3 gallon? 4 gallon?

Does anyone ever trim their batch sizes down to 3 or 4 gallons?
The reason I ask is that up until now I been brewing 5g batches because .....ah well.....thats what it looks like you're suppose to do.
I like variety and usually get bored with a beer half way through the keg. I have started bottling a portion of the batch leaving 4 gallons in the keg, but my collection is growing faster than I can consume them.
Also it seems to me that a 3 or a 4 gallon batch would eliminate my need for a yeast starter in most cases.
Thoughts?

If I ever do a small batch it's a 1 gallon. Makes for a nice 12 pack of an experimental beer.

I understand your question but I went the other way, from 5 gallon batches to 10. I figured it's about the same amount of work for twice the beer. Sometimes I'll split a batch & do something different with each 5. Maybe you just need more kegs/faucets for more variety?

I bet there's a bunch of stove top brewers that do smaller batches.

Wish I had your problems....I'm starting to wish I could do more than 10 gallon batches.....and I've been brewing every single weekend, and some midday quickies, since starting this hobby.

Edit: Didn't brew on my anniversary weekend...but I damn sure brewed the monday after.

hamiltont said:

I understand your question but I went the other way, from 5 gallon batches to 10. I figured it's about the same amount of work for twice the beer. Sometimes I'll split a batch & do something different with each 5. Maybe you just need more kegs/faucets for more variety?

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I did the same.


to the op get a bigger kegerator maybe?

hamiltont said:

...I figured it's about the same amount of work for twice the beer. Sometimes I'll split a batch & do something different with each 5...

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I like this here, do a 5 gallon base and split into 5 one gallons...they did something on Basic Brewing Radio like this with different peppers. To keep it simple you could just split in half and try something different with it...

My 1 gallon test batches usually go in to a 1 gallon jug at .75 gallons, at the end of the day I should get a 6-pack...

You could definitely do that. The easiest way, in my opinion, is to just do 2.5 gallon batches.. That way, you could just cut everything in half (except for yeast) and use any recipe you wanted. You could even buy a kit, but only use 1/2 the ingredients and then freeze the leftovers so you could make it again in 6 months if you want.

They sell 3 gallon carboys and kegs, too, if you really wanted to downsize.

faststage1 said:

but my collection is growing faster than I can consume them. Thoughts?

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Yeah, I have a thought and can help you with your issue. Just send them to me and I'll drink them for you. Problem solved.

Seriouslly, you could do what you're suggesting but I don't. I brew 10gal batches and almost always have two different beers on tap.

I hope this isn't heresy here, but you could get those Mr Beer kegs from their website for $10 to use for two gallon batches. I've split five gallon batches between them. They actually are designed for just over two gallons, so the recipes come out a bit strong. (I go over the 8.5 quart mark though.)

Not heresy, I was thinking the same thing. They are great fermenters, and since you are already using your own recipes, they are just another tool to accomplish what you are trying to achieve.

In my previous life as an extract brewer years ago I routinely did 3 gallon batches. I'd primary in a 5 gallon carboy, then secondary in a 3 gallon carboy. There's nothing magic about 5 gallons. Assuming you scale your recipes correctly I see no reason why you can't brew whatever volume you want.

I do smaller batches all the time, usually 3 or 4 gal. The only issue I would be concerned with is if you are using a secondary in a 5 gal carboy/bucket - that's alot of O2 sitting atop your non/slow fermenting secondary...

Grizzlybrew said:

I do smaller batches all the time, usually 3 or 4 gal. The only issue I would be concerned with is if you are using a secondary in a 5 gal carboy/bucket - that's alot of O2 sitting atop your non/slow fermenting secondary...

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Good point.
I never use a secondary. I ferment in the carboy for 2-4 weeks depending on what I'm brewing an then cool crash 5 days then into the keg for cold conditioning until I'm ready to drink it. You obviously use a smaller carboy, yes??
Love your batting order.

Man, this thread is right on with my thinking. I have been doing 5 gallon batches for a while and I would rather brew more frequently and different styles. I am thinking of going 2.5 gallon and use my 5 gallon carboy with no secondary.

I like the variety, too. However, I just cannot get past the fact that it takes virtually no extra effort and very little extra cost to get up to 5 gallons. Whenever I need to make space, I never seem to have a problem finding someone to lighten my load, so I do have that working for me.


TL

All my experimental batches are done as 2.5 gallon recipes, since it's easy to scale up to 5 or scale down from a 5 gallon recipe, if you find a 5 gallon recipe you like, but maybe aren't sure you'd like 5 gallons, then you have an easy time.. It's also one case of beer. Also you can use your old mr beer keg (which you can also lager in a normal fridge) and any 3 gallon water jug (plus the betterbottle 3 gallon fermenters are square and sweet!)

I put a lot of info in the MR Beer thread about doing small batch ag recipes on a stovetop using a 2 gallon cooler as a mashtun.

Can you do a 2.5 gallon batch in a grain bag in the boil kettle? That would be cool, save having to use another piece of equipment (I have a 48qt cooler for batch sparging). I have a 7.5 qt boil kettle. I could do everything inside on my stove then.