NorthWoods

Recipes 

Just kind of a random question... Do you guys ever chop a recipe down to a smaller batch for testing different things out? Or do you just go with the 5 gallon batch and suck it up and drink it if it sucks?

CouchFarmer

Recipes 

From the primary I sometimes rack to a secondary (or keg) and a growler. In the growler I'll dry hop with something as an experiment. In the past I've put some mint leaves in a stout and jalapeño in an IPA, next up is habanero in a pale ale and vanilla in a cream ale.

NorthWoods

Recipes 

That's good to know. I was thinking about doing something along those lines. Thanks

feedbag

Recipes 

Not to highjack a thread, but how did those experiments turn out? I was thinking about trying something radical like that in the future. SWMBO likes mint and I might be able to get her to fall in love with beer if I can sneak some in!

DRoyLenz

Recipes 

I'm looking to get a case or two of the 128 oz version of these:
Glass Jars

I will likely soon be making a batch of IPA, and using 4 or 5 of these gallon jugs to test varying degrees of dry hopping.

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All-Grain Brewing with Extract Brewing Equipment

CouchFarmer

Recipes 

The mint went really well with the honey stout, I took some leaves from the side yard and dried them in the the sun before adding. The key is to be pretty conservative on the amounts, a growler isn't that much beer. The jalapeno when into an oaked IPA which I haven't cracked yet.

NorthWoods

Recipes 

So you guys are more talking just splitting up a batch and testing it? Not actually using half the ingredients to make half a batch?

dantodd

Recipes 

most places that carry canning supplies will have gallon mason jars.

Yooper

Recipes 

You can do that if you want. I've never made a small batch of beer, but some people do. If you have a three gallon carboy, that would be ideal for 1/2 batch.

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Giving beer a leg to stand on since 2006

Revvy

Recipes 

I do a lot of 2.5 gallon batches...test recipes, things that I know I won't want 2 cases of, things like that. I have a couple 3 gallon water bottles, one 3 gallon better bottle and even my old mr beer keg (which is great for lagering in your fridge btw) to ferment in.

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