I just realized I have 5 batches bottled. I was going to make a few batches this weekend, but just realized I might run out of bottles! How many regular homebrewers have thus kind of selection?

**divrguy** · 09-29-2012, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwdraper4

About 1 teaspoon will do the trick, which comes out to about 3-4 grams. That's what I use every time unless I making something over 7% ABV, then I'll use a little more.

Since I mainly use dry yeast and I always use dry yeast on small batches, i have a real accurate scale and use about 2 grams for a 1 gal normal gravity beer and bout 3 Grams for a 1.75 gallon.

**Leadgolem** · 09-29-2012, 02:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwdraper4

About 1 teaspoon will do the trick, which comes out to about 3-4 grams. That's what I use every time unless I making something over 7% ABV, then I'll use a little more.

x2 I've got a precision food scale, and my dried yeast came out to almost exactly 4 grams per level measuring teaspoon. Since it's kind of a pain, I don't usually bother weighing yeast anymore. I just use the volume conversion of 1 tsp=4 grams.

I did the weight measurement by placing a piece of paper on my food scale, and hitting the "tare" button to zero it. Then added 3 level teaspoons to the scale. The weight read 12 grams. On that extreme end of the scale my food scale is accurate to within 1 gram. So, my sample was between 11 and 13 grams. That makes it between 3.66 and 4.33 grams per tsp.

The paper makes a nice flexible funnel to pour the yeast into a starter, or your primary. This also works well for most other low volume dry ingredients. Measure everything out onto the paper, and then use that to pour it into the jug.

For bottling, I stick sanitized 750ml glass screw top bottles under the tap on the beverage dispenser. Then hit the spigot and fill the bottle. The spigot is to far from the bottom of the dispenser, but it's easy enough to tilt it when you get it mostly empty. I usually use the beverage dispenser as a secondary/bottling bucket instead of a primary. I also bottle pasteurize most of the time.

**mrgstiffler** · 09-29-2012, 04:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rawkstar320

Has anyone come up with clever ways to bottle you small batches? One gallon isn't allot, but my process takes forever.

Wash bottling bucket, spring filler, tubing, bottles, caps, auto siphon

Rack beer into bucket, add primer

Fill and cap beer

Wash everything again.

I spend more time washing than bottling. Seems like there should be a better way....

You might try looking into the Tap-A-Draft system. They're perfect for small batches.

chalmer9 · 09-29-2012, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffoC6

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.

*Disclaimer*
This thread is not meant to pick a fight or evoke negativity. It is simply in jest, although, steeped in believed truths

Cool story bro.

bellmtbbq · 09-29-2012, 11:36 PM

Here's how I bottle. I bought a six liter container at Walmart, it's rectangular, thin, like a book sideways, has a handle, and is super easy to fit in the fridge for cold crashing or lagering. I rack into it, and use the spout/faucet on the front to fill each bottle. I worry about oxidation so I pour the beer down the side of the wall. And then I cap it. Maybe fifteen seconds a bottle.

YeastHerder · 09-29-2012, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwalk4

Just want to double check with you guys, I can't seem to find a definitive answer. How much yeast do you usually pitch for one gallon?

3-4 grams?

I like using liquid yeast as it expands the style range. The White Lab vials are great. 1/4 of the vial to a 1 gallon batch is fermenting quite well in 12 hours or less. You can recap and store the remainder, just be careful to fully resuspend the yeast pellet before pouring off or you won't be adding the amount you think you are adding. As for shelf life, the tubes have a "best before" date that should be about 2 months away if your LHBS has decent turn-over. I've used them right up to that date without problems.

JeffoC6 · 09-30-2012, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chalmer9

Cool story bro.

Huh?

SimonPascal · 09-30-2012, 03:32 PM

Hi all, I want to start to brew 1 gallons (imperial = 4L) for my test batches. I have so many recipe ideas that if I make 5 gallons each time I would need 3 rooms to put all those carboy. I wonder what I need to get started and make my 4L batches each week. (I bottle in 500ml bottles). So I started to convert most of my recipe from 20L to 4L. Thanks for your help!

dexclamation · 09-30-2012, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReverseApacheMaster

I do tons of one gallon batches and a few 2-3 gallon batches. I have a lot of recipes that need the kinks worked out of them so there's no point in having more than 10 mediocre beers sitting around. When I have a good recipe or clone to brew I normally do 3 or 5 gallons and let it add to my reserve. Honestly if I brewed five gallon batches all the time there would be too much beer in the house and I would either have to stop brewing for a long time or drink the same handful of beers for a year or so. I like variety but I don't hang out with enough beer geeks to give away that much beer.

Amen! I have the same reasoning + the fact I can't drink more than 2-3 beers a week due to doctor's advise (A previous physician told me I could not drink anymore, so I switched to a new beer loving one).

I'm gearing up toward 2.5 gal so I can use half cornies and bottle as needed.