kuips
Well-Known Member
to do half batches (2.5 gal) - is it as simple as dividing the 5 gal recipe in half?
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half batches
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JBrady
Well-Known Member
basically yes, its good to use software like beersmith, because sometimes converting recipes down requires some small tweaks besides just cutting them in half. All I do is 2.75 gallon batches, its nice to have almost all my recipes come in at under 20 dollars. At 2.75 gallon batches I usually get 2.25 gallons in the bottling bucket which comes out to 24 bottles of beer.
JBrady
Well-Known Member
if your not using brewing software then yes it is just as easy as splitting the recipe in half on all ingrediants except the yeast, I have always just used the whole pack of yeast with positive results
I've recently started doing only 2.5 gallons batches as well. Cheaper, and gets more variety in my beers. Instead of having 50 bottles of one thing, id rather have 25 of two. This is especially nice on new beers that I am trying. I will still do a 5 gallon batch now and then on a proven and tested recipe that I like.
gridder
Member
I know some people think it is dotty to do half batches, but that way I get to brew more and try more styles. I only drink a beer or two a week -- so 5 gallons could last 6 months!
kuips
Well-Known Member
for those doing half batches do you use a 3 gal carboy?
JBrady
Well-Known Member
i use 5 gallon carboys since the prices aren't much different than the 3 gallon carboys, this gives you a leg up if you decide to do full batches plus you never have to worry about clogging your airlocks.
kuips
Well-Known Member
I have one 5 gal carboy that I am using to make full batches (and will continue to use it for this). Additionally, I wanted to start half batches to experiment more and try new things - so I guess just getting another 5 gal carboy makes sense.
goodgodilovebeer
Well-Known Member
I'm of the same opinion. I love the process of brew day, so the more I can do it...the better.
JBrady
Well-Known Member
yea northern brewer lists 3 gallon better bottles at 23.99, while the 5 gallon better bottle is listed at 22.99, so i would definitely go with the 5g
Torchiest
Well-Known Member
Wow, the smaller one is more expensive? That's crazy. I have two 6gals, two 5gals, and one 3gal. I only use the 5gals for secondary or if I make a cider.
Haputanlas
Well-Known Member
According to this Youtube video, smaller batches require shorter boil times. This video suggests that a single gallon batch should require no more than 15 minutes. I do not claim that this is correct, but I just thought that it was an interesting tidbit that others might be able to comment on.
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Haputanlas
Well-Known Member
take note at 7:20 in the video. this is where he mentions that the boil is only about 15 minutes on a one gallon batch.
Again, I don't know if this is correct. I'm just bringing it up for conversation.
Again, I don't know if this is correct. I'm just bringing it up for conversation.
JBrady
Well-Known Member
I'm definitely going to look into this smaller batch shorter boil time thing, I haven't heard of it before, definitely would be nice to have shorter brew times. It would save alot of money on propane and alot of time
If you use shorter boil times you are probably going to have to up the amount of hops you use, eve compared to a full size batch. 15 minutes is pretty short.
Beersmith shows me that one ounce of Centennial boiled for 60 minutes in an amber will give you 32.8 ibu's in a 5 gal batch. To get the same ibu's in a 2.5 gal batch boiled for 15 minutes you would need 2 ounces.
Beersmith shows me that one ounce of Centennial boiled for 60 minutes in an amber will give you 32.8 ibu's in a 5 gal batch. To get the same ibu's in a 2.5 gal batch boiled for 15 minutes you would need 2 ounces.
sp1365
Well-Known Member
I don't know about shorter boil times, but I exclusively do 2.5 gallon AG batches. I seem leery of the shorter boil time, though I do not have anything to back up my concerns. If you are doing Extract with steeping grains then it may okay as long as you adjust for your hop utilization for the shorter time. If you are doing AG then I begin to get nervous. I am just not sure if a 15 minute boil is enough to drive off various volatile compounds especially if you use a large percentage of Pilsner Malt. Once again I have no proof of this only my concerns. When I do my batches I boil for 60 minutes.
Getting a program like BeerSmith is very helpful especially if you like to formulate your own recipes.
I use a 5 gallon BB for primary and have two 3 gallon BBs that I use for secondary.
Getting a program like BeerSmith is very helpful especially if you like to formulate your own recipes.
I use a 5 gallon BB for primary and have two 3 gallon BBs that I use for secondary.
Haputanlas
Well-Known Member
Is the boil time the same on a 10 or 20 gallon recipe? If so, I wouldn't understand why the boil time would be less on a 2.5 gallon recipe since the water is still at boiling temperatures (Volume shouldn't matter). I'm just confused by that message in the Youtube video.
Someone can correct me if I am wrong but the boiling time is directly correlated to utilization. We boil for one hour to get the most utilization out of hops. I suppose that if you're going to boil for less than one hour you would probably have to increase the amount of hops used but make sure this is run through beersmith in order to get the ratio correct.
burtonbaton
Well-Known Member
I'm hoping to revive this thread a bit:
For those of you who have done half batches, do you use yeast starters or just pitch? Anybody do two half batches on the same day and split the starter? I'm about to do my 2nd batch ever and thinking about going the 2 half batch route to get more experience faster with less risk.
For those of you who have done half batches, do you use yeast starters or just pitch? Anybody do two half batches on the same day and split the starter? I'm about to do my 2nd batch ever and thinking about going the 2 half batch route to get more experience faster with less risk.
burtonbaton
Well-Known Member
Nevermind. I found the other thread where this was talked about.
Torchiest
Well-Known Member
On the shorter boil time, I personally don't think it's a super great idea, since you could potentially goof up how the hops is utilized, i.e., more flavor and less bitterness. I've heard that you can't get consistent results with shorter boiling times, and it seems like my beers have been better since I stopped doing shorter boils a few years ago.
Your boil time is the same no matter what the size of the batch, any other notion is ridiculuous....A 60 minute hop addition is going to be a 60 minute hop addition regardless of the size of the batch...it IS about hop utilization...the only thing that is going to change is the volume of the hops used. But the boil time is going to be the same.
I do over 50% of my brewing as 2.5 gallon test batches, and have contributed a ton of info on here about it...here is some stuff for you.
I do over 50% of my brewing as 2.5 gallon test batches, and have contributed a ton of info on here about it...here is some stuff for you.
Here's some info I have put together before.
I use my normal 5 gallon mash tun for most of them, but I do a lot of Experiments, test recipes, or beers that I know I won't need/want more than a case of.
I sometimes use an unmodified 2 gallon cooler for a lot of my small btaches it holds up to 4 pounds of grain.
I just us a folding steamer in the bottom along with a grain bag. Just break off or unscrew the center post.
One of these, it helps to lift the grain bag above the spigot to keep the drainig from getting stuck.
I posted a lot of info in the mr beer thread that you may find helpful.
I posted some all grain small batchrecipes here, https://www.homebrewtalk.com/785533-post702.html
ANd a bit of a primer on AG with pics here https://www.homebrewtalk.com/738927-post659.html
But I mostly use my regular 5 gallon cooler mash tun which holds 14 pounds of grains...and 14 pounds of grain for a 2.5 gallon batch can be a mighty big beer.....
One of our memebers chubbykid had plans for a minikeg mashtun http://sites.google.com/site/chubbykidhomebrew/Home/equipment/mini-keg-lauter-tun
THe basic brewing radio guys are big fans of tiny batch brewing...3/4 gallon (1 6pack) in a 1 gallon winejug fermenter.
They demo the 6-pack IPA here
http://en.sevenload.com/shows/Basic...1-12-06-Basic-Brewing-Video-A-Six-Pack-of-IPA
and they also have done barleywines as well.
I ferment my 2.5 gallon batches in all manner of things, I have a 3 gallon better bottle, I also use 3 gallon water jugs, AND my old Mr Beer keg (it's perfect because you can even lager in your own fridge with it when you are starting out.)
You can even ferment a 2.5 gallon batch in a 5 gallon carboy if you want, though I would say a 6.5 gallon carboy is a little too much headspace for my confort.
Hope this helps....any more questions feel free to ask...
joebagodonuts
Well-Known Member
I know that this is an old thread - but I have to back up Revvy on this one.
Keep your boil times the same.
You boil for more than just hop utilization and sterilization. It's a very important part of the process.
You need to think about maillard reaction, condensing and concentrating sugars, Protein denaturation & enzyme inactivation, Protein coagulation, reducing agents, getting rid of dms precursors, and many many other things.
So - boil it the same amount of time.
Keep your boil times the same.
You boil for more than just hop utilization and sterilization. It's a very important part of the process.
You need to think about maillard reaction, condensing and concentrating sugars, Protein denaturation & enzyme inactivation, Protein coagulation, reducing agents, getting rid of dms precursors, and many many other things.
So - boil it the same amount of time.
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