1-Gallon Brewers UNITE!

Well it's more or less the start price and to show the wife I am really into brewing and its not just another thing lol

1fast636 said:

Well it's more or less the start price and to show the wife I am really into brewing and its not just another thing lol

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What's wrong with "just another thing"? I've got so many hobbies I can't even name them all anymore...

I have this problem where I get bored with something then the stuff sits around but with brewing I read something new everyday and there is so much interesting stuff that it will never get old. Hell if I haven't got bored from just reading and no brewing in the past year a half I think this is a winner for sure lol

Plus, you have alcohol when you're done.

Leadgolem said:

I like northerbrewer too. It isn't that the prices are that great, but they don't soak you on shipping like some sites do.

You know, doing 1 gallon and 5 gallon batches isn't an either or proposition. I do both on a regular basis.

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yep I'm sure Ill have 1 gallon, 3 gallon and 5 gallon batches all going at the same time once I get my fermentation chamber up and running.

I got one of these just recently, pretty cool way to store everything and comes with all the equipment. It's called a Hop Box, perfect for a 1 gallon or small batch brewer.

http://ca.etsy.com/shop/HopBox

tdhickey said:

I got one of these just recently, pretty cool way to store everything and comes with all the equipment. It's called a Hop Box, perfect for a 1 gallon or small batch brewer.

http://ca.etsy.com/shop/HopBox

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Very cool!

That's really nice!

Ok, I have been doing a lot of 1 gallon batches lately and am sure this has been addressed but I need some help ASAP. My scale is just not that sensitive and I need to know what you guys are doing for your yeast pitch. I am dealing with dry right now and my scale just isn't sensitive enough to pick up 2 grams from a dry packet and I am afraid I went a bit light on one of my last batches. I am pitching again tonight and need a tip now. I will be making the switch to liquid while continuing using dry over the next several weeks as my brewing schedule is about 3 times a week trying to lock down some recipes. Any help would be great. Was thinking about making starters for everything and then just measuring using some old WL vials and pitching half for each batch. Thanks in advance.

RoughandReadyRanch said:

Ok, I have been doing a lot of 1 gallon batches lately and am sure this has been addressed but I need some help ASAP. My scale is just not that sensitive and I need to know what you guys are doing for your yeast pitch. I am dealing with dry right now and my scale just isn't sensitive enough to pick up 2 grams from a dry packet and I am afraid I went a bit light on one of my last batches. I am pitching again tonight and need a tip now. I will be making the switch to liquid while continuing using dry over the next several weeks as my brewing schedule is about 3 times a week trying to lock down some recipes. Any help would be great. Was thinking about making starters for everything and then just measuring using some old WL vials and pitching half for each batch. Thanks in advance.

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Most dry yeast packets are 5 grams. I just eyeball about 1/2 of one. For larger packages, I just use a scant teaspoon. Dried bakers yeast comes out to 8.5 grams per tbs, so brewers yeast should be really close to that. That makes 1 tsp 2.83 grams.

That extra bit of yeast hasn't hurt any of my batches yet.

Leadgolem said:

Most dry yeast packets are 5 grams. I just eyeball about 1/2 of one. For larger packages, I just use a scant teaspoon. Dried bakers yeast comes out to 8.5 grams per tbs, so brewers yeast should be really close to that. That makes 1 tsp 2.83 grams.

That extra bit of yeast hasn't hurt any of my batches yet.

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Thanks you so much. All I have are the 11.5 gram packets for now. 1 teaspoon is easy to measure. Do I need to be paranoid about contamination with using a measuring spoon or should it be just fine?

RoughandReadyRanch said:

Thanks you so much. All I have are the 11.5 gram packets for now. 1 teaspoon is easy to measure. Do I need to be paranoid about contamination with using a measuring spoon or should it be just fine?

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As long as you don't put your measuring spoons away dirty, it should be fine.

Leadgolem said:

As long as you don't put your measuring spoons away dirty, it should be fine.

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Been using them to clear the dogs rectum lately since she has been backed but I totally rinsed it for like 30 seconds in really really hot (luke warm) tap water. Call this one a Dog$hit Head Porter I guess Thanks for the info. Just poring the yeast in and eyeballing it was making me a bit uneasy especially after the stall I had on the first batch.

RoughandReadyRanch said:

Been using them to clear the dogs rectum lately since she has been backed but I totally rinsed it for like 30 seconds in really really hot (luke warm) tap water. Call this one a Dog$hit Head Porter I guess Thanks for the info. Just poring the yeast in and eyeballing it was making me a bit uneasy especially after the stall I had on the first batch.

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Next time, try a lit stick of dynamite. The effects last longer.

Leadgolem said:

Next time, try a lit stick of dynamite. The effects last longer.

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Third beer this week. Wife and two kids. Large property. If I made that kind of mess my weekend would be shot! Imagine the clean up. To dry out here anyway. My luck I would burn the state to the ground doing that. Oh well. On a side note how are you measuring hops on 1 gallon brews. Same issue with scale and everything is in the 0.1oz range making my scale useless.

RoughandReadyRanch said:

Third beer this week. Wife and two kids. Large property. If I made that kind of mess my weekend would be shot! Imagine the clean up. To dry out here anyway. My luck I would burn the state to the ground doing that. Oh well. On a side note how are you measuring hops on 1 gallon brews. Same issue with scale and everything is in the 0.1oz range making my scale useless.

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Well, I usually make wine so...

Leadgolem said:

Well, I usually make wine so...

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I do wine a lot my wife says but I don't make to much wine. :cross:

RoughandReadyRanch said:

Third beer this week. Wife and two kids. Large property. If I made that kind of mess my weekend would be shot! Imagine the clean up. To dry out here anyway. My luck I would burn the state to the ground doing that. Oh well. On a side note how are you measuring hops on 1 gallon brews. Same issue with scale and everything is in the 0.1oz range making my scale useless.

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For these small batches, a more sensitive scale is really useful. The Gemini-20 goes down to .001 gram and works well. I think it's not too expensive. But it only goes up to 20g. For more than half an oz you can measure in batches or use another less accurate scale.

Or using a scale with a dial lets you estimate better.

Get one of these. Pretty cheap on amazon.

Thanks guys, buying ac-100 today.

I use that ac-100 and its a great little scale!

Hey guys, I'm just getting into brewing. I have done one 1 gal extract and ordered a 1 gal extract kit of caribou slobber to keep going as I build up to 5 gal. But for now the 1 gal is fun and easy. Here's my question. I have a 5 gal crawfish pot that I'd like to do my 1 gal kit in so I can full boil. I also have a home built immersion cooler I could use in it as well. Is full boil ok for extract? Should I start with more than 1.25 gal like the recipe calls for? Say 1.5 gal or more?

Dustinj said:

Hey guys, I'm just getting into brewing. I have done one 1 gal extract and ordered a 1 gal extract kit of caribou slobber to keep going as I build up to 5 gal. But for now the 1 gal is fun and easy. Here's my question. I have a 5 gal crawfish pot that I'd like to do my 1 gal kit in so I can full boil. I also have a home built immersion cooler I could use in it as well. Is full boil ok for extract? Should I start with more than 1.25 gal like the recipe calls for? Say 1.5 gal or more?

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you are right that you will need go use more water to compensate for the boil off. Every pot/burner combo's rate is different, you'll have to test it. I'd guess you need close to 2 gals (note I usually boil 90min).

I have used the canning pot which I assume is what you have. Stoneware enamel? Either way I would bump it up depending on how long you want to boil for like Lab rat said. I am running a lot of all grain 1 gal right now and I am using a cheap 5 gal ss pot and I have been shooting for at least 2 gal for just the 60min boil. The big question is what fermenter are you going to use. 1 gallon carlos rossi jug or larger then a gallon. If you are using larger then no problem if you over shoot you starting and ending volume as you will just have either a slightly weaker beer or slightly stronger beer. Just make sure you poor some water in your pot and see where your 1 gallon, 2 gallon, and 3 gallon levels are so you can know what you are starting at and what you are aiming for at the end. I have a marked spoon for this so I can know where I am in volume versus gravity checks to make sure I am on par with my target. Good luck. Had the slobber a while back and it was pretty tasty.

Thanks guys. I used my 1 gallon carbouy to mark my levels today. It's a 5 gal stainless pot. These extract kits are pretty cheap so if I go over it will be ok. I'm going to start with 2 gallons to be safe I think and see what happens. I'm going with a 60 minute full boil.

When I did my last couple of small batches I did something new. With both batches I filtered through some large coffee filters. The last batch, coffee wine ironically, I bottled six 22 oz bombers. The last one was short, about 16 oz instead of 22. The initial batch volume was exactly 1 gallon. So I harvested 126 oz of a possible 128 oz. I did bottle the hydrometer sample, and only took a tiny sip to see where it was for flavor. Filtering through the coffee filters lets me pour the whole thing into the filter, trub and all. Coffee wine doesn't generate much trub though, so you would probably still get higher loss numbers making beer.

Happy brewing.

Just opened a couple bottles of an APA I brewed in that Brewdemon fermentor I bought, they turned out great. Going to brew a 2 gallon Cream Ale in it tomorrow. I'm really likeing that fermentor, worked really well. Might just order another one.

BikerBrewer said:

Just opened a couple bottles of an APA I brewed in that Brewdemon fermentor I bought, they turned out great. Going to brew a 2 gallon Cream Ale in it tomorrow. I'm really likeing that fermentor, worked really well. Might just order another one.

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I payed 5 dollars at winco for a water jug and took a drill to the top lid and forced a airlock through it. The jug is 5 gallon and slightly opaque with gallon marks from 1-5. I was looking at the brewdemon but at the number of batches I am cranking out it was smarter to buy 6 5 gallon jugs then one 2 gallon. They look like cool little conicals though. It is virtually a conical mr beer right?

Hey guys, another small brewer here.
First batch was Mr B. Classic American Light...After 4 weeks still not ready
Have a 1 gal batch of NB Caribou Slobber in bottles conditiong
Have another 1 gal batch NB Caribou Slobber in the fermenter, should be bottled soon
Also have a NB White House Honey Ale waiting to be bottled..

On deck I am going to make my own Pilsner with Mr. B Grand Bohemian Pilsner, some UME, and some Czech Saaz Hops...

1 gal is good for me..I only drink alot of beer maybe once a month, besides that I will just have a beer or two every now and then...

RoughandReadyRanch said:

I payed 5 dollars at winco for a water jug and took a drill to the top lid and forced a airlock through it. The jug is 5 gallon and slightly opaque with gallon marks from 1-5. I was looking at the brewdemon but at the number of batches I am cranking out it was smarter to buy 6 5 gallon jugs then one 2 gallon. They look like cool little conicals though. It is virtually a conical mr beer right?

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Yep, that's basicly what it is. I like the fact that I can bottlle right out of the fermentor too using carb tabs. It does have a option of using a no vented lid and a regular airlock. A little on the pricey side but very convenient.

jgm038 said:

Hey guys, another small brewer here.
First batch was Mr B. Classic American Light...After 4 weeks still not ready
Have a 1 gal batch of NB Caribou Slobber in bottles conditiong
Have another 1 gal batch NB Caribou Slobber in the fermenter, should be bottled soon
Also have a NB White House Honey Ale waiting to be bottled..

On deck I am going to make my own Pilsner with Mr. B Grand Bohemian Pilsner, some UME, and some Czech Saaz Hops...

1 gal is good for me..I only drink alot of beer maybe once a month, besides that I will just have a beer or two every now and then...

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Good luck with your Pilsner, sounds like it should be good. Been thinking of doing one myself. I've done both the Caribou Slobber and the White hose Honey, they both came out realy good.

1 gal caribou slobber on deck!

I have to agree with a few other posters about "stepping it up" does not really mean how many gallons of brew, rather what process. For me, I have all of the equipment for 5 gallon brews. But, I find it easier to justify to SWMBO (and myself) spending money on bigger batches after I have already made a few fantastic one gallon batches. The fact that a gallon only makes ten beers is a double-edged sword. If it's a great beer, you only have ten. If it sucks, you only have ten. I think it's the best way to learn the basics and develop recipes. I'm not hating on bigger brewers (I would love to run a brewpub), just giving my $.02 on one gallon batches and their advantages.

Titan88 said:

I have to agree with a few other posters about "stepping it up" does not really mean how many gallons of brew, rather what process. For me, I have all of the equipment for 5 gallon brews. But, I find it easier to justify to SWMBO (and myself) spending money on bigger batches after I have already made a few fantastic one gallon batches. The fact that a gallon only makes ten beers is a double-edged sword. If it's a great beer, you only have ten. If it sucks, you only have ten. I think it's the best way to learn the basics and develop recipes. I'm not hating on bigger brewers (I would love to run a brewpub), just giving my $.02 on one gallon batches and their advantages.

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Oh it's a great way to experiment that's for sure. It's also nice when you're making something for occasional use, like coffee wine.

It's also great when your wife wants an occasional "Corona". I sure don't want 5 gallons of that stuff around....

I have to agree with all of you, it's the perfect way to refine your technic, a good way to experiment with new recipes, and great for styles you wouldn't want alot of. Plus it's all tastes so good.

Another great thing about one gallon is its done on the stove top. My wife and kids are sitting around chatting with me and watching tv in the AC while I'm brewing. Even my two year old gets her step stool out and "helps" daddy make beer. I won't allow her any where near an open burner and boiling wort out side.

what is this coffee wine leadgolem??

Mooglebass said:

what is this coffee wine leadgolem??

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I finally went and just posted it in the recipe's section.

It's nothing revolutionary. Basically, cold brewed coffee, sugar, and yeast nutrient.

So basically I could make one hell of a iced coffee drink. Have you tried any nibs in it? Also would some beans work better than.extract? Also would a simple syrup male the sugar dissolve better?