First timer - looking to do 2.5 gallon batches

Ok, I have been doing some research and I think I would like to start out with 2.5 gallon batches as opposed to 5. I like the idea of brewing a case at a time as opposed to 2, and I think it will be a bit easier for me for several reasons, size, quantity, etc.

I think starting with a kit from an internet retailer MoreBeer, HBA, etc seems to be the way to go because of the amount of items you get for the price, but will using a 7.8 gallon fermenter be a problem with only 2.5 gallons in it (too much air space, etc)?

Also, I will be going with extract, and maybe steeping some grains. I have found a few recipes that are interesting, but are for 5 gallon batches. Do recipes scale equally, in other words, can I half all of the ingredients, or is it not scalable like that?

Thanks,
Mark

I'm no expert but I have the impression that the difference in workload between making a 2.5 gallon batch and a 5 gallon batch are minimal.

fb296 said:

Ok, I have been doing some research and I think I would like to start out with 2.5 gallon batches as opposed to 5. I like the idea of brewing a case at a time as opposed to 2, and I think it will be a bit easier for me for several reasons, size, quantity, etc.

I think starting with a kit from an internet retailer MoreBeer, HBA, etc seems to be the way to go because of the amount of items you get for the price, but will using a 7.8 gallon fermenter be a problem with only 2.5 gallons in it (too much air space, etc)?

Also, I will be going with extract, and maybe steeping some grains. I have found a few recipes that are interesting, but are for 5 gallon batches. Do recipes scale equally, in other words, can I half all of the ingredients, or is it not scalable like that?

Thanks,
Mark

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I think that many people make smaller batches- you'd be fine with the ale pale even with so much headspace. You might also want to consider getting a 3 gallon carboy, just so you have a chance to do more than one beer at a time.

The 5 gallon kits would work great for you- you can generally just make 1/2 at a time, but use the whole package of yeast. You can just buy an extra package of yeast to make the other half of the kit.

Or, you could find a recipe you'd like to try and just order the amounts you need. That would probably be my preference.

I guess my thinking is if you have all the ingredients, and the fermenter, you might as well make the entire 5 gallons. I know that seems like a lot, but it's just as much work for 1/2 batch as it is for a whole batch- and if you're ordering a kit, you'll have enough for 5 gallons anyway. Believe it or not, bottling two cases only takes about 10 minutes longer than bottling one case. And you can keep the bottled beer for many months, as well as share it with friends.

Of course, it's up to you, and you can definitely make small batches if you'd like!

Smaller batches are great - especially if you live in a small apartment like I do. They allow you to use a smaller kettle on the stove and a smaller carboy. You will invest the same amount of time making a half batch as you do a full batch. Almost everything in a 5 gallon recipe can be cut in half to make a 2.5 gallon batch - except for time. So cut the extract in half as well as the boil volume. I would say reduce the hops and steeping grains to about 75%. You will still want to boil for the entire time specified in the recipe as this is all about hop isomerization.

The only time you'll save with half batches is bringing the water up to a boil, and cooling it down for pitching. And bottling day

As for the 7.8 gallon fermenter... this will be just fine for primary fermentation as the CO2 generated will push out any air through the airlock anyway. I wouldn't recommend using that vessel for secondary fermentation. You do want to be mindful of oxidation in secondary fermentation since CO2 is no longer being produced and your beer may stale a little. It won't ruin a beer by any means, but it's always a good idea to get as little head room as possible in the secondary. Happy brewing!

Thanks for the advice. I think I will pick up a 3 gallon carboy for the secondary.

So, 1/2 the extract and 1/4 the hops and steeping grains. Is that the generally agreed upon conversion?

fb296 said:

Thanks for the advice. I think I will pick up a 3 gallon carboy for the secondary.

So, 1/2 the extract and 1/4 the hops and steeping grains. Is that the generally agreed upon conversion?

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I don't think that is what I would do. I would simply do 1/2 of the recipe. If you have a specific recipe in mind, we could run it through some brewing software for you. I think you'd be very unhappy using 1/4 the hops and grains.

I make smaller batches all the time. In my case, I make 2.5-3 gallon recipes, but brew the odd 5-gallon recipe from time to time.

Scaling a recipe is simply taking all of measurements and dividing by the appropriate number, in this case "2". Thus, if your recipe calls for 6.6 pounds of liquid malt extract and 1 pound of crystal malt, you use 3.3 pounds of extract and a half-pound of crystal malt.

Scaling for hops isn't so easy. Has to do with the boil, hydrodynamics and all that technical gibberish. Gibberish it may be, but it can have a significant impact on your hops utilization. I'd start by reducing the hops using the same linear scale as you do the grain/extract. Once you brew a few batches, you'll know whether or not your hops scaling is providing enough bitterness.

Cheers!

Bob

I do plenty of them, I posted a little tutorial and some of my allgrain recipes in the mr beer thread....

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/mr...post785533/?highlight=test+batches#post785533

FiddleTilDeath said:

I'm no expert but I have the impression that the difference in workload between making a 2.5 gallon batch and a 5 gallon batch are minimal.

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It may not be your cup of tea, but it is his, and mine, and several others on here. I don't think of any aspect of this HOBBY as work...whether I'm making 5 gallons of 2.5, I'm still making beer and I am having fun...

I do quite a lot of them, for several reasons....to test recipes. To make things that I know I won't want to drink 5 gallons of. To do small partigyles (two, 2.5 gallon batches can be done easlily out of a 5 gallon cooler.) And also because I can do full volume boils on my electric stove with only needing a five gallon pot. And to help teach Mr Beer users how to make kick ass beers in their old brown kegs. You can also lager in a Mr Beer kegger, or squat 3 gal water bottle in a standard fridge without needing a second dedicated, and still leave room for the milk and beer, which is good for me since I live in a loft with little extra space.

It's also a good way to get introduced to AG without a huge expenditure of equipment. You can make a low to moderate grave 2.5 gallon batch of all grain in a 2-3 gallon unmodified cooler. (10 bucks @ Walmarts) And you can get surprisingly good efficiency from the unmodified cooler, with a folding steamer and a grainbag...

Plus you can brew 2.5 gallons of AG for about 9-10 bucks (Not counting yeast)...1 ounce of hops goes a looooong way in a 2.5 gallon recipe.


This summer I had 4 or 5 different small batches going plus 3-4 regular 5 gallon batches of my 'haus standards" (My Amber, My Dead Guy Clone, My Brown Ale, and My Ginger Orange Dortmunder.) I had a Hellova variety of beer.

I use 3 gallon water bottles for the majority of my 2.5 gallon batches. But you CAN use a 5 gallon as a primary...If your recipe calls for a lot of fermentables and therefore may be really active, doing it in a 5 gallon prevents the need to use a blowoff tube.

Thanks again everyone. I am comparing sites now to make my purchase.

i sometimes brew 5 gallon batches in 3 gallon fermenters

YooperBrew said:

I don't think that is what I would do. I would simply do 1/2 of the recipe. If you have a specific recipe in mind, we could run it through some brewing software for you. I think you'd be very unhappy using 1/4 the hops and grains.

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Err... I may have misspoke. I reduce the steeping grains to about 75% of what they were. So if the recipe calls for 1# of crystal malt, I use 0.75#. Hops go the same way. An ounce of Cascade can be reduced to 0.75oz without ill effect.

I've never been disappointed with doing that. But then again, it's hard to measure 0.75oz hops, so why not just toss in the entire oz bag?

2.5 batch would be great, kinda wish i went that route... i would make 2 batches at a time mind you, but i could do a full boil on the stove top, then top off due to evap.
my stove STRUGGLES to boil more than 2 gals..

BlackHat said:

Err... I may have misspoke. I reduce the steeping grains to about 75% of what they were. So if the recipe calls for 1# of crystal malt, I use 0.75#. Hops go the same way. An ounce of Cascade can be reduced to 0.75oz without ill effect.

I've never been disappointed with doing that. But then again, it's hard to measure 0.75oz hops, so why not just toss in the entire oz bag?

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it's not hard to measure if you have a scale. before i even had a scale, it wasn't that big of a deal...just split it into four equal parts and take one away.

you don't want to increase your hops too much, you'll have an overly bitter or hoppy beer. not enough and you will have an overly malty beer. especially if it's a high alpha acid hop, you could run into trouble if you don't calculate it close.

seriously...you can make 5 gallon batches with a small boil and ferment in 3 gallon containers. partial mash, extract, whatever. hell, it's REALLY easy to make 2.5 gallon all-grain batches.

Should the OP be looking at Dry Malt Extract (DME) instead of Liquid Malt Extract (LME)?

I worry about the LME spoiling if opened and not used up. This could be a non-issue, but it was a concern I had.

Also, look at the ingredients in the recipe, if it calls for 6.6 lbs of LME, coming from two 3.3 lb cans, then obviously you'd be fine. But my first kit had a pouch with either five or six lbs all in one container.

+1, Joe. It's easier to save unused DME. On the other hand, if you do what I do and plan recipes based on what sizes of ingredients are most easily handled, it's all right.

Unhopped extract syrup generally comes in 3.3 lb tins. That gives an OG of ~1.049 in 2.5 gallons. Dried malt extract comes in 1-pound and 3-pound packets. 3 pounds of DME in 2.5 gallons is ~1.055. If you want a wort of OG 1.067, one tin of LME and one 1-lb packet of DME will get you there without saving things, where two tins of LME and 4 pounds of DME are both too much.

You just have to be clever with how you apportion things.

Cheers,

Bob