One gallon brews..

I am new to this addiction.

I really want to try a lot of different stuff and get familiar (sp?) with the techniques and ingredients out there. How many of you do one gallon samples? I have a bunch of cider jars that would work well as the primaries. How many of you do one gallon tests?

I just did a 3 gallon AG batch. It sure was nice doing it inside when it's 15degrees outside. Also, as I am new to All Grain as well, it's nice being able to practice and hone my technique without wasting a 5gallon batch! I see many more 3gal or even 2 gallon batches in my future.

For all grain brewing , I think the amount of effort requires you to make larger batches. This is not to say you can't brew a small batch, but you will still need to put the same time in. Is it worth your time to spend 3 or more hours for one gallon of beer? - Dirk

derogg said:

Is it worth your time to spend 3 or more hours for one gallon of beer? - Dirk

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That's it right there. If you're going to do small batches you can do 3 gallon batches in the same amount of time as a 1 gallon batch. Also, a 1 gallon cider jug won't have enough head space for a 1 gallon batch. You'd end up doing all that work for about a 6 pack. I say go with 3 gallon batches in a 5 gallon carboy if you want to do small batches

I like the idea, but not necessarily for a different beer per fermenter.

You could mash a full batch and pull 4 gallons of wort, then using 4 different pots with a gallon in each (one per burner on most stoves) you can experiment with different boil lengths and hop additions. After boil, you should have +- .75gallon per fermenter leaving some head space in each jug. You can also experiment with different yeasts or pitching rates in each fermenter. Just make sure to label each jug with the details.

I have done a 1 gallon batch of extract that was not to bad to do. I would do it again if I wanted to see what a single hop flavor was like. Now that I am all grain I would not even do a 3 gallon batch to much work too little beer.

Gruntingfrog has the right idea. Mash a normal batch worth and then change the yeast and hops to play around. - Dirk

Also one gallon cider glass jugs are a decent place to start experimenting with meads without breaking the bank.

I occasionally make 1 gallon batches using this method http://www.18000feet.com/minimash/page1.htm

Don't let the naysayers talk you out of it. I recently started making a couple 1 gallon batches and they're fun!

First of all, I brew outside, and don't have a garage. Some of my gear is in my basement, and some is in the shed. By the time I get everything set up, brew, cleaned up and put away, I've invested almost 6 hours. Because of this, I can't really brew during the work week, which only leaves the weekends. Weather can scrub out brewing on the weekends since I don't have any cover.

Anyway...

I started using the Brew in a Bag method that I first read about here. It seems to work very well, and I have everything cleaned up and in the fermenter in under 3 and a half hours inside on my stovetop. It seems to require a lot less babysitting than a full batch, so I can do other things while it's mashing and boiling. It will probably only take an investment of around $6 to get started.

When I brew my next one, I'll document it and put it on my web page. Until then, here are some thoughts.

Set your oven to around 150, then when you mash in, move your pot into the oven to keep temperature.

Think about getting a refractometer to measure your gravities. With a 1 gallon batch, you'll notice the ounces that you use for a hydrometer reading.

I have been using the foam control drops to squeeze as much into the fermenter as possible without having a blowoff problem.

If you're careful, you can probably get around 8 bottles out of a batch.

If you're planning a full-size batch of a big beer or a lager, brew a 1 gallon batch of the same beer. You'll have a starter that you can drink!

Interested in trying a step mash? You can change the mash temp very easily/quickly with a one gallon batch, by direct heat.


Like I said, the next time I brew a 1 gallon batch, I'll document it.

Check out BasicBrewing.com. James and Steve make 1 gallon brews and show how they progress. They have both radio and video podcasts.

Wild

I've heard of guys brewing test batches in coffee makers. It's hard to imagine you could scale correctly (given the difference in process and efficiency when moving from a coffee pot to 10 gallon all grain set up), but hey it's worth a shot.

Google search found this: http://www.allaboutbeer.com/features/235coffee.html

Forum guys eat this stuff up...if you decide to experiment write up your process and results...we'd love to see it.

I mash grain in a small crockpot to build up starters. Personally, I wouldn't find the time worth it to do single gallon batches but I might do a 5 gallon batch and test out 5 different yeast strains on it, or something like that.

That's me though, I've got 5 gallon equipment sitting around and full fermenters use as much space as empty ones. If space was a concern, or you simple can't fathom 5 gallons of beer, by all means, go for it!

I like the smaller batches once you reach critical mass of beer and want to experiment before wasting 5 gal on something. I'll do 2.5g batches instead of 5s once I have a fat stockpile, kind of nice.

Since I only have a 5 gallon Gott cooler as a mash tun, I'm going to be making a 3 gallon batch of barley wine or old ale so I can fit the entire grain bill (still about 14 pounds) in one mash.

i have a 2 gallon round cooler mash/lauter tun, and i use the 1 gallon jugs you mentioned to do experiments. this isn't ever beer i'll bottle to enjoy with friends. one of the experiments i'm doing is mashing 1.5 lbs of pale malt and .5 lbs of a specialty malt. lightly hop and ferment a little less than a gallon. bottle up about a 6 pack and store 'em away. once i have 6-8 different specialty malts i'll sit down and sample so i can learn the taste of different specialty malts. i plan to do the same thing with hops. when i want to do a test batch on a new recipe the smallest batch size i run is 3 gallon. i just kegged a 3g fat tire clone and a 3g sunshine clone last night, and i have two 3g stouts to keg in a week. i often primary these in 5 gallon carboys and secondary in the 3 gallon.

lustreking said:

Like I said, the next time I brew a 1 gallon batch, I'll document it.

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Finally got around to documenting it!

http://brewing.lustreking.com/articles/stovetopallgrain.html

I think the best use of 1 gallon batches would be to brew the 5 gallons but seperate it into 1 gallon vessels to experiment with yeast and dry hopping

interesting information, thanks for posting!

I think the best use of 1 gallon batches would be to brew the 5 gallons but seperate it into 1 gallon vessels to experiment with yeast and dry hopping

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That's what I'm planning on doing, with the addition of maybe trying some orange peel or a half pound of strawberry.

I would explore doing several different 1 gallon batches during one session. Aside from the additional time milling, and clearing your chiller between the varieties, you could hammer out several 1 gallon batches at one time. Assuming you have a 4 burner stove, 4 small mash tuns (I'm thinking those glutenous refillable soda cups at the gas station), and 4 small fermenters. You would only need to do one large vessel of mash/sparge water. Hell for that matter, stagger them out by 15 min and only tack on another hour.